Medicine Hat Minute: Flexible Timing, Regimental Realignment, and Federal Funding Denied

Medicine Hat Minute: Flexible Timing, Regimental Realignment, and Federal Funding Denied

 

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

 

This Week In Medicine Hat:

  • This afternoon, at 3:45 pm, the Public Services Committee will meet. The Committee will discuss inducting two new members into the Medicine Hat Sports Wall of Fame, before receiving a presentation on the 2023 Fire And Emergency Services Year-In-Review Report. The Managing Director’s Service Area Update will include transit services during Medicine Hat Tigers playoff games.

  • The City will allocate $590,000 for an extensive third-party review of its energy business, the sole municipally-owned commodity business in Alberta. The City of Medicine Hat faced concerns over surging electricity rates in the summer of 2023, prompting the decision for an independent assessment. The review will be conducted by KPMG and is scheduled to be presented to Council by the end of 2024.

  • The Southern Alberta Light Horse Regiment (SALH), based in Medicine Hat, will lose its name and autonomy as it undergoes a realignment process with larger reserve operations in the province. The move aims to unify SALH with the King’s Own Calgary Regiment, a process that will take about a year. While there is historical precedence for amalgamation in SALH's history, this marks the first time the command will be relocated from Medicine Hat. Concerns have been raised about the potential loss of pride and history associated with SALH, with sources expressing discontent over the lack of public consultation.

 

Last Week In Medicine Hat:

  • Alberta's Finance Minister, Nate Horner, was in Medicine Hat, and he expressed concern over the denial of the City’s application to the federal Housing Accelerator Fund. Horner said there seems to be a trend where Alberta receives less funding from Ottawa compared to other provinces. Horner highlighted a pattern of not receiving what the Province considers its fair share in various programs. Despite the denial, Medicine Hat intends to proceed with the nine initiatives outlined in its application, though some projects may be impacted without the expected federal support.

  • Council has adopted a more flexible approach to scheduling closed meetings, eliminating the fixed start time of 3:45 pm on regular Council meeting days. The change comes after Councillor Sharps expressed dissatisfaction with the early start time, especially when closed sessions were brief. The new procedure allows the Agenda Review Committee, comprising the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and relevant staff, to determine the start time based on the agenda's needs.

  • Council approved the rezoning of an unused property at 19 Stober Bay SE, transforming it from a highway commercial zone to a mixed-use district. This move expands the possibilities for residential development, including apartments, on the vacant lot situated between the Best Western Hotel and TownePlace Suites by Marriott. Although concerns were raised about potential highway noise for future residents, City staff suggested the construction of noise-cancelling "burns" to mitigate the impact. The rezoning garnered unanimous support from Council.

 

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  • Common Sense Medicine Hat
    published this page in News 2024-03-10 20:27:37 -0600