Lake Superior College Looks into Other Options For a Campus Child Care Provider

DULUTH, Minn. – Finding appropriate child care can be a huge obstacle for many in the Northland.

But Lake Superior College is exploring options to continue providing the best possible childcare on campus for their students and staff.

In late May, the college officially opened the opportunity for child care providers to submit proposals to bid for a contract with the campus.

The current provider Creation Station has been on campus since 1996, but it has operated without an official contract since 2008.

The college says a contract with a provider is best for all parties, but to begin the process state guidelines must be followed.

“In order to get a contract in place, we legally have to make sure if anyone has an interest they have the opportunity to bid. If there is an audit the state can come in and say was it a fair process and did other people have an opportunity to bid,” said Director of Public Relations Daniel Fanning.

Each provider was given three weeks to come up with a proposal.

The Director of Creation Station says it was not enough time for them to submit an accurate proposal.

“It was a very specific way it had to be done to present these things,meaning three copies, and going to different entities. In my life right now, I did not feel three weeks was a viable amount for time.

Fanning says three weeks is the standard amount of time to be given for submissions.

He also says he does not know exactly why a contract has not been in place for more than ten years.

He says with any contract there is an option to roll over the agreement every year without an update.

No provider including Creation Station were submitted a proposal by the June 15th deadline.

Walker hopes to revisit the previous contract and come to a mutual agreement with the school.

A final decision will be made on Monday.