Medicine Hat City Hall
Medicine Hat's acting mayor urges proper decorum at meetings
Medicine Hat councillor and current acting mayor Andy McGrogan called on the public to have proper decorum and respect at council Tuesday after he brought a halt to the most recent meeting several times to address noise from the public gallery.WATCH: Noon interview with McGrogan"It's very distracting when people a...
May 07, 2024
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Applications open for Medicine Hat's new water-saving incentives
Medicine Hat residents who purchase low-flow exterior sprinklers, irrigation system controllers and other water-saving equipment will be eligible for a rebate on their water bill.That's made possible through the city's new 2024 water conservation incentive program that opened applications on Tuesday.Council approved $1...
May 07, 2024
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Medicine Hat city staff to research costing of mayor's requested expense review
Medicine Hat city staff will research the cost to find a set of employee expenses Mayor Linnsie Clark has requested and return to council later with the results, an apparent middle ground achieved Monday by elected officials. In a 5-3 decision after nearly two hours of heated deliberation, council moved forward with th...
May 07, 2024
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Bylaw granted authority to proactively tackle derelict homes in Medicine Hat
Medicine Hat has beefed up its unsightly property bylaw by giving police the power to proactively address derelict properties.Nine changes to the bylaw were passed by council during its Monday public meeting, with most of the amendments focused on bringing language up to date.Council last October requested a review of ...
May 07, 2024
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Medicine Hat City Hall
Mayor's written request, unsightly bylaw and other items return to council Monday
Frequent Medicine Hat city council watchers may get a sense of déjà vu from Monday's agenda as a few items make a return for further or final consideration. WATCH: City council meeting May 6 Mayor Linnsie Clark's information request, the tax incentive bylaw, an amendment to the unsightly property bylaw an...
May 07, 2024
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NEWS AT NOON
Noon Interview: Jamie Garland - May 3
Jamie Garland, the City of Medicine Hat's director of environmental utilities, joined anchor Dan Reynish on CHAT News at Noon on Friday. Garland spoke about the city's preparation and work with regional and provincial partners for predicted drought conditions.
May 03, 2024
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Alberta set next week to amend Bill 20 granting cabinet broad powers over municipalities, premier says
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says changes will come next week to a bill granting cabinet broad power to fire local councillors and overturn bylaws. READ: Premier says Medicine Hat has potential to be a technology hub Smith said the province is working on the language of the proposed Bill 20 to clarify guardrails that...
May 03, 2024
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WHAT TO KNOW
The list of financial expenses Medicine Hat's mayor will ask for this Monday
Medicine Hat city council is expected to consider Mayor Linnsie Clark's request for a series of employee financial statements at its Monday public meeting. That comes after deliberation on her written inquiry was postponed during the last two council meetings. When Clark's request first appeared before public council o...
May 03, 2024
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Medicine Hat mayor posts council document explaining her ask for city employee expense statements
Mayor Linnsie Clark says there's no reason a series of city employee expense statements can't come before a public Medicine Hat council meeting and released a document explaining why she wanted the information."I have a duty to enquire and obtain information about the operation and administration of the city from ...
May 02, 2024
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Medicine Hat ratepayer association incorporates, continues to slam city utility and tax rates
The Medicine Hat Utilities Ratepayer Association continued to argue the city is ripping off its residents through utility rates and tax increases as the group held a town hall Tuesday marking its formal incorporation.President Sounantha Boss said the Alberta certificate of incorporation lends more legitimacy to the org...
May 01, 2024
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Medicine Hat City Hall
'They're not telling us': Medicine Hat bakery owner says council needs to explain mayor sanctions further
The owner of a Medicine Hat bakery said Tuesday the councillors who sanctioned the mayor have not done enough to explain why, even a personal conversation with a member of council.Brendan Hillson has used the social media page of McBride's Bakery to criticize council and detail his meeting with a councillor he did not ...
