Job done despite 'hiccups'

The Carbon County Impact Joint Powers Board heard from Element Engineering, the company hired to oversee the lagoon project, and from Forsgren Associates at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 8. Nick Marcotte of Element Engineering was in attendance to give a synopsis and explain what all had been done during the span of the project.

This included burying air piping that had previously been above ground, installing new valves, flow meters and chemical injection systems to maintain the lagoon. While there, Marcotte was asked by Richard Raymer, town council member and representative, how he thought his company did.

“When we started this project, this was your resume builder. How do you think your report card is on this project?” asked Raymer.

Marcotte stated that he felt his company had done pretty well despite some of the small bugs and hiccups they had experienced during initial start-up. He added that there wasn’t much he himself could have done about the faulty instrumentation.

“I just would have liked to have seen you guys represent the town a little more when we were having issues,” said Raymer.

Chairman Don Price added that, while Raymer may have been upset with what he felt was a minor failing on the part of Element Engineering, the project had gone well all together and the joint powers board would keep them in mind for future projects.

Following the conversation with Element, Ryan Welling from Forsgren Associates stood up to introduce himself as he had been unable to make last month’s meeting.

“I met with Jon (Winter) today. Got a lot of good information, got a lot of inventory stuff so this next month I’m hoping to hit it hard in here with the Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping,” said Welling.

Winter added that Forsgren and the Town of Saratoga were in “data acquisition mode” at the current time.

“So, at the end of this, Jon, if someone were to walk in and say they would like to put in an RV park and when they ask us ‘We don’t know what our line is at the end our street’ we will know all that information?” asked board member Joe Parsons.

“At this point, Joe, I think we know a fair amount and a lot of it’s institutional,” replied Winter.

“Right, that’s my problem with it,” Parsons said.

“So one of the processes is trying to get it documented so when that institutional knowledge walks out the door, the information doesn’t go with them,” said Winter.

Winter added that, by the end of the project, the Town of Saratoga should have a complete and thorough system to check the type, size and age of water pipes around Saratoga along with replacement dates. This system will also be used to keep track of dates for when fire hydrants have been exercised along with water valves throughout the town.

The next meeting of the Carbon County Impact Joint Powers Board will be at 6 p.m. on Sept. 12 at the Saratoga Town Hall.