Decatur Daycare Triumph: Landmark Agreement Prioritizes Children's Safety and Well-being

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For over two years, the Decatur City Council and a daycare facility have been collaborating to create an additional childcare solution for local families in Decatur, Illinois.

In a meeting held Monday night, the council voted 5-2 in favor of moving forward with their agreement with Love, Learning and Laughter Daycare.

Previously, the Decatur City Council had postponed making a decision on the $1.7 million daycare initiative.

Council member David Horn revealed that $400,000 has been allocated to cover essential repairs required to meet city code standards. This comes after the city had already invested over $1 million into the project prior to the meeting.

Since 2023, Decatur has been in partnership with the daycare’s owner, Cherri Johnson, to bring this initiative to fruition.

At a city council meeting in September, members were hesitant to make a decision due to rising project costs and the use of taxpayer funds. However, the pressing need for a new daycare facility ultimately swayed the majority.

At the end of this project, the city will have put in more than $1 million to get the daycare up to code. This is the most the city has ever given to a private business. Some council members weren’t on board, but others see it as a necessity.

“Because something is the first time something ever been done doesn’t mean it’s wrong, it just happens to be the first time something has ever been done. I understand we normally do things with streets and water and sewer, but now we’re talking about human lives and kids, and I think that kids are more important than streets, sewers, and water,” said Dennis Cooper, Decatur council member.

Horn said that it compliments Decatur’s strategic priority of community revitalization, as well as, the commitment they made to the Jasper St. neighborhood’s Great Streets Great Neighborhoods project.

The daycare center isn’t just providing childcare, it’s also bringing jobs to the community. Once open, the daycare plans to serve 170 children during the day, and eventually offer 24/7 care for 750 children.