“Based on our 65 per cent of what goes into the transfer station, that means that if they go for the entire increase, we’ll probably have to increase our solid waste about 25 per cent.
“Right now we don’t know what Parks Canada is doing, but if they do a full increase of the $323,000, ours is about $210,000.”
A decision isn’t final yet, but once it is, Rodwell said that he’ll sit down and number crunch with Director of Finance Alice Lettner, then return to council with the information.
“We have to clarify with Parks what they’re phasing in, how they’re phasing it in, and how they’re going to determine what’s a commercial load and what’s a non-commercial load,” said Lettner.
Although this new information was brought to the table, council unanimously voted (Mayor Richard Ireland, Dwain Wacko and Brian Skehill were absent) to pass the second reading of bylaw 163 for utility rates, so that the current rates can start. If solid waste fees need to increase, then utility rates will be revisited.
Dog park receives conditional development
Parks Canada has issued a conditional development permit for the dog park on Sleepy Hollow, announced Rodwell.
“We have come up with an innovative fence design that should save us some money.” It’s an A-frame style, ground mounted fence with progressive fencing, which makes the utility companies happy because there’s no digging required. To save costs, community labour will be used to install the fence.
“If everything goes as planned, we really can’t start anything until May or June, when the ground is ready,” said Rodwell.
Bylaws
Bylaw 164 (“authorizing supplementary assessments to be prepared for the purpose of imposing a tax in the same year”), bylaw 165 (supplementary tax) and bylaw 167 (authority, responsibility and duties of the CAO) unanimously passed their second readings and will be sent to Parks for certification before receiving a third and final reading from council.
