The long-standing collaboration between the Decatur City Council and a local daycare center has finally borne fruit after more than two years of negotiations aimed at expanding childcare options for local families. This significant milestone was reached on Monday night when the council members voted 5-2 in favor of partnering with Love, Learning and Laughter Daycare.

The decision comes after a period of deliberation, during which the council had previously postponed a $1.7 million daycare project. However, persistence paid off as the council agreed to allocate $400,000 towards essential repairs to ensure the daycare building complies with city regulations. Council member David Horn noted that prior to this latest investment, the city had already committed over a million dollars to the project.