FAIRMONT – Building Blocks gave an update on their current state after their first few months of business during Monday’s Martin County Economic Development Authority (EDA) meeting.

The Martin County EDA in June of 2025 had approved a $100,000 forgivable loan for expansion of the child care center in Fairmont as it would help fill a need in the community.

Director Shea Ripley said now they have officially been there for around two months.

“We have four classrooms open at this time,” she said. “There’s one classroom that we’re planning on opening for the summer for school-age care, to help with that need.”

Right now, Ripley said they are putting out feelers to try to get their enrollment up. They have started posting flyers in places like the local elementary school and plan to do more. Currently they have 99 spots, with 43 being filled by kids. They are closer than that to hitting a cap, however.

“Our staff could take on probably about 20 more kids at the moment,” Ripley said. “We actually have a lot of applications on file for people looking for work, which was really unexpected. We were kind of scared we were going to struggle to find staff for the kids, but that hasn’t been an issue.”

Board Member Tom Lytle asked if they do drop-ins. Ripley said that was something on their radar when they opened, but they do not have that in place as of now.

Board Chair Wes Anderson said he has spoken to multiple daycare businesses and has heard that due to paid leave, they are not getting as many smaller children as before. Ripley said it’s something they are aware of.

“We’re kind of wondering if that has something to do with that also,” she said. “Before, especially the infant care, was really high. Now we’re not filling out this fast as we thought we would.”

Regarding the space they used before the new center opened, Deb Barnes, Administrator of Lakeview Methodist Health Care Center, which Building Blocks is under, said discussions are ongoing regarding what to do.

“We had several conversations with the housing authority of the city and with city officials,” she said. “The last meeting we had, they were going into a study to see if they could find a way to use that building. Right now, we’re still using it for several offices, for a dental clinic. We have plans to move a kitchen in if there isn’t a use that comes up for the old building.”

In other business:

— Anderson said he has heard talk of several potential data center placements, including one in Worthington. He said there hasn’t been any word in Martin County, but he does have concerns about the amount of electricity they take in.

— CEDA recently sat down with Truman to talk about their commercial building for sale, which used to belong to Schwan’s. Board Secretary/Treasurer Elizabeth Miller said the price was significantly higher than she expected, and she inquired if they still had the freezers and other equipment from the previous owners inside. CEDA Consultant Celia Viesselman said it is, and there is someone interested in the building currently.