Elk Point provides COVID-19 relief

Elk Point Town Council has passed resolutions that will help ease financial concerns for residents in the face of COVID 19 restrictions.

At their e-meeting held on April 14, council decided that:

• the last day for paying residential and non-residential property taxes without penalty will be delayed one month to September 30 (from August 31).
• no late payment penalties will be charged on town utilities for up to 90 days from April 1.
• the Town will not pass along to taxpayers the increase in education tax that was set by the provincial government in February’s budget.

According to CAO Ken Gwozdz, deferring penalties will not affect the budget.

“Thank you, council, for doing your bit to help people through this period,” said Mayor Lorne Young.

However, deferring taxes will cost the town $10,281.

Council is considering ways that the shortfall could be addressed.

Councillor Deb McQuinn suggested that reserves could be freed up from areas such as the recreation or public works budgets.

Council discussed increasing the basic home water consumption amount from 14 cubic metres to 20 cubic metres per month.

The discussion was in response to a letter from a resident whose family water usage increased noticeably in March.

Jean Ockerman wrote that “we are all home and practicing safe hygiene standards.”

With her job in a medical laboratory, two children home from university, and younger children not attending school, there is more laundry, more dishwashing, and more toilet flushing.

Council noted that water usage by businesses has been reduced and the water spray park will be closed during the pandemic, but deferred a decision to the April 27 meeting pending specific data on water usage in the town.