Cut & Paste:
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“Perception is often the basis of individuals’ reality. Some members of council felt that the mayor should be sitting with the rest of council during meals and that she was showing disrespect to the team by not doing so. At the same time, the mayor told the interviewers that she saw merit at splitting up the council members and meeting other elected officials at other tables during mealtimes. As noted, both of these perspectives have validity; however, when it becomes an either/or activity, city council as a whole does not benefit. When the mayor rarely if ever sits with the rest of city council at events, it appears that she does not want to sit with them, and puts some credence behind the councillors’ perspective of improper conduct.”
From the Facebook Post
Can you believe a grown man wrote that? Not even as a facebook post, but as Official Findings, Citable Evidence, the Public Record. This, submitted under the title: Municipal Inspection Report.
A grown-ass man publicly shaming a girl who wouldn’t sit with him at lunchtime.
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The first time McGrogan came to the Bakery he was nice enough. All man-to-man, you know? The sanctions had just been imposed, and I had responded with targeted criticism of him, which led him to visit the Bakery.
He wanted me to understand that Clark was hard to reach, that he felt ignored. He, and others, had grown frustrated at their lack of access to the Mayor.
Wow, I thought, after he left. I can’t believe a grown man just said that.
Publicly shaming a girl who doesn’t reply to his messages right away.
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I took my OneWheel down to the Buckle one sunny afternoon in 2021 to tell Drew Barnes how proud I was of him.
He had booked the parking lot at the Buckle for an outdoor meet and greet, and he did it up right. The barbeque was going, there were picnic tables, beverages, not a mask in sight. Not packed, but a reasonable crowd. Good vibe. I think it was his first public event since coming back to his riding as an independent.
He saw me right away and came forward with his hand outstretched. I shook it and asked straight out if he was going to run for Leader of the UCP. He brushed that aside and started talking about a housing policy or something, and I smiled and cut him off, and said “Drew, I don’t agree with you on anything, except we both hate Jason Kenney. If you run for Leader, I will flood every campaign event you have with all the donuts you need.”
And we left it at that. Good meeting.
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Ted’s interview with Tommy was like that.
“Every week I would pick up the phone and randomly call someone and ask them to come see me in City Hall. Usually they didn’t even want to but I made them, and they were mostly just fine and happy with things, but I’d hear stuff in these conversations I’d NEVER hear anywhere else.”
And “I’d bring doctors here and say What do your kids like? Dancing, cool, and I’d take them across the street and show them the Esplanade - this is where your little girl is going to be dancing. Your other one is a swimmer? And I’d drive them up to the Leisure Centre.”
That’s all I needed to hear. Vote won.
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Imagine there’s a conference, and mayors and councillors from other cities and towns are there. Is there value in that? Maybe you don’t want your tax dollars sending our Council out of town for anything; if so, fair enough. But is you think sometimes there is value in paying for us to attend something like this, then consider: Is it better if our councillors go mingle and maybe eat lunch with councillors from other places, or should they all sit together and make stink eyes at people? What do you think, Robert?
I can’t believe the Inspection guy actually put that in his report.
Another question: Do you think he would have gone down that road if our mayor was a man?
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These anecdotes are stories about access. About boundaries. Is it ok if a politician, even a mayor, sets their own boundaries?
Dumanowski had just come off a Council with Clugston as mayor. Clugston, whose door was always open, who managed by meeting. Someone who, presumably, gave Robert abundant room to express himself.
What if Clark simply didn’t want to spend a whole lunchtime sitting at Robert’s table, listening to him drone on about whatever, as if every time he speaks the world stops in appreciation. Is that ok, or does that mean Clark doesn’t have what it takes to be Mayor?
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What if, while Andy McGrogan was still trying unsuccessfully to comprehend the difference between a photo of a handwritten Sharpie note and an actual sign on a wall, Linnsie Clark was doing work, doing her job, and whatever McGrogan wanted to keep bothering her with, she was like, Dude, how many committees are you on? Haven’t you got work to do?
I can see why poor Andy felt slighted. By a woman, yet.
Does this mean Clark doesn’t have what it takes to be Mayor?
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Can we just let Clark be Clark? We didn’t have chaos for the past four years, we had drama. Operationally, the city actually functions pretty well. The past months of campaigning have made it clear that all the candidates have some improvements in mind, but the current state is nowhere near “chaos”. All the criticism I hear and read about Clark is about personality - and I can’t help but notice it’s always some older dude scolding her for not being nice enough. And I wonder if Clark were a man, would it be happening this way?
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In one of Ted’s elections, he didn’t even have a platform. Didn’t need one. So be it.
Four years ago, Clark, coming from an inside spot as a lawyer for the City, ran on a platform: fewer megaprojects, more focus on neighborhood improvements, and open, transparent decision-making. She won big.
She didn’t run on personality (although she was cute as hell), she ran on a platform that she STUCK to. Decisions were being made in the void. We knew she was a lawyer when we voted for her. We knew she was going to insist on transparency, certainly on following the law at least.
She ran on a platform, and then got fried for her personality. As if not sitting with Robert at lunch is indicative of a personality flaw.
How Dumanowski managed to convince the Inspector of this drivel is just amazing to me.
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Is it required that every Mayor be like Ted? No, we’ve got Ted. Vote for Ted! You want some stars for ambassadorial work, we’ve got Ted, Mohammed, Shila, and Stuart. If Alan and Drew want to go along, I’m in favor. Neither is going to be Mayor, but both say they’re devoted to bringing business to the community, and they’re both loaded, so I say invite them along at their own expense.
Like, for real: wouldn’t you want to go to Vegas with Barnes and Rose? I sure would.
And if Linnsie wants to go, she can go. She doesn’t have to explain. She’s the Mayor, dammit, and she’s man enough to decide how to spend her valuable time. Clark is a capable and intelligent person and can handle meeting anyone for any reason, but is it ok if she doesn’t want to jump in a car with a young doctor from Thunder Bay and drive around town all afternoon? Of course it is.
Is it also ok if Ted or Yusuf do exactly that? Of course it is.
You have nine votes - build a team with it.
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You want stars to send to Vegas on a trade mission? Clugston, Mohammed, Young, Shila and Hellman are all good choices. And quite frankly Clark too, if she wants to go.
You agree (at least somewhat?) that carrying over some experienced people to the new council is a good idea? Clark, Sharps and Clugston.
You more of common-sense, back to basics voter? Schafer, Hellman, Wason, Fode, Butterfield.
Councillors intent on making City Hall an organization that meets the needs of Hatters and makes our home and our lives better in a hundred ways? Clark, Sharps, Allard, Mohammed, Young, Koch and Kunz.
You like the phrase “run the city like a business”? Schafer, Sharps, Hellman, Clark and Butterfield.
Got a spot or two left on your dance card? Want to use it to train up our next generation of leaders? Young, Koch, Kunz, Spek, Ellis, Mohammed, Butterfield.
Assemble your team. Get out and vote.
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Postlude: Medicine Hat is not a laughingstock. I have clicked on every headline I’ve seen about Medicine Hat for two years now, and every story I’ve read has been balanced. Not one has blamed the Mayor. The lowest point was when McIver said it was no secret that Medicine Hat is the poster child for weaponization of code of conduct bylaws, just before he scrapped all those bylaws, but that was one news conference within Alberta, talking about a problem occurring with several Alberta councils. There is no nationwide narrative of derision for Medicine Hat. We have a great community here, and it’s only going to get better.