State of the City

There couldn't be a more fitting place to gather than right here at the new Placer Valley Soccer Complex. I’m so glad you are here. Today, I will share recent accomplishments, what we’re working toward, and what it will take to keep moving Roseville forward.

We’re on a field so of course, we need one rule, right? You’ve got a rally towel on your chair, and you know what that means. 

When you hear something you like, something you’re proud of, or something that makes you think, “Now that’s a win!” — let’s see those towels fly!

Let’s have some fun with this today.

For years, this complex was just a vision: something we dreamt about, planned for and eventually built. And today, it's right here in front of us: a beautiful Roseville reality. 

In November, more than 3,000 people attended the grand opening on this very field. For years to come, this wonderful new venue will be filled with eager athletes, coaches, and spectators. Why did we do this? We know the benefits sports tourism brings to the economy and so we've doubled down. In 2026, surpassing initial projections, this complex is expected to generate $16 million from field rentals and other direct costs along with $22 million from what visitors do once they’re here: shop, dine, and eventually sleep for a night or two. 

Designed to host soccer, lacrosse, rugby, flag football and field hockey, this complex is establishing Roseville as one of California's premier sports tourism destinations. So far it has attracted regional and national competition, including the U.S. Quadball Cup National Championship (yes it’s a thing, defined as real-life quiddich) which marked the first time the tournament has been held west of Utah since its inception in 2007. The event brought approximately 60 teams, more than 1,200 athletes, and an estimated $2 million in economic impact to our community.

As the complex approaches its first anniversary, it's on pace to welcome more than 600,000 visitors this year. We know tournaments fill hotel rooms, support local restaurants and businesses, and introduce thousands of visitors to everything that makes Roseville unique. That’s why we share in the anticipation to make a pitch to MLB for an expansion team in Sacramento! (And, BTW, big shout out to our sports mascots here today: Claws from Sierra College, Herkie from Sacramento State, Dinger from the River Cats and our home grown Viking from Oakmont High School) 

Roseville’s sports tourism extends beyond this venue as well. Our Maidu softball fields hosted the Senior Softball Western Nationals Tournament at the beginning of the month, serving as one of several venues that welcomed more than 50 teams and 1,700 players. We also enjoy the benefits of our Roseville Aquatics Complex and year round sports @The Grounds.

You've heard the phrase "home field advantage." Most people think it’s about familiar surroundings or hometown fans. But ask coaches, and you’ll hear something different.

Home field advantage isn't created on game day; it’s built through preparation and discipline. It’s built through teammates who know they can depend on one another, and it’s built by doing more than what’s expected. That is where confidence is built and where success begins.

As I thought about this year's theme, I realized those principles don’t just describe sports teams; they also describe how Roseville was built. Our home field advantage was built by planning for growth, and by community leaders whose vision continues to benefit future generations.

That's what makes Roseville special. Just like a successful sports team, everyone has a role to play.

Our City Council provides vision and leadership. I'd like to acknowledge my fellow members: Vice Mayor Karen Alvord, Councilmember Pauline Roccucci, Councilmember Bruce Houdesheldt, and Councilmember Tracy Mendonsa. Thank you for serving this community and understanding that the position we hold demands integrity, accountability and working to create a shared vision for Roseville's future.

We’re also honored to have many of our regional elected leaders with us today. I invite you to please stand so we can recognize and thank you for your leadership and service to our community.

And every great team needs someone who can take the game plan and turn it into action. For Roseville, that's our City Manager, Dom Casey.

Dom, please join me on stage. 

In preparing for today, I did a little math and realized Dom is celebrating 15 years with the City of Roseville. I challenge this audience to find a more focused and respected city manager in all of California. Fifteen years is a pretty remarkable milestone—and traditionally, the 15th anniversary is represented by crystal. So, Dom, I thought you deserved a little crystal of your own.

