No rate increases as Coaldale approves 2020 utility bylaw

By Nikki Jamieson
Sunny South News

Coaldale town council has approved a new utility rate bylaw for 2020.

During their regular Jan 13 meeting, Coaldale town council had performed third reading of Bylaw 772-R-12-19 — or the 2020 Utility Rates bylaw, which sets the utility rates in Coaldale for 2020.

According to administration, the utility rates in the bylaw are maintained at 2019 levels, meaning there is a zero per cent increase in rates.

The bylaw had been given first and second reading at a Dec. 19, 2019, council meeting. However, the readings weren’t unanimous as coun. Roger Hohm had voted against them, as he wanted some wording changes before he voted for it, and council did not have the necessary votes to proceed to third reading.

The wording in sections 5.1 and 5.2 that reference solid waste pickup is bi-weekly have since been updated.

Hohm, refering to section 5.1, asked if there was a reason why the bylaw didn’t read “December to February that it would be bi-weekly compost, bi-weekly solid waste  and weekly recycling”. That section reads that starting Jan. 1, 2020, from January to February there is bi-weekly compost, bi-weekly solid waste, weekly recycle pick-up; from March to November there is weekly compost, bi-weekly solid waste and weekly recycle. ; and in December there is bi-weekly compost, bi-weekly solid waste and weekly recycle.

Kyle Beauchamp, director of corporate services for the town, said they just went in order in months as the bylaw started in January.

Coun. Doreen Lloyd asked if the town had stats as to how much recoiling, compost and garbage is collected every week, questioning whether the town needed recycling collected every week.

Beauchamp said the town’s contractors are required to keep stats on that, and administration can present them to council if they are interested.

Council unanimously passed third reading of Bylaw 772-R-12-19.

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