Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout020626 HIGHLIGHTS AND OUTCOME 2025 HIGHLIGHTS & OUTCOMES The Annual Planning and Goal Setting Workshop provides an opportunity for the Town Council to reflect on prior year highlights and outcomes that support the Town’s mission to deliver superior municipal services that make people’s lives better. DISCUSSION At the 2025 Annual Workshop, the Town Council reviewed and accepted the Mid-Year 2024/25 Operating Budget update, with revenues tracking slightly ahead of forecast and expenditures remaining within budgeted levels. The discussion focused primarily on expenditure trends amid ongoing economic volatility. Staff also noted that FY 2024/25 marks the final year of repayment from the former Community Development Agency, representing an important transition in the Town’s long-term financial planning. Council reviewed revenue performance across major categories, noting that property tax and interest income are exceeding expectations, in part due to conservative forecasting assumptions. In contrast, sales tax revenues continue a downward trend following post- pandemic highs, reflecting shifts in consumer behavior, increased online purchasing, and changes in countywide point-of-sale allocations. Council recognized stronger-than- anticipated revenues from Recreation and Development Services, reinforcing the importance of a diversified revenue base. The Town Council also accepted the Mid-Year Capital Improvement Program update, which highlighted the scale of recent infrastructure investment and ongoing project delivery. Updates included the Downtown Master Plan Catalyst Project, where major construction was completed within the timeframe outlined and within its $4.9 million budget. Additional capital updates included progress on the San Ramon Valley Boulevard pavement project, which incorporates enhanced bike safety features, and the Diablo Road Trail project, where staff have secured key regulatory permits. Staff previewed a shift in the Town’s capital strategy, noting that the majority of future CIP investments will focus on maintenance and rehabilitation rather than new facilities. To better support long-term decision-making, staff shared plans to extend capital forecasting from a 5-year to a 10-year horizon, acknowledging that some future projects may exceed earlier cost estimates due to inflation and evolving regulatory requirements. 2 Finally, Council reviewed and accepted the Two-Year Implementation Plan, with a focus on fiscal sustainability and economic health. Discussion centered on the Lighting and Landscape Assessment District, where rising utility costs have created a structural imbalance, and staff outlined the Proposition 218 process for Council action, community education, and ballot distribution. The Implementation Plan also advanced a business support initiative, introducing the Business Support Funnel focused on awareness, interest, conversion, and loyalty. The “four-legged stool” model of shared responsibility among the Town, business owners, property owners, and the community was re-emphasized. Planned efforts include business workshops in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, hyper-local destination marketing through the Discover Danville brand and “I ♥ Danville” campaign, expanded promotional grants including digital marketing support, and continued outreach to Downtown businesses through a developing grassroots business association. HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2025 General Government Administration & Legislative • Completed the Proposition 218 process for the Lighting and Landscape Assessment District, securing voter approval for the first assessment adjustment since 2003 and restoring long-term funding stability for parks, landscaping, and street lighting. • Adopted the 2025/26 Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program, reinforcing long-term fiscal sustainability amid rising costs for utilities, contracts, insurance, and infrastructure maintenance. • Successfully navigated a year of leadership transition, with the Assistant Town Manager stepping into the Town Manager role and advancing a strong leadership culture during a period when many Department Directors and senior leaders were new to their roles. • Hosted visits from state legislators, including Senator Tim Grayson and Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, to highlight Danville’s infrastructure, housing, and fiscal challenges and demonstrate the local impacts of state policy decisions. • Continued active legislative advocacy through the Tri-Valley Cities Coalition, tracking and providing input on state and federal legislation affecting housing, transportation funding, public safety, and local government authority. The coalition tracked and provided input on 10 state bills and one federal bill. • Presented monthly legislative updates during regular Town Council meetings. • Successfully recruited for, interviewed, and filled several Commission and Board position vacancies. • Concluded the year with the 44th Annual Mayoral Installation and Community Service Awards. 