To Stay 6 Months
Day-Care Center May Get Reprieve

By MEREDITH KOLODNER

The city is negotiating a deal that would keep Children's Liberation Day Care Center open until June 30, after announcing last month its intention to close it Jan. 4.

NEAL TEPEL: 'Buys us time.'

The agreement was crafted in Judge Denny Chin's chambers on Dec. 18 and would restore the center's contract, which had been terminated. Children's Liberation would agree to vacate the building it has occupied for 26 years in Lower Manhattan on June 30, without a guarantee that it could return after the city's $20 million renovation project is completed, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.

ACS to Assist

In return, sources said, the Administration for Children's Services would agree to cooperate in efforts to find a new location and leave open the option to apply for a renewal of funds if they find a new location during the renovations, which would begin in July.

"We are pleased in the sense that they would not throw the kids out in January," said Neal Tepel, assistant to DC 1707 Executive Director Raglan George Jr., who represents the staff. "We will not be pleased if they are not going to be able to stay in the building.

"But it gives us time to work together," Mr. Tepel added. "I see it as an important event because ACS was so fixed on having them out in the middle of January. They did the right thing by the children."

ACS officials declined to comment on the negotiations.

Agency officials explained in November that the contract was terminated to protect the health and safety of the children due to needed renovations. They also committed to working with the parents to find alternative slots for the roughly 87 children.

Would Leave a Void

But parents objected, noting that the other four tenants at the P.S. 122 building were being allowed to stay and that Children's Liberation is the only day-care center between Houston and 14th Sts. and Ave. C and 5th Ave.

The contract termination date has been pushed back to Jan. 11 to allow time for the negotiations. Parents and union officials are concerned about the long-term future of the center, unsure where they will find another 7,300 square-foot space in the neighborhood for their approximate current rent of $5,500 a month. But they believe that the compromise may be the only way to stop the January disruption.

"We are working on a settlement," said parent and Children's Liberation board member Paul Wilson, "which would at least not kick the kids to the curb in the middle of winter at Christmas. If the settlement does not bear fruit, we're back on for arguments in Judge Stein's courtroom."

Children's Liberation had filed suit on Dec. 14, but Judge Sidney Stein asked Judge Chin to step in and mediate.

The center's lawyer, Arthur Schwartz, said he had advised all the relevant elected officials of the negotiations with ACS. After the negotiations concluded, parents were informed that the center would stay open until June 30.

The city's Corporation Counsel is now preparing a written agreement, although sources said there may be some stumbling blocks regarding finding an alternative location. The center's board would have to vote to approve the deal. A final agreement, if reached, is expected by Jan. 2.