Council Highlights November 20 2023

Under Councillor Announcements, Councillor Robins gave notice of two motions to be discussed at a meeting in January.

1. A motion to direct City administration to prepare a Capital Project Grant Program for non-profit agencies and to create eligibility criteria for Council’s review with recommendations about different options for the amount of grant money dedicated to the program.
2. A motion to direct City administration to 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.

City Council adopted the following items into the corporate record:

• Emergency Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of October 30, 2023
• Energy, Land and Environment Committee Meeting Minutes of November 2, 2023

City Council received the following items for information:

• 2023 Hazard Review: Severe Wind
• Energy, Land and Environment Committee Outstanding Items

Acting Managing Director of Energy, Land and Environment, Kevin Redden, introduced Bylaw 4795 - Proposed Lane Closure / Lot Consolidation - 240A 4th Avenue SW. The owner of 240A 4th Avenue SW will be acquiring the land asset on an "as is" basis. The proposed use is to create a larger residential lot with this adjacent lot. Following a public hearing, City Council passed Bylaw 4795.

Manager of Energy Marketing and Business Analysis, Travis Tuchscherer, introduced Bylaw 4798, a bylaw to Amend the Gas Utility Bylaw. The amendment would see a single rate for residential, small business and commercial customers based on wholesale market commodity prices calculated monthly based on the procurement cost for the month of consumption. This proposed structure would be in effect until a third-party review of the City of Medicine Hat’s energy business (COMCO) is complete. A non-statutory public hearing followed.  

Under new business, Managing Director of Corporate Services, Dennis Egert, introduced the 2024 Budget Update. The 2023-2024 budget was approved in December 2022 and an annual update is conducted to ensure necessary changes are appropriately reviewed and approved.

Accounting Supervisor, Aaron Hoimyr, presented the proposed Municipal 2024 Operating, Capital and Major Operating Expense Amendments. Following the presentation, City Council approved:

• the amended Municipal 2024 Operating Budget, as presented
• the amended 2024 Capital Budget, Major Operating Expense (MOE) and funding Sources, as presented.
• the amended 2023 Capital Budget Funding Sources, as presented.

Manager of Energy Marketing & Business Analysis, Travis Tuchscherer presented the proposed Energy, Land and Environment Commodity Based Business Unit 2024 Budget Amendments. Following the presentation, City Council approved the amendments to the 2024 Operating and Tangible Capital Asset Budgets for the commodity-based energy business unit (COMCO), as presented.

Overall highlights of the updates include:

• Progress to reduce the 2024 Municipal budget gap by $0.8M (from $7.0M to $6.3M), largely because of a larger investment portfolio than previously anticipated.
• Commodity business unit earnings are anticipated to improve $26.6M from the previous 2024 budget largely because of higher forecasted energy prices and more economic opportunities to optimize electric generation assets.
• 2024 Commodity budgeted earnings are anticipated to drop more than 50% when compared to 2023 forecasted earnings.
• an increase to the 3rd Street renewal project by $3.58M for a total projected cost of $6.98M due to inflationary pressures and scope changes to save operating and maintenance costs and create efficiencies in future projects.
• The repurposing of a previously approved Medicine Hat Police Service $0.25M capital project to replace existing equipment worth $0.13M, resulting in a net savings of $0.12M.

City Council passed Bylaw 4798 to Amend the Gas Utility Bylaw (a non-statutory public hearing was held earlier in the meeting).

Under new business, Councillor Sharps introduced a conversation regarding closed meetings and how pre-scheduling closed meetings may create opportunity for items to be added to a closed agenda unnecessarily. Following discussion, City Council approved a motion to direct administration to review the council meeting structure related to closed meetings and bring recommendations for consideration to the December 18, 2023 City Council meeting.

Under notices of motion, Councillor Sharps made a motion that Administration be directed to draft a policy that ensures a safe workplace consistent with the City’s obligation under applicable Occupational Health and Safety legislation by prohibiting violence, harassment, and discrimination directed at employees by members of the public, or by an employee towards a member of the public, and which includes a process that allows for restrictions on communication from members of the public toward members of Council and/or City Staff, where warranted, and further, that administration bring this policy back through the Administrative and Legislative Review Committee prior to coming back to council for review. Council approved the motion.

Under notices of motion, Councillor Sharps introduced a motion that a process for employees and the public to file a complaint against council members be included in the revisions to the Code of Conduct Bylaw that are currently underway and for staff to come back with options for consideration through the Administrative and Legislative Review Committee. Council approved the motion.