The glasses have an etched map of Roseville on them, because after 15 years of serving this community, it seemed only fitting that you enjoy a cold beverage while literally holding a piece of Roseville in your hands.

Dom, thank you for 15 years of unwavering service to our city.

To every City employee: thank you. Some of the most important work in our city is often behind the scenes; maintaining systems that deliver our water and power, keeping our streets and signals working, protecting our finances and preparing for the unexpected. We may not always see that work, but it’s happening every day, and it’s what keeps Roseville moving.

And to our residents, business owners, volunteers, teachers, parents, coaches and neighborhood associations here this morning: Roseville’s story belongs to all of you, and our future is something we will continue to build together. The same values that build great teams are the values that build great communities. Through our council’s four-year strategic plan and commitment to its six priorities, we continue that stewardship to build and foster Roseville’s home field advantage.

Roseville's economy is stronger because it's more diverse now than ever before. Investments today are shaping the industries of tomorrow. And when we say Roseville is a “full-service” city, it’s more than just a nice sentiment; it’s a competitive advantage. We operate our own utilities, electric system, police and fire services, giving us greater control over the services that make our community stand out. 

At Bosch, a nearly $2 billion investment is transforming the Roseville facility into one of the nation's leading silicon carbide semiconductor manufacturing sites. Production is underway, and partnerships with our local colleges are preparing the next generation of skilled workers. If you’re wondering what exactly is manufactured by a silicon carbide semiconductor, you’re not alone. Bosch was kind enough to lend us a sample wafer which I’m pleased to show you today. After two trips to see Bosch in Germany, I can tell you that Bosch is the gold standard when it comes to global employers and innovation. We’re incredibly proud and thankful they chose our city to be their home away from home. 

At Penumbra, continued expansion is reinforcing Roseville's growing reputation in the life sciences sector, where engineers, researchers, and innovators are developing medical technologies that save lives around the world. 

Bosch, Penumbra and many others highlight what those of us who have lived here our whole lives already knew.

The best teams don’t wait for talent to find them; they create an environment where people want to be, and a home base that’s worth investing in. 

Businesses choose Roseville because, like its residents, they believe in our community. Every new investment strengthens our home field advantage today and for future “rookie” players.

And as one of our region's largest employment sectors, health providers such as Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health and Adventist Health see the need to expand. Kaiser is building a six-story tower, with more than 130 beds including ICU and emergency department and an 800-space parking garage. Sutter is expanding its reach with a four-story, 85,000 square-foot medical office building for its residency program, and a $10 million advanced operating room. Investments like these ensure our residents have access to world-class care while creating thousands of high-quality careers.

These investments tell a much bigger story. Roseville is attracting industries, investments, and the workforce that will define future economies. Decades of planning, and investment is what it means to play the long game. 

The most successful teams don’t rely on one star player, and so in Roseville, we don’t rely on one industry. We can't talk about a diversified economy without recognizing one of the players that helped build our economic foundation: the Roseville Automall. And they are not playing around!

The Roseville Auto Mall remains one of California's premier automotive destinations and our City's most significant generator of sales tax revenue. The Automall is a legacy economic engine and it continues to evolve and invest in Roseville's future. They sell, roughly, an astounding 35,000 vehicles annually. Revenue from the sales tax funds parks, roads, public safety and city services that our residents rely on every day.

Another crucial piece of our economy comes from our retail sector. The Westfield Galleria now features 51 only-in-market retailers. This means you’d have to drive over 100 miles to find another Gucci, Crate & Barrel, Nespresso, Nordstrom, and Vuori. It’s no wonder the Galleria sees foot traffic of more than 13 million each year. 

In May, the Galleria began construction on an outdoor redevelopment called The Trails. This project will add home furnishings retailers Arhaus and Design Within Reach, along with restaurants King’s Fish House, Doppio Zero, and Sweetgreen. Plans for The Trails include new pedestrian pathways connecting retail and dining areas, as well as shaded seating and a central courtyard, inspired by the Sierras and designed to create a place for people to gather together.

