HRA/EDA board recommends all applicants for AARP funding
News | Published on June 27, 2022 at 12:39pm CDT
By Melanie Stegner
The Pope County HRA/EDA held a special meeting on Thursday to discuss the recommendation of ARPA funds for local childcare providers.
ARPA, which stands for the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which provides relief funds to eligible state, local and tribal governments that have been negatively affected by the coronavirus.
The county received 14 applications for the funds from in-home childcare providers for review. Board members Lori Vaadeland, Jason Rupp, Paul Gerde and Greg Vold were in attendance, as was Jason Murray.
The application requirements included a license in good standing or be in the process of becoming licensed and the funds requested must be used on facility expansion, equipment replacement, improvements to mechanical systems, pandemic/safety related improvements and operational support. For in-home providers the board had approved a limit of $15,000 per provider.
Little Farmers Childcare, run by Kaylenn Lundebrek submitted a request as well as estimates from contractors for the full grant amount to complete the start-up of her childcare facility. Her planned improvements are equipment including table chairs, napping equipment, etc. and a remodel for daycare of existing home. Her total estimates came in at $32,692.53 for all her planned improvements.
Marlene Marthaler of MM Daycare requested a grant of $9,180 to replace flooring and install a new front door, casing, stairs and decking. She has been licensed for over 11 years and provides care for nine children.
Kailyn Nelson runs a daycare in rural Hancock and currently has seven children in her care. Her proposed improvements will give her space for 11 children. She requested the full grant amount to replace windows in bedrooms for additional napping space, a safety fence for the pool, a swing set and additional equipment as well as a new furnace. She also requested $800 for garage renovations to heat the area for additional play space.
Kim’s Kiddos in Glenwood, owned by Kim Johnson, has been in business for eight years. She currently cares for nine kids and would be able to expand to ten with the improvements requested. She provided estimates totaling $11,392.59 to replace flooring in the main room and bedrooms and paneling in main living room as there is peeling and splintering causing safety concerns.
Glenwood’s Playdate Clubhouse owned by Marsha Larson has been in business for one year and currently with flex scheduling she provides care for 15 children. She has applied for the total grant amount to install an egress window in her basement to create a napping area for infants. The request also plans for removal of a wall to create a more open space for supervision and a swing set for the play area. Jet black seal coating of the driveway was part of the request.
Carrie Klimek with Little Reno’s Daycare requested an amount of $14,460 for replacement of heating and cooling systems. She has been in operation for seven months.
The full grant amount was requested by Melissa Logan from Logan’s Place Daycare. She has been in business for nearly 20 years in Glenwood. Her request is to replace to decks and the stairs going to the home. The current decks are peeling and have rotting, it was stated. The rotting boards would be replaced with maintenance free planking. The estimate provided at $19,421.60 also includes leveling out the sidewalk as it has settled over the years creating several tripping hazards.
Taylor Mix has done daycare in Starbuck for four years. She provides care for seven children currently and would be able to add three spaces with the requested full grant. Her application is targeting work to the basement to create more space as well as window replacements in the napping areas and siding and trim replacement.
Elly’s Munchkinland Daycare, run by Elysia Flury for over 14 years in Glenwood, currently has space for ten children. She applied for the full grant amount and included estimates totaling $17,415.52 to remodel the kitchen and get new playground equipment and turf.
For 15 years, Charity Vold from Kiddo Country Daycare has provided care to local kids. She currently has 14 children enrolled with flex scheduling. Her grant request is for $14,906.83 to replace windows, flooring in the living room, toy room and infant room as well as the replace of the water system due to arsenic. She is also requesting funds for a kitchen remodel and equipment.
Lori Larson of Lori’s Family Daycare in Lowry currently supervises 11 children and has been doing so for 29 years. Her application for the full grant amount included an estimate of $16,316 to install new windows to the main floor, basement and garage as well as a new patio door.
Farwell provider Megan Lardy of Little Acres Daycare also requested the full grant amount and submitted estimates of $20,895.29 to install new flooring in the main childcare area and to create a covered deck for the play area.
Little Steps Childcare in Villard has been in business for over six years and is owned by Emily Ebnet. Her improvements will provide two more spaces. The requested grant amount included estimates totalling $12,821.47 for new storm and screen doors, new carpet in the childcare area and replacement of furnace, air conditioner and water heater. It also includes roofing repairs and trim on the home.
Katie’s Childcare in Glenwood, in business for nearly two years, has eight children enrolled and with the full grant request would have space for ten. Her total project cost is estimated at $25,000 and includes waterproofing the basement and adding an air purification system to prevent mold and mildew to the childcare space. It also includes the addition of three egress windows.
Two organizations applied for funds as well. The Pope County Daycare Association has been a local resource for over 20 years and the current president is Charity Vold. The organization requested $5,850 to aid in providing a mentorship program for new providers. The mentorship program would cover nine months of training costs for two years at roughly $200/training, $2,000 for the mentorship program expenses and $250 for meal costs for an initial visit and introduction to the mentorship program.
Jeanne Pederson with the Pope County Family Collaborative requested the full grant amount of $15,000 to provide welcome bags that include first aid kits, goggles, gloves and other PPE for new providers. Requested funds would also cover free super Saturday training sessions for in-person learning so that new and veteran providers can mingle and share what they’ve learned. The creation of a substitute provider program is also a part of the request. This would give current providers a list of substitutes that have passed the background study and training necessary to provide care.
Thank you events to improve camaraderie and the mental health of in-home providers, promoting the need for childcare in the county and expanding visits from the mobile learning center, police, firefighters and first responders are included in the request as well.
The HRA/EDA board members present voted unanimously, with Greg Vold abstaining, to recommend all applicants for the funds and improvements requested go before the Pope County Commissioners at the July 5.
