The City of Chestermere is taking legal action against the Alberta government in response to a recent investigation into the city’s governance. The city accuses a councillor and some former staff members of conspiring to trigger the investigation. Mayor Jeff Colvin and city administration have criticized the investigation as unfair and biased. They have requested a judicial review of the inspection report and the directives issued by the province, which could result in severe actions, including the removal of officials. The city claims inaccuracies and unsupported claims in the report and aims to dispute the validity of the directives. They also seek to pause the directives, rescind the appointment of an official administrator, request a new inspection, and have their related costs covered.
Councillor Ritesh Narayan disputes the city’s move to go to court, stating that the council never approved such a motion. He cites it as more of the type of behavior that triggered the investigation and argues that it doesn’t represent the view of all councillors.
The city alleges that a plot was devised shortly after the 2021 election to have the province investigate the newly elected council’s governance. They claim involvement from their former lawyer, interim chief administrative officer, and a re-elected councillor. The province initiated the investigation in March 2022 following multiple complaints about governance issues in Chestermere. A municipal inspection was conducted, resulting in a report and directives from the province, which the city now seeks to challenge through a judicial review.
Source