Sundre residents will not see any significant adjustments in the municipality's user fees next year.
"There are no changes being proposed by administration to the fees from 2017," said Vic Pirie, director of finance and administration, during council's Nov. 27 meeting.
"So there will be a zero increase in all of the fees that we levy, so for example our dog licences, our businesses licences, the utility rates that we charge our residents ó the flat fee for each utility ó there would be no increase in any of those rates to our residents for next year."
The only change to the municipality's fees bylaw schedule that administration proposed was an adjustment for the Greenwood Campground's rates, he said.
"The reason we're changing them is simply to round the figure to an even number. It makes it easier for when campers come in and they want to pay, that they don't have to have the exact change."
The campground's rates were adjusted so that when GST is accounted for, the total amounts to a round number, he said, adding each of the fees are up or down a few cents.
"For example, for a non-serviced site, we're reducing the rate by seven cents, and that will allow, once you add the GST, that the rate will be $22.50 versus what it currently is, which is $22.58."
Additionally, the change also reflects the fact pennies have been discontinued, he said.
"In all other areas of the schedules, it's zero increased cost to our residents."
Administration was requesting council to approve all three readings of the fee bylaw so the schedule could be advertised in December to inform residents there are no increases, he said.
The first two readings carried, followed by a brief discussion about dumping fees at the Greenwood Campground.
Coun. Richard Warnock asked administration whether Sundre residents who pay water and wastewater utility fees in town could use the dumping facility at the campground free of charge, as previously discussed and approved by the past council.
"That is correct," said Pirie, adding that fee is for non-residents only.
"We charge $10 for out-of-town individuals using our dumping grounds. For residents, they are not charged ó and were not charged this year, and would not be charged next year."
Council proceeded to carry third and final reading of the 2018 fee rate bylaw.
