Over the next few months, The City Program will be hosting speakers from a state that shares more than a border with Canada. We've been big fans of some of the urban thinkers there — in particular Charles Marohn, co-founder and president of 'Strong Towns.' Charles is a professional engineer who is passionate about planning and small towns, but also brings a civil-engineering perspective that results in original ideas. Like 'Stroads' — a street/road hybrid that manages to be both expensive and unproductive.

He's also a fiscal conservative who makes his case effectively to a small-government audience as much as to urban planners and engineers.

You can see more on youtube. Or his TED Talk. Better yet, come hear Charles Marohn live on October 24.