White Salmon mayor urges treating childcare as essential infrastructure

Mayor Marla Keethler told the White Salmon City Council on Dec. 3 that recommendations developed at a regional Child Care Workshop call for treating childcare as essential infrastructure and implementing targeted policy changes to support providers and families.

Keethler summarized five policy focus areas raised at the Klickitat County workshop: revise age‑group definitions and caregiver-to‑child ratios to better align with child development and provider sustainability; establish stable, long‑term funding to support access; ensure reimbursement rates reflect the true cost of quality care; expand physical capacity through funding for construction or renovation; and pursue improvements to the state licensing system rather than shifting licensing responsibility to local governments.

Keethler said the City has already taken local steps, including ordinance changes to streamline childcare siting and securing federal funding for facility renovation. She encouraged continued coordination with the Klickitat County Child Care Committee and said future workshops will track legislative progress and opportunities for public engagement.

The mayor framed childcare investments as linked to broader municipal priorities such as workforce retention and economic stability, and urged continued advocacy at the regional and state level. Council did not take formal action on policy at the meeting; Keethler indicated the City will remain engaged through committee participation and future updates to the Council.