Residents and providers urge St. Louis County to invest in child care

Dozens of parents, early-education teachers and child-care providers told the St. Louis County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 26, 2025, that the county’s child-care system cannot meet demand and urged commissioners to allocate ongoing operational funding in the county budget.

Courtney Greiner, who works with child-care providers across St. Louis County, said the current system "was never built to sustain the level of care our economy now demands" and called child care "economic infrastructure." Greiner told the board many centers operate in buildings "no one else wants or can use," struggle for limited funding and rely on personal savings to make payroll.

The plea for county investment drew similar testimony from classroom teachers, center directors and parents. Abby Adamic, a toddler teacher in Duluth, said bluntly, "I can't afford to stay in it," and described choosing another career path because early-childhood pay is not enough to cover rent and groceries. Kaylee Spencer, executive director of Lakeside Early Learning, said the center has space to expand but cannot because of deferred maintenance and staffing shortages tied to low wages.

Why this matters

Speakers framed the issue as an economic as well as a family concern: without affordable, stable child care, parents cannot return to or remain in the workforce, employers cannot fill positions and children miss access to early learning. Ben Wagner, a resident of County District 1, said child-care costs can approach a mortgage and urged the county to consider funding models similar to recent state-level investments in other states.

What speakers said and asked

- Courtney Greiner said county investment "isn't the final solution, but it's a super powerful start," and pointed to examples elsewhere, including New Mexico, where broader public investment treats child care as a public good.

- Abby Adamic said she had to abandon plans to major in early-childhood education because the pay is unsustainable and warned that staffing losses harm families and employers.

- Kaylee Spencer and Megan Schmitz, both associated with Lakeside Early Learning, said centers have physical capacity but face barriers to expansion including maintenance needs and difficulty paying staff competitive wages.

- Hannah Friesen Holmes and Angel Newstead Paluso described personal situations in which lack of infant or toddler care delayed parents’ return to work; Friesen Holmes estimated care for two children could amount to about 25–30% of a household’s take-home pay.

- Jen Jeros, who works in Duluth Public Schools, emphasized coordination across early-childhood services, saying resource navigators most often hear the same request: child care.

Public comment and follow-up

A staff member told the room the board will hold a workshop on the state of child care in the region in about two weeks and that submitted letters would be circulated to the full board. Commenters had handed copies of support letters from organizations including the University Nursery School and the YWCA.

What the record shows (not decisions)

The meeting recorded only public comment on the subject; the transcript contains no formal motions or votes on funding at this session. Speakers repeatedly asked the board to consider adding child-care funding to the county budget and using economic-development funds to support child-care operations and expansion.

Context and details from commenters

- Several speakers said infant openings are scarce; one parent said an infant placement was not found until the child was 8 months old, another until 18 months.

- A provider said after expenses and hours worked many early-childhood professionals effectively earn less than minimum wage.

- Commenters referenced local institutions including Lakeside Early Learning and University Nursery School, and noted recent local projects (a new sports complex and a highway ribbon-cutting) as examples where child-care capacity matters for broader development.

Next steps mentioned by staff

The board workshop on the state of child care was scheduled in the meeting record for about two weeks after the session; staff said letters and submitted materials would be forwarded to the full board for consideration.

Ending

Speakers urged a sustained, operational approach rather than one-time grants, arguing that consistent county support could stabilize providers, keep centers open and let families return to work. The board did not take action on funding during this meeting; the planned workshop was presented as the next step.