Being meticulously organized has been foundational to City Councilman Thomas Small’s success as a world-traveling architectural journalist and consultant.
Four months after Mr. Small’s election, encouraging signs are emerging that signal the 40 percent new City Council is developing strategies for projects they intend to address.
Mr. Small hopes that last week’s groundbreaking one-day Strategic Planning Retreat at the Kirk Douglas Theatre merely is a door-opener. “We need more of these sessions,” he said.
Speaking with precision and deliberateness, “the best part was for us to begin the absolutely all-important process of figuring out the revision of the city’s General Plan. It has not been touched for a long time, and the process to get it started is well underway.
“Before we can do the master plan,” Mr. Small said, “we have to have the Advanced Planning staff in the Community Development Dept. be able to handle the project along with all of the consultants who will be engaged.
“They already have begun the hiring process to create the staff. Then we will be looking to engage consultants.”
In a not-quite-aside, Mr. Small paid tribute to the city manager. “John Nachbar has been tremendous as always, reiterating over and over to us how important the process is for the city.”
Everything that was discussed at the Strategic Planning Retreat “will all dovetail with the revision of the General Plan, and we all will be subject to it,” he said.
(To be continued)
These council retreats could turn into a good thing for our council members. Just so they don’t discuss “The People’s Business” behind closed doors and out of the view of the public.