AGENDA – APRIL 24, 2026 PAGE 1 of 14
CITY OF SAN MARINO
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
Tony Chou, Mayor
Calvin Lo, Vice Mayor
Hunter Chang, Council Member
John Chou, Council Member
Gretchen Shepherd Romey, Council Member
Philippe Eskandar, City Manager
www.SanMarinoCA.gov
(626) 300-0700 Phone
City Hall Council Chamber
2200 Huntington Drive
San Marino, CA 91108
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
SAN MARINO CITY COUNCIL
FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2026 AT 10:00 AM
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
2200 HUNTINGTON DRIVE
SAN MARINO, CA 91108
The City of San Marino appreciates your attendance. Citizens’ interest provides the Council with valuable information regarding issues of the community.
Regular meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 6:00 p.m. Typically, adjourned meetings are held on the last Friday of every month at 8:30 a.m.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person with a disability who requires a reasonable modification or accommodation in order to participate in a meeting should contact the City Clerk via email at [email protected] or by phone at (626) 300-0705 48 hours prior to the meeting for assistance.
The public is welcome to attend the meeting in person or remotely via Zoom, however, the meeting will proceed as normal even if there are technical difficulties with Zoom. The City will do it’s best to resolve any technical issues as quickly as possible.
How to view or listen to the meeting from home:
Visit www.SanMarinoCA.gov/Zoom
How to offer public comment from home:
Public comment will be accepted by email to [email protected] until 3:00 p.m. the day before the meeting. Written public comment received by 3:00 p.m. will be distributed to City Council during the meeting. Any comments received after 3:00 p.m. will be included in the public comment record but not provided to City Council at the meeting.
AGENDA – APRIL 24, 2026 PAGE 2 of 14
Written public comment will be accepted electronically via the zoom.us teleconference module during the meeting. Written Zoom comments will be accepted after the in-person comments. Written Zoom comments will be read or summarized, then printed and made part of the public record for the meeting.
CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
Council Member Chang, Council Member Chou, Council Member Shepherd Romey, Vice Mayor Lo and Mayor Chou
POSTING OF AGENDA
The special meeting agenda is posted 24 hours prior to each special meeting at the following locations: City Hall, 2200 Huntington Drive, the Crowell Public Library, 1890 Huntington Drive, and the Stoneman Building, 1560 Pasqualito Drive. The special meeting agenda is also posted on the City’s website: http://www.SanMarinoCA.gov.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
The City welcomes public input. Members of the public may address the City Council by completing a public comment card and giving it to the City Clerk prior to the meeting. At this time, the public may address the City Council on items that are not on the agenda.
Pursuant to state law, the City Council may not discuss or take action on issues not on the meeting agenda (Government Code Section 54954.2). The Mayor reserves the right to place limits on duration of comments. Staff may be asked to follow up on such items.
NEW BUSINESS
1. CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. R-26-08 TO RATIFY THE CITY MANAGER’S PROCLAMATION OF EMERGENCY AND AUTHORIZE
EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT OF CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR
REPAIRS TO THE FIRE STATION PURSUANT TO PUBLIC CONTRACT CODE SECTIONS 20168 AND 22050
Recommendation: Staff recommends the City Council approve Resolution No. R-26- 08 ratifying the City Manager’s proclamation of emergency and authorizing emergency procurements to repair Fire Station 91. If the City Council concurs with staff’s recommendation, an appropriate motion would be:
"I move to adopt Resolution No. R-26-08 a Resolution of the City Council of the City of San Marino, California, Ratifying the City Manager's Proclamation of Emergency and Authorizing Emergency Procurement of Construction Services for Repairs to Fire AGENDA – APRIL 24, 2026 PAGE 3 of 14
Station 91 Pursuant to Public Contract Code Sections 20168 and 22050."
