Proposed Fortis Franchise Fee Increase
October 15, 2020
FRANCHISE FEE INCREASE NOTICE
Please be advised that the Town of Magrath is proposing to increase the local access fee, which is charged to FortisAlberta Inc. (FortisAlberta) for use of municipal lands for its power lines effective January 1, 2021*.
The fee is recovered by FortisAlberta from its customers as the local municipal access fee on electric billings of all customers that receive electric service in the Town. This local access fee will be increased from $5.17 (8%) to $6.90 (10%) of the delivery charge of FortisAlberta, excluding energy related riders. This calculation is based on 640 kWh consumption in 30 days.
Franchise fee percentage rates differ in communities all across Alberta. For your review and comparison other community rates can be found here on pages 27-29.
The funds obtained from the local access fee are used to offset the Town’s electrical bill for streetlights and public areas. The Town of Magrath has not changed this fee since 2017 but has significantly increased the number of streetlights in Town. Questions or concerns should be directed to James Suffredine, Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Magrath at (403) 758-3212
Thank you.
The Town has been hard at work tackling the invasive goldfish in our storm water pond, and we’ve made real progress! Over the past 3 days, in the first of 2 pesticide applications that will be performed, the Town’s staff have removed more than 64,000 (and counting!) goldfish totalling 570kg. As part of the licensing process, the fish must be counted and properly disposed of. While it may seem unusual to tally up tens of thousands of goldfish, this step is important for environmental reporting and accountability. We again want to remind residents that although goldfish look harmless in an aquarium, goldfish in our storm water system grow quickly, upset the natural balance, and put local ecosystems at risk. Goldfish can spawn as much as once per month during the spring and summer and unchecked a population of goldfish can grow exponentially. Thank you for your patience as this work continues.
Special Council Meeting and Public Hearing - Tuesday, September 9 @ 6 pm. Please follow the link to see the agenda - https://tinyurl.com/yc4f4fnv For information on the Public Hearing please follow this link - https://tinyurl.com/5372en4u
