CARSTAIRS -- Council approved a motion to pass the 2019 budget and set the mill rate for the town. The general municipal mill rate will be 6.500, which is down from last year's 6.900.
"We were able to pass the mill rate bylaw and set the tax rate," said CAO Carl McDonnell. "The mill rate is down for the municipal portion but it is increased for the Mountain View seniors' authority and the Mountain View regional waste commission. On average, the mill rate overall has dropped."
The requisition rate for Mountain View Seniors' Housing authority, Alberta School Foundation Fund (ASFF) and Mountain View Regional Waste Management Commission combined has been increased from 2.71 to 3.02.
"Last year our combined mill rate (general municipal plus seniors, schools and waste) was 9.61, this year it's 9.52," he said. "People should still see, depending on their individual assessment, a decrease in taxes with the decrease in the mill rate, mainly with the municipal one dropping."
Residential owners will pay a combined mill rate of 9.52, which consists of general municipal at 6.500, ASFF at 2.5371, Mountain View Seniors' Housing 0.2529 and Mountain View regional waste at 0.2284.
McDonnell said that with the recent election, the town will have to estimate the school portion of the mill rate.
"With the change in (provincial) government, they're not doing their budget until the fall," he said. "So that affects the school requisition. We have to pass our budget, so what we did was take the 2019 equalized assessment and then the mill rate we had last year for education, we put those two together and created the school requisition."
McDonnell said that if they're off they would make an adjustment in the 2020 budget.
The information provided to council by staff stated that: estimated municipal expenditures and transfers set out in the budget for Carstairs for 2019 is $15,323,328.73.
The estimated municipal revenues and transfers from all sources other than taxation is estimated at $9,253,330.82 and the balance of $6,069,997.91 is to be raised from general municipal taxation.
The requisitions are: Alberta School Foundation Fund (ASFF) - residential $1,406,900.98, non-residential $242,077.39; Mountain View Seniors' Housing authority - $156,499; Mountain View Regional Waste Management Commission - $141,337; and designated industrial properties - $845.08.
The total assessment roll for the Town of Carstairs is $661,741,890 with $548,392,170 coming from residential.
The mill rate for non-residential will be set at 8.3133.
In other council news, council approved a request for a special event licence for the rodeo, curling club family supper, and baseball tournaments for Beef and Barley Days, which will be held July 19-21 this year.
Council approved a request for a road closure permit for the Carstairs Heritage Festival and Parade of Kilts at Memorial Park and the Carstairs Curling Club for June 8 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Council also approved a parade and procession permit for the heritage festival for June 8 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Council approved the use of the ball diamonds and concession at no charge for Carstairs Minor Baseball for a tournament coming up at the end of the month.
