Storm Lake, IA (KICD)– The City of Storm Lake held a public meeting Monday night to discuss childcare needs in the community after receiving a grant to allow for market analysis of the current situation.

Angie Rae Duncan is the Senior Business Development Specialist for First Children’s Finance, the entity that conducted the research. She tells KICD News one of the biggest findings was in part already known, that being the availability of childcare in Storm Lake.

Duncan says the study also noted a difference in the needs between current and future parents in the community.

To add another layer of complexity to the childcare problem, Duncan says needs in Storm Lake tend to vary at different points of year, specifically from school times to summer vacation.

Duncan says the first step for Storm Lake’s is to form an ongoing childcare steering committee to oversee a 5-year plan before creating a new licensed child care center in Storm Lake.