With one year left in this term, council recently took the opportunity to reflect, refresh, and reset strategic priorities that were established at the beginning of our term. The pace we keep leaves little time for reflection and this was an important day. A portion of the day was spent discussing change: what was anticipated, what was not, and how council responded to emerging issues. Council regulates. What this means is that council sets the framework on a number of issues for community through bylaws. Bylaws are constructed with the unique needs of community in mind. When council considers adopting new bylaws, it is done with the goal of developing balance between diverse community values and opinions. [continues 828 words]
Happy New Year everyone! The beginning of a new year is both a time of personal contemplation and looking forward. And so it is for council. It is hard to believe that we are midway through this term. In the past year we saw vigorous and thoughtful debate on some complicated issues. 2016 tested council and the results will shape and define future direction. There is no doubt that developing policy in the social realm is much more difficult than considering a variance application to build a shed. [continues 636 words]
