Located between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the San Francisco Bay, Mountain View is just over 12 square miles in the center of Silicon Valley. The City is home to approximately 80,000 residents, many internationally known corporations and a thriving small business base. While leading the region in innovation and ideas, Mountain View remains committed to the traditional values of strong neighborhoods and resident involvement. The City of Mountain View is a progressive, full-service city, operating under the Council-Manager form of government. The Mountain View City Council has a well-earned reputation for taking the lead on challenging regional issues, working together with civility and treating members of the community and City staff with respect. Every two years, the Council adopts priority goals that provide a focus for the organization’s workplan and drive progress on important community issues. The City Council appoints the City Clerk, City Attorney and City Manager, who oversees the departments of Community Development, Community Services, Finance and Administrative Services, Fire, Information Technology, Library, Police and Public Works. The City's fiscal practices, budget discipline, and diversified tax base have allowed the City to maintain its AAA credit rating. The organizational values that guide City work are: Provide exceptional service • Act with integrity • Treat others with respect Mountain View provides excellent public services and facilities to meet the needs of a caring and diverse community in a financially responsible manner. Mountain View’s historic and active downtown offers a vibrant restaurant and shopping scene, cultural events, concerts, a weekly farmer’s market, one of the finest performing arts facilities in Northern California, and a 60,000 square foot state-of-the-art Library. Mountain View also offers an extensive trail system, City parks, including Shoreline-at-Mountain View with a golf course, sailing lake and miles of trails.