Cecil Clarke had his first test as mayor of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality Tuesday as he was met with a rally in Sydney to protest cuts to addictions workers.

About 20 people gathered to fight for the jobs of six counsellor-attendants who work in the addictions and detox unit at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital.

The six workers will be laid off in January.

Michelle Dockrill is with the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union, which represents the workers.

Dockrill helped organize the protest. She said she wants municipal councillors to speak against the layoffs, even though health care is a provincial responsibility.

"They are elected to be leaders in this community and I hear and I watch the council on a regular basis," she said.

Clarke and several councillors came outside to speak with the workers. The mayor said he's following up with local MLAs to make sure the issue gets raised in the legislature.

The protesters thanked Clarke for his attention and his help.

Four-year plan for CBRM

When the council meeting got underway a short time later, Clarke presented a 16-page document outlining his four-year plan for the municipality.

"I believe it's important to have a framework, to go forward, and the election was one where the public made a choice on which approach and style they wanted to see," he said.

"There's nothing here that hasn't been in the public realm. It's ... having the guiding principles about how we would approach it."

The plan outlines dozens of short- and long-term goals for changing CBRM. It touches on everything from developing the port of Sydney to improving arts facilities and enhancing rural policing.

Clarke said he wants to create new jobs and bring a sense of optimism to the community.

"We know there's been declining population, we know that there's double digit unemployment, but we also know there's great opportunity, there's great enthusiasm for the prospects of a lot of economic activity. I see the cup is half full," said Clarke.

Councillor Claire Detheridge said she doesn't know if she agrees with everything in Clarke's plan, but she is impressed with his approach.

Clarke was elected mayor in October. He was formerly an MLA.

"I think it's very fresh and I think the entire council are very impressed and very pleased. We really look forward to working together and moving forward, instead of staying stagnant," said Detheridge.

Council will get its chance to weigh in on the mayor's plans on Monday when it meets to debate Clarke's strategy.