Napa City Manager Pens New Year Message To Employees, Community

Press release from the City of Napa:

New Year Message from Steve Potter, City Manager

Dear Napa Community,

As we welcome 2025, I’m filled with hope and enthusiasm for the future of our City. Your engagement and support reflect a shared dedication to making Napa an even better place to live, work and play.

In 2024, we conducted our biennial community climate survey to measure resident satisfaction with City services and overall quality of life. I’m proud to share that we saw many positive results including increased satisfaction with parks and recreation services, Police and Fire departments and City communications. The survey also helped identify key focuses for 2025, like creating affordable housing, reducing homelessness and continuing to improve our streets and sidewalks. The passage of Measure G in November gives us the opportunity to prioritize these critical improvements and address these important needs as we head into the new year.

This past year, we achieved significant milestones. Our General Plan received prestigious state and regional planning awards, showcasing thoughtful, forward-thinking planning guiding our growth. Our Finance Department also was recognized for the Government Finance Officers’ Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. The Napa Police Department received the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Champion Outstanding Agency Award for their work to end drunk driving, and the Napa Fire Department saw fourteen personnel recognized at the 2024 Napa County Survivor’s Reunion for their life-saving efforts.

The year 2024 was full of opportunities to bring our community together. In January, the unique installations and projections at our annual Lighted Art Festival were displayed to over 70,000 people. We introduced a new type of 4th of July celebration bringing together 24,000 in our community to witness an innovative and environmentally friendly nighttime drone show, in addition to our annual parade and family-friendly festival activities in the Oxbow Commons. The 3rd Annual Dia de Los Muertos celebration was a vibrant collection of colorful altars and full of joyful festivities honoring loved ones. And we can’t forget the excitement of opening our new Costco in October!

The City also made significant efforts in our priority areas. We expanded traffic safety efforts, installed new pedestrian beacons and advanced road maintenance projects. We opened the North Napa Center and supported 21 individuals experiencing homelessness as they made the transition to permanent housing. Additionally, we held another successful Napa City Academy program, which continues to strengthen connections between residents and our local government while fostering greater understanding of City operations.

Looking ahead to 2025, we’ll see Measure G funds help further our goals under the guidance of a citizen oversight committee, ensuring transparency and alignment with community priorities. These funds provide a stable foundation to invest in vital infrastructure, enhance public safety and expand community services. While financial challenges remain, Measure G helps us address them responsibly and with a focus on long-term sustainability. Annual reporting and frequent communications about the allocation of Measure G funds, as well as project updates, will ensure we continue to meet our promise of full transparency.

For Napa residents, there’s so much to celebrate in our City. Beloved traditions like the Napa Lighted Arts Festival and Restaurant Week support local businesses while creating unique opportunities for families and neighbors to connect. In 2025, we will continue to expand parks and recreation offerings to provide more youth sports programs, family-friendly events and affordable activities that bring our residents together — everything from swim lessons and summer camps to movie nights in the park and cultural celebrations that embody the spirit of Napa.

Together, we’re building a more connected community. As we implement Measure G and continue investing in Napa’s future, I look forward to seeing these projects through and ensuring we meet the needs of our residents with transparency, fiscal responsibility and a commitment to our shared values.

Here's to a promising 2025!
-Steve
Steve Potter
Napa City Manager

This press release was produced by the City of Napa. The views expressed here are the author’s own.