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Joint Work Session: Proposed Site Selection of the West Wing of Hermon Hutchens Elementary School for Future Child Care Center Development
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SUBMITTED BY: Elise Sorum-Birk, Deputy City Clerk
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: n/a
Unencumbered Balance: n/a
Funding Source: n/a
RECOMMENDATION:
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Receive and file.
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SUMMARY STATEMENT:
Part of the work of the Child Care Crisis Task Force (CCCTF) was to identify potential buildings that could be renovated for use as a child care facility. The CCCTF formed a Facilities Subcommittee to assess options, and the subcommittee did an analysis of various potential sites.
The CCCTF Facilities Subcommittee was composed of Susan Love (0-3 with Families Alliance Representative), Tim Bauer (Valdez City School Representative) and Tim Mason (USCG Representative). Staff support and assistance for the subcommittee work was provided by Capital Facilities Director Nate Duval. One of the CCCTF's key recommendations for site selection in their final report was: "Contract with an architect to assess top facility (or facilities) and establish a timeline for financing and renovation of the space."
City Council held a work session on February 20, 2024 to consider next steps for implementing CCCTF recommendations. Council identified contracting with an architect on facility assessment as a logical first step since a portion of the INNOVATION grant funding was available for the work and since identifying a facility location would help inform other aspects of the planning process. The City of Valdez has also received $3 million federal discretionary spending grant through HUD, with the help of Senator Murkowski, specifically for child care facility renovation.
The City of Valdez solicited Requests for Proposals and selected Bettisworth North Architects and Planners, Inc. to conduct the analysis in April 2024 based on their extensive experience with designing child care facilities. Bettisworth North Arch...
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