Staffing to remain status quo for 311 following split vote

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on November 16, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

A lengthy debate to add one full-time employee to Customer Service and 311 was defeated Tuesday by council acting as the Economic Standing Policy Committee during budget discussions.

While the vote was 5-4 against moving the initiative down the budget path, it will not affect 311 operations since the temporary position was already funded by previous council.

The money – $92,000 in 2023, $94,000 in 2024, $96,000 in 2025 and $98,000 in 2026 was requested to maintain current service levels and handle an anticipated increase in demand as the department launches its Live Chat in the city.

Several councillors and mayor Blaine Hyggen had reservations spending that money on the department with councillor Rajko Dodic calling the position a want and not a need while deputy mayor Ryan Parker referred to 311 as a luxury. The deputy mayor expressed a preference for finding the money to invest in necessities for the city.

Councillor John Middleton-Hope said while his generation might use 311, younger people such as his grandchildren were more likely to get their answers online. He added he’d rather spend money on reducing the response times of police, fire and EMS, suggesting if people have to wait for response times, they would probably be more willing to wait for a response from 311 than for an emergency.

Councillor Belinda Crowson said staff have done “an amazing job” developing the way people use 311, telling the SPC her nieces and nephews love the live chat function, adding that “we’re not making decisions for us, we’re making decisions for the entire community.”

In response to a question from mayor Hyggen about whether the position would be used for other 311 functions other than live chat, general manager of Customer Service and 311 Travis Hillier, said staff are cross-trained to handle different roles.

Hyggen told the SPC he originally came into the meeting ready to support the initiative but that points were made by Dodic and Middleton-Hope that convinced him not to vote in favour of it.

Carlson told the SPC that 311 positions were already funded in the previous budget cycle, and that as businesses know continuing to rely on temporary workers causes huge challenges.

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