Lethbridge Minute: New Mayor, New Council, and Referenda Decisions To Make

Lethbridge Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Lethbridge politics

This Week In Lethbridge:

• Fresh off the campaign trail, Lethbridge’s newly elected Mayor, Blaine Hyggen, and new City Council are set to be officially sworn in today at 1:30 pm. Congratulations to all who put their name forward, and we wish the incoming Council all the best.
  
  
• The swearing-in ceremony is considered “Part I” of the City Council Organizational Meeting that is scheduled for 1:30 pm today. Although there has been no official agenda released, it’s probably safe to assume they will adjourn after the ceremony.
  
  
• "Part II" of the organizational meeting is scheduled for next Monday, which will give some of the fresh faces on Council time to get acquainted with both their colleagues and newly acquired duties and responsibilities. We wish the incoming Council all the best, watching earnestly with the hope they will bring common sense to City Hall.

Last Week In Lethbridge:

• It was a close race for the Mayor's chair, but when the dust settled, it was Blaine Hyggen who emerged victorious. Hyggen edged out a 508-vote win over Bridget Mearns, winning the election with 11,973 votes (42.79%) to 11,465 votes (40.97%) for Mearns.
  
  
• The election for City Council saw both old and new faces added to the roster. Former Mayor and Councillor, Rajko Dodic, was the top vote-getter and has once again been elected to serve on Lethbridge City Council. He will be joined by four reelected incumbent Councillors (Belinda Crowson, Ryan Parker, Mark Cambell, and Jeff Carlson) and three newly elected Councillors (Jenn Schmidt-Rempel, John Middleton-Hope, and Nick Paladino).
  
  
• Finally, after the official results were tallied, Lethbridgians said yes to both municipal ballot questions: yes to using a ward system in future elections (56% to 44%), and yes to building a third bridge by 2030 (60% to 40%). Given this support from residents, do you think the newly elected Mayor and Council should implement these ideas?

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