(Atlantic) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Friday, received a report on the status of child care facilities in the county. Discussion lasted about 35-minutes. The Board heard from Massena City Councilman and member of the Childcare Board, Jack Bissell, along with Jared Wyman, who is with the City of Griswold, and Dan Haynes, Director of the Nishna Valley YMCA, in Atlantic. Bissell started the discussion by telling the Supervisors that Massena doesn’t have as many child care providers as they used to have.

He said the City started working with the school board after a survey was sent out.

He said the school district is working on their child care facility plans.

Bissell said child care is not an “overly large money making business” for a City, but it’s something that needs to provided, “To keep the town going.” The CAM School District is expected to hold a bond vote in November. If the measure passes, construction could begin next summer, and a facility could be ready to go by the end of 2022. Board Chair Steve Baier made it clear to all three men, that American Rescue Plan funds cannot be used for Operational Expenses. They can be used for infrastructure and renovation. The County has already received the first-half payment of funds designated through ARP, for more than $1.2-million. The other half is expected in 2022.

Jared Wyman told the Supervisors they have been looking at some contracts to get a piece of ground to build a new structure and they have been raising funds for a new daycare, because the school is full, and there’ no room to run a daycare. Their goal is to somehow raise about $2-million.

He said they hope to have a budget figure done by the end of the year and they hope to start building next spring. Dan Haynes said the Ann W. Wickman Child Development Center in Atlantic is pretty much full. The Nishna Valley Family YMCA has been in charge of running the facility for the past 11-years. He said they’re making accommodations at the Y to convert some areas to child development areas for about 21-children.

Haynes told the Supervisors that if any of the American Rescue Plan funds are able to be used for any of the childcare projects, it would be greatly appreciated. Local governments must appropriate the money by the end of 2024 and spend it by the end of 2026. The Cass County Supervisors will continue meanwhile, with discussions on possible uses for the money.