Electric rates rise for Saratoga

The Saratoga Town Council approved a motion to have Town Attorney Tom Thompson review the town’s franchise agreement with Carbon Power and Light, to make sure recent rate changes are in compliance.

The rate changes would increase the town’s light bill from $3,370.30 a month to about $4,044.30 a month, a large increase according to Town Clerk Suzie Cox.

The rate increase will take effect Jan. 1, but it will not be a source of revenue for CP&L.

“It is a pass-on rate increase from Tri-State, it is a pass-on of our wholesale costs,” Chuck Larsen, general manager of CP&L, said in an interview Monday.

When electricity rates were raised several years ago, the town compensated by reducing the number of streetlights it operated at night, Mayor John Zeiger said.

“It would be something we would have to discuss come budget time, but as of right now I would not be in favor of that,” Zeiger said.

Councilman Steve Wilcoxson warned the other council members they might be getting some calls with questions about the proposed dual-purpose business park that could be incorporated into the airport master plan.

Wilcoxson said the dual-purpose plan could incorporate a taxiway to use for drag racing in the summer and possibly snowmobile drag racing in the winter. Wilcoxson listed Riverton and Julesburg, Colo., as examples of towns that link drag strips to their airports as a source of additional money.

“Julesburg, Colo., makes more than enough money on their racing that they’ve told the FAA that they don’t want their money anymore,” Wilcoxson said.

Wilcoxson said he would want to target one or two slow weekends in the summer for drag racing to avoid competing with other events.

The town will save about $25,000 in premiums in January due to a premium holiday granted by Blue Cross/Blue Shield for the first month of 2013.

“They have done this for the last four years,” Cox said.

Prior to going into executive session to discuss personnel and litigation, the council voted to approve the planning commission’s recommendation for zone changes applied for by the Saratoga Resort and Spa.

A three-acre parcel on the Resort’s golf course will change from RD 7200 (residential) to retail business, as will a 17-acre parcel that includes the main buildings and the property north of Pic Pike road.

The council took no action as a result of the executive session.

The next town council meeting will be Dec. 4, 6 p.m.