Saratoga Town Council passes emergency ordinance 845, event permits and hears care center dilemma
The Saratoga Town Council met on at 6 p. m. on June 5 to listen to several speakers after business as usual of approving the agenda, minutes from the May 15 meeting and paying the financials. The total for bills came to $2,206,532.06.
The council approved the special event application from the Chamber of Commerce for Togie Days to close East and West Bridge Street from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on June 30, along with an open container permit pending the Fire Chief signing off on the event.
The council approved the American Legion’s request for a street closure from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for July 4 for the Independence Day parade.
Ed Glode, mayor, read letters of interest for the Carbon County Visitors Council (CCVC) representative which will be decided at the town council meeting on June 19.
The first speaker was Kim Hytrek, Saratoga’s representative to the CCVC who is retiring due to term limits in the by-laws of the CCVC board. She thanked the council for the years of opportunity to be the Saratoga representative.
“It’s been a very rewarding experience,” Hytrek said. “It’s been a great six years, we have three year terms and two term limits.”
She passed out literature from the CCVC and “That’s WY” orange flags from the Wyoming Visitors Council. Hytrek said the financials of the CCVC were good. She attributed the strong report to the two percent lodging tax, which is paid mostly by visitors to the county. Municipalities that have overnight facilities receive a percentage of the tax. She said it was important that voters realize the lodging tax is a win/win situation when it comes up on the ballot.
Glode asked with the health of the financials going well, could grants be more than the current cap of $4,000. Hytrek said she would bring it to the CCVC when they meet June 20.
Mark Pesognelli, nursing home administrator for Saratoga Care Center, told the council the center had been in danger of closing down June 7. Pesognelli said he been able to find money to prevent the immediate closure.
“As of this morning, I was able to secure from a local benefactor a bond for a $100,000,” Pesognelli said. “We are in current need of $150,000 to continue to operate.”
He said the corporation has taken losses for two years in a row totaling $250,000 and pointed out if the community did not take some action, the center could close.
“When you have a community that loses health care, then the community starts to lose itself,” Pesognelli said. “You close the center and that is 55 jobs gone right off the bat with a stroke of pen.”
He said the benefactor of the $100,000 bond is hoping the community will mobilize and not let the nursing home close. Currently there are 23 residents in the nursing home.
“Some of those residents have families that have been in the Valley for close to 200 years and where do you want to send them?” Pesognelli pointed out. “The community has always been receptive, but it comes down to funding and how do we do this?”
He finished by saying he was appealing to the council and the community for any help possible to keep the center open.
Once Pesognelli finished talking to the council, Richard Raymer, town council member said he was pleased with how many candidates there were for town council.
“Four of the six candidates are here tonight,” Glode said.
Danny Burau, Jon Nelson, Kim Hytrek were present at the meeting in addition to Will Faust, a current council member running for re-election.
“I would like to thank everybody for putting their names in the hat for this election,” Raymer said. “I commend everybody for being willing to make the commitment because it is a huge commitment not only to the person running but to their families.”
Ordinance 843 which amends ordinance 840 authorizing the town budget officer to amend the 2017-2018 fiscal year budget was approved on its second reading.
Also passed on its second reading was ordinance 844. It is an ordinance to provide income necessary to finance the 2018-2019 fiscal budget of the town.
Ordinance 845 was brought forth in as an emergency reading because it determined to be a matter of health and safety issue (See ordinance on page 11).
Ordinance 845 partially amends Section 17.08.610 of the Saratoga Municipal Code to read: For municipalities, “subdivision” means the division of a tract or parcel of land into two or more parts for immediate or future sale or building development.”
Steve Wilcoxson, town council member asked why the ordinance was a matter of health and safety.
“The way it reads now, there is the ability to skirt subdivision procedures in order to develop sections of land and in doing so, not consider adequate infrastructure sizing, for future development.” Faust said. “We look at: Are lines adequately sized for fire suppression? Are lines adequately sized for removing sewage? Which in my opinion are in the interest of health and safety.”
He said this was a fairly simple change to take to ensure when development happens in town, key responsibilities of the local government are able to be provided to the citizens.
Richard Hodges, Saratoga resident, questioned why the ordinance could not be read in three readings.
“I’m just curious. Why the emergency?” Hodges asked. “Is this something coming that somebody has gotten wind of and you are trying to slide this through in one reading so that you can head them off at the pass.”
Faust said, although the ordinance was not being created because of any one person or business, but because the council saw this loophole in their code, it could do damage to future development.
“I don’t know if you have made the case for an emergency passing,” Hodges said. “Pass it in three readings, let it sit in the sun for a month and half and see where it goes.”
Glode said he understood Hodges point of view and the council did not use the emergency reading lightly. He said it was why the emergency aspect of the vote had to be passed with a three quarter majority vote versus a simple majority.
Ordinance 845 was unanimous in being considered an emergency and was adopted in one reading.
The council approved the mayor to sign the maintenance agreement between the town of Saratoga and Apex Communications for the police department’s radio equipment.
Lisa Burton, recreation department director said the heater for the wading pool she had looked at for $700 was not going to be adequate. Raymer suggested Nelson and Jon Winter, public works director, take a look at what might be done to get warm water from the hot springs to the small pool. If they had no cost effective solution, approval was given to purchase a stronger heater for $1,500.
Burton got the council’s approval advertising for two open seats on the Recreation Board. She said Arbor Day was successful with the planting of five spruce trees and 13 native plum trees in Kathy Glode Park.
Winter said the fences and bridge on Veterans Island had been treated with the help from high school seniors on their senior day.
“We got a lot of stuff done that day,” Winter said.
The council approved the hiring of public works summer help. Winter said June 1, the town had started spraying with bio mist for mosquitos and would continue on June 8, weather permitting. Airtime Aerial was approved to do the aerial spraying for 2018 season.
The town approved the purchase of nine chlorine canisters for the new lagoon and purchase of adulticide and larvacide pest control. Winter said there was a commitment from Carbon County for reimbursement. He said backboards have been put on the horse shoe pits at Verterans Island.
Raymer told the council the project at the airport was complete. He said the airport was back in operation. The town approved a request for reimbursement from the Federal government for $1,917,925.23 and the State for $127,861.68 for the project. Raymer said the millings were for sale at three dollars a cubic yard with a limit of 1,000 yards.
The next scheduled Saratoga Town Council meeting is at 6 p.m. on June 19 at the Saratoga Town Hall.
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