Mayor Says Vacancies In City Financial Dept., “Red Flag.”

Mayor Linnsie Clark speaking with Medicine Hat Owl reporter Kelly Allard on Tuesday Feb. 11. (Photo Thomas Fougere)

Mayor Linnsie Clark expressed frustration with the continuing scene unfolding at city hall in an interview with the Medicine Hat Owl this week. And it’s clear there continues to be unresolved internal issues within the confines of city hall.

The departure of the city’s chief financial officer as well as vacancies in key positions connected with municipal coffers should be viewed as a warning sign, she said.

“To me, this is a serious red flag. I’m very, very concerned about it,” said Clark about Dennis Egert’s position as corporate services managing director suddenly being vacated.

The departure in early January was a complete surprise, she said.

That departure is in addition to vacancies connected to city finances including financial controller, municipal treasurer and a director’s position which reported to Egert, the mayor added.

“But, of course, not everyone agrees it’s any of council’s business. I say it 100 per cent is a governance issue when you have that many key financial governance positions absent at the same time,” said Clark.

Former corporate services managing director Dennis Egert and city manager Ann Mitchell. (File Photo)

At the very least, she said, the number of vacancies is putting stress on those in the city’s finance department left to fill the void.

Clark said she’s not been kept apprised of the apparent rehiring of Brian Stauth as executive leadership team advisor following his retirement at the end of 2024 as managing director of public services.

Stauth took on the managing director position for what was announced as a one-year term following Brian Mastel quitting the position in March 2023. Stauth’s term in the position was initially supposed to end in March 2024 but was extended to the end of the year.

 “I do not have any visibility on that,” said Clark of the apparent rehiring. “I think we should know what’s going on with our executive.”

The mayor confirmed she’s had an interview with the investigator charged with overseeing the province’s municipal inspection.

Clark said she can’t share details of that discussion but reasserted her opinion there’s issues with how provincial legislation governing municipalities is being interpreted.

And there remains lingering remnants of the sanctions placed on the mayor nearly a year ago from a code of conduct complaint, namely, the ability to communicate with staff.

A Calgary judge overturned nearly all of the sanctions in August with the exception of an apology to city manager Ann Mitchell for the minor tiff at the August 21, 2023 council meeting. Justice Rosemary Nation sent back to council to narrow the scope the sanction regarding access to all administrative areas of city hall and staff.

Clark also described the impact of sanctions when it comes to her performing mayoral duties.

Mayor Clark announcing in May 2024 her intention to launch a judicial review of sanctions levelled against her in front of supporters at city hall. (File Photo)

“If you think about what types of things might amount to abusive behaviour, workplace abuse, certainly withholding information that someone needs to do their job, isolating them, having different rules for different people or applying the same rules differently for different people – those types of things certainly would count as workplace abuse,” said Clark.

But while Clark lamented having “a couple of crummy years” she added she is thankful in having the ability to speak out publicly under the protection of the Charter of Rights.

“Given the extent, disproportionality between what the action was and what the sanctions were – which a court found and confirmed – in some countries, the price might have been even more severe than taking away my livelihood,” said Clark.

The mayor indicated she is still flummoxed at the sanctions which councillors portrayed as way to get her to apologize for her August 2023 exchange with the city manager.

“I have apologized. I apologized when I said I was going to apologize. And then, even at that meeting when I apologized, the (municipal) inspection was entirely directed at me and now this other sanction is still somewhat in play,” said Clark.

That motion for a municipal inspection filed by Coun. Andy McGrogan after the judicial review decision and following the mayor’s first opportunity to issue an apology – which she did –  made such a statement key.

The motion read, in part, “on March 21, 2024 Council members imposed a number of sanctions on the Mayor in an effort to, at least, have the Mayor apologize in hopes that the functional working relationship between the parties could be restored.”

Regarding the city manager meeting with individuals who have publicly declared their intent to run for council this fall, such meetings also took place during the last election specifically with Invest Medicine Hat.

A welcome back card making the rounds of city hall chambers during the September 2024 council meeting marking the return of Mayor Clark to the chair position following a judicial review overturning council’s sanctions against her. (File Photo)

The city’s then economic development arm was embroiled in scandal during the 2021 election when it was revealed staff had formed a private company to bid on a municipal contract to outsource the work.

The mayor said when it comes to private meetings between the city manager and candidates, “I will be interested to even hear about what she says because obviously, she has her own perspective as to what council’s job is.”

Clark added she knows of no reporting mechanisms that would revel when meetings occur between the city manager and council candidates.

“It is important how it looks,” said Clark generally when it comes to meetings between staff and the public. “The perception of bias is as important as bias and so we have to be careful about that and sometimes it’s helpful for someone to say, ‘I’m uncomfortable about that.’”

The municipal election will be held on Oct. 20.