3 Economic Development and Community Events • Administered the Business Promotion Grant Program and approved 15 Business Promotion Grants totaling $27,600, providing assistance to over 192 local businesses through collaborative events, marketing efforts, and seasonal programming. • Promoted 96 local businesses and reached over 1,172,121 people through regional holiday shopping marketing efforts. Developed and distributed a survey to participants to gather feedback as part of an ongoing effort to improve program effectiveness. • Launched and expanded destination marketing and business engagement initiatives, including the Discover Danville mobile tour app, monthly business newsletters, and seasonal campaigns tied to major community events. • Hosted and supported a full calendar of 19 community events, drawing over 80,000 attendees in total, including the Kiwanis Danville July 4th Parade (40,000 attendees) and the Lighting of the Old Oak Tree (10,000 attendees). • Worked with the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association to identify ways to boost market performance to pre-pandemic levels and remain competitive with other local markets. • Scheduled 73 Danville-businesses to participate in the Danville Farmers’ Market as the Merchant at the Market, increased from 31 in 2024. • Continued partnerships with Danville Area Chamber of Commerce, Museum of the San Ramon Valley, Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (NPS), i-GATE, Innovation Tri-Valley, East Bay Economic Development Alliance, and Visit Tri-Valley. • Advanced a coordinated economic development strategy focused on Downtown vitality, small business support, and activation of new public spaces created through the Downtown Master Plan Catalyst Project. • Activated Prospect Park Plaza with pop-up markets, live music, holiday programming, and interactive experiences to maintain Downtown energy and foot traffic during business transitions and seasonal fluctuations. • Officially designated Downtown as a California Main Street and Main Street America affiliate community. Communications • Led a comprehensive public education and outreach campaign supporting the LLAD ballot process, resulting in successful voter approval. Outreach activities included:  118 phone calls and 24 text messages received on the dedicated LLAD phone line  50 QR code scans from fliers and signs  30 ballot reminder signs posted at park entries and along landscaped areas  Nixle message sent to 19,804 text and 11,428 email subscribers  3 email newsletters sent to 4,349 subscribers featuring LLAD information  1 in-person and 1 live Zoom community meetings, with an additional 70 meeting views on YouTube  3 presentations to local community groups  21,000 spring newsletters distributed featuring LLAD  1,448 views for the LLAD webpages 4  132 emails to and from the LLAD dedicated email address  20 posts in the past 90 days shared to Facebook and Instagram, with a total of 37,224 views  Information shared through partners such as Supervisor Candace Andersen’s email newsletter, Chamber of Commerce email, HOA connections, and local sports organization email lists. • Launched the “Not My Kid” e-bike safety campaign, producing regionally shared toolkits, videos, and educational materials that positioned Danville as a model for coordinated education and enforcement. The campaign site on DanvilleTownTalks.org has been visited more than 1,800 times. • Increased Town social media followers and email subscribers while maintaining strong open and engagement rates across platforms. • Town social media account followers at year-end: 14,080 on Instagram and 12,553 on Facebook. • Created marketing materials for 118 Recreation, Arts & Community Services programs, along with producing quarterly Activity Guides, Live Locally Newsletters, and the annual Operating Budget. • Completed a complete redesign of the Activity Guide, rebranding it as “Find the Fun” and organizing the information in a customer-focused layout. • Email marketing platform as well as a new youth-focused recreation activities email that was expanded to a weekly update during the spring and summer. Total subscriptions on the Town’s email platform are more than 16,000 (16.58% YoY growth). • Continued to expand the Town’s communications reach through Town Talks, social media, targeted newsletters, and video content, maintaining some of the highest engagement rates among peer agencies:  Instagram followers: Danville 14,080; Dublin 11,200; Walnut Creek 8,000; Livermore 7,700; San Ramon 6,600; Pleasanton 2,200.  