Bow Island’s mill rates to remain the same

By Justin Seward

Commentator/Courier

Town of Bow Island council passed the last two readings of the Tax Rate Bylaw at their April 26 meeting.

The approval highlights that the mill rate will remain the same for this year.

The mill rates will remain as follows: Residential (10.1797), farmland (10.88), non-residential (13.3833) and machinery and equipment (12.33680).

Numbers are calculated based on per 1000.

The Alberta School Foundation Fund portion will see residential at a rate of 2.7604 and non-residential 3.4616.

“Part of that is because we’ve had some growth this year and we found some efficiency in the operation and reduced some expenses,” said Bow Island Mayor Gordon Reynolds.

“So, yeah we felt it was appropriate to hold the mill rate.”

The budget, the cost of operations and capital project costs are taken into consideration on an annual basis to make the mill rate.

The Water Maintenance Tax will also remain at $1.25 per front foot and will be assessed, levied and collected with the municipal taxes.

Council briefs:

Canadian Badlands Tourism

Council decided to discontinue the town’s membership with Canadians Badlands tourism due to the fact that the organization has been losing members and becoming less active.

“We’ve tried to communicate with Badlands for several months now and they haven’t been responding,” said Reynolds.

“We’re not aware of what is going on there or to be honest whether they’re still in operation and so we chose to end that relationship and we’re directing the money into another economic group.

The town will allocate the $1,144.08 that was put into Canadian Badlands tourism annually into the Southgrow Regional Economic Development, which was another motion council approved later in the meeting.

Southgrow Regional Economic Development

Council approved to become a member of the SouthGrow Regional Economic Development.

The membership funds of $1,144.08 will come from the discontinued membership with Badlands Tourism.

“We see that being more valuable to our town than this other membership,” said Reynolds.

“I think it’s a natural thing for us. We’re sort of on the west edge of PEP (Palliser Economic Partnership) and now we’re on the east side of SouthGrow. I know Southgrow has some other municipalities that belong to the two REDAs (Regional Economic Development Associations) as well. Definitely a similar focus to PEP and we see it valuable to be a part of both groups.”

Reynolds sees the similarities with PEP because they don’t see “ the boots on the ground” working with businesses and rather looking at the bigger picture initiatives.

“Some of the things in the SouthGrow portfolio are rural broadband, they’re involved in Canada’s premier food corridor, they’re big supporters of the Highway 3 Twinning Association,” he said.

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