2019-110 Childcare During City Council MeetingsDate: May 31, 2019 Report No. 2019-110
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
Offering childcare during City Council Meetings
BACKGROUND:
On May 21, 2019, Council Member Armintor requested information on the feasibility of offering
childcare during a City Council meeting. The City Council schedule for 2019 has 22
work/regular session meetings and 27 luncheons, 2nd Tuesday, or 4th Tuesday meetings.
In order to provide a drop off location for the children, the Parks and Recreation Department
(PARD) must meet requirements outlined in the Texas Administrative Code for child care. All
child care facilities or programs must be licensed by the State or receive an exemption from
licensing. Criteria that may allow a program to be eligible for an exemption include the room
used for child care is on-premise, the parent can be contacted in person at all times, care does not
exceed 4.5 hours per day, and care does not exceed 12 hours per week. (Table 1)
The Department of Family and Protective Services is the agency responsible for regulating child
care programs and facilities. Licensing standards include additional background checks, training,
the retention of vaccination records, and building requirements such as handwashing stations and
bathroom facilities. If the City cannot meet the licensing standards, staff would need to submit a
description of the program as well as any additional requested documents to verify the proposed
program meets criteria eligible for an exemption. The Department of Family and Protective
Services provides notification within 21 days, after all documentation is received, on whether or
not the request for exemption is granted or denied. Should the exemption not be granted, the
facility would have to be licensed, significantly increasing resources to provide the service at a
reoccurring cost of $1,600/year.
DISCUSSION:
PARD currently offers licensed preschool programs and unlicensed camp programs. In all
programs, children under the age of three (3) are accompanied by an adult who is either present
for the program or actively participating in the program. The only drop-off care available is at
North Lakes Recreation Center for adult membership holders particpanting in classes / programs
at the center. Children must be at least eight (8) weeks old with average care given an hour at a
time.
If child care services were to be made available, based on experience and consistency with
current programs, PARD would recommend child care for children beginning at age three (3)
years (potty trained) to 12 years with a 12:1 ratio of children to staff members and, a minimum
of two (2) staff members at all times. A set end time of 9:00 p.m. is also recommended.
An exemption to licensing would have to be pursued in order to care for children at City Hall. If
a room is not available at that location, the Civic Center could serve as a location if the Civic
Date: May 31, 2019 Report No. 2019-110
Center underwent all licensing requirements. However, this would take the use of the Civic
Center out of the mix for rentals or additional City meeting needs on these days.
Under the following assumptions:
1. Exemption to licensing is granted
2. Minimum two (2) staff members at a cost of $3,320 each (12.00/hr + FICA)
3. Set end time of 9:00 p.m.
4. Eight (8) hours during work/regular session (22 meetings = 176 hours)
5. Three (3) hours during luncheons, 2nd Tuesday or 4th Tuesday meetings (27 meetings =
81 hours)
The minimum costs to provide staffing for child care services would be approximately $6,640
annually for an estimated 257 hours of meeting time.
The availability of space at City Hall and program supplies costs are additional considerations to
providing the service.
CONCLUSION:
Should City Council wish to offer childcare during City Council meetings, funding will need to
be allocated during the budget process and a permanent location in City Hall would need to be
identified, which could be difficult considering the limited meeting space in the building. The
decision to pursue licensing will be determined by Council direction.
STAFF CONTACT:
Caroline Seward
Program Area Manager, Parks and Recreation
caroline.seward@cityofdenton.com
Date: May 31, 2019 Report No. 2019-110
Table 1
Figure: 40 TAC §745.117
Program of
Limited
Duration
Criteria for Exemption
(1) Parents on
the Premises
(A) The program operates in association with a shopping center, business, and
other activities such as retreats or classes for religious
instruction;
(B) The program does not advertise as a child-care facility or day-care center
and informs parents that it is not licensed by the state;
(C) The parent or person responsible for the child attends or engages in some
elective activity nearby, part-time employees or contractors who conduct the
elective activity may use the program meeting the limits stated in
subparagraph (D) of this part of the chart. A caregiver for the program may
use the program for the caregiver's own children as long as the child remains
with a caregiver;
(D) A child may only be in care for up to four and one half hours per day and:
(i) For up to 12 hours per week; or
(ii) For up to 15 hours per week if care is provided so a person may attend
an educational class provided by a nonprofit entity, and the
program is in a county with a population of 800,000 or more and the county is
adjacent to an international border; and
(E) The program's caregivers must be able to contact the parent or person
responsible for the child at all times.