City Manager's Page

City Manager’s Update – Fall 2025

Summer vacations are wrapping up, kids are heading back to school, and fall is quickly approaching. I sincerely hope everyone had a memorable summer and got the chance to enjoy all the fun activities our Recreation & Community Services team and community nonprofits had to offer! Our annual Crawfish Festival, Summerfest, and Lobster Festival were successful, where locals and visitors enjoyed food, music, drinks, rides, and dancing. Fountain Valley continues to strive to offer the best.

We are starting off strong in the fall with the inaugural Citizens’ Academy from September 3 through October 15. The academy provides an exclusive and hands-on journey into municipal government. City staff selected 25 excited citizens to embark on a dynamic journey, learning all the ins and outs of local governance by shadowing each City department during a 6-week course.

Here are some additional upcoming events that you don’t want to miss:

The Center at Founder’s Village’s 20th Anniversary Celebration on September 17 from 2 - 3:30 p.m.
Biannual Strategic Planning Session on September 23 from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Recreation Center.
Hyundai Hope on Wheels 5k Run and Color Fun Run on September 27 at the Fountain Valley Sports Park. This annual community event raises money for pe-diatric cancer research and brings money to the local community. Every race entry fee benefits the Hyundai Hope on Wheels and local non-profit charities serving Fountain Valley.
Charter City Town Hall’s on Tuesday, September 30, at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers and on October 18 at 1 p.m. at Fountain Valley Recreation Center, to discuss general law and charter city options.
Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce Year of the Rose Gala with Guest of Honor Mayor Ted Bui on October 18 at the Saigon Grand Center.

I want to highlight some key milestones and accomplishments since the start of the year:

Increased cost recovery fees to offset the City’s expenditures.
Awarded a contract to Alliance Security Services for citywide parking enforce-ment.
Transitioned to leasing instead of purchasing City vehicles.
Developed a ‘You Are Not Alone’ (YANA) program and created an E-bike Safety Day.
Purchased a new fire engine and received a grant for $187,000 to reduce the cost.
Renewed a 50-year lease with Mile Square Park adding an additional 16 acres as a part of an expansion project for Fountain Valley Sports Park.
Hired three (3) Recreation Coordinators to better serve the community at the Fountain Valley Recreation Center and The Center at Founders Village.
Coordinated five (5) concerts in the park in July with a small local vendor fair.
Coordinated an E-Bike Safety Day.
Unveiled Ed Arnold Way at the Fountain Valley Sports Park.
Streamlined the budget process and increased fiscal stability by implementing a biennial budget for FY 2025-26 & FY 2026-27.
Coordinated three new Fountain Bowl Night Markets in June, filled with live mu-sic, food trucks, local vendors, community engagement, and much more.
The Planning Commission approved the Holland Group housing project at 16800 Magnolia Street (former Boomers site) on June 11, 2025 – a mixed-use 6.87-acre project with two buildings offering 657 apartments and 4,460 SF of retail space with a public dog park.
The Planning Commission approved the Shopoff housing project at 16300 Euclid Street (former agriculture site) on June 25, 2025 – 18.9 acre project offering 606 units: 304 rental apartments, 83 senior apartments, 183 three-story townhomes (for sale), and 36 two-story triplexes (for sale).
Construction is underway for the Slater Mixed-Use Project, a luxury multifamily development at Slater Ave. & San Mateo offering 270 residential units, a 7,000 SF restaurant, and a 6-level parking garage.
Initiated the first Parks Master Plan and coordinated corresponding community engagement meetings.
Attended the grand opening of Amazon Fresh.
Hosted a successful State of the City and raised $17,000 for the Fountain Valley Rotary Club.
Hired a Risk Manager in the City Clerk’s office to improve cost recovery, limit the city’s liability exposure, and focus on emergency services.
Hired a new firefighter and he started his training academy on August 18.
Hired an Accounting Manager who oversees our financials, ensuring they are cor-rect and implements internal controls properly.
Developed and adopted a Government-Wide Fund Balance Reserve Policy.
Transitioned the Fountain Valley Fire Department’s network and external connec-tions to the City’s firewall to provide security and protection.
Successfully completed labor negotiations with all labor groups.
Community Services/Fire Department hosted the Junior Firefighters Academy in July.
The Police Department hosted National Night Out on August 5.

As a community, we have had many challenges, and thanks to the City Council’s leadership and the hard work of our City staff members, we have successfully managed our homeless challenges through the Central Cities Navigation Center (CCNC) and City Net contract, minimized the unpermitted food vendor operations, and mitigated the ongoing sober living/group homes issues.

In closing, I’d like to take a moment to remember our beloved retired Police Chief Kevin Childe and Fire Chief Bill McQuaid for their contributions and love for our Fountain Valley community. They made an impact within the fire and police departments alike, and the agency is better as a whole because of them. As a community, we will not forget Ed Arnold's legacy and the work he has done with the Special Olympics and the Huntington Valley Boys and Girls Club. Thank you to each of these extraordinary individuals for contributing to making Fountain Valley “A Nice Place to Live” and beyond.

Sincerely,Maggie Le

Vision Statement

Fountain Valley is a safe, inclusive, and desirable community where you can live your best life!

Mission Statement

The City of Fountain Valley is a team-driven organization committed to providing excellent service to our community through our core values.

Core Values - The City of Fountain Valley Values

(not in priority order)

• Fiscal Stability

• Honesty, Integrity and Ethical Behavior

• Teamwork

• Excellent customer service

• Innovation

• Quality of Life

3-Year Goals

• Enhance the culture and environment of “A Nice Place to Live”

• Achieve fiscal stability by evaluating processes and attract and retain revenue producing businesses/opportunities

• Attract and retain quality staff through best practices and trends

• Maintain, build, and modernize infrastructure to support the growth and future needs of the City

Staff is working hard to make Fountain Valley “A Nice Place to Live, Shop, Dine, and Play”. Follow us on our social media platforms to get regular updates.

City Manager Update Videos
If you wish to watch the video with subtitles, please click the video link. Once there, click the ‘CC’ box in the toolbar and turn on auto-generated subtitles.

January 2023, https://vimeo.com/794710864

February 2023, https://vimeo.com/802720088

March 2023, https://vimeo.com/812465652

April 2023, https://vimeo.com/820712515

May 2023, https://vimeo.com/832276476

June 2023, https://vimeo.com/839902534

July 2023, https://vimeo.com/850371741

August 2023, https://vimeo.com/859031024

September 2023, https://vimeo.com/866579293

Quarterly City Manager’s Report

Fall 2025 Edition

Fall 2024 Edition