Dirt, doctor discussed

The Saratoga Town Council met at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at the Saratoga Town Hall and was short one council member, Richard Raymer, who was away at the scene of an accident on Highway 130.

The agenda, minutes and financials were approved in the early moments of the meeting. The bills came to a total of $153,747.12.

Craig Kopasz, Engineering Associates, came before the council to explain his letter to the town. He said the town of Hanna had some projects going and would like to get 1,000 unit yards of millings from the airport. Jon Winter, Saratoga public works director, said there was enough millings for Hanna’s request. The council approved the millings going to Hanna.

Kopasz said dirt piles at the Saratoga landfill would be helpful in the closure of Encampment landfill. The council approved the removal of the dirt piles for Encampment landfill.

Ed Glode, mayor, read a letter from Wyoming Association of Municipalities that commended the town of Saratoga for being in good fiscal standing for the year.

Saratoga resident John Ellis had questions for the council about Dr. Bryan Kaiser being eliminated from the medical center.

“It is now known you discussed and strategized in your closed door executive sessions for the past six or seven months how to get Dr. Kaiser eliminated from the medical clinic, with no transparency or disclosure to Valley residents,” Ellis said. “As a result it was not known until a few days before the primary election that you intend to eliminate Saratoga’s only town doctor and residents had little time to understand this action and the probable consequences before the primary election, or there would have been an even larger write in vote against Mayor Glode and Mr. Faust.”

He said there was concern that alternatives of tele-med service or part time doctors would not serve many of the elderly and sick people of the town. Ellis said many residents feared people could die for lack of a doctor’s treatment.

“My wife and I have been treated by Dr. Kaiser many times and we think he is the best doctor that Saratoga has had since Dr. Corbett and that everything possible should be done to retain him as the town doctor because everyone in the Valley is asking why he should go Ellis said. “Due to the devious way that you have hidden the reasons why you have taken these actions, you owe it to the citizens to say exactly why you have pursued this and I ask that you disclose right now to me and the citizenry why you have taken these action.”

Will Faust, council member asked if he could answer Ellis’ concerns.

“This is an issue that effects our community, not only Saratoga but also Valley residents deeply and it is the most important thing facing our community right now,” Faust said. “Certain things have been done behind closed doors for legal reasons, for reasons I can’t discuss, but what I can do is give you an overview of what has led us to that decision to not enter into negotiations with the current provider at the end of his term and I want to be clear, that is the only decision that has been made at this point.”

Faust said about nine months ago the council became concerned how the business practice was being run. Faust said the town council did research contacting other hospitals and medical providers to have a plan if there became a problem with the current medical provider.

This is how the council came in contact with Health Management Services, LLC (HMS). He said as the council knew they had to renegotiate the lease and as they looked at the business, they saw the business would not survive on its own.

“In the past 13 months, the current business has been subsidized to the tune of $499,228.00,” Faust said. He said the Corbett medical board helps tremendously to offset losses with donations, but the community has been paying a lot of money to keep the business afloat.

He said he looks at HMS as an opportunity because of its management of medical services in rural towns. He said there will be a full-time physician and said it has never been the intention to go without one.

He acknowledged because there was a lot of closed doors, it looked like there was a lack of transparency. Faust said that was never the intention.

“I would ask in the future you provide more transparency to the public,” Ellis said. “At least as this process goes on.”

“That is my intent,” Faust said.

Mark Pesognelli, Director at the Saratoga Care Center, spoke to put some concerns of HMS to rest. He said HMS’s owner, Karl Rude, was coming to town in the coming week and would be glad to talk to residents who have concerns about HMS. He also addressed reasons the clinic was in the situation of having to look at a new model.

“How you get reimbursed has changed,” Pesognelli said. “You do not necessarily get reimbursed for the cost of the services you provide, so that is what is driving some things on costs right now that you are finding up at the clinic and around the country.”

He said small towns that have been used to the “good old country doctor” model are finding it almost impossible to sustain. He said even the “clinic” model was difficult to make work without donors and a town’s help. Pesognelli said HMS is waiting for January when the term for the current provider ends before the management company does anything. He said there has been no communication with the doctor at the moment although they have reached out.

Pesognelli said HMS does have a long-term vision for health care in the Valley.

Recycling Discussed

After the health care concerns were wound down, Richard Hodges spoke about recycling. He said when he picks up plastics, he will take the material to Rawlins landfill because, currently, Saratoga landfill is putting it with contruction/demolition. Hodges said his concern is that because plastic does not degrade, it will get into the ground. Steve Wilcoxson, council member had voiced that concern at the last town council meeting.

BSB Grant

Nancy Jansa, Saratoga resident said when Jon Winter, director of Public Works applied for the Bridge Street Bargains grant, some of the funds would be wisely spent on a garbage can and bags for pet excrement.

“There has been so much traffic by the pool and hot pool that I have never seen over the holidays and they all had dogs,” Jansa said. “I think you have worked really hard to make the grass look green and look good, so Jon and I would suggest add some money to the grant from Bridge Street Bargains for a garbage can and bags.”

Winterizing

Winter reported the public works department had been patching streets along with sweeping them. He said they had flushed the storm water drains, fixed various water leaks at parks, winterized town porta-pots and trimmed trees in prep of snow plowing season. Winter said Carbon County Road and Bridge (CCRB) has hauled approximately 1,300 cubic yards of millings and that CCRB was scheduled to haul material to the landfill road when trucks were available.

Ordinance 846

The third and final reading of Ordinance 846 (See page 12 of this week’s Sun for the full ordinance) that amends sections 18.57 regulating mobile home parks with the town of Saratoga was approved unanimously. It was read by Glode.

847 Tabled

Faust read Ordinance 847 which was supposed to go through its final reading. After Faust read the five page document in its entirety, it was noticed words needed to be changed in 18.57.01 in plans in specifications; 18.57.020 on permits and 18.57.040 requirements in general.

The council decided to table the ordinance for its third and final reading until the language could be changed and give residents another opportunity to talk to the board at the planning commission.

Danni Ellis, Saratoga resident asked if the new ordinance would penalize visitors with recreational vehicles that parked at a private resident’s home.

“We have friends that come to visit us that drive a recreational vehicle, so will this mean that they can’t park at our house?” D. Ellis asked. “This is a town that people come to visit.”

Faust said the commission had talked about this and it would be addressed in the next meeting.

Wilcoxson brought his opinion forth that residents in RD 6000 should be polled if they agreed with the ordinance. He also made this point at the last town council meeting Aug 15th.

Hodges said he agreed with Wilcoxson.

Glode said the next planning commission meeting would be an excellent opportunity to address the concerns of the language for ordinance 847.

The next scheduled Saratoga Town Council meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Sept 18 at Saratoga Town Hall.