Chad Gooding
McCORDSVILLE — The newest member of McCordsville Town Council is bringing his background in development to help lead the quickly developing town.
Chad Gooding won a Republican caucus to succeed Barry Wood, who is stepping down from the council at the end of the year with one year left in his term.
Gooding has lived in McCordsville since 2018 and has been on the town’s advisory plan commission for less than a year after briefly serving on the architectural review committee.
Part of the Anderson native’s influence for pursuing public service comes from his late grandmother, Pat Dillon, who served as a Madison County commissioner, council member and auditor.
“I always had that feel growing up, and watched that happening,” Gooding said.
He looks forward to bringing his experience as the vice president of construction for a mechanical, electrical and plumbing company to the council.
“It’s really just trying to figure out how to help the community with my background in construction, and development, and real estate,” he said.
There’s plenty happening in those sectors in McCordsville.
“This place is booming,” Gooding said.
Part of that are plans for a future town center, a hub of commercial, residential and community spaces on more than 100 acres east of Mt. Comfort Road and south of State Road 234. Gooding said he was pleasantly surprised by architecture presented at a town council meeting earlier this month of part of the project that includes two four-story, mixed-use apartment buildings.
“They got some thoughtfulness in it,” he said. “I was encouraged.”
Larry Longman, a McCordsville Town Council member, has known Gooding for decades of working in construction and real estate in Indianapolis. Longman said he was glad to see someone already involved in town government get the council seat.
“We love to promote from within,” Longman said. “The committees are a great proving ground for who is going to be a great candidate for future leaders in the town.”
Gooding is responsible for a workforce with diverse backgrounds across the country, Longman continued, adding Wood also brought a strong skill set in resource management to the town council.
“I would say he’s going to be a great replacement for what Barry brought as an expertise,” Longman said.
Gooding plans to run for his at-large council seat in the 2022 election as well.
Wood is stepping down after 20 years on the council, and served with Gooding on the plan commission.
“He seems like a reasonable guy, thoughtful,” Wood said. “That’s about all you can ask for in this position — get somebody who thinks about things, not afraid to speak his mind. Everybody’s background is slightly different, and you can bring in new ideas.”
