City biz, Memorial Cup bid to be conducted under shadow of provincial investigation
Mayor Linnsie Clark addresses supporters this spring during her announcement of her intention to file a judicial review. (File Photo)
It was an evening that began with an apology and expressions of hard feelings at Medicine Hat city council Monday night. And, for a time, the bitterness appeared to fade as councillors got down to business. But as its regular meeting ended, sore feelings came back with a vengeance.
By the end, councillors voted for a provincially led investigation into administration and city council during a marathon meeting that ended as the midnight hour approached.
The meeting began with a mea culpa from Mayor LInnsie Clark acknowledging the harm of her actions on others during the Aug. 21, 2023 exchange with city manager Ann Mitchell.
That was followed by a truly unprecedented remark by Mitchell which foreshadowed just how deep the divisions are at city hall as she requested a further apology from the mayor.
“I do recognize that my comments did cause hurt feelings around this table and I’m sorry for that,” said the mayor, followed by an echoing of the applause from the gallery which greeted Clark’s entrance to the chambers.
But Mitchell indicated the apology didn’t go far enough, asking the mayor to broaden its scope.
A card expressing well wishes to Mayor Linnsie Clark makes the round at Medicine Hat council during its regular meeting on Tuesday Sept. 3, 2024.
“I would ask that you extend the apology to the community and to everybody else in this organization as well as myself and those around this table for the damage it has done,” said Mitchell to boos and jeers from the gallery.
Despite the exchange, the meeting featuring a packed agenda that proceeded with thoughtful discussion and debate along with unanimous after unanimous votes.
That is, until the end when any apparent goodwill between council and administration went out the door along with the chances of accomplishing anything of note for the rest of the term.
Everything from council’s decision earlier in the evening to support a bid for the Memorial Cup to the purchasing a solar farm will now be done under the shadow of a provincial investigation into municipal operations.
During the at times disjointed debate over the motion forwarded by Coun. Andy McGrogan to call in the province to investigate the city’s operations, council voted by a margin of six to three in favour.
The debate began with Coun. Shila Sharps questioning the process of the motion’s introduction, stating it had been filed, “well in a week in advance so it should be on the agenda.”
City Manager Ann Mitchell:
“I would ask that you extend the apology to the community and to everybody else in this organization as well as myself and those around this table for the damage it has done.”
The notice of motion, filed six days prior and dated Aug. 28, still proceeded following a vote to move it forward with the requisite two-thirds majority vote.
During the debate, Coun. Robert Dumanowski indicated there may be residents taking pleasure in the conflict at city hall.
“This has been difficult on everybody. Either the public enjoys it because it gives them something to talk about – I hate to say it because on one hand, it creates conversation - but it has sown issues of trust and bitterness in some,” said Dumanowski.
He described Alberta’s Court of King’s Bench as employing wizardry in hearing and issuing a decision in the judicial review launched by the mayor over the sanctions placed on her earlier this year. And he suggested that same process could be employed by the province in investigating how the city is operating.
“Just like the judicial review was supposed to take months or a year before it was heard and months before a decision was rendered, somehow, magically, it was expedited,” said Dumanowski as he waved his hands in the air. “And somehow, magically, a decision rendered very quickly thereafter.”
Concerns regarding timelines, cost and impact to staff and city operations, by those who voted against and in favour of a provincial investigation, were brushed aside by council’s vote to support the motion.
Along with the mayor, councillors Ramona Robins and Alison Van Dyke were the only dissenting votes.
City manager Ann Mitchell also endorsed the provincial investigation.