Nicole Frey spoke to CHAT News in front of city hall. (CHAT News)

By Eli J. Ridder | @EliRidder

Organizers of failed Medicine Hat mayoral recall petition hope city takes resident concerns seriously

Dec 11, 2023 | 6:05 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Despite failing to remove the mayor, supporters of the recall petition said Monday they hope it sends a message to city to improve its communication and be more transparent with its actions.

“It is a good showing of support from the community about our unhappiness with the current council, mayor and administration,” petition organizer Nicole Frey told CHAT News.

“It speaks to the lack of transparency and accountability that we’ve been asking for,” Frey added during an interview in front of city hall.

“I hope that, even though we didn’t meet the requirements for the act, that they take heed and they take notice and they take us seriously.”

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Mayor Linnsie Clark, not wanting to speak on the matter until the official deadline for the petition passed Monday, is scheduled to speak to media on Tuesday morning.

The petition received 7,843 physical signatures with the deadline looming Monday, organizers confirmed to CHAT News on Sunday, about two-thirds short of the numbers of signatories required.

Frey, who led the mayor recall effort, acknowledged it would be a difficult task to get the required signatures of 40 per cent of eligible voters, about 25,000 residents.

The recall petition was launched on Oct. 12 by Frey, who said then it was not an attack on the mayor but a response to broader dysfunction at city hall.

The City of Medicine Hat recently decided to “temporarily limit communication” with Frey, saying requests she has made to staff have been “accusatory and unconstructive.”

A petition calling on the municipality to inspect the City of Medicine Hat was started by Frey soon after the recall effort.

That petition has received 7,937 signatures so far, short of the 20 per cent of the population required for an inspection.