Transit terminal over budget
COUNCIL TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE FUNDING OPTIONS; PUBLIC MEETING ON OPIOID CRISIS GOES TONIGHT
City Council will be looking at funding options for a portion of the City’s new transit terminal project that has come in over budget when they meet this afternoon.
Later, an offsite public meeting is scheduled to facilitate a conversation with the public about the opioid crisis
Council will take a look at ways to deal with a nearly $3-million overage on the Transit Terminal and Regional Park N’ Ride project due to a tender package coming in higher than anticipated. The recommendation to cover these costs involves applying for a reallocation of Green Trip surplus funding to the Park N’ Ride project and to use the Federal Gas Tax Fund as a supplement.
Another option for Council could be to reduce the scope of the project, but it would require another tender process and could jeopardize grant funding.
Council is expected to make a decision on a request by Administration to apply for a grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Municipal Asset Management Program to implement a Fleet Asset Management System. The system involves the creation of a database to help manage lifecycle costs of City fleet assets.
Council could also approve about $7,000 in funding for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Special Advocacy Fund. The two-year fund will go toward lobbying efforts to put municipal issues and interests in front of federal political parties.
Council could ratify the appointment of Kathleen Sheppard to the Economic Development Lethbridge Board as environmental sector representative for the 2018-2020 term.
Council could pass final reading on Bylaw 6125 – A Bylaw to Establish a Code of Conduct for Members of Council. The bylaw outlines the expected behaviour, rights, and responsibilities of sitting members of council. Mayor Chris Spearman is expected to give a report on a recent FCM Conference which took place in Halifax, N.S. that he attended.
The report includes information on waste and recycling in Halifax, downtown development, networking opportunities, an address by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as a Moncton Airport tour.
At 6 p.m. tonight there is a public meeting on the opioid crisis in Lethbridge. It will take place in the instructional building at Lethbridge College and will include presentations on how the opioid crisis began and how it has developed; harm reduction efforts; and addiction, prevention, and treatment.
It will include a presentation by local responders and Lethbridge Police Service to discuss both EMS and policing responses to the crisis.
The presentations will be followed with an opportunity to take questions from the public.
City Council meetings are held twice monthly in Council Chambers at City Hall. The meetings begin at 1:30 p.m. and are open to the public.