Community Matters

Community Matters

Good Communities are built through sound planning and diligent execution by professional staffs who are dedicated to the end-goal.  Foster City has enjoyed unparalleled success based upon the vision of Jack Foster and his family’s vision for a quiet oasis surrounded by calming waters.  Throughout the years, City Councils and Staff have realized the founding vision and diligently work to provide the financial resolve and resources to maintain what has come to be our quality of life. Foster City continues to rank as a top choice for families searching for good schools and a safe, secure and inviting place to live.     

The previous stewards of our City provided the current Council with a healthy capital reserve and prudent historical legacy in terms of policy.  We as a City have continued to reinvest in the various aspects of the City that are essential to meet the public’s expectation.   

At the same time we work to protect and maintain our economic health so too do we need to invest in it to grow.  The City has made a commitment to balance our budget.  Towards that end, the Council has tasked staff to sharpen their pencils and make effective cuts that reduce the deficit but do not affect the quality of life residents have come to enjoy. I believe that our staff has accepted the challenge and has provided us with reasonable alternatives that accomplish both objectives. 

Over the coming months the City and Chamber of Commerce will roll out new initiatives to support Foster City and its vision for an enhanced future.  These initiatives will challenge our way of thinking and provoke healthy debate as to where and how monies should be invested to grow our revenues and enhance our quality of life. 

As families, we make choices that we believe will enhance that quality of life and our children’s futures. Each of us invests in our communities in various and differing ways. We start simply by choosing the best we can provide and sustain to insure that our children will have the brightest future possible.   Foster City is one such decision.  Each of us has made a choice to invest in our city by simply choosing to live in it. As a result, the City has prospered and its real estate is at a premium. Foster City enjoys recognized schools and outstanding parks and open spaces. Our police and fire professionals provide top quality service and protection.

The City has quietly built an outstanding business community and is home to top tier corporations like Visa and Gilead Sciences re-affirming that Foster City is a great place to do business.  There is no doubt there is an intrinsic link between the health and vibrancy of our business community and the vitality of our experience as residents.

 Small business is crucial to our economic health.  Our commercial centers and small businesses need all of our support.  We must promote their opportunities and not hinder them with outdated proscriptions.   We need to re-evaluate the need for our commercial and residential centers and modify our ordinances to bring them current and to allow for the flexibility to reach the goals of future demands.  Foster City has changed in the last forty years and it is time we embrace today for our future efforts. 

No matter what we are focused on though one of our biggest accomplishments continues to be that every year at this time we open our doors even wider to welcome the surrounding communities to join us in celebrating ours.   

One of the premier events on the peninsula is the Annual Arts and Wine Festival is fast approaching, June 1st and June 2nd. This year it is even bigger and better. Over 30,000 visitors enjoy two days of family entertainment, carnival rides, midway games and over 150 booths featuring artisanal arts and crafts, and specialty food, craft beer and sip certified wines and more! 

On July 4th, the City invites everyone to come and celebrate in Leo Ryan Park with an outstanding firework display.   And this year, in addition to the 4th of July Celebration and the Summer Concert Series (July 12-August 16th from 6pm – 8pm each Friday), a new event is introduced to the community - Neighbor Nights (July 3rd, 17th and 31st).   So mark your calendars . 

We as a City continue to deliver on expectations by building community through a series of events that bring our residents together to enjoy our open spaces. These events are a crucial part of the overall dynamic of our City and allow us to invite surrounding communities and families to enjoy our hospitality.

A community is built on top of many interdependent pillars. Each plays a role in the overall health of the financial eco-system that allows a City to continue to prosper. While we continue to focus on hard dollars we will also work to better understand the influence and impact of soft dollars associated with so many programs we offer and are conceiving.  The question that remains is what areas do we need to invest in and to what degree to maintain the quality of life that our residents expect? 

Write me and tell me what you think.  We’re listening…