Saratoga, Texas
Unincorporated community in Hardin County · Not an incorporated municipality
About Saratoga
Saratoga is an unincorporated community in Hardin County, Texas, United States. It is located about 26 miles (42 km) northwest of Beaumont and adjacent to the Big Thicket National Preserve. The ZIP code is 77585. Saratoga is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan statistical area.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How Saratoga is governed
Saratoga appears to be an unincorporated community or a census-designated place, so it may have no city government of its own — services usually come from Hardin County and its elected officials. The chart below is a generic template; readers can correct it if Saratoga does have local officials.
Form of government not yet listed.
0 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Saratoga
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
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The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
Administration & departments
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
Administration & departments
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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History
The original name for this community was New Sour Lake. The first significant landmark discovery of this area was the sulfur-smelling spring by J. F. Cotton in the 1850s. As late as 1865, he tried to establish an oil well on the site, but failed due to inadequate machinery.
In the 1880s, P. S. Watts wanted to profit from the spring using the unique "medicinal" properties of the water (a popular trend at the time). To draw would-be visitors to the site, Watts changed the name of the site to "Saratoga" to replicate the famous resort at Saratoga Springs, New York. He built a hotel and rental cottages for potential customers, but only a few came.
Years later, with the success of the Lucas Gusher within Spindletop at Beaumont, the first profitable wells were drilled at Saratoga. In 1904, an extension of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway was built from Saratoga to Bragg Station.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.