Lawrence City Council on Feb. 4 approved an appropriation transfer of $170,000 to extend the citys childcare voucher program, a staff member told the council. The budget-and-finance committee sent the item to the full council with a favorable recommendation, and members approved it by voice vote.

The childcare voucher program was established during the COVID-19 pandemic to address urgent child-care needs and functions as a bridge for families who need care immediately while they wait for state voucher enrollment, Maria Muller, the citys childcare program lead, told the council. "This program was first developed to meet some of the urgent childcare needs that were happening during the pandemic," Muller said, and added that the program helps families "accept a job much quicker than they used to before."

Muller told the council the program is not permanently funded and is currently serving about 60 families. She said $300,000 in total funding would carry the program through April, while the $170,000 transfer approved Feb. 4 would extend services through March. She also said state child-care vouchers are closed for the remainder of the fiscal year, which increases reliance on the city program.

Councilors asked whether the new money would simply maintain existing vouchers or create new openings. "We press that this will maintain the funding we have," Muller responded, explaining the funds will preserve current placements and help staff work with families on other options once city funding ends.

The item was introduced by the budget-and-finance committee and identified on the agenda as item 22A-25: an appropriation transfer of $170,000 from various accounts to the childcare circuit. Council members voted by voice; the clerk recorded the outcome as approved ("the ayes have it"). No roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.

If the council does not approve additional funding, staff said the program would likely end in March. Council members and the program lead described the initiative as a temporary, demand-driven bridge that reduces job loss caused by gaps in voucher availability.

Votes at this meeting related to the childcare item were by voice; no amendments were recorded. The council did not adopt a permanent annual appropriation for the program during the meeting.

Ending: City staff and council members framed the program as an important stopgap to keep families working while state voucher availability remains limited; without further appropriation, the city-funded bridge is expected to lapse after the month covered by the newly approved transfer.