Council should examine needs before going on a hiring spree

By Lethbridge Herald on November 2, 2022.

Editor:

After reading The Lethbridge Herald’s report on the budget requests from the different administrative departments I can see why the homeowners of Lethbridge – me included – are looking at a 3.77 per cent increase in taxes in each of the next four years.

It seems like there are a lot of 0.5 full-time equivalent staff that many of the departments want to move into a full-time position – one of which is the Communication and Engagement Evolution section that will cost us $1,273,800 over the next four years.

I wonder how many positions are in that area now and what is the Engagement Evolution and if needed, why can’t this be off-loaded to a less busy administration group?

I think it is time for the mayor and council to have an outside independent firm review current job positions – what is needed to run our city and what is merely optics.

Another major concern of mine is giving Opportunity Lethbridge staff access to a fund that will provide financial incentives to support various initiatives at a cost to us taxpayers of $4,231,400 over a four-year period. 

These various initiatives must come to council for individual consideration.

I hope the council will explore better use of current City Hall staff before going on a hiring spree.

Grant R. Harrington

Lethbridge