In his monthly community update, Joplin Mayor Rob O'Brian explains the importance of council retreats.
For Joplin, as in many other cities and even private businesses, it’s a best practice for the board, or in this case - the council - to occasionally take a step back from the usual City business. Many cities refer to this as a leadership retreat, or a vision or strategy session. The real purpose is for the elected officials serving as volunteers on your City Council to spend a day building team cohesion while thinking about the needs of the residents.
The remainder of his message can be found in the video, including a transcript.