Tough economic times and a recession has led Town of Stettler council to decide to maintain current fees for business licences.
At its regular meeting Jan. 19, council voted to keep the current annual rates of $125 for resident businesses and $325 for non-residents after the issue was initially presented to the council meeting Jan. 5.
“This is the wrong economic environment to increase fees for business licences,” said Mayor Dick Richards.
Business licence fees haven’t changed in nine years and part of the fee supports Stettler Regional Board of Trade and Community Development.
“If you support the board of trade with the business licence fees, it give businesses good value for their dollar,” board of trade executive director Keith Ryder said when offered to comment by Mayor Richards at the previous meeting.
With 369 resident commercial businesses and 89 home occupations and 45 non-resident business for a total of 503 licences as of Dec. 4, the town projects revenue of $71,875 for 2010.
Business tax millrate
Council adopted a bylaw to set the business tax millrate to 12.5 millrates on the business assessment for the taxation year 2010.
Fire hall expansion goes to tender
Expansion of Stettler Fire Hall is scheduled to start this spring and be complete by fall to provide more space for training and equipment.
Council authorized Fire Chief Mark Dennis to draft final documents to go to tenders of the project that includes a 119-square-meter addition for training and storage.
Town council will award the tender at a meeting in the next few months
Originally built in 1981, the fire station continues to expand to meet the growing needs of the region.
The station houses one county fire engine, one tanker, one raped attack, one joint-rescue unit, two town fire engines and one aerial truck.
Tax rebates raise bucks
Council renewed the town’s annual membership for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for $977.25 which reaps great financial benefits.
With this, the town will receive an extra revenue of $483,719.04 over the next two years from rebates from the goods and services tax and the federal gas tax, according to the town’s population figures.