Ward system options to be examined by city administration
By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on February 2, 2022.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com
Lethbridge city council has directed administration to look at the implementation of an election ward system for Lethbridge.
Council voted unanimously in favour of a motion brought forward by councillor John Middleton-Hope on Tuesday.
A slim majority – 55.69 per cent – of Lethbridge voters said they supported a ward system for electing city councillors in response to a non-binding question on the Oct. 18 municipal election ballot.
Council wants administration to report back to council through its Governance Standing Policy committee by April 30.
Administration is being asked to provide a report that outlines the process to examine, develop options, decide and implement a ward system.
Administration is also being asked to provide to the committee information on legislative requirements, timelines, costs, engagement and resources.
Councillor Middleton-Hope told council Tuesday “its an opportunity for administration to look at a number of different options. . . If we’re going to go forward with this, we need to examine what they are and develop a process that’s made in Lethbridge.”
Councillor Jeff Carlson asked if that includes various ward systems including one with eight councillors at large and eight different wards, a hybrid system or the possibility of a variation on a theme.
Middleton said a “hybrid system or systems because there are several in play out there and I think we want to look at all of them and make a determination. Bring that back to council and make a determination which one’s going to work for us – if any of them.”
City clerk Bonnie Hilford said administration would just be bringing back a framework by April 30, not all the options.
“We’re just going to look at what the timeframes would look like, what the engagement maybe would look like, what the process would look like.
“And we’ll bring that framework back and then council will vote on whether they want to pursue going further with it.”
Follow @albeebHerald on Twitter
4-3
Do not pursue a “made in Lethbridge ” concept, it will surely fail! Follow what other cities have done successfully.