The owners of eight residential properties in Martensville that collectively owe nearly $100,000 in municipal property taxes have not made any payments in the last two years.
The City of Martensville is now moving to the final phase in the lengthy process of acquiring titles to the delinquent properties. A resolution to that effect was passed at the Martensville City Council meeting on Tuesday, September 22.
In a report to the September 22 council meeting, Martensville Corporate Services Director Leah Bloomquist said the city administration has made numerous attempts over the years to work out payment schedules with the owners of the properties to reduce the amount in arrears; but those efforts have not been successful.
“This step we’re introducing now is one that is not brought forward often,” said Bloomquist in her presentation to council. “But it is one the city has to proceed with, because there is no payment plan for any of these properties and none of them have had any payments made on unpaid balances.”
Bloomquist noted that all the properties have a lien already registered on them. The amount owed on the eight properties collectively totals $95,133.88.
There is a two-phase tax enforcement process that all municipalities in the province must follow when it comes to properties in arrears.
Phase One includes listing and publicly advertising the properties in arrears for the current year on or before November 15. Sixty days after publication of the advertisement of the list of properties in arrears, a tax lien is registered on those properties. This lien must be registered no later than January 31. The final step in Phase One is a six-month waiting period.
If no payment plan solution is reached between the municipality and the property owner during Phase One, the municipality can then proceed to Phase Two of the process.
A motion by the municipal council is needed before Phase Two can be implemented.
The next steps in the process include the city issuing a six-month notice to the owners of the properties in arrears, followed by a resolution by council to take title if no payment schedule to clear up the arrears is forthcoming.
CHILDCARE LEASE BREAK EXTENDED
Martensville City Council voted at its September 22 meeting to approve an extension of a 25 per cent lease rate reduction for two childcare groups utilizing civic facilities.
The groups include the Busy Fingers Pre-School, which uses the MacCormack Ranch House, and the Puddle Jumpers Pre-School, which rents space in the Civic Centre.
The rent relief package for both groups was originally put in place to cover the period January 1 to August 31, 2021. However, the financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing.
City council agreed both groups provide a valuable service to city residents, and voted to extend the lower rent rates to cover the period September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022.
HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The City of Martensville is implementing a new Health and Safety Management System (HSMS) for all civic employees.
The city began putting the new system in place in June, with help from a HSMS contractor, Harness Safety. City councillors agreed at the September 22 meeting to continue the contract with the HSMS contractor until the end of the calendar year, after which the duties for continuing the program will be taken over by a city employee.