James Allen says Redcliff town council has worked together effectively over the past few years to accomplish some notable achievements, including the new school, and he wants to continue representing residents moving forward.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
James Allen first decided to run for town council when he was hit with a bylaw infraction.
When Allen’s family exceeded the limit of dogs allowed to one property, he tried to work with the township to have the bylaw altered. He was ultimately defeated. But at the end of the process, the protective services manager handed Allen a council package.
“He said, ‘I think that you would be really good at this,'” the first-term Redcliff councillor told the News on Thursday.
That was an election year. Allen didn’t run then, but the encounter planted a seed. When the next election rolled around in 2021, he ran for council and won.
Allen’s main priorities since becoming a councillor include economic development and future sustainability. He thinks the school project his council helped launch can meaningfully contribute to both.
“Our area as a whole is very stagnant,” he said. “We need to try and attract more business, more residents to Redcliff. That’s why I fought so hard for this new school build, because I believe that could be one attractor to get new people to town, and potentially sell some of the commercial lots that we’ve got down in the area slotted for the school.”
Another project high on Allen’s priorities is upgrading the water treatment plant. He says the plant has a sole source intake pipe, and he has supported council’s efforts to add some redundancy.
“If we want the town to grow, we have to have the capacity to do that,” he said.
Like his fellow candidates, Allen also prioritizes infrastructural maintenance. He says he wanted to get more done in his first term, but he’s learned a lot about the limits of what council can feasibly accomplish within the budget.
“It costs basically $1 million a block to redo a road and upgrade all the pipes underneath,” he said. “Count how many blocks we have in Redcliff, and that number adds up really fast.”
That said, Allen has no problem making those decisions when they serve the best interest of the town.
“I’m always willing to ask the tough questions. I’m always willing to hold people to task. Some people might not like that in a personality, but I believe if you’re elected, you’re there to do a job.”
In a small town like Redcliff, Allen says many residents rarely engage with council. He says a vote for him is a vote for someone who’s willing to put in the work, so they don’t have to.
Editors note: The story has been been updated from a previous version that had incorrect financial information.
