On Saturday, January 8, 2011, the Moraga Town Council and staff will spend their Saturday morning, from 8 a.m. to noon, at the Hacienda de las Flores listing and prioritizing their goals for the Town in 2011. Residents who have an interest in the future of their town are encouraged to come to the meeting and weigh-in on the choice of topics and how they are prioritized. Although there will clearly be other issues addressed during the year, the sketching of a road map is essential to long term management. As residents opposed to the Dollar Tree coming to town put it, "The Council is there to enact the will of the people;" the elected members need to hear the voice of the people as they engage the Moraga Town-ship on the 2011 path. A town is like a heavy boat, guided by a whole network of legal obligations. It is very difficult to make a sharp turn without tearing the delicate web. Getting somewhere requires a compass and a destination; this is why these sessions are organized once a year. Not only will the Town's objectives for the year be set, but they will be prioritized in order of importance. Moraga reporter Sophie Braccini recommends that a good place for interested residents to start is with the list of goals drafted by Moraga's new mayor, Karen Mendonca (see above). Braccini suggests the following approach: - Ask yourself if what you want to see happen in town is listed (or a variation thereof). - Detail the goals you'd like to see achieved and list your own priorities (it can be helpful to include other like-minded residents who will also attend the Saturday meeting.) - Prepare your arguments, and divide them into 3-minute sound bites that each person in your group will present.
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