Email open rate: 57.8% (national average for government: 25-30%) Sustainability • Continued membership with MCE Clean Energy, a Community Choice Energy program, providing ratepayers with greater choices for renewable energy options. • Continued a reduction in electricity usage through operation of photovoltaic arrays at four separate Town facilities. • Continued efforts to implement SB 1383, adopted in 2022, which is aimed at reducing disposal of organic materials generated through various Town activities and services. Police and Emergency Services • Danville continues to be recognized as the safest city in California by multiple sources, such as Property Club and ADT. This marks the seventh consecutive year that Danville has been awarded this prestigious title by at least one online publication. 5 • Engaged in a collaborative initiative with mental health response units A3 (Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime) and MHET (Mental Health Evaluation Team) to implement alternative strategies for addressing mental health crises. This effort resulted in a reduction of involuntary mental health commitments to 51 for the year, a 27.2% decrease from the 10-year annual average of 70.1 commitments. • Continued to emphasize community-oriented policing, proactive traffic enforcement, and school-focused outreach in response to increased concerns related to e-bikes, e-scooters, and traffic safety. • Advanced a multi-pronged E-Bike Safety Action Plan encompassing education, enforcement, commission review, and regional collaboration. • Sustained strong community engagement through 56 events and programs, including Citizens Academy, Coffee with the Cops, Recess with the Cops, and National Night Out. • Continued coordination with mental health response partners and regional agencies to improve crisis response and emergency preparedness. • Maintained Danville’s strong public safety performance, with high case clearance rates and proactive service delivery throughout the year. • Continued the Disaster Preparedness Program to increase readiness efforts aimed at preparing for and responding to any natural or man-made disasters or emergencies that could befall the Town. • Handled a total of 27,090 service calls, representing a 20% increase from 22,540 calls, primarily attributed to enhanced proactive community policing initiatives. • Enhanced traffic enforcement efforts in response to increased collision rates and public complaints regarding driving conduct, resulting in citations increasing from 2,418 to 4,925, a 104% increase. • Achieved an 88% case closure rate for violent crimes (homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault), well above the national average of approximately 37%. • Continued to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to recover up to $1.77 million in public assistance related to emergency repair and recovery costs attributable to the declared local emergency associated with the December 31, 2022, winter storms. The Town has received $326,094.18 and is continuing to seek reimbursement for the Front Street repair work totaling $1,453,051. • The Town Council approved the updated Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. Administrative Services Finance • Coordinated the preparation of the 2025/26 Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program for presentation to and consideration by the Town Council. • Completed the 2024/25 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), realizing a positive $9.22 million General Fund balance. 6 • Continued to implement and administer the American Rescue Plan Act including compliance with all reporting requirements set forth by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for the $10.6 million in local recovery funds awarded to the Town. • Received Government Finance Officers Association recognition for excellence in financial reporting for 21 consecutive years. • Maintained numerous highly successful interagency partnerships to better serve and support the community. Information Technology • Expanded the Townwide Fiber Optic Cable Interconnect, increasing internal network speeds and improving system reliability across Town facilities and traffic infrastructure. • Continued deployment of cybersecurity enhancements, Windows 11 upgrades, and high-definition security cameras at key facilities. • Deployed new high-definition security cameras at the Town Offices, Police Department, Danville Community Center, Library and Town Green. • Continued to implement additional security measures and monitor cybersecurity issues to protect the Town from these ongoing types of attacks. • Deployed monthly email phishing tests to all users and provided yearly cyber security awareness training. • Conducted ongoing cybersecurity awareness training and phishing testing to protect Town systems and data. Development Services Capital Improvement Program • A-330 – Townwide Storm Drain System Management: Completed Phase II storm facilities inspections at 80 locations and identified storm drain sites requiring maintenance or repair under the Storm Drain Master Plan. The project has advanced into the design and construction phase, with immediate repairs focused on storm drain infrastructure along San Ramon