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Woodbury County approves $150,000 for Mobile Area Child Care Center renovation
Summary
The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 to award $150,000 from local option sales tax to McDowell (Mobile Community Development Area) to renovate a Methodist Church wing into the Mobile Area Child Care Center, a project organizers say would serve more than 50 children and create about 15 full‑time jobs.
The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 on May 20 to award $150,000 from the county’s local option sales tax fund to McDowell (Mobile Community Development Area) to renovate the underused Sunday school wing of the Methodist Church in Mobile into the Mobile Area Child Care Center.
Project organizers told the board the center would serve infants through age 12, could handle “over 50 kiddos,” and create roughly 15 full‑time positions in rural Woodbury County. The group requested $250,000; the board approved $150,000.
The request was presented by Steve Maxwell, president of the Mobile Community Development Area, and Robin Beck, who identified herself as representing McDowell. Beck summarized the project’s timeline and needs and said the group has been working since 2022 with partners that include the city of Mobile, the Crittenton Center, CMBA and local schools to design a sustainable operation.
Organizers said the project goal is $950,000 and that they had raised about $260,000 to date. Beck described the chosen site as a largely vacant Sunday school wing at a prominent intersection on Highway 20 and 140 and said refurbishing that building is less costly than constructing new space.
County staff discussed potential funding sources available to match or supplement the board’s contribution. Ryan (county staff) summarized the local-option sales-tax and gaming fund balances, saying “there is currently 228,000, but there is, allocated of 98,000. So, the current unallocated is 129,000” and that projected year‑end balances would rise if revenues meet estimates.
Board members discussed scale and precedent for large one‑time awards, the project’s potential to be leveraged for matching grants (organizers said they would pursue a MURD grant that could double local dollars), and the fiscal position of county funds. After discussion, Supervisor Bittinger moved to award $150,000 from local option sales tax to McDowell for the construction of the child care facility; Supervisor Nelson seconded. The motion passed 4-0.
Organizers said pledge commitments would be acceptable for grant applications and that the operational target is fall 2026. The board did not set additional conditions beyond the motion.
Supporters and presenters left contact information for follow‑up and said they would return with grant updates and progress reports as the project advances.
