In front of a group of about 17 silent protestors, town council approved seeking recognition for the leadership provided by of Mayor Jeff Genung.

This week, councillors unanimously agreed to nominate the mayor for an Alberta Municipalities Award of Excellence after receiving a detailed presentation from Councillor Susan Flowers.

In a six-point presentation, Flowers illustrated how he has consistently exhibited exceptional leadership, dedication, and vision.

He chairs the Midd-Sized Cities Mayors' Caucus, and advocates for regional cooperation through the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board, which he served as vice-chair until recently.

"Through his efforts, our town's interests have been well represented and we have strengthened our relationships with neighbouring communities," said Flowers.

She says he has displayed remarkable vision in bringing the innovation centre (within The Station at Cochrane Crossing) to life to help foster economic development. Additionally, he played a major role in helping encourage Garmin Canada to retain and expand its headquarters' operation here.

Flowers says he has displayed exceptional leadership and relationship-building skills through his involvement in the Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI), a collective effort of the Town of Cochrane and the Stoney Nakoda Nation.

"His inclusiveness and respectful approach has not only strengthened ties with the First Nations communities of Cochrane but has also created opportunities for collaboration."

She praised his advocacy work with provincial officials which has been successful in securing funding for critical infrastructure.

"Mayor Genung's dedication to our community is truly remarkable. His commitment to creating a town that residents can proudly call home and where families can thrive is evident. 

"His vision for a vibrant, inclusive, and prosperous community has guided his leadership and decision meeting," she continues. "Through his work, we have seen improved infrastructure, enhanced services, and increased opportunities that have contributed to our residents' well-being and quality of life."

The Alberta Municipalities (ABmunis) offers five awards to recognize municipal leadership. The Award of Excellence is designed to recognize outstanding civic leadership by past and present municipal elected officials who have served a minimum of three years in Alberta.

Some of the protestors sent emails in advance of the decision, questioning the leadership of the mayor, including Ron Voss.

The email states in part, "While the mayor has raised his profile with his involvement with the middle-sized cities, he does little to protect the Town of Cochrane from the influence of Trudeau and the UN/WEF. In fact, he does all he can to advance it. The most recent example is his endorsement of a study to convert our COLT fleet to a zero-emission fleet, going along with Trudeau and Agenda 2030. And he reports that going along with such makes him “quite excited”. 

"The way he handled my bringing to his attention the infringement of the Town’s Procedural bylaw and the protest the night of his State of Cochrane event shows that he is not someone to be trusted."

Voss called upon the mayor to decline the nomination.

The submission deadline is June 16, 2023, after which they will be considered by the executive committee of the association.

Mayor Genung left the chambers for the presentation, nor was he involved in the vote. But because the meetings are streamed live, he did have full access to Flowers' presentation and comments made by other councillors.