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Improvements to child care center expected to take four to six months

While the increase in Carbondale's fiscal year 2005 budget to continue operation of the Eurma C. Hayes Child Care Center has been set, the money to make improvements to the center is still uncertain and will not be established until more research is done.

The City Council voted to increase the budget by $280,773 on July 20 in order to continue its involvement in childcare at the center.

According Carbondale City Manager Jeff Doherty, $202,100 will come from Illinois state subsidies.

However, because the money from state subsidies is not enough to cover all operating costs, the ordinance also includes a transfer from the general fund to the appropriations for childcare at more than $78,000.

The recommendations from the Eurma C. Hayes mayoral review panel also include renovations to the childcare center.

"We will be taking a look at [improvements to the center], coming up with plans with different types of changes and schedule the work," Doherty said. "It will be done.

"I look at it being done in the short term, within the next four to six months."

The money needed for these adjustments was not included in the budget increase and the transfer from the general fund.

According to Doherty, it is difficult to know where the money will come from until the city comes up with a plan of what type of changes will be needed but likely some will come from the rental property fund.

"Until we detail what exactly, it's too early too look at [the funding for improvements]," Doherty said.

The ordinance authorizing a budget increase, which was recommended by the review panel, will allow the city to operate the center on an almost "break-even budget," but requires the center to be at full capacity.

The plan calls for a total of 68 full-time children during the summer months and 49 full-time children in the fall and spring, far from the 33 full-time spots filled in June.

"I think it's going to take a lot of hard work and commitment on the people's part," Doherty said. "We're committed to making the center self-sustaining."

In order to get the center at this "break-even" budget, the city will also have to lay off five full-time employees and the equivalent of 1.25 full-time positions filled by part-time employees.

Kenya DeWalt, who has worked for the center for 15 years, said the children are most important and if people need to be laid off, she understands.

"We wanted to do what was right for the kids, to keep the center open," DeWalt said.

According to DeWalt, no changes have been made at the center and the atmosphere is still the same.

"We don't know what changes will be made," DeWalt said. "We just know some of us may be laid off."