By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
According to Great Bend Economic Development Director Sara Hayden, 95% of the funding needed for the $1.6 million childcare facility in Great Bend has been secured. The organization received a large grant, from a not-disclosed source, for the project.
An 11-member childcare board, consisting of major
employers, public partners, school representatives and childcare specialists,
will now move forward with plans of preparing for construction.
"This board is going to get together this month," said Hayden. "We hope to have the job description out by the end of the month for the executive director position. If all goes as planned, pending labor and supply shortages, our architecture firm is still thinking we should be able to break ground in the fall."
Economic Development raised over $435,000 for the project as of this past
March. The Barton County Commission contributed $435,000 to help start the daycare, and the Eco Devo department was in charge of finding a matching grant to double
their funding.
The location of the facility has not been announced, but the building will
serve up to 59 children.
In March, Hayden stated the new childcare facility plans to provide elevated
wages to keep the daycare staffed. The average entry-level childcare worker in
Barton County earns $9.40 an hour. The new facility will start part-time help
at $10.58 an hour. Lead teachers are paid an average of $24,200 for an annual
salary, but would get a $36,000 salary plus benefits at the new daycare.
Hayden hopes to have location details and site renderings released in the
coming weeks.