MY VIews on Local iSsues

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We all appreciate first class services and facilities. It’s what makes any city a great place to live, work and play in. But at the same time we must balance our wants with our needs and budget.

Lethbridge is behind other centers when it comes to recycling. This issue would have been better initiated through a plebiscite or as a question on the October ballot. However, the current City Council has made the decision to proceed with this program and there's likely no looking back.

Lethbridge has a slow-but-steady growth rate and a healthy inventory of serviced commercial and industrial parcels. We must continue to promote the City to attract new businesses. For example, additional prospects in the agri-business, food processing, and tech sector should be pursued. These types of industries will utilize our educated and skilled workforce.

For a City of 100,000 (and a much larger trading region) the Lethbridge County Airport is underdeveloped & underutilized. Air service has declined over the years and the demand has increased. The City and the County must continue to work together to create an independent airport authority that is self-governed and professionally managed, with the mandate to increase the level of service and generate more airport related business on adjacent lands.

The heart of any city is its downtown. Encouraging apartment, condominium and mixed-use developments on currently underdeveloped parcels will put more "feet on the street". This will ensure our downtown remains vibrant (and safer) after business hours.

I personally like the idea of another river crossing sooner than later. But I would certainly want to study the numbers, both the financial impact and the traffic counts.