A continuation of the reduced electrical demand charge program for licensed daycare facilities was approved by the Garden City Commission at their regular meeting on Dec. 19. Mike Muirhead, Garden City Public Utilities Director, said the program was initially approved on Sept. 20, 2022 for licensed childcare facilities within the city that are on the Church and School rate, but the minutes of that meeting did not specify if the program was to be a one-year credit or if it would be an ongoing program and if it was, when the commission would reevaluate its continuance. The program works by reducing $1 from the total electric monthly demand charge for the number of authorized childcare positions per licensed facility, Muirhead said. For example, Little Leaders of GCK Early Learning Center is authorized by the state of Kansas to have 97 childcare positions, so, they receive a $97 credit for each month they were open in 2023. It’s a reduction off of that demand charge. Muirhead said he checked in with the state on Dec. 7 and there were some changes in the number of childcare centers in Garden City and the number of authorized childcare positions for each center this year. This year there were three new facilities, Muirhead said. Dreamz Child Care Center, which has 75 childcare positions; Garden Academy Early Learning Center, which has 97 childcare positions; and the Kansas Childrens Service League, which has 66 childcare positions.
Source: Garden City Telegram
