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Clugston focuses on optimism at Mayor`s Levee

Jan 3, 2017 | 2:14 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Mayor Ted Clugston kicked off the year with discussion of 2016’s accomplishments during the annual Mayor’s Levee on Sunday.

The event, a gathering to mark the start of the new year, saw dozens of people come by to speak with the mayor and city councillors, who were on hand serving drinks and refreshments.

“It’s a great event, I’m always glad to see people come out and celebrate the new year,” said Clugston at the event.

Clugston says the city worked to accomplish a number of goals in 2016, including opening the Family Leisure Centre, but admits the big concern for the year was the economy.

“2016 was a challenging year for the city and the province with tough economic times,” he said.

However there is some optimism going into 2017.

The city has plans to drill 211 wells over the next 3 years. In December work had already started on 4 wells.

“The city’s goal has been to drill within that hour, hour and a half drive from Medicine Hat so we can put our people back to work and have a spin-off on the local economy,” said Clugston.

“We did that on purpose, we’re not drilling way up north, we’re drilling here in this area because we believe we can be part of the solution.”

Clugston says three of the four wells are doing very well, calling the first one a major success.

“About 120 barrels a day of oil,” he said. “This is a new find, it’s not an existing field, this is a new field we found.”