Governor Kim Reynolds made a brief stop Friday in Clarion as part of her 99 County Tour. She visited Kids Korner Daycare where she took a quick tour and chatted with the director and a few others who came out. Rather than talk about recent legislation, Reynolds was interested in gathering information and ideas about how to improve the state’s childcare crisis.
In March, Reynolds had commented, “This is an issue that precedes the pandemic, but it was intensified during it. It’s an issue that we seem to tackle every year,” she added, “but we’ve yet to come up with the solutions that not only resolve the immediate needs of working parents, but create a long term, sustainable system.”
The governor formed a Childcare Taskforce a few months ago to tackle the issue. In the months since, the group has held a variety of town hall meetings to seek ideas. In Clarion, Reynolds asked those present their opinions as she took notes. Kids Korner Board President Tony Miller explained that they struggle to keep employees when wages are better elsewhere. Others brought up the difficulty getting grants because the daycare does not serve enough low-to-moderate-income families.
Reynolds talked about her desire to expand grants and funding options using CARES money, but also have sustainable ideas to improve childcare problems that don’t fade with COVID money. She mentioned a recent idea of partnering with businesses in communities where they would purchase daycare slots for employees which would help the daycares, in addition to being a recruiting tool for employers.
The group also talked about Kids Korner need to find a new location. The daycare must move out of the school space in the near future. They recently received a proforma and some business projections from childcare expert Dan Levi from Black Hawk County. The Kids Korner board will continue to work with Levi over the next months to look at new potential center locations.
Reynolds invited those present during her Clarion stop to join the next virtual meeting of her Childcare Taskforce this week to share ideas. “This is an issue that will take all of us to solve,” she said.
