HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes.KFAB.20200911.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 Special Meeting Minutes
Friday, September 11, 2020
In attendance: Stefan Reveal, Sue Way, Chad Schmit, Beth Cashdan,
Rebecca Pascal, Shirley Ritter, and Nancy Nichols
Minutes from 8/13/2020: Sue moved to approve, Rebecca seconded, motion passed unanimously (MPU).
Minutes from 8/20/2020: Beth moved to approve, Chad seconded, MPU
Yellow Brick Building tenant leases: Sue moved to approve, Rebecca seconded, leases approved.
Agreement on continued programming for childcare recovery – Shirley presented an overview of current
program information. Some classrooms are 80-90% full and some are 30% full which brings the average to
about 65% capacity over all the childcare programs in Pitkin County. There is a balance of parents who are
staying home from general hesitation and are willing to get through this time in hopes of a safer care for their
children in the future, and families who are balancing their decision with their school age children.
Kids First Advisory Board also discussed some of the needs that the childcare directors shared with Shirley.
These include –
Funding for programs when they are closed.
Funding to support teachers who have school age children.
Assist programs with policies.
Programs are finding it challenging to build relationships with families.
Concerns around children’s health – vaccines, dental screening and treatment, well-child visits.
Discussion around video cameras in programs, for security, liability, parent communication, coaching
and evaluating.
Areas that Kids First Advisory Board agreed to help from Covid relief funds:
Funding for the program when individual classrooms or the whole school must close to meet isolation or
quarantine requirements.
Many considerations and concerns were discussed. Kids First Advisory Board has directed staff to come up
with an equitable reimbursement program that will address the above concerns and to present a plan to the Kids
First Advisory Board for an approval/decline with the vote to be taken via email. Policy will require
documentation and will have an end date of December 31, 2020.
Amended minutes Genna moved that Kids First use emergency COVID funding to pay part of lost
revenue in the event of closure due to COVID. This could include positive test results, public health
orders to close, quarantine, or isolate staff and children. The funding is based on actual enrollment
reported to Kids First, up to $1,000 per classroom, per week, for infant and toddler classrooms; and
$2,000 per classroom, per week, for preschool classrooms. Documentation will be required as a
condition of funding. Matt seconded, 6 members voted yes by email, no dissenting votes. Motion passes.
• Consider assisting childcare staff with cost of care for school age children.
Stefan moved that – Employed Pitkin County childcare staff may apply for financial aid, through Kids First
financial aid program, for childcare costs for children who are attending an established school age childcare
program. Financial aid will be offered to families during limited or cohort learning and until schools return to
full time, in person learning. Rebecca seconded, MPU.
Kids First continues to reimburse programs for cleaning supplies and personal protection equipment.
Discussion on Electric Boilers for the Yellow Brick: Shirley shared some background information around the
need to replace the two gas boilers at the Yellow Brick building. City Council directed Kids First and the City
of Aspen Asset Department to research replacing the current gas boilers with two electric boilers. Kids First
has received information around the replacement cost to do this. We also received an estimate for the cost of
electricity to heat the building in the winter months. At this time, Shirley will share this information with City
Council to discuss the proposal. The impact of making this change would be something that exceeds that
capacity of Kids First current funds and there would be a huge impact to the tenants at the Yellow Brick. Kids
First Advisory Board recommended that Shirley address the high costs with City Council and indicate to them
the problem with funds to afford this change.
Kids First Advisory Board ordinance/bylaws: Shirley reviewed the most recent information around the City
Charter and the Kids First Advisory Board ordinance. Kids First Advisory Board discussed the importance of
the board members needing to represent the areas that we serve which includes parts of Pitkin County, so
limiting the Kids First Advisory Board membership to people who live within the city limits is not desirable. At
this time Shirley will continue to investigate and work with the City Attorney and City Manager to see if there
is an opportunity to make an exception for this board or how the Kids First Advisory Board can operate within
The City of Aspen. Shirley will report back to the Kids First Advisory Board as she receives new information.
October Meeting is usually scheduled to be site visits: At this time, it is not an option to have site visits of
some of the childcare programs in Aspen. The Kids First Advisory Board discussed some options and agreed to
ask childcare programs to submit a video that shares information and views of their current program during
current operations or to attend the October 2nd Kids First Advisory Board Meeting via Zoom to share and
discuss their childcare program. It is understood that at this time some of the directors may be busy and may not
be able to share with the Kids First Advisory Board. Shirley will contact and schedule zoom visits or collect
shared videos prior to the October 2nd meeting.
Next meetings: - Kids First Advisory Board
Friday – October 9th
Friday – November 6th
Friday – December 4th