A former Nanton councillor is vying for a seat at the table in Okotoks.
Jakob Hensel and his family moved to town just over three years ago and are determined to put down roots and get involved in the community.
“We really like this town,” said Hensel. “When I moved here I figured I could go back to council.”
He served on council in Nanton for two terms, from 2010 to 2017, before moving to Okotoks.
Trained in the construction industry, he said his view on development is unique. Council needs to be looking at a broader picture when it plans out growth, he said.
“Some of the streets and accesses are being developed as the areas are getting developed,” said Hensel. “They’re causing problems with the way they’re set up right now and with this town growing and getting bigger, there’s a lot of slow-down in areas and congestion that needs to be dealt with to make sure people are staying safe and comfortable getting around town.”
He likened neighbourhood developed to finishing a home, noting when a bathroom is being framed and drywalled, the area where items like toilet paper holders or towel bars will be installed are backed with extra support.
It should be the same with roadways and other infrastructure, he said.
“These are things that need to get done right at the beginning to make it a lot easier and better and quicker, to develop it when they get to that part down the road,” said Hensel.
He would also like to see more focus on maintenance and care for things like shrubbery and trees in parks and along boulevards to keep up the esthetics of the town.
Hensel said serving on a municipal council in the past has provided him with insight as to the role of councillors and how to look at the broader picture when it comes to issues or projects that arise.
It’s easy to get caught in the weeds when reading through or trying to understand the scope of plans or projects, and sometimes people get hung up on wording or individual clauses. He said it’s more important to look at the possible outcomes should any changes be made.
“We need to look at the entire page, the overall view, the higher up looking down, not just staring at one little block but at the whole town,” said Hensel.
Sometimes projects get delayed or placed on the backburner and Hensel said he wants to clean the slate and help move the Town and its objectives forward.
“I would like to get involved with making sure everything is brought up-to-date,” he said. “Things that have been sitting for a while get dealt with, done. We get the old list done so the new list can be looked at as well.”
Another key focus for Hensel is ensuring residents feel heard by their council representatives, regardless of whether they agree or disagree with decisions that are being made.
“There are always situations and not every single person is going to be happy all the time, but you want to make as many people happy and appreciated as you can,” he said.
