Governor hold retreat with agency heads

Governor Tom Vilsack and the directors of state agencies are at a private retreat today. Vilsack, who is a democrat, began holding these annual retreats four years ago, in some way mimicking the retreat former President Bill Clinton held with his cabinet secretaries before Clinton took office in ’93. Vilsack says the meeting gives his agency chiefs an opportunity to compare notes and think about ways to coordinate projects. Vilsack’s 2003 retreat meeting began midday yesterday and continues today. Vilsack says it begins the process of deciding what the focus and direction of state government will be in 2004. One of the folks who’ll be speaking to the group is former Iowa Governor Robert Ray, a Republican. The directors and Vilsack played golf last evening.