Tulsa - Thursday marked the first furlough day for city employees.

City Hall was closed and will be closed on Friday for the Independence Day holiday.

The furlough days aren't just affecting city workers. One new business, Carbon Pilates is a fitness center that specializes in pilates. It was set to open on Monday, but because City Hall is closed, they can't get an inspector out in time for the big day.

Construction crews have been moving fast to get the business up and ready to go. But now, they don't have to move quite as fast. The opening has been pushed back three days.

"With the furlough on Thursday and the holiday on Friday, we were not able to get inspections," says owner Leah Ashlock. "So, the inspection process is going to go through Wednesday and open on Thursday."

Leah says not being able to get a city inspector has cost her new business an average of 12-hundred dollars a day, plus her trainers take a hit.

"They're unable to train their clients, so beyond the 12-hundred dollars they're losing money you know not being able to do their job. So, that's hard. That's disappointing."

She's not the only one feeling disappointed. Outside City Hall, dozens of people showed up only to find the building closed.

"I drove all the way down here and now they're closed and it's Thursday."

"I don't like it. You know? It's upsetting."

Maria Factor needed to pay the bill to get her water turned back on. Instead she found out she'll have to wait until Monday.

"I don't like it because it's hurting a lot of us," she says. "They can save money other places. They don't have to do this."

As for Leah, who shelled out 200-thousand dollars for her new business, she's staying upbeat.

"I'm trying to see it in a very positive light that we have a few extra days to do what we need to do to perfect everything that I want my clients to see."

A city spokesperson says situations like this are considered non-emergency, so they are not making special arrangements. But, she also said since today is the first furlough day, they are learning how to work around unfortunate circumstances like what happened to Leah.

There are seven other furlough days planned -- September 4, October 12, November 25, December 30, December 31, February 25 and May 28. They also fall around holidays, so be sure to mark your calendar if you plan on paying bills at City Hall.

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