The City of Cerritos adopted eight strategic goals for the Fiscal Years 2024-2028 following a successful strategic planning process facilitated by Tripepi Smith Talent Solutions (TSTS). Director Mike Egan led the initiative with support from Director Christine Martin and Senior Business Analyst Kylie Sun.
The City of Cerritos is a vibrant community celebrated for its thoughtful urban planning, well-maintained neighborhoods, excellent public education system, rich cultural resources and diverse economic foundation. The City initiated the strategic planning effort to prioritize goals that uphold the community’s high standards while addressing challenges such as state regulatory changes, evolving economic conditions, aging infrastructure and a shifting workforce.
“Our hope for this process was to identify goals that preserve Cerritos’ legacy of excellence while meeting the community’s expectations for an exceptional quality of life,” said Cerritos Administrative Services Director Drew Schneider. “Mike Egan and his team were excellent partners in this process, ensuring that all Council, staff and community voices were heard. Their guidance helped us develop a strategic plan that not only addresses current challenges but also positions the City for continued success in the years to come.”
Community engagement played a pivotal role in shaping Cerritos’ strategic plan. The City actively sought resident input through an online questionnaire and a series of community workshops facilitated by TSTS. In addition to public outreach, TSTS distributed a comprehensive questionnaire to City staff and facilitated group discussions to gather their insights and suggestions. Internal feedback provided valuable perspectives on operational strengths and areas for improvement, enriching the overall strategy.
After compiling feedback and conducting one-on-one conversations with City Council, TSTS collaborated with City leadership to develop strategic goals for the City Council’s consideration. Director Mike Egan presented the recommended goals to City Council during a special City Council meeting on Monday, November 4, sparking productive review and discussion.
Following the workshop, team TSTS worked closely with City staff to refine the objectives and establish timelines for each goal. Senior Business Analyst Kylie Sun assisted in formatting and finalizing the document, culminating in a comprehensive Strategic Planning Report ready for adoption.
The adopted FY 24-28 goals include:
- Enhance Public Safety
- Attract and Retain a High Skilled Work Force
- Assess and Maintain Infrastructure
- Strengthen Economic Development
- Improve Technology Resources
- Focus on Fiscal Transparency and Sustainability
- Improve Community Communications
- Ensure Continued Excellence in Community Recreation and Community Programming
“Working on this strategic plan was a rewarding challenge,” said Mike. “The City had clear ideas of what they wanted to accomplish and I’m proud to say we were able to translate those visions into digestible steps. Most importantly, the Council prioritized resident feedback which was reflected in their adopted goals.”
See the results of the strategic planning process on the City of Cerritos Strategic Plan webpage.
About City of Cerritos
Cerritos was incorporated on April 24, 1956 as the City of Dairy Valley. Two years after its incorporation, the City voted on February 17, 1959 to become a California chartered city. The City’s name change to Cerritos was made official on January 10, 1967. The City is known as a vibrant community celebrated for its thoughtful urban planning, well-maintained neighborhoods, excellent public education system, rich cultural resources and diverse economic foundation.
About Tripepi Smith
Tripepi Smith is a California-based marketing, technology and public affairs firm that serves for-profit, nonprofit and public agencies. Its unique mix of marketing and technology prowess provides a competitive advantage to agencies seeking to leverage the internet to achieve their communication goals. The firm provides full content creation services, including: ghost writing, collateral development, photography, video production, aerial imagery, search engine optimization, email marketing campaigns and website design and execution. Tripepi Smith’s diverse clients include: City of American Canyon, City of Culver City, City of Cupertino, City of Daly City, City of Duarte, City of Grover Beach, City of Indian Wells, City of La Cañada Flintridge, City of Lake Forest, City of Livermore, City of Malibu, City of Napa, City of Palmdale, City of Paramount, City of Tracy, CalChoice Energy Authority, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, Santa Clara County Fire Department, Costa Mesa Sanitary District, Rowland Water District, California City Management Foundation, Renne Public Law Group, West Coast Arborists, Scripps College, Blind Children’s Center and Climatec.