OLDS – It will cost more to flush a toilet, turn on a tap and develop land in Olds next year, but disposing of more garbage than what one bin can hold will cost less.
The rates bylaw — which sets fees for municipal services for everything from utilities and sport facility rentals to animal and business licensing — was given second and final reading by council on Dec. 14.
New rates will come into effect on Jan. 1.
The charge for a second black garbage bin is the only fee in the bylaw that is being reduced. The rate will go down to $10 per month from the current monthly charge of $19.30 per month, which has been the same amount charged for years.
“I think at the time, council made a good decision to have a higher rate to encourage people to recycle and to compost, but I think people are doing that now…this is almost penalizing them for needing an additional black bin and I think it’s time we make the change and I think the $10 is fair,” said Coun. Heather Ryan.
She, along with four other council members were successful in passing the bylaw, which was amended since first reading with the reduced black bin fee.
Coun. Mary Jane Harper and Coun. Debbie Bennett voted against both second and final reading of the bylaw.
“I know that some of the councillors are very pleased that it's very reasonable but unfortunately, I would suggest that it's too reasonable and doesn't encourage people to do their recycling. And that the $10 a month is far too cheap and I think you're going to see a tremendous amount of our citizens ordering black bins just because they don't want to recycle,” Harper said.
Council has debated lowering the fee several times since Coun. Wanda Blatz raised the matter last month, saying the current fee of $19.30 was too high.
Finance director Sheena Linderman updated council during the Dec. 7 policies and priorities meeting on the costs to the town for a second black bin. She said it costs $6 per bin just for the collection without adding in administrative or maintenance costs. Those costs were estimated to be an additional dollar or two per bin.
Harper was the lone dissent vote during the Dec. 7 meeting on a motion recommending council drop the charge to $10 for a second black bin.
She said she thought $19.30 was reasonable and explained it was originally set as a way to reduce the amount of garbage residents were throwing out.
“We have to set a fee that’s also a deterrent and encourages people to use the blue bins (recycling) as well as the green bins (compost). There are a number of families out there that are fairly large families that seem to be able to handle using only one black bin. And that’s their choice. And it’s other people's choice as well, not to reduce the amount of garbage that they have," Harper said.
At $19.30, Coun. Ryan said “we've obviously been seriously making money on that charging compared to the cost.”
She made the motion during the Dec. 7 meeting to recommend council drop the rate to $10, which passed.
Based on the approximately 100 second black bins currently in town, mayor Mike Muzychka noted the reduced rate would cost the town about $11,000 in lost revenue.
“So it won't be a huge effect on the budget. A little aid for the citizens that require it.”
Most other rates set out in the bylaw stayed the same as current pricing, including business licence fees, aquatic centre, sports facilities and field fees, as well as cemetery and animal control rates.
Water, wastewater
Residential and non-residential water consumption rates will rise to $2.89 per cubic metre, reflecting a $0.05 increase to to the rate charged to the town by the Mountain View Regional Water Commission.
Residential wastewater consumption rates will rise to $4.53, reflecting a $0.05 increase in rates charged by the South Red Deer Regional Wastewater Commission. The non-residential rate will also rise by $0.05 to $4.99 per cubic metre.
The cost to develop or subdivide land in Olds will also go up by 1.8 per cent for all offsite levy fees charged. This will increase payment at the time of signing a development agreement to $12,816 for land that is less than 4.05 hectares (10 acres), up from $12,588.
For land greater than 4.05 hectares, charges will total $9,468 in the new year, up from $9,299.
Offsite levies charged by the town help pay for expanding municipal services, such as water, sewer and roads, into new developments.
There are also increases to fire response fees due to increases from Alberta Transportation approved billing.
