Sewer rates to increase

During their regularly scheduled meeting at 6 p.m. on Dec. 12 at Saratoga Town Hall, the Carbon County Impact Joint Powers Board (CCIJPB) heard a small update from the Wyoming Water Development Commission and (WWDC) and Forsgren Associates on the water well project, approved an increase in the sewer rate and held further discussion about the Old Baldy Club (OBC). Brush Creek/Hayden District Ranger Jason Armbruster was also in attendance at the request of town council representative Richard Raymer.

As was reported previously (see “RV parks ordinance passes second reading” on page 1 of Dec. 12 Saratoga Sun), Armbruster had been at the Dec. 4 Saratoga Town Council meeting regarding the water and sewer project currently underway at the district office south of Saratoga. In May 2017, the Saratoga Town Council voted to annex the property. According to Armbruster, the contractors working on the project arrived in late November and are currently working on the sewer lines.

Further discussion between Armbruster and the board confirmed that, following the installation of the sewer line, one of the nearby residences would be able to tie-in to the district office’s lift station due to issues with sewer backup. Additionally, Armbruster told the board that the water line would extend past the United States Forest Service property to allow other property owners the option to tie-in to the town system.

Following Armburster, Kevin Boyce, of the WWDC, and Ryan Welling, of Forsgren Associates, gave an update regarding the ongoing water well project. Welling informed the board that they had gathered a significant amount of data, a portion of which was provided to the board in a handout, and that a draft report would be issued in May.

“Do you foresee anything that would potentially move from level one to level three that would be an urgent recommendation?” asked Jon Nelson, of North Fork Engineering.

Welling suggested that there could be some well violations that could put the level one project up to level three.

“What about the tank that’s leaking?” asked Nelson.

Boyce stated that the tank could put the project up to a level three. Craig Kopasz, vice-chairman of the CCIJPB, asked Boyce to consider moving the tank closer to the water wells if it would have to be rebuilt.

The CCIJPB also approved a rate increase for sewer bills following the completion of the lagoon project. As was reported previously (see “Water/sewer rate hike discussed” on page 5 of the Oct. 17, 2018 Saratoga Sun), discussion around the rate increase showed that there could have been an increase of $7.20, but that restructuring of the loan meant a lower increase. Following a discussion with Jon Winter, Department of Public Works director, the board voted to move forward with a sewer rate increase of $4.52.

“I would also recommend that this board be given monthly financial statements, including the revenue and the expenditures so that when we see the revenue from this increase we know what we can do with it,” stated CCIJPB Treasurer Russ Waldner.

In regards to the OBC and the issues of improper billing that have been the concern of the board for some time, Kopasz reiterated that he would like a representative from the club to be in attendance at a meeting and be involved in the discussion. The club currently pays a flat fee of $241 per month, part of an agreement that had been in place between the town and the facility when OBC had leased water rights to the Town of Saratoga.

The next meeting of the Carbon County Impact Joint Powers Board will be at 6 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2019 at the Saratoga Town Hall.