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M:\MasterFiles\1999 thru 2010\2001\City Council\Work Session Packets\05-07-2001 W. S\Item 02--Childcare Lease Options--Kathleen Miller.doc Item No.2 Type of Business: WS WK: Work Session; PH: Public Hearing; CA: Consent Agenda; CB: Council Business City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Kathleen Miller, City Administrator Item Title/Subject: Child Care Facility Lease Agreement Options Date of Report: May 7, 2001 Background The City of Mounds View entered into a lease Agreement with The Children’s Home Society (CHS) April 13, 1999. The City received official notification March 19, 2001 in a letter dated March 14, 2001 of CHS’ intentions to close the Center on April 6, 2001 and turn it over to the City on April 30, 2001. Since that time the City has received five proposals from various organizations interested in leasing the space which were reviewed with the City Council at the May 7, 2001 Work Session. The City Council made it clear that its preference was to fill the space with a Child Care provider if at all possible. Staff reviewed the three applications • Northweststern College Child Development Center • Creative Childcare • Un Mundo Nuevo submitted by Child Care providers in greater detail by first seeking background checks which found that no complaints had been issued against the two existing organizations. Interviews were conducted using the following criteria: • Stability of organization...does the facility have an operating history? • Financial...is it financially secure? • Quality of care…what kind of programming is available? • Costs A panel of three, including one Council representative and two staff members interviewed the interested applicants. While all were found to be financially able, and all appeared to provide quality programming, only two had established Centers. Un Mundo Nuevo has not been tested. Given the fact that CHS couldn’t make a go of it, the panel was concerned that without a proven history we could not continue to consider that option. The panel narrowed the selection to Northwestern College and Creative Kids Childcare Center. Because additional questions came up as a result of the interviews, unscheduled site visits were conducted. We found both organizations to be accommodating in providing us with a tour and patiently answering our questions. The Centers were clean and well staffed.