In packed agenda, Medicine Hat council to consider code of conduct, energy future, new funds

The code of conduct is a requirement of the Alberta government. So is updating the code every four years.

Councillors and the mayor will get a thorough introduction to the types of decisions that face council amid a national energy transition.

Rochelle Pancoast, the city’s managing director of energy, land and environment, will outline what the future of energy in the “Gas City” looks like and the options council has going forward.

Medicine Hat’s gas and electricity revenues are headed towards a decade-long decline but Pancoast will insist the “sky is not falling” as there’s room to prepare for a looming transition away from non-renewables.

READ: Pancoast gives energy strategy presentation

The federal Liberal government and Alberta’s ruling United Conservatives are both moving towards clean energy with objectives reinforced by increasingly stronger measures.

That’s amid a global energy market in the middle of a shift away from traditional fossil fuels and towards renewable sources.

That reality is forcing the city to look at what comes next and, while time is of the essence, there remains a “runway” for Medicine Hat to figure out how it should adapt during a time of drastic change over the next decade.

At a presentation heard at committee earlier in September, Pancoast laid out various options for the energy transition in the 63-page strategy deck that will be heard by all of council Monday.

The City of Medicine Hat is set to create a pair of new reserve funds in preparation for the future.

The abandonment reserve fund will help the city save for its debt and reclamation obligations. The other new reserve will stockpile cash for the energy transition.

Both funds will kick off with an initial $75 million investment from the city’s unrestricted cash, according to the proposal.

The corporate services committee approved the new funds — as well as changes to the heritage fund — in August.

Upon council approval, the Heritage Savings Fund will become the Medicine Hat Endowment Fund.

City finance director Lola Barta said in August the changes define how the investments made from the fund could be used.

Financial sustainability, economic development and community livability were three areas that staff identified, Barta said.

There are many more items on the agenda that could mean council needs to once again vote to extend past the 11 p.m. regular meeting end time.

There is one delegation, from the Root Cellar Food and Wellness Hub.

The non-profit food bank and community organization will give a glimpse into growing food insecurity in a presentation to council.

There are 17 items in total, besides meeting minutes that are being received for information.

That includes the Root Cellar Food and Wellness Hub delegation; two unfinished items, including the new code of conduct bylaw and a requested tax cancellation from an aerospace firm; two new business items, including employee policy proposals; and 12 committee items.

The full agenda can be read at MedicineHat.ca.

by Eli J. Ridder

In packed agenda, Medicine Hat council to consider code of conduct, energy future, new funds

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