Skip to content

County of Stettler council hears multiple water connection requests during latest meeting

Stettler County council received four applications to connect to the municipally owned waterline during its March 8 meeting.
32084539_web1_StettlerCounty
Stettler County (File photo)

Stettler County council received four applications to connect to the municipally owned waterline during its March 8 meeting.

The first application received by council was for a property in the northern section of the county around 1.4 kilometres north of Highway 601.

Administration noted that if approved, there were two options to connect the resident to water; first, a route from the North Phase waterline which would be a 1.7-kilometre run with the possibility of connecting to fiver other properties. Second, a connection off of the Highway 601 waterline with a run of 1.4-kilometres and three other possible connections.

Estimated costs for running the waterline from the north, for a 3-inch pipe, are just over $160,000 while costs running from the south are around $133,000; both well above the $15,000 flat water connection fee the county has in place.

The second application was for a residence east of Big Valley.

According to the application, 1.2-kilometres of pipe would have to be run, including crossing a large body of water for the shortest route.

The approximate cost to run the line the line would be $114,000 for 3-inch pipe, again well above the $15,000 county flat connection fee, with no known other possible connections along the way.

“That’s a long way to go for one hook up,” said Coun. James Nibourg.

The first two applications were deferred to later planning to see if more people could be connected and make the connections more cost effective.

A third and fourth connection were approved.

The third connection requested was by a resident southeast of Stettler who is adjacent to the Central Phase waterline. The request for council decision (RCD) notes that the estimated cost for the connection to the property would be around $11,000, well within the $15,000 connection fee.

The connection was approved in a motion by Coun. Les Stulberg.

A final connection request reviewed was for another property adjacent to the Central Phase waterline near near Gadsby. No estimate was given for the cost of the connection, but the RCD states that the connection costs would be covered by the connection fee and the work could be added to the Phase 1 Gadsby waterline.

The connection was approved in a motion by Coun. Paul McKay.

Tax cancellations

After “exhausting all options,” County of Stettler administration has approached council to cancel some tax rolls.

The first tax roll stems from an unpaid utilities invoice in the amount of $68.49.

According to Sharon Larsen, who presented the RCD, while the invoice has transferred to the tax-roll, the property has subsequently sold and new owner is “not responsible for the amount.”

Stulberg motioned to cancel the first amount.

A pair of other tax rolls were presented to council for cancellation.

Two properties were purchased by the Crown in 2019, and they each had outstanding taxes of 297.35 on them. The properties were believed to be leased to a ratepayer, therefore taxable.

However, after subsequent investigation by administration, the lands have not been leased out with no plans to do so, therefore making them non-taxable.

The total revenue loss to the county with the cancellation is $594.70.

Coun. James Nibourg motioned to cancel the taxes on the Crown land.

Both motions were carried.



Kevin Sabo

About the Author: Kevin Sabo

I’m Kevin Sabo. I’ve been a resident of the Castor area for the last 12 years and counting, first coming out here in my previous career as an EMT.
Read more