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS OR PUBLIC WRITINGS DISTRIBUTION
This is an opportunity to announce any written communications pertaining to the City received by members of the City Council. All public writings distributed by the City of San Marino to at least a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda will be made available at the Public Counter at City Hall located at 2200 Huntington Drive, San Marino, California 91108, and will also be included in the public agenda packet that will available for review at the City Council meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
Posted: 04/22/2026 ALISON WALKER
CITY CLERK
J
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Philippe Eskandar, City Manager
BY: Joseph Montes, City Attorney
DATE: April 24, 2026
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. R-26-08 TO
RATIFY THE CITY MANAGER’S PROCLAMATION OF
EMERGENCY AND AUTHORIZE EMERGENCY
PROCUREMENT OF CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR
REPAIRS TO THE FIRE STATION PURSUANT TO PUBLIC
CONTRACT CODE SECTIONS 20168 AND 22050
STRATEGIC PLAN CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
Efficient, Responsive and Effective City Services
Fiscally Responsible and Transparent City Government
BACKGROUND
Fire Station 91, San Marino’s sole Fire Station is an essential public safety facility located within the City of San Marino that houses firefighting apparatus, emergency medical equipment, and fire personnel who provide emergency response services to the residents and businesses of the City. The facility is critical to the City's ability to deliver uninterrupted fire suppression and emergency medical response capabilities to the community.
City staff recently discovered that a long-term water leak within the Fire Station has caused significant and extensive water damage to the structure.
The damage includes deterioration of walls, flooring, electrical systems, and other building components critical to the continued safe operation of the fire station.
Upon discovery of the water damage, the City Manager, acting pursuant to the authority delegated under San Marino Municipal Code Section Tony Chou, Mayor
Calvin Lo, Vice Mayor
John Chou, Council Member
Hunter Chang, Council Member
Gretchen Shepherd Romey, Council Member
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04.03.02(A), proclaimed a public emergency in connection with the water damage at the Fire Station and authorized immediate actions to assess, remediate, and repair the damage. Section 02.06.05(A)(8) of the San Marino Municipal Code delegates to the City Manager the power to proclaim a public emergency, as defined in Public Contract Code Section 1102, to immediately take all actions directly required by the emergency, to procure needed goods, services, and public projects, and to contract for public projects without informal or formal bidding.
DISCUSSION
The water damage at the Fire Station constitutes an emergency within the meaning of California Public Contract Code Section 1102, which defines "emergency" as "a sudden, unexpected occurrence that poses a clear and imminent danger, requiring immediate action to prevent or mitigate the loss or impairment of life, health, property, or essential public services." The continued deterioration of the facility, if not immediately addressed, may result in further structural damage, potential exposure of personnel to hazardous materials, and compromise the City's ability to provide uninterrupted fire protection and emergency services to the community.
Emergency Procurement Authority
The City Council is being asked to ratify the City Manager's emergency declaration and to authorize emergency procurement of construction services pursuant to two complementary provisions of the California Public Contract Code:
Public Contract Code Section 20168 provides that in case of an emergency, the legislative body may pass a resolution by a four-fifths vote of its members declaring that the public interest and necessity demand the immediate expenditure of public money to safeguard life, health, or property. Upon adoption of the resolution, the City may expend any sum required in the emergency without complying with standard competitive bidding requirements. If notice for bids to let contracts will not be given, the legislative body shall comply with Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 22050).
Public Contract Code Section 22050 provides that in cases of emergency and pursuant to a four-fifths vote, a public agency may repair or replace a public facility, take any directly related and immediate action required by that emergency, and procure the necessary equipment, services, and supplies for those purposes, without giving notice for bids to let contracts. Section 22050 further provides that the governing body, by a four-fifths vote, may delegate to the city manager the authority to order such emergency actions.
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This recommended action is consistent with the City's procurement policies set forth in San Marino Municipal Code Section 02.06.05, which delegates emergency procurement authority to the City Manager and defers to the Public Contract Code for public projects.
Additionally, with some remediation work already having begun, it is anticipated that emergency repair work will be taking place 24 hours a day by contractors when possible to return Fire Station 91 to full working order as quickly as possible.
Required Findings
In order for the City Council to approve the recommended actions, the City Council must, by a four-fifths (4/5) vote, make the following findings based on substantial evidence set forth in the minutes of this meeting:
(a) That a long-term water leak at Fire Station 91 has caused significant and extensive water damage to the facility, creating conditions that pose a clear and imminent danger to the health and safety of fire personnel and threaten the impairment of essential public safety services provided by the City; (b) That the emergency will not permit a delay resulting from a competitive solicitation for bids, and that the immediate procurement of construction services, materials, and supplies is necessary to respond to the emergency and to safeguard life, health, and property;
(c) That immediate repairs are necessary to permit the continued conduct of essential fire protection and emergency medical services operations and to ensure the safety of City personnel and the public.
