Councillors listen during a public meeting in Council Chambers on Tuesday evening.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
On Tuesday, councillors approved a recommendation to provide a detailed report of senior administration expenses to the Audit Committee twice a year, a move seeking transparency around expenses for things like business travel, meals and training programs.
This report will provide detailed transactions for each senior leader by account and will be presented in the open Audit Committee, and would flow into open council discussions as part of the consent agenda each year at the end of quarter 2 (June) and year’s end.
This means instead of publishing the report on the city’s website, the report will be presented twice a year in an open audit committee and in open council.
“The reason for this recommendation is that administration expenses are to remain within the budget that has been approved by council,” said director of finance Lola Barta. “These expenses have to go through an approval process and management oversight, as well as following internal policies and procedures.”
The original motion was brought forward to council in March and was sent to a closed corporate services committee meeting in June where it was recommended the report be changed from a public report to a regular internal audit.
The item went back before council in July where members then directed city staff to return to council with recommendations to balance public transparency regarding the reporting of expenses by the end of quarter 3, 2025.
“(It’s) a more detailed report with adjustments to specific transaction details,” explained Barta. “We’ve cleaned up the data to make it more simple and easier to understand.”
A total of $62,686.79 of expenses were filed by senior administration in the first half of 2025, according to an expense report detailing accounts, locations and specific information like membership fees and business travel locations or events.
The largest single expense item at $7,601.21 comes from the city manager’s account under business travel, and includes trips to Calgary, Nanaimo and Mount Tremblant, Que., to attend workshops and conferences.
Accounts on the report include the city manager, directors of all municipal departments, city clerk, city solicitor and fire chief.
Expenses range from membership fees, recognition programs, corporate training, business travel, food and beverage and other.
Additional meeting approved
To meet the deadline of two pending ministerial directives, including attending respectful workplace training and reviewing more than 60 recommendations made by an independent inspection, council has approved a motion to add an additional meeting at the end of the month.
Council will add an additional public meeting on Sept. 29 at 4 p.m. in Council Chambers.
Council, as well as the CAO, are required to complete respectful workplace training by Oct. 1, as well as review a full list of 68 recommendations included in the municipal inspection report and address actions taken, or lack there of, for each individual recommendation.
Stampede
Talks between the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede over funding for a new grandstand and expansion of its facility have been put on hold until further notice.
Council received an update from Joe Hutter, managing director of public services, indicating Stampede officials would like to put their request for funding on hold to allow time to bring forward an updated request in the future.
After speaking with representatives, Coun. Andy McGrogan, who is council liaison with the Stampede, said the Stampede board is looking to make some adjustments to its funding request.
“I think what they want to do is a little bit more rigour around their economic planning and they want to present that when they come back the next time.”
Council approved a motion to postpone Stampede’s funding request pending further discussion with the Stampede board.
Homeless shelter
The first reading was given for a bylaw that would rezone 2055 Saamis Drive NW as a potential location for a new shelter after the Mustard Seed and city announced finding common ground on the location last week.
The city-owned property, located off Highway 1 near Brier Industrial Estates, would be intended to provide emergency and temporary shelter for individuals in need of daytime and overnight accommodation.
The shelter will house between 30 and 50 beds, and the location would also include space for food services and other support services such as programming, health and wellness support services under one roof.
A public hearing on the bylaw will be held Sept. 29.
