Drayton Valley Mayor Nancy Dodds was recently reelected to a second term, and she’s looking forward to moving the needle after a challenging first term.
Dodds served on Drayton Valley’s town council for one term before successfully running in the mayoral race for the 2021-2025 term. She was reelected as mayor for the 2025-2029 term at the end of October.
She said her first term was challenging, as it began when the pandemic was still in full swing. That, coupled with wildfires and evacuations, the loss of a councillor, and recent recessions, created a perfect storm of hurdles.
Despite the challenges, Dodds commented, “We were able to still get some things done and move priorities forward, so I think this time around, let’s get to work. I’m really excited for this new council. I think they’ll bring a fresh mix of perspective and energy.”
To address some of those hurdles moving forward, Dodds intends to be prepared for the unexpected by building tax reserves and supplementing infrastructure funding. As an aging community, she said it’s important to consider potential repair and replacement needs for essential systems alongside other project approvals.
Dodds also touched on this year’s campaign trail, explaining that frustrations were noticeably higher in the community. In particular, she heard concerns from residents about improving the communication of council information, the homelessness situation, road conditions, community enforcement and beautification. She said she would like to see that passion shift from criticism to more constructive engagement, and year-round, not just during election time.
“Moving forward, I would really like to foster a culture of collaboration, not only with council, but with our residents,” she explained. “I think that means leading with integrity, respect, and kindness. Kindness is a big thing, and I think that our community needs to shift a little bit to a little more kindness and respect for one another.”
Over the next four years, Dodds hopes to see Drayton Valley’s “Pulling Together” slogan come to life as she, council and residents work “to build the community that we all want, together.”
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