Crime Stoppers gets $10,000 boost

By Lethbridge Herald on May 1, 2025.

Al Beeber
Lethbridge Herald

City council on Tuesday voted unanimously in support of an official business motion presented by councillors Ryan Parker and Jenn Schmidt-Rempel calling for one-time funding of $10,000 to be given to Southern Alberta Crime Stoppers.

The motion requested that the money come from council contingencies.

The motion states that the Lethbridge Police Commission on Feb. 26  declined council’s request from Feb. 11 to provide the funding which  is still needed by Crime Stoppers.

Council was told by Schmidt-Rempel, a member of the police commission, that the request no longer fits the budget constraints of the  Lethbridge Police Service. Council heard from a Crime Stoppers  representatives in answer to a question why other communities aren’t  contributing to the organization that 85 per cent of Crime Stoppers recoveries are Lethbridge specific.

And it was told Crime Stoppers is expecting shortfalls in coming years.

Council  also addressed a submission from mayor Blaine Hyggen regarding a recommendation by the Economic and Finance Standing Policy  Committee on City Hall and council chamber security.

On April 10, the SPC – which consists of the mayor and all council  members – heard that a consulting firm is recommending the City  undertake an investment of $3.2 million in security measures.

The report showed annual costs of $425,000 to address more than 20 security enhancements.

Administration reviewed the report and determined that seven of the recommendations would be most impactful and cost-effective to implement in the remainder of the current operating budget cycle which runs through 2026.

A report to the SPC stated that “enhancing security in council chambers is crucial for maintaining a safe and orderly environment where governance decisions can operate effectively.”

Among recommendations that administration supports are a four-foot barrier wall in council chambers, electronic access controls on the  main and side doors of chambers to prevent damage and theft, and to enable a lockdown in case of an emergency.

The seven recommendations administration supports would have a  one-time cost of $300,000 and an on-going cost of $50,000.

After a brief adjournment, council voted unanimously to refer the matter to City administration to prepare and present a comprehensive report at the closed session of the May 27 council meeting.

In other matters, council also gave second and third readings to three  bylaws, including the Downtown Business Improvement Area tax rate bylaw, the tax installment pre-payment bylaw and the the 2025 property tax and supplementary property tax bylaw.

It gave three readings to Bylaw 6490 – an amendment to Bylaw 6146, the  Waste Bylaw – which removes monthly charges residents pay for  recycling services. With the Extended Producer Responsibility program  now in effect provincially, the City of Lethbridge is being  contracted by Circular materials to deliver residential recycling  services which removes the $9 monthly fee for single family dwellings  and $7 monthly fee for multi-unit dwellings.