Taxpayers have spent $294,568.18 on legal expenses for two investigations involving Councillor Marni Fedeyko, covering the period from February 2023 to Oct. 2, 2024.
Yesterday, town administration released detailed information on all legal costs related to the investigations and sanctions involving Fedeyko, along with a summary providing context and a timeline, prepared in consultation with legal counsel.
The town’s legal costs for the first code of conduct complaint were $65,687.82. Legal costs for an OHS investigation and a second code of conduct complaint totaled $228,880.36.
The materials, including a summary of legal costs and an overview of the context and timeline, are available at Cochrane.ca/ATI.
In July, town council agreed to release all legal and administrative costs related to meetings, investigations, and sanctions involving Fedeyko, along with a contextual summary and timeline.
Fedeyko issued a statement on her re-election social media following the release. She said the figures do not account for time spent by town staff on the complaints, nor her own personal legal costs.
“After more than two years, the town has revealed its legal costs in pursuing investigations that had no merit,” Fedeyko wrote on Facebook. “One was completely unsubstantiated, and the other lacked evidence. I was found guilty of both by some members of our current council.
“What a huge waste of taxpayer money!” she added. “I am so disgusted that an apparent eye roll in chambers cost this much on the backs of the people who live here.”
In June, Fedeyko told Cochrane Now she had spent more than $70,000 defending herself and expected the tab to climb even higher.
Town officials said no further information or statements will be provided.
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Mayor candidate Morgan Nagel was quick to comment after the figures and overview were released.
“It’s finally public,” Nagel wrote. “Our mayor and council’s vindictive witch hunt against Marni Fedeyko cost taxpayers $294,568.18. That’s nearly double her council salary for the entire four-year term.”
During a January 2025 council meeting, Nagel expressed frustration over the ongoing discussion of Fedeyko’s censure.
“What I'd really like to do is just walk out of here because I’m so upset by this entire issue,” he said during one of the debates on whether Fedeyko should serve as deputy mayor. “I don’t want to do anything to smear Councillor Fedeyko or make her look bad or penalize her or ever talk about this again."