Janice Clark, owner of PJ’s Primary Care Center, will build 7,500-square-foot facility at industrial park to help solve workforce challenges

In an effort to improve the quality of life for employees of its industrial community, the Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority (SPEDA) board of directors announced an innovative partnership Thursday to bring a childcare facility to Valley Oak Commerce Park.

Following a public request for proposal process, SPEDA’s board selected Janice Clark, owner of PJ’s Primary Care Center, to build a state-of-the-art child care center at the industrial complex. The facility will be a minimum of 7,500 square feet, care for a minimum of 150 children and create between 20 and 25 jobs.

In the contract for the project, SPEDA agrees to sell 2.27 acres at Valley Oak Commerce Complex — land that has been vacant for two decades — to Clark for $60,000, but then place that money in an escrow account. Proceeds of the sale will be completely refunded to Clark if she meets the timeline requirements established in the contract: to have the center built and operational within two years of the date of signing.

“Childcare professionals are the workforce behind the workforce,” SPEDA President and CEO Chris Girdler said. “Without them, so many people who are able to work in our community make a choice not to do so because they cannot find affordable child care. If we want a growing and thriving workforce, we have to start making it possible for our residents to actually work.”

Child care is one of the most significant barriers to employment and workforce participation, according to the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. Kentucky has one of the lowest workforce participation rates in the nation, in part because thousands of working families across the Commonwealth find themselves having to choose between ensuring quality of care for their children and pursuing a career. Child care is either too expensive, too elusive, or sometimes both.

Because of its devastating effects on the workforce, addressing the childcare crisis is a top priority for the Kentucky Chamber and for SPEDA’s board, Girdler said.

Working with the private sector to find creative solutions to address workforce needs has proven to be an effective tool in combatting this crisis locally. SPEDA took a similar approach in December by finding a private developer through a public RFP process to build affordable housing at Valley Oak, an amenity that is in great demand in Somerset-Pulaski County. Establishing partnerships like these to address workforce challenges demonstrates SPEDA’s commitment to not only recruit industry to Somerset-Pulaski County, but improve the quality of life for people who choose to work for those companies, Girdler said.

“In my opinion, there’s not another economic development authority in Kentucky leading in this way,” Girdler said. “Talk about a competitive advantage for the businesses at Valley Oak Commerce Park and the future SPEDA Commerce Park. To be able to advertise to potential employees that there is affordable housing and childcare available in such close proximity to their place of employment is an incredible benefit. I am proud that we are thinking outside the box to address major problems facing our workforce while also supporting our existing businesses.”