November 16, 2023 |
Photo – Clean, clear well water – Courtesy Watson Well Service
The Saratoga town council held a special meeting Wednesday to discuss the approval of two items before winter weather sets in.
Members of the Saratoga town council met to discuss the approval of a contract to have the town’s drinking water wells cleaned and serviced. During the meeting, a resident’s variance request was also approved. The variance application is for Damian and Megan Werth.
Mayor Chuck Davis and Councilmen Mike Cooley and Jacob Fluty were enough to constitute a quorum during yesterday’s meeting.
The council heard Variance Application VA-23-1 first. Public Works Director Emery Penner said the town’s Planning Commission recommended that the council approve the variance for the property at 1702 Veterans.
Neither the name of the property owner nor the location was mentioned during the council meeting. Speaking to Bigfoot99 Tuesday morning prior to the meeting, Penner said the variance was needed to allow a resident to bypass the required minimum distance between a structure and the edge of the resident’s property.
Penner said the council wanted to decide on the variance application as quickly as possible so the resident could begin construction before snow shuts down the building season.
The council voted to approve Variance Application VA-23-1.
Next, Penner presented a contract between the town and Watson Well Service, out of Laramie. The public works director said he spent nearly three months searching for a company to service the wells that provide the town with drinking water. Penner said Watson Well Service has agreed to do the job, but they want to begin soon.
Penner said he needed the council to approve the contract now to prevent Watson Well Service from taking another job. The public works director said Town Attorney Kylie Waldrip and Watson Well Service owner Jason Watson agreed to a $75,000 contract to clean and maintain the town’s five freshwater wells.
Mayor Davis said Saratoga ordinances say the council is not required to solicit bids for projects under $75,000. The mayor said the contract amount is an estimate and likely to be less when the project is completed.
The council voted to approve the contract with Watson Well Service.
With both items addressed, the council adjourned the meeting. The next regular Saratoga town council meeting will be Tuesday, November 21st at 6:00 pm.
