Coffee With Cypress - Medicine Hat MLA Justin Wright August 28 2024
July 25 meeting with Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver, Justin Wright and Medicine Hat City Council
When this meeting was first reported, we heard that 3 options to resolve the issue between Council and Mayor Clark were presented.
What were the 3 options presented at that meeting?
Wright said “I cannot disclose those options at this point in time, but I do understand that an option was selected by a number of councillors that may or may not be brought forward.”
Photo credit Kelly Allard
Wright has a luncheon planned with Council in September. He says he’s met with many members of council and continues to bring forward feedback from the community, feedback from councillors and any information that has come from the mayor, bringing it forward to Minister McIver, the ministry (Municipal Affairs). Wright says he has connected with Minister McIver multiple times on this.
Wright “can’t speak to why or why not a group of individuals or one individual has chosen to move forward with one decision over the others, the general gist of what I understand is that the other 2 had been tried at some point, I don't know the validity of that, just entirely on what has been said post meeting.
From my understanding a council member has put forward a motion to move forward with one of the three recommendations because they had the choice of choosing one of those three or none of those 3.“
Councillor McGrogan said late Tuesday “it is my intention to bring a notice of motion forward requesting the Alberta Government conduct a Municipal inspection of the Administration, the Mayor and Council” .
Why wasn't (the Municipal Inspection) considered last fall when a bunch of residents had concerns and tried to do a petition. Why is it being considered now?
“In July it was considered because it got to a point of where the process had worked through to be able to try to find remedies for the situation externally, prior to getting to the point where we’re at now.”
Wright says he doesn't have a seat at the table with council or the mayor, doesn't have a seat at the table inside the ministry, cant speak to any of those. He can talk about the daily and sometimes hourly emails, sent to the ministry, advocate and send info to the ministry to make sure the outcry by a number of citizens was recognized, was heard and presented.
Who called you and the minister in to meet with council?
Wright said he will have to get back to me on that, he did not want to misspeak.
I asked about the possibility of an independent integrity commissioner to help with these Code of Conduct Complaints being put in place by gov’t.
Wright said he believes that request is being reviewed at this point in time, he has received no communication on it.
