Ernst hears issues with child care startup

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst visited Mt. Pleasant Thursday, part of her 99-county tour.

The Mt. Pleasant Chamber Alliance combined a number of activities at the Old Threshers museum and offices coinciding with the senator’s visit.

Zeglen Construction was honored as one of the five finalists for the Mt. Pleasant Small Business of the Year award. Old Threshers board President Bob Gerdes and administrative assistant Kat Zeglen took Ernst on a short tour of the museum. And the Mt. Pleasant Childcare Center committee met with the senator to express frustration with bureaucratic holdups that are hindering their fundraising abilities.

Meeting with the child care committee, Ernst told them that she was there to listen and hear their concerns.

The senator got an earful.

Last summer, the Chamber spearheaded the effort to build a child care center in Mt. Pleasant and Henry County to help get more people in the workforce.

“They have had some challenges, they want to talk with you about,” Chamber Executive Vice President Kristi Perry told Ernst as she met with the child care committee.

“We have hit hurdle after hurdle, and unfortunately, the hurdles we are hitting are government,” Perry said. “The big one they want to talk with you about today is the IRS. It is really hurting their fundraising efforts.”

Amy McLauglin, director of the Mt. Pleasant Childcare Center, said the group has submitted its paperwork for nonprofit status, but they are waiting for a response. She has been told that due to the reduction in force with the pandemic, the backlog of applications is significant.

The lack of approval for its nonprofit status has hindered fundraising.

“We are unable to even apply for the Riverboat Foundation grant from Washington County, Walmart has a corporate foundation, the USDA, Fidelity … any of those corporate-giving foundations you have to have the designation,” McLaughlin said.

“We can push on that, too,” Ernst said. “It’s not just the IRS, it’s all of the federal agencies.”

Besides holding up applying for grants, some in the community have withheld donations until they see that the child care center is viable.

The need is great. A survey showed that there is a huge shortfall in child care seats in Mt. Pleasant.

According to figures provided by the Chamber, Mt. Pleasant has a total of 201 registered child care seats available to 1,041 children under the age of 11. From 2014 to 2019, the county saw a 51 percent loss in registered child care programs, going from 41 to 20.

Mt. Pleasant Community Childcare Board President Sarah Donnolly, who has three children under the age of 11 and works in human resources at the Walmart Distribution Center, said she has known child care to be an issue since she moved to Mt. Pleasant in 2011.

“”My biggest thing is it keeps women in the workforce,“ Donnolly told Ernst.

Ernst said that during the pandemic when a parent had to stay home with children because child care centers were closed it was often the woman who gave up her job.

“That impacts their ability to get back into the workforce and their long-term earnings and benefits,” Ernst said.

Earlier Ernst told reporters attending the event that she understands the issue.

“I understand how difficult it can be for these working moms and dads,” she said, recalling how she would have to take her daughter to the office after hours when she was younger. “So in order for our small businesses to thrive, Mom and Dad have got to know that their baby has a place to go to and be safe.”