Mayor Linnsie Clark is seeking a second term at city hall, announcing Friday her bid for re-election and a desire to see important business through to the finish.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
Feeling her work is not yet finished, Mayor Linnsie Clark has announced her candidacy for re-election.
After her four years serving as mayor of Medicine Hat, Clark says she feels something transformative has begun for the city that she wants to see through.
“It’s almost like turning the lights on and seeing that the building has some need for repair, but just walking out,” Clark told the News on Friday. “I want to help with that repair; that’s part of accountability, to me, to fix what’s broken and knowing that the community can help with that.”
In recent months, Clark says she has experienced a shift on council to be asking more questions and to be more willing to go back and ensure the community feels heard in regards to potential issues, such as the Transportation Master Plan which is currently undergoing more work.
She hopes to capitalize on this shift with a new council and work together with stronger communication and conflict resolution skills that she has acquired over her last term.
With projects such as the work on the energy transition strategy and environmental framework under her belt, Clark has helped to highlight a need for skill-based governance in the city, as well as worked to make council more accessible to the public outside regular meetings.
“We were doing town halls, trying to be more open and interactive with the community, instead of just kind of funnel it all into a council meeting where you don’t really get much engagement with residents,” said Clark. “Those were paused for a while, but I’m definitely hoping to reinstitute them under a new council.”
Looking forward, Clark considers public trust to be one of her biggest priorities. She stressed that regardless of the role the government is currently playing, be that in governance or attracting investment, it needs trust to thrive.
Clark notes there has been a mistrust of all levels of government in recent years following the pandemic, and as such, government needs to be able to be open with decisions, able to acknowledge mistakes when they arise and willing to take a step back to try again.
She would also like to focus on building better relationships as a city, favouring creating long-term partnerships over one-time transactions.
“When we go out and do a consultation with the community, or do a consultation with our regional partners, it can’t just be that one interaction,” said Clark. “You have to develop those relationships and that extends beyond our borders. Sometimes economic development opportunities take years to grow, so you have to make sure that you’re good at cultivating and maintaining relationships. If you just view it as one transaction, you might miss out on a world of opportunity.”
This extends internally, as well, ensuring the different departments and organizations are able to work together smoothly.
Perhaps one way to help build the relationship between the City of Medicine Hat and its residents lies in user experience, something Clark has become passionate about over the course of her past term.
“We hear a lot of concerns about how long it takes to do this and how long it takes to do that,” said Clark, adding that many feel the city is in the way of projects. “There’s a culture shift that needs to happen; focusing on human centred processes instead of bureaucracy-focused systems and models. A lot of governments are moving that way and it’s the bread and butter of the private sector. I think that’s something we need to press hard.”
If re-elected, residents can expect Clark to continue to do her best to uphold good governance and adherence to bylaws. She hopes to be part of a council that “clearly articulates what each of their goals are, and a council that supports each other in their goals.”
Clark will host an event Wednesday, with further details to follow. She will be present at as many candidate events as she can in the weeks leading up to the Oct. 20 election, she says, as well as making herself available to residents through door-knocking.
“I’m excited to, you know, work with a new council to find our stride, and see what relationships can be built,” said Clark.