In west Roseville, Costco has established itself as the anchor of a new commercial district. Since its opening, it’s had more than 265,000 people walk through its doors. Over half of these visitors are coming from outside of Roseville, making Costco another key business bringing outside dollars into our city. Many of you know Costco will be joined by Target and Home Depot and expected to join these retailers are Raising Cane’s, Chase Bank and several other fast casual restaurants. 

We currently have 95 parks, with one more under construction and four in design. We're making our way toward 100 parks—and ultimately anticipate 120 parks throughout our community. The park right here at this complex is one of our newest, Power Playground. It’s ADA compliant and averages 600 visitors a day! 

We have more than 50 miles of paved, off-street trails connecting many of them. These aren't simply amenities. They're where kids learn to ride a bike, where families gather and where neighbors become friends.

Throughout Roseville, our housing options have something for everyone. Our city is 120 years old, and you can see every decade of those years in the patchwork of our neighborhoods. From bungalow to brand new, Victorian to ranch, we’ve got the inventory. And that’s just how we like it. Roseville is made up of unique communities, each with its own character, that together make us whole. Within the next 4-5 years, 3,900 single family homes will be added to our city and in the next 10 plus years, 6,000 multifamily units are expected to come online. 

Downtown Roseville continues to provide a unique character to the heart of our city. Downtown Tuesday Nights, Concerts in our Town Square and, aiming to open next month, Old Town Pizza will join newly opened the Daily Nosh and a host of unique restaurants. Continuing our commitment to our Downtown vision, next month my fellow councilmembers and I will review the proposed Downtown Development Impact Fee Credit Program, which if adopted will help lower development costs and encourage new investment in the Downtown Specific Plan area. 

The council has adopted the Commercial Corridors Program, focused on three of our most established and visible gateways - Douglas and Sunrise, Douglas and Harding, and Atlantic Street. This program is helping modernize these established shopping centers and neighborhood business districts by encouraging reinvestment and revitalizing commercial areas throughout our City. For example, before there was the Galleria, there was Roseville Square. Those property owners recently introduced a project that includes new buildings with a fresh façade to enhance landscaped frontages and the activation of a previously vacant parcel. This project is transforming the look and feel of this longstanding commercial hub and has attracted new businesses like 85°C Bakery Cafe, which celebrates its soft opening this month. We want all parts of our city to shine. 

Campus Oaks, bordered by Blue Oaks, Woodcreek Oaks and Foothills Boulevard, is transforming a legacy corporate campus into a vibrant mixed-use district where innovation, employment, housing, retail and open space will come together to create one of the region's premier live-work environments. It's another example of Roseville adapting to changing markets while planning thoughtfully for the future.

While we are talking about something for everyone, I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize our RCONA members in attendance. RCONA is the Roseville Coalition of Neighborhood Associations and we have 17 active ones within the city. These groups keep our communities strong by encouraging communication, awareness and participation within neighborhoods and with local government. 

Many supported National Night Out earlier this month, hosting events with food trucks, potlucks, games, and music, giving people a chance to connect with neighbors, local law enforcement and community partners. Participating neighborhoods included our newly reactivated Meadow Oaks Neighborhood Association, who had about 75 people come out to its first community event.

Stoneridge held its 3rd annual Wheels Parade around Harry Crabb Park last month, featuring bikes, trikes, scooters and other non-motorized vehicles. 

Maidu’s annual pancake breakfast had another robust turnout in June, enjoying the good food and good company.

When you look at all of these communities within our city, you see something bigger than individual neighborhoods. You are in a city that reflects a well-balanced economy with access to employment, education, healthcare, retail, housing and recreation options. 

We know that if we stop growing our economy, we shrivel and that’s not happening. We're actively looking to attract innovative companies across advanced manufacturing, healthcare, life sciences, utilities and technology, and we’re committed to preparing our workforce for the industries that will shape the next generation.

