Tuesday, July 26, 2016

City Manager's Message from the Community Annual Report

I am pleased to provide this information as part of our Annual Report for Fiscal Year 15/16. It continues to be an honor and a privilege to serve this great community as your City Manager.


The City of Foster City Annual Report for Fiscal Year 15/16 chronicles a year of hard work and success of a municipal corporation of city employees who provide the highest quality of service to the citizens of Foster City and excellence in all we do.

In FY 15/16, we have maintained a financially strong municipality, while providing top quality public service to the community. The City Council received and authorized a balanced budget with healthy reserves in all operating funds.

The City continues to invest and improve its infrastructure and park system through a robust Capital Improvement Project Program. Our Public Works and Parks and Recreation Departments are managing over 20 CIP projects that will assure a continued quality of life that our residents expect. We have started the process of two of the most important Capital Projects in the history of the City, with the Levee Improvement Project and the joint Wastewater Treatment Plant Project.

Our City Council has adopted a focused mission and vision statement with clear policy priorities that will position our community for a successful economic development strategy, open discussions on land use, addressing regional traffic and transportation issues, continuing to upgrade and maintain aging infrastructure, ongoing dialogue with the school district on quality schools, and encouraging citizen engagement on a daily basis.

Public safety is always a top priority in Foster City. We highly respect and appreciate the work of our police officers and firefighters. Maintaining a healthy balance among public safety services and all other important City services is a responsibility that is reflected in a well-balanced operational city budget.

The City was also pleased to host its first Business Roundtable to discuss economic development goals with the business community. The meeting marked the initiation of an ongoing conversation about the strategies, policies, and programs we need to put in place for our future economic health. We will be working with the City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee and the community to develop a comprehensive Economic Development Plan over the next several months.

Lastly, I am also pleased to share that our Executive Team of Department Heads refined and refreshed our team's guiding principles that represent who we are as a City organization: professional, ethical, and the driving force behind our success as a public service team. As stated in the guiding principles, "The employees of the City of Foster City are dedicated to providing excellent service to our community in a positive and caring manner."

We have had a "Championship Season" and I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Mayor and Members of the City Council, City Staff and the community for your leadership and support. Thank you for your commitment to creating a dynamic, diverse, and beautiful community in Foster City.

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

2016 Summer Concert Series / Dance to the Music!

It's that time of year again! On Friday, July 15th, we will be kicking off our signature summer event -- the Summer Concert Series! Presented by the Foster City Parks & Recreation, along with title sponsor Gold Medal Martial Arts, this six week series will feature a number of local bands, ranging from pop/rock to soul and blues/funk. 

The concerts will take place on Friday nights, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, at Leo J. Ryan Park Amphitheatre. Gather your family and friends, put on your dancing shoes, and join us for a memorable summer out with the picturesque Foster City lagoon as a backdrop.

A schedule of performances can be seen below:

2016 Summer Concert Series Line-Up
  • July 15th - Pure Ecstasy - Soul/Top 40/R&B
  • July 22nd - Stealing Nicks - Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks Tribute
  • July 29th - Total Recall - 90s Alternative
  • August 5th - Clean Slate - R&B/Funk/Old School
  • August 12th - Houserockers - Pop/Rock
  • August 19th - OTR - Classic Rock & Roll/Blues/Funk

Bringing you this free and live music event, a special thank you is also due to our other sponsors, including T.M. Tobin Co., Loral Landscaping Inc., Rotary International, Mariners Point, Edgewater Marine, Julie Flouty Homes, Joyce Cave Financial Advisors, and AAAAA Rent-a-Space.

For more information, please visit the Foster City Parks and Recreation website at: www.fostercity.org/parksandrecreation/generalinformation/2016-summer-concert-series.cfm

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

FY16/17 Budget Adopted

On Monday, June 20, 2016, the City Council adopted the City’s Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2016-2017. Below are highlights from my Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2016-2017:

On behalf of the entire Executive Management Team and the employees of the City of Foster City, it is my pleasure to submit a balanced Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2016-2017 (Budget) and the Five-Year Financial Plan.

The Budget and Five-Year Financial Plan reflect vision, innovation, regional partnerships, and dedicated employees which are the foundation of the City’s endeavors to ensure and deliver on a successful future for the community. This outlook is the result of our City Council’s continued focus on enhancing long-term strength and sustainability for the community...

As we prepare to embark on excellent service delivery for the citizens of Foster City in Fiscal Year 2016-2017, the City will continue to monitor and evaluate revenues and expenditures to ensure we maintain our targets as established and approved by the City Council. We will continue providing Quarterly Reports to the City Council on the performance of all City Funds. These reports will be delivered to keep you apprised and up to date on revenues and expenditures as approved in the Budget. In adopting the Annual Budget, the City Council will approve one of the most important policy documents considered by the City Council each year...

The City of Foster City/Estero Municipal Improvement District have been well managed and are in sound financial condition. I want to take the opportunity to thank all of our City employees for their active participation in, and valuable contributions to, the development of the Budget. As a City team focused on providing exceptional services to the community, our employees remain the City’s most critical resource. I believe the Budget will provide us the resources necessary to maintain vital City services and move forward with a strategy to ensure a positive sustainable future for the community of Foster City. I continue to be confident that the City Council’s vision will ensure an outstanding quality of life for the residents of this great city.

A copy of the Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2016-2017 can be found here.