Delta Beach residents have a Special Service Levy with the RM of Portage la Prairie that's about to expire. It's a five-year agreement that's coming to an end. Reeve Kam Blight says the council discussed the establishment of a new contract at this week's council meeting.

Blight notes they're taking time to look over the levy's details again to reconsider how the contract will move ahead.

"The municipality proposed to continue with the same rates with a 10 per cent increase," explains Blight. "So, we're going to add 10 per cent onto it starting in 2023. And then there'll be additional increases of 10 per cent each year for over a 5-year period. Some individuals are paying $48 a year for garbage, garbage pickup, administration fees and DBA (Delta Beach Association) operational projects. This would be an increase of $5 for them. That's what it would result in."

He notes there were concerns brought forward along with some concerns with the wording of the local improvement plan for the special service levy that need to be clarified.

"We want to make sure that the residents of Delta Beach and The Delta Beach Association fully understand what's being proposed, and how this will impact each individual that owns property out at Delta Beach," continues Blight. "We have closed the public hearing and administration is going to go back and will speak with the Delta Beach Association, trying to re-communicate exactly what this local improvement plan is and how will it impact and affect each individual property owner. This is to make sure that everyone fully understands what this means. Quite possibly, there is an opportunity for us to change the special service levy or it might remain the same."

Blight  says at least they will be able to provide clarity to all the residents that are at delta Delta Beach in order to eliminate any confusion.

"Basically, in some cases, individuals are paying $50.00" adds Blight. "Some of the correspondence did make it sound like this is going to be a new levy, and so they thought it's going to be an additional $50.00 that they're going to be paying, when in fact it's actually going to be a $5 increase, or 10 per cent of $50.00. Just because there is that confusion that is out there, we want to make sure that we're communicating the special services levy clearly and concisely. And we want to address any concerns that are out there."

He says the administration is going to circle back and meet with Delta Beach Association and communicate to the residents and take things from there.