A proposal for a 10-year, interest-free payment period for an Exshaw landowner facing a large one-time local improvement fee as part of funding of the hamlet’s water system garnered little sympathy from MD of Bighorn council.
Council was sympathetic to the family that owns the 4.6-hectare (11.29 acre) parcel located at the eastern edge of Exshaw, as family members are required to pay a local improvement fee of $203,272.
Councillors were, however, not interested in permitting interest-free payments of $30,000 per year for a decade, following an initial payment of nearly $51,000.
Interest payments, as proposed, would begin after the 10-year-period if the full amount has not been repaid.
Councillor Paul Ryan said he could not support the request, as it would not be fair to the rest of the Exshaw landowners.
“It is an unbelievable deal. As a taxpayer in the MD of Bighorn who is not getting his interest waived, I don’t know how I can accommodate this without waiving everybody’s interest,” Ryan said. “I can’t support it.”
According to a report prepared by Chief Administrative Officer Martin Buckley, having one family own a large parcel of land in Exshaw is a unique situation as Lafarge is the only other large landowner and as a multi-national corporation should have no problem paying the local improvement fees.
“If we waive the interest for these folks, aren’t we going to have a big lineup out the door?” Ryan asked.
Buckley said he did not think other residents would request similar arrangements as the majority of the water system bills range from $2,000 to $4,000.
Council voted unanimously to decline the offer.
MD Reeve Dene Cooper said even though council did not agree to the offer as presented, it does not keep administration from continuing discussions.
