There’s no regular City Council meeting today, Oct. 26 (the next is Nov. 2), although council members certainly can’t go that long without getting together. Today’s session, gaveling in early at 9am, is a special-called meeting at an unusual venue (the Aviation Planning and Engineering Auditorium, out at the airport: 2716 Spirit of Texas Dr.), presumably to inspire more free association and brainstorming.

It’s a continuation of a two-day January session (held at the AT&T Center), in order to discuss “policy priorities, goals, and the potential impacts on governance.” The point was to kick-start the year without having to consider very specific contracts, proposals, or zoning cases, in the hopes that larger goals and themes could begin to better frame and underlie Council decisions. Those larger strategic goals include:

• Economic opportunity

• Mobility

• Safety

• Health

• Culture and Learning

• Government That Works

Council also spent time anticipating budget discussion (presumably not a topic today), and addressing public engagement, Council committees, meeting structures, etc. Several of those topics may arise today, with staff and consultants charged with revisiting the January goals, considering how well or badly the planning is working, and looking forward. Expect a lot of windiness, but possibly some broader vistas.

Technically, they’re also scheduled for a special-called meeting/discussion on Satur­day, Oct. 28, at 11am – but that’s a precautionary posting for the Grand Open­ing of the new Central Library. Most or all of the council members will likely attend, perhaps say a few words of celebration – and every such gathering of a potential quorum must be posted for public notice. See you at the unveiling!

This article appears in October 27 • 2017.

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Contributing writer and former news editor Michael King has reported on city and state politics for the Chronicle since 2000. He was educated at Indiana University and Yale, and from 1977 to 1985 taught at UT-Austin. He has been the editor of the Houston Press and The Texas Observer, and has reported and written widely on education, politics, and cultural subjects.