Town drafts new deal

The town of Saratoga is drafting a new water user agreement with the Old Baldy Club.

The two parties entered an agreement in 2005, stating the town of Saratoga could continue to use water rights owned by Old Baldy in exchange for potable water at a fixed rate. The town has not used those water rights since switching from a water processing system to water wells, meaning the 2005 agreement is null and void.

Public Works Director Chuck Bartlett reported to the Water and Sewer Joint Powers Board last month the agreement was null and void, and a new one may be needed.

The board asked for time to research the matter to decide the best course of action.

In the Sept. 11 meeting, board members, including Chairman Donald Price, said billing the Old Baldy Club the commercial rate defined in the town’s ordinances would be acceptable.

According to the discussion in the meeting, the town would bill Old Baldy the commercial rate based off water usage recorded on a master meter. In previous years, per the old agreement, the town billed the Old Baldy Club a flat rate of $278 per month. That fee covered water usage at the club’s lodge, clubhouse, main office, laundry facilities, eight cottages, three single family dwellings and the maid’s quarters, according to the agreement.

Bartlett said if Old Baldy ever exceeded a certain amount of water, they would be billed extra. However, Old Baldy never exceeded that amount of water. The board instructed a new agreement be drafted, reflecting the Old Baldy Club would now be charged the commercial rate for out-of-town users.

The commercial rate for water, according to town of Saratoga ordinance, is $1.25 more than the residential rates. Bartlett said there are currently three out-of-town water users connected to the system.