Medicine Hat Minute: Issue 226

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

📅 This Week In Medicine Hat: 📅

• Councillor Shila Sharps has proposed enhancements to Medicine Hat’s whistleblower policy, aiming to expand protections, transparency, and public confidence in City Hall. The recommended changes would allow contractors, suppliers, and members of the public, not just City staff and volunteers, to report wrongdoing. Sharps is also calling for an independent third-party reporting mechanism for anonymous disclosures, stronger anti-retaliation protections, and annual anonymized reporting to council on the number, types, and outcomes of disclosures. The proposed updates align with best practices in other Alberta municipalities, such as Calgary, Edmonton, and Grande Prairie. Council unanimously approved a motion for staff to review the changes and present them to the next Council by the end of 2025.
  
  
• Council voted to fully reimburse Mayor Linnsie Clark $59,675.68 for legal fees she incurred defending against sanctions that were largely overturned by the Alberta Court of King’s Bench. The fees arose from a 2024 judicial review related to a Code of Conduct dispute and sanctions imposed by Council, which included a pay cut, loss of meeting-chair privileges, and restricted access to City staff areas. Clark argued she had no choice but to seek legal counsel to defend her office and the judicial review confirmed the sanctions were “overwhelmingly disproportionate and unreasonable.” Councillors supporting the reimbursement emphasized accountability, due process, and the importance of moving past the contentious issue. Some also noted the need for clearer policies in the future to prevent similar situations. 
  
  
• Council also approved the creation of the Southeast Alberta Economic Opportunity Strategy (SAEOS) Advocacy Committee, which will collaborate with five neighbouring municipalities on a five-year regional development initiative. The project, originally funded by a $200,000 provincial grant, aims to attract and retain businesses, expand industry opportunities, and strengthen economic collaboration across the region. A Medicine Hat Councillor will be appointed to represent the City on the new six-member regional steering committee following the municipal election. The SAEOS will focus on unified advocacy for funding, infrastructure, and policy support, while aiming to improve competitiveness for federal and provincial grants. Its priorities include talent development, expanding aerospace and agri-food sectors, enhancing tourism, and aligning regional economic services. 
  
  
• Council voted against creating a new operating grant program for local non-profits, citing concerns about potential tax increases of up to 4% over three years. The proposal sought to expand the City’s existing capital grant program to include operational funding. City staff presented four options, recommending the most comprehensive plan, which would have drawn from the 2025-26 operating reserve and future tax revenue. Staff estimated that every $100,000 in grants would require a 0.1% tax increase. Several Councillors argued that the City is already facing a $9-million operational deficit and that residents are struggling with affordability. 
  
  
• The City of Medicine Hat has completed the installation of a new solar array at Hill Pool, designed to offset about 20% of the facility’s annual electricity use. The system includes 24 solar panels that will generate approximately 12,423 kilowatt-hours of power each year. The project received $7,560 in funding from the Government of Alberta through the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre’s Municipal Electricity Generation Program, covering about one-fifth of the total cost. The City said the solar addition was integrated into the existing Hill Pool upgrade plans and that the shade structure was reinforced to support the panels. The system will continue generating electricity even while the pool is closed for the season.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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