Mayor Easton highlights first 100 days, council direction at first such chamber lunch

The first 100 days of Lincoln’s new council was a key component of Lincoln Mayor Sandra Easton’s presentation “Future Focus” luncheon on Wednesday.

With about 70 in attendance at Twenty Valley Golf and Country Club, the meeting was the first of its kind for the chamber.

Easton covered everything from 2015 budget highlights to the Town’s governance model to the five strategic directions council has been basing its work on since last fall while citing balance for all as an important baseline.

“The challenge for the future is to strike that balance of investment required to achieve the vision while building a sustainable, resilient Town of Lincoln,” Easton said.

As a base for that future, Easton told the crowd there are four areas on which to focus: having a can-do attitude; learning as the municipality evolves while looking outwardly not in; caring and paying attention to core needs such as food, housing, water and energy are available, and; self reliance, which entails being strategic, diversifying land use, and maintaining solid infrastructure to name a few tactics.

“Not a simple or a cheap agenda,” noted Easton.

“What skills do local governments need to acquire to lead their communities in the future? What do we need to do as a local government to lead Lincoln forward in a very sustainable way?”

Council’s five-prong plan – communication; customer service; economic development and planning; roads and infrastructure, and; culture – will provide the rudder by which all development will proceed.

As an example of its “value for money” thinking, Easton said the new Fleming Library has been a grand slam.

“…Library activity has increased on every front; 44 per cent in circulation, 278 per cent new members; 62 per cent new visits; 104 per cent public computer bookings,” said Easton.

“At the end of the day, our Town of Lincoln is for you, the people.”

“As a Council we must be prepared to execute our role in managing the assets that over the years have been provided through our taxes and the sweat of our volunteers. Council will continue to ensure that investment choices serve the greatest number of citizens of all ages.”