On February 10, 2023, Council held their annual retreat, which took place this year at the Stan Head Cultural Center at Aegis Gardens in Newcastle. While this event was not recorded, it was open to the public.
  

Mayor Linda Newing called the meeting to order at 12:03 p.m. All councilmembers were present. Councilmember Paul Charbonneau was present until 4:30 p.m. Supporting materials were provided at the meeting.
 

Following introductions, the city council engaged with facilitator Jan Dwyer-Bang in a DiSC® workplace behavior-style assessment.
 

Councilmembers discussed council strategic planning, beginning from their perspectives on the purpose of the city council as a whole and what councilmembers’ hope and vision is for Newcastle in the future. The city’s mission and vision statements and goals/strategic priorities were reviewed. Councilmembers considered various ways to organize and present strategic priorities.
 

They discussed fiscal sustainability and reviewed various options through the lens of anticipated expense and revenue possibilities using a fiscal sustainability model. It was clarified that placing new revenue options in front of Newcastle voters was understood to be possible without adoption by the city of initiative and referendum powers.
 

There was no further business, and the meeting adjourned at 6:51 p.m.
 

The Newcastle City Council wants to hear from you! Members of the public are invited to share thoughts during public hearings or during the two open public comment periods at regular Council meetings. Regular meetings of the City Council currently occur on the first and third Tuesdays of each month starting at 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted. You can email your thoughts to Councilmembers at [email protected].