This commentary piece was authored by Signal Hill City Manager Hannah Shin-Heydorn.
Happy New Year Signal Hill! Although it’s July and the middle of summer, this is the first month of the City’s fiscal year. It marks the end of a hectic budget season, in which we reviewed with the Council and the community those services and projects delivered over the past 12 months and presented a plan and accompanying budget for the next 12 months. It also marks the beginning of reopening and recovery and a return to life not as we knew it, but life as we have reimagined it.
I don’t have to go into a long description of what we’ve been through in the last year – we’ve all lived through it together – but I do want to take the time to offer a simple thank you to the community. Thank you for the support and care you extended to each other, through testing, masking, and for those of you who are eligible getting vaccinated. Thank you for your efforts to reach out and support friends and neighbors, volunteering to serve and sharing acts of kindness. In addition, the events of the past year underscored the importance of community engagement and the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Thank you for joining us in our journey as we continue to evolve as a community.
The approved budget will ensure our community has the financial foundation to continue to thrive and support the high quality of life enjoyed by Signal Hill residents and businesses. With an operating budget of $27.9 million and a capital budget of $10.6 million, the budget is balanced, includes healthy reserves, and invests in our community and our infrastructure.
With the passage of Signal Hill Measure R, the community ensured ongoing investments in important infrastructure projects as well as quality-of-life programs. Moving forward, you’ll start to see “Brought to you by Measure R” signs highlighting projects and programs.
I’m also excited to highlight some of the great projects that will be funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. These include continuing our family food program that started up during the pandemic, providing financial support to our small business community, and making a significant investment in our water infrastructure. And if you are a small business owner in Signal Hill, we encourage you to take our small business survey, which can be accessed here. Your feedback will help the City focus future programs and community investment in the areas of greatest importance to the small businesses that are the backbone of our community.
As we embark on this new fiscal year, I’m filled with hope and optimism for what the future holds. As a community, I know we will meet the known and unknown challenges ahead of us, and as a City team, we will continue to provide you with quality municipal services and outstanding customer service. I wish you all a wonderful summer and a happy new (fiscal) year!
