JANUARY 23, 2025|
Photo – Saratoga Town Council – Courtesy Town of Saratoga
Saratoga Mayor Chuck Davis highlighted the town council’s 2024 accomplishments.
This month marks the second year that Chuck Davis has served as the mayor of Saratoga. During Tuesday’s town council meeting, Mayor Davis updated residents on some of the improvement projects that have been completed over the past year. The mayor began by listing a few road repair projects undertaken by the town’s streets department.
Additionally, Mayor Davis explained that the town worked with the Environmental Protection Agency on the Lead and Copper Rule, which required the public works department to inspect water hookups for every resident.
The mayor continued, saying that $1.3 million in state and federal grants was used to replace the outdated water lines running beneath South River Street.
Mayor Davis reported that in 2024, the town hauled several thousand yards of material into Never Forget Park to prepare the site for concrete work. Although changes to the scope of the project caused years of delays, significant progress has been made over the past year. Never Forget Park now features curbs, water control measures, and hookups for restrooms. Mayor Davis also mentioned that the Never Forget Park Committee has secured a grant to continue development on the project.
Phase two of Never Forget Park will include the installation of restrooms, sod, sprinklers, and additional landscaping features.
In 2024, the council adopted the Saratoga Transportation Alternatives Master Plan, which identifies areas of town in need of improved pedestrian access. Mayor Davis said armed with the plan, the town can apply for future grants through the Wyoming Department of Transportation to fund walking paths between the schools and library on Elm Avenue, and the Saratoga Hot Springs Resort and the center of town.
Mayor Davis said the Planning Commission developed an ordinance allowing residents to keep chickens, which was passed by the town council last year.
The mayor said his proudest accomplishment of 2024 was ensuring that the town was up to date on all state required financial reports. A recent audit showed that Saratoga’s bookkeeping meets or exceeds the state’s generally accepted accounting principles.
Mayor Davis said none of the projects could have been completed without the hard work and dedication of town staff. The mayor said he is confident that Saratoga will continue to improve under his, and future, administrations.
Under Mayor Davis, the governing body will continue to focus on road improvements and water and sewer replacement projects. Sewer lines on the west side of town are scheduled to be replaced this spring, with those crossing under the North Platte River to follow in 2026.
