TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Philippe Eskandar, City Manager
BY: Nicole Tibbet, Community Engagement Manager
Amber Shah, Parks & Public Works Director
DATE: March 11, 2026
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF THE INSTALLATION AND WAIVING OF
COSTS FOR THE SAN MARINO SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
STREET POLE BANNERS
STRATEGIC PLAN CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
Efficient, Responsive, and Effective City Services
Engaged and Connected Residents
Fiscally Responsible and Transparent City Government
BACKGROUND
For many years, the City of San Marino has been a steadfast partner of the San Marino Unified School District and its many affiliated organizations.
Annually, the City provides many hundreds of thousands of dollars in direct and indirect funding for various SMUSD-related programs. These programs include paying for crossing guards near schools, operating the All-City Track Meet, staffing Police Officers and dozens of other staff on overtime assignments at football games, the homecoming parade, the walking school bus, and many others, etc.
One of these City-supported activities relates to the San Marino Schools Foundation (SMSF), which has requested permission to install banners citywide from April through June 2026. The City Council has adopted a policy governing the use of City street poles for banners (Resolution No. R-14-22, see Attachment 1) that enables the City Council to review such requests and determine if they are suitable. In 2016, the City Council directed that SMSF banner installation requests be brought to the Council for consideration.
Tony Chou, Mayor
Calvin Lo, Vice Mayor
Hunter Chang, Council Member
John Chou, Council Member
Gretchen Shepherd Romey, Council Member
DISCUSSION
The City has the capacity to facilitate 140-150 street pole banners. SMSF, a nonprofit, utilizes the banners annually to recognize donors who contribute to fundraising efforts that support class-size reduction and arts, music, and other educational programs. The City has been a long-time co-sponsor of these banners and shows excellent support for our school community by continuing to offer an in-kind sponsorship of the installation fees.
FISCAL IMPACT & PROCUREMENT REVIEW
The cost for City Public Works personnel to install and remove up to 140 banners is approximately $9,000. As a co-sponsor of the banners, the City will provide in-kind services through City personnel's time and materials utilized.
If approved, no additional budget appropriation is required as the Public Works Department personnel can install and remove the banners during regular working hours.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney's office has reviewed and approved as to form.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the request from the San Marino Schools Foundation and waive the installation costs. If the City Council concurs with staff’s recommendation, an appropriate motion would be:
“I move to approve a request from the San Marino Schools Foundation that is in accordance with Resolution No. R-14-22 for the installation and display of banners citywide between April 1 and June 30, 2026.”
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution No. R-14-22