On December 4, the Minister of Municipal Affairs dismissed four members of the City of Chestermere council and all three of the city’s Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs).
Dismissal is the result of the city’s non-compliance with some of the directives issued by the Minister of Municipal Affairs following a comprehensive municipal inspection in 2022, as well as non-compliance with the supervision of the Official Administrator appointed to supervise the municipality. While the Minister determined that the city has failed to comply with its obligations, he also determined that dismissal of three councillors was not justified.
An Official Administrator has been appointed by the Minister to act as council until a byelection is held and quorum is restored. The Minister has also appointed an interim CAO to manage city operations until the newly elected council can recruit a permanent CAO. In addition, a review of the city’s finances will be undertaken and conducted by an independent accounting firm.
Four city councillors and all three Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) were dismissed on December 4 by Ministerial Order.
Dismissal of council members and senior administration was due to the city’s failure to comply with some of the Minister’s directives that have been in place since March 15, 2023, and with the supervision of the Official Administrator appointed to supervise the municipality and its council. The city also continued to be managed in an irregular, improper and improvident manner.
The Official Administrator’s appointment has been amended with new authority to act as council, and an interim CAO appointed to oversee the management of city operations, until a byelection is held, quorum is restored, and the new council can recruit a permanent CAO. Since council has lost quorum, the three remaining councillors will have no role in city governance until the byelection is held and quorum is restored. An inspection in the form of a financial review will also be undertaken by an independent accounting firm in the weeks and months ahead. This review comes after concerns of financial irregularities were raised by the Official Administrator, as well as through Municipal Affairs’ consideration of the city’s financial reporting.