TO:City Council
FROM:David Newman, Mayor
Bob Engler, Councilmember
Tie Gutierrez, Councilmember
DATE:November 4, 2025
SUBJECT: Update on League of California Cities Annual Conference, October 8-10, 2025
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Receive report.
2. Find that this action is not a project as defined under the California Environmental Quality Act.
LEVINE ACT ITEM: No
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
No Additional Funding Requested. Direct and indirect costs for participation in meetings are included in the Adopted FY 2025-26 General Fund Budget.
BACKGROUND:
The League of California Cities (Cal Cities) is an association of California city officials who work together to enhance their knowledge and skills, exchange information, and combine resources so they may influence policy decisions that affect cities.
Founded in 1898 on the principles of local control and interagency cooperation, Cal Cities has grown from a handful of public officials to include the voluntary membership of 483 California cities and towns. Today, Cal Cities and its member cities are working hard to strengthen the effectiveness of their advocacy efforts.
Cal Cities mission statement reflects this commitment to “expand and protect local control for cities through education and advocacy to enhance the quality of life for all Californians.”
Update on Cal Cities Annual Conference
November 4, 2025
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DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The 2025 Cal Cities annual conference was held at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, CA, from October 8 to 10, 2025. The conference provided training opportunities, workshops, and networking for local elected officials and staff. Mayor David Newman, Councilmember Bob Engler, Councilmember Tie Gutierrez, and select staff members attended the conference.
1. General Session Presentations:
A. Opening General Session
Cal Cities President Lynne Kennedy, Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Rancho Cucamonga, welcomed conference delegates with the help of Aftershock, the mascot of her hometown baseball team, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. She introduced the 2025 Board of Directors and provided an overview of conference events.
Cal Cities CEO and Executive Director Carolyn Coleman presented the State of Cal Cities Annual Report. In 2025, Cal Cities conducted extensive work through education sessions, advocacy events, policy committees, and division meetings.
The organization, which includes 98 percent of California cities in its membership, concentrated on two primary themes: Southern California wildfire recovery and housing solutions. A third key area involved supporting member cities in adapting to new federal constraints. Despite various challenges, California's cities continue to function as an economic engine for the State, making California the 4 th leading economy in the world.
The Stutz Award for tenure by Cal Cities staff was presented to Sara Sanders, Regional Public Affairs Manager for the Inland Empire Division, in recognition of 25 years of service.
City of Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson welcomed delegates. He provided a brief update on the city's homelessness efforts, the progress of its downtown renaissance, and preparations to host 18 Olympic competitions.
Randi Johl, City Clerk from the City of Temecula, and Chair of the Nominating Committee, announced the slate of officers for 2026:
President: Gabe Quinto, Mayor Pro Tem - City of El Cerrito 1st Vice President: Teresa Acosta, Councilmember - City of Carlsbad 2nd Vice President: David Cohen, Councilmember - City of San Jose Immediate Past President: Lynne Kennedy, Mayor Pro Tem - City of Rancho Cucamonga
Update on Cal Cities Annual Conference
November 4, 2025
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2026 At-Large Directors:
- Walter Allen, Councilmember - City of Covina
- Jan Arbuckle, Councilmember - City of Grass Valley
- Dan Arriola, Mayor- City of Tracy
- Lisa Kaplan, Councilmember - City of Sacramento
- Jim Lewis, City Manager - City of Atascadero
- Cindy Silva. Councilmember - City of Walnut Creek
The Legislator of the Year Award was presented to Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, 4th Assembly District.
B. Second General Session
Cal Cities First Vice President Gabe Quinto welcomed delegates to the conference's second day. He acknowledged and thanked the 2025 Chairs of the seven policy committees.
National League of Cities (NLC) President and Mayor of Athens, OH, Steve Patterson shared the online resources and studies prepared by NLC, including the 2025 Municipal Infrastructure Conditions Report, and invited delegates to attend the annual City Summit in Salt Lake City, UT, in November.
The Helen Putnam Awards were presented for achievements in specific initiatives:
City of Watsonville, Economic Development Through the Arts City of Moreno Valley, Community Services and Economic Development City of Moreno Valley, Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Government
City of Norwalk, Public Safety
City of Santa Paula, Enhancing Public Trust, Ethics, and Community Involvement
City of Burbank, Health and Wellness Programs
City of Lake Elsinore, Planning and Environmental Quality City of Needles, Public Works, Infrastructure, Transportation City of Moreno Valley, League Partners Award for Excellence in City- Business Relations
City of Baldwin Park, Housing Programs and Innovations City of Hayward, Intergovernmental Collaboration
Cal Cities CEO and Executive Director Carolyn Coleman presented the 2025 accomplishments: Cal Cities achieved significant accomplishments, including filing 30 amicus briefs on critical legal issues such as Proposition 218, municipal liability, and Brown Act regulations. On the legislative front, they sponsored 15 bills, with eight reaching the Governor's desk, and three already signed into law at the time Update on Cal Cities Annual Conference
November 4, 2025
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of the conference. Noteworthy wins from the legislative session included the Governor signing the state budget, which contained $500 million for homelessness, and the reauthorization of Cap-and-Trade. Several key bills are awaiting the Governor's signature, including one to start the Housing Element/RHNA process early, another to address state encampments on Caltrans property, and a bill to allow cities to audit short-term rental platforms.
