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TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Philippe Eskandar, City Manager
BY: Joseph Montes, City Attorney
DATE: July 8, 2026
SUBJECT: REPORT ON EMERGENCY ACTIONS TAKEN TO
REPAIR/REMEDIATE FIRE STATION 91 AND REQUEST TO
EXTEND EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT PURSUANT TO
PUBLIC CONTRACTS CODE SECTION 22050 AND SAN
MARINO MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 2.06.05(A)(8)
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
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.
At the April 24, 2026, City Council meeting, the City Council unanimously approved Resolution No. R-26-08, ratifying the City Manager’s proclamation of emergency and authorizing emergency procurement of construction and other related services to repair/remediate Fire Station 91. That resolution and governing law require that a report on progress be provided at each Council meeting and a decision be made as to whether to extend the emergency proclamation to facilitate continued emergency procurement.
DISCUSSION
Since the Council’s action, staff have been working with the City’s insurer, the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (CJPIA) and their designees to prepare for the remediation and repair work. The following work is currently in various stages of progress:
- Executed and completed an initial contract with ServePro for initial response, assessment, and rental equipment. Final invoice is pending. - Executed and completed a contract with Enviro Check for a variety of biological testing services. Cost for services was $2,590.00. - Executed a contract with Mobile Modular for the rental of temporary office and housing facilities for the Fire Department personnel. The facilities are expected to be delivered to the Civic Center during the week of May 11th. Current cost estimate is $44,245.51.
- Executed a contract with BluSky Restoration Contractors, LLC for remediation work. Current cost estimate is $120,919.68. - Negotiating a scope of work and contract with BluSky Restoration Contractors, LLC for repair work. Costs are unknown at this time. - Executed a contract with Griffin Structures for construction management services to oversee the work of BluSky Restoration Contractors, LLC.
Current cost estimate is $58,721.
- The City’s Information Technology (IT) servicer SDI is fulfilling the various IT needs related to the move out of the Fire Station and into the temporary facilities. Costs are unknown at this time.
- Executed and completed a contract with Westnet for fire personnel alerting equipment installation. Current cost estimate is $18,651.06. - Executed a contract with The Lavatory for additional temporary shower and restroom trailer facilities for fire personnel. Current cost estimate is $9,265.88.
- Executed and completed a second contract with Enviro Check for asbestos testing services. Cost for services was approximately $900.
Construction to complete utility connections to the temporary living and office facilities was completed on June 2. On Wednesday, June 3, all fire department personnel moved into the temporary living and office facilities and are now operating out of these units. Demolition work of the subfloor within the fire station has begun and is now approximately 90% complete as of June 29.
Abandoned mechanical ducting was discovered in the crawlspace spanning several areas of the station. Testing has been conducted on the ducting to ensure it can safely be removed and is now being removed. Next steps concurrently with demolition include engineering assessments of the crawlspace and pier footings of the building. It is anticipated that the demolition should be complete by mid-July to allow for the next steps of framing repairs.
It is unknown at this time whether additional emergency procurements will be required for the restoration work at Fire Station 91, but staff anticipates having a better understanding in that regard as repair activity progresses and undertaking the standard procurement procedures will unnecessarily delay repair and remediation of Fire Station 91. Accordingly, it is recommended that the Council determine that the emergency action approved in Resolution No.
R-26-08 be continued to facilitate expeditious repair and restoration of the Fire Station.
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.
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 receive the report of repair/remediation actions undertaken to date and extend the emergency by a 4/5 vote to facilitate expeditious restoration of Fire Station 91. If the City Council concurs with staff’s recommendation, an appropriate motion would be:
"I move to receive and file the report of repair/remediation actions undertaken to date and to extend the emergency action approved in Resolution No. R-26- 08 to facilitate the expeditious restoration of Fire Station 91."
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution No. R-26-08