By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

Gary Colello knows the clock is ticking on whether the Rec Department will be able to continue to offer the emergency childcare program created in response to the pandemic.

Money to pay staff and purchase supplies for enrichment projects provided under the CARES Act (up to $150,000) dries up on Dec. 31. Unless the federal government passes legislation to continue funding under the CARES Act, Colello is faced with possibly shutting down the program which currently services about 42 children.

Colello developed the childcare program when he heard from many parents that they had no place to send their children on days when they were learning remotely.

For many working parents, they either had trouble making arrangements for before, all day and after-school childcare, or simply lack the financial means to pay for those services. 

“Six out of 10 kids already qualified for free or reduced lunch in this town before we even heard of Covid-19,” Colello said.

Since he had staff — which normally is reduced once the summer rec program ends — and facilities available, Colello created a solution for those families. Rec runs the childcare program from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. He charges $5 for “before” school care (7 to 8:30 a.m.) and $5 for after school care (3:30 to 6 p.m.). The all-day session expense is covered by federal emergency funding.

The average attendance is between 20 to 25 students, usually consisting of the same group of children on certain days.

“We have Cohort A (groupings that the school has set up) on certain days and Cohort B on certain days. Friday is a mixture. Parents understand that both cohorts are there on the same day. Whoever is comfortable with that has signed up,” Colello said. “We do the best we can to spread them out.”

Maintaining social distancing requires keeping the number of children in groups on the low side, thus the need for at least five staff members. 

The program has been a success on many fronts, but most importantly, there have been no cases of Covid-19.

“Kids and staff are masked all day, unless eating or drinking. They have their own space to eat; own containers; they wash their hands after each activity; and they spread out. We used the Community Center to bake bread on a Friday,” Colello said.

Some kids are stationed in the ice rink and use the warming room as a homework area. WIFI access is somewhat tricky.

“We’re struggling to keep up speed with everyone online — some kids are on Zoom, some kids are on Schoology. It overwhelms the network. It works but not as it should,” Colello said. “I leave office do outside work because the Internet is so overloaded.”

While talks in Washington, D.C. continue between the major parties about another emergency package, Colello has flipped over every rock he could think of in search of funds to keep the program going after Dec. 31. He knows taxpayers should not foot the bill, yet he also knows that he if fees are pushed to $25 to $35 per day, many parents can’t afford that jump and “it still doesn’t cover the cost for five staff members,” Colello added.

“No one against paying for it, but some families are unable to afford it,” he said. “This hasn’t been a taxpayer funded program, not a budgeted item, so I can’t spend money I don’t have. We shut the doors or taxpayers take a big subsidy, which I am not in favor of. It’s not fair to throw it on the town without the process of budgeting for it. We’re stuck with either parents paying big bucks, which is probably not possible or we can’t go any further.”

Colello added, “The federal government matters in our little program. We have no idea where they (the federal government) are at, and we don’t have any way to continue without more grant money.”

What has he heard from parents about the possibility of the childcare program closing?

“Parents are kind of resilient at this point. Whatever they hear, it is like, ‘Here we go again. What do I do now?’ I don’t see how the schools can go back to five days a week at this point with the (Covid) numbers up. So, now what do we do?” Colello said. Some private daycare programs could take on some of the displaced youngsters, but not all, Colello projects. 

Since his arrival as Rec Director, Colello has been one to think out of the box. He prides himself on being “creative” when it comes to developing and funding programs. So, how does he keep the childcare program afloat?

“It’s tricky. I don’t feel comfortable asking people for money because of the pandemic and where we are at with things. It’s a hard dynamic,” he said. “Just because the calendar changes, problems don’t disappear. It’s a worthwhile program to have. We’ve been blessed to have the grant money to help our families out. It’s nice to hear kids running through the gym and making a bunch of racket.”

Last Friday, Colello brought a funding scenario to Town Manager Robert Peabody and town Finance Officer Charisse Keach. Colello pegs staff cost at $3,000 per week (five staff members at $15 per hour for 40 hours per week) and $1,000 for purchases such as arts & crafts and STEM projects.

The proposal calls for the “rededication” of various Rec budget funding lines, which amount to $49,792. This figure would provide staffing for 17 weeks, up until April 23, 2021. If need be, funds from other lines (donations, grants, fundraising and educational trips totaling $15,353) could be used to extend the program to May 31 — just a couple of weeks before the start of the 2021 summer rec program.

The childcare fee would be $10 per day, with invoices given to parents the first week of each month.

Colello explained that the “redirection” of money is from programs (such as Mad Science, lack of field trips and sports tourneys) and events that were canceled due to the pandemic.

“I made sure money was not moved to replace things such as safety equipment, coach and staff training, and the in-season things our participants look forward to each season while they have fun in our programs,” the Rec Director said. “When we can return to play, our participants need to have those moments at the ball field, at the lakes, and on the court, so I tried very hard, along with the town manager, to be creative and resourceful as possible.”

There could be a long-term effect of shifting of resources, Colello said, if he has to dip into fundraising and donation money in late spring (the hope is SAD 61 will be in-person, five days a week by then — but there is no guarantee despite the arrival of Covid-19 vaccines).

“I am very frugal when it comes to those accounts because so many people need help and we help them in any way I can,” he said. “I do feel like the money in those accounts are important and can be used for the current situation. But, I am also weary of the effects Covid-19 will have on poverty in our town, and who will need help down the road.”

Right now, providing a place and safe environment for local children is the immediate priority.