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The town of Oak Creek will have to look elsewhere for funding to help complete a roof project for its ice rink. The South Routt School Board declined to donate money to the cause.

The School Board's decision, reached during its meeting Thursday night, came after a lengthy discussion by School Board members, Superintendent Steve Jones said.

"Probably the biggest issue was the fact that our school district financially has been cutting back the last four or five years," Jones said. "It just doesn't seem appropriate."

The issue was spurred by a phone call from Oak Creek Mayor Kathy "Cargo" Rodeman, who asked Jones whether the School Board would consider making a contribution to the rink project.

The project, which will convert the town's open-air ice rink to a roofed facility, has a price tag nearing $500,000, Rodeman said. Much of the cost is covered by a $200,000 Great Outdoors Colorado grant and from the support and donations of numerous community businesses and individuals.

"A lot of people have chipped in tremendously," Rodeman said. "It's like an old-fashioned barn raising. I've never been more proud of this community, and by community, I mean the entire valley."

But the cost of the project has increased steadily since the summer, largely because of higher costs of construction materials, Rodeman said. The town is about $8,000 short.

"Every little bit helps," she said. "I thought of calling the School Board simply because so many kids are involved in it."

School Board members were concerned about the district's recent financial difficulties, and some voiced concerns because there are no academic eligibility requirements for students who participate in the Oak Creek Hockey Association, Jones said.

"I don't think they were very comfortable with it," he said.

In other news, the School Board approved a new policy dealing with student transfers between Soroco's middle and high schools and its alternative school. Several students have switched between the schools, and at least one student has asked to switch back and forth on several occasions, Jones said.

The policy, which establishes criteria for transferring between the schools and an appeal process for students and parents, will help the district base its decisions on the individual needs of particular students, he said.