Medicine Hat Minute: Salary Disclosures, Problem Property, and New Security Measures

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

This Week In Medicine Hat:

• There are two meetings of Council’s Committee of the Whole scheduled for this week, one on Tuesday at 6:00 pm and another on Wednesday at 3:30 pm. No agenda is available for either meeting yet.
  
  
• The Gas City Campground pump track shade structure will be closed for construction from today until mid-June, with safety measures and signage in place to mark the construction zone. During this time, the pump track will be inaccessible, but adjacent traffic lanes and roadways to the off-leash park and campground will remain open. The Southridge Community Park pumphouse and washroom is also closed for construction, likely for about two weeks, with fencing marking the area. Short-term closures of the trail leading to the building may occur as equipment is moved.
  
  
• The Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter Society is working to close a $6.8 million funding gap for the renovation and expansion of its Phoenix Safe House Emergency Shelter. The $9 million project aims to increase the shelter's capacity to 42 beds. To reduce debt and ensure coverage of operating costs, the Society is seeking support from provincial, county, and municipal governments, as well as the community. Built 25 years ago, the facility will undergo extensive renovations and expansions to enhance accessibility and safety. Annually, the shelter serves approximately 1,200 individuals through its programs and services, with completion of the project expected by February 2025.

Last Week In Medicine Hat:

• A problematic property in Medicine Hat's Riverside neighbourhood, linked to drug activity and violence, was closed for 90 days by the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) unit of Alberta Sheriffs. The property had been the subject of numerous police visits, with 49 incidents recorded between January 2021 and September 2023. The court-ordered closure will see the property boarded up, fenced, and monitored. Alberta’s Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis and Medicine Hat Police Chief Alan Murphy praised the SCAN unit's efforts in enhancing community safety. The SCAN unit, operational since 2008, has addressed over 9,000 properties.
  
  
• City Hall has announced new security measures, including limiting public access to one entrance and restricting elevator use to specific floors. Security doors will also be installed to block off staff work areas, and security staff will assist visitors with appointments. According to the City, these changes aim to ensure the safety of staff and the public while maintaining access to City services. The measures are partly temporary to accommodate upcoming construction and installations, but also come soon after an attack on Edmonton’s City Hall. The measures will take effect June 3rd.
  
  
• Medicine Hat City Council unanimously voted to disclose salary ranges for all management and non-union professional positions in municipal services, excluding the energy business unit. This decision follows a December 18th meeting where Council requested a review of compensation disclosure practices in other municipalities. Research revealed that seven out of 27 municipalities, including Calgary and Edmonton, have formal salary disclosures. Council directed Administration to prepare a report detailing salary ranges, which will be available on the City's website by July 2nd. The City Manager said she was concerned about potential backlash online from revealing the information. The exclusion of the energy business unit will be reconsidered after an ongoing review.

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