The first three days of deliberations for the City of Lethbridge 2023-2026 Operating Budget have wrapped up. (Image: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Day two and three recap: City of Lethbridge budget deliberations

Nov 17, 2022 | 10:01 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Budget deliberations are more than half way done at Lethbridge City Hall.

Council has completed the third day of discussions for the 2023-2026 Operating Budget.

According to a media release from the City of Lethbridge, the following items were included in the second day of budget talks on Tuesday, November 15, 2022:

• Omnibus motion, approved unanimously. These recommendations will move forward and be added to the draft budget for potential approval:
  • C-11.1: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Grant
    • Proposed funding is through a Municipal Revenue Stabilization Reserve (MRSR) one-time allocation of $200,000 in 2023 and taxation for $54,600 in 2023, $56,100 in 2024, $57,900 in 2025 and $59,800 in 2026.
    • If the project is approved, the CPTED Grant would provide a matching grant to support business and landowners of commercial and multi-family properties with the costs associated with crime prevention improvements.
  • C-11.2: Lethbridge Outreach Programs
    • Proposed funding source is taxation for $153,460 in 2023, $260,000 in 2024, $260,000 in 2025 and $260,000 in 2026.
    • If the project is approved, this would transition the one-time funding to ongoing funding for the Lethbridge Outreach Programs.
  • C-11.3: Downtown Safety Education Program
    • Proposed funding source is taxation for $12,000 per year for each of the four years.
    • If the project is approved, this would transition from one-time funding to ongoing funding for the Downtown Safety Education Program.
  • C-11.4: Diversion Outreach Team (DOT)
    • Proposed funding source is taxation for $144,800 in 2023 and $275,800 in each 2024, 2025 and 2026.
    • If the project is approved, this would transition from one-time funding to ongoing funding for DOT.
  • C-11.5: Clean Sweep Program (CSP)
    • Proposed funding source is taxation for $350,000 per year for each of the four years.
    • If the project is approved, this would transition from one-time funding to ongoing funding for the CSP. A friendly amendment was included to add a directional resolution that CSP contract be directed to minimum wage or higher.
  • C-12: Regulatory Services Capacity Shortage
    • Proposed funding source is taxation for $138,000 in 2023, $142,000 in 2024, $112,000 in in 2025 and $116,000 in 2026, as well as utility charges for $74,000 in 2023 and $76,000 in 2024.
    • If the project is approved, one permanent FTE and one term position will be added for years 2023 and 2024 to maintain the current level of service.
• C-8: Chief of Staff Positions for Mayor and Council/Staff Reporting Changes (tabled on Monday)
  • Acting Mayor Jenn Schmidt-Rempel withdrew this item and Economic SPC, in a Motion Arising, voted unanimously to refer it to Governance SPC for more information and discussion.
• C-9: Reconciliation Lethbridge Advisory Committee of City Council (tabled on Monday)
  • Proposed funding source is taxation for $50,000 per year for each 2024, 2025 and 2026.
  • 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 will change from the one-time funding provided during the last budget cycle at $50,000 per year to taxation as an ongoing funding source.
• N-1 & N-2: Communication and Engagement Evolution
  • Proposed funding source is taxation for $59,467 in 2023, $61,633 in 2024, $63,700 in 2025 and $65,967 in 2026, as well as Utilities, Fleet & Land (Overhead Charges) for $29,000 in 2023, $30,800 in 2024, $31,900 in 2025 and $32,900 in 2026.
  • 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 would transition to add one permanent full-time position to this department.
• N-3: FOIP Support/Municipal Census Reduction/Records Management Program
  • Proposed funding source is taxation for $34,100 in 2023, as well as from Utilities, Fleet & Land (Overhead Charges) for $25,900 in 2023 and $44,900 in each 2024, 2025 and 2026.
  • Proposed savings from a reduction of frequency of the municipal census from annually to once per term of Council (every four years) would be $118,700 in 2024, $118,700 in 2025 and $118,700 in 2026.
  • 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 would provide sufficient capacity (one FTE) to meet growing demand and comply with legislated service levels for FOIP. It includes one-time funding from existing operations of $150,000 to develop the foundation and governance of a best-practice Corporate Records Management Program.
• N-4: Committees of Council Support
  • Proposed funding source is taxation for $11,532 in 2023, $45,727 in 2024, $46,047 in 2025 and $46,167 in 2026 as well as from Utilities, Fleet & Land (Overhead Charges) for $8,700 in 2023, $35,200 in each 2024 and 2025 and $35,400 in 2026.
  • 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 would transition from a temporary position (funding provided until September 2023) to a permanent full-time position to support the governance structure of Council, and the work of the various Boards, Commissions and Committees.
• N-5: Asset Management Capacity Needs
  • Proposed funding source is utility charges for $67,000 in 2023, $138,000 in 2024, $143,000 in 2025 and $148,000 in 2026.
  • 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 would transition a term position to permanent one and include the addition of one FTE to maintain existing levels of service in Asset Management.
• N-6: Asset Management Growth Impact
  • Proposed funding source is utility charges for $57,000 in 2023, $117,000 in 2024, $120,000 in 2025 and $123,000 in 2026.
  • 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 would add one FTE to provide Asset Management with capacity to provide service to the Electric Utility and other departments not currently being served.
• N-7: Procure to Pay (P2P)
  • Proposed funding source is taxation for $145,850 in 2023 and $291,500 for each 2024, 2025 and 2026, as well as from Utilities, Fleet & Land (Overhead Charges) for $33,400 in 2023, and $67,000 in each 2024, 2025 and 2026, plus a MRSR one-time allocation of $150,000 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, this would add capacity (three FTEs) to support procurement centralization. Procure to Pay is designed to optimize and align procurement, materials management, inventory, contracts, and accounts payable activities across the organization by offering a centralized model versus the current decentralized practices.
• N-8: Treasury & Financial Business Advisory Services
  • Proposed funding source is taxation for $84,500 in 2023, $170,400 in 2024, $175,800 in 2025 and $182,100 in 2026, as well as from Utilities, Fleet & Land (Overhead Charges) for $52,600 in 2023, $105,800 in 2024, $109,600 in 2025 and $112,900 in 2026.
  • 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 would provide the needed capacity (two FTEs) and skill sets to maintain existing service levels and ensure the sustainability of the legislative, corporate, operational requirements of the organization.
• N-9: Omni-Channel 311
  • In a 5-4 vote, this item was defeated.
  • This budget initiative looked to add one FTE to Customer Service & 311 to maintain service levels and handle the anticipated increase in demand as Customer Service & 311 launches Live Chat to our community.
• N-10: Emergency Services IT Manager
  • Proposed funding source is through an existing 911 grant for $161,000 in 2023, $165,000 in 2024, $170,000 in 2025 and $176,000 in 2026.
  • 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 would transition a term position to a permanent FTE moving forward.

