Bashaw Council approves $84k reserve bid

Bashaw town council approved a reserve bid over $80,000 for a property scheduled for tax recovery auction. The decision was made at the July 10 regular meeting of council.

Town Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Theresa Fuller reported to councillors on the municipality’s upcoming tax recovery auction; while she noted some discussion has been held on next year auctions, the 2024 auction only has one property involved.

The report stated tax roll #001419 located at 5027 50 Ave. in Bashaw has an unpaid property tax bill and is scheduled to go to auction as a result. The residential parcel is also described as Lot 19 to 21, Block 14, Plan 2627 AC.

Staff recommended a reserve bid of $84,610; readers should note in these situations the reserve bid is generally set at assessed market value.

The CAO noted the owner has right up until the minute the auction starts to pay their outstanding taxes and this is usually what happens in these situations. Fuller stated few properties actually go to auction.

Councillors unanimously approved the reserve bid on the property in question.

Athletic event

Councillors approved several requests from organizers of the S/Sgt. Bruce Holliday Memorial Cross Country Run.

Al Middleton and Scott Kohlman informed councillors the running event in honour of the late RCMP officer would be held in Bashaw Sept. 19.

Organizers noted the event is part of the Battle River race series; the organizers added many supporters in and around Bashaw make the event a reality.

They requested town council approve the following accommodations for the 2024 event: road closure at 54 Ave below the water tower during the event, road closure at 52 Ave from the library to the fitness park, alleyway use behind Sproule and Robinson Places, external space at Bashaw Arena and tourism booth, use of town traffic barricades, integration into Town of Bashaw’s existing emergency response plan and help communicating with the public about the above closures.

Organizers stated the event route is similar to 2023, with the addition of a bit of the nature trail. It was noted organizers would appreciate the use of some public washroom facilities but noted they are also using some portable facilities of their own.

Councillors unanimously approved the requests.

Traffic patrols

Councillors read a regular committee report submitted from the Bashaw Community Consultative Group.

In the report it was noted crime reduction efforts involve flex shifts, hot spot patrols and suppression shifts with the use of internal and external resources.

The report also noted traffic and road safety efforts include an expectation to have RCMP members on the road interacting with at least 10 drivers a month.

“This could be for violation tickets, warnings or positive driving,” stated the report.

The Bashaw RCMP detachment also noted it was planning four major public engagement events soon.

Councillors unanimously approved a family’s request to place a memorial bench in the Bashaw Cemetery. Pictured is the bench in question. ECA Review/Submitted

In memory

Councillors unanimously approved a family’s request to place a memorial bench in the Bashaw Cemetery.

“We are asking if it would be possible to put the bench made of wood to the north of the trout plots near the fence in the corner,” stated a letter from Bob and Star Kerik, who noted the bench would honour the memory of their three aunts.

The Keriks noted the bench would have a rubber pad to discourage weeds and the family would handle regular maintenance.

Coun. Bryan Gust stated it looked like the bench would be off in a corner by itself and so cause no obstruction. He said the family offered to do maintenance so he had no objection to this request. It was also noted the bench would have no effect on other plots.

Councillors unanimously approved the request.

Stu Salkeld
Local Journalism Initiative reporter
ECA Review

About the author

Stu Salkeld

Stu Salkeld, who has upwards of 28 years of experience in the Alberta community newspaper industry, is now covering councils and other news in the Stettler region and has experience working in the area as well.

He has joined the ECA Review as a Local Journalism Initiative Journalist.

Stu earned his two-year diploma in print journalism from SAIT in Calgary from 1993 to ’95 and was raised in Oyen, Alta., one of the communities within the ECA Review’s coverage area.