ATHABASCA — As December gets underway, so do the end of calendar year duties on the plate of municipal councillors, as well as business as usual.
For Town of Athabasca councillors, the first December meeting will be started by an annual update and news of an upcoming event for next year from Athabasca and District Ag Society Chair and county councillor Camille Wallach, joined by Leah Olson.
Three bylaw items are set to be reviewed by councillors, the first being the utility rate bylaw. After a five per cent increase in water rates last year, councillors will decide whether or not to pass second reading of an amendment to the bylaw that would see minimum usage water charges increase by $1.34 per billing cycle and see sewer rates jump from 36 per cent to 40 per cent.
The municipal increase is proposed as a way to cover an anticipated $150,000 extra in water costs under the Aspen Regional Water Services Commission new 2025 rate, set at 4.13 metres cubed.
Last of the bylaw items is first reading of a bylaw to tax the municipal portions of the Aspen Heights affordable housing building. The bylaw comes after Lora and Danny Major’s Oct. 15 request for a tax break that would equal approximately $16,000 per year in savings for the landlord couple.
Related: Athabasca affordable housing project loses plea to revoke clean-up order
Also on the agenda is setting a date and time for the next budget meeting, updates from the utilities, public works, and parks departments, and approval of the town office’s holiday schedule.
The Dec. 3 Town of Athabasca council meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the town office, and is open to the public. A digital copy of the agenda can be found here.
