From the Mayor's Desk: January 2, 2026

Over the past 12 months, the Cerritos City Council has been honored to work alongside our residents, businesses, and employees in moving our community forward. We’re especially proud of the progress we’ve made in the first year of our Strategic Plan. Achieving our goals is not possible without our collective commitments to the vitality of Cerritos.

The City’s eight Strategic Plan Goals guide the City’s long-term initiatives and services, and each of you play a role in how we achieve them. In 2025, your support made a difference and helped us stay true to our Strategic Plan theme: Cerritos in Progress. Here’s a snapshot of a few of the City’s achievements thus far:

Goal #1: Enhance Public Safety: We took swift action to decrease residential burglaries. This included revised dispatch protocols that reduced average deputy response times, the installation of multiple Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras, and a drone program focused on crime suppression. In addition, we’ve added staff at the Sheriff’s Station and have contracted with Southwest Patrol for expanded residential and business monitoring.

Goal #2: Attract and Retain a High Skilled Workforce: The City continues to enhance how we serve current and prospective employees through new policies, recruitment strategies, and organizational structures. Staff development has also been a focus, with more trainings available for City staff.

Goal #3: Assess and Maintain Infrastructure: The City has continued strengthening its long-term infrastructure planning through improved project delivery, updated master plans, and new tools for evaluating capital needs. The City Council was pleased to adopt a formal Capital Improvement Program (CIP) prioritization framework. A water and sewer rate study helped us understand funding and infrastructure needs. We will also soon explore a citywide Facility Condition Assessment to bring greater understanding and options for building infrastructure.

Goal #4: Strengthen Economic Development: Last spring, the City Council approved the creation of the Economic Development Commission. Work is well underway on the City's first Economic Development Strategic Plan. Staff has also expanded marketing and outreach efforts to better promote Cerritos businesses and economic opportunities. This includes enhanced coordination for ribbon cuttings and grand openings, videos of our monthly Business Spotlight honorees, and expanded public education efforts on the City’s services. We’re enhancing how we support property and business investments, including site selection assistance, zoning guidance, and coordination across departments to help businesses navigate development processes.

Goal #5: Improve Technology Resources: The City is modernizing its software systems to enhance functionality, transparency, and customer service. These efforts, along with the continued digitization of paper-based processes, are streamlining internal workflows and improving service delivery. These efforts are key features in a comprehensive technology master plan under development that will guide how the City will improve services.

Goal #6: Focus on Fiscal Transparency and Sustainability: Earlier this year, the City Council adopted a comprehensive Financial Reserve Policy that sets clear minimum and target reserve levels for key funds. We are also working to evaluate service delivery costs and assess cost recovery options to support the long-term stability of City operations. This includes a water and sewer rate study unveiled this fall and subsequent Proposition 218 process. If new rates are approved, water and sewer revenues would be more closely aligned with their true cost of service.

Goal #7: Improve Community Communications: The City has strengthened coordination and communication around public safety, in addition to informational campaigns on water and sewer infrastructure and the City’s budgeting process. As demand for digital communication rises, we’ve raised the City’s social media profile and offer multiple digital newsletters that provide timely updates on news, events, and class registrations. The City recently launched a public education program with our new civic leadership academy. L.E.A.D. Cerritos will empower Cerritos residents by deepening their understanding of local government operations, decision-making processes, and community priorities.

Goal #8: Ensure Continued Excellence in Community Recreation and Community Programming: We continue to meet the evolving needs of our community and grow recreation, library, senior, and cultural programs. The City now has more pickleball courts, streaming services through the library, and additional educational programming for seniors. Unique offerings like city merchandise and the Name the Cow sculpture contest have helped to strengthen pride in Cerritos. Our Community Services Division continues to assist the community with housing, legal advice, grief counseling, and mental health support services. Longstanding and new events continue to engage large crowds and celebrate our diverse community. This includes the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Ceremony, this past year’s 50th Anniversary of the Summer Reading Program, and the inaugural Santa’s Sleigh Day at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA). The CCPA is offering over 100 performances this season to suit all entertainment genres, and continues to provide its free Arts Education programming to local students.

As you can see, there's so much to celebrate on the progress of our Strategic Plan goals. The City would not be what we are today without the dedication of our over 48,000 residents, 1,600-plus businesses, and approximately 500 employees. Collectively, you help make Cerritos a beautiful place to work, live, and visit. Thank you for a fantastic 2025, and here’s to an even better 2026!