Krayola Kids Daycare, one of Colony’s only sources of revenue, is in jeopardy of shutting down.
The town-run, government-supported day care is apparently nearing closure because there is no money to pay workers, town council members said at a special meeting to discuss the issue Thursday afternoon.
And citizens in this small town aren’t happy about it.
“The day care runs this town,” council member Donnis Leeth said. “Without the day care, the town will shut down.”
Krayola Kids averages between 25 and 30 children Monday through Friday and has a total of eight employees, two of whom are funded though the government.
“It’s a shame you want to shut down stuff,” day care director Alicestine Ivory said, directing her disappointment at the town council.
The day care center has been in operation since 1996, and Ivory said there have never been financial problems before now.
Ivory presented the council with two different ways to save the town money: By cutting the hours of the workers or by cutting a day for each worker.
“Every worker is willing to cut back and give up a day,” Ivory said. “That would cut their pay in half.”
Town attorney Lucien Blankenship advised the council to take into consideration the recommendations from Ivory.
“The director made some good suggestions,” Blankenship said. “If we can address those, I think we can find a way to keep it open.”
Council member Patrick Ward suggested cutting a position, but because the program is partially funded by the government, Ivory said that is not an option.
“Tough decisions have to be made,” Ward said. “I hate to say it, but we might just have to cut a position or two. To me, that’s our only option.”
“With my proposal, it’s the same as cutting a position or two,” Ivory said.
Ivory blames the crisis on Mayor Morris Fitts and the current council for how they have managed the town and its money.
“It’s just the fact that you’ve got some hard heads and some hard hearts that won’t move out of the way,” Ivory said. “It’s a matter of managing money. When you look at the whole picture, it’s not that the town doesn’t have funds. It’s that the town’s funds are frozen.”
The town’s Compass Bank account has been frozen, leaving the town without any way to access its funds.
According to Blankenship, the bank sent Mayor Fitts a certified letter that required his signature. When Fitts failed to sign and return it to the bank, the account was frozen.
“They (Compass Bank) thought they weren’t going to get paid,” Blankenship said.
Ivory, a six year employee of the day care, said this is the most money the day care has ever turned in to the town.
“Never until now has closing the day care ever come into the conversation. We want it to stay low-income,” Ivory said. “We get reimbursed for food because it is government funded. All the town pays for is six workers.”
The council was unable to come to a decision about whether to close the day care. It will continue to operate until funds are completely drained or until a resolution is found.
Sen. Zeb Little attended Thursday’s meeting to help the town find a way to keep the program open, even offering to volunteer a day.
“I’ll be glad to help in any way I can,” Little said. “There may be a problem in getting state money for Colony right now because of things going on.”