Find the washrooms, all will be good

The first 100 days in office will tell us much about what's to come.

The District of Squamish Council was sworn-in Nov. 3 and on Feb. 1 the group will hit the 100-day mark.

That’s enough time to figure out where all the municipal hall washrooms are located.

Also in that timeframe, this new group might finalize the budget, the ten-year financial plan.

While the provincial government deadline for the budget to be set is mid-May, Squamish usually completes the budget process earlier in the year.

Coun. Eric Andersen and the legislative services team have their work cut out for them as they bring five new councillors and a new mayor up to speed. The first 100 days will include seven Regular Meetings, a bunch of Committee of the Whole meetings and a few Special Meetings.

When I think back to the first 100 days of the 2018 to 2022 term I see similarities. The newly elected group of seven back then was made up of an incumbent councillor, a mayor with a term of experience as a councillor and five rookies.

On Nov. 13 of 2018 it started. One week after being sworn in, a Committee of the Whole Meeting was held. We were given an affordable housing update.

Following that, the first real decision was needed as the new council voted on three readings of an update to the Subdivision and Development Control bylaw.

I was freaking out inside because despite reading the Report to Council in advance of the meeting, I didn’t really know anything about any of the stuff in the report. Who was I kidding? How was I ever going to get through the meeting, let alone the next four years?

According to the minutes, Coun. Pettingill moved three readings of the bylaw and it was me who seconded the motion.

I supported the motion because I wanted people to think I was off to a confident start.

Subsequent meetings in the 100-day window got us up to speed on Woodfibre LNG, the Garibaldi at Squamish project, short-term rentals, the budget, the RCMP, economic development initiatives and many more significant issues.

Also, I shook the hands of many staff members. Relationships are important. I knew that then and I know it deeper now.

Mayor Karen Elliott and Coun. Doug Race worked well over the first 100 days to guide me and the four other green (note that’s a lower case G) newcomers through the first few meetings.

The current council will hit the ground running with financial plan discussions, they’ll be updated on the WLNG situation, they’ll get a briefing on the situation with homelessness downtown while also getting a start on the strategic plan that will guide the newly elected officials until the end of the term.

Finding the washrooms at muni hall might seem inconsequential. I found them all in the first 100 days and it was a small accomplishment that quickly helped me feel at home in the job.

John French served as a District of Squamish Councillor from 2018 to 2026.

This column was first published in the Nov. 5, 2026 edition of The Squamish Chief and published to the newspaper website a few days before that.