In local government, it's the little things that matter.

While big, visible projects like light rail and proposed Wal-Marts might get the most attention at city council meetings and garner the most headlines, Littleton Mayor Doug Clark said it's the more mundane, day-to-day workings that keep a city functioning and its citizens happy -- things like snow removal.

"Just ask Bill McNichols," he said, referring to the longtime Denver mayor who lost the 1983 election after his administration's slow response to the blizzard of 1982.

The Kansas native grew up in Phoenix and came to Colorado in 1981 with a philosophy degree from Northern Arizona University in hand. Working at Martin Marietta, he moved to Littleton in 1984.

His wife is a manager at University of Colorado Hospital and he has two daughters, a sophomore and a senior at Heritage High School.

As mayor, Clark does whatever needs to be done to keep Littleton running smoothly -- "everything from baby-kissing to the backroom dealing," he said.

In reality, it's attending meetings. Lots of meetings.

Considering the meetings, official functions and ceremonial duties, Clark, 52, estimates he spends about 40 hours a week being the mayor of Littleton. He is taking a break from his career as a computer consultant to devote all of his energy to the task.

He's fortunate he can do that, he said, because the deck is stacked against most local government officials. Between the time commitments and the amount of information to be digested, maintaining a balance between civic duty, family life and a career is difficult, something Clark learned first-hand during his first stint on Littleton City Council representing District 4 from 1995 to 1999.

"I had no idea how time-consuming it was going to be," he said, adding that he just didn't know enough during those four years to be as good a council member as he wanted.

"This time, I vowed to know all there was to be known about what I'm signing and what I'm voting on," he said.

After leaving council in 1999 to spend more time with his family, he was elected to an At-Large seat in 2005 and again in 2007. He was elected mayor by his fellow council members in 2007. He was defeated in a 2003 council race.

He lists the purchase and rehabilitation of the Arapahoe County Courthouse, the reworking of Littleton Boulevard and a variety of open space purchases as the highlights of his time in office. The main challenge facing the city is maintaining the integrity of Littleton's older neighborhoods -- keeping them safe, well-maintained and desirable, he said.

As for handling any adversity that might arise as he helps steer Littleton through the next three years, his philosophy studies have prepared him for anything.

"If you can figure out the nature of all reality, everything else is cake," Clark said laughing.