Coun. Shila Sharps is set to propose several notices of motion at Monday's meeting. File Photo/CHAT News

By Eli J. Ridder

CITY HALL

Medicine Hat councillor to propose slew of new motions, including one related to HR

Mar 12, 2025 | 10:49 AM

Coun. Shila Sharps plans to propose an advance motion related to Medicine Hat city hall’s human resource metrics at Monday’s council meeting, she told CHAT News.

Her ask comes after several high-level staff have recently left the city. The councillor didn’t say if her request is related to those departures.

Sharps is also planning a notice of motion related to budget amendments and a discussion on tariffs placed on Canadian goods by the United States.

Motion advancers like those from Sharps are being used more often in recent months.

When members of council want to put an item on the agenda, they bring forward a notice of motion to a meeting in advance so their colleagues and city staff have time to consider their proposal.

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At least two councillors — Sharps and Coun. Andy McGrogan — have increased their use of the procedure to gain information, not just to propose action items.

Sharps said in a statement that notices of motion have emerged as an effective tool.

“I have taken the time to review past meetings and motions, and I’ve observed that notice of motions are effectively serving the public by bringing important issues to the forefront,” Sharps said.

“These motions provide transparency and allow the community to be informed about the matters we are addressing,” she added.

”By presenting these items, we create opportunities for constructive discussions among council members, which ultimately leads to better decision-making and more meaningful engagement with the public.”

The approach also “fosters dialogue” but also while ”prioritizing the needs and concerns of our constituents.“

Sharps did not share the text of the motions or what prompted them with CHAT News.

However, there have been several high-profile departures from the city since the start of the year.

Medicine Hat’s chief financial officer Dennis Egert left the city in January 2025, as first reported by CHAT News.

Marty Robinson, former IT director, left the city for a similar position at Medicine Hat College, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Grayson Mauch, who spent over a quarter-century working at the City of Medicine Hat, ended his time at the city in February after spending the last seven years as the director of utility distribution.

“It is with deep sadness that my time with the City of Medicine Hat has reached its conclusion,” Mauch posted to social media.

Brady Schnell, a former economic development officer, left the city in February after spending 17 months in the role, according to his LinkedIn.

None of those former city employees have said publicly why they aren’t in the role anymore. Attempts to reach some of them for comment have so far been unsuccessful.

The city, in response to a request for comment from CHAT News, maintained its policy of not commenting on private personnel matters.

Hiring and firing is entirely up to the city’s chief administrative officer, who is the sole employee of city council.

Medicine Hat’s elected leaders are not supposed to have a say over who is employed and who is let go.

Paul Salvatore, CEO of Municipal Experts, said some turnover is sustainable but that depends on the percentage and the roles.

“For an organization the size of the City of Medicine Hat, you would expect that there’s going to be a level of turnover,” Salvatore said in a recent interview.

“There might be a goal sort of in the back of the mind saying, ‘if we went through 10 per cent per year, then that’s a number that we can live with, it’s not super disruptive at that level,'” he added.

“If it’s way more than that, then it can be very disruptive.”

The City of Medicine Hat last publicly revealed turnover rates in a 2022 report. There was a total turnover rate of 11.7 per cent, with 5.8 per cent of that listed as voluntary only.

The report called that a high turnover rate. It noted, too, that up to 20 per cent of the current workforce could be eligible to retire.

Karla Kochan, the city’s people services director, lists even higher turnover rates in an email seen by CHAT News.

Kochan wrote there was a 12.2 per cent turnover rate in 2020, 16.2 per cent in 2021, 16.7 per cent in 2022 and 19.1 per cent in 2023.

It’s unclear why there’s a discrepancy between the rate in the report and what Kochan said.

Salvatore explained a city can lose crucial institutional knowledge when certain employees leave. It can cost the city more to recruit and train new employees to replace key roles previously held by a longtime staffer.

Medicine Hat’s city hall spent much of the last 12 months dealing with a leadership crisis at the top caused by fierce disagreements between chief administrator Ann Mitchell and Mayor Linnsie Clark.

That conflict was a key driver for council to request a municipal inspection from Alberta’s municipal affairs ministry that is still ongoing.

Local government experts say that a fractious relationship between the CAO and the mayor can have a trickle-down effect at city hall.

Salvatore said that when there’s a healthy relationship at the top, city hall will run more effectively.

“It just means there’s less friction and with less friction, you’re going to get more done and you’re going to achieve more as far as goals are concerned for the city itself,” he said.

As with private companies, Salvatore pointed out that excellent leadership will bring the best people to city hall.

“A good city manager will attract as many new people to the organization and probably more people will stay versus the opposite,” he said.