City’s child care shortage discussed at meeting

WATERTOWN — Calls for action were requested Monday regarding the state of child care in Watertown.

Four individuals involved in planning for child care spoke during a 35-minute meeting. About another 40 filled city hall’s council chambers to listen and ask questions.

The meeting’s early highlight was the announcement by Sister Barbara Younger from the Mother of God Monastery on Harmony Hill. Among Younger’s titles are director of communications and technology for the Benedictine Sisters living at the monastery.

Younger said plans are in motion to convert an “underutilized” building of approximately 14,000 square feet into a daycare facility capable of serving 200 children. The Sisters are aiming to have the facility completed later this year if funding can be obtained. Younger estimated renovation will cost $2 million plus another $1 million to facilitate EduCare, which provides early education to children up to age 5.

One Watertown daycare has agreed to join the new facility. Pastor Justin Manzey said the Family Worship Center parish was exploring ways to expand Little Blessings Daycare. After speaking with Younger, FWC officials agreed to move to Harmony Hill when the building is ready.

But a new, large daycare won’t solve the overall issue in Watertown, and everyone who spoke said upgraded and available daycare facilities must be on hand if Watertown is to remain a growing and attractive city for working parents with children.

“From the beginning of the child care coalition I said this: no one entity in Watertown can solve the child care crisis by themselves. It will take a community effort to find the solution,” Younger said. “Child care on Harmony Hill has always been part of the Sisters’ vision as it supports our employees and also encourages the growth we hope for in the larger Watertown community.”

Mayor Ried Holien offered assurances that efforts to improve child care won’t stop if and when the Harmony Hill building is ready.

“The group that has been working on child care has been working on this for a long time,” Holien said. “Little Blessings was just the component that made it urgent to have the press conference. We want to assure people this is one part of a larger solution we’re working on.”

Sara Foust, director of community services for Codington County, explained that in 2021 a survey was done in the city to identify community issues. Codington Connects was born from that effort, and its advisory council identified five goals to pursue, including child care.

Foust said some actions have already begun. Lake Area Technical College is planning to expand Educare, and a new coalition has been created for quality, in-home providers. Other options are being explored, and officials are seeking to have the city become an early learner community.

But the overlying issue is funding. Younger said their planners include architects and consultants who have given them great counsel on the project.

“You have to make a commitment to make this transition and expansion a reality,” she said. “There are other pieces to the solution, and that comes from the community, from the parents, from the businesses, from employers, from the City of Watertown and from Codington County. We can’t do this alone.”

Chris Clifton, executive director of the Watertown Development Company, said 20 years ago the growth of small cities relied upon improved roads, water, sewer and local air travel access. Now it’s affordable housing, affordable child care and early education.

He said 37% of Watertown’s manufacturing workforce are women.

“If Watertown wants to be on the leading edge of creating new jobs and taking care of current jobs, we need to make sure that 37% has access to early childhood education,” he said. “This is a clarion call not only to all of us as taxpayers but also to the business community.”

Clifton said efforts will begin shortly on formal and informal capital campaigns among businesses and people. He noted that the Watertown Community Foundation is already accepting donations.

Foust provided a closing message both foreboding and optimistic.

“The path forward won’t be easy,” she said. “There’s going to be a lot of challenges as we move forward. Child care is complicated, so making quality child care affordable and sustainable is the reason we see child care problems across the nation. However, we are determined locally to come together to find solutions for Watertown.”

A townhall discussion of the problems and solutions will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15 on the 4th floor of the LATC Student Center.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: City’s child care shortage discussed at meeting