The following items were included in the third day of budget talks on Wednesday, November 16, 2022:

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Mar 18, 2025

• N-11: Airfield Maintenance Specialist (AMS)
  • Proposed funding source is taxation for $156,400 in 2023, $161,700 in 2024, $167,200 in 2025 and $172,800 in 2026.
  • 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 would add two FTEs to ensure compliance with revised Transport Canada regulations, which require Lethbridge Airport to ensure it is staffed by AMS 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• N-12: Event Support Program
  • In a 6-3 defeated vote, a revised and divided motion looked to add, through taxation, $82,500 per year for each of the four years in the budget cycle to create a mid-sized event grant.
  • In a 6-3 vote in favour, a revised and divided motion asked Administration to explore divesting themselves of administering event support programs by using external organizations.
• N-13: Business Improvement Area Support Grant
  • In a unanimous vote, this item was defeated.
  • This budget initiative looked to establish a matching grant based on 50 per cent the amount of a Business Improvement Area (BIA) district’s total levy to support its efforts to create and maintain economically prosperous commercial districts.
• N-14: Economic and Development Based Incentives Fund
  • In an 8-1 vote, this item was defeated.
  • This budget initiative looked to create a fund to provide financial incentives to support a continuation of existing urban core revitalization and strategic initiatives program to address priorities identified by Council and/or community.
• N-15: Parkland Growth & Capacity Impacts
  • Proposed funding source is taxation for $613,200 in 2023, $629,300 in 2024, $647,300 in 2025 and $669,100 in 2026. Funding for 2025 and 2026 will be contingent upon a review and report back to Council through the Civic Works SPC after 2023 and 2024.
  • 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, this would add 10 non-permanent FTEs to meet existing service levels.
• N-16: Median Spraying
  • In a 7-2 vote, this item was defeated.
  • This budget initiative looked to add one non-permanent FTE to spray chemical on concrete medians and median shrub beds as a planned maintenance activity three times per year.
• N-17: Perpetual Care Fund for Cemeteries
  • In a 6-2 vote, this item was defeated.
  • This budget initiative looked to set up a perpetual care fund where tax support and a portion of plot sales will eventually generate enough interest income to maintain City Cemeteries in perpetuity.
• N-18: Traffic Signal and Lighting Technician
  • Proposed funding source is taxation for $150,000 in 2024 and $125,000 in each 2025 and 2026.
  • 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 would add one FTE to support the growth of our traffic signal, rail and lighting system.
• N-19: Traffic Safety Engineer/Coordinator
  • Proposed funding source is taxation for $150,000 in each year of 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 would add one FTE as a dedicated resource for Traffic Safety.
• N-20: Provision of Commercial Recycling for Urban Core Businesses
  • Proposed funding source is from within existing operations in Waste & Recycling Utility.
  • 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 would introduce the delivery of commercial recycling to businesses within the urban core.
• N-21: Energy Conservation Engineer
  • Proposed funding source is utility charges for $61,200 in 2023, $122,700 in 2024, $125,800 in 2025 and $129,600 in 2026.
  • 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 would add a full-time FTE that is a subject matter expert in energy, generation and/or demand management.
• N-22: In-House Roll-Off Truck Service
  • Proposed funding source is accumulated surplus for $350,000 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, this would transition from a third-party provider to in house for the roll-off truck service for recycling stations and yard waste sites, with the option of extended services for city facilities and construction projects.
• N-23: Load Inspection Technician
  • Proposed funding source is from within existing operations.
  • 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 would transition a term position to a permanent full-time position that supports the inspection of loads at the Waste and Recycling Centre (WRC).
• N-24: In-House Water Utility Meter Reading
  • Proposed funding source is from within existing operations.
  • 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 would complete the transition of the water meter reading service from a third-party contract to an in-house service with the creation of three permanent positions to deliver meter reading and other related meter shop duties.
