Clive council backs normal tax penalties, with a catch

Written by Stu Salkeld

The Village of Clive is returning to its pre-pandemic property tax penalties, but with a catch: the village wants to help local businesses. 

The decisions were made at the June 28 regular meeting of council.

Village Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Carla Kenney provided councillors with Bylaw #550-21 to repeal Bylaw #540-20, and explained the bylaw to be repealed was approved in 2020 and pushed back property tax penalties to help local residents affected by COVID-19. 

She stated the older property tax bylaw remained on the books and would return to effect once the 2020 bylaw was repealed.

Kenney noted pre-pandemic penalties were eight per cent and 10 per cent applied to unpaid accounts on Sept. 1 and Dec. 1 respectively. The property tax deadline in Clive is Aug. 31.

The CAO also noted that annually Clive usually sees about $10,000 in late penalties collected.

During discussion councillors voiced concern that the Clive business community was still feeling the effects of the pandemic, and asked Kenney to look into a way for the village to help business owners this year.

Councillors passed first reading of Bylaw 550-21. Then administration was directed to bring forward the necessary motion for council’s consideration to waive the Sept. 1, 2021 late payment penalty for Clive’s non-residential assessment classes.

Water consumption

During her regular report to council the CAO reported Clive is noticing the heat wave as the total village water use over the past 24 hours was 286 square meters, compared to the 350 village maximum. She said daily average consumption is usually 150.

Kenney stated the village could probably go over 350, but when approaching the limit the village could also consider a water restriction. 

Interestingly, Kenney noted that municipal water restrictions usually result in the public using more water.

During a recent conference the CAO heard Premier Jason Kenney discussing immigrant business investment and the premier suggested Albertans look closely at the issue as immigrant business owners can help address rural Alberta’s business succession problem.

More information

Kenney reported the village continues to work on a draft policy for commemorating buildings in Clive that are over 100 years old.

She reported that the village received a complaint of an aerial drone being operated in an unsafe manner; the issue was forwarded to the community peace officers (CPO). 

The CPOs stated the operator was directed to fill out a Transport Canada incident report. 

Kenney stated it seemed to be a recreational drone and may have involved someone feeling their privacy was affected by the vehicle.

The village forwarded a request for a “Child at play” road sign to Lacombe County. The request was for the Westling Road.

She also noted the village received a request to rectify a damaged headstone in the cemetery. 

Apparently the name plate was removed and the headstone scratched. It’s under investigation.

FunFest update

Kenney reported on the recent Clive FunFest and noted the parade had 27 entrants, the bike safety course had 45 participants and 250 candy bags were given out. 

She said feedback from the community was that people enjoyed the longer parade route.

The CAO noted a recent video conference with Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw reinforced the fact some Albertans refuse to get the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Hinshaw noted that between 17 and 19 per cent of Albertans have indicated they’re unwilling to get the vaccine.

 

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.