CBS issues water cut-off notices

By Craig Westcott

Call it a rite of spring or early summer.
Every time around this year, CBS council, like most municipalities in the province, finds itself in the situation of taking collection measures against delinquent taxpayers.
Deputy Mayor Andrea Gosse, who also chairs council’s finance committee, sought permission last meeting for staff to start the collection process.
Gosse said that may require water disconnection, use of third party collection agencies, court action or even the seizure and sale of properties.
Approximately 100 letters threatening water cut off are going out this year to property owners who have not paid their municipal taxes in two years or longer, a Town official confirmed later. The total amount targeted for collection is $694,371. Council has not released the total amount owing.
“This is just part of the process of finance as we are required by the legislation to continue ongoing collections each year,” said Gosse.
“The things outlined here are not the first approach,” Mayor Darrin Bent was careful to point out. “These are the last stage approaches. We’ve been at this for a while and now it’s gotten to a point where unfortunately we have to use a heavier hand to collect the taxes to help pay the bills. So there it is.”