The Town of Estes Park held a virtual Community Stakeholder Meeting yesterday about 6E funding in advance of two public meetings, one scheduled today at 6 p.m. and one scheduled this Friday at 11:30 a.m.
The public meetings will take place at the Community Center, 660 Community Dr.
The purpose of the virtual meeting with area stakeholders — including individuals who provide childcare, administrators of childcare assistance funding, providers of social services in the Estes Valley, and administrators of low-income and workforce housing programs — was to preview the presentation that will be shared with interested community members at the public meetings tonight and Friday, and to get feedback.
Yesterday’s meeting was organized by Carley Bangs, the Town’s Housing and Childcare Manager, who made a case for increasing the percentage of 6E funding allocated for childcare from 12% to 20%.
The additional funding could be placed in a reserve which would allow for capital investments in childcare facilities to expand the number of children who could be served.
The money could also be used to increase funding for childcare for school age children during the school year and summer months; to insure that childcare teachers and aids working for childcare providers that receive a subsidy earn a living wage which in Estes Park is now more than $24 an hour; to provide childcare assistance to low- and moderate-income families; to provide training and education for childcare workers; and to help people offering childcare in their homes to become certified.
The 6E lodging tax extension measure was approved by voters in the Estes Valley in November 2022 to provide revenue specifically for workforce housing and childcare. The measure increased the lodging tax by 3.5% from 2% to 5.5%.
This increase was projected to provide approximately $5.3 million in annual revenue to the Town that, by state law, could only be used for workforce housing and childcare needs in the Estes Valley.
In 2023, $5,309,126 of 6E money passed through Visit Estes Park Local Marketing District to the Town of Estes Park, and 88% or $4,711,821 was distributed to the Estes Park Housing Authority (EPHA). The remaining 12% or $597,305 was retained by the Town for childcare.
Beginning in 2024, the Town retained all Housing and Childcare Manager funds received in January for personnel costs and operations. For the remainder of 2024, the Town has retained 12% each month, while 88% of 6E funds are distributed to EPHA.
Together the Town and Estes Park Housing Authority will draft a proposal outlining a plan for the distribution of both workforce housing and childcare funds for 2025. The plan must be approved by the Estes Park Town Board, Larimer County Board of County Commissioners, and Visit Estes Park.
Currently the allocation is $4,750,000 for workforce housing and $625,000 for childcare. The 2025 6E projected revenue is expected to be $5,512,500.
Bangs will make a presentation to Visit Estes Park Board August 22 and to the Town Board and County Commissioners at Joint Study Session. The time and date of that meeting has not yet been set.
The Town commissioned a childcare needs assessment and strategic plan that was presented to the Town Board June 25. A copy of the 76-page report prepared by Sarah Hughes of Groundswell for Good and Beth Melton of Melton Strategic Solutions is available here.
To gather citizen input on the proportion of 6E funding that should be allocated for childcare, Bangs has designed a survey for stakeholder and community feedback.
To read the Town’s 2023 Workforce Housing and Childcare Financial Report click here.
To read the Town’s 2024 Workforce Housing and Childcare Funding Plan click here.