August 26, 2020 - Minutes (Special)

Date:

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Place:

Council Chambers
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
Councillor Chak Au
Councillor Carol Day (attending via teleconference)
Councillor Kelly Greene (attending via teleconference)
Councillor Alexa Loo (attending via teleconference)
Councillor Bill McNulty (attending via teleconference)
Councillor Linda McPhail (attending via teleconference)
Councillor Harold Steves (attending via teleconference) 
Councillor Michael Wolfe (attending via teleconference)

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:04 p.m.

FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES DIVISION

1.

Update on Referral Re: 2020 Annual Tax Sale Options 
(File Ref. No. 03-1240-01) (REDMS No. 6516637)

Staff reviewed the proposed tax sale options and current tax delinquencies, noting that a relatively small number of those delinquencies have been reported to have been as a result of pandemic-related financial hardship. Staff added that staff will continue efforts to locate property owners and resolve outstanding balances and that the current tax delinquencies do not pose a significant impact to the City’s budget.

Discussion ensued with regard to (i) options to defer the tax sale to 2021, (ii) options to resolve tax delinquencies by repeat offenders, (iii) the tax collection rate for 2020, and (iv) other municipalities that have deferred their tax sale to next year.

In reply to queries from Committee, staff noted that property information from BC Assessment can be utilized to locate property owners and qualifying property owners may apply for a property tax deferral from the Province.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the City proceed with the tax sale in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act; and

(2)

That the measures, process and procedure changes and adjustments, and the designation and change of venue described under the Status Quo Option set out on page 3 of Attachment 1 of the staff report titled “2020 Annual Tax Sale Options”, dated July 20, 2020, from the Director, Finance, be approved.

CARRIED 
Opposed: Cllr. Au 
Greene 
Loo
Wolfe

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:36 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Finance Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Wednesday, August 26, 2020.

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Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Chair

Evangel Biason
Legislative Services Coordinator