By Anne Finlay-Stewart

When the first election results were released Monday night, Travis Dodd was at a loss for words. The first-time candidate for Owen Sound council had the second highest number of votes, and remained in that position for the rest of the evening. "I was not expecting that – but very honoured that so many had reacted positively to what I was saying during the campaign, " said Dodd in an interview. In the end, almost 53% of voters had marked his name on their ballot.

The 27 year old began his campaign seeing it as an opportunity to voice the concerns of a younger generation. He said then that "if that was all there was, at least we would have been part of the conversation." As the youngest city councillor by more than a decade, he can now bring that perspective to city decisions.

Speaking of the new council, Dodd says he is "thrilled to be working with people of such experience in politics, business and life", and is looking forward to that balance of fresh outlook and a variety of past experiences. He says he will be considering what he learns through his own filters to be sure he is making his own decisions.

During the campaign Dodd says he spoke to so many different people, who approached the issues from multiple angles. "By the time I leave a conversation with anyone, after listening respectfully, I am starting to consider where I fit...making it part of my decision-making."

The first order of business will be gathering information and building relationships with fellow councillors and city staff, says Dodd, emphasizing the need for cooperation at the council table. "Together we will have to keep up that energy to keep things going in a positive direction."

Dodd wants to be involved in some of the ideas he brought forward in the campaign which resonated with voters and other candidates – filling downtown storefronts in the short-term to make downtown more attractive to residents and prospective businesses, working pro-actively with Georgian College and other post-secondary institutions, and building relationships with a regional view to economic development.

"For our financial future, we have to see ourselves as we are – a community of 45,000 people in the immediate area, not in competition but mutually dependent." This is not a four-year plan, Dodd says, something he emphasized as he went door-to-door – it will take two or three terms.

"After all, I want my family growing up in a financially secure, sustainable community."

Anne Finlay-Stewart is Community Editor of Owensoundhub.org. She can be reached at annekfs@gmail.com.