Tax arrears on local property reach milestone mark

Property tax arrears in the City of Moose Jaw crept up past the half million dollar mark last year.

A city finance department report shows arrears at December 31 of $591,111 — an increase of 33 per cent from 2016. Arrears in 2016 were $447,700, up from $397,000 in 2015.

Just about $55,000 of the 2017 arrears involves a plan to pay the taxes.

The tax arrears equal 2.3 per cent total property tax collections. ———————

False alarms continue to be the largest category of responses by the Moose Jaw Fire Service, accounting for more than one-third of calls.

Of 824 responses by firefighters last year, 298 were false alarms, according to the quarterly report made to city council. During the period from October to December, 85 false alarms came in with 13 from faulty alarms or faulty smoke detectors, nine from cooking smoke and seven from dust setting off an alarm.

The department was busiest in summer/ fall with 250 responses in the third quarter, 214 in the fourth quarter, 206 in the second and 154 in the first three months. Firefighters responded to 152 fires, 139 motor vehicle collisions, 96 hazardous materials incidents and 36 carbon monox- ide calls.

Fire losses within the city were estimated at $1,473,000 with $20.9 million of property value saved.

Education programs reached 8,314 people during the year. —————

The City of Moose Jaw had seven more employees at year end than in 2016. The payroll had 361 staff, compared with 354 in 2016.

Parks and recreation had the most employees with 85, an increase of 10. Police had 79, a loss of one; with the fire service at 49, also down one.

Financial services gained four for 29 with engineering gaining one for 17. Water and wastewater lost four or for 24; streets, roads and sanitation lost four for 16. Transit lost two for 16. ————

Reports of on-the-job accidents by City of Moose Jaw employees rocketed from 93 to 166 last year but only 17 dys oF woRk were lost.

In 2016, only 10 days were lost to accidents.

The 10-year record loss was 1,221 days from 57 incidents.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net