Support for $150K for new flagpoles at city hall

Plenty of conditional supports, pending the overall approval, and several defeated initiatives highlighted a full day Thursday at Lethbridge City Hall during deliberations for the 2019 -22 operating budget. Approved for inclusion in operating budget:

• MRSR one-time allocation of $150,000 in 2019 to add new flagpoles in front of Lethbridge City Hall to permanently fly the Blackfoot Confederacy and Reconciliation Lethbridge flags. Amendment proposed to go up to design for four flagpoles passes 63. Overall vote goes 7-2, with Coun. Joe Mauro and Coun. Blaine Hyggen voting no.

• Syringe collection program. Request for $155,000 in each of the next four years. Amendment to review on annual basis and fund not through taxation, but rather from internal sources. Carried 6-3, with Mauro, Hyggen, and Coun. Jeff Carlson against.

• Diversion Outreach Team (DOT) program, through taxation and MRSR one-time allocation of $188,935 in 2019 and down to $143,935 in 2022. Vote carries 8-1.

• Yates Theatre management and programming, MRSR onetime allocation of $85,000 per year for four years. There was a proposed amendment for two years, which was carried unanimously. Coun. Jeff Carlson says with the recent renovations, they did not plan for management, thus there “needs to be active management and programming.” The vote carried 8-1.

• Pilot project to mitigate the feral cat problem, funding ask of $10,000 per year for four years through taxation. Amendment to move funding from taxation to MRSR, with only Mayor Chris Spearman opposed to that part. Vote carried unanimously.

• Non-veterinary funding for animal rescue, funding ask of $10,000 per year for four years through taxation. Vote carried unanimously.

• Environment Lethbridge funding through a MRSR one-time allocation at $75,000 in 2019, down to $60,000 in 2022, to support fee for service.

Vote carried 8-1, which also eliminated $80,000 a year Environment Committee budget.

• The Lethbridge Canadian Coalition of Municipalities and Discrimination (CCMARD) is asking to reformat its structure, with funding to come from a MRSR one-time allocation of $30,000 per year for four years. Amendment to have funding of $26,046 for 2019 only, through carry-over of the committee’s funds, was carried unanimously. Vote carries 7-2.

• MRSR one-time allocation proposal for disaster recovery business impact analysis at $80,000 per year for the next three years. Vote passes 7-2.

• Free library memberships in 2019, through an MRSR one-time allocation of $106,000 in 2019. Carried in 8-1 vote.

• Lethbridge Destination Management Organization startup phase funding, a one-time MRSR allocation of $30,000 in 2019 and $10,000 in 2020. Vote carried 72.

• EDL agrifood corridor strategy, through a one-time MRSR allocation at $5,000 per year for four years. Vote carried 6-3.

• EDL foreign direct investment program, through a one-time MRSR allocation at $7,500 per year for four years. Vote carried 7-2.

• EDL Lethbridge brand implementation, through a onetime MRSR allocation at $45,000 in 2019. Vote carried 8-1.

• EDL identity opportunities and barriers to business, through a one-time MRSR allocation at $20,000 in 2019, down to $17,000 in each 2020, 2021 and 2022. Vote carried 5-4.

• Electric accounting technician, cost of $81,800 in 2019 and up to $87,400 in 2022 through electric operations, carries 6-3.

• Information systems and communications technologist, electric operations cost of $148,960 in 2019 and up to $159,315 in 2022, carries 6-3.

• Power systems electrician, electric operations cost of $59,720 in 2019 and up to $63,920 in 2022, carries 7-2

• Continuous service (24/7 shop operations) CSRs, through operations and fleet services funding of $296,200 in 2019 and up to $322,200 in 2022. Carried 7-2.

• Continuous service (24/7 shop operations) utility, through fleet services funding of $77,200 in 2019 and up to $82,600 in 2022. Carried 7-2.

• Urban construction, selfsupported funding through revenue. Carried 5-4.

• Implementation of the industrial, commercial and institutional support staff and technology, self-supported funding through revenue. Carried 6-3.

• Climate adaptation and environmental sustainability specialist, funding cost of $97,000 in 2019 up to $97,800 in 2022 through utility charges. Carried 54. Defeated:

• Transition to a ward system, one-time MRSR allocation of $125,000 in 2020. Defeated 5-4.

• Ombudsman, funded through taxation and overhead charges in 2020, 2021, 2022 for $25,000 per year. Defeated 8-1.

• Public Wi-Fi feasibility study in 2019 that would cost $100,000, through MRSR. Defeated 7-2.

• One-time allotment of $481,750 for a fire suppression system for Lethbridge Transit, in direct relation to the bus barn fire in June. Defeated unanimously.

• Pension plan for members of city council (full-time mayor and council), funding through existing salary which comes from existing taxation. Defeated 5-4.