Courtesy/Michael Starner

By Eli J. Ridder

ELXTN25

Medicine Hat resident planning council run says city manager should be transparent

Feb 3, 2025 | 6:03 PM

A Medicine Hat resident planning to run for council this year says he will take questions from the public to a meeting with chief administrator Ann Mitchell as part of an effort to make sure the role’s occupant is committed to transparency and the city’s best interests.

Michael Starner, who came last in a five-way race for mayor in the 2021 municipal election, said in a Monday post he focused on ensuring the city manager “is committed to transparency, efficiency, and serving the best interests of Medicine Hat”, no matter who it is.

Starner in a social media post said he will “select one or two questions” to ask Mitchell — along with some of his own — when he meets her on Feb. 19 “to discuss key issues facing our city.”

Mayor Linnsie Clark in 2023 accused Mitchell of overstepping her authority by restructuring city hall without explicit permission from council, a tense exchange that led to a leadership crisis that ran the course of 2024 and an ongoing municipal inspection.

Supporters of the mayor and other residents say Mitchell is unfit to be CAO. Several municipal affairs experts and some on council say she has carried out her role appropriately under the “single-employee” model used by many municipalities.

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Starner wrote in a post that effective leadership needs open communication and collaboration toward the best interests of the community regardless of personal differences.

“As we move forward, the new Council may decide to retain the current City Manager or appoint a new one. I must be prepared for either outcome,” he wrote in a statement.

Starner’s comments on the city manager appear to be part of a broader platform blank calling for transparency and accountability at city hall.

“While we can’t make public records entirely free, I will push to reduce the cost of accessing information so residents can stay informed without financial barriers,” he wrote in another post on his personal page.

“I will also advocate for clearer communication from the city about where tax dollars go and what projects are being prioritized.”

He also wants to tackle housing and affordability; reduce added costs on utility bills; support local businesses; maintain infrastructure and roads; and create a volunteer-led clean-up initiative to remove hazardous waste from parks and public areas.

The platform touches on several headlines over the past year, from a ratepayer advocacy group’s complaints to criticism over those who use The Mustard Seed’s services.

Starner has agreed to an interview with CHAT News for later this week.