Cat fight in Medicine Hat

The persecuted Mayor Clark

The persecutor Mitchell

The mayor of Medicine Hat, Linnsie Clark, has been censured and stripped of many of her powers and her salary halved because she questioned City Manager Ann Mitchell in a series of what were deemed aggressive and disrespectful emails.

"We are all profoundly disappointed in your actions, wrote acting Mayor Andy McGrogan, reading the letter of reprimand into the record.  "The city has a duty to provide a safe and respectful workplace for its employees, including our city manager.

"Council expects you will take the opportunity to reflect on these finding and having done so, you will take the time to sincerely apologize to the city manager for your actions," McGrogan said.  Who the hell does he think he is??!!

Clark, who quit her job as legal council to the city to run for mayor, has had her presiding duties under the Municipal Government Act stripped and she will no longer be the official spokesperson for council.  She will not be permitted to attend meetings of the administration committee and is prohibited from entering the administration area of city hall.  Not satisfied there, Clark has been ordered to not have any direct contact with city staff.

Huh??!!  What did Her Worship uncover when she was legal council?  Must have been some pretty dodgy stuff for her to decide to run to try and clean it up.

Now, I have no idea what the spat is all about, but last time I checked, the mayor is elected by the people.  Last time I checked, city staff do not run the city; they take their orders from elected officials.  So why a duly-elected mayor is being stripped of her powers by administrative flunkies is beyond me?!

Reminds me of my days at Customs and Excise, when a director I worked with (female) said, "I don't get along with Vicki in the minister's office."  "Suzanne", I replied, "It's your job to get along with her; that's what you get paid to do."  Suzanne wasn't get highly-paid to fight with the minister's staff.  She was being highly-paid to do staff's bidding.

And what does the Alberta Municipal Affairs department have to say about this?  Nothing.  "The Act does not provide the minister of municipal affairs with any role in the adjudication of of sanctions imposed by a council under a code of conduct bylaw," they said.  So what, pray tell, is the role of the minister, Ric McIver, and the department?  

No clue?  Clark ran on a platform of change because of concern over administrative overreach and poor governance at city hall.  Looks to me she was bang on about overreach by unelected officials, but it apparently continues unabated, as administrative staff run roughshod over the will of the people.  Apparently, the inmates have taken over the asylum in The Hat.

It's too bad it's a battle between two women 'cause that undermines key democratic principles and turns the whole mess into a stereotypical, unserious cat fight.

Politics in Medicine Hat today.