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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes.KFAB.20200420.SpecialKids 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 Monday, April 20, 2020 11:00 In attendance: Stefan Reveal, Sue Way, Matt Zubrod, Lisa Flynn, Beth Cashdan, Chad Schmit, Pete Strecker, Shirley Ritter, and Nancy Nichols • Approve minutes from April 3rd, 2020 Chad moved to approve, Beth seconded, the MPU via roll call. • Review long range financial outlook Pete Strecker, City of Aspen Finance Director, reviewed the Kids First long-range-plan. He also talked about some of the projections for March and April of this year. The City of Aspen finance is still collecting information to share the exact financial picture. • Planning steps for Childcare Recovery support and funding Shirley reviewed the Kids First Advisory Board – information to plan childcare recovery document. This document came from the resolution approved by Aspen City Council to support childcare recovery, and included recommendations based on conversations with childcare directors. Each of these proposals will be voted on by email this week: Discussion Financial Aid – The Kids First Advisory Board members discussed many ideas about what would benefit families and programs. The Kids First Advisory board directed Kids First staff to discuss and design some application standards for an Emergency Financial Aid program. Rent and operational subsidies – The Kids First Advisory Board discussed reimbursing programs for rent, following city guidelines, paid in April. Emergency Enrollment subsidy that includes funding to help programs re-open under public health orders that limit group size below what licensing usually allows. This subsidy would be reconsidered on a monthly basis once operations begin under state and local guidelines. Members also requested that funding follow current Kids First guidelines for funding requests including program financial reporting. Health, safety and cleaning – The Kids First Advisory Board is also in favor of funding to assist programs in this area. Support that follows “science based” information along with CDC and public health guidance. Members would like to see increased coaching and consultation around health and safety with program directors and staff. Infant capacity – The Kids First Advisory Board agreed to continue work on increasing the infant capacity in the Aspen area. This will include working with CMC to open and infant program at the Aspen CMC campus. Kids First Office space – The Kids First Advisory Board agreed that Kids First staff should consider the addition of divided workspaces in the current office space in 2020 rather than 2021. Meeting Motion Beth moved that Kids First staff fine-tune the requirements for funding in the 5 areas and submit a final motion via email to the Kids First Advisory Board members within 48 hours for a vote. Sue seconded, the MPU via roll call. The results of the email vote will be added to these minutes. (Motion sheet is attached.) 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