Ryan Hagen, Staff Writer
Posted: 08/16/2012 12:52:40 PM PDT

Special Section: San Bernardino

SAN BERNARDINO – The city may slow down its bankruptcy timeline to accommodate creditors who are deciding whether to challenge the city’s eligibility for Chapter 9 protection.

The San Bernardino City Professional Firefighters filed a motion Wednesday night in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Riverside objecting to the city’s move to require any objections to the bankruptcy to come in by Sept. 21.

That date wouldn’t give creditors enough time to study the city’s finances and other documents, especially since much of the relevant information hasn’t yet been given to the court, said Corey Glave, the union’s lawyer.

“We are not challenging the petition at this time,” said Glave, an attorney based in Hermosa Beach. “We are asking the court to deny the city’s attempt to unfairly expedite the process before they have made all their required filings and other information public.”

Otherwise, Glave said, preserving the union’s rights would require filing a petition that might turn out to be unnecessary.

“A little time now will save all parties delays down the road,” he said.

Other creditors have made the same request, said City Attorney James F. Penman – and he’s sympathetic.

“We’re attempting to work with the major creditors to try to come up with an agreement for additional time, and we would be extending the same offer to our firefighters,” Penman said.

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