The District of Houston council has now officially adopted the bylaw allowing property taxes to be paid later than normal without the addition of a penalty.
Council had decided last year to end its practice of delaying penalties on unpaid property taxes until July 31 each year and, as of this year, to revert back to July 2 as set out in the Community Charter which governs how local governments should operate.
But due to the closure of the Canfor sawmill and resulting uncertainty as to whether a new one will be built, council decided to set the penalty due date as of Oct. 31 to provide local property taxpayers some flexibility.
But there will be no change to the amount of the penalty to be charged on unpaid property taxes.
That amount is 10 per cent and will now be applied to property taxes which go unpaid after Oct. 31.
Newest grant deposited
The District of Houston’s portion of $1 billion sent out by the provincial government in March to local governments is now in an account at the Bulkley Valley Credit Union collecting 4.7 per cent interest.
Having a separate account for the $1.759 million was a condition of it being provided, District finance director Jennifer Larson told council in a memo.
It will also allow members of the public an easier way of tracking how it is being spent.
As it is, council has already earmarked $1 million of the $1.759 million to cover a gap between the assigned budget and the bids that came in for the below-ground and above-ground reconstruction of 10th Street in the downtown core, the construction of the Copeland Ave. turning lane onto Hwy16 and the construction of sidewalks on Hwy16 adjacent to the downtown core.
The budget for that work was $3.030 million but bids and costs have come in at $4.118 million.
Larson said council will soon be provided with options as to long-term investment of money now in savings accounts and term deposits.
Business liaison bid backed
The District is backing an application by Community Futures Nadina to hire a person as a regional business liaison.
The position would aid “economic re-development for rural businesses and communities impacted by forest policy changes and other impacts to the forest sector by providing direct one-on-one advisory services,” indicates a memo to council from District chief administrative officer Michael Dewar.
Up to 15 of these positions will be created throughout the north for one year and be financed by a $1.5 million grant from the province and funnelled through the Northern Development Initiative Trust.
“Community Futures Nadina has stated this position would be based out of Houston and ideally be filled with a local Houston resident. Other communities agree with this approach,” said Dewar.