BARRHEAD - Woodlands County councillors said they need more information and additional discussion before they make a final decision on whether to change the fee structure for water and sewer utilities and garbage and recycling.
Specifically, councillors want to know how a proposed new fee schedule would impact real-world users of the service before deciding that a change is necessary. They also would like to know how much it costs to provide those services and how close the proposed fee schedule would bring them to cost recovery.
At their Dec. 21 meeting, councillors instructed administration to provide them with that information and have it ready to present the answers for potential discussion during Jan. 11's governance and priorities (GNP) meeting.
Infrastructure director Andre Bachand noted that the last time council reviewed the rates was in 2019.
Woodlands County residents on municipal water and sewer systems pay a flat rate of $20 each with an additional $1.50/m3. Based on 15m3, the residents' monthly invoice would be $85 per month.
The current garbage collection fee is $10 per month and has not been reviewed in eight years.
Bachand noted that Woodlands County water and sewer as well as garbage collection fees are below what the majority of their neighbouring communities charge and do not cover the cost of the service.
Of the five municipalities (Lac Ste. Anne County, the County of Barrhead, Yellowhead County, the municipal districts of Greenview and Big Lakes and the Town of Whitecourt) that administration staff polled, Woodlands County charged the lowest fees for both water and sewer and garbage collection.
He suggested increasing the water per m3 rate for the next three years, going from $1.80 in 2023 to $2.20 and $2.35 in 2024 and 2025 for both water and sewer usage. The flat rate would remain the same.
In addition, the administration is recommending that the price of bulk water at the county's truck fill stations increase from the current $7/m3 starting March 1, to $7.25 and $7.50 in 2024 and 2025, respectively. They also recommended that the Ag fill rates increase from the current $2.50/m3 to $2.75, $3 and $3.25 in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Bachand also recommended increasing the hamlet garbage collection fee from $10 to $15, starting March 1.
Administration also recommended that starting in January 2024, the fee be increased to $20 a month.
"We are also proposing that in 2025, an additional $5 per month levy for garbage collection be instituted that would go into a reserve to fund landfill improvements," Bachand said. "Which is something the Town of Whitecourt is already doing as some big ticket items are coming up."
The final change to the fee schedule he recommended is that starting in January 2024, a $7.50 monthly transfer station levy would be applied to all rural residences. In 2025, the levy would expand to include all properties.
Bachand noted the levies would be included on a property's tax roll, while the increases to the water and garbage rates would be included in a resident's utility bill.
Coun. Allan Deane said when a ratepayer sees the levies on their tax bill, they will see it as a tax grab.
"Their tax bill just went up $7.50 times 12," he said.
Coun. Jeremy Wilhelm wanted to know what the increases in water and sewer rates and garbage collection/transfer site levies would add to their utility and tax bills.
"If we could see it on properties of differing sizes, then we could get a better picture of how this impacts ratepayers," he said. "For some residents, it could mean only a small increase in their property taxes, but for others, it might mean a 10 to 15 per cent increase. I would like to see how it impacts a variety of properties."
Bachand noted the proposed levies are flat rates, and the size or value of the property would not impact their tax bill.
"The transfer site levy would add $90. When the $5 landfill reserve levy is added, then it would be $150," he said.
Reeve John Burrows said while comparisons to other communities are "nice", it is more important to know how much it costs to provide the service.
"And I don't see that here, and GNP is a good place to present that and have those discussions," he said.
Wilhelm agreed that more information and discussions are needed, but on the face of it, he said the fee structure seems "quite steep".
"Especially for residents who may only use two of the four services," he said.
Wilhelm also asked what the average county household water usage is and if commercial users paid a different rate.
Bachand replied the average water usage varied from 10m3 to 25m3, but 15m3 was a good gauge, adding all water/sewer users are charged at the same rate.
Blue Ridge Coun. Bruce Prestige said residents in his hamlet should not have to pay for the transfer site as they don't have one.
"We have to go the (Whitecourt Regional Landfill)," he said.
Bachand responded by saying a transfer station and the landfill equate to the same service as all the materials end up in the same place.
"Then we should call it something else," Prestidge said.
