The state receiver for the Central Coventry Fire District has filed a temporary restraining order against its own board of directors.
The district filed for bankruptcy in December, and a state receiver has been helping the district restructure.
The receiver, Mark Pfeifer, has worked out an agreement with the union that includes layoffs, pay cuts, reduced overtime and longer workdays.
The agreement is still pending.
A posting for part-time firefighters showed up on indeed.com, a job website.
State Rep. Patricia Morgan, R-Coventry, told NBC 10 the job was likely posted by Marie Baker, a member of the board and also part of a citizen task force.
On the phone, Baker told NBC 10 they posted the jobs to see if they would have the resources for an alternative plan if the receiver's plan doesn't work out.
The task force wants to start fresh, hiring all new paid, on-call volunteer firefighters.
Morgan said about 35 people have already applied and that she believes it would cut costs in half.
"It is what the people have asked for, over and over again, and at some point, in a democracy, what the people have expressed they want through their vote, I think they should get,” Morgan said.
But there's a problem. The receiver's office says they can't just replace the current workforce.
That's led to this temporary restraining order against all the board members, ordering them to stop posting the job openings.
The original post has now been taken down.