In a recent turn of events, the legal saga involving a former high-ranking official of the City of Chestermere has come to a close. Kim Wallace, who previously served as one of the city’s chief administrative officers, saw the assault charge against her withdrawn in provincial court in Strathmore on Monday. The charge stemmed from an incident in January 2023, where Wallace was accused of poking a subordinate during a disagreement at city hall.
Wallace had been implicated in a broader controversy that saw significant changes within Chestermere’s municipal governance, including the firing of the city’s mayor, three councillors, and two other officials in December last year. The dismissals were issued by the province following findings of governance improprieties and failure to adhere to directives from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.
The incident that led to Wallace’s charge involved her allegedly delivering a two-fingered jab to Sarah Willgress’s shoulder during a heated meeting, with two witnesses corroborating Willgress’s account. However, Wallace, taking the stand in her defense, denied the altercation took place. The continuation of her trial was anticipated on Monday, but instead, the charge was dropped following her completion of a diversion program, details of which were not disclosed by her defense lawyer, Alain Hepner.
Hepner commented on the case’s context, suggesting the assault allegation was minor compared to the broader political and administrative turmoil in Chestermere. “This was a very minor allegation. But against the backdrop of this whole Chestermere city council versus the Municipal Government Act and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, you know, there were so many moving parts. That’s all changed. Everything’s changed. The whole landscape’s changed,” Hepner explained.
The fallout from the municipal shake-up continues as former Mayor Jeff Colvin and the three dismissed councillors pursue a judicial review to challenge their oustings. The controversy centers around accusations of governance failures and non-compliance with the directives of the Municipal Affairs Ministry. A byelection to fill the vacated positions is expected to take place before June, with specific dates yet to be announced. Colvin and the ousted councillors have expressed intentions to run for their former positions if their legal efforts to overturn the dismissals do not succeed.
