Council Highlights June 17 2024

This summary provides a brief overview of City Council meetings and does not reflect all discussion and debate. For full details, download the agenda package or watch the full meeting on the City of Medicine Hat’s YouTube channel.
Under Councilor Announcements:

• Councilor Sharps shared an update from the June 2024 Federal Canadian Municipalities conference, specifically a resolution that was passed as follows:
• WHEREAS, In recent years, there has been an alarming rise in incidents of harassment, intimidation and acts of violence aimed at elected local government officials, compounding the already strenuous work conditions faced by many local leaders and hindering their retention; and
• _WHEREAS, Women, particularly Black and racialized women, are disproportionately targeted by violence and harassment toward elected officials; and _
• _WHEREAS, Increasing the number of elected women, Black and racialized, and 2SLGBTQIA+ representatives in Canada is a priority for local governments and the federal government; and _
• WHEREAS, Severe abuse, both online and in-person, has the potential to discourage underrepresented groups from joining and remaining engaged in local politics, limiting the diversity of opinion needed in healthy democracies; and
• _WHEREAS, all elected officials have an ability to show leadership on this issue by modeling behaviour, and should always strive to elevate debate, embrace differences of opinion, disagree respectfully and focus on issues of policy and substance; now therefore be it _
• RESOLVED, That the federal government, work with provinces, territories, and local governments, including through FCM, to identify and implement measures to protect elected local government officials, their family members, and staff – especially women, members of Black and racialized communities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, persons with disabilities, and Indigenous people – from harassment, intimidation, and threats, thereby reinforcing a unified front to safeguard democracy; and be it further
• RESOLVED, That FCM calls on all elected officials of all orders of government to lead by example, demonstrating civility and mutual respect for their political counterparts.
• Councilor Robins acknowledged June as Men’s Mental Health Month and encouraged more awareness of this important issue.

 
City Council received the following items into the corporate record:

• Council Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes of May 28, 2024
• Council Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes of May 29, 2024
• Under unfinished business, City Council:
• Passed Bylaw 4814 to amend the Transportation of Dangerous Goods. The Dangerous Goods Transportation and Handling Act requires that a municipality’s Transportation of Dangerous Goods Bylaw be approved by Alberta’s Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors at least every 5 years. Amending Bylaw No. 4814 is required to amend the City of Medicine Hat’s bylaw (which expires on July 17, 2024) to reflect changes to roads and areas within the city. First reading was given at the May 21, 2024 meeting of City Council.
• Under new business, City Council:
• Received, for information, a presentation from Aaron Nelson, Acting Director of Community Development on National Indigenous Peoples Day.
• Passed Bylaw 4825 to Revise the Sewer Bylaw. In 2023, Sewer Bylaw No.1541 was amended and an oversight in the amendments has come to the attention of administration in relation to per-dwelling unit charges being missed regarding multi-family units. The revision addresses this oversight to ensure clarity of this oversight on a retrospective basis.
• Under Committee Business, City Council:
• Approved a motion directing staff to make the following amendments to the proposed Council Code of Conduct Bylaw No. 4805 for Council’s consideration:
  • elimination of ALR Committee as an initial assessment body for council code of conduct complaints;
  • establish a complaint system that would see all complaints directed to an external Integrity Commissioner for initial assessment and investigation; establish a process comparable to the Red Deer model that would allow individual council members to contact the Integrity Commissioner for advice and direction on any matter related to the Code Bylaw;
  • add requirements for complainants comparable to the Red Deer model as follows:
  • a complainant must either reside in Medicine Hat, own land in Medicine Hat, own a business in Medicine Hat or work in Medicine Hat;
  • confirm the deadline of 90 days for completion of investigations, subject to an ability to extend that deadline if the Integrity Commissioner determines that it is not practically possible to complete the investigation within that time period.