Council vote expected on distribution resolution
Blaine Hyggen vocal about needle debris
Council is expected to vote on a last-minute resolution to develop a bylaw that would end offsite distribution from the supervised consumption site at today’s council meeting.
If the resolution passes, Council could direct Administration to develop the bylaw, which would then need to be debated and voted on. The resolution was initially introduced by Coun. Blaine Hyggen during the July 9 regular meeting of council. A motion to delay voting passed six to three, with Hyggen, Coun. Joe Mauro, and Coun. Ryan Parker voting against.
Hyggen was noticeably frustrated by the delay.
“I think it’s a weaselly way out, to be honest with you,” he said at that time. “Not having to raise your hands and support or not support the distribution of needles.”
Mayor Chris Spearman said the resolution did not meet with standard practices, and he would support a delay because of it.
“We received it at 1:29 p.m. today,” he said (The open portion of council meetings begin at 1:30 p.m.). “That doesn’t give council time to research the issue.”
Hyggen has been vocal about his frustration regarding needle debris in the city. The stance has seen him butt heads with Spearman in the media on a number of occasions, and split council over what should be done in regards to the issue.
Back in June, Hyggen put forward a resolution to make ending needle distribution the focus of a planned Community Issues Committee meeting in response to growing public anger over needle debris.
“It’s my belief that we do have to adhere to a harm reduction model, but I thin k that also takes into account the other citizens of Lethbridge, and not just those that are the addicts,” Hyggen said during that meeting.
“Nothing is being done,” he later added. “It’s like, here’s this epidemic, here’s a bunch of needles and you guys give them out, and you guys deal with it.”
At that time, council split the resolution in order to kill the specific theme of offsite needle distribution, and went ahead with a CIC focused on general issues surrounding the opioid crisis.
A question was raised as to whether council even had the authority to limit a needle distribution program. Municipal Affairs eventually confirmed that the City was able to pass bylaws directly relating to the welfare and safety of local residents but added such a bylaw would likely be subject to court challenges.