CHEYENNE - Youth Emergency Services of Gillette will get a new seven-passenger van after all.

Because of a lack of available money in the Transportation Enterprise Account, the director of the State Office of Lands and Investments had recommended against a grant for the facility for high risk youth.

The five elected officials, who sit at the State Loan and Investment Board, on Thursday voted for a $20,000 grant for a replacement vehicle.

The money will pay for 77 percent of the cost to replace a 1990 Chevrolet 12-passenger van with 77,222 miles on it.

The Y.E.S. House is contracted to provide services to Campbell, Crook and Weston counties.

But because of ongoing maintenance problems, the van has been restricted to travel in Gillette, according to the state office's report.

Another grant that had been recommended against, also because of money, was for NOWCAP services in Rock Springs for developmentally disabled adults and children.

A Wyoming Department of Transportation official said Thursday that the department could cover the $33,600 cost for a 14-passenger van with federal transit money, said Robert Tompkins, grants and loans program manager for the state office.

NOWCAP serves 20 clients in Rock Springs and expects the number to grow to 25 by 2009.

The state office received 20 grant requests totaling $1.1 million.

In all, 18 grants were approved.

The transportation fund is part of the state agency pool, which has experienced a drop in interest income because of market conditions, a report to the state board said.

The state treasurer's office projected a 2.5 percent yield for fiscal year 2009 on the agency pool, and 4.9 percent for fiscal year 2010.

The agency pool is invested in a mix of fixed income strategies and cash, the report said.

Contact capital bureau reporter Joan Barron at (307) 632-1244 or joan.barron@trib.com