On Monday, November 14, Lethbridge City Council began deliberations as Economic Standing Policy Committee for its 2023-2026 Operating Budget.
Mayor Blaine Hyggen, who is chair for the meeting this week, began with an outline and by thanking administration for all of the advance preparation work. He was followed by budget introductions from City Manager Lloyd Brierley and City Treasurer Darrell Mathews, who also provided details on the September 2022 Operating Forecast.
The recommendations from deliberations will be forwarded to City Council for potential approval at the regular meeting on November 29. In accordance with Municipal Government Act requirements, City Council must approve an operating budget by December 31 so the City can pass a property tax bylaw.
The draft budget can be viewed here.
Monday's deliberations included the following items:
- C-1: Salute our Veterans. Proposed funding source is through a Municipal Revenue Stabilization Reserve (MRSR) one-time allocation of $22,000 per year for each of the four years. From a unanimous vote, this recommendation will move forward and be added to the draft budget for potential approval. If the project is approved, then an additional 294 Veterans banners could be installed at more locations in 2023-2026.
- C-2: Fire Hydrant Water Drinking Fountain. Proposed funding source is through a MRSR one-time allocation of $15,000 in 2023. From a unanimous vote, this recommendation will move forward and be added to the draft budget for potential approval. If the project is approved, it would make drinking water freely available in select public areas during the summer months, with stations locally fabricated for installation May through September 2023.
- C-3: Spring Cleanup Program. In a unanimous vote, this item was defeated.
- C-4: Highway 3 Twinning Membership. Proposed funding source is taxation for $10,000 per year for each of the four years. From a unanimous vote, this recommendation will move forward and be added to the draft budget for potential approval. If the project is approved, the membership with H3TDA will support the Mission and Vision to collaboratively and actively advocate for the completion of twinning Highway 3 from the BC border to Medicine Hat, as a safe and regional economy supporting trade and tourism corridor of the provincial and national transportation network.
- C-5.1: Affordable and Social Housing Operating Grant. This item was removed, as it was ruled to be out of order due to an existing motion from the October 19 Economic SPC meeting.
- C-5.2: Municipal Housing Strategy (MHS) Updates. In a unanimous vote, this item was defeated.
- C-5.3: Affordable and Social Housing Capital Grant (ASHCG). In a 7-2 vote, this item was defeated. Councillor Jeff Carlson had proposed an amendment to change the potential funding source from taxation to a MRSR one-time allocation of $412,500 in 2023 in order to gauge the efficacy of the program. The amendment was defeated in a 5-4 vote.
- C-5.4: Development Project Coordinator (Concierge) #1 & Housing Initiative (Land Banking) #2. In a 5-4 vote, this item was defeated.
- C-5.5: Land Use Bylaw Update. Proposed funding is through MRSR for $355,000 in 2023, $455,000 in 2024 and $355,000 in 2025. From an 8-1 vote, this recommendation will move forward and be added to the draft budget for potential approval. If the project is approved, Land Use Bylaw amendment options could be discussed that would facilitate the approval of affordable housing projects in the City. In addition, Administration has identified that a further, more comprehensive review of the Land Use Bylaw is required. This work will require a full-time term position for a three-year term and monies for public engagement and notification pursuant to the MGA requirements and the City's Electronic Advertising bylaw.
- C-6: Parking Fines. Proposed revenue generation would be $160,000 per year for each of the four years in the Offstreet Parking Reserve, as well as proposed revenue generation of $90,000 per year for each of the four years in the MRSR, for a total proposed impact of $1 million in the four-year budget cycle. From a unanimous vote, this recommendation will move forward and be added to the draft budget for potential approval. If the project is approved, this initiative will increase the fee for on-street parking fines from $25 to $50 while maintaining the $15 reduction if payment is received within seven days from the date of the offence.
- C-7.1: Fee Assistance Program. Proposed funding through GST funding would be $200,000 per year for each of the four years. From a 7-2 vote, this recommendation will move forward and be added to the draft budget for potential approval. If the project is approved, this would include the purchase of transit fare for individuals and families who meet the following criteria: is a Lethbridge resident and qualifies under our low income status criteria.
- C-7.2: Lethbridge Transit Fare Decrease. This item was tabled to later in the deliberations.
- C-8: Chief of Staff Positions for Mayor and Council/Staff Reporting Changes. This item was tabled to later in the deliberations.
- C-9: Reconciliation Lethbridge Advisory Committee of City Council. This item was tabled to later in the deliberations.
- C-10: City Wide Sponsorship Program. Proposed funding is through a MRSR one-time allocation of $63,000 in 2023 and $83,000 in 2024, with the potential for conditional funding through sponsorship of $83,000 in both 2025 and 2026. From a 6-3 vote, this recommendation will move forward and be added to the draft budget for potential approval. If the project is approved, ENMAX Centre would significantly expand its sponsorship program to sell the naming, programming, signage and events assets throughout the City of Lethbridge. The goal would be to generate additional new revenue throughout the City of Lethbridge that would either expand programming without additional expense or provide a reduction of tax support to current programs or assets.
The 2023-2026 Operating Budget Deliberations will resume at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 15. The meeting will recess by 4:30 p.m. each day and reconvene at 9:30 a.m. the following day. The agendas can be found here. These deliberations are open to the public, will be livestreamed on the City's YouTube page and broadcast on Shaw TV Lethbridge. Residents can also follow live updates on Twitter through the City Clerk's account at @LethCityClerk and read a daily recap posted to the City's website throughout the deliberations.
Tuesday's deliberations will continue first with the remaining C items, which are Council-member-based new initiative proposals. The N items, which are new initiative proposals from City Administration, will follow.
