Even though a merger with the county is on the table, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl yesterday invited suburban leaders to peruse his menu of services as he works toward deals that could have city trash collectors and firefighters crossing what have sometimes been jealously guarded borders.

Joint firefighting between the city and Wilkinsburg and trash-hauling pacts with southern neighbors are already in the works. But Mr. Ravenstahl told some 100 suburban officials that he wants to make deals that would have city animal control, building inspection, computer, ambulance, firefighting, personnel, police and public works employees helping them out at break-even prices. He's also offering bulk purchasing of everything from office supplies to electricity, which the city now does with Allegheny County, and the sale of water by the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority.

Maybe it was the bagels and coffee, but he drew an audience at the IBEW headquarters in the South Side. After the mayor's speech, suburban officials fanned out to tables manned by city department heads prepared to talk turkey.

"The simple fact that municipalities and boroughs and cities and police forces are even willing to have this discussion shows how far we've come" from the days when local officials didn't work together, he said.

The main targets are services now provided by private contractors, which Mr. Ravenstahl thinks the city can provide more cheaply.

"The waste haulers and the private vendors may not be happy with this discussion, but I don't work for them," he said after making his pitch. "I work for the residents and the taxpayers."

Exhibit one was the city's 2006 pact with Wilkinsburg, renewed this year, under which the city collects trash there. Compared to the cost of private hauling, it is expected to save Wilkinsburg $1 million over three years.

Talks are progressing that could have the borough's 29 firefighters join the city, though there are hurdles.

"I'm optimistic that things should be moving forward," said Wilkinsburg Councilwoman Denise Edwards. "I believe Wilkinsburg residents will have enhanced fire safety, because city crews are larger."

The potential stumbling blocks include a rule that all city workers live within its borders, which Joe King, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1, called "non-negotiable," even if suburban firefighters were merged into his ranks.

He also cited a plank in his contract that bars any changes that don't enhance response times. "How often are our services going to be used to supplement another geographical area?" he asked.

Mr. King represents city firefighters, while the borough's are part of another local.

Baldwin Borough officials have been meeting with city officials about trash collection, most recently on May 3, said borough council President Marian Joseph. The borough now uses private hauler Allied Waste in a contract shared by a number of South Hills municipalities, so the city could conceivably seek deals with several other governments.

"Everything has potential," said Brentwood Public Works Supervisor Bob Mackewich, after hearing Mr. Ravenstahl's offer. "It's all in the cost."

Mr. Mackewich said he was intrigued at the possibility of the city handling animal control for his borough, which now pays a private vendor.

The city's courtship of the municipalities comes even as Mr. Ravenstahl and county Chief Executive Dan Onorato seek state legislation allowing a voter referendum to meld the city into the county.

The mayor had long held that the city had more in common with other municipalities than with the county. He only embraced city-county consolidation shortly before the April 3 release of a pro-merger report by University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark Nordenberg's committee on the subject.

Yesterday the mayor said deals between municipalities could proceed "on a parallel track" with city-county consolidation.