Council Highlights December 10 and 12, 2024

Video and minutes (links coming)

The meeting was held across two days, December 10 and December 12. At 11:30 p.m. on December 10, the meeting was recessed until 10 a.m. on December 12.

• After lengthy discussions and evaluating multiple options, City Council decided to use both contingency funding and surplus dollars from the current budget to support the operations of Lethbridge & District Exhibition (LDE). This means there will be no additional tax increase in 2025. With the approval of LDE’s $4.1 million annual operating budget, City Council will balance the 25-26 budget using existing contingencies and one-time funding. This maintains the already approved 5.1 per cent tax increase for the next two years. In addition, Council passed a motion to refinance the debt related to the construction of the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre to save $15 million in interest during the next 10 years. Read the full news release here
• After lengthy Public Hearings on the following proposed Land Use Amendment Bylaws and Area Redevelopment Plan amendments: Bylaw 6459 (404, 408 12 St S); Bylaw 6460 (524, 528, 532 - 13 St S); Bylaw 6461 (524, 528, 532 - 13 St S); Bylaw 6462 (537, 539, 543 - 13 St S); Bylaw 6464 (605 – 5 St S and 510 – 6 Ave S); and Bylaw 6465 (605 – 5 St S and 510 – 6 Ave S) – Council voted to postpone decisions on each matter until its January 21, 2025, meeting
• Mayor Blaine Hyggen presented Cardiologist Dr. Sayeh Zielke with a Key to the City in recognition of her tireless work to improve and advance cardiac care in southern Alberta. Bestowed at the discretion of the Mayor, the Key to the City is a municipal government’s highest honour and is given to recognize the outstanding civic contributions of each recipient. Read the full news release here
• Following an Administration Presentation, Council approved a recommendation on Extended Producer Responsibility, which stems from changes at the provincial level with producers of printed paper and packaging are now responsible for the cost of recycling their products. The decision will reduce utility bills by either $9 or $7 a month, based on the type of recycling collection service residents receive. Read the full news release here
• Councillor Belinda Crowson brought forth a special recognition marking 100 years of women elected to office in Lethbridge. Read the full news release here
• Council voted unanimously in favour for a Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy 2024-2028 – Incremental Funding Allocation
• Councillor Jeff Carlson introduced a Motion Arising, proposing to disband the Standing Policy Committees with all the work to come direct to Council and to direct Administration to prepare the necessary bylaw amendments to come to the January 21, 2025, meeting and take effect February 1, which was postponed to the January 21, 2025, City Council where members of the public may address Council on this matter
• An Official Business Motion from Councillor Carlson and Councillor Crowson carried with a 5-3 vote in favour. It asks for Council to clarify and affirm that the City Manager has the authority to make staffing decisions and approve Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions for Administration, within the approved Operating Budget and approved service levels
• Council voted unanimously in favour of an Official Business Motion from Councillor Carlson for Administration to present the new Pay As You Go policy for utility-funded projects to Council for consideration by the end of Q2, 2025
• Council voted unanimously in favour of an Official Business Motion from Councillor Crowson to direct Administration to draft an Asset Management Strategy that defines the corporation’s high-level, long-term approach and present it to the Economic & Finance Standing Policy Committee by Q2 of 2025
• Council voted unanimously in favour of a recommendation from the Safety and Social SPC in support of Lethbridge Police Service Master Plan. This will adopt the LPS Master Plan, in principle, as a guiding document and direct LPS and Lethbridge Police Commission to return to City Council, through the Economic and Finance SPC for future budget approvals
• Council voted 6-2 in favour of a Motion Arising from Governance SPC on Election Bylaw Update and Provincial Bill 20 Impacts. It was based on the Governance Standing Policy Committee recommending that City Council authorize Councillor Rajko Dodic to send a letter inviting the Alberta Ministers of Municipal Affairs and of Technology and Innovation and any other interested Government Officials to attend a future City Council meeting to discuss the impact of section (39) of Bill 20 – Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, those being: “Section 84 is repealed and the following is substituted: Alternative voting equipment prohibited. 84 A local jurisdiction shall not provide for the taking or counting of votes by means of voting machines, vote recorders, automated voting systems or tabulators” on the Municipal Election processes and costs
• After each being pulled from Consent Agenda, the following three items were carried:

• Recommendation of Governance SPC - Land Use Bylaw Renewal: Phase 2 Public Engagement Plan
• Recommendation of Governance SPC - Bylaw 6454 Amendment to Council Code of Conduct Bylaw 6125
• Recommendation of Governance SPC - Succession Planning for Council Policy CC-10

• As part of the Consent Agenda approval, the following items were carried:

• Request for Medical Supervisors, which is the addition of four FTE positions for purposes of maintaining the longevity of EMS services within the Fire & EMS department. They would be funded by the contract increase from the signed Master Service Agreement with Alberta Health Services
• Make Your Mark one-time Grant Funding Opportunity
• Parkland Growth and Capacity Impacts
• City Wide Sponsorship Program
• Indigenous Programming four-year pilot program at Galt Museum and Archives
• Indigenous Curator four-year pilot program at Galt Museum and Archives
• Environment Lethbridge Fee For Service
• Local Growth & Sustainability Grant Application
• E-26 & E-27 Water and Wastewater 2022-2031 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) amendment
• Tax Refund Request 4120024210001
• 2018-2022 Operational Review Final Update
• Graffiti Abatement
• Community Safety Coordinator Position (two-year term)
• Recommendation of Safety & Social SPC – Southern Alberta Crime Stoppers
• Recommendation of Safety & Social SPC – first reading to the Animal Care and Control Bylaw 6475. Second and third readings will take place at the January 21, 2025, Council meeting
• Recommendation of Governance SPC - CC-31 Sport and Recreation Policy
• First reading to Bylaw 6471 - Downtown Business Improvement Area Tax Bylaw
• First reading was giving to Bylaw 6473 – Election Bylaw. Second and third readings will take place at the January 21, 2025, Council meeting

• Several Bylaws carried second and third readings, including:

• Bylaw 6470 - 2025 Incentives for Prepayment, Penalties, and Tax Deferral Bylaw. Read more here
• Bylaw 6467 - Amendment to Bylaw 5197 - The Fees and Charges Bylaw
• Bylaw 6468 - Amendment to Bylaw 6110 - The City of Lethbridge Safety Codes Permit Bylaw
• Bylaw 6474 - Amendment to Bylaws 6233, 6234 and 6364 - Rate of Last Resort

• From Closed Meeting Reports, Council approved Public Member Appointments to the 2025 Boards, Commissions and Committees (list will be updated online) and a Council Appointment (Councillor Jenn Schmidt-Rempel) to Chinook Arch Regional Library System