County spends $110,000 for child care facility

The Jefferson County Commission unanimously voted to approve the city of Boulder’s request for $110,000 in county American Rescue Plan Act funds to purchase and transport a building from Jim Darcy Elementary School north of Helena to use as a child care facility in Boulder.

The county’s approval came just in time. Mayor Rusty Giulio—who paid $5,000 of his own money as earnest money on the building—said at the Aug. 3 County Commission meeting that the city had to make a final decision on whether to buy the building by Aug. 7. City Council President Drew Dawson—who until recently chaired the Boulder Transitionary Advisory Committee-initiated Boulder Child Care Working Group—said that the goal of purchasing the building is to provide “affordable, accessible” child care throughout the county. The city plans to place the building near Boulder Elementary School so that the children can benefit from the school’s playground and other amenities, Dawson said.

Boulder Elementary School teacher Devyn Ottman now heads the working group.