ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The City of St. Joseph and the Bartlett Center Board have released a detailed joint statement addressing recent leadership changes at the longtime childcare organization, its financial difficulties and plans to keep childcare services operating at the Horace Mann Community Center.
The statement follows public claims by former Bartlett Center Executive Director LaTonya Williams concerning the circumstances surrounding the end of her employment. Williams said publicly over the weekend that she was terminated and alleged the decision came at the insistence of City Manager Mike Schumacher and direction of the City Council.
The City and Bartlett Center Board’s account differs on key points.
According to their joint statement released Monday, the City says it did not participate in the Bartlett Center Board’s decisions concerning its director or the board’s subsequent decision to dissolve the nonprofit organization. City officials also say they had no advance knowledge of the September 17 board meeting where those matters were discussed and that no city representative attended.
According to the joint statement, Williams offered her resignation during the September 17 board meeting. The board also voted to seek a meeting with the city manager to discuss finding another organization that could take over childcare services at the center.
Board members subsequently met with city officials on September 18 to discuss preventing an interruption in childcare and transitioning the program. During that meeting, the City says it was asked whether Williams should assist with the transition. City officials declined that offer but say her employment status was not discussed with the board.
City Manager Mike Schumacher specifically denied requesting Williams’ resignation, saying employment decisions between the Bartlett Center and its employees were outside the City’s role. The City also says none of its representatives was present for conversations between Williams and the Bartlett Center Board.
Financial problems stretch back more than a year
The City’s statement also provides considerably more detail about the Bartlett Center’s financial condition.
The City owns the Horace Mann Community Center at 409 South 18th Street, where Bartlett operates its childcare program. The current lease is $2,905.12 per month, effective July 1. The City says it also insures the building, pays utilities and performs significant maintenance.
According to the City, financial problems became apparent after consecutive lease payments were missed beginning in August 2025. City leaders met with Williams in December in an attempt to resolve the situation. A formal notice of default followed January 12, when the unpaid balance had reached $14,034.40.
A subsequent January meeting produced a payment arrangement. Bartlett paid $8,420.64 covering December 2025 and January and February 2026 and agreed to make larger monthly payments from March through June to cover both current rent and earlier delinquent payments. According to the City, those four payments were made.
Problems later returned.
The City says Bartlett did not make its July, August or September 2026 lease payments, leaving $8,715.40 owed to the City as of Monday. Another legal notice of default was issued.
The joint statement also directly addresses an allegation concerning that debt. While city officials acknowledged collecting the remaining balance could prove difficult if the nonprofit dissolves, the City says it did not offer to forgive the debt in exchange for removing any Bartlett Center employee.
Questions surrounding federal grant money
The statement also explains delays involving Community Development Block Grant funding.
Bartlett receives CDBG money through the City. The federally funded program can reimburse eligible costs such as salaries and certain services, but the money cannot be used to pay rent. Organizations must submit reimbursement requests and supporting documentation before funds can be released.
According to the City, some Bartlett reimbursement requests were submitted late or incorrectly, resulting in delays in releasing money to the organization.
Bartlett Center nonprofit expected to dissolve
The most consequential development may ultimately be what happens next.
Bartlett Center Board President Jayne Roberts confirmed in the joint statement that the organization has experienced financial difficulties for an extended period and described dissolving the Bartlett Center’s nonprofit status as a difficult decision. She said the board’s priority is maintaining care for children while supporting parents, employees and the broader community.
That does not necessarily mean childcare at Horace Mann is ending.
The City and Bartlett Center Board say they are working with other community organizations to arrange for a temporary childcare provider to continue serving families at the building. The City then intends to conduct a formal request-for-proposal process to select a permanent childcare provider for Horace Mann.
For families currently relying on the center, that is arguably the most important part of Monday’s announcement: officials say their goal is continuity of childcare rather than shutting down childcare operations at the Horace Mann facility.
Two different accounts
There remains an important factual dispute that WRJE should make clear rather than attempt to resolve without additional evidence.
Williams publicly said she was terminated Friday evening and alleged that City Manager Mike Schumacher and the City Council were behind the decision. She also characterized the circumstances as politically motivated.
Monday’s joint statement says Williams had offered her resignation to the Bartlett Center Board on September 17, before the board’s September 18 meeting with the City, and says neither Schumacher nor other City officials requested her resignation or participated in the Bartlett board’s employment decision.
Those accounts are materially different. WRJE has not independently established what was said during the private September 17 Bartlett Center Board meeting, and the City’s statement itself says no City representative was present for those conversations.
For now, what is clear is that the Bartlett Center nonprofit is moving toward dissolution after prolonged financial problems, Williams is no longer serving as executive director, and the City and Bartlett board say they are trying to arrange a transition that keeps childcare available at Horace Mann.
WRJE News Desk will continue following the transition and what it means for Bartlett Center families, employees and childcare services in St. Joseph.
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