Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter
At its July 11 meeting, Northern Sunrise County council chose to give a rather large donation to the new daycare about to open in Nampa.
Nampa and District Daycare Society asked for assistance with their operational funds for the first three months, knowing that children will not start at the daycare until September, but staff will have to be hired this summer to prepare the space. With no income generated until children attend the facility, the society was hoping NSC would assist until they could generate income.
“We gave them the full ask of the updated amount requested to a cap of $89,010.48,” says NSC Reeve Corinna Williams.
“The daycare was provided a grant (by the Province) that allows them to do capital purchases and facility upgrades, but the grant received does not allow them to use it (money) for operations. As a new daycare, they will experience operating costs prior to children coming in the doors and they need some help to bridge between the space of incoming revenue and start-up costs.”
The daycare is set to open its doors in September, and after studies it has been determined their spots will fill up very quickly. This knowledge helped NSC make its decision, knowing the daycare will be a viable entity once children are able to attend.
“This decision was made as council is aware that this assists not only Nampa and the county, but the whole region,” says Williams.
“Daycare is an attraction for the school, economic benefit, employment, and hopefully more residents will move to the area knowing a daycare is available.”
The daycare society requested 90 per cent of operating costs for the three months before opening to be provided by county council. Initially, it was expected to be roughly $64,000, but after re-calculation estimated to be nearly $90,000, and would help pay for staffing and wage expenses and program and contracted expenses.
“Parents will have another option for childcare in the region,” says Williams.
“Particularly those parents who reside close to the village of Nampa or work close to there.”