CITY OF GROVER BEACH
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item No. 7
Placement: Consent
Meeting Date: January 12, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Matthew Bronson, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Kristin Eriksson, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: City Purpose and Principles Update
RECOMMENDATION
Ratify the City Purpose and Principles developed by staff to define a citywide vision for the City of Grover Beach organization.
BACKGROUND
In 2019, City staff began working on a citywide Mission, Values and Principles, modeled after similar efforts by other local government agencies to define an overarching vision for the City of Grover Beach organization. That effort was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, in 2023, staff formed a working group to resume the process. The working group included input from the City Manager’s Office, the Administrative Services Department, the Community Development Department, the Police Department and the Public Works Department.
The working group developed the City Purpose and Principles, which was shared with the Council at the June 12, 2023 meeting. The City Purpose and Principles were intended to define the purpose and values of our City organization and set the foundation for our actions, strategies, and interactions with the community in the implementation of the goals set by Council. These statements also reflect City staff’s commitment to making a positive impact on our community by providing services that improve the well-being and satisfaction of those who reside, work or play in Grover Beach.
In July 2025, another working group met to consider updating the existing City Purpose and Principles. While agreeing that changes were not needed to the Purpose statement, the working group determined that the Principles should be simplified to make them easier to remember and better guide the work of City staff. The updated City Purpose and Principles were shared with staff for feedback at an all-staff meeting in September. A revised version of the updated Purpose and Principles was presented to the City’s Executive Team in November and approved for the Council’s review.
The updated City Purpose and Principles can be seen in Attachment 1. The revised Principles, represented with the acronym “DRIVE” reflect City staff’s commitments to seek a diverse and inclusive workforce, engage in regional collaboration at all levels, be innovative and seek constant improvement in services and programs, maintain values-focused service, and demonstrate engagement and transparency with the community.
Staff Report: City Purpose and Principles Update Page 2 January 12, 2026
Multi-Year Goals
☐ Public Safety and Community Services ☐ Economic Development and Housing ☐ Community Infrastructure ☒ Financial and Organization Sustainability Council Priorities
☐ Water & Wastewater Infrastructure ☐ Community Engagement Staff will continue to use the City Purpose and Principles to convey a citywide vision for the City organization, guide the operations and activities of City government, and help recruit and retain talented employees who are aligned with these principles.
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no funding impacts to this staff report.
ALTERNATIVES
The Council has the following alternatives to consider:
1) Ratify the City Purpose and Principles developed by staff to define a citywide vision for the City organization; or
2) Provide alternative direction to staff.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
The agenda was posted in accordance with the Brown Act.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Updated City Purpose and Principles
Attachment 1