Date: Fri 19-Jun-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

stocker-small-cities-grant

Full Text:

Town Loses Out On Small Cities Grants

The state has decided against granting the town $500,000 the town sought for

improving handicapped access to two public buildings and renovating

single-family houses of low- and moderate-income families.

The town had sought $261,600 to improve handicapped accessibility to Edmond

Town Hall and Booth Library. The town wanted to make the town hall elevator

more accessible to the handicapped and create automatic door openers within

the building, as well as provide improved handicapped parking at the library.

It also wanted to use the money to create a new handicapped parking area south

of the library, said Elizabeth Stocker, community development director.

Also, the town wanted $238,400 in federal Small Cities grants to rehabilitate

the single-family houses of low- and moderate-income families.

The state Department of Economic and Community Development received 131

applications from towns for $28 million of grant funding, making the grant

awards very competitive, according to Patricia Downs of the agency.

Ms Stocker said she is seeking details from the state on why the town's grant

applications weren't approved.

She the state's rejections of the grant applications were a "disappointment"

that was "unfortunate."

Ms Stocker said low- and moderate-income residents can still apply for past

funds received by the town for housing rehabilitation.