About a year and a half ago Mayor Alan Autry convened a group of volunteers to brainstorm about what it will take to attract and retain the creative people so vital to a progressive, vibrant town. Under the sobriquet Creative Economy Council, the group crafted a 65-page document covering the needs and opportunities of Fresno, with a keen focus on downtown.

The council disbanded after the report was finished, but passed its baton to Creative Fresno. That group has now issued a report card on the original recommendations; I got a copy from Suzanne Bertz-Rosa -- a driving force in the creative effort hereabouts -- and it's available at this Web site.

The report card is a valuable mile-marker in the ongoing effort to forge a more vibrant city. It logs some successes, some failures, but mostly points to the need to keep up the effort. Kudos to Suzanne and the others involved in this important work.