Rocky View County’s (RVC) reeve is throwing his hat into the ring for a second term.
Rolly Ashdown, 54, announced his candidacy for the upcoming municipal election, saying he hopes to continue his work representing the county.
“All and all, I think the last term went well. We’ve (the county) been through a lot over the last three years. We had a lot of growth and there’s more coming. I think it would be important for me to stay on to see a lot of the changes through,” said Ashdown.
The Saskatchewan-native has lived seven miles west of Langdon for more than 10 years. The experience of trying to subdivide a portion of his land in 2003 sparked his interest in local politics. After observing council meetings for a year, he ran in the 2007 election but was unsuccessful.
He said his diverse background has helped to develop his common-sense approach to decision-making. Ashdown worked in retail, automotive sales and has held a real estate license since 1989. He said as a “serial entrepreneur,” he’s had business interests in restaurants, construction and distribution, and land development.
Ashdown won the 2010 election to represent Division 4 and was elected by members of council for the position of reeve.
“I approached (the election) with a common-sense attitude and didn’t have a platform that would sway me one way or another. And I still don’t.”
He added that his accessibility to constituents is one of the characteristics that makes him a valuable council member.
“My policy has always been open door. If people ever have a problem with what I do or what they see at the county, I welcome them to come in and explain to me what it is. Then I can help them become more clear on the decision or on the idea or whatever the problem is,” he said, adding that he has hosted 15 town hall meetings in the last term to become more aware of the concerns in his division.
Among those are improving the quality of roads and addressing the recreational needs in Langdon as the hamlet continues to grow, according to Ashdown.
County-wide issues Ashdown said he wants to “see through” are the changes with fire services and the development of Bingham Crossing.
“The fire union came in, in the last three years and that has changed the way we have had to approach things and the way we have to look at our budget … Council doesn’t make unreasonable decisions as far as budgets go. You have to make reasonable decisions,” he said.
Improving council relations is also another priority for Ashdown.
“There’s nine people sitting on council and they come from nine different areas of the county,” he said. “Council is as diversified as the county itself. Where it becomes the biggest challenge is when everybody doesn’t have the most amount of respect for each other as they might be able to have. I think it’s important we carry down a healthy road of being more respectful to one another.”
Like many who get into municipal politics, Ashdown said he has a love for RVC.
“It’s one of the most challenging municipalities because it surrounds one of the fastest growing cities in Canada. When you consider that, there’s always different pressures that come at RVC at all different angles.
“But it’s probably got one of the most diversified tax bases in all of Alberta and if you look around Rocky View, it’s probably one of the most beautiful places in Alberta with its mountains to the west, foothills to the north and flatlands of agriculture,” he said.
With the County’s $66 million debt being an important election topic, Ashdown said “debt isn’t necessarily bad.”
“If nobody had debt then none of us would have a mortgage, and we’d be living in quite different places. You have to consider what are you going into debt for and what are you accomplishing.”
Ashdown added that while more than 90 per cent of Rocky View’s land mass is agriculture, 20 per cent of the County’s tax base comes from commercial and industrial assessments.
Ashdown said he is “looking forward to the upcoming election.”
“As the chief elected official of the county, I think I do a good job and I would hope to continue that. But that’s up to the next council and whatever they decide, I’m fine with that.”
