UPDATED - The Municipal Inspection Report Will Be Presented to Council July 21 2025
City Hall June 2025 - Kelly Allard
EDIT - previous headline said “Municipal Inspection Report - When Is It Coming?”
Background
October 29 2024 - 255 days ago Ric McIver (the Minister of Municipal Affairs at the time) ordered a municipal inspection of the City of Medicine Hat. Ian McCormack, president of Strategic Steps, was named as the inspector. The inspection was to cover the management, administration, and operations of the City of Medicine Hat. The inspector was given the power to follow the investigation wherever it took him when investigating the following -
the roles and responsibilities of council and administration, including members of council engaging in administrative functions;
council making decisions outside of council meetings;
members of council's adherence to respectful workplace policies;
processes for the approval of unbudgeted expenditures; and
policies and procedures related to organizational structure, including
the establishment/disestablishment of staff positions and the establishment of designated officers reporting to council.
Source - October 29 2024 Ministerial Order
This inspection was requested by a divided Council after a motion by Councillor McGrogan at the September 3 2024 council meeting; it was seconded by Councillor Hider.
This was the first meeting after Mayor Clark was restored to her position as Council Chair. The mayor offered her apology to City Manager Ann Mitchell but Mitchell then requested the mayor apologize to the public and everybody in the organization. That request was not well-received, there was a chorus of boos from the residents in council chambers. This occurs at the 12 minute mark of this YouTube video.
From Sep 3 2025 Minutes
This motion came 10 months after local resident Nicole Frey started a petition to force a municipal inspection and eight days after the August 26 2024 Justice Rosemary Nation decision on the Judicial Review of the Mayoral Sanctions.
“Justice Nation struck the vast majority of the sanctions levied against Mayor Clark, finding that they were “overwhelmingly disproportionate” and that “no reasonable municipal council” would have imposed them.”
The Council vote for the inspection was not unanimous; Mayor Clark along with Councillors Robins and Van Dyke all voted no. This vote came after a vote to extend the meeting past 11pm so they could address it at this meeting instead of waiting until the next one. Again, that vote was not unanimous; Mayor Clark and Councillor Robins both voted no.
That meeting can be watched here. The exchange about the motion starts at 4:20:45. There is some back and forth between Councillor McGrogan and Mayor Clark as well as a back and forth between Councillor Sharps and Mayor Clark.
Counting the Days Until the October 20 2025 Civic Election
None of the sitting council members have filed nomination papers for this year’s election, some have told the Medicine Hat Owl that they are awaiting the Municipal Inspection Report. Councillor Robins has stated that she will not run again, she is taking a sabbatical starting before the end of the term.
Here are the dates the Inspection Report could be received by Council and the day count until election day.
Jul 11 2025 101 days until election day
As of this morning, 6 people have filed their nomination papers for Council. There are none for mayor at this time.
Jul 21 2025 91 days until election day
Next Council meeting - this is the earliest date that Council can receive the Municipal Inspection unless they schedule a special meeting.
Aug 18 2025 63 days until election day
The next Council meeting date; Council takes a break in the first 2 weeks of August.
Sep 2 2025 48 days until election day
Council meeting
Sep 16 2025 34 days until election day
Council meeting
Sep 22 2025 28 days until election day
Nominations close
Oct 20 2025 Election Day