Valley Boulevard and Hill Meadow Drive. • A-513 – Camino Tassajara Parkway / Sycamore Valley Road Sound Wall: Completed construction on 17 segments of Town-maintained sound walls along Sycamore Valley Road and Camino Tassajara Parkway, improving neighborhood noise attenuation and extending the service life of aging infrastructure. • A-620 – Fiber Optic Cable Interconnect: Completed Phase I of a state-of-the-art fiber network linking Town Offices with five downtown facilities, including the Town Meeting Hall, Danville Community Center, Library, Veterans Memorial Building, Village Theatre, and the future Arts District Maker Space and Pavilion. Phase I also connected 17 traffic signals along the San Ramon Valley Boulevard and Hartz Avenue corridor, significantly improving system reliability and capacity. • A-362 – Downtown Improvements Project: Completed construction of the Downtown Master Plan Catalyst Project, delivering new public gathering spaces, enhanced 7 pedestrian safety features, and upgraded street lighting to support Downtown vitality and placemaking. • B-560 – Diablo Vista Park Capital Maintenance: Completed construction of the redesigned Diablo Vista Park playground, including new interactive play equipment for all ages, accessible play features, shade structures, picnic tables, exercise equipment, landscaping, and lighting. • C-610 – Pavement Management Program: Completed construction of the pavement rehabilitation project, including concrete repairs, new ADA-compliant pedestrian ramps, updated striping, and approximately 15 miles of roadway resurfacing. • C-621 – Townwide Bicycle Facilities Improvements: Completed construction of enhanced bicycle infrastructure, including a Class IIB buffered bike lane and bicycle box along San Ramon Valley Boulevard, as well as bicycle sharrows on Front Street, coordinated with the San Ramon Valley Boulevard Improvements Project. Planning and Building • Reviewed and processed 159 planning applications ranging from variances and land use permits to subdivisions and development plans. • Reviewed and approved 2,655 building permits, conducting 2,062 plan checks and 9,285 building inspections. • Reviewed and processed 574 encroachment permits for private or utility-related construction activity within the public right-of-way. • Opened and facilitated the resolution of 235 Code Enforcement cases, with a 95% case closure rate. Transportation and Traffic Safety • Successfully navigated a year of leadership transition, with the retired former Police Chief stepping into the Transportation Manager role. • Continued implementation of the Townwide Transportation and Traffic Safety Program with a focus on pedestrian safety, neighborhood traffic calming, and multimodal connectivity. • Completed the Brookside Drive and Everett Drive Neighborhood Traffic Management Programs, resulting in the installation of Category 2 traffic control measures including updated speed limit signage and pavement markings to address neighborhood speeding concerns. • Advanced safety improvements along the Iron Horse Trail, including installation of Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at multiple trail and school-area crossings, significantly improving visibility and pedestrian safety at key intersections. • Implemented enhanced bicycle infrastructure as part of the San Ramon Valley Boulevard Improvements Project, including a Class IIB buffered bike lane, bicycle box treatments, high-visibility striping, and video detection upgrades to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians. • Completed design and construction elements associated with the Pavement Management Program including concrete repairs, new ADA-compliant curb ramps, updated striping, and resurfacing of approximately 15 miles of roadway. 8 • Conducted Townwide speed surveys in compliance with California Vehicle Code and MUTCD requirements, ensuring posted speed limits remain data-driven and enforceable. • Continued collaboration with regional transportation partners including the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA), Tri-Valley Transportation Council (TVTC), and TRAFFIX Joint Powers Authority to improve intraregional mobility, enhance school transportation options, and minimize cut-through traffic impacts in residential neighborhoods. • Integrated transportation safety efforts with the Town’s broader E-Bike Safety Action Plan, including presenting the issue to both the Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission and the Bicycle Advisory Commission to solicit feedback and policy input, and coordinating engineering, education, and enforcement strategies in response to emerging mobility trends and community concerns. Maintenance Services • Continued proactive maintenance and rehabilitation of Town infrastructure, parks, and public spaces, with a focus on extending asset life, improving safety, and reducing long-term costs. • Advanced compliance with AB 1572 by removing non-functional turf in