First of two parts. 

One week out from the City Council’s first one-day Strategic Planning Retreat, Mayor Jim Clarke respectfully disagrees with Council colleague Thomas Small on who should research and oversee the coming Styrofoam ban.

By now, the ban is a cinch – only the vehicle, which people will do the legwork – is at issue.

“We have become too dependent on (city) staff,” is Mr. Clarke’s position. Mr. Small holds it is more appropriate for staff rather than the Council’s two-person Sustainability Committee to do a background check and further analysis en route to an ordinance.

“I have had a conversation with Thomas about next week’s Strategic Planning Retreat,” the mayor said.

“We are planning to identify discussion topics, things we would like to take on during the next two years – in-depth community discussions, something that lasts more than 10 minutes at a Council meeting.

“This is what I am talking about,” said Mr. Clarke. Topics such as:

• How do we create more affordable housing?
• How do we increase voter participation?
• Civic engagement?
• How do we make our public transit system more effective?
• How do we deal with parking and traffic problems?”

Mr. Clarke’s objective is to identify six subjects and plumb them for special study.

(To be continued)