Sedimental decision

As Saratoga prepares to begin the work of clearing gravel bars from under and above the HWY 130 bridge, Saratoga Mayor Ed Glode has been meeting with several different agencies.

"We had basically the Red Cross, the National Guard and Homeland Security here on Tuesday, (March 22)", Glode said. "Over the last year or so, we've had a couple of opportunities to have the Army Corps of Engineers here," he continued. "Usually what I do when they show up is I get them on the river right away so they can see how impaired it is."

Regarding "the work around the bridge, we intend to do that before runoff, if possible" Glode said of the project's timeline.

Looking longer-term, Glode foresees a more significant river project in the works for fall of 2017. "The downstream corner's kind of a mess, and nobody studies it" he said. Glode thinks "that project would be about the scope of what was done on Greg Ryan's Ranch South of town." Considering "it's got ag irrigation tied to it," Glode hopes there's "some funding available to make that project so the town doesn't go bankrupt dealing with it."

On the subject of the river committee, which has been dormant for a year, the mayor said, "I think we need to get together and discuss the river again."

He noted the complexity of getting funding to work on the river, calling a long-term river beautification plan a "$5-$10 million job that may or may not ever happen."

"A lot of people want to see the committee go forward with the plan, and a lot of people are kind of tired of studying the river and they want to just get the sediment out of it and move on with life. Those are the two balls in the air," Glode said of the situation.

Ensuring residents' daycare needs were being met was another topic weighing on the mayor's mind. "Last fall we found out we had an opportunity for expansion of our preschool because there were more kids than there were preschool slots," Glode said.

"So now we know there's a demand," but "the question is, how do you want to structure it?" Glode asked. "Do you want a town-subsidized preschool?"

Not if the mayor has his druthers: "I think it should be mostly private enterprise," Glode said, reiterating later, "I don't think we need a government-run preschool."

Glode explained that Ex Cel preschool was "asking us to tour their trailers," and plans to do so with his two children soon.

The mayor will also be touring the tables next weekend at the Ninth Annual Andy Billiard Cloth Wyoming Open, a pool tournament Glode helped organize. "We're adding four more tables," for a total of 34 this year, Glode said, adding "for the first time ever we're full with a waiting list in every division."

Glode confided that with all of his responsibilities "I don't get to practice much that week, so it's hard to be competitive with all those guys."

Saratoga's mayor is no slouch though: he "went to the U.S. Open twice, in 09 and 2010" and will be competing in the prestigious "Master's Division" of the tournament.

Although they won't be ready for the tournament, Glode sounded excited about the prospect of newly designed billiard balls that will arrive soon. "We've got a patent on what we call rocket balls," Glode said, adding that pool pro Rodney Morris had coined the phrase.

"We got six sets – prototypes – coming. They'll be here in hopefully a month or so" the mayor said. If you want to try them out, just find Ed Glode around mid-spring and ask to shoot a game. He'll likely oblige.