Every year about this time, members of the Mukilteo City Council meet in retreat to discuss their visions for the year ahead.

What needs to be done? What should be their priorities? What can they do with limited resources?

As Saturday’s daylong retreat at Rosehill Community Center progressed, councilmembers could be forgiven if the task at hand began to look busier than a three-legged cat in a sandbox.

This year was no different. Working with Barbara Davis, a facilitator from United Way, the group agreed on eight major categories to consider: Parks; Finance; Communication; Planning; City...