HomeMy WebLinkAboutEarly Learning Minutes 05.07.2026 ASHLAND GENERAL
AD HOC COMMITTEE ON AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE AND EARLY LEARNING
MINUTES
May 7, 2026
Siskiyou Room - 51 Winburn Way - 10.30 AM
I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 10:35 am
In attendance were committee members Paula Hyatt, Lisa Verner,Joanie Keller-Hand,Anne Sebanc,
John Love,and Jessica Therkeslen (via Zoom)
Also present was staff liaison Kerrick Gooden
1. Confirmation of quorum present
Confirmed
2. Approval of draft minutes of the 4/2/2026 meeting (see agenda packet)
Keller-Hand moved to approve the minutes.Sebanc seconded the motion.All ayes.Motion passed.
3. Suggested additions to today's agenda
4. Brief announcements
Therkelsen and Sebanc reported on having attended the Nonprofit Association of Oregon's Nonprofit
Leaders Conference,held recently in Ashland.Therkelsen noted that representatives from United Way
and others were in attendance, but no significant attention was given to preschool children or younger.
Therkelsen agreed to reach out to Dee Anne Everson regarding some grant opportunities,and to ask
how Jackson County United Way is addressing birth-to-age-5 childcare needs. Love reminded the
committee that Governor Kotek took up the issue of pre-K chidcare through an Early Childhood Care
and Learning System Roundtable. Love and Hyatt will follow up on this.
II. Public Forum
None
III. Continuation of Business from Previous Meetings
1. Review City's Childcare Affordability Grants application (see agenda packet- Paula)
1. Are any changes needed?
2. Process for reaching out to potential applicants
The committee reviewed the updates to the Affordable Childcare Grant program for 2026/27,as
approved at the last meeting,and asked Gooden to launch the program with an application deadline
of June 19,2026:
Love moved to release the Affordable Childcare Grant Program with an application deadline of June
19,2026 for review at the following meeting.Hyatt seconded the motion.All in favor.Motion passed.
2. Discussion of potential partnering with the Ashland Schools Foundation (Paula)
Hyatt briefed the committee on her meeting with ASD Superintendent Joseph Hattrick. Hattrick
expressed interest in supporting a charter change with the Ashland Schools Foundation to include pre-
K support,and explained this process would take time. Committee discussion included that this was
the last year for this funding allocation,the potential to allocate some or all of the remaining childcare
funding towards ASF,the relative impacts to potential applicants of the grant program,and outcomes
as reported by providers who have benefited from the program to date.
3. Appeal to the Ashland Planning Commission (see agenda packet- Lisa)
The committee discussed narrowing the scope of this appeal to the planning commission to just the
Ashland Mills Development.for considering childcare/ early learning opportunities during development
review (see agenda packet).
4. Business engagement plan
1. Who are the key business leaders we should engage?
2. What do we want to learn?
3. What is our ask?
Not addressed due to time
5. Updating data on existing early learning/childcare slots in Ashland (Nancy)
no update
IV. New Business
1. Potential partnering with the Ashland Community Health Foundation (John)
V. Anticipation of June 4, 2026 Meeting
1. Continue discussion of potential with the ASF or ACHF.
2. Planning Commission
3. Suggestions for other topics
VI. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 11:33am