SUNDRE – The plug has officially been pulled on the first tax recovery process the Town of Sundre had dealt with in decades.
Chris Albert, director of corporate services who was also acting chief administrative officer during the regular March 10 meeting, provided council with a final update on the file.
“That account has been settled, the arrears have been paid,” said Albert.
“So, we are no longer proceeding with tax recovery,” he said during a brief verbal report.
“That’s good news,” said Coun. Chris Vardas.
“That is good news,” agreed Albert.
Council carried a motion accepting the report for information.
Municipalities are mandated by provincial legislation to initiate a highly-regulated tax recovery process on properties that have fallen behind several years in arrears.
Multiple properties come up every year, but it is exceedingly rare for the process to reach the point of a tax recovery sale as the amounts owed are generally settled before it goes that far.
Responding to follow-up questions sent by email, Albert told the Albertan he for privacy’s sake could only disclose that payment was made following the last update to council on Jan. 20 and before the municipality had to take any further steps.
“All I can provide in terms of the amount outstanding is what is publicly available, which is from the June 10/24 report to council, which had an outstanding balance at that time of $15,747.70.”
However, he previously told the Albertan that while the owners still had the option throughout the whole process to pay the tax arrears and stop the process, the amount owed by that point would also factor in expenses accrued.
“Legal costs and anything associated with the tax recovery process does get added as an outstanding debt and can be recovered from the property owner . . . when we get to that point,” he said at the time.
