Council will deliberate recommendations from the city solicitor's office on Monday. File Photo/CHAT News

By Eli J. Ridder

CITY HALL

Medicine Hat steps closer to adding third-party integrity commissioner

Jun 12, 2024 | 4:18 PM

The City of Medicine Hat is getting closer to adding a third-party arbiter for complaints against its elected leaders as part of a proposed update to its council code of conduct.

A report from the city solicitor’s office outlining how the city could get an integrity commissioner to deal with formal complaints came before the administrative and legislative review committee on Tuesday.

Council interrupted its process to update the code of conduct bylaw — rules at the core of an ongoing leadership crisis at city hall — in April to ask staff to look into the possibility of an integrity commissioner.

Coun. Andy McGrogan, who chaired the committee meeting, said Wednesday the recommendations produced by staff are aligned with what council was looking for and the right direction to take.

WHAT'S ON

Here is what's on this weekend in Medicine Hat and area: Dec. 13-15

17h ago

IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Mustard Seed adding new shelter spaces at Alberta government's request

Dec 12, 2024

HOLIDAYS

Medicine Hat Kiwanis hosting Christmas dinner, applications due Friday

Dec 12, 2024

“It really seems like the way to go because it just really puts a third-person lens on it so we’re not investigating ourselves, which is always an issue,” McGrogan told CHAT News.

Coun. Andy McGrogan says he would like to see the integrity comissioner in place by the end of 2024. File Photo/CHAT News

The way it’s currently organized, conduct complaints are filtered by the committee, an approach that could expose council members to a conflict of interest.

The amount of time suggested by staff to get the policy implemented, open an application process and, finally, get an integrity commissioner in place seemed too long to McGrogan and Coun. Ramona Robins, who joined the committee so it could meet quorum.

“It does seem a long way out,” McGrogan said of the proposed timeline that would see the commissioner in place by next year.

“Part of the discussion with council is going to be the timeline and [we’ll] try to tighten it up a little bit.”

McGrogran added that, ideally, he would like to have the commissioner in place by the end of 2024 at the latest.

Having passed through the committee level, the recommendations will come before all of council during its public meeting on Monday.

There, council will deliberate on the proposed amendments to the Bylaw No. 4805 to bring about the changes.