A social media post by Cochrane Mayor Jeff Genung, which he says is asking for kindness, has set off a firestorm of speculation about the post, who it is about, criticism, and support.
On April 4, Genung posted a 443-word post on his Facebook page that brought up negative commentary about the community and talked about “question[ing] the Town’s leadership, decision-making and information sharing.”
The post went on to say that elected officials can expect criticism, but it has “gone too far.”
“Belligerent, abusive behavior is not an appropriate method of communicating,” Genung wrote in the post.
As of posting, Genung’s post has received more than 144 comments. Town councillor Marni Fedeyko reposted the mayor’s post and said she has also received out of line and abusive comments.
“As an elected official I have been sent messages that I wouldn’t send to my worst enemy,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “You don’t have to agree, you can ask questions, you can still not like it, but we aren’t a punching bag.
“However, personally criticizing me, my appearance, parenting or career is not your place.”
2021 Town council candidate Brandon Cruze responded to Genung’s post on his own Facebook page saying he believed Genung’s post was directed towards him. Cruze has been advocating for Cochrane CAO Mike Derricott and council to give their raises back to the community.
“Yesterday, the Mayor’s post took direct aim at me, but now I want even more transparency, and accountability,” Cruze wrote on his Facebook page, adding that the mayor’s post only created more division within the community.
“The mayor needs to give specific instances about the abusive and belligerent behaviour he mentions in the post.”
“I would also like to know what’s gone too far, and why Mayor Genung feels like that,” Cruze added. “How is asking questions of our elected officials going too far? He said in his own post that it’s encouraged, and to be in the public eye requires a thick skin. So what’s the problem with being held accountable then?”
Specifics on RCMP involvement should also be disclosed, Cruze wrote. Genung had mentioned in his post that RCMP had been "contacted by frontline staff who felt unsafe."
Cruze originally conducted an interview with the Cochrane Eagle/Cochrane Today, but later asked that his comments from that interview not be used.
In an interview with the Eagle, Genung said the post was not about Cruze.
“It wasn't a specific person, or a specific incident that I'm referring to, it was a number of them,” he said. “It's happened at the RancheHouse. It’s happened at the town shop. This is over months, some of its stemming back into the pandemic. People are frustrated, people are on edge, their fuses are a lot shorter, and they're taking it out on people.”
He said he has been working on writing the post for months and that he felt it was time to finally publish it.
The backlash has taken him by surprise, Genung said.
“My post was intended to land on, 'Let's be more positive to one another,'” he said. “Let's be kind to our fellow residents. Let's have some empathy and sympathy for some of the people that work for the town of Cochrane before we attack.”
