Medicine Hat Minute: Bylaw Page, Tree Disposal, and the Snow Removal Budget

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

This Week In Medicine Hat:

• There will be no meetings at City Hall this week as Council is still on holiday break. Official business resumes on January 15th.
  
  
• Mastermind Toys in Medicine Hat is set to officially close on January 10th, along with 18 other locations across Canada. Another retailer, Pennington’s, will shut down its Medicine Hat location on January 24th.
  
  
• Hatters needing to get rid of their Christmas tree can do so until the end of January at Northlands Co-op Recycling Depot, Kipling Street Recycling Depot, and the southwest corner of the Medicine Hat Mall parking lot. Alternatively, trees can be deposited for compost at the Waste Management Facility. To recycle your Christmas tree in the designated locations, ensure it is a real tree, free of stands, tinsel, decorations, and plastic bags.

Last Week In Medicine Hat:

• The Medicine Hat Public Library's Casual Cash for Employment program, initiated in spring 2021 and funded by Community Housing, received the Government of Alberta’s Minister’s Awards for Municipal and Public Library Excellence. More than 50 participants have accessed the program, which allows participants to choose when, where, and how they work. The workers contribute to various library events, including Community Coffee mornings, the Cat Café, book sales, and other community-focused activities.
  
  
• Medicine Hat Municipal Bylaw and Enforcement launched a new Facebook page to engage with residents and serve as an educational tool on local bylaws. All officers will contribute to creating posts, with two staff members responsible for page maintenance. The Facebook page will also collaborate with Alberta Pound & Rescue Centres to share information about stray dogs and adoptions.
  
  
• The City of Medicine Hat's snow removal program exceeded its $1.7-million budget for 2023. Approximately 70% of the budget was used in the first six months of the year. The City reported actual expenses for 2023 amounting to $1.8 million, resulting in a $100,000 overspend. Despite the overage, the City stated that it is unlikely to need to tap into its severe weather reserve.

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