The Community
Press Telling your story
Volume 112, Issue 45
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
$1 Including GST
FORESTBURG CLASS OF 2020 MARKS SPECIAL DAY WITH PARADE
LESLIE CHOLOWSKY PHOTOS
Forestburg School’s Class of 2020 were celebrated Friday, May 8, in the village with a special parade that included photos of the graduates and celebratory messages. The parade route passed by every Grade 12 student’s home in the village, and out-of-town students gathered on Main Street. The grads decided to get decked out in the outfits they would have worn to the traditional ceremony that would have been held that day prior to COVID-19 gathering restrictions cancelling the event. See more photos and story P9. Above: Jayden Blumhagen watched the parade in her lovely grad dress. Across the street, these four dapper classmates: Brayden Kuefler, Dante Hebert, Jeremy Walker, and Mitch Norman waved to the passing parade vehicles.
Flagstaff County holding the line on 2020 mill rates Leslie Cholowsky Editor
Flagstaff County Council passed the 2020 Tax Rate Bylaw during their regular meeting held Wednesday, May 8, holding the line on any mill rate increases for this year. One difference between last year’s tax bylaw and this year is that Recreation funding and Flagstaff Waste’s requisition will no longer appear separately on the tax bylaw, Council heard. Recreation funding has been included in the general mill rate, but Financial Officer Deb Brodie told Council, “There are no changes to the actual rates, just a difference in how these are collected on paper.” Council heard that Flagstaff Waste fees will now be collected from hamlet residents through
their utility bills. Another minor change in the mill rate bylaw shows sub classes for residential between rural and urban residents. Along with revenue collected for Flagstaff County operations, property taxes include requisitions from Flagstaff Regional Housing Group, Designated Industrial Property (DIP)(does not apply to all residents), and School taxes. These are set by the organizations or province, and are added to the municipal mill rates. The 2020 requisition for Seniors housing was reduced from last year, as was the DIP rate. The province also rolled back a planned increase on education, with a slight adjustment on how these are applied to residential/farm and non-residential. Taxes are calculated by
applying the mill rates set by Council to the assessment value of property. Total Assessments from 2019 to 2020 (always based on values from July 1 of the previous year) rose slightly from 2019’s figure of $1,477,482,040 to $1,477,820,340 with reduced assessments for farmland, residential, and non-residential offset by a slight increase in machinery and equipment. Council also made the final adjustments to the 2020 budget, with the major change being an anticipated increase of $1.7 million for bad debt in uncollected taxes, for a total line budget of $4.5 million. Council approved other minor changes, including a decrease in the fuel budget, decrease in wages and benefits, a de-
crease of $1 allocated for road construction reserve, an increase for Economic Development, partially due to the BREOC funding approved during Council’s last meeting and partly for the broadband project, an increase of $600,000 allocated for the Mill Rate Stabilization Reserve, and utilization of over $2 million in grant funding for all capital infrastructure projects instead of reserves. Council discussed their desire for budget comparisons to the previous year overall. Councillor Melvin Thompson asked, “Can we make the statements clearer to the public and ourselves, showing actual last year expenses, proposed this-year expenses, and variances?” Brodie advised that the 2020 budget expenses were down $1.65 million overall from last year.
Councillor Erik Skoberg said, “Even with today’s increase, it is important to note that we have still reduced the overall budget from the previous year.” Council also passed a new bylaw that would allow county taxpayers to pay taxes by installment. Bylaw 09/20, the Tax Penalty and Tax Installment Payment Plan bylaw replaces previous bylaws, and applies tax penalties the same as in prior years, with unpaid taxes earning a penalty of 12 percent if unpaid by Oct. 16, and a further
six per cent penalty if unpaid by May 1. The tax installment payment plan will allow taxpayers to spread payments out over a 12 month period from January to December. As installment payments must match year end, Council heard, ratepayers who want to start this program in 2020 must first pay a lump-sum for the portion of the year that has passed, then will pay equal installments for the remaining months in the year. Taxes must be current to be eligible for installment payments.
