By KEN CARPENTER
Great Bend Post
GREAT BEND — Great Bend Economic Development has put together plans to build a new childcare center in Great Bend. So far, the organization has raised over $435,000 for the project.
GBED's director Sara Hayden asked the Barton County Commission at their meeting on Wednesday to match the money that has been raised. That would bring the total funds to more than $870,000. With that amount of money in the bank, Hayden plans to apply for another matching grant that would double the more than $870,000 figure.
Hayden told commissioners that she needs to submit an application for the matching grant by the end of this month. She said GBED would like to break ground on the childcare center no later than the fall of this year.
"We have all of the numbers worked out for our facility specifically down to the penny," Hayden said. "We know how much we will end the year; we know how much we're charging; we know which programs are going to support this through the year to make that happen. So it has proceeded much more than just concept. We've got the site plan complete; we've got the build plans complete. We are ready to move forward with this, and it will be a self-sustaining facility, and then we will continue it into the county."
The City of Great Bend has earmarked $70,000 for the project. Commissioner Jennifer Schartz questioned why the county was being asked to commit a significantly higher amount.
"First of all Sara, you are a heck of an ambassador for this project," Schartz commented. "You come in here and you have all of the answers and you have made me understand that childcare is an important issue in our county. While I understand the need and I understand the importance, I also think that the city needs to step up in a bigger fashion because we know that if this childcare facility is in Great Bend, Great Bend will reap the profits more so than the other cities would."
Commissioners voted to table the issue until their meeting on March 30, giving Hayden time to ask the Great Bend City Council to contribute more funding for the project.
Cover image courtesy Pixabay