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Your Independent Local Newspaper Established in 1918 VOLUME 103: ISSUE 26
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021
FOR CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN ITS BUSINESS AS USUAL.
tofieldmerc.com
TOFIELD’S KYLIE KUFLAY WINS ETHEL BROWN AWARD.
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Ryley councillor disqualified as Village of Ryley ponders by-election MOUSH JOHN Editor This past Friday, Feb. 19 the Village of Ryley received an affirmative response to their application for an order declaring that councillor Nik Lee has been disqualified from serving as a councillor and that his position is therefore vacant. “We might have to hold a by-election because there’s still eight months to the elections this year, but we will seek the advice of Ric McIver, Alberta’s Municipal Affairs Minister and go from there,” said CAO Glen Hamilton-Brown. According to the Court Order, the Village’s position was that following his election, Lee became disqualified from remaining on the council due to his failure to pay Village taxes and utilities. This is in adherence to Section 22 of the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA). The hearing was scheduled on Friday, Nov. 20, 2020 by Webex with the
Village being represented by Edmund Picard, Alberta Counsel, and Lee representing himself. When Lee was nominated in the fall of 2017 and subsequently elected, he did not have any taxes owing on the two properties in town that are subject to taxation and Village utility bills. However, on Jan. 4, 2018, Lee owed the Village taxes in the amount of $300.18, and continued to accrue utility and tax obligations, and on Sept. 1, 2018 his debts to the Village exceeded $500. The Village became aware of the issue on Oct. 9, 2019 and the matter was brought forward at a meeting of the Village Council Committee of the Whole on Nov. 5, 2019 when Lee was advised of the outstanding accounts and informed that this could disqualify him from continuing to serve as a councillor. He requested more information as to the nature of his indebtedness, which was promptly responded to
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Seen off Hwy. 14, this sign welcomes visitors to the quaint town of Ryley, located just east of Tofield, and west of Holden. FILE PHOTO on Nov. 8 through Tax Roll Transactions for his properties outlining his debt. On Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019 Lee paid the Village the total outstanding of $3,059.32. Later that day at the regular council meeting when Lee informed the Village council that he was up-to-date with his outstanding debts, he was asked to address the reasons for his disqualification. Lee denied that he was disqualified and when he was asked to resign, he refused to do so. According to the
LAEA, Section 22 (1), ‘A person is not eligible to be nominated as a candidate in any election under the Act if on nomination day;’ (c) ‘the person is indebted to the municipality of which the person is an elector for taxes in default exceeding $50, excluding from that amount;’ and (d) ‘the person is indebted to the local jurisdiction for which the election is to be held for any debt exceeding $500 and in default of more than 90 days.’ “Ryley gives all residents opportunities to settle, and all ratepayers
have the option of a payment plan,” HamiltonBrown explained. “The council felt that they couldn’t overlook their responsibility to upholding the Municipal Government Act (MGA), and feels very strongly that paying taxes is crucial as a councillor, besides how this entire debacle also placed the Village administration in a precarious position.” One of the premises that Lee contested was that the Village’s application was premature. Continued on Page 7
What’s Inside
Lindbrook shop owner charged, to appear in court in April PAGE 4
Loose Ends: Pancakes for Breakfast PAGE 5
Editorial: Confusion in Canada’s Pandemic Response by Kurek PAGE 6
CW Sears Breakfast Program PAGE 15
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