Mayor Linnsie Clark was sanctioned by Medicine Hat city council in March 2024. Eli J. Ridder/CHAT News

By Eli J. Ridder

CITY HALL

Medicine Hat mayor requests city reimburse her for $76K in legal fees

Apr 5, 2025 | 3:40 PM

Mayor Linnsie Clark will attempt to get reimbursed for legal fees she incurred during the sanctions scandal that led to a leadership crisis at Medicine Hat city hall in 2024.

She added a notice of motion to Monday’s agenda directing city administration to cover $76,017.62 in legal fees over five different items.

The first is the cost of obtaining a second opinion about the reorganization of city hall that chief administrator Ann Mitchell carried out in 2023.

Clark, who before becoming mayor worked in the city solicitor’s office as a lawyer, paid for legal advice on the legitimacy of Mitchell’s restructuring.

Guy Giorno, a lawyer with Calgary-based Faskon Martineau DuMoulin LPP, said Mitchell’s actions contradicted the city’s Bylaw No. 4662.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Root Cellar receives national accreditation

11h ago

IN THE COMMUNITY

New disc golf course set to open in Medicine Hat

11h ago

EASTER

Holy week commemoration at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Apr 09, 2025

Giorno wrote that large parts of the reorganization were “null and of no effect” in his response to the mayor.

Clark brought up that legal opinion at the famous Aug. 21, 2023, meeting that led to a sharp exchange between Clark and Mitchell and surprised councillors who had no prior warning.

Clark’s second item requests reimbursement for the “reorg”, but it wasn’t clear what legal fees the mayor had to pay for the reorganization of city hall.

The third item that Clark asks for reimbursement on is Mitchell’s defamation allegation.

Mitchell’s lawyer sent the mayor a letter in November 2023 demanding she “cease and desist” from further defaming the city manager.

It’s unclear what cost Clark incurred in the defamation letter or if there was a legal response that was not disclosed to the public.

The fourth and fifth items Clark asks for reimbursement on are “the Code of Conduct” and “the JR” — likely in reference to the misconduct allegation from council and the judicial review in August 2024.

Clark appears to reference fees she incurred last year as she fought the sanctions placed on her by the rest of council in March 2024.

Justice Rosemary Nation ruled the sanctions were “disproportionate and unreasonable” but agreed Clark broke council’s code of conduct rules by mistreating the city manager.

CHAT News has contacted Clark for more information and comment regarding the specifics and a breakdown of what the legal costs were used for.