County of St. Paul council again denied a request from the St. Paul Childcare Society to support the organization financially as it renovates the building it will be leasing out to a daycare provider.
President of the St. Paul Childcare Society, Barb Buryn, sent a letter to council stating her disappointment in council denying the society's request at November's regular council meeting. In her letter, Buryn says she does not feel County council understood the society's situation entirely.
“From the comments made by Coun. Glen Ockerman and Coun. Maxine Fodness as quoted in the paper, it seems apparent that our request was not completely understood," says the letter. Buryn further explains the society is not a daycare, but instead an organization that coordinates day home services. She adds income received by leasing a large portion of the building the society owns helps cover costs associated with the society's office space, which is about 1/3 of the total building.
CAO Sheila Kitz clarified at last week's council meeting the society did receive a call from County administration following council's decision, stating what that decision was, and a letter was sent afterward.
Ockerman said he still didn't understand why municipal tax dollars should be used for renovations.
“I understand how the daycare system works," said Fodness, adding, because the society owns a building that it can lease out, it has a way to “recoup" its costs. She added, “We have a lot of private babysitters in the county," and hypothetically asked, who assists those caregivers in upgrades to their homes?
Coun. Cliff Martin said if the organization has a building, but only uses a small portion of that building, then maybe it should look at renting a smaller space instead of owning a large space.
“Do they need that building?" he asked.
Following discussions, Coun. Frank Sloan made a motion to deny the request to reconsider its previous decision, which passed unanimously.
The Boys and Girls Club Rising Stars Children's Centre used to lease the space in question from the Childcare Society. The Boys and Girls Club left the location and now operates its day care from its facility on main street.
