Port property favored for proposed child-care facility location

DAYTON–The Port of Columbia Board heard about the childcare facility; 2022 Port policies were adopted; two new leases were approved, reviewed the meeting format, and gave Port project updates at the February 9 ZOOM meeting.

The lack of childcare is a concern not just for area parents, but for the community as a whole, according to a presentation given by Eiledon McClellan on the results of a feasibility study done through the Walla Walla Valley Early Learning Coalition. She said the lack of childcare became a crisis when the only three daycare options in town closed in 2020 due, in part, to increased regulations which contributes to the expense of running a childcare business.

The study included results from a survey that showed 82% of parents have had to limit their work hours (47%), take time off (47%) or quit a job (25%). McClellan said when parents quit their jobs, they move away.

Port Executive Director Jennie Dickinson added that it’s difficult to attract businesses and workers to the area with the lack of care for children and lack of housing. Columbia County residents and managers of Columbia County Straw Supply in Starbuck, Brendan Vance and Heidi James, both spoke up to attest to the problem recruiting and retaining employees and said “it has greatly impeded our business.”

CEO of Columbia County Health System Shane McGuire provided another aspect of the need for childcare. “When kids do not have places to go, when kids are being bounced around from house to house, when they don’t have reliable care–there’s a direct correlation between that and lifelong health and we want a healthy vibrant community in order to have that, we have to have healthy children,” he said. A few working parents also spoke up in favor of the center.

After looking at different options for a location, the Port-owned land adjacent to the Blue Mountain Station has been determined by the committee representing the stakeholders to be the most suitable choice for pursuing the care center. The other possibility is city land by the new Assisted Living Facility at the hospital, but it is in a flood plain which could affect qualifying for the government grant money.

Paul Ihle from CCHS has been gathering information and pursuing funding for the center, but the plan is for Walla Walla YWCA to operate it. The Port’s involvement would be limited to providing the land for construction and a reduced rent. Commissioners Seth Bryan and Johnny Watts expressed hesitation about the Port assuming responsibility for the project. Watts also said he wanted to review all of the information. McGuire responded that a decision about moving forward would need to be made by early March to apply for the $1 million grant. Otherwise, the committee would pursue another location that would be noted on the grant application.

Dickinson presented two new leases for approval. One for a bookkeeping business office in the Cameron Street building and another for the garden at Blue Mountain Station. Also approved were the Port policies for 2022. Additional brief updates were given for Port projects. The contact with ZEROdB was signed for design and engineering services for the broadband project. Dickinson said that there is opportunity to pursue additional grant money for the Touchet Valley Trail project.

Two workshops are planned for the Commissioners–one for discussing the railroad and another the trail. The Commissioners voted in favor of offering hybrid meetings beginning next month on March 9 during which a presentation will be made on affordable housing by the non-profit Common Roots Housing Trust.