If you didn’t catch the Mayor’s State of the City speech last week, I encourage you to watch it or read the transcript.

Mayor Adams covered a wide range of issues facing Portland residents, such as education, job creation and sustainability. He provided highlights of the many partnerships and creative efforts developed among Portland residents, businesses and City bureaus.  BPS is working with Portlanders to find innovative solutions to these many economic, environmental and social challenges.

Recent efforts have shown the strength of our many partnerships:

•    More than 8,000 people participating in the development of the Portland Plan.
•    Hundreds of solar systems installed on homes and at businesses.
•    The adoption of the most aggressive local Climate Action Plan in the nation.
•    The expansion of the Clean Energy Works Portland loan program and community workforce agreement.
•    A new invasive plant policy to help reduce the spread of invasive plant species.
•    The integration of the Economic Development strategy, Climate Action Plan, Portland Plan and neighborhood planning efforts.
•    And soon, the adoption of the River Plan / North Reach and launch of weekly curbside food scrap collection.

The innovative spirit is alive at BPS! Projects like these give us confidence that 2010 will be an exciting and productive year for our bureau.