passive park and roadside areas and initiating corridor-level landscape planning to guide future conversions and water-efficient design. • Completed the annual creek cleaning program and coordinated storm drain maintenance to reduce flood risk and improve system performance, particularly ahead of the winter season. • Performed roadway and right-of-way maintenance activities, including management of the Town’s street sweeping contract covering more than 210 miles of streets and over 6,600 curb miles swept, helping prevent pollutants from entering the Town’s creek system. • Supported delivery of major community events and public space activations through extensive site preparation, utility support, and post-event restoration, ensuring safe and well-maintained facilities during high-use periods. • Installed Danville’s first permanent public art installation, Acorns of the Old Oak, in coordination with Recreation, Arts and Community Services, reinforcing the Town’s commitment to placemaking, arts, and community identity. • Managed the process to update the Town’s Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District for the first time since 2003, increasing annual LLAD revenue by approximately $1.4M and making current service level standards in parks, roadside landscaping and street lighting sustainable. • Completed over 1,000 irrigation system repairs, effectively managing environmental resources and reducing water waste. • Collected 32,486 bags of garbage from parks, parking lots, trails and the Downtown, keeping trash out of waterways and enhancing the Town’s community image. 9 Recreation, Arts and Community Services • Undertook design efforts to implement the new Town Green Master Plan by working with the Parks, Recreation & Arts Commission and Arts Advisory Board. Established project component priorities, which led to a focus on the Town Studio (Maker Space) and Pavilion on the Town Green as project priorities. • Served 5,285 households though 1,646 recreation classes which had a total of 20,903 participants. Of this total, 4,934 were senior participants. • Provided social connections with 667 volunteers for various Town programs throughout Town. • Facilitated 238 indoor facility rentals, along with 520 picnic and 26 bocce court rentals. • Continued to work with the Arts Advisory Board and Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission to prioritize and continue implementation of recommendations in the Parks, Recreation and Arts Strategic Plan. • Offered a full range of adult sports leagues for the 2025 seasons. • Continued to feature and promote public art through a series of exhibits at the Village Theatre & Art Gallery. Attachment – Notes from 2025 Planning and Goal Setting Workshop 2025 ANNUAL TOWN COUNCIL PLANNING & GOAL SETTING WORKSHOP MEETING NOTES AND OUTCOMES Friday, January 31, 2024, 8:30 a.m. Oak Hill Park Community Center 2024 Highlights and Outcomes • J. Calabrigo reviewed the highlights from the previous year including: o Town of Danville received final approval of the Housing Element update o Downtown Catalyst Project o PD – continue to be a safe city o Economic Development – bringing new energy with community events o Finance – finish the year with a positive fund balance • Councilmember Stepper highlighted the community outreach team and the creative marking materials produced. • Councilmember Storer highlighted the work of staff that make the Town a great place to live. Highlighted Downtown Master Plan, Town Offices. Highlighted the positive fund balance, safest city, highlighted community events with businesses- holiday decorations, expanding support to the businesses. • Councilmember Belotz thanked staff for helping them. • Vice Mayor Arnerich highlighted the housing element, future housing projects and recognized the communication/outreach. Highlighted the relationship between staff and council to get things done. • Mayor Morgan highlighted staff and all the things the Town has been able to accomplish over the years. Mid-Year 2024/25 Operating Budget Update Town Council accepted the Mid-Year Operating Budget and discussed the following: • J. Calabrigo gave an overview of the report and highlighted that the focus is on the expenditure size. Revenue is tracking positive to the forecast and expenditures are tracking within the forecast. • J. Calabrigo shared that FY 24/25 is the last year of repayment from the former CDA. 2 • J. Calabrigo discussed sales tax and shared that the Town has had a steady downward trajectory of sales tax revenue. • Mayor Morgan inquired on the decline of sales tax revenue; J. Calabrigo shared he does not have Q3 numbers to look at specific sectors but highlighted the change in the shares of the county pool revenue and change with POS. • Councilmember Belotz inquired on the county pool; J. Calabrigo clarified that all e-commerce revenue goes to the county and the county distributes it out to each city. • J. Calabrigo highlighted an increase in interest