President's Point: October 2018

This month I want to talk about responsibility and personal perception. To quick cap my point, the New Rockford Area Betterment Corporation (NRABC) has come to the New Rockford City Commission with a preliminary proposal to purchase or build a facility for day care services, with a request for matching funds up to $50,000 from the city. Previously said in other editions of the President’s Point, there are three sides to any coin or any issue. MThere is the head side being one person’s point of view. Then we have the tail side being another person’s point of view. Finally we have the edge, which are the facts, sandwiched in-between these two points of view or perspectives. Let us look at the issue of the day care facility.

These are the facts as I know them. We have limited day care providers in town presently. We have one of our day care providers contemplating retirement within the next 5 years or so. By the numbers provided by the NRABC, there 20 children currently needing care. By the numbers researched when I wrote the President’s Point about day care this summer, I found 28 children needing care.

Another fact is that when asked by me, NRABC Director Amanda Hegland reported that two possible reasons for the lack of interest in day care services are the reluctance to care for other people's children and the costs associated with modifying a home or other facility to meet state and federal rules regarding child day care.

Fact, per the NRABC, if no new day care options are found, New Rockford will be hard pressed to bring in new and young families. There are even some New Rockford residents who are currently using day care facilities in Carrington.

Now here is the personal perspective. Some members of the New Rockford community have a mindset, “if you build it they will come.” I disagree with this mindset, solely on a personal principle.  This $50,000 match is your money... not mine. Yes I do agree day care is important, but I attack the issue from a cheapskate point of view. What is the cheapest fix? In my mind, it would be a change to the rules. So if a house that already houses a parent and a child is safe enough for that child, then it should be safe enough to use as a child care facility.

But this is not the case. Numerous homes that house a newborn are not up to code per the Early Childhood Services Policies and Procedures by the North Dakota Department of Human Services. One example is curtain shade cords need to be short, and not knotted so to prevent a choking hazard. Yes this is small potatoes, but these small items cost money when added together.

Here is my personal dilemma, a $50,000 match to build a facility in which the NRABC will then contract with staff from a day care provider out of Devils Lake smells like socialism to me. It is a government funded building-program, but not like a dam or roadway, where all get a benefit from it, but a business which will compete with the other day care providers in town, however limited. I am not a fan of government funded businesses. I think that is totally contrary to the capitalistic system to which we belong.

Now, you know the facts as I know them. You also know my perspective on the funding of this project. You also know that the NRABC has not made a formal request as of this date, but are planning to do so. Here is where you the citizens of New Rockford need to play a role. Please call me at (701) 230-4143 to express your opinion on whether I should vote yes or no on the topic of this $50,000 match.

Also note, I am only one vote. Please contact the NRABC Executive Director, Amanda Hegland at (701) 947-2205 to get the NRABC perspective on this important issue.

Have a safe October, please watch for children, particularly on Halloween night.