Jeff Colvin, the former mayor of Chestermere, is scheduled to make his first public appearance in the city since he and three city councillors were dismissed by the province last year. This event, happening at Camp Chestermere at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, is part of a speaking tour across the province, organized by Colvin and the former councillors: Stephen Hanley, Mel Foat, and Blaine Funk. Since their ouster in December, they’ve held similar events and appeared on small podcasts and online interviews, criticizing the province’s actions.
The firings, which also included three city officials, were justified by Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver due to the city’s failure to adhere to provincial directives following a municipal inspection. McIver cited the need to manage the municipality properly as the reason for the dismissals.
Colvin and the ousted councillors have contested their firings, alleging misconduct by the provincial government and RCMP, and accusing McIver of bias. They’ve made attempts to challenge the dismissal through court injunctions and a pending judicial review.
Meanwhile, the City of Chestermere has addressed misleading actions by the former officials, who continued to use their official titles and the city’s logo without authorization. A byelection is expected to fill the vacant council seats before June, with Colvin and the three councillors planning to run. A forensic audit of the city’s finances under Colvin’s leadership is also underway, with results to be published before the byelection.
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