AND IT CONTINUES.....NORTH PERTH

MUNICIPALITY OF NORTH PERTH
TO: Council
FROM: Frances Hale, Director of Finance/Treasurer
DATE: June 14th
SUBJECT: Request to Refund Municipal Water Connection Fee #F18-10
, 2010
PURPOSE OF REPORT:
To bring a request to Council by Ms. Sherrie McTaggart to refund the Municipal Water connection fee of
$3,500.00.
BACKGROUND
Ms. McTaggart has requested that she be refunded the fee she was charged to connect to municipal
water services in Atwood. She has made a formal request which is attached for Council’s consideration.
This is the second request made by Ms. McTaggart to Council. The first request was made last year and
Council considered her request July 20th
, 2009.
The previous owner of the McTaggart property brought it to the municipality’s attention that their shared
private well was on either MTO or municipal property. This happened when they were trying to sell this
property. After some confusion, it was determined that their private well was on municipal property and an
encroachment agreement for the well was in the process of being arranged but never was completed.
The previous owners solicitor did advise the municipality that they informed the purchaser that the well
was located on someone else’s property. The former CAO, former Director of Public Works and former
Clerk had tried to assist the McTaggarts in arranging an alternate water source. Ultimately, the
municipality was able to offer the property owners municipal water services at a cost of $3,500.00. This
was the same charge the municipality had for all other Atwood residents, which was made available when
the municipality looped the water service between the two municipal wells. Both Sherrie and Jamie
McTaggart signed the request form to have the municipal water connection and corresponding $3,500.00
fee financed and collected on their property taxes.
COMMENTS
In Ms. McTaggart’s letter, she indicates that the well that she used before municipal water service was a
municipal well. It has been determined that the private well servicing her property was located on
municipal property; the municipality did not know the well was located on municipal property and did not
monitor, maintain or have any charges applicable.
It appears that being able to connect to municipal water services has been of significant benefit to the
McTaggarts as property owners.
MOTION (proposed)
That the Council of the Municipality of North Perth denies the request to refund
municipal water connection fees as requested by Sherri McTaggart and that Council
directs the Director of Finance/Treasurer to respond in writing.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Letter to Municipality from Ms. Sherrie McTaggart
Prepared by: Reviewed by:
________________________________________ ______________________________________
Frances Hale, Director of Finance/Treasurer Kriss Snell, CAO