City Notebook: So, is he sticking around, or what?
By COLLIN GALLANT on February 1, 2020.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant One slip of the tongue is understandable, but two starts rumours. So, is Ted Clugston considering a third term as mayor, or not? Less than two years out from decision day, the question hung out there at Tuesday’s State of the City address. Perhaps putting ears on guard, emcee Ken Sauer introduced Clugston as the city’s mayor for the next nine months. (Actually, council terms are now four years long, and the next election is in October 2021). Then compounding the intrigue, Clugston mentioned that after seven such annual addresses, the next would be his last. “Could be,” Clugston told reporter afterwards. “It ‘could be’ my last, my second last. I’m pretty sure that’s what I said. It’s in my notes. “Honestly I haven’t made a decision,” he continued. “I do try to give some advanced notice at about the one-year (out) mark.” He used the end of the 2017 event to announced he’d compete in the following fall’s election, and the race was a bit of a snoozer all told. That year, three challengers announced in the two months before the election, including one on nomination day. And right now there are no obvious challengers at this point if Clugston’s in. If he’s out, the rumour mill will be grinding overtime. Politicos won’t have to wait a year to ponder local politics however, as the province has announced a new review of civic election regulations is to take place in the near future. This and that The House of Commons has been back for one week in the new year and it’s becoming too hard not to mention that MP Glen Motz is getting a notable amount of camera time. This week the associate shadow critic for public safety was again highlighted this week with time allotted from the party brass to talk about Liberal gun control policy. The local MP is backing a record-setting petition to oppose government’s plans to restrict semi-automatic rifles. He was visible during the last parliament – as a rookie MP who won a byelection halfway through – having been assigned to work on the public safety portfolio that included the issue of border crossers as well as gun safety. The party thinking might be that the former cop has a resume and a tenor that resonates with gun owners. Power spike About 1,800 utility accounts comprise only six per cent of the total number, but when 1,800 Hatters do anything all at once, it’s a bonafide stampede. That’s how many Medicine Hat households and businesses signed up for set-rate electricity pricing over the last two months since a provincial rate cap was scrapped. Obviously there’s a groundswell of concern about power prices, but it’s also kind of funny that most people didn’t realize that the carbon levy paid for the previous government’s efforts to keep power bills down. It was structured specifically so that the discount wouldn’t show up on power bills, and that clearly goes against the rule in politics that if you are somehow saving people money, you should let them know about it. A look ahead Another light night is expected Monday as city council convenes to conduct minor business. They are scheduled to accept first reading of the Tri-Area development plan, which sets the stage for a three-council public hearing later in February on the matter. 100 years ago Perhaps a sign of the times, council directed police to discourage children from sledding on city streets – the danger presented from autos being what they are – the News reported this week in 1920. Without endorsement from council, several aldermen suggested that coasting be resorted to the hill on Division Avenue, and another on Third Street. Also, locally, council and the Board of Trade petitioned Premier Charles Stewart to endorse two reservoir sites on the Ross and Seven Persons creeks. They were part of an irrigation scheme to bring water to 15,000 acres south of the city. A pearl necklace owned by Peter the Great’s grandmother was offered at auction in Chicago – potentially the first of many pieces of the Russian Imperial jewels that could be offered for sale. The string, consisting of 128 pearls, was expected to be valued at $1.2 million. The Northwest Mounted Police absorbed the Dominion Police Force on Feb. 1, and was renamed the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. 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 32-31
