Supervisors discuss level of financial involvement
The Greene County board of supervisors is considering committing $180,000 over several years to the Paton-Churdan Early Learning Center. A final decision is pending auditor Billie Hoskins “running the numbers” for the local option sales and service tax (LOSST) fund, as that’s where the money would come from.
PCELC board member Libby Towers updated the supervisors on the project at their June 23 meeting. She said the plan to use the former Methodist church building as the center changed after more discussion with the Paton-Churdan school. The plan now is to build a pod on the school property, which will allow the school to continue to have a preschool classroom onsite. Cost is roughly the same as repurposing the church, at about $1.4 million.
The PCELC has already purchased the church building and is looking for a buyer.
The new center will be to the west of the parking lot, near the old softball diamond.
Towers said the PCELC board has raised $55,000 over the past month. The city of Churdan plans to make a multi-year commitment, most likely from its Grow Greene County funds. Region XII Council of Governments has completed the paperwork to provide $600,000 to the project from USDA funds, but it requires an equal match.
Towers reminded the supervisors that the county provided $250,000 over five years for construction of the Early Learning Center (now The Children’s Center) in Jefferson. She said the Jefferson facility has a capacity of 125 and currently serves 84 children, while the Paton-Churdan center has 54 children, with a capacity of 75.
Supervisors board chair John Muir, “throwing out numbers,” said the county could provide $100,000 over five years. Supervisor Dawn Rudolph said she was thinking of a larger contribution. “We’re as comfortable supporting your center as we were that one,” Muir said, referring to the Jefferson center. The board came up with the $180,000 figure by comparing the capacities of the two centers.
