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Anglin offers background on council decision

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Dear Editor:

The Rimbey Review recently published a front page story declaring that council by a 3-2 vote, agreed to take $10,000 off of the $24,456.69 municipal tax bill owed by Carey Anderson, owner of Evergreen Estates Ltd. This story is only partially accurate however; the story unfairly omits facts pertaining to this request justifying why this was a good decision by council. To be fair, reporter Treena Mielke was not privy to all the facts pertaining to this issue.

When this new council assumed office last year, Evergreen Estates was in possession of a signed agreement with the Town of Rimbey. In effect, the agreement could have potentially forced the taxpayers of Rimbey to pay $1.2 million to pave the streets in the Evergreen Estates in 2011. This paving clause in the Evergreen Estates’ agreement potentially could have cost the taxpayers of Rimbey $1.2 million at a time when the town’s budget was already overburdened by debt.

Through complicated negotiations spanning several months, Evergreen Estates agreed, in addition to other stipulations, to moderate its agreement and thereby release the taxpayers of Rimbey from a potential 2011 $1.2-million paving obligation.

This savings is only one aspect in a series complicated negotiations with Evergreen Estates. There are many more. In my view the recent request by Carey Anderson is an extension of these negotiations. As a result, the concession made by Anderson establishes Evergreen Estates as a major asset to Rimbey’s present and future tax base.

In summary, Carey Anderson made his request to council in July, two full months before council finalized its new policies designed to support developers. Presumptions that Anderson’s request and subsequent approval is somehow related to, or in conflict with these policies is not supported by the facts. There are others too who describe council’s decision, as giving away $10,000. This assertion is false. My decision to vote to approve Anderson’s request was based on the premise that council presumably saved the taxpayers of Rimbey $1.2 million in 2011, (among other criteria), and in addition we collected $14,456.69 in taxes.

The last time I checked, Carey Anderson was satisfied with the final outcome.

I want to thank Carey Anderson for giving me permission to release some of his confidential financial information regarding this matter.

Coun. Joe Anglin