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Mansfield Discovery Depot reports financial turnaround, staff raises and expanded capacity
Summary
The Mansfield Discovery Depot told the council it has rebuilt finances and programs since 2019, reporting a fund balance of roughly $752,000, accreditation, increased licensed capacity and a 55% rise in staff wages supported largely by grants.
Leaders of the Mansfield Discovery Depot told the Town Council on June 8 that the nonprofit early-childhood center has stabilized and grown after years of difficulty.
Debbie Plourde, executive director, said the center’s fund-balance position has improved to about $752,000 and that it has expanded licensed capacity to 118 children. "When I first started MDD in April 2019, our fund balance was approximately $32,000. Right now... the last I checked was $752,000," Plourde said.
Plourde credited grant funding for many improvements: roof work paid by the town, an ARPA-funded playscape and other refurbishments, a $36,000 garden grant, and a $100,000 security grant used to install cameras and key-card access. She said the center increased staff wages by roughly 55% and expanded apprenticeships and credentialing supports through EastCon grants and other programs.
Board members and councilors praised the center’s recovery and its role in supporting the local workforce. Plourde said the center is pursuing additional grants and has blueprint-level plans for a possible future expansion; she asked councilors to keep the center in mind when town grant opportunities or partnership options arise.
The council did not take formal action on the presentation but acknowledged the center’s progress and thanked staff and volunteers.
