FRANKLIN TWP - Slippery Rock School Board members will consider reinstating a varsity swim team during a meeting next week.

The board met Monday at Franklin Township Elementary School and discussed the issue after three people addressed the board about it. Board members eliminated the swim program at Slippery Rock High School this spring.

Randy Giesler, board member and athletic committee chairman, said the main reason the program was cut hinged on budget debates. Board members were faced with a large tax increase to balance the budget and all programs, athletic and otherwise, came under scrutiny, he said.

Since the swim team had only 13 members at the time and the district needed to send swimmers elsewhere to practice, the board decided to cut it. Students were given the option of swimming for the Slippery Rock Eels, a community swimming program for students of all ages.

During public comment, Danny Gilliam of Slippery Rock disagreed with the board's decision and said his son wouldn't receive the same experience with the Eels. Competing for the high school would allow his son more recognition among classmates and more chances to compete.

And since there is no transportation to the Eels practices, he said his son couldn't join even if he wanted to.

"Quite frankly, I don't see the two programs as comparable," he said.

Kirby Burns, former coach of the high school swim team, said he hasn't heard of any former team members joining the Eels.

"The level of competition is not enough with the Eels," he said. "Students who want to compete at district or state levels don't get to enough swim meets with the community group, he added.

Tom Reiber, board president, said he would be willing to make the motion Monday to reinstate the program for three years with the hopes that the program grows in that time period.

Reiber said he will also expect a report from business manager Paul Cessar next week to show how the reinstatement would affect the budget.

The board meets again at 7:30 p.m. next Monday at Slippery Rock Middle School.