TO: Philippe Eskandar, City Manager
FROM: Nicole Tibbet, Community Engagement Manager
DATE: March 5, 2026
SUBJECT: BUDGET SUBMISSION FOR FY 2026-27 CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE YEAR-END SUMMARY (FY 2025-26 AMENDED BUDGET VS ESTIMATED) The Department is anticipated to end the fiscal year with a savings of $66,001 or 6.3% above the current adopted budget. The primary reasons are listed below:
An estimated $20,000 in savings to cost center #101-09-4220-0000 (City Manager’s Contingency) due to no emergency needs resulting in the City Manager having to use the contingency line item.
An estimated $15,000 in savings to cost center #101-09-4150-0000 (Contract Services) from unspent money in the Chinese Translation Services Budget. There were fewer engagement meetings held this year, which used less of the interpretation budget than anticipated.
FY 2025-26 FY 2025-26 Bud. Vs Est.
Bud. Vs
Est.
Description Amended Budget Estimated Diff $$ Diff %%
Personnel 779,537 $ 779,537 $ - $ 0.0%
Services & Supplies 267,000 200,999 (66,001) -24.7%
Total: 1,046,537 $ 980,536 $ (66,001) $ -6.3%
An estimated $10,000 in savings to cost center #101-09-4468-0000 (Staff Development) due to other priorities arising throughout the year.
An estimated $9,000 in savings to cost center #101-09-4480-0000 (Travel & Meetings) as staff in the City Manager’s Office had obligations this year that precluded them from attended trainings.
An estimated $5,000 remaining in cost center #101-09-4202-0000 (Legal Noticing) for unused legal notices this fiscal year.
FY 2026-27 PROPOSED BUDGET
Personnel
The Department’s Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) will remain at 3.50 FTE, unchanged from the current budget.
The proposed personnel budget for FY2026-27 is $841,505 which represents a $78,526 or 10.3% increase from current budget.
Employees’ salaries are increasing by 4.0% per the Memorandum of Understandings (MOU).
Cafeteria benefits for Full-Time employees of the Department are expected to increase by $15k over the current year due to premium increases.
Services & Supplies
Services & Supplies proposed budget is $264,765, which represents a $60,615 or 29.7% increase from the current budget. The changes to specific budget areas below are generally not proposing the addition of new spending, but rather, reflecting the true cost increases (due to outside pressures, i.e., inflation, etc.) to maintain current operations. The primary reasons for the changes are due to the following:
A one-time addition of $60,000 to cost center # 101-09-4290-0000 (Election) for the November 2026 Election operated by Los Angeles County on behalf of the City.
FY 2025-26 FY 2026-27 YOY Budget
YOY
Budget
Description Budget Proposed Diff $$ Diff %%
Personnel 762,979 $ 841,505 $ 78,526 $ 10.3%
Services & Supplies 204,150 264,765 60,615 29.7%
Total: 967,129 $ 1,106,270 $ 139,141 $ 14.4%
An increase of $325 to cost center # 101-09-4150-0500 (Other Contract Services – IT) for anticipated IT software cost increases.
An increase of $290 to cost center # 101-09-4396-0000 (Memberships & Dues) for anticipated membership cost increases to support City services.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Department Narrative (Purpose, Description, FY 2025-26 Accomplishments, FY 2026-27 Objectives, Operational Dashboard)
B. Department Organization Chart
C. Department Tie-Out Sheets
DEPARTMENT PURPOSE
The mission of the City Manager’s Office is to maintain policy and operational alignment throughout the organization.
DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION
The department provides oversight, direction, and organizational support to all City departments under the direction of the City Manager. The department also includes the City Clerk and Public Information functions. The Department provides the following services:
• City Manager – The City Manager is appointed by, and serves at the pleasure of, the City Council. The City Manager, in turn, is the sole appointing authority for all positions of employment in the City, except for department heads which require the concurrence of the Council. The City Manager directs all operations of the City by coordinating the efforts of the various departments and keeping the City Council apprised of matters dealing with general operations, finance, personnel, legislation, litigation, and other items of city business. The City Manager's primary responsibility is to assist the City Council in identifying policy priorities and to ensure that priorities established by Council are addressed in an innovative, yet cost-effective manner.
• City Clerk – The City Clerk is responsible for conducting municipal elections, compiling City Council agendas and minutes, and maintaining all City records. This function includes preparing Council minutes and managing the City Council agenda process; processing, indexing, and filing ordinances, resolutions, and official hearing notices; maintaining City codes; coordinating the commission and board appointment process; managing the document management program; and ensuring compliance with financial and campaign disclosure laws. It also includes the processing of public records requests and serving as a Notary Public.
• Community Engagement – Community Engagement is the primary public information office, managing all citywide outreach and communication efforts. This function includes management of social media accounts, the City website, newsletter publications, and media communication. The Community Engagement Manager also coordinates with community groups, residents, and organizations outside of the City to promote City activities.
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE
FISCAL YEAR 2025-26 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Educated the community on Measure S through numerous outreach opportunities including a Town Hall, service club meetings, discussions at residents’ homes, and at events held at local businesses.
• Published two more editions of the Resident Information and Guide, which was mailed to all 4,512 households in San Marino and was translated into Chinese. • Enhanced IT security through the implementation of a Multi Device Management tool for City issued mobile devices.
• Successfully updated the Council Chambers AV system for better continuity in streaming of public meetings.
