Cypress County council meeting briefs from April 3

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Ryan Dahlman

By Heather Cameron
Commentator/Courier

The following are selected briefs from the Cypress County Council meeting that took place on April 3.

Bylaw 2024/07 – Tax Rate – First Reading

Cypress County Administration requested that Council give first reading to Tax Rate Bylaw 2024/07, which is a bylaw to authorize the rates of taxation to be levied against assessable property within Cypress County for the 2024 taxation year. Corporate Services explained to Council that it is the fourth year of a five-year plan and the information presented in that RFD will conclude the desired outcomes of the 20th percentile methodology as directed by Council. In their request, Corporate Services also explained that Section 353 of the Municipal Government Act requires Council to pass a Property Tax Bylaw annually, which allows the municipality to raise revenues in order to cover expenses, transfers, and requests as set forth in the budget and the bylaw must identify all Assessment Classes, tax rates, and requests. Proposed rates and changes for 2024, according to Corporate Services’ Report, have the Farmland property class facing a decrease of -0.29 per cent from 7.6389 to 7.6164; Residential property class facing a decrease of -0.42 per cent from 5.4059 to 5.3834; the Non-Residential Property Class facing an increase of 5.43 per cent from 11.8393 to 12.4826; and the Small Business Property Class facing an increase of 4.89 per cent from 9.8301 to 10.3106. 

Councillor Michelle McKenzie ultimately made a motion for first reading of Bylaw 2024/07 – Tax Rate and the motion was carried. 

Bylaw 2024/09- Master Rates Amendment – All Readings

In terms of Bylaw 2024/09- Master Rates Amendment, Cypress County Administration explained to Council that they received a request from the ratepayer group at Cavan Lake to shift the starting date from May 15 to May 1 and also shift the closing date to October 1 from October 15, In other words, Administration said, Bylaw 2024/09-Master Rates Amendment is a request to shift the operational dates of the seasonal campsites to shift the starting date from May 15 to May 1 and also shift the closing date to October 1 from October 15. Administration told Council they thought this to be a very reasonable request which was supported by a nice letter that contained signatures from the user groups. Administration stated that their recommendation is to move first, second, and third reading of Bylaw 2024/09- Master Rates Amendment. Councillor Michelle McKenzie made a motion for first reading of Bylaw 2024/09- Master Rates Amendment and it was carried. Councillor Shane Hok made a motion for second reading of Bylaw 2024/09- Master Rates Amendment, but then there was concern amongst Councillors about the water staying on until October 15, as they said that the area in general must be careful, as cold weather has sent in before October 15th and they don’t want things to freeze up. Administration explained that the dates were shifting to May 1st to October 1st from May 15th to October 15th and there is no water at Cavan Lake, there is a truck fill that is filled up and people can get what they need from that, but there are just irrigation lands out in that area, there is no water to each site. Councillor McKenzie commented that the date shift is a great idea because there are people wanting to get out there and usually by the long weekend, there is snow, but the first couple of weeks in May are pretty good. The motion for second reading of Bylaw 2024/09- Master Rates Amendment was then carried. Councillor Dustin Vossler made a motion to have third reading and the motion was carried and Councillor Keith Ritz then made a motion for third reading of Bylaw 2024/09- Master Rates Amendment and the motion was carried.

Councillor Richard Oster Highlights

During his report to Council, Councillor Richard Oster mentioned that on March 21, 2024, he participated in an online meeting of the Milk River Watershed Council Canada and he reported that they had approximately eight inches of snow that day, so they cancelled in-person attendance. Oster stated that the Milk River Watershed Council Canada is thinking pretty positively about the snow in the mountains, but they want more.

On March 22, 2024, Councillor Oster reported, he joined Councillor Brost and several others that are library users in meeting with three staffers from CBC Radio out of Calgary at the library, including a journalist, who wanted to talk about small towns and rural life, and it was a good two hours of conversation. 

On March 23, 2024, Councillor Oster reported that he and his wife attended an open house that was hosted by CBC Radio.

On March 26, 2024, Councillor Oster reported that he attended the Community Hall in Seven Persons for their Annual General Meeting and said that a ball diamond forum is currently being worked on that will be on school board land, but they are hoping to be able to provide funding that will go towards a second ball diamond because there is a demand for it. Councillor Oster also reported that there was a bit of a challenge when he presented the cost of upgrading the Community Hall, namely the electrical and new furnaces, as there are five on site, but it is a slow-moving project that will cost approximately $300,000. 

Councillor Oster also reported about a Community Futures meeting in Bow Island that took place at the County Office and involved a discussion of grant funding and where it will go.