After hearing a child care specialist suggest Menlo Park can save $444,000 and avoid rate increases by privatizing its child care programs, the City Council will devote a full discussion to the issue at a special meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 5 (check AlmanacNews.com for news updates).
Ty Durekas, co-founder and CEO of Children’s Creative Learning Centers, a Sunnyvale-based for-profit child care company, said the city should consider his company as one of several options for cutting the costs of the Burgess school-age after-school program and children’s center preschool program.
Both programs are slated to move in April into the new $3.4 million children’s center, located in the renovated former police station in the Civic Center.
Mr. Durekas’ bid for consideration won support from some residents and council members, but after the council hurriedly turned over operation of the Burgess Aquatics Center to a private operator in February, privatization has become a hot-button issue in town.
Addressing privatization
Some council members said the child care program presents an opportunity for the council to have a much-needed conversation about privatizing, or outsourcing, city services that run at large deficits.“I’m willing to explore any option that provides quality child care at an affordable rate,” said Councilwoman Lee Duboc in an interview after the meeting. “Right now, we couldn’t provide enough business development in our community to subsidize what we subsidize.”
Councilwoman Mickie Winkler said the city should take outsourcing possibilities very seriously — an opinion echoed by some residents.
“We need to conduct our operations in a cost-efficient way,” said Douglas Scott of Menlo Park. “Child care is one area that we’re coming up short of cost-effective.”
City staff is recommending the council approve fee increases for both programs to reduce the $444,000 city subsidy for the two programs.
Mr. Durekas, whose company has operated after-school and preschool programs at Menlo Park’s Las Lomitas School for about eight years, said a private developer could run the programs without raising fees.
He suggested the city conduct a formal request for proposals to determine the best option.
Questioning privatization
Councilwoman Kelly Fergusson said the council needs to consider the effects of privatization before taking on the specific issue of the child care program.“We can really shoot ourselves in the foot if we don’t approach outsourcing in a really methodical manner,” she said.
Sascha Eisner, worksite organizer for the Service Employees International Union Local 715, said privatization would impact the quality of the program.
“If you privatize, you no longer have a program directly accountable to the city,” he said after the meeting. “You have higher turnover, and lower compensation, and that leads to a lower quality of service.”
Mike Gardner of Menlo Park vouched for the current employees of both programs. He said they “are like family,” and if the city turns over child care to a private company, they may not be retained.
INFORMATION
• The Menlo Park City Council will discuss fee increases and/or the possibility of privatizing the city’s children’s center program and Burgess school-age after-school program at a special meeting Wednesday, April 5, at 7 p.m., in the council chambers at the Civic Center, between Laurel and Alma streets.•Check AlmanacNews.com for news updates.
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