Ongoing Review Requirements
Pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 22050(c) and San Marino Municipal Code Section 02.06.05(A)(8), the City Council must review the emergency action at each regularly scheduled meeting and determine, by a four-fifths (4/5) vote, whether there is a need to continue the emergency action and whether that work should continue without the benefit of informal or formal bidding. The City Council shall terminate the emergency action at the earliest possible date that conditions warrant so that the remainder of the emergency action may be completed by giving notice for bids to let contracts. Staff will report to the City Council on the status of the emergency project at its next regularly scheduled meeting and at each regular meeting thereafter, as required by the Public Contract Code, until the repairs are completed.
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Environmental Analysis
The emergency repairs to Fire Station 91 are categorically exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) and Section 15269 (Emergency Projects).
FISCAL IMPACT & PROCUREMENT REVIEW
The full cost of the emergency repair work at Fire Station 91 is not yet known and will depend upon the scope of remediation required once a full assessment of the water damage has been completed. The City Manager will negotiate contracts with qualified contractors and vendors necessary to assess, remediate, and repair the damage. Even though there is no formal bid process required in emergency projects, the City Manager will make reasonable efforts to obtain competitive pricing where feasible and consistent with the urgency of the emergency. All contracts entered into pursuant to the Resolution shall be subject to applicable prevailing wage requirements. Staff will provide the City Council with regular updates on expenditures incurred pursuant to the Resolution at each regularly scheduled meeting.
While the costs of the emergency repair work are unknown at this time, the City anticipates a significant portion to be covered by the City’s property insurance policies with the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority subject to the City’s coverage limits. At a minimum, the City expects to be responsible for the insurance policy’s deductible of $15,000. Expenses not covered by insurance will be paid for out of the City’s General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance (Reserves).
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney's office has reviewed and approved as to form.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve Resolution No. R-26-08 ratifying the City Manager’s proclamation of emergency and authorizing emergency procurements to repair Fire Station 91. If the City Council concurs with staff’s recommendation, an appropriate motion would be:
"I move to adopt Resolution No. R-26-08 a Resolution of the City Council of the City of San Marino, California, Ratifying the City Manager's Proclamation of Emergency and Authorizing Emergency Procurement of Construction PAGE 7 of 14
Services for Repairs to Fire Station 91 Pursuant to Public Contract Code Sections 20168 and 22050."
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution No. R-26-08
2. City Manager’s Proclamation of Local Emergency
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RESOLUTION NO. R-26-08
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN
MARINO, CALIFORNIA, RATIFYING THE CITY MANAGER'S
PROCLAMATION OF EMERGENCY AND AUTHORIZING
EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT OF CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
FOR REPAIRS TO FIRE STATION 91 PURSUANT TO PUBLIC
CONTRACT CODE SECTIONS 20168 AND 22050
WHEREAS, Section 1102 of the California Public Contract Code defines an "emergency" as "a sudden, unexpected occurrence that poses a clear and imminent danger, requiring immediate action to prevent or mitigate the loss or impairment of life, health, property, or essential public services"; and
WHEREAS, Section 20168 of the California Public Contract Code provides that in case of an emergency, the legislative body may pass a resolution by a four-fifths vote of its members declaring that the public interest and necessity demand the immediate expenditure of public money to safeguard life, health, or property, and that upon adoption of the resolution, it may expend any sum required in the emergency without complying with standard competitive bidding requirements, provided that if notice for bids to let contracts will not be given, the legislative body shall comply with Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 22050); and WHEREAS, Section 22050 of the California Public Contract Code provides that in cases of emergency and pursuant to a four-fifths vote, a public agency may repair or replace a public facility, take any directly related and immediate action required by that emergency, and procure the necessary equipment, services, and supplies for those purposes, without giving notice for bids to let contracts; and
WHEREAS, Section 22050, subdivision (b)(1), of the California Public Contract Code provides that the governing body, by a four-fifths vote, may delegate to the City Manager the authority to order emergency actions, including the procurement of necessary equipment, services, and supplies without giving notice for bids to let contracts; and WHEREAS, Section 04.03.02(A) of the San Marino Municipal Code delegates to the City Manager the power to proclaim a public emergency, as defined in Public Contract Code Section 1102, to immediately take all actions directly required by the emergency, to procure needed goods, services, and public projects, and to contract for public projects without informal or formal bidding; and
