HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes.KFAB.20200403.RegularKids First Mission: Promote the availability of quality, affordable early childhood care &
education, and provide access to early childhood information and resources.
Kids First Advisory Board Meeting Minutes
Friday, April 3, 2020 – 11:30
In attendance: Stefan Reveal, Sue Way, Matt Zubrod, Genna Moe, Beth Cashdan, Chad Schmit, Shirley Ritter,
Cecelia Martin, and Nancy Nichols
• Approve minutes from March 3rd, 2020 Sue moved to approve, Genna seconded, the MPU via roll call.
• Agree on rules and procedures for participation in remote meetings
Kids First Advisory Board reviewed the Electronic Meeting Document and approved this
agreement. Beth moved to approve, Stefan seconded, the MPU via roll call.
• Agree on changes to financial aid
Cecelia discussed two items concerning Financial Aid to families:
1. Postpone the May 1st Deadline date for annual reapplication. Historically this deadline is when all
families reapply annually. Families are required to update all documents and submit their new tax
returns. Reasoning is that taxes are not required to be files by April 15, many families are not working
right now and childcare programs are closed. Cecelia will let all the families know of the changes and
give them reminders that they will still need 2019 tax returns for the 2020 re-application deadline.
Additionally, families who are currently receiving financial aid will continue to receive their aid until
the reapplication date unless there have been changes in their family status, employment, or other items
that their financial award is currently being based upon.
Sue moved to postpone the 2020 annual financial aid deadline that normally occurs on May
1st 2020, Beth seconded and the MPU via roll call.
2. Spring Quarter (March, April and May) financial aid payments have been made to the childcare
providers. How would the Kids First Advisory Board like to account for these payments and how
are the childcare providers to use/apply these payments?
Shirley shared background information with the Kids First Advisory Board. Quarterly payments are
made to childcare programs on behalf of a family. These payments are a portion of a family’s childcare
tuition billing. Families are billed by the childcare programs for days they attend with a credit on their
billing for any financial aid payment from Kids First. Financial aid payments are made quarterly in
advance and childcare programs account for the days the child is enrolled the following quarter. Any
adjustments in the days paid vs the days enrolled are accounted for with the net amount credited to the
program or back to Kids First.
Kids First has made the quarterly payment to the childcare programs in March 2020. At this time all the
childcare programs in Pitkin County are closed except Seed Sowers/Rhoda Campbell. Most of the
programs charged tuition in March but will not be charging tuition until school is back in session.
Schools will be credited for the days they were charging tuition to families in March. Cecelia and the
individual programs will account for these payments.
Gena moved that Spring Quarter 2020 the Financial Aid un-used balance (March, April,
May) that was paid to childcare programs will be credited and used for Summer Quarter
2020, Beth seconded, MPU via roll call vote.
• New item – Recovery Grants
Kids First Advisory Board discussed many of the issues childcare programs may be facing, these include
maintaining staff, rent, and operational costs. The Kids First Advisory Board is concerned for the ability
of childcare programs to recover and wants to help ensure that programs are successful.
Sue moved that Kids First staff develop a plan for recovery funding for Pitkin County
childcare programs, Beth seconded, MPU via roll call vote.
The Kids First staff will begin designing a plan and process for this recovery funding. The Kids First
Advisory Board additionally asked that childcare programs be given the opportunity to evaluate their
individual situations and prepare their requests. This request should include a recovery plan, which may
include things like coaching, staff development, rating preparation, and operational costs. The Kids
First Advisory Board asked that the process include considerations such as – Has the Childcare program
applied for the SBA loans and/or the Paycheck Protection Program funding, what efforts were made
prior to applying for funding. The Kids First Staff will design and then present the application details to
the Kids First Advisory Board at the May 1st, 2020 board meeting.
• Kids First updates Kids First and the staff.
Shirley shared financial and staff updates with the Kids First Advisory Board. The City of Aspen has
been very proactive and supportive of Kids First. The Kids First staff members are currently all
working remote with occasional visits to the Yellow Brick. The City of Aspen has closed all city
building so office time has been limited. Trevor is checking the building on a regular basis and
working in the building about once a week.
There have been financial cuts and adjustments made by the city including a hiring freeze, no merit
increases or goals and outcomes bonuses. The carry forward funds for each department was reduced by
50%; with 50% being returned to the fund and 50% retained by the departments. Departments were also
asked to make additional operational cuts in the 2020 department budget.
The following are the adjustments that Kids First has made: Kids First has postponed all capital
improvement until 2021, these include new floor covering in the common areas of the yellow brick
building, replacement of boilers, new sump system for basement toilet, and a reduction in the funding
for planning and design for future childcare capacity.
Kids First operation budget reductions include not hiring an additional intern resource teacher, reduced
public engagement funds by $10,000 and reduced professional services by $10,000.
Kids First Mission: Promote the availability of quality, affordable early childhood care &
education, and provide access to early childhood information and resources.
Next meetings: - Kids First Advisory Board
Friday, May 1 - Quality improvement grants
Friday June 5
Friday, July 10
Friday, August 14 (or no meeting)
Friday, September 11
Friday, October 2 – site visits
Friday, November 6