Events, 911, tap fees and police

The Saratoga Town Council met Tuesday for its second meeting of the month to handle routine business and discuss the rapidly approaching summer season.

Council members approved a 24-hour alcoholic beverage permit for Duke’s bar to remain open and serve drinks for 24 hours during the weekend of the upcoming Wyoming Open pool tournament to be held March 31 through April 2. The council also approved a special event application for the Aug. 19 Steinley Cup (see story on the front page).

Chief of Saratoga Police Department Robert Bifano told members of the council the contractor responsible for installation of the town’s new 911 system had met with local providers CenturyLink and Union Telephone who would be installing the necessary lines for the system before it would be brought in.

The system is currently being shipped to Saratoga, Bifano said, and once CenturyLink and Union Telephone complete their parts, the system will take about five days to install.

Bifano also requested permission from the council to advertise for a part-time officer and part-time dispatcher. Council member Richard Raymer said he was concerned about the cost of hiring a new part-time officer.

Having a part-time officer, Bifano said, would prevent officers from having to work overtime hours to cover a shift when an officer is away. Bifano explained that anytime an officer is away, as one officer will soon be when he goes to the state police academy, it is not possible to cover the shift without overtime from the other staff.

Glode concurred, saying he believed bringing in a part-time officer would be a net savings for the town since it would reduce overtime hours.

The council voted to allow the police department to advertise for the positions.

The council also did a second reading of a proposed ordinance to increase sewer tap fees in the town of Saratoga. The fee for a sewer tap fee will increase from $1,100 to $2,500. The increase is necessary for the sewer board to break even on the installation costs of a new sewer line tap, Raymer said.

The board approved the ordinance second reading, and will take up the ordinance again for a third and final reading on its April 4 meeting, which will be held at Saratoga Town Hall at 6 p.m.