Tripepi Smith celebrates the City of Indian Wells for receiving the Strategic Leadership and Governance Award at the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) 2026 Local Government Excellence Awards, earned for redefining its governance model through an innovative, resident-centered annual strategic planning framework. Presented annually, these awards recognize outstanding local government initiatives that significantly affect a city’s culture or strategic direction.
“We established this strategic framework to ensure that every City project, budget decision and daily operation directly reflects our residents’ vision and priorities,” said Indian Wells City Manager Dr. Chris Freeland. “This award represents the dedication of our employees and our ongoing commitment to delivering effective public service to the City of Indian Wells. With the support of Tripepi Smith, we were able to share this accomplishment and the impact it’s made on our community with the local government sector. It is an honor to be an example for cities around the world.”
Since 2022, the City of Indian Wells has successfully redefined its governance model through a rigorous annual strategic planning process. This framework ensures that every capital project, grant application and budgetary allocation serves as a direct extension of Council-approved, resident-centered goals, creating a transparent and measurable roadmap for community excellence. The initiative aligns city council priorities directly with departmental operations and fiscal management. By anchoring capital projects, grants and budget decisions to council-approved, resident-focused goals, the City has established a transparent roadmap for community excellence.
The City Council adopted eight broad goals for 2026-27:
- Safeguarding the community
- Fiscal responsibility and sustainability
- Encourage development and tourism
- Investing in infrastructure and amenities
- Enhancing quality of life
- Housing authority
- Indian Wells Golf Resort
- Various other City strategies and initiatives
“The City Council and staff in Indian Wells have done remarkable work refining their governance model and anchoring daily operations to community priorities,” said Senior Business Analyst Kaetlyn Hernandez. “This recognition is a reflection of the City’s commitment to innovation, leadership and excellence in public service. On behalf of the Tripepi Smith team, we extend our sincere congratulations to Indian Wells on this well-deserved achievement.”
Tripepi Smith Business Analyst Emma Catuara supported the City by putting together the award submission for the program.
To learn more about Tripepi Smith’s award-winning partnerships, please visit TripepiSmith.com/Awards.
About the International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) is a network for local government professionals, representing more than 13,000 members dedicated to building thriving communities worldwide. The organization promotes innovative management practices by providing government leaders and their staff with professional development, research, technical assistance, and training to elevate public service globally.
About Tripepi Smith
Tripepi Smith is a California-based marketing, technology and public affairs firm that serves for-profit, nonprofit and public agencies. Its unique mix of marketing and technology prowess provides a competitive advantage to agencies seeking to leverage the internet to achieve their communication goals. The firm provides full content creation services, including: ghost writing, collateral development, photography, video production, aerial imagery, search engine optimization, email marketing campaigns and website design and execution. Tripepi Smith’s diverse clients include: City of American Canyon, City of Calabasas, City of Culver City, City of Cupertino, City of Daly City, City of Grover Beach, City of Indian Wells, City of La Cañada Flintridge, City of Lake Forest, City of Livermore, City of Malibu, City of Napa, City of Palmdale, City of Paramount, City of Tracy, CalChoice Energy Authority, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, Santa Clara County Fire Department, Costa Mesa Sanitary District, Rowland Water District, California City Management Foundation, Renne Public Law Group, West Coast Arborists, Scripps College, Blind Children’s Center and Climatec.