WHEREAS, Section 02.06.05(A)(8) of the San Marino Municipal Code further provides that at each meeting following such emergency proclamation, the City Council shall determine by a four-fifths (4/5) vote that there is a need to continue the remedial action and whether that work should continue without the benefit of informal or formal bidding; and WHEREAS, a long-term water leak has been discovered at the City’s sole Fire Station, which has caused significant and extensive water damage to the structure, including damage to walls, PAGE 9 of 14
CITY OF SAN MARINO RESOLUTION NO. R-26-08
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flooring, electrical systems, and other building components critical to the continued safe operation of the Fire Station; and
WHEREAS, The Fire Station is an essential public safety facility that houses firefighting apparatus, emergency medical equipment, and fire personnel who provide emergency response services to the residents and businesses of the City of San Marino; and WHEREAS, the water damage to the Fire Station poses a clear and imminent danger to the health and safety of fire personnel stationed at the facility and threatens the impairment of essential public safety services, including fire suppression and emergency medical response capabilities; and
WHEREAS, the continued deterioration of the facility resulting from the long-term water leak, if not immediately addressed, may result in further structural damage, and compromise the City's ability to provide uninterrupted fire protection and emergency services to the community; and WHEREAS, the City Manager, acting pursuant to the authority delegated under San Marino Municipal Code Section 04.03.02(A), proclaimed a public emergency on April 20, 2026 in connection with the water damage at the Fire Station and authorized immediate actions to assess, remediate, and repair the damage, including entering into contracts with TAAB Restoration Inc., dba ServPro for immediate remediation/mitigation efforts and Envirocheck, Inc. for testing; and WHEREAS, the City Council is required to ratify the City Manager's emergency proclamation and to review the emergency action at each regularly scheduled meeting thereafter, in accordance with Public Contract Code Section 22050; and
WHEREAS, compliance with competitive bidding procedures would require a number of months and would not allow prompt action to be taken as required to safeguard the health and safety of fire personnel and to protect City property and essential public services; and WHEREAS, this situation involves a clear and imminent threat demanding immediate action to prevent or mitigate loss of, or damage to, life, health, property, and essential public services; and WHEREAS, the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") establishes a statutory exemption for emergency repairs to public service facilities necessary to maintain service and for other specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency, and the repairs to Fire Station 91 are categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) and Section 15269 (Emergency Projects).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of San Marino, California, as follows:
SECTION 1. Findings. The recitals set forth above are true and correct and are incorporated into the body of this Resolution by reference. The City Council hereby finds, based on substantial evidence presented before the City Council, the following:
(a) A long-term water leak at Fire Station 91 has caused significant and extensive water damage to the facility, creating conditions that pose a clear and imminent danger to the health and safety PAGE 10 of 14
CITY OF SAN MARINO RESOLUTION NO. R-26-08
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of fire personnel and threaten the impairment of essential public safety services provided by the City.
(b) The emergency will not permit a delay resulting from a competitive solicitation for bids, and the immediate procurement of construction services, materials, and supplies is necessary to respond to the emergency and to safeguard life, health, and property. (c) Immediate repairs are necessary to permit the continued conduct of essential fire protection and emergency medical services operations and to ensure the safety of City personnel and the public.
(d) The action to immediately procure the required construction services, equipment, materials, and supplies on an emergency basis, without giving notice for bids to let contracts, is necessary to respond to the emergency conditions described herein.
SECTION 2. Ratification of Emergency Proclamation and Contracts Entered Into. In consequence of the conditions described herein, and pursuant to California Public Contract Code Sections 1102, 20168, and 22050, and San Marino Municipal Code Section 02.06.05(A)(8), the City Council hereby finds that a local emergency exists and ratifies the City Manager's proclamation of a public emergency with respect to the water damage at the Fire Station and also ratifies the contracts referenced above entered into at the City Manager’s direction.
SECTION 3. Authorization of Emergency Procurement. The City Council, pursuant to San Marino Municipal Code Section 02.06.05(A)(8) and California Public Contract Code Sections 20168 and 22050(b)(1), and by a four-fifths (4/5) vote, hereby authorizes the City Manager to take the following actions in response to the emergency:
(a) Repair or replace the affected portions of Fire Station 91 and take any directly related and immediate action required by the emergency.
