COLFAX – Today, the Port of Whitman County Commissioners authorized an earnest money agreement for a property behind Colfax High School as a potential site for a new childcare facility. The Commission’s action comes after several months of community engagement around and analysis of the gaps and needs for childcare in Whitman County.

The agreement will include an eighteen-month due diligence period during which the Port will continue exploring the feasibility of the site and how best to support the childcare needs of Colfax residents and businesses.

“Families and employers continue to tell us how desperately they need quality childcare that is affordable and available here in Whitman County, and especially Colfax,” said Port Commission President Tom Kammerzell. “Consistent with the Port’s mission and our role as Whitman County’s associate development organization, we are learning more, responding to the community’s needs, and determining how best to support this as a workforce and quality-of-life issue. This is yet another example of the Port broadening its efforts across Whitman County.”

A 2021 assessment of childcare needs in Whitman County found that despite population growth of 4% between 2010 and 2019, the number of childcare providers across Whitman County decreased by 34%. Today, Colfax specifically has no services for children under the age of three, with limited options for families with children between three and six years old.

In April 2024 the Washington State Department of Commerce awarded the Port a $75,000 grant to study childcare needs, collaborate with the community, and identify possible solutions. 

Over the summer and fall, the Port worked with consultant NAC Architecture to collect community input, perform analysis, and collaborate with a community advisory group that included representatives from local business, healthcare, education, and government sectors.

The advisory group also helped the Port and NAC Architecture refine childcare facility options. Currently the process is focused on the feasibility of a facility that could support up to 42 children. Facility options include space for classrooms and activity rooms, as well as preschool and after-school care. Options also include support spaces such as offices and kitchens.

The Port will continue engaging with its community and the advisory group during the next stages of the feasibility study. Anticipated for completion in early 2025, the study will guide the Port’s next steps, which may include pursuing additional funding for future phases.

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About the Port of Whitman County

The Port of Whitman County is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all citizens of Whitman County through industrial real estate development, preservation of multi-modal transportation, facilitation of economic development and provision of on-water recreational opportunities.