Businesses passing through Drumheller and how much they pay for that privilege are being put under the microscope.
    The Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce has begun research into the current business license fee structure of the Town of Drumheller and what changes could be made.
    “We’ve had a number of people write letters to the Chamber to do something about it and advocate for them,” said Chamber board member John Shoff. “We want to get feedback from Chamber members to see if we should pursue this and what our stance should be. Should the fees be increased or decreased.”
    The study was prompted by comments from Chamber members expressing a desire to raise the license fees for businesses coming to Drumheller for a few day and then leaving.
    “We’re not looking at businesses already in Drumheller or who are opening a new business here. We’re looking at the businesses who come here for one to two days and then are gone. They come to town, sell a bunch of stuff, and take all the proceeds out of the community,” said Shoff.
    Another aspect the Chamber is researching is whether the definitions for the different fee categories need to be redefined.
    “One of the comments we’ve heard is maybe there needs to be more clarification (in the bylaw). For example, there might be a need to decrease the cost for contractors but increase for these transient retail businesses,” said Shoff.
    The Town of Drumheller feels the license fees are comparable to other, similar-sized communities in Alberta.
    “When you look at other communities and compare, we’re basically in line with them,” said Mayor Terry Yemen. “We’re going to ask administration to look at few more communities to make sure we’re similar to them. If it needs to be adjusted, we’ll adjust it.”
    In addition, business license fees that are too high may only serve to drive business away from Drumheller.
    “There has to be a balance. We can’t discourage business or make it prohibitive to do business here,” said Yemen.
    Chamber members are encouraged to contact the Chamber at 403-823-8100.
    “We want to use this as an opportunity to engage our members. Our goal is to get more members involved in the Chamber, which will benefit our organization quite a bit,” said Shoff.
    Residents can also contact Town Council to let their views be known.
    “We’re open to suggestions. It’s a bylaw, so it can be tweaked, refined, and tuned,” said Yemen. “If anyone has concerns, they can bring them to their council representative.”