(b) Procure the necessary construction services, equipment, materials, and supplies for emergency remediation and repair purposes, without giving notice for bids to let contracts and without complying with the informal or formal bidding requirements otherwise applicable under the San Marino Municipal Code and the California Public Contract Code. (c) Negotiate and execute contracts with qualified contractors, consultants, and vendors as necessary to assess, remediate, and repair the water damage and any related structural, environmental, or systems damage at the Fire Station.
(d) Take all other actions directly related to and required by the emergency, including but not limited to environmental testing, hazardous materials abatement, temporary relocation of fire personnel and equipment, and any other measures necessary to restore the Fire Station to full operational capacity.
SECTION 4. Scope and Limitations. The emergency procurement authority granted herein shall be limited to those actions necessary to respond to the emergency conditions at the Fire Station as described in this Resolution. The City Manager shall exercise sound fiscal judgment in the expenditure of public funds and shall make reasonable efforts to obtain competitive pricing where feasible and consistent with the urgency of the emergency. All contracts entered into PAGE 11 of 14
CITY OF SAN MARINO RESOLUTION NO. R-26-08
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pursuant to this Resolution shall be subject to applicable prevailing wage requirements and other provisions of law not expressly waived by the emergency procurement authority.
SECTION 5. Reporting and Review. In accordance with California Public Contract Code Section 22050 and San Marino Municipal Code Section 02.06.05(A)(8):
(a) The City Manager shall report to the City Council at the next regularly scheduled meeting, and at each regularly scheduled meeting thereafter until the emergency action is terminated, on the status of emergency repair activities, contracts executed, and expenditures incurred pursuant to this Resolution.
(b) The City Council shall review the emergency action at each regularly scheduled meeting and shall determine, by a four-fifths (4/5) vote, whether there is a need to continue the emergency action and whether that work should continue without the benefit of informal or formal bidding. (c) The City Council shall terminate the emergency action at the earliest possible date that conditions warrant so that the remainder of the emergency action may be completed by giving notice for bids to let contracts, in accordance with Public Contract Code Section 22050(c)(3).
SECTION 6. CEQA Exemption. The City Council finds that the emergency repair activities authorized by this Resolution are categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) and Section 15269 (Emergency Projects).
SECTION 7. Effective Date. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption.
SECTION 8. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this Resolution is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Resolution.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a meeting of the City Council of the City of San Marino, California, on this 24th day of April, 2026.
______________________________
TONY CHOU
MAYOR
ATTEST:
_____________________________
ALISON WALKER
CITY CLERK
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CITY OF SAN MARINO RESOLUTION NO. R-26-08
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4916-6960-3235 v1
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss.
CITY OF SAN MARINO )
I, Alison Walker, City Clerk of the City of San Marino, California, hereby certify that Resolution No. R-26-08 was adopted by the City Council of the City of San Marino at a regular meeting held on the 24th day of April, 2026, and that the same was adopted by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
___________________________
ALISON WALKER
CITY CLERK
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PROCLAMATION OF EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY
April 20, 2026
WHEREAS, San Marino Municipal Code Chapter 4, Article 3 designates the City Manager as the Director of Emergency Services and empowers such official to proclaim the existence of a local emergency if the City Council is not in session; and
WHEREAS, on April 16, 2026, staff discovered a water leak in the crawlspace of the Fire Station; and,
WHEREAS, immediate remediation efforts are necessary to minimize the spread of damage; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council is not in session and cannot immediately be called into session.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY PROCLAIMED that a local emergency now exists in the City of San Marino.
IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that a copy of this Proclamation shall be forwarded to the Director of the Governor's Office of Emergency Services requesting that:
1. This Proclamation be found acceptable in accordance with state law; and
2. Recovery assistance be made available under the California Disaster Assistance Act; and
3. The State of California expedite access to state and federal resources and any other appropriate federal disaster relief programs.
IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that, during the existence of this local emergency the powers, functions, and duties of the emergency organization of the City of San Marino shall be those prescribed by applicable statutes, ordinances, and resolutions, and by the City's Emergency Operations Plan.
______________________________
Philippe Eskandar
City Manager/Director of Emergency Services
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