City Council Goals

View the City Council Goals 2024 (PDF) for more details. 

View the City Council Goals 2023 (PDF) for more details. 

The goals are, broadly:

1. Increasing Housing
2. Improve Social Services and Social Justice
3. Be Fiscally Responsible
4. Advocate for City Priorities
5. Complete Existing Initiatives
6. Prioritize and Strengthen Workshops
7. Improve Communication with Residents
8. Support City Staff
9. Support Committees
10. Focus on the Protection of the Environment

On March 23, 2021, the City Council passed Order #172-20/21 (PDF) adopting the Council's Goals for 2021:

As a Council - in all our deliberations, and decisions, and as an example for our community - we expect to keep the following three things paramount:

1. The climate crisis is upon us and we need to prepare.
2. Diversity, equity, and inclusion is the new norm.
3. Fiscal responsibility is critical for future opportunities.

We expect to take and support initiatives to drive each of the following 6 priorities. This is not an ordered list.

1. Actively Address the Climate Crisis by Supporting the Implementation of the One Climate Future Plan Financially and Through Policymaking
2. Improve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
   1. In addition to keeping diversity, equity, and inclusion paramount in everything we do, we also commit to:
      1. Continuing support for the efforts of the City's Human Rights Commission.
      2. Ongoing training for City staff in areas such as bias awareness and cultural competency.
      3. Diversifying committee appointments.
3. Keep Housing Affordable and Available
4. Support Public Health and Human Services
5. Advocacy
   1. We expect to improve our advocacy effectiveness at the regional, state, and national levels.
6. Maintain Fiscal Responsibility

On February 25, 2020, the City Council held a workshop to develop its goals for 2020. 

At the May 5, 2020 (PDF) meeting, the following Council Goals were adopted for 2020:

1. Address Climate Change
2. Develop Complete Streets
3. Improve Transit
4. Improve Housing
5. Increase Diversity
6. Long Range Planning
7. Support Public Health and Human Services
8. Better Communications

On February 28, 2019, the City Council met to discuss and refine goals from 2018 and set goals for 2019. View a copy of the Goal Setting Workshop Minutes (PDF).

The 2018 goal-setting workshop was held at Southern Maine Community College on March 28, 2018. The goals and plan were formally adopted (Order #190-17/18 (PDF)) at the May 1, 2018 meeting.

1. Waterfront master plan, including desired uses and climate modeling for adaptation, brownfield assurance, and an evacuation plan.
2. Diversity (ethnic, gender, age) in the City Council, boards, committees, and workforce. The City has assessed the barriers and mitigated them and has an outreach plan.
3. Make streets and sidewalks functional and safe.
4. Improve pedestrian and bike safety.
5. Reduce traffic congestion.
6. An open space plan with diverse stakeholder buy-in, to include an inventory of green assets and a 21st-century green space plan.
7. Ensure optimal use and maintenance of City buildings.
8. Explore how to encourage more housing availability.