LAC LA BICHE - Nineteen municipal properties burdened with $72,000 worth of owed property taxes could have been going to the auction block in January — but Lac La Biche County officials don't want to do that. Legally, they can — but they really don't want to.
So over the last several weeks, municipal administrators in the finance department have been working hard with the owners to clear up their tax arrears.
Since starting the discussions with property owners at the end of summer, progress has been made. At the November 10 meeting of Lac La Biche County council, the municipality's financial manager updated council that only two of the original 19 now remain on the auction list ... and talks and negotiations are still taking place to clear all of the files.
"January 25 next year is the auction date — and we are hopeful we will not have any to auction," says finance department manager Zeeshan Hasan, explaining that in recent weeks, eight of the original 19 paid in full, and four others signed payment agreements — bringing down the owed taxes to $50,000.
Finance department officials sent letters to the seven remaining property owners again — urging their payment or working out some sort of a payment plan. From those letters, two more paid their arrears in full, said Hasan.
He prepared his presentation a few days before a recent update to county council — but had to revise it again.
And then there were two
"At the time of the report, there were five, but since then, three more have come forward to pay their balances," he said during the meeting, clearing up another $34,000 in owed taxes.
Continuing to work with the owners of the two outstanding files that total about $15,000 — Hasan says municipal officials will go to the very last possible second to keep the properties in the hands of the owners.
"The property owners have until 9:59 on the morning of the auction day to pay their balances. The auction is scheduled to start at 10," he said. "We go to the very last extent to make sure we don't have to put somebody's property for sale."
Lac La Biche County Mayor Omer Moghrabi agrees that every avenue should be looked at before properties are auctioned — especially in the current political climate.
"I fully agree with the way administration is handling it. During these difficult times, a lot of our residents are struggling," he said.