Deadline for the May 20 edition: Tuesday, May 19 at noon
Page 12 - The Community Press, Wednesday, May 13, 2020
May 2020 Meetings
C Council ouncil M Meetings eetings Cancelled/Rescheduled Meeting Meeting Cancelled/Rescheduled
FFlagstaff lagstaff C ounty C ouncil M eetings County Council Meetings aare re cconducted onducted the 2nd and 4th W ednesday of each month Wednesday ccommencing ommencing at 9 a.m a.m.. unless otherwise planned. C ouncil and Committee Committee meeting Council agendas are are aavailable vailable at the C ounty’s website website at: County’s flflagstaff.ab.ca/council/meetings-andagstafff.a . b.ca/council/meeetings-andminutes minu tes
780-384-4100 1-877-387-4100 Email: St ay C onnected with Us: Us: Stay Connected
Council Highlights Regular Council Meeting of May 6, 2020 Council Highlights briefly identify decisions made by Council. Council encourages its residents, businesses and stakeholders to keep in touch with Council news. Revised 2020 Budget The Revised 2020 Budget and 2020-2022 Business Plan was approved to include a net increase of $804,800. The most notable changes are as follows: • Increase of $1.7 million for bad debt – taxes for total budget of $4.5 million. • Overall decrease in fuel/lube of $275,000 based on estimated decrease in fuel prices in 2020 as well as the later start date for seasonal programs due to Covid-19. • Overall decrease in wages and benefits of $180,000 due to changes in seasonal staff as well as fulltime staff in Public Works and ASB. • Increase of $72,000 in Economic Development for the Broadband project ($42,000) and Battle River Innovation Centre funding ($30,000). • Revised capital budgets for bridges ($513,900) and hamlet infrastructure ($310,500) to include 2019 incomplete projects to be completed in 2020 utilizing grant funding. • Decrease of $1.0 million allocated for future Road Construction Reserve. • Increase of $600,000 allocated for Mill Rate Stabilization Reserve. • Utilization of $2,036,000 MSI and Federal Gas Tax grant funding for all capital infrastructure projects instead of reserves. This document will be available on the Flagstaff County Website. Bylaws Council approved the following bylaws: • Bylaw 03/20 to establish Intermunicipal Assessment Review Boards • Bylaw 07/20 for the establishment of Residential Assessment Sub-Classes • Bylaw 08/20 to authorize rates of taxation to be levied against assessable property within Flagstaff County for 2020. • Bylaw 09/20 for the establishment of Tax Penalty and Tax Installment Payment Plan
M onday to to Friday Friday Monday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p .m. p.m. ((Closed Closed Noon - 1 p .m.) p.m.)
A Address: ddress:
12435 TTownship ownship Road 442 P.O. P.O. BBox 358 ox 358 Sedgewick, Sedgewick, AB T0B 4C0
Flagstaff.ab.ca
Appointment of Agricultural Fieldman Council appointed Harry Brook as the Agricultural Fieldman for Flagstaff County. Northlands BMO Farm Family Award Nomination Request Council nominated the Chevraux Family for the Northlands BMO Farm Family Award for 2020. 2020 Weed and Pest Inspector Appointments Mikayla Kuilboer, Leah Armitage and Blaine Welsh were appointed as Flagstaff County’s weed and pest inspectors for 2020 under Section 9 (1) of the Agricultural Pests Act and Section 7 (1) of the Weed Control Act. Camrose Economic Recovery Task Force Councillor Herle was appointed as a representative to assist MLA Lovely in striking an Economic Recovery Task Force for the Camrose Constituency. Once approved, the full Council Meeting minutes can be found at www.flagstaff.ab.ca under the “Council” tab and in the “Meetings and Minutes” section.
The Community Press, Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - Page 13
Public Works Updates Please refer to www.flagstaff.ab.ca for up-to-date road work happening throughout the County.
Dust Suppressant Crews have been spraying strategic locations with MG 30 dust suppressant and will continue to do so throughout the upcoming week. All MG 30 dust suppressant application is dependent on weather conditions.
Road Construction Road Closures The following roads will be closed for approximately three weeks starting May 4th, 2020 for road construction: • Range Road 114, for 1.0 mile from Twp Rd 435 to Twp Rd 434 • Township Road 402, for approximately 1.5 miles from Hwy 872 to Twp Rd 402A
Gravel Gravel is available for sale to a maximum of 150 tonnes/year per residential/farm/acreage site. Gravel is not available for sale to commercial users. Anyone wishing to purchase gravel must contact the Public Works Department to obtain a “Permission for Purchase of Gravel” form. Gravel will not be loaded out of a pit without this form. Gravel sales will be limited to the following dates in 2020: •May 20th •June 3rd and 17th •July 8th and 22nd •August 5th and 19th •September 9th and 23rd •October 7th and 21st Gravel sales are limited to the following gravel pits: Mazure Pit (NE 16-43-09 W4); Skori Pit #2 (N 1/2 09-46-11 W4); Barber Stockpile (NE 17-44-09 W4); and Daysland Stockpile (SE 13-45-17 W4), providing a loader is available at that gravel pit on that particular day. Please call John Guhle, Field Coordinator - Gravel, at 780-390-0321 to make arrangements or to obtain information regarding a list of available aggregate products and pricing. Flagstaff County does not haul gravel for ratepayers. Hauling arrangements must be made by the ratepayer. Please keep in mind that our seasonal crews will be out working on our roadways and to use extreme caution while travelling on these roads while they are being maintained in any way. We thank you in advance for your cooperation during this season.
Notice of Development Notice is hereby given that the Development Officer has issued a development permit in accordance with the Land Use By-Law No. 09/18 for the following development: Kristen Ness of Sedgewick, AB to place a “Kennel” – Dog Boarding Facility on the NE quarter of Section 16 Township 45 Range 11 West of the 4th Meridian. NE-16-45-11-W4 Any person who deems to be affected by the Development may appeal the decision to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board no later than 4:30 p.m. on May 22, 2020. Appeals are to be filed, in writing, with Flagstaff County, Box 358, Sedgewick, Alberta T0B 4C0, Attn: Shelly Armstrong, CAO. The Notice of Appeal must include the legal description of the land proposed for development and the reasons for appeal. Appeals must include a non-refundable Subdivision and Development Appeal fee of $300. Should an appeal be received against this decision, the permit shall not come into effect until the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board has issued its decision. Date of Decision: May 1, 2020
Date of Issue of Development Permit: May 1, 2020
Rosemary Hoyland, Development Officer