Elk Grove Township to keep day care open until at least 2018
Elk Grove Township leaders have decided to keep the township's day care center open at least until next year after residents raised concerns about closing the facility sooner.
The township board voted unanimously Monday to let the nonprofit day care center at 711 Chelmsford Lane stay in the building until March 31, 2018 or until the property is sold, whichever occurs later. The township initially planned to close the day care at the end of August.
The township is selling properties to consolidate services and save money. Of the three properties the township wants to sell, the day care center has the highest assessed value at $2.5 million. Voters also authorized selling the township headquarters at 2400 S. Arlington Heights Road in Arlington Heights and the youth services building at 401 W. Golf Road.
Under the day care plan, the township will shift to funding day care services with vouchers April 1, 2018, Township Supervisor Mike Sweeney said. The township will prioritize giving vouchers to low-income families who've been using the day care, Sweeney said.
The township will continue funding the day care with a $230,000 block grant until the voucher program begins. Sweeney estimated the voucher program will cost the same if all the families currently receiving aid use the funding.