Mayor Linnsie Clark listens during a council meeting on Monday. (Eli J. Ridder/CHAT News)

By Eli J. Ridder | @EliRidder

DEVELOPING

Medicine Hat council delays mayor’s expense ask after explanation filed last minute

Apr 22, 2024 | 7:22 PM

Medicine Hat city council for a second time pushed back Mayor Linnsie Clark’s public ask for a set of financial expenses after receiving her explanation for the request a few minutes before Monday’s regular meeting got underway.

During the April 8 meeting, council ran out of time to address Clark’s written request and voted against continuing past 11 p.m., asking for the mayor to submit an additional document explaining the reasoning behind her ask.

Clark has asked for a detailed accounting of any funds reallocated by the city manager in 2023, employee expenses and staff severances, among other items.

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The written inquiry for inclusion does not include any item to be voted on but is instead an apparent move to bring the specific expenses into the public spotlight.

Coun. Ramona Robins said council received a five-page single-spaced document from Clark at 6:21 p.m., just nine minutes before Monday’s meeting started.

Members of the public applaud as Mayor Linnsie Clark enters the council chambers on Monday. (Eli J. Ridder)

Councillors voted unanimously to push back Clark’s item to the next regular meeting. Clark voted to keep the item on the agenda.

Reaction from the audience was cut short as Coun. Andy McGrogan, who just started his turn as chair of council in Clark’s place, slammed his gavel.

At least a dozen members of the public left the chamber after that.

In an unprecedented decision, council took away most of Clark’s mayoral powers and cut her salary in half, saying that she broke council’s code of conduct during an exchange with City Manager Ann Mitchell during an August 2023 meeting.

‘No applause, no speaking out’

Most of those in the public gallery, for a fourth consecutive public meeting since Clark was sanctioned by council, applauded as the mayor walked into the chamber.

At the outset of the meeting, McGrogan called for order and issued a warning.

“Those who wish to act disrespectfully or disruptive through their words or actions may be expelled from the meeting,” McGrogan said.

“So no applause, no speaking out, no acts of disruptive or disrespectful or disrespectful or intimidating behaviour towards one another.”

There were also changes to the chamber itself and media access to members of council.

Changes were made to the council access points. (Eli J. Ridder/CHAT News)

Chairs were removed from the regular media seating area at the front of the public gallery and reporters were regulated to the back right of the chamber.

New signs were set up at the stairs leading to the horseshoe where councillors and staff sit, stating “Restricted Access”.

Instead of media interviews being conducted on the main floor of the council chamber, they were moved to the public hallway outside the council chamber.

No reason was given for the changes.