TOGO — Those using an RV as a seasonal dwelling in Togo will now be required to pay a registration fee to the village.
At its May 20 meeting, Togo council passed an RV registration bylaw. The bylaw aims to ensure that “owners of a recreational vehicle used as a seasonal/temporary dwelling” within the village pay “a fair remuneration” for the use of municipal services. Registration fees would cost owners between $100 and $250, depending on size.
At the meeting were Mayor Loretta Erhardt, councillors Michael Ruf and Doug Laviolette, and village administrator Rita Brock.
Erhardt said Togo has had “an uptick in interest from people who are looking at buying property for a seasonal RV,” taking advantage of its location near popular hunting and fishing sites. But the revenue from an empty lot would not cover the cost of services, hence the registration fee.
RVs in Togo will be required to have access to a septic tank or an alternative to manage waste, and may not be rented out. Violations of the bylaw by individuals will result in a fine of no less than $250 and no more than $10,000; for business the fine is between $450 and $25,000. Continued violations after the first fine will not exceed $2,500 a day.
The bylaw would not cover empty RVs or ones used for storage, nor would it include Togo residents who invite friends and family to stay in an RV for a relatively short period of time.
Council also considered raising its water rate by 11 per cent. The village does not meter its water consumption; rather, residents pay a flat rate for water access.
“The whole idea behind the water rate is it is supposed to be 100 per cent sustainable with the revenue you’re bringing in”, noted Erhardt.
Togo aims to have revenue cover 110 per cent of the cost, with the additional revenue to be used for maintenance and repairs.
“There’s more chemical [treatment] being used because there’s more water usage,” Erhardt said.
The water quality is tested daily. Based on that, there are adjustments to the “amount of chemicals, like chlorine, that have to go in. So if you get more water usage, of course, your chemical is going to be used more.”
In 2025, waterworks revenue covered 80 per cent of the cost of water, up from 76 per cent in 2024 and 53 per cent in 2022.
The Village of Togo's well No. 2 is not pumping water, despite the fact it is drawing current. Council proposed pulling the line to test pump function and identify the issue. Well No. 1 is working as required. Both pumps have been replaced within the last 10 years.
