WAUPUN — The Waupun City Council plans to convert the Childcare Stabilization Grant program into a revolving loan program, which would help Wee Care Childcare Center cover repairs to the building roof.
The idea was discussed at the Common Council Meeting held Tuesday, December 9, 2025.
Allison Neumann, who is a previous owner of Wee Care and current owner of the Wee Care building, appeared before the City Council at the beginning of the meeting. Neumann thanked the City for their assistance in updating and expanding the facility in 2023, and requested further funding for repairs to the roof.
According to Neumann, they had been planning to replace the roof in the next year or so, but a leak appeared in the older section of the building—which made the request more urgent. It is currently a rubber membrane that was last repaired with a sprayed-on layer by the previous owners of the building—which was no longer covered by the warranty.
She said they had received estimates on repairs from four different contractors.
The current Wee Care owners bought it about four years ago, but the business has existed since 1989. Neumann had sold her half of the business last June, but still works at Wee Care and owns the facility.
They would like to expand their program, but currently are shortstaffed and are looking for new employees. They currently have about 85 children enrolled.
“We are also willing to work with people who want to start new centers,” she said. “There were a couple who were interested, we talked to them and tried to help them out but unfortunately childcare is not a business that a lot of people want to get into because it’s very small margins. And when people run the numbers it scares them away. But if anyone is out there we are definitely willing to help them out because Waupun needs it.”
Wee Care is operated by Miranda Bykowski and Jessica Langford. Bykowski was in attendance at the meeting but Langford was at a dance event and could not make it.
The Council then went through the resolutions before discussing the Childcare Stabilization Grant, which was on the agenda.
Mayor Rohn Bishop introduced the topic by giving background on the grant, which had funds set aside for potential daycare centers which didn’t come to fruition. As Wee Care had already received funds from the grant, Mayor Bishop asked if there was any interest in turning the remaining fund into a revolving low-interest loan to provide a more long term option for local childcare centers.
The loan would be capped at 1% or 2%, and would be available for Wee Care along with any other future daycare center in Waupun.
“By doing the loan, it gives us a more long term support for daycare,” Mayor Bishop said. “Maybe government shouldn’t be involved in helping daycare, but I don’t know what to do because the state has it all messed up. And the profit margin is low and the business model is difficult.”
“Keeping Wee-Care open is a very high priority of mine,” he said.
Alderman Dan Siebers asked City Administrator Kathy Schlieve’s opinion on the loan. Schlieve said she liked the low interest loan idea, and that they’ve had multiple attempts to recruit a second daycare but the business model is challenging—but this could provide longevity for funding future daycares.
City Attorney Dan VandeZande noted that while community childcare is underserved and that it would be nice to have another childcare provider, they also need to ensure that the current provider remains open.
Alderman Siebers asked how to preserve the fund to keep a window open for the future by suggesting setting a cap for a single entity to receive a certain amount—perhaps no more than half to one organization.
Alderman Jason Westphal pointed out that the proposed request for roof repairs does not meet the parameters of the current fund, and agreed that converting it to a revolving loan format would help make it last the longest and help provide coverage for more businesses.
On motion Alderman Westphal, seconded by Alderman Matoushek, to return to a future council meeting with a revolving loan fund concept to support current needs for our daycare provider. Motion carried 5-0 on roll call.
The item will be brought back to the Council in January with the proposed changes. Due to the holiday season and lack of items to discuss, the Committee of the Whole is not scheduled this December.
