Coun. Andy McGrogan hopes a municipal inspection would improve potential generational issues at city hall. File Photo/CHAT News

By Eli J. Ridder

Medicine Hat councillor says provincial review could address generational issues at city hall

Aug 29, 2024 | 7:20 PM

Coun. Andy McGrogan said Thursday his proposal for a provincial review could help council find any gaps in the way city hall operates and address generational issues that may have led to procedural missteps and misalignments between Medicine Hat’s elected representatives and staff.

McGrogan revealed he would bring forward a notice of motion to council to request a municipal inspection from the Alberta government earlier this week, a proposal that Mayor Linnsie Clark said earlier Thursday she would consider with an open mind.

His proposal was prepared before a Calgary justice in a ruling Monday agreed Clark broke council code of conduct but found council’s imposed sanctions were “unreasonable” and restored her powers and salary.

The councillor and former police chief wants to move on.

“There’s still a lot of conversation in the community about who’s right and who’s wrong and quite frankly, it’s irrelevant,” McGrogan said.

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The ruling from McGrogan’s point of view puts the issue to bed and now the city needs to figure out how to operate better now and into the future.

“This is a really good example, this incident, if we want to call it that, of August the 21st where you could say that the mayor was right procedurally — but let’s say, if generationally we’ve always done it that way, how can we change to do it better so that we’re all aligned?”

READ: Mayor Clark open-minded about inspection request, she says

Clark asked several questions critical of process followed for a reorganization of city hall carried out by city manager Ann Mitchell during a public council meeting on Aug. 21, 2023.

Council found the mayor failed to treat Mitchell with courtesy, dignity and respect during that exchange, leading to a code of conduct complaint, a third-party investigation and a report that councillors used as a basis to limit Clark’s powers and cut her salary.

“I hope is that the inspection, if council decides that we’re going to do it, will really shed a lot of new light and probably close to the end of our term, which hopefully will set the stage for the next group that come in and they have a bit of a clearer direction,” McGrogan said.

Coun. Andy McGrogan spoke to CHAT News about his municipal inspection request on Thursday. Bob Schnieder/CHAT News

A municipal inspection in Alberta is an investigation ordered by the municipal affairs minister that may look at any issues or concerns within the municipality to ensure council and administration are acting appropriately and in accordance with provincial legislation, according to the Municipal Government Act.

An inspection may be ordered in response to a request by a city council, a petition from residents or serious issues brought to the minister’s attention, according to an overview from the province.

The entire process can take between six and 18 months. The inspector may review the municipality’s council meetings, bylaws, finances, and other documents. In addition, the inspector may interview anyone they feel is necessary.

‘Man on the moon’

McGrogan hopes an inspection by the province would address gaps like the alignment between council’s strategic plan and what its elected representatives actually prioritize.

“You could say we’re going to land a man on the moon and it relates to our strategic plan here, you could almost take anything and find something,” he said.

“Do we need to be more specific in our strategic plan? Would that be more helpful for admin? The relationship between staff, city manager and council, and have we got that right generationally? Maybe not just this council, but councils before us?”

“My view is let’s get it right. But it is the decision of council, and I think what’s really important to me is let’s get this conversation in open, in the public, and it’s not a matter of who’s right and who’s wrong. It’s a matter of can we do better for the next 10 years.”

A petition by residents calling for a municipal inspection gained thousands of signatures in fall 2023 and a letter signed by a few dozen earlier this year made the same request. Those petitions did not find any traction.

Until it was later revealed that municipal affairs minister Ric McIver met with council for a mediation attempt in July, it was believed the Alberta government was avoiding intervention in Medicine Hat.

McGrogan revealed Thursday one of three options that council discussed with McIver in a July meeting was a municipal inspection.

The other two were related to mediation that already been attempted, according to the councillor.

Council meets next on Sept. 3, with just over a year to the next municipal election. McGrogan wants this term of council to finish strong.

“Let’s finish our last year in a way that brings value to the citizens.”