The Village of Forestburg renewed a special tax that by law must be re-examined every year. The bylaw was passed at the Mar. 19 regular meeting of council. Rural Alberta Report/File

The Village of Forestburg renewed a special tax that by law must be re-examined every year. The bylaw was passed at the Mar. 19 regular meeting of council.

Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Dwight Dibben presented councillors with Bylaw 3:2026 Special Recreation Tax.

The CAO provided councillors with a memo regarding the “special recreation tax,” which he pointed out must be renewed every year according to the Municipal Government Act (MGA). “The Village of Forestburg utilizes a special recreation tax to assist with funding recreation within our community,” stated Dibben’s report.

“A special tax requires a bylaw to be passed each year that is levied. As such, Bylaw 3:2026 Special Recreation Tax has been prepared for council’s consideration.

To generate the funds required to meet the budgeted amount of $105,110 to be collected by way of the special recreation tax, no change in the amount of the special recreation tax of $230 per improved property is required.”

Coun. Blaise Young asked if that was enough to fund recreation responsibilities, to which Dibben responded it’s enough to help; he also reminded councillors Forestburg has some significant swimming pool improvements to complete in 2026.

The CAO also pointed out a fact about large, taxpayer-owned recreational facilities. “None of our recreational facilities make money,” said Dibben, noting Forestburg’s, like virtually all municipalities, are subsidized by taxpayers.

It was also noted this special tax has been increased in the past, to which Mayor Dwayne Giroux responded he hesitated to approve any increases because it’s looking possible that property taxes in Forestburg will go up in 2026, and he didn’t want to lay too much on taxpayers at one time.

Councillors approved all readings of the special recreation tax bylaw needed to bring it into effect.

Master rates

Councillors approved a few increases to fees the Village of Forestburg charges, following a memo from the CAO.

“Following a comparative review with other select municipalities, administration is proposing some additional items for cost recovery of related services,” stated Dibben’s report, which included some of the bylaws passed by other communities. “Proposed changes to the bylaw are discharge of tax notification $10 (new), reprint tax notice $5 (new), reprint utility billing $5 (new), Municipal Development Plan $30 (new), returned bank items $75 (up from $50), and accounts receivable (term over 30 days) 1.5 per cent fee on overdue accounts (new). The CAO noted the fee proposed on overdue accounts is so taxpayers don’t have to pay that interest.

Councillors briefly discussed other parts of the master rates bylaw such as a development bond and repeat fines levied against the same person. Councillors approved all readings of the master rates bylaw needed to bring it into effect.