• Continued to strengthen direct communication with community organizations. • Completed a round of identifying records eligible for destruction per the records retention policy and conducted the proper procedure for destroying those identified records to create more space for physical records.
• Adopted an Electronic Signature Policy to authorize the use of electronic signatures for documents such as agreements. This has improved operational efficiency and allowed the City to accept digital signatures from contractors.
• Developed a guide for Public Record Requests to increase efficiency and legal compliance.
Will serve as a guide going forward and save countless hours of staff time and provide confidence in the information we are providing to the public. This protects the City from future liabilities as well.
• Redesigned the Solicitation Permit program to strengthen public safety and transparency, introducing physical identification badges to clearly identify permitted solicitors. Digitized verification processes through website enhancements, enabling around-the-clock public access and reducing bottlenecks previously tied to business-hour confirmation. • Executed a full-scale records reorganization initiative within the City Clerk’s Office, auditing and restructuring historical files to align with best practices in records management.
Increased operational efficiency, improved document traceability, and enhanced access to information for internal and public use.
FISCAL YEAR 2026-27 OBJECTIVES
• Assist the City Council in implementing policies for the continued enrichment of San Marino.
• Educate the community on the renewal of the City’s expiring Utility Users Tax. • Grow the City’s already strong partnership with The Huntington. • Continue to educate and engage the community on City matters. • Implement compliance requirements of SB 707 for public meetings. • Conduct the November 2026 election in coordination with the County. • Successfully onboard and conduct orientations for any newly elected Council Member(s).
OPERATIONAL DASHBOARD
Description
FY 2024-25
Year to Date
(July - April)
FY 2025-26
Year to Date
(July - April)
Weekly Briefing Sign Ups 270 76
Average Monthly Social Media
Reach 8,033 6,749
Average Time to Respond to
Public Records Requests 8 Days 7 Days
Proclamations and Certificates
Prepared 57 30
City Manager
Community
Engagement
Manager
Communications
Specialist (P/T)
City Clerk
City Manager’s Office
FY 2023-24 FY 2024-25 FY 2026-27
Actual Actual Budget Estimated Proposed
Full-Time
City Manager 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
Asst. to the City Mgr (Comm. Engagement. Mgr) 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 City Clerk 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
Part-Time
Special Projects Coordinator 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50
Total Full-Time FTE 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00
Total Part-Time FTE 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50
Department Total FTE 3.50 3.50 3.50 3.50 3.50
Expenditures by Type:
Personnel 642,018 696,728 762,979 779,537 841,505
Services & Supplies 172,057 160,012 204,150 200,999 264,765 Total by Type 814,075 $ 856,740 $ 967,129 $ 980,536 $ 1,106,270 $ Expenditures by Fund:
General Fund 814,075 101 856,740 967,129 980,536 1,106,270 Total by Fund 814,075 $ 856,740 $ 967,129 $ 980,536 $ 1,106,270 $ GL # Personnel
101-09-4001-0000 Full Time Salaries 449,512 535,889 584,359 598,461 633,257 101-09-4002-0000 Part Time Wages 19,471 19,596 27,120 27,120 32,576 101-09-4004-0000 Overtime - -
101-09-4006-0000 Medicare 6,620 7,763 8,866 9,070 9,655 101-09-4008-3080 Retirement-City Manager 13,883 17,680 19,542 20,247 20,648 101-09-4008-6050 Retirement-PARS 730 735 1,294 1,294 1,222 101-09-4008-6160 Retirement-PERS 92,480 51,186 55,459 57,006 60,802 101-09-4010-0000 Cafeteria Benefit 50,922 59,330 63,939 63,939 80,945 101-09-4011-0000 Technology Allowance - - -
101-09-4012-0000 Auto Allowance 8,400 4,550 2,400 2,400 2,400 101-09-4014-0001 Unemployment Payments - -
Total Personnel 642,018 $ 696,728 $ 762,979 $ 779,537 $ 841,505 $ GL # Services & Supplies
101-09-4150-0000 Other Contract Services 44,917 39,488 57,900 43,800 57,900 101-09-4150-0500 Other Contract Services-IT 81,605 42,420 47,050 43,176 47,375 101-09-4202-0000 Legal Notices 16,638 15,173 20,000 15,000 20,000 101-09-4204-0000 Books & Periodicals 139 60 335 175 335 101-09-4220-0000 City Manager's Contingency - - 20,000 - 20,000 101-09-4290-0000 Election - 31,753 150 60,150 60,150
101-09-4376-0000 Materials & Supplies 3,037 2,406 5,000 5,000 5,000
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE
FY 2025-26
Operating Budget Summary
Operating Budget Detail
Authorized Positions (Full-Time Equivalents)
FY 2023-24 FY 2024-25 FY 2026-27
Actual Actual Budget Estimated Proposed
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE
FY 2025-26
101-09-4396-0000 Memberships & Dues 3,325 3,543 5,930 4,747 6,220 101-09-4398-0000 Mileage - - - - -
101-09-4420-0000 Printing 11,135 13,177 18,000 18,000 18,000 101-09-4468-0000 Staff Development 583 867 10,000 - 10,000 101-09-4480-0000 Travel & Meetings 10,678 11,123 19,785 10,951 19,785 Total Services & Supplies 172,057 $ 160,012 $ 204,150 $ 200,999 $ 264,765 $ Total Operating Expenditures 814,075 $ 856,740 $ 967,129 $ 980,536 $ 1,106,270 $