The decision to run for town council has been a year in the making for Alex Reed. With the support of his wife, Sydney, the chair of the Cochrane Planning Commission (CPC) is launching his campaign this week.
The decision to run for town council has been a year in the making for Alex Reed.
With the support of his wife, Sydney, the chair of the Cochrane Planning Commission (CPC) is launching his campaign this week.
“I have a civic responsibility and I have the time and the experience … I think the pendulum has swung way too far, ” said Reed, who has lived in Cochrane for six years. He added it's time for council to put the brakes on development in order to focus on “infrastructure and quality of life. ”
Top of mind issues for the father of five and grandfather of nine include development - slowing it down - creating more accountability and imposing more conditions on developers; infrastructure building, including water/wastewater; strategic planning to refocus Cochrane on working within its budget; traffic and road solutions, including transit and the downtown parking strategy; and improving options for seniors.
“The explosion of urban sprawl has eclipsed council's ability to fathom and effectively manage what we have, ” said Reed, affirming that he won't be a yes man. He commended the commitment of Coun. Morgan Nagel who has often served as the lone voice of opposition.
Expressing his disappointment that the town has yet to formally apologize for its $3 million budget overruns for the multisport/aquatic facility - a capital project Reed is concerned will be more costly to operate than the town is budgeting. He believes his experience as a senior administrator will help the town be more fiscally responsible.
“I think we need to talk about what are the priorities in terms of what funds are available to us, ” he explained, adding that this motto would apply to any further capital projects - such as an arts and cultural centre, as well as to social services such as transit, which he said can provide much-needed connectivity without becoming a cost burden.
Reed served nine years on town council in Athabasca, where he was deputy mayor.
Armed with a master's degree in business and 35 years as a senior post-secondary administrator, he has worked in universities from coast to coast. He was also one of the founders of Athabasca University.
After his retirement, Reed became executive director of Pacekids - a non-profit organization that offers programming for children with special needs and was on the brink of bankruptcy.
Today, it is an $8.2-million organization and Reed has discovered a passion for working with children and families with disabilities - the industry his wife works in as a special needs educator.
“I want to give back … I'm just an average guy who is simply fed up with the number of poor decisions this current town council has made. ”
Reed said initial conversations with fellow GlenEagles community members and others indicate his sentiments are representative of a growing number of Cochranites.
“My hope is that those other citizens of Cochrane who are upset with what has happened over the last three years will support the need for change by getting out and voting. ”
Reed has served as a volunteer on the CPC for five years, two of which have been as chair. He earned a variety of professional awards throughout his career in administration.
Cochranites looking to contact Reed can email him at [email protected].
