City Hall -- LNN

By Connor Gunn

Report examines police, library, and economic development in Lethbridge

Jan 26, 2021 | 5:16 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB– Lethbridge City Council has received phase three of the operational review done by KPMG.

The report takes a look at operations of Lethbridge Police Service, Lethbridge Public Library, and Economic Development Lethbridge to explore potential problems and improvements.

“This latest operational review is different than the previous phases,” says Mayor Chris Spearman.

“Instead of looking at internal City departments, it explores opportunities for improvement within three entities that are funded by Lethbridge taxpayers with limited oversight by Lethbridge City Council. We look forward to constructive discussions with Lethbridge Police Services, Economic Development Lethbridge and the Lethbridge Public Library on the observations and recommendations in the KPMG Phase 3 Report,” adds Spearman.

The following is some of the talked about information in the report.

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Lethbridge Police Service section:

“The drug crisis and the negative spin-offs of that, have put significant pressure on LPS,” says Police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh.

“We have to be consistently looking for ways to be more efficient and effective to meet these increasing demands. The analysis and opportunities in the KPMG report, particular around collaborative partnerships, are areas we are excited to move forward with, ” Mehdizadeh added.

The Community Peace officer program and the Watch were analyzed and showed they have been very effective in supporting front line workers and first responders.

LPS wants to look further into the “opioid crisis” in the city and wants to handle it better.

Lethbridge Public Library section:

“A welcoming, inclusive space that connects and strengthens community through equitable access to learning and leisure,” the report says.

The library saw increased growth over the last little while, especially using its services.

“We have been working for several years to find operational efficiencies without negatively impacting services to the public,” says Library CEO, Terra Plato. “The KPMG report is another tool for us to use as we evaluate how best to do that,” Plato added.

“We are committed to ensuring responsible use of public dollars, and as we enter a new strategic planning cycle we find ourselves in an advantageous position to incorporate KPMG’s analysis in the future planning of library services,” outlines City of Lethbridge Library Board Chair, Craig Brown.

Economic Development Lethbridge section:

The report gathered that Lethbridge taxpayers were given a significant return on their investment into this organization.

“We are pleased with this objective assessment, the recognition of our successes and momentum, and the constructive recommendations for building on our award-winning organization,” says Sandra Mintz, EDL Board Chair & President.

“Operational Excellence is one of the key pillars of our Strategic Plan and we embrace every opportunity to find ways to continuously deliver on growing a world-class economy.”

The entire phase 3 report can be found here.

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