Join Chabad of Fremont Jewish Center this Sunday, December 14 for their annual Menorah Lighting at the Downtown Event Center Plaza, 3500 Capitol Ave. Festivities begin at 4:00 pm, followed by the Menorah Lighting at 5:00 pm.
The City of Fremont is providing this community update regarding the status of labor negotiations.
The City began contract negotiations in the spring in anticipation of the nine labor agreements concluding on June 30, 2025. To date, the City has successfully reached agreements with six of its nine bargaining units, each of which accepted a 1.3% salary increase, a modest health benefit allowance increase to keep pace with rising health care costs, and a one-year contract term.
After several months of bargaining, the Fremont Police Association (FPA), Fremont Police Management Association (FPMA) and Teamsters, representing several non-sworn positions at the Police Department, were unable to reach full agreement.
In September, the FPA declared Impasse with the City and proceeded to a State-mandated factfinding process. An independent factfinder reviewed information submitted by both the City and the FPA and issued a report on December 1, 2025. The full report can be found on the City’s website.
The factfinder’s recommendations included support for the City’s proposed one-year agreement, a 1.3% cost-of-living salary increase, and maintaining the existing structure for premium pays such as POST Certificate Pay, Double-Time, Shift Differential, and Lead Worker Premium. Additionally, the report recommended updating the list of agencies used for compensation comparisons by removing Vallejo and adding San Francisco and to help support retention, the addition of one 2.5% longevity pay increase.
The factfinding recommendations are non-binding and are part of the standard public sector bargaining process under California law. In November 2025, the City Manager provided a budget update to City Council and shared that fiscal year 2024/25 year-end revenues were not adequate to cover the City’s expenditures, with a need to draw down the City’s Budget Uncertainty Reserve by approximately $2 million, leaving a $4 million balance in this reserve fund. The negotiated 1.3% cost-of-living adjustments will need to be incorporated into the current budget and resulting budget balancing measures will be recommended to City Council in early 2026.
Staff will continue working through the negotiations process with the three remaining labor groups consistent with legal requirements and the City Council’s direction. Negotiations for new contracts with all labor groups will begin again in spring. The City appreciates the community’s interest in this matter and remains committed to fair, transparent, and fiscally responsible labor negotiations.
To plan responsibly for the future, the City of Fremont is beginning a strategic planning process now to help guide decisions about essential services beginning next year; including fire and police protection, emergency response, street and park maintenance, youth and senior programs, and homelessness services.
Your feedback is key to keeping Fremont safe, clean, and self-reliant.
On any given night in Fremont, too many of our unhoused neighbors are sleeping in parks, vehicles, or on sidewalks. We need your immediate help to make a difference!
The City of Fremont is urgently seeking 150 volunteers for the vital 2026 Point-in-Time Count on Thursday, January 22, 2026, from 5:00 am to 10:00 am.
This count, conducted in partnership with Alameda County, is more than just a survey, it's how Fremont secures the essential funding to support our unhoused residents and provide services. The more accurate our count, the better we can serve our community.
Sign up to volunteer. Remember to select “FREMONT” as your service location. If you have any questions, please send us an email.
As we celebrate the retirement of Police Chief Sean Washington, we are beginning our search for a highly engaged and visionary policing professional to serve as our next Police Chief and to continue Fremont Police Department’s tradition of excellence in serving our community. In addition to being an inspiring and approachable leader, our ideal candidate will be someone who has a record of leading with strong communication and fostering a supportive and inclusive culture, rooted in integrity, transparency, and accountability.
Does this sound like you or someone you know? If so, learn more about this position, including benefits and eligibility.
The City of Fremont has entered into an exciting new partnership with LS Power Grid California to accelerate the Power the South Bay Project, a transformative 12-mile, 230 kV transmission line that will add 1 gigawatt of new capacity and deliver a major boost to regional grid reliability. As part of the agreement, LS Power will also install and dedicate six miles of high-capacity broadband conduit, jump-starting the next phase of Fremont’s Fiber Optic Master Plan and paving the way for expanded municipal broadband.
This project will dramatically strengthen local energy infrastructure, improve resiliency, and deliver enough power for 600,000 homes—a critical step as Fremont experiences surging energy demand driven by advanced manufacturing, electrification, and the rapid rise of AI data centers.
Construction is slated to begin early 2026 along Boyce Road, Cushing Parkway, and Fremont Boulevard. By coordinating roadway improvements with the project timeline, the City will reduce disruptions and maximize community benefits.
