ATLANTIC CITY — Gov. Chris Christie announced today that he's signed an executive order to install an emergency management team in Atlantic City to help dig the financially strapped gambling resort out of what he called "an enormous hole."

The initiative, which was balked at by some local officials, does not rule out the possibility of the city declaring bankruptcy.

Christie tapped Kevin Lavin, a corporate finance attorney who specializes in helping troubled companies, as the emergency manager tasked with finding ways to overhaul the operations and finances of Atlantic City — which has seen four casinos close and more than 8,000 people lose their jobs over the last year.

The Republican governor also named Kevyn Orr, a former corporate bankruptcy lawyer who led Detroit through the largest municipal bankruptcy filing in U.S. history last year, as a special counsel to Lavin.

"I can't wait any longer," Christie said while making the announcement at the third summit he has held in Atlantic City with casino executives, business leaders, union leaders, and state and local officials to search for ways to revive the city. "We need more aggressive action. It's time to confront the dire circumstances with which we are confronted."

The move comes as Christie considers whether to launch a bid for the 2016 Republican nomination for president and could have implications for his campaign.



"It's cooperation that we need," he said. "It's working together.It's necessary for us to rethink how we are doing business in Atlantic City."

But city council President Frank Gilliam was firm in his opposition today.

"I don't believe it's necessary," said Gilliam, a Democrat. "I find it very imposing that we will basically have outsiders come into the city and dictate the direction of the city without sitting down with the city fathers and getting their input. We're open to working with them. But at the same time, any time that they usurp our power, we will definitely have problems with that."

Christie said he is not trying to undermine Guardian, but instead wants the management team to work with the mayor and city council.

"He has inherited an awful mess," the governor said of the mayor. "What we are doing is giving the mayor enhanced tools to be able to bring this to a successful resolution. This is not a move in any way to supplant the mayor's role here in the city."

Orr agreed.

"You still have a mayor, you still have a council," he said. "We want to work closely with them."

Bill Dressel, director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, said he will "watch the situation very carefully."

"We were all anticipating a coup here, and it didn't turn out to be a coup," Dressel said. "It turned out to be a situation where the administration is bringing some real professional individuals in to provide more tools and resources to the mayor in making prudent decision and moving Atlantic City forward."

But police and fire department leaders spoke out against the move, saying they're worried the team will try to alter union contracts. Patrick Colligan, president of the New Jersey Police Benevolent Association, called the move "unnecessary and disturbing."

"Atlantic City does not need an emergency manager to guide it through this difficult period," Colligan said in a statement. "They have been appointed simply to slash the city budget and to give the governor the hatchet men he needs to further ruin anyone who dares to make working for the public their career."

State lawmakers have also introduced dueling plans to help Atlantic City. The Democratic plan — led by state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) — is anchored by a proposal to have casinos make payments in lieu of taxes for 15 years to help cut down the city's debt.

A Republican plan spearheaded by state Assemblyman Chris Brown (R-Atlantic) aims to give all Atlantic County property owners a five-year property tax freeze instead.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Christopher Baxter contributed to this report.

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Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.