As council members, we hear a lot…about traffic for one, particularly at commute times. Traffic management, along with road repair work and scheduling, gets complicated quickly. Maintaining more than $1.7 billion in roadway assets and keeping our vital transportation network moving safely is no small feat---after all, our roads connect neighborhoods and support businesses and keep our community moving. 

For example:

• The Atlantic Street and Vernon Street intersection improvements are complete.  
• Phase 1 of the Roseville Parkway Widening Project is underway.
• We're in the planning stages of the Blue Oaks Boulevard Roadway and Bridge Widening Project to help alleviate a traffic pinch point.  

If infrastructure is the foundation of our home field advantage, utilities are what keep it running every single day. When we say “full service” city, this is what we mean. Along with operating our own police and fire departments, we operate our own water, waste water, solid waste and power companies and it’s what sets Roseville apart and keeps our rates low. 

Reliable electricity, safe drinking water and wastewater treatment are services we only seem to notice when something goes wrong. Our goal is simple: make sure they never do.

Now, let’s talk power: Roseville Electric recently earned the prestigious E.F. Scattergood System Achievement Award, recognizing utilities that demonstrate outstanding reliability, operations and service to their communities. 

We’ve broken ground on the Roseville Power Plant 2 Repower Project on the north end of Woodcreek Oaks Blvd, a modernization project that will improve efficiency, strengthen reliability and ensure Roseville Electric continues delivering affordable, dependable power.

And let’s talk about water: We're continuing critical investments in reliability, expanding underground storage capacity by adding new wells and strengthening the infrastructure that ensures a safe supply for today's residents and tomorrow's growth. 

Home field advantage also means protecting our turf. Everything we do is measured by our safety and it’s one of our greatest strengths. 

We continue to be recognized as one of the safest large cities in California, and it's something we work to preserve every day. From proactive policing and fire protection to emergency preparedness and community partnerships, our commitment to safety is simple: to create an environment where families can focus on living their lives, businesses can invest with confidence, and children can grow up in neighborhoods where they feel secure.

This year we expanded police services with the implementation of Beat 8, providing dedicated coverage for the west part of Roseville and ensuring that public safety grows alongside our community. We’ve added 9 new positions in our police department to support Beat 8, with additional staffing planned to meet the growing public safety needs of west Roseville, and we’ve hired 10 Firefighter Paramedics to fill vacancies. 

This year also marked an important leadership transition as we welcomed our new Chief of Police, Jeff Beigh. Chief Beigh, a true example of homegrown talent, began his career as a rookie police officer right here in Roseville. He leads the department where he started, earning the respect of his colleagues throughout Placer County.

But home field advantage doesn't mean challenge-free. 

While national headlines may be filled with economic uncertainty, Roseville believes we need to always be prepared for the unexpected and our council goals reflect our financial stewardship. 

We can't control inflation, interest rates or the national economy, but we can control how we manage our resources. Over the past several years, we've contributed $21 million to our pension trust and another $18 million toward our pension liability—steps expected to save more than $1 million annually.

And this Council is very proud to have recently passed a balanced budget of nearly $1 billion, with fully funded reserves. We also ended the last fiscal year with a surplus. That's planning for the long game.

As we grow, and people move to Roseville, we want to make it easier for them to confirm whether they are actually in city limits, because even if you have a Roseville address, you may not be within city limits. Take for example, growth on our borders, like Placer Vineyards to the west and Placer One to the north. 

Our recently launched “Know Your Boundaries” map makes it easy to verify - just enter your address to see if it’s inside city limits. If you are, you can also see details such as your City Council district, public safety and utility providers, and school districts. If the address is outside city limits, the map will simply show that it’s outside the city's boundaries and other agencies provide municipal services.   

Today I’ve talked about what makes our home field advantage so special. And while we don’t do any of this for awards or recognition, it’s nice when others take note. 

