Karen Comstock

The City of Chino's strategic plan is designed to guide the city toward achieving its mission and vision through action-oriented strategies. The plan focuses on key areas including city image, leadership, internal and external partnerships, customer service, financial stability, technology, and long-range planning. It aims to ensure the provision of quality city services through collaboration, innovation, and engagement with the community, while also maintaining fiscal responsibility and adapting to changing needs and opportunities.

This workshop focused on the City of Chino's sphere of influence economic analysis. Presentations covered the history and background of the sphere, concepts and terms related to annexation, and a detailed economic analysis of various annexation scenarios (status quo, county islands annexation, phased/partial annexation, and full annexation). The meeting also included discussions of the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) process, the definition of county islands, and the city's general plan and zoning within the sphere of influence.

The Chino City Council discussed the adoption of Resolution 2023-072, calling for a special municipal election regarding a Public Safety, Roads, and Essential Services Protection Measure. The city manager reported on the city's fiscal emergency, projecting the depletion of general fund reserves by fiscal year 2028 or sooner due to rising costs outpacing revenue. The finance director detailed the budget's structural imbalance, with expenditures significantly exceeding revenues. The Public Works director highlighted the impact on infrastructure maintenance and projects, including deferred maintenance and the need for additional funding for water quality compliance. The Community Services director discussed the impact on parks, facilities, and programs, including the need for equipment replacement and the potential reduction of services. The police chief reported on increasing crime trends, particularly retail theft, and the strain on investigative resources.