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Daycare Comes to Northville Essay

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DAYCARE COMES TO NORTHVILLE
Northville, a medium-sized city in the midwestern part of the United States, has experienced a significant change in the composition of its municipal work force of 1,800 employees. Approximately thirty-five percent of the city employees are now female. In a recent survey of city employees, over forty percent have said that "affordable daycare for children" was important to them. Meanwhile Director of the Office of Personnel Mary Lux has become increasingly convinced that the lack of affordable daycare is one of the main …show more content…

to 5:00 p.m.). Fees do not vary if less than a full day or less than a month of daycare is used by the parents. Based on projected demand, it is expected that the daycare center will open in January 1997 with 120 children. Ms. Nemet has been successful in negotiating a ratio of 6 children to 1 daycare worker for the first year of operation. Daycare workers earn $6.50 per hour. They work from 9 to 5 and get paid for eight hours. Children get a snack and lunch. The food cost is $3.00 per child per day. The cost of supplies is $1.50 per child per day. The City of Northville has purchased certain equipment (such as cots and desks) for the first 120 children. However, these costs are estimated to increase by $50 per child as the enrollment at the daycare center goes up. For the first four months, it is expected that the number of children will grow by 10 percent, beginning in February 2000. Beginning June 2000, the monthly growth is expected to be 5 percent. Parents pay $200 per month per child. In the first year, Northville is "donating" space and utilities. Ms. Lux says that this city contribution is worth $2,000 a month. Mr. Legato says that the union will contribute to the cost of the city's new daycare center by providing $1.00 per child per day for the children of union members. It is estimated that 70 percent of the children will be children of union members. The state has a subsidized daycare start-up grant for the first year of

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