Roseville was recently recognized as one of the Best Cities to Retire in California and one of the Best Cities to Move to in California, reinforcing what so many of us already know to be true. So if you're starting your career, raising a family or enjoying retirement, Roseville is a place where people can truly enjoy a great life.

We earned California's Prohousing Designation from the California Department of Housing and Community Development, recognizing our commitment to thoughtful housing policies that expand opportunities while preserving the quality of life our residents value. It's another example of our belief that growth isn't measured by how much we build, but by how intentionally we build it.

We are in the running for the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Parks and Recreation. This award is often considered the highest honor in the parks and recreation profession. 

These recognitions are meaningful because they not only celebrate what we’ve done, they remind us we're on the right path. They remind us that we've built something special and it's our shared responsibility to ensure the next generation inherits an even stronger home field advantage than the one we enjoy today.

As we look ahead, the next chapter of Roseville's story is taking shape. Our city reached 167,000 residents, our median age is around 39 years and we are embracing our identity as a hub for sports tourism, manufacturing, technology and healthcare. New schools are opening and being planned as we speak. 

But here’s the thing: we can’t take this sweet spot for granted. There will always be risks we need to take, challenges to navigate and new milestones to celebrate. Our job is to keep building and always strive for what's possible.

Because that's the true home field advantage. It isn't found in a single accomplishment or a single moment in time. It's found in a community that believes in one another, invests in its future and never loses sight of what matters most: creating a city that we can be proud of and that we protect; where people can thrive, not just today, but for generations to come. 

Our state of the city? The momentum is real. We’re playing to win. And we’re just getting started. 

And on a personal note, serving as your mayor has been, hands down, the greatest honor of my career. 

My intention throughout my time in this position has been simple: keep my head down, do the work, and never do it for the recognition.

But this position has also given me something pretty powerful; a platform to do some real good. And I want to use a few minutes of that platform today to tell you about someone I’ve come to know.

His name is Noah Whitaker. Noah is 20 years old, attends Sierra College, and works at our mall. He was born with spinal muscular atrophy and uses a wheelchair.

Noah has faced more heartbreak than most ever have. He has lost both of his parents, and yet he continues to show up, keep moving forward and refuse to give up.

But right now, Noah needs a little help.

His accessible conversion van is beyond repair, and without it, getting to his medical appointments; many of which are in the Bay Area, has become incredibly difficult. Even getting here today was a challenge. Noah has a motorized chair that he averages 10 miles a day in. 

So, I decided that if I have a platform, I’m going to use it.

On September 8, I’ll be hosting a lemonade stand at Rooftop Coffee TeaMacarons next to Nugget on Pleasant Grove, with media partners and 98 Rock, to help Noah get back on the road.

And Noah is here with us today.

We have flyers available with the details about the lemonade stand and, more importantly, about Noah and his need. I hope you’ll take one, come out on September 8, and help us show Noah that he has a community behind him.

As I wrap up eight years on this Council in December, I can tell you, it has been rewarding, challenging, and certainly not always easy. But the best teams aren’t defined by a perfect season. They’re defined by how they respond to the tough plays, how they stay together through the setbacks, and how they keep moving toward the goal. And I’m incredibly proud of what this team-and this community-has accomplished together.

I leave this chapter with an enormous amount of gratitude. Gratitude for my husband, Tony, my children, Nick and Ella, four generations and of my family who are here today. They have shared me with this city for many years. Gratitude for lifelong friends, and for the incredible people I’ve had the privilege of meeting along the way. A special thank you to my council colleagues and staff and to all of you who have trusted me, supported me, challenged me and allowed me to serve.

It has been an absolute privilege.

And with that, I think I’ll take my own advice and leave on a high note. I’ve never believed in being the last one at the party, so I’m headed out now. I’m sure you’ll all find your way out.

Thank you, Roseville.