Mayor Linnsie Clark is pictured in this 2024 news file photo. Council is looking into ground for how she can interact with city manager Ann Mitchell.
@CollinGallant
Seven members of city council will revisit where Mayor Linnie Clark is allowed in city hall and the ground rules for how she can interact with city manager Ann Mitchell.
Those issues were sent back to city council for reconsideration and better definitions after a Court of King’s Bench judicial review last summer, though Clark says nothing has been done on the file, and Coun. Shila Sharps put the item on the agenda Monday.
“It’s important for us to do our jobs every step of the way, whether it’s uncomfortable or comfortable, ” Sharps said while introducing motion stating the court direction from August is now five months old.
“I don’t think there’s been ill-will, but it’s gotten away from us. I know everyone’s been busy, but this has been weighing on me and that’s the direction (from the court). Whatever that looks like, let’s get that done.”
The motion, requiring closed-door discussion on the topic prior to the Feb. 3 Council meeting was seconded by Coun. Andy McGrogan and adopted with a 8-1 vote.
Coun. Darren Hirsch provided the dissenting vote.
The entire issue arose last March when councillors endorsed a report that Clark violated a code of conduct in dealing with Mitchell during a public meeting.
They correspondingly removed several of the mayor’s duties, cut her pay in half and laid out a prohibition on Clark interacting with staff, entering administrative areas and ordered that all written communication with Mitchell be carbon copied to all of council.
Most were overturned by Justice Rosemary Nation in a ruling that also stated some augmented procedures to avoid conflict between employees were a matter of good practice, but the blanket prohibitions interfered with Clark’s ability to perform her job.
That’s contrary to the Municipal Government Act, and she left the matter with council to alter.
Clark told Council that her stance is the sanction should have been nullified in the absence of new rules.
“From my point of view, as soon as the decision was rendered the (section) was suspended, and it was up to council to rework,” she said, adding her belief their continuation since has been “inappropriate.”
“It would be ideal to make it clear to administration that what’s currently being implemented is not acceptable anymore.
If practice holds from when council decided the issue last spring, neither Clark or Sharps would be involved in new discussions, as they were the principals in the code of conduct complaint.
Clark also clarified conflict of interest rules likely didn’t preclude her from voting or debating Monday’s issue.
“It’s impacted me negatively in a number of ways, particularly since it was sent back in August, but I don’t believe it’s a monetary issue,” she said.
IDP update advanced
Medicine Hat city council took the first step toward adopting a new Intermunicipal Development Plan on Monday. It gave first reading to repeal the current working agreement on land-use planning with Cypress County and Redcliff.
The pact must be adopted by all three councils to take effect. It would replace the original 16-year-old agreement that was last updated in 2020.
A joint three-council public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 12 at the Medicine Hat College Theatre.
