Saratoga Town Council hears project updates

Saratoga’s water line replacement project will begin in May, said Public Works Director Emery Penner at the April 16 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council.

“I don’t expect a big interruption in water service,” Penner said during his report on the Water and Sewer Joint Powers Board.

In other business, the bids for the surfacing project at Never Forget Park came in higher than expected, Penner said.

“We are going back to the drawing board on this project,” he said.

The town rejected the Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel bid of $389,742.

“We’ll get more bang for our buck if we go out for bids again,” he said. “The cost-to-benefit of the bid is not in our best interest.”

On the Greater Road Project, the town accepted Casper-based Engineering Associates’ bid for road overlay and chip seal in the amount of $1.95 million.

Funding for the project will come from the Special Purpose Tax and impact Assistance Funds, according to town documents.

“We’ll see if the county is willing to pay for some of it,” Penner said.

In other business, the council accepted the bid for park maintenance submitted by Platte Valley Lawn Care and Landscaping for $33,500.

Under the Planning Commission report, Penner said the town has scheduled a public hearing on a proposed ordinance to allow residents of single-family homes of a specific-sized acreage to raise chickens for consumption. The hearing will be held on May 14.

The final Saratoga Transportation Alternative Master Plan meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on May 6. This is the third community forum on the subject.

In other business, the town approved a special events application for Saratoga Days submitted by Joe Elder and the Saratoga Days Committee.

The event will start at 10 a.m. on July 6 and will be held on Bridge Avenue, according to the application.

The town council also approved the HiWater Hoedown Application submitted by Chris Shannon of Toga Productions, Inc.

The event will start at noon on June 1 and be held at the yard at 108 S.E. River Street and 110 S. E. River Street, according to the application. Three bands will perform at the event, which is expected to attract more than 100 participants.

In other business, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality is considering the Upper Platte River Solid Waste Disposal District’s application to renew its solid waste permit for the Saratoga Construction and Demolition Landfill. The department is taking comments from the public from April 4^th to May 13^th. The comments portal link is listed on the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality website.

The Police and Fire departments had nothing to report.

Under the Recreation Department report, Kim Hemenway asked the council to approve the purchase of two tables and umbrellas for the pool area for shade in the amount of $1,994. Council approved the expense, which will be paid out of her existing budget.

Under the South Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Services Board item, the council tabled the proposed budget until the next council meeting.

The next meeting of the Saratoga Town Council will be at 6 p.m. on May 7 at Saratoga Town Hall.