The City of Fremont is proud to have earned a high score of 97 points on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Municipal Equality Index (MEI). The MEI examines how inclusive municipal laws, policies, and services are in cities and towns across the country. It provides a public snapshot of how cities advance LGBTQ+ equality and a framework for mayors, councilors, and administrators across the country, outlining impactful steps they can take to protect their LGBTQ+ residents and staff.
Fremont is committed to recognizing and representing equality for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies.
Read Fremont’s report.
Fremont’s favorite culinary celebration is back! The 4th Annual Fremont Restaurant Week returns March 6–15, and it’s shaping up to be our biggest and most delicious year yet. Last year, we saw a record number of local restaurants take part in showcasing the rich and diverse flavors of our community, and we’re excited to keep growing.
This is a great opportunity to spotlight local businesses, attract new customers, and be part of a citywide event that Fremont’s food lovers look forward to each year.
If you or someone you know is a restaurant owner in Fremont and is interested in participating, we’d love to hear from you. To get involved and have your restaurant featured, please reach out to Economic Development Specialist Travis Bell via email.
Please note that participating restaurants need to be located in Fremont and have no more than three locations within Alameda County.
To stay updated on Fremont Restaurant Week, including featured restaurants, promotions, and events, sign up for our newsletter. Let’s make this year’s Fremont Restaurant Week the best one yet!
As in years past, the City of Fremont will be implementing a Holiday Closure for many non-public safety City services from December 24, 2025, to January 2, 2026, observing holidays on December 24, 25, 31, and January 1. Limited services will be available on December 26, 29, 30, 2025, and January 2, 2026. Police and fire services will remain unaffected during the Holiday Closure. City offices participating in the Holiday Closure will re-open for business on Monday, January 5, 2026. For more information about the Holiday Closure, visit our website.
On Monday, December 22 and Tuesday, December 23, all rooms at the Age Well Center at Lake Elizabeth will be closed for scheduled maintenance.
- This includes the Multipurpose (MPR)/Dining Room and Wings A, B, and C.
- No complimentary coffee, pastries, or programs will be available.
- To-go lunches may be picked up between 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.
- The front desk will remain open from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Following the scheduled maintenance, the Center will be closed December 24, 2025, through January 2, 2026. It will reopen Monday, January 5, 2026.
Please be advised that during the City’s Holiday Closure—Wednesday, December 24, 2025, through Friday, January 2, 2026—all construction and development services will be unavailable.
- The City’s Development Services Center/Permit Center, located at 39550 Liberty St., will be closed. It will reopen on Monday, January 5, 2026, at 8:00 am. Please note the Center will maintain normal business hours on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, closing at 3:30 pm.
- The City’s online permitting portal, Citizen Access, will be unavailable starting Tuesday, December 23, 2025, at 12:00 pm through Monday, January 5, 2026, at 8:00 am. Online requests for permits and building inspections will not be available during this time. This includes planning, building, and engineering permits. Please keep this in mind when planning construction and development projects requiring these types of permits.
- To schedule a building inspection for Monday, January 5, 2026, the City’s Inspection Scheduling Phone Line will be available starting Wednesday, December 31, 2025. The phone number is 510-494-4885. Online inspection scheduling through Citizen Access will not be available until Monday, January 5, 2026, at 8:00 am.
- General email accounts and phone lines will not be monitored during the Holiday Closure. Staff will not be responding to emails received during the closure. Community members should avoid sending any emails during this time.
- In the event a permit is needed during the Holiday Closure to preserve life or property (e.g., broken sewer pipe, house fire), community members will be able to contact the City via a dedicated email address. This email address and instructions will be made available on the City’s Holiday Closure webpage starting Friday, December 19.
Cancelled: December 16 City Council Meeting
The December 16 City Council meeting is . The next regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council is Tuesday, January 6, 2026. The agenda will be published in the within 72 hours on the meeting.
Beginning on Monday, December 16, the playground at Lone Tree Creek Park will be closed to undergo repairs. During this time, the playground will be fenced off and closed to the public and will re-open December 22, 2025.
We apologize for the inconvenience. Your support and patience are greatly appreciated.
For project updates, visit Fremont Parks Update. For further information, please contact our Park Maintenance by email or call 510-979-5799.
The Olive Hyde Art Guild, in collaboration with the City of Fremont, invites Fremont Middle School students in Grades 6–8 to participate in this year’s boxART! competition. Students are encouraged to explore the theme “Utopian Vision” and share their creativity for a chance to have their artwork featured on a City of Fremont traffic signal control box.
All submitted pieces will be displayed, with 18–20 artworks selected and announced at a community reception on Friday, January 30, 2026, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Olive Hyde Art Center, 123 Washington Blvd.
The entry deadline is Sunday, January 25, 2026. For more information, email us.
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