Daycare shortage becoming an urgent priority in the village

 Vergas State Bank was one of three entities to donate to the Vergas Housing and Redevelopment Authority that will equate to a total of $50,000 with matching funds. Vergas EDA/HRA representative Paul Sonnenberg, City Council Liaison Bruce Albright, Vergas State Bank Chairman Lee Dahlgren and Vergas State Bank Vice President and Community Club President Sherri Hanson.

By Robert Williams

Editor

The City of Vergas has a new commercial rehabilitation program, which consists of $50,000 in funds available for businesses in town to use for exterior and facade updates.

Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) donated $15,000 to the Vergas Housing and Redevelopment Authority that along with donations by the Community Club and Vergas State Bank will be doubled by matching funds to provide $50,000 to the HRA. City Council Liaison Bruce Albright, Vergas EDA/HRA representatives Paul Sonnenberg and Joy Summers, CEDA Community Development Leader Jordan Grossman.

Usage for interior changes is potentially available on a case-by-case basis, according to Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) Community Development Leader Jordan Grossman

The Vergas Housing and Redevelopment Authority received $25,000 in donations at its monthly meeting Wednesday, Nov. 6, at the Government Services Center and that amount will be doubled thanks to a matching grant from the county.

Grossman, a consultant to the city, applied for, and received, a grant from Otter Tail County to match the funds.

Vergas State Bank and the Vergas Community Club each donated $5,000 to the program and CEDA provided $15,000 to reach the mark of $25,000. The program is potentially recurring, meaning each year if Vergas came up with $25,000 it would be matched by the county for similar improvements.

On hand to donate the checks were Vergas Mayor Julie Bruhn, Lee Dahlgren, President and Chairman of Vergas State Bank, along with Sherri Hanson, Bank Vice President and President of the Community Club. Grossman presented the check on behalf of CEDA.

“There is expected to be a lot of usage; businesses are really interested in it,” Grossman said. “I think it’s going to be a hit and next year you’re probably going to have to ask the county to refill the bucket.”

Vergas Daycare

Daycare is becoming an issue in Vergas after Sheila Poss announced she is closing her home daycare service. That will leave no daycare options for Vergas residents. Upon hearing of the shortage, a couple families approached Mayor Julie Bruhn to try to find a solution.

“This is significant; they’re in a crisis,” said Bruhn. “I would also contend it is a crisis for this community to have no daycare.”

Bruhn held a meeting with three different families in need and brainstormed some ideas.

One option was two lots and a new build in the Sunny Oaks development, but county restrictions may limit those as homesteaded properties. Other county options are potentially discussing OTC’s plan for senior housing in the development and changing that to a daycare to address the needs.

“In other communities, we have had success deeding property back to the county, explaining why, and then receiving the property back for a different use,” Grossman said.

A meeting was held with the assisted living board discussing a model to bring different generations together but that was met with little interest.

Jesus Little Lambs (JLL) preschool expressed interest that will be discussed during a tour of the facility on Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. Bruhn and Grossman are going to meet with the boards of St. John’s and St. Paul’s Churches, which have oversight of JLL, after the tour.

The tour is to determine if the facility could be a site for a daycare. A separate space would be necessary to keep the preschool and daycare apart. 

According to Bruhn, startup grants are available and she has met with a member of the community who is interested in starting a new daycare and/or being a provider. 

“Right now, it is in the discussion phase,” Bruhn said.

As of the middle of March, there will officially be no daycare options in Vergas.

JLL has seen a decline in preschool attendance. Director Priscilla Orvik noted weekly attendance grew to more than 80 children from Vergas and surrounding communities in its busiest years, but that number is significantly down since many schools have created their own Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) programs.

The preschool is in a similarly difficult situation, in need of more kids. Orvik discussed both the past and future of JLL in an Oct. 20 Forum feature story.

Grossman was also contacted about daycare in Vergas and she discussed the Sunny Oaks potential and Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) funding of up to $300,000 returning in 2025 that could help for the creating or expansion of a daycare. 

DEED programs promote business recruitment, expansion, and retention; international trade; workforce development; and community development.

Grossman also cited a New York Mills model in partnership with MAHUBE-OTWA where the city owns the lot and a two-story building with daycares on each floor.

Another option is renting out the Event Center during daytime hours as a short-term solution.

EDA/HRA Board

Assistant Treasurer Vanessa Perry’s term is up at the end of the year. Former EDA/HRA President Kevin Zitzow is going to return to fill the opening.