CAMPAIGN QUESTIONS

Through the forums and newspapers, council candidates get asked a lot of questions.  These are my answers:

Campaign Question 1:

Who are you and why are you running?  (Question from the Seniors on the Bow Forum - 2 Min Response)

My name is Tara McFadden and I’ve been privileged to have worked for you on Town Council for 2 terms.  I also work full time for the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation.  I often say that I have the two best jobs in Cochrane because I get to work for causes that I believe in.  In my personal life, I’m a mother, wife and daughter.  And as much as I can, my spare time is spent on horse back

My reasons for running are the same as when I first ran.  It’s because of my family.  I want to be a part of ensuring that Cochrane remains a family orientated community with small town values and a high quality of life.  When I’m making my decisions, it’s from what I think is best for our families.

I’m running because I have goals I want to achieve.

I want Cochrane to be a leader in good governance and so I will continue to be a champion for POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY.  To govern well you have to communicate well.  As an organization, we’ve improved our public engagement but we can take it to the next step.  And we can do this through stronger communications that will demonstrate our commitment to transparency. We need to expand public involvement in our decision making, to find new ways like Citizen Juries to engage the silent majority and to communicate to people where they are.  Public engagement is one of my passions and it’s why I’ve created my own council updates that I e-mail out after ever council meeting to provide updates.  We need to make communications a priority and we need to reflect that in our organization.

I will continue to be a voice for Environmental Stewardship.  As a community, we value our environment and we need to ensure that as we grow, we conserve our green spaces and wetlands.  We need to promote Smart Growth because we all want to live in a community that is beautiful, safe, affordable and easy to get around.  And we need to manage our WATER RESPONSIBLY.  I was pleased to have been a leader in creating the Turf Buy Back program which is a Canada first in encouraging residents to replace their high water use lawns.

I will also be an advocate for strong FINANCIAL Management.  We need to keep our taxes affordable while providing the services that we need.  I am proud to have been part of creating the 10 Year Financial Plan which lays out our need list and our want lists, and creates a plan for how we can afford them.  And we need to attract businesses that benefit Cochrane, that not only balance the tax rate but provide meaningful employment.

And I will champion for our Recreation and Culture needs.  The new aquatic centre has been much discussed, and we can in a financially responsible way start construction on that in 2015.  We need to continue to support our Arts & Culture communities.  And we need to expand our pathways, to connect not only our communities but to connect to Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park and the TransCanada Trail.

I’m running because I have dreams for Cochrane that I want to see filled.