AIRWAY HEIGHTS – A lack of childcare outlets in the region has been under discussion for some time by the City Council.
Airway Heights was allocated $57,200 by the state Department of Commerce to help pay for a study to determine the community’s childcare needs.
The findings concluded the area is desolate in terms of adequate childcare facilities.
The city has grown at a much faster pace than the available services have, and it has been putting a strain on parents and the community in general.
Some working parents are struggling to be able to maintain employment, because they simply don’t have an affordable childcare option. Affordability is another factor to consider, as the average cost to pay for childcare for a single kid is nearly $14,000 annually.
Some parents are quoted as saying childcare rates are as high as $2,500 to $3,000 per.
“The supply of childcare in the West Plains region is not sufficiently balanced to meet the current or future childcare needs of families or employers,” Mayor Sonny Weathers said Aug. 9 in a press release.
Only two viable childcare options are currently operating in Airway Heights and are severely understaffed.
City officials have deliberated possible solutions.
Repurposing the local community center has been estimated to cost more than $200,000, and the annual operating cost after the renovation is anticipated to be near $800,000.
The community center renovation is not the only considered plan.
Some council members have proposed new construction as a possible solution.
Because the financial estimates are high, the city has applied for an additional $100,000 in grant funds.
They have not been approved nor denied.
The timeline for this project is directly dependent on when the city gets the financial resources together.
City Manager Albert Tripp estimates the childcare center will be open and operational between 6 months and 1 year after allocating the money.
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