Council Highlights December 18 2023

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.

City Council adopted the following items into the corporate record:

• Public Services Committee Meeting Minutes of November 27, 2023
• Energy, Land & Environment Committee Meeting Minutes of December 7, 2023

City Council received the following items for information:

• Public Services Committee Outstanding Items of November 27, 2023
• Regular Medicine Hat City Council of December 18, 2023
• Land and Environment Committee Outstanding Items of December 7, 2023
• Towne Square 2023 Season Overview

City Council defeated a motion that a Towne Square 2024 Season Update be moved to early in Q3 of 2024 on the Public Services Committee Outstanding Items List.

Kevin Redden, Director of Environment, Land and Gas Production; and Adria Coombs, Manager of Environmental Strategy and Compliance, Environment, Land and Gas Production, introduced external consultants from WSP, Shawn Bravender, Community Engagement Lead and Kirsten MacKenzie, Senior Advisor, Sustainability. Following the presentation, City Council passed a motion to approve the environment topics and related goals presented in the draft Environmental Framework as the initial step in Environmental Framework implementation, and receive the remaining draft Environmental Framework for information, with administration returning to council with a final Environmental Framework with related funding requirements for approval by April 30, 2024  

Under unfinished business:

• City Council approved a motion to direct administration to bring forward a Procedure Bylaw amendment to allow for adjustment of the start time or cancellation of the Closed Council meetings to be determined at agenda review based on agenda items.  

Under new business:

• City Council approved the distribution of the Two-Year Festival Grants and the Community Projects and Activities Grants as per the Community Vibrancy Advisory Board recommendations, as presented, and directed Administration to review the One-Year Festival Grants to ensure an appropriate level of Canada Day celebrations occurs in 2024, including recommending additional grant funding if deemed necessary, as presented. The One-Year Festival Grant recommendations will be brought forward to a future City Council meeting. The awarded grants were as follows:
  • Community Projects and Activities Grants - Total $11,500
    • RoadWorn Productions & Management
      Porchfest 2024 will be a free presentation of local musicians performing from Southeast Hill porches, with the addition of a grand finale performance at Central Park. The funding will go to the performers.
      $7,000
    • Strathcona Art Studios
      An outdoor arts and crafts show and sale for the public featuring the water colour artists and various crafts groups which meet at the Veiner Centre.
      $500
    • Urban Trees Collective
      An interactive projection arts installation that celebrates the connection between the Medicine Hat community and their trees.
      $4,000
  • Two-Year Festival Grants - Total $66,000
    • Medicine Hat Jazz Society
      For the annual Medicine Hat JazzFest activities, specifically free daytime outdoor concerts on the front lawn of the Esplanade and shows presented for elementary school children.
      $16,000
    • Medicine Hat Skateboard Association
      For the July 1st Beat the Heat festival with a focus on families to bring community together and showcase athletic, arts and cultural groups in Medicine Hat.
      $19,000
    • Medicine Hat Folk Music Club
      A week-long Tongue on the Post Folk Music festival celebrating Folk Music in and around Medicine Hat in the middle of the winter.
      $13,500
    • Willy Taillon – Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival
      Multi-day Hot Air Balloon Festival inclusive to everyone in the city and surrounding areas.
      $17,000
    • Rotary Club of Medicine Hat Music Festival Society
      A two-week performance experience for all levels of children and youth, with professional adjudicators and live performances.
      $500

• City Council received the 2024-2026 Corporate Strategic Objectives for information, as presented by Director of Corporate Planning and Performance, Sarosh Bhatti.
• City Council approved the public member appointments to the designated advisory boards and commissions as follows:

• City Council approved a motion regarding potential disclosure of public salaries as follows:
  
  WHEREAS the City of Medicine Hat is a public sector organization dedicated to serving our residents and our community; and
  
  WHEREAS the City of Medicine Hat recognizes its responsibility as a public sector employer, whereby we must balance providing competitive compensation with sustainability in the stewardship of public dollars; and
  
  WHEREAS disclosing compensation aligns with Council Strategic Priorities of Service Orientation and Partnerships and Governance which relate to Accountability and Transparency.
  
  THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT City Council instruct the City Manager to prepare a jurisdictional scan of Compensation disclosure lists of other municipalities, to review the risks and benefits of a Compensation disclosure list and prepare a Report to Council for review by the end of March 2024.

Under Committee Business:

• City Council approved an increase to the ELGP - 2023 Major Operating Expense – Environmental Framework project funding from $200,000 to $280,000, as presented. This includes $80,000 from third party grant Alberta Municipalities, Municipal Climate Change Action Centre for climate assessment risk and resilience incorporation into the Environmental Framework.
• City Council approved a motion to postpone the authorization to offer 532 South Railway Street S.E. for sale back to administration to gather further information and return to the February 5, 2024 City Council meeting.

Councillor Robins offered two Notices of Motion to be discussed at the next meeting:

• That City Administration prepare a Downtown Enhancement Grant Program and criteria for Council’s review for Downtown businesses which could provide funding for extra security and cleaning measures which may include cameras, motion detector lights and enhanced cleaning of properties.
• That City Administration prepare a Capital Project Grant Program for nonprofit agencies to create eligibility criteria for Council’s review with recommendations about different options for the amount of grant money dedicated to the program.