Sundre town councillors have passed first reading on two bylaws related to the ongoing East Side Servicing Local Improvement Project.
During last week's council meeting, councillors passed first reading of the Local Improvement Tax Bylaw 03.11, which when passed will impose an improvement tax in respect to all lands that directly benefit from the project.
The bylaw reads, in part, the ìcouncil had decided to set a uniform tax rate based on a flat rate for residential lots and based on the number of units of frontage assessed against the benefiting owners of commercial and industrial lots.î
The total residential levy will be $1,632,000, and the total levy flat rate per residence will be $24,000 plus interest or $1,200 per year plus interest over 20 years. A total of 68 residential parcels are involved.
For commercial/industrial properties, the total levy per front foot will be $1,329 plus interest, or $66.49 plus interest per year for 20 years. A total of 55 parcels are involved.
Sundre town councillors have already approved the local improvement plan for eastside services, as well as a 20-year timeline for resident and commercial owner repayment of the levy.
The plan calls for the provision of water, wastewater, storm water, fire hydrants, paving, curb, and gutter to the properties on the east side of the Red Deer River.
The plan covers all parcels of land on 7 Street NE, 1 Avenue NE, Main Avenue East (of Red Deer River), 5 Street SE, 6 Street SE, 1 Avenue SE, and 11 Street NE.
Owners of property on the east side of the Red Deer River, prior to the 2010 annexation, are liable to pay the local improvement.
Residents and commercial owners will have 10 years to connect to the system from the time of availability of services at their respective property.
During last week's council meeting, councillors also passed first reading to the local improvement borrowing bylaw 04.11.
If passed third reading, the bylaw would allow the town to incur indebtedness by the issuance of debenture in the amount of $4.5 million for the purpose of providing water, wastewater and roadwork to the project.
Also during last week's council meeting, following an in camera session, councillors passed the following motion:
ìCouncillor Paul Isaac moved that Council authorize the Town of Sundre representatives of the Greenwood Area Planning Partnership to meet with the Mountain View County representatives of the Greenwood Area Planning Partnership to discuss East Side Servicing. The Town of Sundre recommends this meeting take place with a mutually-agreed upon facilitator.î
In other council news, councillors voted to authorize each councillor to claim $175 per diem for two meetings held in January.
The Jan. 15 capital budget meeting and the Jan. 21 CAO interview meeting both fell outside the town's regular remuneration policy 301.
The policy indicates that ìcouncil members are eligible for a per diem allowance of $175 per day as long as the meeting or commitment is not an all-council commitment.î
The total cost of the two additional per diem payments is $2,450.
