Talks Continue In Effort To Keep Philadelphia School District Facilities Open On Weekends
By Mike Dunn
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Nutter Administration is still in talks with the Philadelphia School District on a deal that would keep district facilities open on weekends so dozens of weekend activities don't get cancelled.
The mayor's Chief Education Officer, Lori Shorr, said negotiations go on between the administration and the district on preserving weekend activities.
"What's being discussed is what we can do and still meet some of the budgetary problems the district has to operate," said Shorr. "Some of these buildings are huge and are really expensive to open on the weekends."
The District -- facing a $61-million dollar deficit -- hopes to save nearly three-million dollars by closing facilities an hour early during the week and entirely on weekends.
But that threatens many ongoing recreation department programs, as well as neighborhood sports leagues and theatrical productions.
Shorr said they don't yet have a solution:
"We've got to be creative and very collaborative to make sure we can give as much to kids as we can, without hitting the budget so hard, that we've got to cut something from another part."
