Mayor drops Ordinance 822

The Saratoga Town Council passed two resolutions in their Jan. 7 meeting.

Resolution 2013-06 pertains to the Community Development Block Grant and Loan Program which will assist in financing the Saratoga master plan. The cost of developing the master plan grant request is $66,000. Voices of the Valley will contribute $2,500 and the Town of Saratoga is contributing approximately $14,000. The grant application for $49,500 will be submitted to the Wyoming Business Council.

Resolution 2014-01 says that the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) will assist in the funding of $20 per capita each year for maintenance of storm sewers, cleaning and sweeping of streets and highway.

Though it was not announced at the meeting, Mayor John Zeiger said that Ordinance 822 did not make it to the second reading, in an interview the day after the meeting.

“At this time, it’s not going any further,” Zeiger said.

If passed, Ordinance 822 would have given the Mayor the power to remove board members stating “All board members serve at the pleasure of the mayor and may be removed by the mayor for incompetency or neglect of duty”.

“Enough people felt like it was covered by state statutes that the ordinance was not needed and I respect that,” Zeiger said.

The state statute requires cause for dismissal from a board and a hearing, if requested.

The ordinance drew in controversy from town residents, as they believed the the ordinance gave the mayor too much power. The Saratoga Sun also wrote an editorial against the ordinance.

Despite the criticism, Zeiger said that he had no other intentions for the proposed ordinance except to implement a system to remove a board member, if need be.

The next town council meeting will be 6 p.m. on Jan. 21 at Saratoga Town Hall.