Day-Care Center Use May Increase

The County Board of Supervisors will consider adopting a fee schedule to allow private and public employers to use a day-care center for mildly ill children of county employees.

Known as the Hickory Dickory Doc Child Care Program, the center was designed for a maximum of 15 children. However, seldom have there been more than six children using the facility at the Ventura County Medical Center, according to a report by the Ventura County Health Care Agency.

Supervisors will consider charging employers an annual fee, plus an hourly rate of $3 for the time each child spends at the center.

Under the proposed fee structure, companies with one to 25 employees would pay $250 a year. Companies with 26 to 50 employees would pay $500, while employers with 51 to 75 employees would pay $750.

In addition, a sliding scale for county employees would be replaced with a flat rate of $2 per hour.