We have an amazing staff at the District. They are dedicated, capable, innovative and caring. No matter what their role, whether teaching your kids how to swim, keeping your roads safe, water flowing and toilets flushing, envisioning the Squamish of the future or making learning accessible through our public library, they have my utmost respect.
Last week we celebrated our staff who achieved five-year milestones in their careers at the District. In all, 35 people were honoured including three who have been with the District for 25 years and one who has been part of our team for a remarkable 30 years. In every one of our colleagues, I saw a person who serves their community with conviction and takes seriously their role in collectively bettering the lives of the people who call Squamish home.
When you think about the diversity of services that a municipality delivers, it goes far beyond its members of council. Council is responsible for the governance, service policies and an overall vision for the community, but it is our staff who eats, lives and breathes this every day and who are constantly pushing us to innovate and do more.
In a more casual moment after our appreciation event, a group of us were speculating about the upcoming winter season and remembering with admiration and dread the events of last year. One staff member who has been keeping your roads and parks safe for over 15 years and worked 28 consecutive days last winter said, “Oh, yeah. People give us the ‘finger’ all the time, sometimes we get snowballs thrown at us. It can be scary and dangerous.”
I was flabbergasted! “Who in the world would do such a thing?” But staff wasn’t complaining. “It’s just part of the job,” they said, with a shrug.
Grrr… the protective momma bear in me comes out.
Please, if you have a municipal service frustration, comment or suggestion, let us know in a constructive, respectful and positive way. You are our mobile sensors and our community’s eyes and ears every single day.
We know we’re imperfect. We know we can improve. We also work together to develop a corporate culture that is responsive to feedback and opportunities for improvement.
It’s unfortunate when a snowplow pushes snow in front of your freshly shovelled driveway. But next time, perhaps instead of throwing a snowball or “flipping the bird,” consider delivering freshly baked muffins to the Public Works yard and the people who have spent weeks working overtime in an effort to keep our roads, bike lanes, and sidewalks clear of snow and ice. Instead, flip them a thankful smile and wave, and give us some constructive feedback on how we can do better.
