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Routt County officials on Tuesday denied Oak Creek's request for $15,000 to match a state grant.

The town of Oak Creek is applying for $70,000 from the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Program. The grant would help fund a $94,000 project to add second-floor access and parking to the South Routt Community Center.

The town tentatively budgeted for $15,000 of the remaining $24,000 to come from Routt County.

The Routt County Board of Commissioners decided to donate $3,000 toward the project if the Energy Impact grant is awarded.

"We've got plenty of other things staring us in the face that we need to take care of," County Commissioner Dan Ellison said.

The $3,000 comes out of the county's $10,000 discretionary fund, which is used for community services not budgeted in the previous year.

Also Tuesday, Oak Creek's grant application was ranked third out of three in Routt County by a local committee.

"I'm just totally disappointed," said Mayor Kathy "Cargo" Rodeman, who wrote the application for the grant. "I don't feel like we have any representation for South Routt. It's a very, very, very worthwhile project."

The community center houses most of South Routt County's non-profit groups, she said. Meals for senior citizens are hosted there, and Rodeman said she knows of residents who don't attend because of the difficult access.

Bob White, director of Routt County Human Services, said his department's budget had two discretionary funds that total $15,000. County commissioners could tap into those funds for the project if they wanted, he said.

"There are elderly and disabled folks who would benefit from (better) access," White said.

The county has to be cautious about how it uses those funds, County Commissioner Nancy Stahoviak said. Stahoviak has served on the South Routt Community Center board of directors and said the center was "very near and dear to (her) heart."

The county should consider how much it has funded similar capital projects in the past, Stahoviak said. For instance, it gave $5,000 for the $700,000 project to put a new roof on Oak Creek's Ice Rink, and $5,000 for the $200,000 renovation of Old Town Hall.

"I think we need to treat everyone equally," she said.

She didn't think the county should provide $15,000 when the communities of South Routt County have not been asked for funds.

Rodeman said the town would pursue other options for funding. The Town Board might agree to provide additional in-kind donations besides her grant writing services and engineering services.

"We'll regroup," Rodeman said. "We won't by any means give up on the project."

-- To reach Susan Cunningham, call 871-4203 or e-mail sbacon@steamboatpilot.com