Ottawa and Franklin County in general, are in the middle of a child care desert. There are 40 kids needing placement for every one spot that opens up. After the closing of another child care facility, Franklin County Development Council Director, Paul Bean, says people are taking their kids to Johnson County, Douglas County, and many have simply dropped out of the workforce. At a recent City Commission Meeting, he and commissioner Zach Clayton talked about the possibility of a public/private partnership:
Bean says he is working with an investor that is looking at purchasing a former child care building and possibly get the center up and running again.
