I have been on council for seven years now and have decided not to run again. At my age, I have things to do, places to go, and people to meet.
My thoughts are with the new faces that will be running in the next election. The way it is now there should be three or more positions to fill. The most important issue is getting good dedicated people to run. So if you are interested in being a councillor, make sure you understand what is involved and how much time it takes. I am sure any current councillor would be happy to discuss what the job entails. After all, we are all here for the same reason — to make Squamish a better place. It is a rewarding job.
One of the biggest rewards for me has been the people you meet and interact with.
A council is very interesting to work with — a group of people thrown together from all walks of life and expected to make multi-million dollar decisions for their town.
Then there are the community members who reach out for help with problems they are having with issues such as dust, traffic, potholes, taxes, noise, dangerous trees, invasive species, and parking, to mention just a few. Developers request time of you to review their projects to get a feel for if they are moving in the right direction and like any good business person, they will do their best to sway you.
Finally, the most important people of all at municipal hall are our staff department heads and upper management: the backbone of it all.
I can tell you right now Squamish is lucky to have such a dedicated bunch. I am so pleased with the work they do with the directions council gives them. The staff I interact with are the people I will miss the most.
During my two terms, I have learned so much and wish I had the time and energy to run again.
Understanding process and how slow it can be has often been frustrating. The way it currently works is you get an idea, staff gathers information and prepares a report, council has to prioritize the request, and it may get to the budget for the next year.
If you are looking for a part-time career get your name out there soon and do your research as to what is involved with being a councillor.
I recommend coming to a few weeks of meetings and see if you are up for the job.
