The Municipal Management Association of Southern California (MMASC) awarded the City of Moorpark with its 2023 Organizational Excellence Award at its Annual Conference in Coronado, California on November 2. The award is presented to a public agency whose accomplishments have significantly improved the quality of service provided to the community.
In recognizing the City of Moorpark, MMASC cited the City’s use of the National Community Survey to gauge residents’ satisfaction with city services and community livability indicators. In response to residents’ support for enhancing shopping and dining amenities, the City Council made economic development a top priority as part of its City Council Goals, and the City worked with the local chamber of commerce, civic groups, and community partners to implement strategic initiatives to improve Moorpark’s economy.
MMASC President Dominique Samario stated, “The City of Moorpark serves as a model of what cities can accomplish when the values and goals of the City Council, staff, and community are aligned through the use of data driven decision-making and robust engagement efforts, both core values of the MMASC organization.”
According to the National Community Survey data, between 2020 and 2022, Moorpark achieved a 14% increase in resident satisfaction in the area of “Overall Economic Health” by assisting local businesses receive a total of $2.5 million in state/county COVID-19 relief grants, adopting a new General Plan and Zoning Code that had not been updated for more than three decades, approving the City’s first mixed-use housing project known as the High Street Depot to revitalize its downtown, streamlining its permitting process, and creating social media and marketing initiatives such as the DiscoverMoorpark.com website dedicated to the City’s efforts to boost local businesses and develop the local economy. The City has approved more than 2,000 upcoming housing units to meet the City’s housing needs and has welcomed 65 new businesses in the past three years, including Ventura County’s first Amazon Fresh grocery store. A Lucky Strike bowling alley is also slated to open next year.
The City utilizes the statistically-valid National Community Survey of its residents every other year to assess the priorities of the community and satisfaction with municipal services. The City Council then uses the survey results as it sets goals and objectives for the upcoming two-year period. “While the City is being recognized for organizational excellence, everything really starts with the highly engaged residents and businesses in Moorpark,” said Moorpark Mayor Chris Enegren. “We can best deliver excellent municipal services when we make informed decisions based on real data about what is important to our community.”