1. 2026 Provincial Education Requisition Credit (PERC) and Designated Industrial Requisition Credit(DIRC) Application
Just an FYI that when oil and gas companies do not pay their property taxes (for whatever reason)the province has a program in place for the municipality to apply for a credit of the Education portion of the taxes. 2025 amounts are $26,133 and $862. See below for more detail:
“Due to the economic downturn in the oil and gas industry the Government of Alberta established a Provincial Education Requisition Credit (PERC) and Designated Industrial Requisition Credit (DIRC) for Uncollectable Education Property Taxes on Oil and Gas Properties program. This program provides affected municipalities with a credit equal to the provincial education and designated industrial requisitions associated with taxable properties that are delinquent in payment of property taxes. PERC applications do not require Council to write off the accounts; however, the program does require a resolution of Council confirming the submission of the PERC application. For 2025 property taxes and the 2026 PERC application, there are 7 uncollectible oil and gas companies representing 77 tax roll accounts for a total of $327,770 in outstanding taxes (prior year: 69 tax rolls totaling $90,296). Of that total, PERC is $26,133 and DIRC is $862 (prior year PERC $3,350, DIRC $168).”
2. Draft Bylaw 02-2026 Operating Borrowing Bylaw
“A borrowing bylaw is routinely passed at this time every year so that the County can access a $1M line of credit during those times when operating expenditures exceed cash inflow. The borrowing amount in the bylaw has not changed since 2009, which at the time changed from $500,000 to $1,000,000. The line of credit has also not been accessed since 2009.”
***Council gives all three readings to draft Bylaw 02-2026 the Operating Borrowing Bylaw***
3. Policy 203 – Councillor Remuneration
“A 2% cost of living (COLA) is included in the 2026 budget for Council, consistent with the union agreement. However, per Policy 203 Councillor Remuneration provides the following under Base Remuneration:
Base remuneration shall be paid to members of Council for the performance of their duties as elected officials and is provided for in Schedule “A” of this policy.
- Effective January 1st of each year, the base salary shall be adjusted by the same percentage cost of living negotiated for unionized employees.
- When approving the annual budget, Council reserves the right through resolution to disallow the annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Council each year pending the state of the annual budget.
Given the above, and as the 2026 budget has not yet been approved, Administration has not applied the 2% COLA to Council’s salaries for 2026 at this time.
Should Council wish to proceed, approval of the amended Policy 203 would authorize a 2% adjustment to Council’s salaries, as reflected in Schedule “A”, to be applied by Administration in the next pay period and retroactive to January 1, 2026. “
Lots of discussion:
➢Councillor Paly asked if the increase could be 1% instead of 2%.
➢Councillor Halun wants the 2% just like unions get, but doesn’t want more than 2%
➢Councillor Dafoe talked about not accepting the Reeve Allowance of $9,600/year and wouldinstead accept per diem amounts, Councillor Paly said they come out to roughly the sameamount ($9,400/yr)
➢Councillor Dafoe asked that they forgo the COLA this year to show leadership in exercisingrestraint in spending
➢“If the raises are not taken annually, then when an assessment is done, there ends up being a10% increase instead of only 2%, so better to take smaller increases every year”(paraphrasing)
➢Councillors talked about comparing remuneration in other municipalities (just a thought – asone municipality increases, then the others follow suit, which then creates a cycle ofcontinuous increases and no benefits or increases in the services to taxpayers)
➢Councillor Dafoe also talked about justifying the work that is done for the salary that is being paid, making a comment about tracking the time required to do the job. (just a thought – maybe set a precedent of paying by the hour, requiring a time sheet…)
➢Councillors have reduced spending:
- by not charging for mileage (most people do not get to charge mileage to/ from their workplace)
- By charging only a portion of their internet as they use it personally
- By bringing bag lunches instead of ordering in (makes it sound like WE were buying them lunch in the past)
After all that,
***Council approves amended Policy 203 – Councillor Remuneration, specifically Schedule “A”, (Item 1: Salary) to reflect the approved cost-of-living increase. Base salary of $57,970 to $59,129 effective January 1, 2026***
Dafoe opposed, all others were in favour.
4. Letter to Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister Devin Dreeshen
Council has directed administration to write a letter regarding the state of our highways within Thorhild County after the most recent storms.
***This might be an opportunity to contact the Minister to voice our concerns as well.***
5. 2026 Rural Municipalities of Alberta spring convention: Potential meeting with Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams
IF our council is fortunate enough to score a meeting with the Minister, they would like to discuss these items:
- Data Centres / Bitcoin Mining
- Code of Conduct
- Library funding
***This might be an opportunity to encourage the Minister to hear from our municipality.***
6. Closed Session Items
- Strategic Plan
- Fire Services Review