May 01, 2024
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City of Medicine Hat holding open house May 15
The City of Medicine Hat is holding another open house.It is the city's third Municipal Mingle, a public engagement opportunity that allows for resident feedback and for Hatters to see what the different departments are up to in the community.The event runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on May 15 outside at the Towne Square do...
Apr 30, 2024
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Medicine Hat to kick off community polling in May to help inform city hall decision-making
Several hundred Medicine Hat residents in May will receive a call asking them what they think is the most important issue facing the community, what their level of satisfaction is with garbage services and several other survey questions.It's part of a community survey the city has hired polling firm Ipsos to carry out,...
Apr 30, 2024
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MHURA receives corporate status, meets Tuesday night for 'launch party and power meeting'
A Medicine Hat ratepayers advocacy group is holding a "launch party and power meeting" tonight to celebrate receiving formal corporate status.The Medicine Hat Utilities Ratepayer Association was launched last summer amid skyrocketing electricity prices as an advocacy organization that aims to keep city hall a...
Apr 30, 2024
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Medicine Hat city councillor says Alberta's proposed municipal policy changes are an 'overreach'
Alberta's proposal to give itself the ability to remove city councillors and repeal any municipal bylaws are an "overreach", a Medicine Hat city councillor said Monday.While the province insisted it will only use those powers as a last resort, Coun. Andy McGrogan said the proposed Bill 20 was a step too far.&...
Apr 29, 2024
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BEHIND THE POLICY
Medicine Hat's housing and downtown upgrade incentives gain momentum
Medicine Hat's new incentives aimed at tackling the housing crisis and stimulating business activity in the city are popular and one is nearly fully subscribed to, a city director said Monday.Selena McLean-Moore, director of the city's economic development organization, told CHAT News the two incentives of 2024 represe...
Apr 29, 2024
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Medicine Hat City Hall
Entirety of Medicine Hat non-profit grant program used up
A City of Medicine Hat grant program for non-profit organizations has been entirely claimed for 2024. The popular Community Vibrancy Grant was launched for a third year in a row when the application process opened in January of this year.An economic development department spokesperson confirmed Monday all the grants ha...
Apr 29, 2024
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Cypress County councillor has plans to improve transparency despite Alberta inspection request failure
A Cypress County councillor said Friday he is disappointed after failing to get council approval for a municipal inspection but revealed he still plans to bring about transparency and accountability through a series of proposed changes.Coun. Robin Kurpjuweit's motion at council to get Alberta's municipal affairs minist...
Apr 26, 2024
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Alberta proposes councillor removal powers, electronic tabulator ban and more in city government revamp
Alberta plans to give itself the power to remove city councillors, ban the use of machine counting in municipal elections and mandate councillor orientation as part of a major update to how local governments operate across the province. The amendments to the Municipal Government and Local Authorities Election acts prop...
Apr 25, 2024
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DEVELOPING NOW
Alberta government revealing legislation today to strengthen local elections
The Alberta government will this afternoon reveal legislation they say will strengthen local elections and governance.Municipal affairs minister Ric McIver will introduce the legislation around 3 p.m.It's expected it will involve amendments to the Local Authorities Election and Municipal Government acts, the legislatio...
Apr 25, 2024
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'Disappointed': Cypress County council turns down Alberta inspection request
An effort by a Cypress County councillor to have a municipal inspection of the county carried out by the Alberta government failed on Wednesday after council voted against the motion.READ: Councillor hopeful a municipal inspection will be approved by councilCoun. Robin Kurpjuweit said previously a provincial review wou...
Apr 24, 2024
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EXPLAINER
What to know: Year-long budget process begins at Medicine Hat council, city's identity at stake
Medicine Hat city council has kicked off its journey towards determining the 2025-26 two-year budget.Council enters the process with a city in good financial standing and with steady tax rate increases that have recently hovered around the four per cent mark, financial staff said.While energy profits have boomed in the...
Apr 24, 2024
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