Council Highlights April 7, 2025

This summary provides a brief overview of City Council meetings and does not reflect all discussion and debate. For full details, download the agenda package or watch the full meeting on the City of Medicine Hat’s YouTube channel .

Under Councillor Announcements:

• Councillor Sharps advised that the Saamis Tepee will be lit orange on April 11 and 12 to recognize the Medicine Hat Tigers’ playoff run.
• City Manager Mitchell introduced Jilian Campbell, who commenced in the role of Managing Director of Corporate Services on March 31, 2025.

City Council received the following items into the corporate record: 

• Public Services Committee Meeting Minutes of March 10, 2025
• Administrative and Legislative Review Meeting Minutes of March 11, 2025
• Emergency Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of March 18, 2025
• Public Services Committee Meeting Minutes of March 24, 2025
• Corporate Services Committee Meeting Minutes of March 27, 2025

City Council received the following items for information: 

• Fire and Emergency Services 2024 Year in Review Report
• Public Services Committee Action Items of March 10, 2025
• Administrative and Legislative Review Committee Action Items of March 11, 2025
• Public Services Committee Action Items of March 24, 2025
• Corporate Services Committee Action Items of March 27, 2025

Under Unfinished Business (postponed from the March 17, 2025 meeting):

• City Council approved a motion directing Administration to adjust policy to publish, twice per year, in the spring and fall, all Senior Administration expenses including line-item details including without limitation business travel, meals and hosting and employee recognition for the Senior Administration. Senior Management includes the City Manager, Managing Directors and Directors. Council directs Administration to complete this by the end of Q2 2025.
• City Council approved a motion directing Administration to provide Council with the zoning status report of 737 8 Street SE, including the dates the building was zoned for its present purpose and existing conditions related to its operation.

Under New Business, City Council:

• Approved the renaming of Devonian Trail to Kiwanis Centennial Trail.
• Approved a purchase order revision of $34,000.00, for a total revised purchase order amount of $814,992.64, for the Construction and Commissioning Manager services of the WTP Residuals Management Project.
• Approved a funding request of $675,000 to engage third parties in the detailed due diligence phase for the Saamis Solar development project. The detailed due diligence is an important phase of the project development work that is necessary to inform a decision to proceed or not proceed with construction of the Saamis Solar project.
• Postponed the following motion until June 2, 2025: a motion directing administration to provide a line-item report on a quarterly basis, coinciding with the audit report, that includes the following information:
  • A cumulative summary of all severance agreements; and
  • Details of any bonuses awarded during the reporting period
• Approved a motion directing administration to provide Council an analysis of whether the items in 10.4 and 10.5 (cumulative summary of all severance agreements; and details of any bonuses awarded during the reporting period, as well as data such as the total number of employees, [onsite and remote] contractors, consultants, voluntary terminations, involuntary terminations, safety stats such as WCB lost time, short term disability and long-term disability statistics) would be disclosable pursuant to a FOIP Act request, by June 2, 2025.
• Postponed the following motion until June 2, 2025: a motion directing administration to prepare HR metrics similar to those published by the City of Calgary and other municipalities on the city website under the People Services section. This should include data such as the total number of employees, (onsite and remote) contractors, consultants, voluntary terminations, involuntary terminations, safety stats such as WCB lost time, short term disability and long-term disability statistics.
• Council postponed the following motion until June 16, 2025 City Council Meeting and directed administration to prepare a presentation for Council’s information to be delivered on June 16th 2025 at the Regular Council Meeting: a motion directing administration to identify alternative suppliers to Amazon and all U.S.-based vendors, and where feasible and consistent with applicable trade agreements, prioritize local suppliers. Additionally, I propose that council direct administration to provide a report back on the increase in local spending.

Under Committee Business, City Council:

• Approved a budget amendment of $3,459,519 for a one-time, Operating Initiative for the Parks and Recreation Department’s application for the Growing Canada’s Community Canopies (GCCC) grant. The GCCC grant would provide $1,709,519, with the City of Medicine Hat’s contribution funded through Reserves in the amount of $1,750,000.
• Approved the distribution of the 2025 Community Vibrancy Grants in the Community Projects and Activities stream as per the Community Vibrancy Advisory Board recommendations, and a transfer of $10,000 in Community Vibrancy Grant funding to the Community Microgrant – Neighbourhood Connections stream. Grants were awarded as follows:

• Gave first reading to Bylaw 4848, 2025 Property Tax Bylaw. City Council approved the amended 2025 Municipal Operating Budget on December 16, 2024. Adoption of the 2025 Property Tax Bylaw will enable the City to levy and collect sufficient taxes to provide the funding identified in the budget to support expenses, requisitions and transfers. The 2025 Municipal Services Budget has been approved by City Council requiring $94,585,383 of tax revenue. A presentation on the bylaw will be provided at the April 22 meeting.
• Gave first reading to Bylaw 4849 – 2025 Supplementary Tax Bylaw.
• Gave first reading to Bylaw 4850 – Tax and Assessment Electronic Communications Options.
• Gave first reading to Bylaw 4831 – to Amend the Procedure Bylaw related to Public Hearings.

Mayor Clark gave notice of the following motion:

• Council directs administration to immediately pay and reimburse legal fees incurred by Mayor Clark to date in relation to the Giorno legal opinion, the Reorg, City Manager Mitchell’s defamation allegation, the Code of Conduct, the JR, or otherwise in the course of her duties, in the amount of $76,017.62.