Neat to Know: March 26, 2024

Please enjoy this week's edition of Neat to Know, a roundup of City news, updates, and other important information. You can expect to see the week's most interesting content and even some that may have not been delivered through our regular channels. 

Code of conduct sanctions

We understand the decision to impose sanctions on Mayor Linnsie Clark from the special meeting on March 21st has raised questions about the operations of our city.

City of Medicine Hat employees remain focused on delivering essential municipal services without interruption. From ensuring public safety to maintaining infrastructure and providing critical resources, our team will continue to support and enhance the well-being of our community. Residents will not see a disruption to their services.

For those seeking further clarification or information regarding the recent decisions made by City Council, we encourage you to contact your council directly.

Council statement  Administration statement  Contact Council

Our contest quest is over, but we're still a strong town

Playoff hockey is back in Medicine Hat! For the convenience of Tigers fans, Medicine Hat Transit is pleased to offer the Co-op Place Express service to make your trip to the game as easy and pleasant as possible!

For $5 round trip, you can enjoy transportation to and from the games in the first round of the 2024 WHL Playoffs at Co-op Place. With two convenient pick-up points at the Medicine Hat Mall and the Downtown Transit Terminal, including free parking, the Co-op Place Express is your effortless way to attend the game. 

Buses will depart from the pick-up locations at approximately 6 p.m. and provide a direct, express route to Co-op Place. Following the game, head back out to the drop-off point and hop back on the correct express route to be transported to your original departure location. It's that easy!

Visit the Co-op Place Express website to learn more

Yard waste collection beings April 8

Pull those green carts out of the garage because yard waste collection begins again on April 8!

Don't have a green cart? For a one-time service fee of $50, we will deliver a green vented 95-gallon organic waste cart to the front of your property. 

Find out what can go in your organic waste cart

When in drought...

There's no doubt that southern Alberta is facing another severely dry summer, and that drought conditions are likely. We remain hopeful that spring precipitation may bring relief, but we want to reassure our residents that your city representatives are actively working with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas and collaborating closely with multiple regional agencies to  align efforts and ensure prioritized use of anticipated limited water availability across the South Saskatchewan River basin this year.

Since last fall, Medicine Hat remains in Phase 1 of our Water Shortage Management Plan with voluntary water conservation measures in place. We are monitoring this situation closely and will communicate broadly as the situation evolves.

Water shortage management

Saamis Heights special use access/egress

We acknowledge the concern from Saamis Heights residents when the intersection of Sierra Boulevard SW and South Ridge Drive SW is limited or closed to traffic. Until the Cimarron lands south of Saamis Heights are developed and a full second access is realized, we are supporting the area with a two-way access that can be used in special situations only.

Last fall, we widened the existing 'emergency vehicle only' access to Saamis Heights (where the multi-use trail meets South Ridge Drive SE) so that traffic can both come and go when Sierra Boulevard SW is blocked. 

Remember, the access is not available for regular every-day use. Emergency personnel will determine if and when the access will be open and will direct traffic accordingly.

Tax sale auction

Have you ever wondered "what happens if someone just doesn't pay their property taxes?" Well, we have an answer for that - but it's one we try to avoid at all costs!

Tax collection is governed by the Municipal Government Act and authorizes the municipality to offer the property for sale at public auction.  We choose the last possible legislated date (last business day in March) to hold the auction to provide the owner the longest time to arrange payment. This year's auction is slated for Thursday, March 28 at 9 a.m.

Any parcels considered for sale this year will have been in arrears since 2021. We prefer to have no properties offered for auction and our collections team works incredibly hard to arrange payment plans with owners to reduce the list of properties down to zero. We're proud to say that the 2024 list has decreased from the time it was presented at Corporate Services committee on February 8 with 12 properties, to only two properties at the time you receive this edition 'Neat to Know' in your inbox. We're still hoping to get to zero by Thursday. In the last four years, only three properties were offered for sale with only one property actually changing hands.

Learn more about the tax recovery process

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