For first-year City Councilman Göran Eriksson, his political career began during his childhood at home in his native Sweden.

When Council members were polled at last month’s Strategic Planning Retreat about the most influential figure(s) in their lives, Mr. Eriksson quickly nominated his parents.

“They were engaged in a lot of volunteer work and union-related work,” he said.

“As a small kid, I remember being at the kitchen table over weekends, following my dad and my mom doing many different things. It was a natural part of our family life.”

As the older of two children, big brother to his sister, Mr. Eriksson said he never thought about birth-order in his family.

What he undeniably inherited was a mantle of authority, as has his freshman classmate Thomas Small.

Politically, it appears that both Mr. Small and Mr. Eriksson were born fully grown – no learning curves needed for them.

By a wide margin the tallest and brawniest gentleman on the dais, if Mr. Eriksson strode into a room, unannounced, and gave an order, the undoubted snappy response would be “Yes, sir.”

Only after fulfilling the command, you might wonder  who he is, how he accumulated unquestioned authority.

Not for long. Often he is as gentle as his physical presentment is imposing.

He came to previously widest attention as the effective chair of the Finance Advisory Committee. Presently, he serves on the two-person Sustainability Subcommittee, preparing a presentation on banning styrofoam food containers.