Hamilton County — Hamilton County is exploring how it can address access to child care for county employees. This comes after the Indiana Chamber of Commerce said the lack of affordable, quality child care is costing the state a billion dollars in lost tax revenue.

The building they plan to convert into a day care center is located on Lafayette Road in Noblesville and currently houses the county coroner and parks department. The move came after county commissioners noticed county employees were leaving their jobs because they did not have access to adequate child care.

“First, we have a productivity problem, and second, when you start doing the math, would it be more economical for a family to leave one breadwinner at home to take care of the children?” Christine Altman, Hamilton County Commissioner for District 1, said in a statement.

Access to child care has long been a consideration among Hamilton County commissioners, Altman said. Now they hope to take action.

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They will turn the building into a day care center for county employees. This will be used as an incentive to attract and retain talent.

“We’re also looking at whether we can afford to supplement or provide stipends to employees and at what rates,” Altman said. “What kind of employees do I need that are very difficult to train and retain?”

County employees aren’t the only ones facing this problem.

“I’ve been on the same waiting list for almost a year,” said Rosie Booker, a mother of two who lives in Hamilton County.

Booker says she sometimes had a hard time finding work because child care wasn’t available when she needed it. She said she struggles to find child care that offers time frames that work for her now.

“The ideal parent would have a job between kindergarten hours,” Booker said. “Of which the last one left open is 6. For most jobs, this is what you will get.”

Stories like Booker’s have prompted the Indiana Chamber of Commerce to commission a study to show how child care impacts the state’s economy.

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The study found that child care issues not only cost employers state taxpayer dollars, but also lose $4 billion a year.

“Politicians, employers, parents and other advocates are increasingly recognizing that this is an issue that really has consequences that go far beyond any given family,” said Jason Beers of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.

If the county moves forward with this facility, it will create 140 positions for county employees. A staff survey indicated that 130 of those positions will be filled.

The goal is to have him work outside of traditional kindergarten hours.

As for how it will be funded, the district says it is looking into it.

The study they are conducting is expected to be completed by the end of the year, with the facility scheduled to open in late 2025 or early 2026.

They would have opened it sooner, but they would have to expand the site to accommodate the number of seats needed.