Mass. Mayors, Companies Brace For Shutdown

As the possibility of a federal government shutdown at midnight Friday looms, Massachusetts mayors and town government leaders are working to figure out how a shutdown might affect their communities.

In Massachusetts, there are more than 92,000 federal employees. A shutdown would mean non-essential employees could not work and the federal government would be unable pay its employees during the shutdown.

Pittsfield Mayor James Ruberto is among those counting on Sen. John Kerry for details on just how the shutdown could affect local services.

"We would have a definite line of communication with his offices should the government shut down," Mayor Ruberto said. "So that we can be in the know on a variety of issues that are going to develop."

Local companies in the defense and robotics fields, among others, working on government contracts could see payment delays.

A shutdown would also mean temporary closures of national parks, such as the Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord.

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