Alberta Council Votes to Sanction Mayor Over Disagreement With City Manager

An Alberta city council has stripped its mayor of powers and pay, saying she was disrespectful to the city manager during a meeting. Medicine Hat City Council moved to reduce the responsibilities of its mayor, Linnsie Clark, for a breach of conduct. Her pay was also cut by 50 percent. The decision was made at a special council meeting on March 21. “Council finds Mayor Linnsie Clark has breached the City’s Code of Conduct Bylaw 4492 by failing to treat the City Manager with courtesy, dignity and respect during their exchange at the August 21, 2023 Open Council meeting,” the council meeting agenda said. “To successfully address the challenges in our community, trust and respect must exist between City Council and Administration,” a statement on the city website said. “City of Medicine Hat employees are critical to the vitality and success of our community. We rely on staff to bring forward recommendations based on their expertise, knowledge, and insights, and it is imperative that we foster an environment where administration feels safe and respected when interacting with City Council.”...