income, attributed to an underestimate in the budget. • J. Calabrigo highlighted increase in property tax and interest. • Vice Mayor Arnerich recognized the increase in revenue from Recreation and Development Services. Mid-Year 2024/25 Capital Improvement Program Update Town Council accepted the Mid-Year Capital Improvement Program update and discussed the following: • T. Williams provided an overview the report and highlighted that the Town has invested XX million in capital improvement projects over the last • Over the last year the Town of was able to complete XX project, with another 78 in the process. • D. Casteel provided an update on the Downtown Master Plan Catalyst project including the asphalt impression of the Danville tree at the intersections, continue to work on Hartz Ave and the plaza, and the work has begun in the Village Theatre. Anticipate Spring 2025 completion. o Councilmember Stepper inquired on the total cost of the project and the raised intersections. o D. Casteel confirmed the project budget was $4.9 million and anticipate finishing within the budget; D. Casteel confirmed the intersections are raised; however, they are more gradual than anticipated. o Councilmember Stepper inquired on the traffic study on the impact of the traffic calming measures. o Vice Mayor commended the great work on the project and inquired on updating the Hartz, Railroad, Hartz Way intersection. o Mayor Morgan shared feedback she received regarding the benches currently being positioned with the back to the street. • S. Jones gave an update on the San Ramon Valley Blvd pavement project including the addition to bike safety measures. 3 • D. Friedmann provided an update on the Diablo Road Trails project including the permit from the Water Board and a draft permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Scheduled to start in the summer. • T. Williams highlighted the handout outlining CIP project timeline and shared that some of the project will likely be higher than originally anticipated. • T. Williams highlighted that looking forward majority of CIP projects are maintenance and rehabilitation. • T. Williams shared that the CIP outlook will look at a 10-year forecast verse just 5 years out. • K. Stepper addressed concerns received regarding the synthetic turf fields. • M. Belotz inquired on CIP B-643 Non-functional Turf Replacement. o D. Casteel clarified this is in response to state mandate AB 1572 to eliminate nonfunctional turf and is primarily along Camino Tassajara roadside. The mandate does not require replacement but will be required to stop watering areas in two years. Two Year Implementation Plan Town Council accepted the Two-Year Implementation Plan report and discussed the following: • T. Williams provided an overview of the report and highlighted overarching goal is about fiscal sustainability and economic sustainability specifically with the LLAD. • D. Casteel provided an update on the LLAD, shared that expenses are now at approximately $5.5 million —this is mostly attributed to utilities including power and water. February 4 TC meeting will kickstart the process to go out to residents for a rate increase with a Resolution of Intention. In March, staff will come back to authorize the proceedings, and ballots will be mailed out the first week of April with education. Ballot period is 45 days. o Mayor Morgan inquired on the logistics of returning ballots; D. Casteel confirmed that they are mail in. o Vice Mayor Arnerich inquired on community advocates; J. Calabrigo discussed accessibility for residents to get questions answered o Councilmember Beltz inquired on how the assessment works for multi- unit properties. o D. Casteel provided a handout that outlined what costs would look like with the proposed assessment increase. o Councilmember Belotz inquired on how Town Council can assist in the education of the LLAD; J. Calabrigo provided guidance. 4 • T. Williams discussed the Capital Improvement Program and highlighted the focus will be on maintenance. • J. Starnes discussed economic vitality and leveraging trends to assist in marketing local business. • Vice Mayor Arnerich inquired on what the Chamber of Commerce is working on. o J. Starnes confirmed the Chamber is looking to work on its relationship with the Town and each can leverage events to best serve the business community. o Vice Mayor Arnerich shared that he would like to see specific initiatives they are working on and the Town being ready to embraced whatever those are. • Mayor Morgan and Councilmember Storer discussed a focus on the downtown businesses. • J. Starnes discussed outreach strategies and highlighted opportunities open to all businesses in the community and recap success of previous events. • Mayor Morgan referenced the City of Walnut Creek’s Art Beautification Fund and inquired on a similar program for Danville. o R. Ewing shared that this would be a development impact fee and would require a study to determine what the charge would be.