Legislative Leaders Awards: Senator Ben Allen (24 th District), Assemblymember Laurie Davies (74 th District), and Diane Papan (21 st Assembly District) were selected as this year’s honorees. The members will be presented with their awards at a corresponding Cal Cities division meeting in their district.
Cal Cities Presidential Address: President Lynne Kennedy reflected on her 2025 term. With the help of the Los Altos High School Drumline, she emphasized that leadership is like a drumbeat that involves synchronicity, timing, and cadence. She was proud to support Cal Cities' role to educate, engage, and elevate local leaders.
She recognized Cal Cities' staff, board of directors, and executive director for their support. She thanked her hometown, the City of Rancho Cucamonga, and her husband for allowing her the opportunity to serve. She encouraged cities to always be “loud, proud, and impossible to ignore.” Cal Cities Executive Director presented President Kennedy with an engraved gavel to honor her service.
C. Closing Session
Cal Cities Second Vice President Teresa Acosta convened the closing session.
Beacon Awards were presented to the Cities of Alameda, Beverly Hills, Carlsbad, Concord, Coronado, El Cerrito, Gardena, Lakewood, Martinez, Novato, Santa Monica, and Torrance for implementing projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainability.
Election of New Cal Cities Officers: The 2026 Cal Cities slate of officers was installed. Newly elected President Gabe Quinto provided his inaugural address.
First Vice President Teresa Acosta and 2nd Vice President David Cohen presented additional inaugural comments.
2. Keynote Speakers:
A. Crystal Washington: The speaker focused on the future of technology and how it relates to innovation and human adaptation. She argued that you don't need to be a technologist to generate new ideas, but you must consider the long-term impact of what you're using, urging audiences to adopt a 10-year horizon for decision-making. Washington illustrated this by citing examples of technologies that took decades to become widespread, such as the 1960s video phone Update on Cal Cities Annual Conference
November 4, 2025
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becoming today's FaceTime, and QR or quick response codes—invented in the 1990s—are now commonly used for restaurant menus. She emphasized that because technology is moving so fast, organizations must implement changes slowly and deliberately to allow the communities they serve time to cope.
Ultimately, she stressed the importance of empathy and compassion when implementing technology.
B. Nir Bashian, Founder and CEO of The Creator Mindset discussed the importance of innovation and creativity in the workplace. Cultivating a solution mindset requires overcoming the internal "beaver instinct" that prioritizes routine tasks over genuine creative time. While the modern world over-emphasizes analytical thinking, the speaker believes organizational success depends entirely on creativity, the source of all groundbreaking ideas. To nurture this, he notes creativity shouldn’t be bound by constraints like time or budget; technology is simply a tool. The speaker suggests unlocking this innate ability by (a) choosing positivity, (b) simplifying work to clear mental space, (c) deliberately planning for boredom, and (d) celebrating small victories.
C. Erin Brockovich, the celebrated activist and author, attributes her success to overcoming dyslexia in her childhood. With unwavering support from her mother, father, and teacher, she learned to manage her learning disability, boosting her self-confidence and encouraging her to become curious about things she did not understand. This perspective proved essential when she joined the law firm investigating Hinkley, CA, which ultimately uncovered significant water pollution.
Driven by her passion for justice, Brockovich became a powerful voice for affected communities by pioneering the creation of a self-registry database—a "health book" that provides a vital tool for reporting health anomalies. Today, she continues to use this model to help communities translate raw data into powerful data sets, which are used to discover many environmental impacts. She works with affected communities to foster essential networking and promote effective local action.
3. Conference Breakout Sessions Attended:
First Time Attendees Orientation
Trial by Fire: Communicating Effectively During Disasters Why Every Municipality Needs a Technology Plan
Preparing Local Leaders for Immigration Policy Changes A Collaborative Discussion on Youth Centered Cities
Lessons from Malibu in Disaster Management, Mutual Aid, and Resiliency Mayors and Council Members Department Meeting
From Council Chambers to Capitol Floors: Cultivating Leadership for Higher Office
Legal Issues Session
Update on Cal Cities Annual Conference
November 4, 2025
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ADUs, Group Homes, and Short-Term Rentals: Local Regulation and Enforcement
4. Channel Counties Division Meeting:
The Channel Counties Division hosted a reception at Shannon’s Corner for its member cities representing Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo Counties. The current Division Board, consisting of Chair Erica Stewart, Mayor of San Luis Obispo; First Vice President Councilmember Laura Hernandez, City of Port Hueneme; and Second Vice President Councilmember Eric Friedman, City of Santa Barbara, will continue to serve for the 2026 term. Division meetings are being planned for the Cities of Ventura, Pismo Beach, and Santa Barbara.
5. General Assembly/Annual Business Meeting:
The General Assembly was cancelled. No resolutions were submitted for consideration and adoption.
6. The 2026 Annual Conference:
Anaheim Convention Center- September 23-25, 2026.
COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goal:
B. Provide municipal government leadership that is open and responsive to residents, and is characterized by ethical behavior, stability, promoting public trust, transparency, confidence in the future, and cooperative interaction among civic leaders, residents, business representatives, and staff, while recognizing and respecting legitimate differences of opinion on critical issues facing the City.
PREPARED BY: Mina Layba, Legislative Affairs Manager
CMO:150-20\KM\H:COMMON\Council Items\2025 Staff Reports\110425 Cal Cities Annual Conference Staff Report