SUNDRE - Council set minimum reserve bids and scheduled an auction date in October for two properties that over the years have fallen into tax arrears.
Chris Albert, director of corporate services, told council the tax sale process is an annually recurring matter.
“It’s different properties every year, of course,” said Albert.
In this instance, he said the two properties’ owners owe taxes dating back to 2017.
“I want to highlight that this does not relate specifically to 2020 or to COVID or any of those circumstances. These are prior — they do incorporate 2020, but it’s a result of prior actions,” he said.
In order to stop this process, he elaborated, owners must pay the arrears in full, including any outstanding amount due in 2020.
“This is a multi-year process. So, there are a number of years that go by, a number of notifications (sent), before we get to the actual tax sale. This is the final step,” he said, adding every effort is made to work with the owners to exhaust every possible opportunity to settle outstanding amounts.
Administration sought two separate motions from council — one for each property — to outline sale conditions as well as set the auction date on Oct. 26 along with minimum reserve bids determined by market value and established by the municipality’s assessors.
Council proceeded as recommended, unanimously carrying a motion to set a reserve bid of $193,000 for the one property, located on Lot 10, Block 1, Plan 0312972, and another for $237,000, located on Lot 6, Block 10, Plan 7611274.
