The town councillor who topped the vote in 2013 isn't in the running today but during his seven years on council he left a lasting impression. 

Jeff Toews received the support of 61 per cent of the voters in his second run and had an impressive 57 per cent, good enough for second, in his first bid in 2010.

During that seven-year term, he was one of the more vocal members of council and did not hesitate to pursue issues he believed were important to the community. 

"It was seven years of ups and downs, mostly ups," says Toews. "People may not see the background but I'm very proud of what has been accomplished, especially in the last four years. I think we put the town in the right direction. People may agree or disagree, but I think overall we did."

He was known for taking stands and bringing forward ideas. So when you take action you're assured of getting a reaction and sometimes it's not favourable.

"You have two ways of being on council. You can get elected and sit back and do absolutely nothing and you'll probably get re-elected because you haven't offended anybody or said anything that has pissed off a segment of the community. Or you can take a look at what you think the community needs, talk to people, find out what they're saying and put yourself out there. But when you do so, you're under attack because there's always a small segment of the population that doesn't like what you're doing."

Since he was first elected, he's found the way people disagree has become less respectful.

"With social media it's gotten 100 times worse. People can say what they want without justification or any basis to their argument. There's no accountability."

"I find that level of respect is disappearing. What are people calling it now... 'Trump politics'. It's a little bit of that, but not to the same level."

Toews was opposed to transit when it was first proposed and was part of a campaign that did succeed in preventing its implementation.

"I wasn't happy with the way they did it. It's not that I'm against transit, I just thought for the town of 16,000-17,000 it was too soon and I didn't like the way they were forcing it. It just didn't make any sense at the time."

Now he says the town has done more research, has grown and is in a better position to support transit.

"I always said transit should start around 35,000 people and by the time we get buses on the road it will be about that. I think the timing is a lot better for transit now."

Improving quality of life was high on his list and ideas he started to formulate during his first term were combined with those of fellow councillor Gaynor Levisky the next term to present an all-encompassing notice of motion. There were 35 points raised in the first version and by the end it became 15. 

"Did we get everything the way I wanted it? No, not at all. But I think the compromise was there and we got some of what I think will make Cochrane a better community."

It was based upon concerns brought to his attention by residents about information disclosure for neighbourhood development plans, the need to increase lot sizes, maintaining vacant lots, enhancing aesthetics in new neighbourhoods and to make sure there are more off-leash dog parks.

"It all lead back to quality to life for people. You drive into your community, you drive down a beautiful road, you're going to your home, have space to raise your family and still be close enough to your neighbours that you can have a good relationship. It's when you buying your home that you're not upset a year later because there was something going in that you didn't understand or know about."

His ideas on establishing more multi-use off-leash parks was not totally successful. His attempt to establish a pilot project in the Sunset neighbourhood met resistance and was dropped. What he did get instilled in the town's development plan was the assurance off-leash parks are part of new developments and would be available in ever quadrant of town.

"In retrospect what I maybe should have done differently was to introduced a shared off-leash in a new development, an area where we had the pathways set up instead of trying to put it into an existing area."

"The other parts of my motion got passed that where now every quadrant of Cochrane has to have off-leash areas and they have to be put within reasonable walking distance of every new development."

He believes the expansion of the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sport Centre was the right thing to do and is positive it will become self-supporting.

"I have 23 years in recreation and I know what I'm talking about. I know where we make money, I know where we lose money and, from all my years on the board of directors of Spray Lake, I know what's happening and I see the budget and I see what's going on and I see what's possible.

"There's no question in my mind that Spray Lakes will within that five-year period be at a break even point plus the five per cent reserve."

His only disappointment is it came in $3 million over budget.

"What was good is the pool was the largest project ever undertaken by the Town of Cochrane. You take what you learn from that and you apply it to the bridge, because now that will be the largest project ever undertaken by the town."

His biggest disappointment came in his first term when he didn't get support for the design he wanted for the Quarry. He wanted the main street narrower and stores along its front with parking in the back. That way, he believes, people could park their car and shop through the district without having to move from one parking lot to another. He was also disappointed the Walmart  exterior was not designed to suit the community as the corporation has done elsewhere.

"I think that was a complete mistake and it can't be undone. I will go to my grave saying that was unbelievably shortsighted by a council that was promoting the environment and promoting walkability."

"I think council, because I pushed so hard for so many things, voted against what I wanted just because it was me who brought it forward."

He did find much of his first term a challenge.

"I didn't get anything that I wanted accomplished in my first term. If I hadn't run for re-election at that point I would have left after three years frustrated and disappointed in myself for not getting things accomplished the way I wanted to get them done for the community."

His advise to new councillors? Keep the communications line open. If you clash on social media, try taking it to a different forum like private emails and if that doesn't work, meet for coffee to discuss. Do those little extras, like having information nights or going out into the community get feedback, as he did at the rec centre, on the pathways and at store fronts downtown.

Most of all, remember it's not about you.

"The most important thing any councillor can do is when they get in that role is to remember, it's not about them, it's about the community and what is best for the community... bottomline."

"I didn't have a hidden agenda or anything like that. I was honestly trying to do what was best for the community, not just for me. I wouldn't have transit, I 'll never use it, but it's not about me, it's about building a community. Same with the pool. I'll never use the pool, either. I don't like swimming lanes. I know I supervise recreation centres with pools, but I'll never use that pool. So it's not about me, it's about community.

As for the public, he asks them to give the new council time to get their feet wet.

"When you first start, you need time to learn everything because you just don't know."

Toews and his family are moving to Calgary after 17 years in Cochrane but says seven years is long enough on council and he wouldn't have run if he remained in town.