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Woodlands County council disappointed over Whitecourt’s stance on assessment model

Barrhead, Mayerthorpe councils recently agreed to send letters of support over proposed changes to assessment model, which will heavily impact rural municipalities
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Woodlands County has been requesting nearby municipalities to provide letters of support regarding the proposed changes to the oil and gas assessment model, which the municipality strenuously opposes. While some municipalities have been willing to provide letters, the Town of Whitecourt has chosen to stay neutral.

Editor's Note: This article, which appeared in the Sept. 22 edition of the Town & Country Today, mistakenly attributed a comment by Town of Whitecourt Coun. Ray Hilts to Coun. Tom Pickard. The text of the article has been updated to correct this error.

Woodlands County councillors expressed a mix of appreciation and disappointment at their Sept. 15 meeting regarding the positions taken by neighbouring municipalities on the provincial government’s proposed changes to the assessment model for oil and gas.

Many rural municipalities across Alberta are expecting a significant hit to their revenues if the province implements the proposed changes to the assessment model, which are aimed at increasing the competitiveness of oil and gas companies.

Woodlands County is no exception: the municipality could lose $3.1 million in tax revenue just in 2021, and the impacts are expected to worsen after the first year.

Coun. Ron Govenlock was pleased to see Town of Barrhead councillors had directed administration during their Aug. 11 meeting to write letters urging the provincial government to re-consider its position on the assessment model.

These letters would be addressed to Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock MLA Glenn van Dijken, Premier Jason Kenney and former Municipal Affairs Minister Kaycee Madu, who had recently been replaced by Tracy Allard.

Likewise, Govenlock pointed out the Town of Mayerthorpe council approved sending a letter to the Alberta government over the assessment model review at its Aug. 10 town council meeting.

However, Govenlock stated he was “very disappointed” over the Town of Whitecourt council’s decision not to send a letter despite receiving a request along those lines from Woodlands.

As reported in the Sept. 9 edition of the Whitecourt Star, Town of Whitecourt councillor Ray Hilts commented that they shouldn’t get involved in this issue on the county’s behalf.

“I don’t like the politics I’ve seen from Woodlands County on this … They are looking for blood in the streets from what I have seen and I don’t want to be part of that as a community,” Hilts was quoted as saying.

Govenlock said he didn’t like how the Town of Whitecourt council seemed to belittle the importance of this issue.

“I’m rather curious as to how our neighbours in the town of Whitecourt, in their elected capacity, feel it’s appropriate to ignore the concerns that their neighbours have, and the impact this potentially has on the entire region,” he added.

Having read the same article, Woodlands County mayor John Burrows said he agreed with Govenlock, adding that this issue goes beyond Woodlands County and the Town of Whitecourt.

“This proposed change by the provincial government is affecting all of rural Alberta. And if it affects rural Alberta, it affects urban Alberta,” he said.

“It would be nice to get support for not just Woodlands County, but for rural Alberta.”

Upcoming meetings

On a related note, Govenlock asked administration if any progress had been made in setting up meetings between local MLAs and Woodlands County council to discuss the assessment model.

A motion had been passed at the Aug. 4 meeting to arrange a closed-door meeting discussion between councillors, van Dijken and Yellowhead West MLA Martin Long. Over a month later, however, those meetings had not taken place.

CAO Gordon Frank said administration had been working to set up that meeting for Tuesday, Oct. 6.

He said they were trying to confirm that date with each MLA’s executive assistant but had yet to hear back.

Govenlock said he thought Woodlands County residents should understand where they sit as a priority for locally elected officials.

“Obviously, (the assessment model’s) not a concern for them and that’s very disappointing,” he said.

Burrows then interjected, pointing out that Long had set up a meeting with Minister Allard on Monday, Sept. 28 that he will be attending along with Frank.

He indicated that claiming local MLAs were ignoring the concerns of local municipalities was an unfair characterization.
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