Here's what led to the resignation of a village council in southern Alberta

The southern Alberta village of Empress hugs the Saskatchewan border.

Located between two rivers east of Medicine Hat, the prairie community of about 100 souls is home to a group of artisans and serves as a central hub to the surrounding ranching and farming community.

But residents say the village is divided in the wake of the resignation of the village's council in recent days — fighting like "Hatfields and McCoys," as one resident put it.

"The town is very badly split," said Steve Springett, owner of the Empress Forksview apartment building and motel.

"It's like us and the Liberals and Conservatives — we just kind of go back and forth. Or like the Americans. You know? There's kind of two sides here."

The village lost its chief administrative officer, Debbie Ross, earlier this year, after she had served in that role for nearly a decade. She said she resigned after reaching a breaking point trying to deal with village council.

The trouble began, according to Ross, when she fired the village's public works foreman, Martin Jarvis, who she claimed was not properly following the bylaws and policies that council made.

"That didn't go over well," Ross said. "So he actually campaigned and ran in the new election … and he ran on the campaign of getting rid of me."

In late 2021, Jarvis was successful in becoming mayor, running in tandem with Dan Moslamani, who became deputy mayor. Clinton Steinley rounded out the three-person council. 

Ross claimed the pair proceeded to "try and make my life miserable."

"Lots of accusations," Ross said. "I'd have to show him the [Municipal Government Act], show him what he could or could not do, and it just got to the point where I didn't want to bother with it anymore."

Ross said she found herself at a breaking point when she said Jarvis came in one day with a letter and a member of the RCMP, intending to fire Ross. 

"Of course, he doesn't have the authority. The only one who confirmed me is council as a whole," Ross said.

"He said that one of the other councillors [Moslamani] was in agreement with this. And that other councillor said he absolutely did not agree with that after the fact."