Meeting tonight at Northeast Center

The Spokane City Council is being asked to halt the city’s appeal of an order by the state revoking the city’s license to operate a day-care facility at the East Central Community Center.

The council is expected to take action on the request at its meeting tonight at the Northeast Community Center at 6 p.m. The council also will hear reports from neighborhood representatives during its town hall meeting format at the center, 4001 N. Cook.

The state Department of Social and Health Services launched an investigation into the city’s before- and after-school child care after a child was left unattended in a day-care van last September at the East Central Community Center. The department subsequently revoked the city’s license to operate the day care, but the city appealed in an effort to keep the facility open.

Last month, the city announced it was cutting the day-care program as part of a larger budget reduction at City Hall. The day-care cut terminated at least three positions. The city subsequently reached an agreement with DSHS to relinquish the day-care license and withdraw the appeal. The agreement prohibits the city from obtaining a day-care license for the East Central center for six years. The former program was closed on Sept. 6.