Flagstaff County Council heard a presentation from municipal clerk Gwenda Poyser during their May 11 meeting regarding the new Utilities Rate By-law for hamlets.

Rates set in Strome, councillors heard, were an attempt to move towards cost-recovery, at present time these rates are not close to recovery.

It is estimated that utility rates will increase in Galahad by 46 per cent, and Strome by 55 per cent. Poyser told Council that the majority of people will still benefit from a drop in taxes that will offset increased utility costs.

Poyser showed councillors how the new rates compared with those of surrounding counties, including Camrose, where the rates were very similar, but with capitalization added as local improvement taxes. “Whereas we’ve built that into our bills,” she said.

Reeve Gerald Kuefler said, “That’s what we campaigned on during public meetings.”

Residents of both hamlets will likely see their revised utility rates shortly after receiving their tax notices, councillors heard, and will be able to make the overall comparison to previous rates then.