On Jan. 7, the Pagosa Springs Town Council considered the criteria by which it will fund its initiative for early child care and education in 2025.
A total of $88,000 was budgeted in the town’s 2025 budget for supporting early childhood education, which is also one of the council’s top priorities.
“This figure,” an agenda document states, “includes funding for daycare centers, in-home daycares and other needs related to this goal.”
Town Manager David Harris told the council that town staff would “like some direction from y’all,” adding that March 18 would be the deadline for requests for funding.
He explained that, as of the meeting, the council’s priorities for funding included the creation of new child care slots, retention of existing slots, aid of families in the local workforce, exhibition of self-sufficiency in funding models and increasing accessibility to a variety of demographics in the local community.
Mayor Shari Pierce asked the rest of the council if they were “good with these priorities” for awarding the funding.
Council member Brooks Lindner replied that it was not clear “how we assess this criteria,” adding that he’d like to see “more of a rubric-style assessment.”
“How can we work towards making this more objective?” he asked.
Council member Gary Williams suggested that maybe “we are overthinking this,” saying, “We should support those who are offering services.”
He added, “If they are not adding more slots, then don’t give them the money.”
Council member Leonard Martinez explained that he wanted more criteria added that would ensure providers are making services available to the “underserved” in the community.
Martinez added that he knows of “people that don’t even apply” for child care services because “they don’t think it’s even possible,” referring to the costs and wait lists for service.
“I think it’s important to try to bridge that gap a little bit,” he said.
Pierce suggested adding another question in the application for funding that would ask, “How are you seeking to reach underserved communities?”
It was suggested by Lindner to change the language of one of the questions in the application to ask how the applicant is serving underserved and low-income members of the community.
“Why don’t we just state it, instead of saying ‘variety of demographics’?” he asked.
Pierce added, “So, we want to say low-income and underserved?”
It was decided to give town staff the direction to add the more specific language into the criteria included in the application for funding.
Harris noted that staff would amend the application language.
Question six in the application will add the more specific language of “increasing accessibility of early childcare and education to low-income and underserved members of our community,” he suggested.
And then a new question would ask, “What efforts are you taking to encourage applications from underserved members of our community?” he said.
Pierce asked the council, “Is everybody good with that?”
The council members responded in the affirmative.
It was then decided that council members Lindner and Martinez would look at the application criteria again after staff amends it before it goes out to the public.
According to the council’s goals and objectives for 2024-24, under “Early Childhood Care and Education,” the goal includes:
• Watch for opportunities to make it more affordable for those without access.
• Encourage the expansion of additional slots and creation of new early child care and education centers.
derek@pagosasun.com
