Medicine Hat mayor pushes back legal fees reimbursement request again

Clark’s motion pushed back from Monday’s agenda directed city administration to cover $76,017.62 in legal fees over five different items.

She said the motion was delayed so more information could get gathered. It marks the fourth time the mayor has pushed back the item.

Clark’s proposal asks for reimbursement over five items.

The first is the cost of obtaining a second opinion about the reorganization of city hall that chief administrator Ann Mitchell carried out in 2023.

Guy Giorno, a lawyer with Calgary-based Faskon Martineau DuMoulin LPP, said Mitchell’s actions contradicted the city’s Bylaw No. 4662.

Giorno wrote that large parts of the reorganization were “null and of no effect” in his response to the mayor.

Clark brought up that legal opinion at the famous Aug. 21, 2023, meeting that led to a sharp exchange between Clark and Mitchell and surprised councillors who had no prior warning.

Clark’s second item requests reimbursement for the “reorg.”

She told CHAT News on April 8 that fees attributed to the Giorno opinion and reorganization are the same.

The third item that Clark asks for reimbursement on is Mitchell’s defamation allegation.

Mitchell’s lawyer sent the mayor a letter in November 2023 demanding she “cease and desist” from further defaming the city manager.

It’s unclear what cost Clark incurred in the defamation letter or if there was a legal response that was not disclosed to the public.

The fourth and fifth items Clark asks for reimbursement on are “the Code of Conduct” and “the JR” — in reference to the misconduct allegation from council and the judicial review in August 2024.

Clark appears to reference fees she incurred last year as she fought the sanctions placed on her by the rest of council in March 2024.

Justice Rosemary Nation ruled the sanctions were “disproportionate and unreasonable” but agreed Clark broke council’s code of conduct rules by mistreating the city manager.

Clark’s reimbursement request for those costs could return at the next meeting on June 16.