Council Highlights March 7, 2023

​Video and minutes

• As part of the Consent Agenda approval, Lethbridge City Council voted unanimously to become a supporter of the Buffalo Treaty. The decision stemmed from a presentation and recommendation from the Cultural and Social Standing Policy Committee on February 16. Read more here
  
  
• As part of the Consent Agenda approval, Council voted unanimously to direct Administration to work with the Downtown Business Revitalization Zone (BRZ) and the Heart of our City Committee to engage with their members and present new parking fine options moving forward. The results of their engagement will then be forwarded to the Economic Standing Policy Committee by end of Q3 of 2023. Council also formally defeated the proposed changes to Traffic Bylaw 5834 by unanimously defeating second reading. The decisions were based on unanimous recommendations from the Economic SPC meeting on February 15. Read more here
   
• In a 6-3 vote, Council defeated the ask to approve up to $215,460 per year of Reaching Home federal funding for the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 to Streets Alive Mission to operate Outreach Programming. As a result of this vote, the municipal funding component of this item will need to be rescoped. Mayor Hyggen said he will bring a new motion to Council on March 21 for further discussion
   
• In a revised motion from Councillor Parker, Council voted 5-4 to change the number of eligible elector signature requirements for City of Lethbridge Municipal Election Candidates to 50 for Councillor and 100 for Mayor (up from 25 and 50, respectively). The initial motion asking to add potential deposits from candidates, as well, was removed from the approved resolution

• Lethbridge City Council voted unanimously to rescind City Council Policy CC56 (Fee Assistance Policy). This will enable the creation and implementation of an Administrative Fee Assistance Policy.  This decision stemmed from a recommendation at the Governance Standing Policy Committee meeting on February 23

• Council voted to refer a proposed motion from Councillor Middleton-Hope, on Term Limitations and Stipend for Council Members on Boards, Commissions or Committees, to Governance SPC with a report back to City Council at the Organizational Meeting on October 31, 2023