Human Services hears need for childcare providers in area
Taylor County Human Services together with their board gathered for a public hearing at the Taylor County Education Center on August 13.
Representatives from Human Services and the board introduced themselves and described their roles within the department before opening the floor to public discussion. Steve Budnik, of the Northern Income Maintenance Consortium, which serves low-income individuals and families from the counties of Taylor, Ashland, Bayfield, Florence, Forest, Iron, Lincoln, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Vilas, and Wood, was a member of the audience and spoke during a portion of the meeting. Budnik reported that in Taylor County, roughly 6,500 cases are handled by the consortium each month. He also stated that the consortium received positive feedback from its consumers in 2024.
There was some discussion over daycare services after Kelly Borchardt, executive director of Childcaring, Inc., reported that there is a need for childcare options within the county, stating that she has seen a decline of registered childcare programs, going from 23 in 2010 to 10 today. Board chairman Rollie Thums brought up a couple in Rib Lake who have been struggling to open the doors of their daycare after repeated inspections have lead to additional repair requirements.
“All they do is hit a wall, and its from our own government,” Thums noted.
“We did give them a grant to help them get started, but I’ll follow up,” said Borchardt.
“Rib Lake needs all the help we can get,” Thums replied.
Human Services director Suzanne Stanfley stated that as a new mother, she is thankful for the regulations in place designed to keep children safe.
The floor was then opened up for additional discussion from the audience. A community member who stated that she is a foster parent in Taylor County said, “I’m thankful for the people that have the tools to support us.”
“This is a busy place,” said Thums. “If we had to list all the people we were protecting, it would be quite a list.”
