Town council raises Fortis Franchise Fee

Posted on October 17, 2019 by Vauxhall Advance

By Cole Parkinson
Vauxhall Advance
cparkinson@tabertimes.com

Vauxhall town council has raised the Fortis Franchise Fee by another two per cent for the upcoming year.

While the fee was set at two per cent in 2017, it was raised to four per cent last year and now council has decided to bring the fee up to six per cent for the coming year.

“I know a lot of organizations are upping their rates but I am comfortable at four per cent,” said Mayor Margaret Plumtree at town council’s regular meeting on Oct. 15.

Keeping it at four per cent would lead to an estimate for 2020 of $28,759 in revenue for the town while raising it to six per cent would bring in $33,740.

Nearby municipalities currently have Fortis Franchise Fees of 20 per cent (Taber), 11 per cent (Coaldale), five per cent (Barnwell), 8.5 per cent (Bow Island) and 15 per cent (Fort McLeod).

Coun. Ray Coad made a motion to raise the Fortis Franchise Fee in Vauxhall to six per cent from the previous four per cent.

Plumtree asked whether Coun. Coad wanted to include where the franchise fee money would go in his motion.

“I would like to see the provincial budget and our budget, and then decide where it (the money) would go after that. So just leave it open for the time being,” replied Coad.

The motion was carried by a vote of 4-3 with Plumtree and Councillors Kim Cawley and Linda English opposing the motion.