The owners of a mobile home park in Rimbey will not be able to recoup penalties owing to the town for unpaid bills.
John Le Vann and Diane Jones attended the June 11 council meeting to request forgiveness for $566.58 for penalties owing on a mobile home that had been abandoned in the park.
In a letter to council, the couple explained that the owners of the mobile home had separated and moved away and the home was torn apart in an attempt to renovate it.
The mobile home was sold for $1,000 to cover back rent. However back taxes and utilities of $1,337.24 are still owing, as well as $566.58 for penalties.
Le Vann said a cheque will be issued for the back taxes and utilities, but he was hoping to be forgiven for the $566.58 in penalties.
However, council, after a brief discussion, decided against tabling the request as suggested by Mayor Sheldon Ibbotson and voted unanimously instead, in favor of a motion by Coun. Gayle Rondeel to deny the request.
Assistant CAO Ryan Maier said unpaid taxes are more common in Rimbey among mobile home homeowners than other homeowners.
“Prior to taxes going out this year, 26 per cent of the units in mobile owned parks had outstanding taxes owing while 2.75 per cent of other properties had outstanding taxes.”
A Town of Rimbey bylaw states penalties for unpaid taxes are to be applied consistently to all ratepayers with outstanding balances as of the penalty dates. The only exception to this is a ratepayer who is on the installment payment program or in a situation where a ratepayer with arrears that has signed a tax agreement for repayment of arrears. In that case, no new penalties are to be applied.