Bowden's incoming chief administrative officer says the town's location is a big advantage that might result in more commercial activity in the town.
James Mason officially started work March 1, replacing Andy Weiss, who served as Bowden's CAO for about nine years.
The town's CFO, Jacqui Molyneux, served as interim CAO after Weiss left near the end of January.
“It's a great location. Everybody on that corridor between Edmonton and Calgary has potential because you have visibility from the highway,” Mason said during an interview with the Albertan.
“Typically what I see in Alberta is that's what really gives a municipality an opportunity -- if you can find a way to seize that chance,” he said, although he acknowledge, it's “a challenge” for smaller towns to do that.
Mason pointed out Bowden can easily be accessed from Highway 2 via the overpass.
He also noted the town has land on the east side of that highway.
Mason, 51, most recently worked as CAO of Mannville, a town of about 800 people about 170 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, near Lloydminster.
Prior to serving as Mannville's CAO, a job he did for about a year, Mason was a councillor in Mayerthorpe and ran his own business.
Mason and his wife Patti have four children. One is working; another is enrolled in university.
Mason says he was attracted by the town and its council.
“Once I found it was available and did some research, it seemed like a nice place to work,” he said. “It's a central location and the council seems to be very experienced and a pretty level-headed bunch.”
"Everybody on that corridor between Edmonton and Calgary has potential because you have visibility from the highway."JAMES MASONINCOMING BOWDEN CAO
