City Notebook: Glimpses of straight talk at council

By Collin Gallant on February 15, 2025.

As this week’s public hearing into the Inter-municipal Development Plan threatened to spiral into another complaint session about how stupid-governments-are-ruining-everything, audience members were treated to another instalment of “Linnsie Clark, attorney at law!”

The former city lawyer, turned top elected official, had a day job writing and explaining bylaws and land development, contract interests, etc., before the current term.

This week, she led staffers to a more-clear statement on the situation of motorsport and gun club members who lease city land in the north near much-hoped-for heavy industrial development.

There’s no immediate change, was the answer, even though it will be a hard task to convince speedway, drag strip or shooting enthusiasts that the city isn’t planning to evict them after 30-ish years of operations off in the distance.

They’re going to make a lot of noise on this file.

Clark has taken lead a few times over this term and performed well, putting in a strong showing on topics where most politicians fear to tread.

Taking hit after hit at a ratepayers meeting in August 2023 comes to mind.

In council meetings, she’ll step in and answer questions posed to staff, explaining said questions, or adding context or furthering conversation with leading questions of her own. And, at times, that’s unmuddled answers or defined problems that can be overly bureaucratic or opaque.

At other times however, it’s been hard to follow, or channelled toward her unabated quest to discuss corporate governance models or seemingly minor matters of procedure.

On can only assume that’s the reason why she was barred from council committee meetings even before a public blowup at council with the city manager 18 months ago.

On the clubs issue and others – such as city concerns on the Stampede grant request or Saamis Solar business plan – more clarity and perhaps even a step-by-step handholding walk-though might be the only way forward.

The city, county and Town of Redcliff want to advertise the area as a great place to build industrial plants. They also appear more willing now to move on land adjacent to the clubs rather than on city-owned land currently leased by the clubs.

Too bad though, this column is the only place where the difference is noted.

Who’s who in the Hat

– It was 49 years ago this week that Dietrich Brand was sworn in as a provincial court judge. How long ago? Well, the News of the day described Brand being originally from West Germany.

It all comes back up now, because the News is finally noting an official word in the Alberta Gazette that Brand retired in early December.

Brand, now in his 80s, still heard cases as a supernumerary justice (a legal term for part time) and is easing into a full and quiet retirement, the News is told.

– Niki Grey returns to her role as executive director at the Community Foundation this month after a maternity leave, which also signifies the re-retirement of former director Christ Christie (though we all know retirement and Christie don’t seem to mix).

A look ahead

Council will sit Tuesday owing to the Family Day holiday. Alberta cabinet meets next week ahead of the winter sitting of the legislature beginning on Feb. 25.

100 years ago

A redrawing of parliamentary election boundaries would contract the borders of the Medicine Hat riding and create a new riding in the Acadia district comprising most of eastern Alberta, the News reported in February 1925.

The redistribution in the next general election would have implications for Medicine Hat’s current Progressive Party MP Robert Gardiner, a farmer from Acadia district.

The roundhouse of the Ajax Coal company burned to the ground near the Seven Persons Creek.

A golden wedding anniversary tea hosted by Mr. and Mrs. James Hargreaves was a social success, remarked the News’ society editor. The proceedings and guest list was thoroughly recorded.

Medicine Hat’s hockey old-timers arranged a seven-a-side exhibition match which would revive the one-time position of “rover.”

In California, Mrs. F. Nuncey, age 102, was given a $100 fine or 30 days in jail for contravening liquor prohibitions.

“I’ve been drinking liquor my entire life and don’t intend to stop now,” she told a magistrate while choosing imprisonment.

Collin Gallant covers city politics and a variety of topics for the News. Reach him at 403-528-5664 or via email at cgallant@medicinehatnews.com