Sarah Tober, Executive Director of the Economic Development Alliance, told La Plata County Board of County Commissioners that childcare is a top issue of the local workforce. In presenting the findings of the recently released Early Childcare Strategic Investment Plan, she said 60% of employers have lost employees because of it.

Heather Hawk, the Executive Director of the Early Childhood Council of LPC, said it’s envisioned that a $20 million investment over the next 5 years would be required to reimagine the local childcare sector. They hope to – in part- receive public dollars from lodgers’ tax to help support a Childcare Investment Fund that would stabilize the childcare workforce through wages, tuition assistance and benefits.