Medicine Hat mayor's powers, salary restored following judicial review

Medicine Hat Mayor Linnsie Clark was sanctioned for breaching the city's code of conduct at an open council meeting in August 2023. This week a court ruled the sanctions against her were unreasonable.

Medicine Hat's mayor is thankful that a judicial review has restored a number of her duties as well as her salary, but one of her councillors is seeking further investigation.

The court released its ruling in a review of the sanctions against Linnsie Clark earlier this week.

It found she did breach the city's code of conduct in a verbal exchange with Medicine Hat's city manager at a council meeting last year, but the restrictions against her were unreasonable.

The review reversed most of the sanctions against Clark, allowing her to chair council meetings, act as a city spokesperson and collect her full salary.

However, the ruling did require her to apologize for her actions.

At an open council meeting on Aug. 21, 2023, Clark was involved in a verbal exchange with the city manager.

She was accused of not treating the staff member with courtesy, dignity and respect.

In a statement on Wednesday, Clark thanked the court for restoring her powers and salary as well as finding the sanctions against her "were overwhelmingly disproportionate."

Coun. Andy McGrogan said he is happy to hear Clark will need to apologize to the city manager for the exchange, but isn't fully satisfied with the ruling.

He said he is looking at making a formal request to have Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver conduct an inspection of the city's elected and staff leadership.

In April, a petition was started to ask for a provincial investigation into what organizers called "a lack of transparency and failure to lead" by Clark.

CTV News has reached out to McIver's office for comment.