Members of Emo council expressed concern of decreasing property assessments to Darlene Morgan, with the Municipal Property Assessment Corp., at their regular council meeting Monday night.
Emo Reeve Ed Carlson said one of their biggest concerns is that the assessments are being lowered with no reason provided.
“I was shocked there were no comments on why they were making the reductions,” Morgan responded. “They’re supposed to give reasons.”
Reeve Carlson said without the reasons provided, there’s no way for council to assess if the change is legitimate.
“If we know the reason, then we have an idea if we should dispute it,” Coun. Gerd O’Sullivan said.
“But then if we say it shouldn’t be lowered, then we’re the bad guys,” Coun. Gary Judson noted.
Morgan explained properties generally won’t sell for what they are worth and residents don’t want to pay taxes on what it’s worth.
Council also inquired as to why it seems the reconsiderations are happening so frequently.
“Rarely does a meeting pass by that we don’t have one or two to look at,” said Reeve Carlson. “We’re concerned about MPAC continually nailing us on our tax base.
“It’s difficult for us to figure out how they come up with the figures,” he added.
Despite the frequent reconsiderations, Emo council noted there was one particular riverfront property that “put the icing on the cake.”
Coun. Ken Fisher explained the property had been assessed at more than $200,000 but now has gone down to about $130,000.
“We know roughly what the properties should be worth and this doesn’t make sense,” he remarked.
But Morgan noted if council doesn’t appeal the reconsideration of assessment, MPAC will make the change whether council agrees or not.
“Property values are not going down, so it’s hard to understand why assessments are going down,” Reeve Carlson said.
Morgan explained there sometimes are inaccuracies when people don’t get building permits or demo permits. And when the property assessment is reconsidered, there is a change.
She scheduled an appointment to look at the property in question and indicated she would handle the municipality’s concerns.
She added she would make herself available if there are other concerns that arise.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, Emo council:
•scheduled a road tour for members of council for Thursday, May 31 at 6 p.m.;
•agreed to donate the cost of garbage bags, hotdogs, juice, and an ice cream treat for students at Donald Young School for their “community pitch-in,” which was held on Friday;
•approved to send the Public Works staff to a hydrant maintenance course on June 11;
•authorized to make a payment of $140 to the Emo Chamber of Commerce for its 2007 membership;
•agreed to make an application to fund cenotaph repairs;
•contributed $100 to the Northwestern Ontario Medical Education Award Fund, which goes to a second-year student attending the Northern Ontario School of Medicine at Lakehead University in the 2007/08 academic year;
•agreed to donate $138.90 toward Our Lady of the Way’s nutrition program; and
•agreed to apply to the Rainy River Future Development Corp’s Communities Initiative Fund for $5,000 to assist in installing handicap washrooms in the Emo/La Vallee Community Centre.
In other news, a public meeting to discuss the township’s 2007 operating budget has been scheduled for Thursday, June 14 at 7 p.m. at the community centre.
Emo council’s next regular meeting is slated Tuesday, June 26 at 7 p.m. at the municipal office.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
