Council Highlights February 6 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.

Councillor Hirsch offered a welcome to new City Manager, Ann Mitchell, and shared a summary of her professional background.

City Council adopted the minutes of the Administrative and Legislative Review Committee meeting of January 18, 2023 into the corporate record and approved the Skills and Competencies Framework as presented, and directed Administration to consult with each board, committee and commission regarding customizing criteria.

City Council adopted the minutes of the Corporate Services Committee of January 12 and January 26, 2023 into the corporate record and approved the following policy amendments:

• Policy 0107 Personal and Travel Expense
  The policy was amended to bring the City’s rates in line with Canada Revenue Agency rates. The review was conducted due to the impacts of inflation on travel and personal expenses including increased fuel, vehicle insurance and meal costs.
• Policy 8045 Conflict of Interest
  The new policy sets out rules and processes for identifying, preventing, reporting, investigating, addressing, and monitoring conflicts of interest in City administration, and replaces the existing Code of Ethics policy (rescinding Policy 8006).
  
  A motion to approve amendments to Policy 8041 Whistleblower was withdrawn, and Council approved a motion directing administration to bring forward options to include investigation timelines for reporting; provisions for training requirements for investigators; and further, to consult with the unions on this policy prior to Council approval.

City Council adopted the minutes of the Economic, Land and Strategic Planning and Development Committee meeting of January 24, 2023 into the corporate record and defeated a motion to provide clarity around the informal rate review request by directing administration to conduct a utility rate review that is specific to our electric generation business and includes outlining the merits of ownership and options for allocating the benefit of ownership across stakeholders and report back to a future council or committee meeting. Council referred the matter back to the Economic, Land and Strategic Planning and Development Committee for further discussion.

City Council adopted the minutes of the Emergency Advisory Committee meeting of January 30, 2023 into the corporate record.

Council adopted the minutes of the Energy and Infrastructure Committee meeting of January 19, 2023 into the corporate record.

City Council adopted the minutes of the Public Services Committee meeting of January 23, 2023 into the corporate record. Arising from the minutes Council:

• gave first reading to Bylaw 4705, the Outdoor Smoking and Vaping Bylaw;
• withdrew a motion to approve Policy 0172, the Designated Smoke and or Vape Area Management Policy (in favour of proceeding with Bylaw 4705 first) and;
• approved the Community Funding Framework as presented for the social, arts, culture and heritage funding streams.

City Council received the minutes of the Police Commission meeting of January 26, 2023 for information.

Under new business, City Council gave first reading to Bylaw 4738, a bylaw of the City of Medicine Hat to authorize debenture borrowing for 2023-2024 capital projects, as presented.

Under new business, City Council appointed Rochelle Pancoast to the Community Futures Entre-Corp Board of Directors as the representative for the City of Medicine Hat.

Under new business, City Council approved a letter of support, in principle, for the Southern Regional Drainage Committee as they seek additional funding from the Province of Alberta in the sum of $12,500,000 to offset additional inflationary increases and complete Phase 1, 2 and 3 of the Horsefly Regional Emergency Spillway Project.