Medicine Hat Minute: Budget Vote, Administration Departure, and a Very Merry Christmas

Medicine Hat Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Medicine Hat politics

This Week In Medicine Hat:

• There will be a City Council meeting this afternoon. A closed session begins at 3:45 pm and the meeting opens to the public at 6:30 pm. The main item on the agenda is the budget. After the vote was pushed back last week, Council is running out of time to get it approved. The meeting could go past 11:00 pm if needed, as long as Council approves a special resolution to do so.
  
  
• Snow removal continues this week. Night-time snow removal will take place in the downtown area and move into the Hospital and Riverside areas. 'No parking' signs will be placed where crews are working.
  
  
• It’s Christmas this weekend! Thank you to every single one of our readers and supporters who reached out, donated, volunteered, or shared our content this year. We appreciate every single one of you and hope you have a holiday season filled with friends and family. From the team at Common Sense Medicine Hat, we wish you a very Merry Christmas.

Last Week In Medicine Hat:

• The Managing Director of Public Services, Brian Mastel, announced his departure from the City of Medicine Hat. Mastel has been on the Administration team for almost 11 years and will remain in his position until the end of January. This means yet another top job within the City needs to be filled - a full-time City Manager has still not been hired and the role of Managing Director of the Invest Medicine Hat office is also vacant.
  
  
• Flags on municipal buildings remained at half-mast until after Saturday’s funeral for former mayor Ted Grimm. The city’s longest-tenured Mayor died at the age of 86. He sat in the Mayor’s chair for 24 years - from 1974 to 1977, and then again from 1980 until 2001.
  
  
• Dead and sick-looking Canada geese and mallard ducks have been reported near the South Saskatchewan River. Alberta Fish & Wildlife officials believe it is an outbreak of avian flu, calling it a “pretty significant” mortality event. Residents are advised to wear gloves and double bag any dead birds found in their yards - they can be disposed of in the municipal garbage.

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