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A Free Weekly Publication Serving All of Beaver County Wednesday, May 25,16 2022, Volume 15,15 Issue 21 7 Wednesday February 2022 Volume Issue
County renews partial tax exemption to Tofield Gun Club and Beaverhill Rangers Patricia Harcourt The county will provide a partial property tax exemption to the Tofield Gun Club and Beaverhill Rangers based on the difference in agricultural use value rather than that of legislated market value. Furthermore, the structure on the property will be assessed as improved market value, and the land area will be assessed as farmland class at regulated agricultural use for the taxation years from 20232025. The motion was made by Councillor Lionel Williams (Division 2) and passed by all of council. Reeve Kevin Smook (Division 1) said he felt that the gun club “plays a great role in the community.” The recommendation came from chief county assessor Orest Golinowski, in his report at council’s May 18 regular meeting. He explained that in the past organizations providing “public benefit” services could be eligible for an exemption. When there were too many inconsistencies in the application of this exemption, legislation called Community Organization Property Tax Exemption Regulation, or COPTER, was passed by the province, he said. “The organization must be established by the Societies Act and must be prohibited from distributing income or property to its shareholders or members,” stated Golinowski. The organization can’t be a sports franchise operation, and “must actively encourage the general public to use the property without unreasonable restriction…” Plus, the organization can only a small application fee and cannot impose unreasonable membership requirements. And, if an exemption is established under Part 3 of COPTER, there is a minimum requirement to review an applicant’s tax exemption status every three years. Hrabec stated that under COPTER the gun club would pay partial taxes of $477.40 which “does good value to the county.” Golinowski agreed that the club was not asking for a complete tax exemption, just a partial one. “If the property had been assessed as prescribed by the legislation market value assessment, the 2022 non-residential tax levy would have been 2,957.38.” This means that under the exemption the county is foregoing $2,479.98 in taxes. In October 2019, County Council approved a threeyear partial tax exemption from 2019 to 2021 for the club. “The Tofield Gun Club was instructed to submit an application for tax exemption for subsequent tax years to be determined by council,” stated
Golinowski. “The Tofield Gun Club and Beaverhill Rangers have successfully completed the forms necessary to meet the test of an exemption provision,” he said, noting that club President Doug Brooks and Treasurer Gordon Hryhirchuk have presented their organizational objectives, financials and other information relevant to the affairs of the organization and answered questions from council at county meeting on April 27. Golinowski passed the tax exemption recommendation to council for approval because he could not automatically grant it based on the club’s information. There are two main reasons in the COPTER legislation where the club does not meet the needed criteria. These include the idea that it is the “general public” using the association when it fact it is mainly the “general membership of the association” enjoying the property’s use. The other area where the club is not exempt from taxation is because more than 40 per cent of the time when the property is in use the majority of those participating are 18 years of age or older. “This is a members’ gun club for use for its primary members who are over the age of 18 years, which occupy the facility for more than 40 per cent of the time,” stated Golinowski. But the club meets the criteria under Part 3 of COPTER, and council is allowed to grant a tax exemption, a decision which can’t be appealed to the Assessment Review Board. The club is also receiving an exemption from school and seniors housing taxes. “Any exemption granted under the COPTER regulation is not requisitioned by the Ministry of Education or to any foundation,” said Golinowski. The Tofield Gun Club and Beaverhill Rangers own
Notice of Special General Meeting For the Beaver Heritage & Ag Society Tuesday, June 7, at 7:00 PM at the Village of Ryley office. All are welcome to attend.
a single lot property of 9.65 acres northwest of the Town of Tofield. The club has owned the property since 1962, and is registered as a non-profit organization under the Societies Act. It operates as a recreational facility for its members to provide a certified shooting sports facility for rifles, handguns, trap shooting and marksmanship practice. There is a natural shooting range for all calibre of hand guns and rifles, a 24 ft. by 40 ft. metal clad warehouse building with walking trails to the target areas of shot. The facilities are used mainly by the club’s general membership, and there are no age restrictions but all youth must be supervised. About 60 per cent of persons using the club’s facilities come from within the county and 25 per cent are associative members from neighbouring counties. The remainder come from outside the general area. The club has offered beginner shooter courses and programs (safe handling and training) for the youth within the community of Tofield and the county. After two years of COVID-19 preventing these courses, they have begun once again. “The instruction is all completed by volunteers within the club, passing on their experience and knowledge to the youth and junior shooters,’ states the report to council. Also using the shooting range are the Tofield RCMP and the Sea Cadets The organization runs as a non-profit and any extra funds go back into future club projects and the maintenance of property.
Community - Wide Garage Sale Weekend
Friday, May 27th Saturday, May 28th and Sunday May 29th Any questions call Vanita at 780-662-3269 or go to the website tofieldalberta.ca Maps of Garage Sale locations will be available May 25th both online and at various locations in Tofield.