Board moves forward with tap fee increases

The ordinance draft regarding new tap fees was brought to the Saratoga/Carbon County Impact Joint Powers (Water and Sewer) board for discussion on Oct. 14. The ordinance as it sits now will charge a fee of $3,500 to “any permit issued to make connection or tap with a water main.”

The town will supply materials (including meter pit, corporation stop, bedding, tapping saddle) tapping, trenching, service line and “all necessary appurtenances, only” for a 3/4 inch service line. This fee applies to residences only.

In discussion, board members reiterated that the fee increase is in order to allow the town of Saratoga to break even on tap fee projects. The last time these rules were evaluated, board member Tim Lamprecht said, was 2003. Lamprecht does not feel that a public hearing for the ordinance specifically for Water and Sewer is necessary, given that the ordinance will be read at town council three times.

A 3/4 inch supply line, the standard size, will run $2,500 for a residence if the owner hires a contractor to “excavate and expose the water main and trench to the proposed water meter pit location with prior written approval by the town”. The town must “make connections to both the water mane and to the street side of the water meter pit, and they must supply all materials necessary for connection to the water main, placement of water service line, and installation of water meter pit.”

The draft of the ordinance, written by board member Craig Kopasz, states that other sizes of supply lines will require different fees, increasing for the size of the of the line. Regulations vary for non-residential uses, with commercial and industrial buildings by contract. Fees will be collected in advance, and they shall increase at a minimum of 3 percent each calendar year as determined by the town. The town of Saratoga may implement, repeal or amend the increases at any time, but only once per calendar year.

While reviewing terminology in the ordinances for definition and clarification, fees for vacant land were addressed. Under Ordinance Amendment 828—Lagoon Outfall Amendment, a minimum fee of $28.14 should be assessed for (vacant) land regardless of if land has water/sewer services. Mayor Ed Glode, speaking from the audience, said “If we’re going to charge them (landowners) for sewer, there has to be a sewer there.” According to Kopasz, assessing fees like this will allow for self-funding projects rather than appealing for grants and spur development by incentivizing land sales.

The board will not continue with action until the ordinance is reviewed and discussed by Chairman Don Price and council representative Richard Raymer.

The board discussed discharge permits for the Saratoga Outfall Sewer Project, with Kopasz reporting that the Department of Environmental Quality is reviewing permits for reclamation. According to Kopasz, the reclamation job should be ready for bid in November and “when it’s done, they don’t want to be able to see it (the pipeline).”

The next regular Water and Sewer board meeting was to fall on Veterans Day, so the board rescheduled for Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. at the Saratoga Town Hall.