County denies Nature Conservancy donation request

By Patricia Harcourt
Staff Reporter

Beaver County Council met Nov. 16 and dealt with a request from the Nature Conservancy of Canada for a donation to compensate them in part for the $17,000 in extra taxes it paid this year when certain papers were not filed in time on two recent land purchases made in the county.

If properly filed, the Declaration of Farming Operations form would have prevented the lands being classified as non-farm in nature and therefore being assessed at market value.

The Conservancy paid the taxes but wanted some of the portion paid back in the form of a donation by the county.

Although the recommendation from administration was to give a $500 donation, council refused by passing a motion from councillor Dennis Miciak (Division 4).

“Sorry, you know money’s tight,” said Miciak. Reeve Bob Young (Division 1) pointed out that the Conservancy “do a lot of good work,” adding he was familiar with its work through the Beaver Hills Initiative.

“That’s correct what you say,” replied councillor Sieko Scott (Division 2), “but it is their fault.”

More see the Nov. 29/11 Tofield Mercury