City council sticking with Standing Policy Committees
By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on January 22, 2025.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com
City council on Tuesday voted to reject a motion arising from Acting Mayor Jeff Carlson on Dec. 10 that council disband all the Standing Policy Committees with work done by those bodies to come directly to council.
Six members of council voted against the motion with only three including Carlson, mayor Blaine Hyggen and councillor Rajko Dodic voting in favour.
Carlson made the motion early during the Dec. 10 meeting during which council also addressed the Lethbridge and District Exhibition financial situation.
Discussion on that motion was postponed until Tuesday after a vote on Dec. 10 to allow the public to speak on the motion.
In support of his motion, Carlson told his fellow council members last month that while he enjoys “the deep dive” of committee work, he said the committees are a waste of time and feels the hours addressing matters at them should be done at the council level. He said he doesn’t want to waste people’s time in committee then deal with matters again at council.
Carlson opened discussion on the motion Tuesday saying he made it during “a moment of frustration” and called it “off the cuff and snippy.” But during the Christmas break he heard from members of the City’s boards, commissions and committees they feel SPCs create a type of red tape they have to deal with to get to council,
Carlson added he considered reversing his stance but found himself caught between a rock and a hard place.
During discussion on Tuesday, a couple of councillors including Belinda Crowson and Ryan Parker noted that while they feel the process could be tweaked they felt the SPC process worked well.
Councillor John Middleton-Hope expressed concerns about the potential length of council meetings without the work of SPCs being done in advance and put in the form of the consent agenda to be addressed. He also noted that the number of SPCs has also been reduced.
As council heard, all items in the consent agenda recommended for its approval by an SPC can be pulled for debate of the entire council.
Dodic said he has never supported the SPC system and said it speaks volumes about their relevance to the public that nobody appeared at council Tuesday to discuss the issue. Dodic said while the intent of SPCs is good he is uncomfortable that council in its entirety makes decisions based on the recommendation of only four of their colleagues. He noted “I don’t believe they serve the function” for which they were intended.
Councillor Mark Campbell said he supports the SPC process, stating “I really believe in them.” He added that he felt the system of governance deserves a chance to become entrenched with the community.
Crowson also supported the SPC model but said it could be tweaked.
“I don’t think there is one perfect format,” said the councillor but said the model spreads the power of government out among all members of councillors.
16-15
Out red taped themselves. No one knows what they are doing or what to do? For once I agree with Carlson although he almost slipped off the wrong side of the fence