City eyes new way of handling meetings

By Lethbridge Herald on December 18, 2025.

Alexandra Noad
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Lethbridge city council may be dissolving its Standing Policy Committee (SPC) governance model and switching to a Community Issues Committee (CIC), after the motion was passed 7-2 at Tuesday’s council meeting.

The motion was co-sponsored by Mayor Blaine Hyggen and Councillors Al Beeber, Rajko Dodic and Ryan Parker.

Two exceptions to the new model include the Audit SPC and Finance SPC, which would continue to operate in their current forms.

Dodic explained during the meeting that the new system would amalgamate all the SPCs into one, which would include all members of council.

“Nothing is taken away, all that is happening is (we’re) adding all members of council to those SPCs in an omnibus community issues committee.”

The reasoning behind the motion was to improve transparency for council, as currently each SPC has four members, and while all members of council are welcome to join in on the meetings, it’s not required.

Parker noted that moving to one committee would allow all councillors to participate in creating policy from the ground up.

“SPCs give disproportionate influence to councillors assigned to specific policy areas,” he told the other members of council. “A CIC that includes entire council ensures equal participation, equal representation and equal opportunity for all councillors to shape policy from the beginning.”

He added a single committee would strengthen public participation as residents currently struggle with determining which SPC to bring their concerns to.

Councillor Mark Campbell argued that the current SPC model allows more time for questions, input from experts, clarification and the smaller setting encourage residents to speak out as well as flesh out the policies before they are discussed at a full council meeting.

“That reduces rushed-through surface level debate at regular council meetings.”

It was suggested that the meetings happen on alternating Tuesdays, which would not only streamline things for the public but also allow more flexibility for council members who have jobs outside of council, since all meetings would be held on one day per week.

While evening meetings were suggested to possibly improve public attendance, City administration cautioned against it due to union overtime regulations.

The motion is anticipated to return at the next council meeting on Jan. 20, 2026.

In other news, council unanimously voted in favour of sending a letter to the Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services to receive additional funding which will allow dialysis patients to utilize access-a-ride at no extra cost.

This was the last council meeting of the year and they will reconvene on Jan. 20.