Medicine Hat Minute: Spending Freeze, Transit Funding, and Canada Day Festivities
Medicine Hat Minute: Spending Freeze, Transit Funding, and Canada Day Festivities
Medicine Hat Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Medicine Hat politics
This Week In Medicine Hat:
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Happy Canada Day! Celebrations take place at Kin Coulee Park and the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede grounds. There will be entertainment, cultural displays, food trucks, artisan vendors, a formal Canada Day ceremony, and evening fireworks at 11:00 pm. For times and specific locations, click here.
- There will be a City Council meeting on Tuesday at 3:45 pm. The meeting begins with a closed session, wherein Council will discuss the Cybersecurity Annual Update 2024, an item labelled “Tri-Area IDP Review Letter”, an energy business matter, and a Notice of Motion to deal with Confirmation of FOIP Redactions. Once the meeting opens up to the public, at 6:30 pm, there will be a public hearing to rezone 1720 Bell Street and 620 Porcelain Avenue SE to Business Industrial Districts. Council will also discuss selling the land at 5244/5240 Southlands Drive SE to the Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta Medicine Hat Chapter for $59,900 - a 50% reduction from the sale price of $119,800. The Municipal Planning Commission will meet on Wednesday at 1:30 pm. The Commission will discuss a development permit for a greenhouse at 3101 Box Springs Way NW.
- Our friends at the Medicine Hat Utilities Ratepayer Association are hosting a Bevvies & Banter event on Tuesday at 7:00 pm. It’s going to be a casual get-together to bring people from all walks of life to meet, connect, network, discuss, ask questions, learn, and share ideas and solutions to the issues impacting Medicine Hat. The event takes place at the Dayz Off Pub at 640 Kingsway Ave SE.
Last Week In Medicine Hat:
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Council heard early budget proposals that aim to freeze departmental spending at current levels until 2026. This strategy is driven by the need to absorb inflationary pressures without increasing taxes excessively. Anticipated is a tax increase of 5.1%, partly to fund a $36-million capital plan and additional operating expenses for essential projects. Mayor Linnsie Clark expressed concerns about potential service level impacts due to the freeze, prompting further deliberations scheduled for July to finalize budget decisions. Key investments include a food waste composting facility and infrastructure upgrades.
- Medicine Hat's proposed budget also highlights water line improvements aimed at ensuring reliable water delivery to a significant portion of the city, focusing on the Kipling Street water transmission main. This $6.3-million project aims to twin the line to enhance supply resilience to 7,700 households in south Medicine Hat. Although the current pipes are not the same type as the pipe that recently caused problems in Calgary, similar projects are planned for older sections across the city. Engineering efforts are focused on preemptive measures like installing inspection ports and twinning projects to safeguard against potential issues and maintain consistent water supply across critical areas of Medicine Hat's infrastructure.
- Medicine Hat has received federal funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, with Ottawa committing to money for partial coverage of several transit-related costs. Specifically, the City will receive $2.6 million to replace aging public transportation vehicles, $75,000 for its $125,000 active transportation plan, and $38,400 in federal funds towards the $96,000 total cost of a bus scheduling system.
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