HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes.KFAB.20190719.RegularKids First Mission: Promote the avai lability of quality, affordable early childhood care &
education, and provide access to early childhood information and resources.
Kids First Advisory Board Meeting Minutes
Friday July 19, 2019 – 11:30 – 1:30
In attendance: Shirley Ritter, Megan Monaghan, Nancy Nichols, Beth Cashdan,
Sue Way, Jessica Garrow, Garrett Larimar, Emily Lambert, Kadi Kuhlenberg,
Mare Wolfer, Michael Miracle
DESIRED OUTCOMES:
▪ Approve minutes from previous meeting
Sue moved to approve the minutes from the June meetings, Beth seconded, MPU
▪ Capacity planning, land use timeline, public engagement update
City council is interested in both the short term and long-term plans and information around childcare need for
capacity. The public work session has been scheduled for Aug 20th, 2019.
At the May 2019 Kids First Advisory Board meeting funds were approved for some preliminary planning,
drawing, and outreach. Shirley reviewed the progress on this work so far. Funding is being requested for long-
range planning in the 2020 budget.
• Survey results so far:
There have been 11 responses (so far) to the survey that was sent to all the programs. Shirley reviewed the
highlights from the survey results to date. The group discussed some of the findings and questions/concerns were
addressed. More information will be shared when the surveys have all been collected.
• Design work so far for Yellow Brick Gym
Kids First has not yet seen the design work but hopes to have some preliminary drawings soon. There was also
discussion around having a modular school room placed on either the basketball court or perhaps the park spaces.
There would be a need for utility connections, land-use and building permits with this consideration making it a
more complicated option than was first proposed.
During this discussion two new proposal were offer to the group.
1. The Early Learning Center and Play Group – It was offered that instead of using a portion of the gym space
for classrooms, the Early Learning Center would consider moving their offices out of the one classroom
space/Room #10 and Play Group offered their current office space to The Early Learning Center. A
secondary thought on this proposal was to take part of room 9 to create a small office/reception space as well
for Early Learning Center. This proposal will be added to the work-session for consideration.
2. Mare at NJS Farms and Kinder Cottage offered to build a new building on the front portion of the Kinder
Cottage site. Mare was asking for help building/financing this facility to offer additional infant and toddler
care for the valley. She would run the program in conjunction with the two programs that she already runs.
She also asked that this building be in exchange for no change to the Yellow Brick Gym.
• Land use consulting work so far
The group discussed both short term and long-term thoughts around land use. Additional and much more specific
information will be discussed and shared as we get information from out contracted land use consultant. All the
potential choices will have issues that would need to be addressed with city council.
• Messaging/engagement work so far
Kids First staff and Mitzi Rapkin, City of Aspen Community Relations Specialist, have been working on some
short-term messaging and engagement tools for community outreach. The current plan is to get lots of messaging
to the community that would help all people understand who Kids First is and what we do for the community. A
second message campaign would be developed to discuss the need for childcare spaces.
The meeting was concluded with direction for Kids First staff to put together material and information for the
City Council work session scheduled for Aug 20h. The memo will have a few specific questions to have
answered. In addition, there will be questions around the long-term ideas so that an RFP could be sent out on
January 1st 2020.
How quickly can Next meetings: - Kids First Advisory Board
Friday, August 16
Friday, September 6
Friday, October 4
Friday, November 1
Friday, December 6
MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND PLAN TO ATTEND
Kids First work session with City Council, August 20th, 4pm