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Engineering firm chosen to design North Bridge

Lex3 Engineering Inc. was awarded the contract to engineer the town’s new North Bridge after eight bids submitted

Lex3 Engineering Inc. was awarded the contract to engineer the town’s new North Bridge after eight bids submitted for the job was shortlisted to two with the second shortlisted offer coming a bit higher in the cost.

Lex3 Engineering Inc. acquired the contract for $94,108, which will come out of the town’s capital budget.

The second shortlisted proposal posed a $25,000 difference.

“The actual proposals are very similar, both companies are equally qualified to do the work,” said Jim Duckworth, senior engineer with Tagish Engineering.

By the end of the year it is hoped a detailed design will be ready to tender in January of 2015.

“We hope to have the whole thing finished by freeze up in 2015,” said Duckworth.

No tax penalty refund for town resident

In its second time before council, town councillors chose to deny a request to for the costs of a resident’s 2013 tax penalty to be reimbursed.

Sandra Lund, acting director of corporate services, says the property owner was misinformed on the issue being brought to council on June 24 and missed the opportunity to represent himself to council.

The property owner of roll owns several properties and told council during their July 8 meeting that not paying part of his taxes was an accidental oversight. It wasn’t until he received his 2014 taxes that he realized there was an outstanding amount.

While it is not mandatory for the town to mail out courtesy reminders, it is an action expected by taxpayers, and this year the property owner did not receive on, leading to the $627 penalty on $3,601 tax.

Coun. Tim Falkiner wanted council to waive the penalty. “In our discussion, it says typically courtesy reminder notices are mailed to property owners. If courtesy reminders are typically sent out, then taxpayers have a reasonable expectation that they will, regardless of the reason they were not sent out in this case.”

“It has been the town’s past practice to do so . . . it’s a reasonable expectation from taxpayers that this courtesy reminder is coming,” he added.

However, only Falkiner and mayor Rick Bonnett voted in favour of forgiving the penalty.