• N-25: Addressing Increased Access-A-Ride Demand & C-7.2: Lethbridge Transit Fare Decrease (tabled from Monday)
  • Councillor Jeff Carlson proposed a motion, which was carried unanimously, for initiatives N-25 (which would budget corporately for an anticipated increase in demand for Access-A-Ride services) and C-7.2 (which would eliminate transit fares for seniors over 65 and older and youth 18 and under) to be postponed until 2024 to allow time for the City Manager to conduct a thorough review of the Lethbridge Transit System.
• N-26: Fire & EMS Resourcing
  • Proposed funding source is through a grant, dependent upon the contract negotiations with Alberta Health Services, for $261,237 in 2023, $1,204,574 in 2024, $2,082,865 in 2025 and $2,424,011 in 2026.
  • 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 would add 13 additional fire personnel to Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services.
• N-27: Natural Leaders Project (NLP) – Helen Schuler Nature Centre
  • Proposed funding source is operations for $100,000 in 2023, $101,000 in 2024, $102,000 in 2025 and $103,000 in 2026.
  • 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 transition a full-time, grant-funded position to permanent FTE due to discontinuation of external grant funding.
• N-28: Mitigate the Feral Cat Problem
  • Proposed funding source is taxation for $10,000 in each year of 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 would provide one-time funding to support the Animal Welfare Committee’s efforts to mitigate the feral cat problem.
• N-29: Non-Veterinary Funding for Animal Rescue
  • Proposed funding source is taxation for $10,000 in each year of 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 would provide one-time funding for animal rescue groups by way of the Animal Welfare Committee.
• N-30: Galt Museum & Archives Communications Assistant (Four-Year Pilot Project)
  • From a 5-4 vote, this item was defeated.
  • This budget initiative looked to create a 0.56 FTE Communications Assistant position for a four-year pilot project.
• N-31: Galt Museum & Archives Indigenous Programming (Four-Year Pilot Project)
  • Proposed funding source is a MRSR one-time allocation of $15,300 in 2025 and $15,500 in 2026. Funding for 2025 and 2026 will be contingent upon a review and report back on the program in 2024 to Council through the Cultural and Social SPC.
  • 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 would support the work of the Indigenous Curator.
• N-32: Galt Museum & Archives Indigenous Curator (Four-Year Pilot Project)
  • Proposed funding source is a MRSR one-time allocation of $59,500 in 2025 and $59,700 in 2026. Funding for 2025 and 2026 will be contingent upon a review and report back on the program in 2024 to Council through the Cultural and Social SPC.
  • 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 would create a 0.6 FTE Indigenous Curator position for a four-year pilot project.
• N-33: Lethbridge Police Commission and Service (Community Safety, Frontline Support, Org Wellbeing)
  • This item was postponed to 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
• N-34: Chinook Arch Member Library Board & Municipal Membership Fees
  • This item was tabled to Thursday, following item N-33.
• N-35: Lethbridge Public Library Community Safety and Recovery
  • Through a 4-4 vote (Mayor Hyggen was away), this item was defeated.
  • This budget initiative looked to create a Library Crisis Intervention Worker position.
• N-36: Lethbridge Public Library Business, Continuing Education and Employment Outreach
  • From a 7-2 vote, this item was defeated. This budget initiative looked to create a Library Outreach position.
• Omnibus motion, approved unanimously. These recommendations will move forward and be added to the draft budget for potential approval. If these projects are approved, they would address insurance, audit and inflation pressure points, as well as raise salaries to competitive wages and benefits.
  • N-37: Allied Arts Council Casa – Fee for Service
    • Proposed funding source is taxation for $153,338 in 2023, $175,210 in 2024, $196,750 in 2025 and $211,764 in 2026.
  • N-38: Allied Arts Council Leadership – Fee for Service
    • Proposed funding source is taxation for $227,949 in 2023, $241,901 in 2024, $259,286 in 2025 and $276,669 in 2026.

Budget deliberations take place each day this week from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The meetings are open to the public and will be live streamed on the City of Lethbridge YouTube Page and on Shaw TV Lethbridge. Agendas for each day’s proceedings are on the City of Lethbridge website.

Updates are also being posted to the @LethCityClerk Twitter page.

The full draft 2023-2026 Operating Budget can be accessed on the city’s website.

READ MORE: Day one recap: City of Lethbridge budget deliberations

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