City council balks at Outreach Support Services Initiative evaluation
By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on May 11, 2022.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com
Lethbridge city council on Tuesday defeated by a 7-2 motion a request to spend up to $80,000 for a request for proposal (RFP) to evaluate the city’s Outreach Support Services Initiative funding system.
Only Mayor Blaine Hyggen and deputy mayor Jenn Schmidt-Rempel voted in favour of the motion based on a recommendation made on April 27 by the Cultural and Standing Policy Committee of city council.
OSSI funding is currently operated and administered by the City and several councillors expressed reluctance about spending money to evaluate its operation based on their understanding the system is working well.
The money would have paid a consultant to determine if the present grant management model of OSSI funding through the city and under the Community Wellbeing and Safety Strategy umbrella is producing best return on addressing community needs related to homelessness.
Hyggen and Schmidt-Rempel felt the City should spend the money to investigate if better options exist than the present system. Schmidt-Rempel said Lethbridge should consider a model used in Medicine Hat while Hyggen said hiring a consultant is something he would welcome adding he doesn’t believe the current model is working.
City manager Lloyd Brierley told council the existing program is working well but said there are opportunities to seek improvement or change. Community Services manager Mike Fox said most service providers are happy with the way OSSI funding is being presently delivered.
Councillor Jeff Carlson said he wanted to give the system a chance to prove itself before spending $80,000 on an evaluation, a position agreed with by several councillors including Nick Paladino, Rajko Dodic and Mark Campbell.
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Okay , they called this one right …
The reporter for this article should provide a summary in a nutshell what the heck OSSI and The Community Wellbeing and Safety Strategy umbrella is. Then we the unwashed masses could form an opinion as to if council made the right decision. Goblygook?
I assume you have access to the internet because you posted a comment on the Herald’s webpage. So, rather than complain about not being spoon fed information…you could use that energy to google this: https://www.lethbridge.ca/living-here/Our-Community/Pages/default.aspx – which took less time to find than typing this reply… or to type your comment