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Compassion and Creativity

Recognizing that there are many demands on a public budget, Council has created a compassion lense to evaluate expenses. Using the Gross National Happiness metric (GNH) or something like it, Council weighs expenses against the clearly articulated goals of greatest happiness (read:access to education, health care, housing and opportunity) for the greatest number of people. Having realized that climate mitigation starts at home, we have also prioritized initiatives which positively impact longterm reduction in CO2 emissions, especially supporting public infrastructure projects which benefit everyone.

To Stratford: Greetings from the Future

Dear 2023 Stratford,I am pleased to report that in an increasingly polarized, populist, post-truth world, 2028 Stratford is a city of good faith, fair dealing and courtesy.The soul of Stratford is evident in its behaviours. There is support for the full arc of human development; i.e., infant, child, youth, adult, family, active elderly, and seniors in need of assistance.There is also recognition and support of the roles and contributions of agriculture, commerce, industry and education - as well as the need for cohesion between them.In its concentrated support of these values and behaviours, Stratford’s council scores highly across all of…

Stratford Reimagined: A Journey Towards Sustainable and Inclusive Living

Dear Friends of 2024,I am writing from a future Stratford, a beacon of innovation, sustainability, and community-driven progress. Our journey to this point was marked by groundbreaking changes, combining thoughtful urban development with inclusive fiscal strategies.Firstly, our Tiny Home Association revolutionized housing. We shifted our focus to eco-friendly, efficient tiny homes, providing affordable options for generations of residents and combating gentrification. This allowed the economic engine of our beautiful town, servers, hospitality workers, factory labourers to be able to invest and own their own home. This initiative preserved the town's charm and made it a home for all.Additionally, our downtown…