Budgeting for zoning

After nearly six months without a permanent zoning officer, the Town of Saratoga may finally be approaching the end of their search following discussion of a budget amendment during the Sept. 3 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council. 

As was reported previously (see “Planning for zoning” on page 3 of the Aug. 21 Saratoga Sun), two candidates for the position were in attendance at the August meeting of the Saratoga Planning Commission.

Councilman Bob Keel stated during the planning commission meeting that a budget amendment would have to be passed to allow for the Town of Saratoga to offer a full-time position.

It was expected that a recommendation would be made during the Aug. 20 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council, but following a 54 minute executive session, Councilman Bob Keel announced the search was ongoing.

During the Sept. 3 council meeting, Keel informed the rest of the council that he had been looking over the budget with the purpose of crafting a budget amendment. 

“The building inspector position is, in my opinion, something that the town needs,” said Keel. “In our budget, that we have accepted … we approved a budget of $39,000 for salary and $12,250 for payroll benefits.”

This comes to a total of $51,250 for payroll under planning in the budget.

Since March, the position of zoning officer has been filled on an as-needed basis by Kent Smith, who had previously worked for the Town of Saratoga. Following the departure of Dan Ferrin, the town has had trouble filling the position as past candidates were uninterested in filling a part-time position. The lack of a permanent zoning officer and building inspector, however, has not gone unnoticed as Keel has stated on several occasions that he had been approached by area contractors.

“In the process of interviewing for a building inspector/zoning officer position, we have interviewed candidates and found two really good candidates, of which I feel like we need to offer a position to, full-time, and that would mean that we’d have to make a budget amendment in order to have enough money to pay for full-time,” Keel said.

Keel went on to explain that, should the full-time position offered pay $18 an hour for 40 hours a week, it would require $37,440 in annual salary. Combined with payroll benefits, health insurance and pension, the total would come to $63,998.95. Keel added that some thought had been given to increasing the hourly rate after six months should the new zoning officer attend and pass a qualified building inspection course.

“The difference between the $18 an hour and the $19 an hour is the $19 an hour for a full-year is $65,828. So, we’re looking somewhere between $11,700 and $14,000 in the budget amendment,” said Keel.

Discussion took place between Keel and Councilmember Jon Nelson as they looked for areas in the budget where money could be reallocated. Funds that the council looked at included the Carbon County Economic Development Commission, the medical clinic, the police department, the Saratoga Volunteer Fire Department and the streets department.

Nelson reminded the council that a designated amount of impact money from the Gateway West project was set to go to the Saratoga Police Department, adding that money could be taken from the new vehicle fund and placed in planning.

The police department currently has $15,000 under that line item and, according to Police Chief Ken Lehr, has had money in that line item for quite some time. With the ability to replenish that fund with impact money, the council unanimously agreed to move $11,748.95 from the Saratoga Police Department. 

An ordinance will have to be crafted and pass three readings in a public meeting before the money can be moved from one account to another. With that in consideration, Keel stated he would offer the position to one of the two candidates with a starting date of Oct. 1.

The next meeting of the Saratoga Town Council will be at 6 p.m. on Sept. 17 at the Saratoga Town Hall.