Monday, JANUARY 5, 2026 |
Photo – Old Saratoga Water Treatment Plant – Bigfoot99 file photo
The Town of Saratoga is in talks to purchase land to relocate the public works department garage.
During the December 17th Saratoga Town Council meeting, Public Works Director Emery Penner outlined a proposal to move his department out of the former water treatment plant and adjacent garage on South River Street. Penner said the existing buildings are dangerous and outdated.
Penner explained that a suitable property has been difficult to locate, adding that the River Street site could be put to better use.
Built in 1935, Saratoga’s water treatment plant became obsolete in 2003. Since that time, the facility has been dormant, used mainly for storage. In 2023, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairwoman McCall Burau suggested having the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality conduct a brownfields assessment to determine if the site contains any harmful materials, such as asbestos or toxic chemicals. Burau said the defunct water treatment plant sits on valuable waterfront property that could be sold or turned into a shared community space.
After being assured that the town would not be required to clean the site if extensive contamination was found, the governing body agreed to contact Wyoming DEQ. No recent updates on the project have been announced.
At the December 17th meeting, Public Works Director Penner proposed buying a 12‑lot parcel of land on the corner of North State and East Rochester Streets, a property held by Dan’s Trucking owner Danny McGuire. The public works director said the site on the east side of town would meet his department’s current and future requirements.
Penner added that the McGuire property is out of the flood plain.
If the purchase is approved, the public works director said the Town Council could either buy the property outright with cash or secure funding through the United States Department of Agriculture. Penner recommended applying for a USDA loan.
To help fund the project, Penner suggested putting select town‑owned properties up for sale, specifically two parcels on Bridge Avenue. Penner said the Town Council should consider selling those parcels regardless of whether the purchase moves forward.
Penner said the two properties are set up for development, with utilities and infrastructure already in place. However, the two parcels are not properly zoned for the public works department’s needs.
Mayor Chuck Davis agreed that the town has no property suitable for relocating the public works department garage and voiced his support for the purchase. Councilman Bub Barkhurst also backed the plan but said the town must secure an appraisal and site study before moving forward with the contract.
Public Works Director Penner said he will ensure the agreement contains the required stipulations, adding that Wyoming DEQ has agreed to perform a site assessment at no cost to the town. If the state agency takes too long, Penner said he has contacted private firms to conduct the studies.
Penner said the site assessment is a non-negotiable part of the process.
The Town Council voted to allow Penner to continue investigating the land purchase. In the meantime, the Saratoga Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the matter at 6:00 p.m. on January 21st at the Saratoga Town Hall.
