For Marty Lee, the decision to run for Town Council was spurred by one thing — the need for a councilman who can get the job done.
The 14-year Cochrane resident sees himself as the ideal person to fill what he said is a gap in the outgoing council. With an extensive background in construction, Lee said he’ll bring his experience and knowledge of capital projects to council chambers if elected.
“My whole work life has been about costing jobs and delivering on projects out of the office,” said Lee.
His list of construction-related projects includes the Peter Lougheed Centre, a slew of high-rise buildings and a Sherwood Park, Alta.-based pool. And, like many of the other election candidates, he has opinions on the yet-to-come Cochrane Aquatic Centre.
“I don’t understand when the new pool became a political issue,” said Lee. “Everyone supports the pool. The only question is: when do we start shoveling.
“The longer we wait, the more expensive the project is going to be.”
He added that the more time passes, the more the cost of materials and tenders increases. In addition to the Aquatic Centre he also mentioned the Bow River Bridge Crossing, which is tentatively planned for 2019.
“You can’t just keep putting a little bit of money into the piggy bank for projects like this,” he explained.
“I’m not saying borrow, borrow, borrow. But it’s time to think creatively. And I think we can do it without increasing taxes.”
This isn’t Lee’s first adventure into the realm of politics. He ran for council, but wasn’t elected, six years ago. He was inspired to run again in the 2013 municipal election after noticing, well, not much.
“I haven’t really noticed any changes to Cochrane,” said Lee, a hobby guitarist. “I’ve seen growth, I’ve seen taxes go up — but I haven’t seen any simple changes.
“I haven’t seen anything get done. And the only way to get things done is to get involved.”
Lee’s “can-do” attitude was apparent when asked what, if elected, his Top 3 priorities would be. His answer: “I don’t have priorities. All I see is things that need to be done.”
This is the same attitude he’s brought to numerous groups on a local and provincial level, including as a board member of the Calgary Construction Association and as part of the team responsible for throwing the inaugural Super Cities Walk for MS in Edmonton.
To learn more about Marty Lee and his political stance, visit his Facebook page under the moniker “Marty Lee for Cochrane Council.”
Cochrane residents can vote for their preferred council member and mayor during the election Oct. 21. Voting stations will be located at the Cochrane RancheHouse, Frank Wills Memorial Hall and Bow Valley Baptist Church.
