Redcliff council presented with off-site levy recalculations

By Justin Seward
Redcliff Town Council discussed off-site levies, the Rec-Tangle Arena upgrade grant, received an RCMP quarterly report and finalized their participation in PITCH In Week at the April 10 meeting.

Off-site levies
The town’s director of planning and engineering James Johansen discussed with council of where administration stands on  off-site levies. “The town has put forward  a tremendous effort to be transparent, fair and equitable in the calculation of off-site levies,” said Johansen. “This effort has resulted in very detailed reports and calculations.” The off-site levy provides funding to pay for all or a part of the capital costs of infrastructure required for growth by assessing fees on new developments based on area. “It’s quite a complex system we have for off-site levies,” said Redcliff Mayor Ernie Reimer. “I’m getting most of that when people develop their properties, there is a cost of an off-site levy because they’re going to be using infrastructure that exists in the town or anywhere that has to be installed to support their development.” He mentioned the town is mandated by the Municipal Government Act (MGA) to collect these off-site levies. Off-site levies can be collected off of sewers, storm sewers, sewer lines, sanitary sewers, road upgrades and water. He added the money will be set aside for further enhancement through the collection of off-site levies.

Rec-Tangle Arena
The  Town of Redcliff’s Community and Protective Services Department did an assessment on  the Rec-Tangle  Arena and determined the building structure and the concession needed an overhaul. An application was sent in using the town’s Canada 150  Rec-Tangle grant. Town council was notified at the meeting through a letter send back to Redcliff Minor Hockey Association from Alberta Culture and Tourism that the grant was approved for an amount of $108, 500 from the Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) for the upgrades.  “That’s huge for us that we get these opportunities to apply for these things in the first place,” said Reimer.
“It’s important to have the arena because it’s a community centre during the winter season and we need to keep the facility upgraded.” CFEP will contribute the 108,500, the Canada 150 grant will provide the 84,000 and the town will  make up the difference of $24,500.

RCMP
Redcliff RCMP Staff Sgt. Sean Maxwell noted there were 173 calls for service in the Town of Redcliff in the last three months compared to the 253 in the previous period which brought the total to 783 in 2016-2017. “Looking at things in town for patterns, we’re pretty regularly on a weekly basis getting one or two domestic situations,” said Maxwell. “It’s definitely more there than it has been.” He added the RCMP is trying  an Outreach program for those couples that need long term assistance for their family violence issues. The program includes social workers, hospital members and mental health workers.

PITCH IN Week
Mayor Reimer and council will be joining the community cleanup as a part of the 50th annual PITCH In Week at Rolling Mill Park from 10 a.m. to noon on April 23.