A group that works to make childcare more affordable and accessible in the mid-valley is asking the town of Basalt to fund a study of the town’s childcare needs.
The Basalt Early Childhood Coalition is asking for $10,000 for that study. The last needs assessment for the area was completed by Kids First, which coordinates childcare in Aspen, along with the City of Aspen, ten years ago.
That study included Aspen, Snowmasss Village, Carbondale and Glenwood, and was conducted before residential growth in areas like Willits.
The coalition says every licensed childcare center from Aspen to Glenwood Springs is reporting lengthy waitlists. It says an updated assessment could help guide land-use decisions and develop future childcare programs in the mid-valley.
The request has received support from organizations like Kids First, Aspen’s childcare program, and from Alpine Bank. Vice president Jennifer Sauer said in a letter that the company often loses staff when they start a family due to the high cost and low availability of daycare.
Members of the coalition will meet with Basalt Town Council Tuesday to discuss funding the study.
