Mayoral candidate Morgan Nagel says it’s time for change at Cochrane town hall, believing town council lost its way during the last term.
Ahead of his formal campaign launch on Labour Day weekend, Nagel has begun connecting with residents to discuss his top three priorities.
In addition to improving governance, he says the next four to eight years will be critical to preserving Cochrane’s identity and preventing it from being absorbed by Calgary.
Nagel also wants to manage growth, protect green spaces and the natural environment, and apply fiscally conservative planning to avoid wasteful spending of taxpayers’ dollars.
While he’s proud of the first term of the current council—re-elected in full in 2021—he says it's difficult to pinpoint what's been accomplished over the last four years.
"I would honestly say that very little of what we discussed in our first strategic planning session was delivered—almost none of it," said Nagel. "The one thing that was delivered was hiring a bunch of new staff and increasing taxes. With those tax increases, I don’t think residents have really gotten much value. So, here we are at the end of this term, and I’m hard-pressed to put together a clear list of accomplishments."
He says something shifted after the last election.
"The mayor got in by acclamation, and we had a new CAO. I don’t know if it’s complacency or a lack of inspiration, but I think it’s time to bring new energy into Cochrane’s leadership and get back on track, delivering for residents."
He believes priorities need to be clearly set—and followed through.
"There needs to be a culture shift. We need a mayor and council who say, 'This is what we're going to do over this four-year term,' and then actually do it. If it’s not getting done, we need to find someone who can."
Nagel is particularly critical of the town’s reliance on consultants and what he sees as slow, inefficient processes.
"I’m worried we have a culture where things don’t need to be done quickly. It seems like anything we want to do takes a minimum of 12 months. We need leadership at the top that believes it is possible to deliver results in a month or two—like in the private sector."
He points to the delay in finalizing a 50-year lease agreement with the Cochrane Lions Club for the rodeo grounds as an example.
"The Lions presented a 50-year vision and asked for an extended lease. Council gave unanimous support, so no further deliberation was needed. From council’s standpoint, we were ready to move forward."
"But administration said it would take at least a year. We can’t just default to a year of consultation, expensive consultants, surveys, and delays. We need to move faster."
His top priority is to slow growth to a more manageable rate and take proactive steps to avoid urban sprawl. He wants to ensure Cochrane remains a small, friendly community—something that was also central to his platform when first elected in 2013.
"People move here not because they want to be in the city—it’s not a Plan B because Calgary didn’t work out. They’ve made a conscious decision to move away from the city. Many commute to Calgary, but they choose to raise families or retire here because of the small-town feel and proximity to the Rockies."
Nagel says Cochrane must take tangible steps to avoid being absorbed by Calgary.
"In 10 years, the ship could have sailed, and Cochrane could be on track to become part of the greater Calgary sprawl—like Greater Toronto, where it’s just houses everywhere."
He says protecting green spaces and natural beauty is essential.
"That’s very important to Cochrane residents—not just recreational areas, but conservation zones and wildlife corridors."
Nagel was first elected in 2013 at age 23. In the last two elections, he received the most votes among town council candidates.
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He announced his decision to run for mayor amid the SLS Centre controversy, saying he had reached a breaking point.
"I wasn’t sure whether I’d run for council again or move on to something else, but I realized I’m still passionate about this community—and ready to make a full-time commitment to Cochrane."
Incumbent Mayor Jeff Genung and Dean Hopkins have also declared their candidacy in the mayoral race.