City Council approves no-bid contract despite warning from Mayor that it is illegal

 Ignoring 35 written comments opposing the $4mm San Marino Center renovation, our City Council voted 3 to 2 to proceed with a no-bid $349,660 architectural services contract award that would lead to a $4mm renovation of the San Marino Center.

  The services contract was awarded without competitive bidding as required by our Ordinance and Municipal Code.  Mayor Gretchen warned the council “I don’t think it would be legal for us to enter into this today without that process (competitive bidding) and without receiving at least 3 bids.”

  Zane Hill's Tribune articles quoted Councilman Talt saying "That's one of the reasons why you have this professional services exception," and Public Works Director Throne said “he recommended continuing to work with Crane….” as justification for waiving formal bidding.  Both are incorrect.  Dispensing with competitive bidding is not an authority invested in the Director for procurement of services. 

  Ordinance O-20-1633 that amended SM Municipal Code 02.06.05 was cited by Mayor Gretchen during the CC meeting as requiring 3 bids.  She is correct. She is also correct in questioning the legality of the Crane agreement process that does not conform to SM Municipal Code 02.06.05. 

  SM Municipal Code 02.06.05 is for “PROCUREMENT OF GOODS, SERVICES AND CONTRACTS FOR PUBLIC PROJECTS”   

  Under section B.5 for " Procurements Greater Than Thirty Thousand Dollars: Written notices inviting bids for procurement of goods and written requests for proposals to procure services shall be provided to at least three (3) vendors and to all vendors requesting to receive notices inviting bids and requests for proposals for the types of services or goods to be procured. With the exception of contracts for services, the award shall be made to the lowest responsible bidder." 

  Councilman Talt voted for the Ordinance and should know that the only exception for services is the award does not have to be to the lowest bidder. But there are still bidders. Read the code: there is no “professional services exception” to formal bidding for procurements over $30,000.. 

  The authority Director Throne does seem to have is that the person responsible for the procurement may select the winning bid for services which does not have to be the lowest bid.  But he does NOT have the authority to use his recommendation of a vendor to dispense with bidding.

San Marino Ordinance O-20-1366 on Scribd

San Marino Staff Report to ... on Scribd

SMUSD $3 million budget deficit and $2219 charge at Palm Desert Mastro's steakhouse

Where are all the school district issued credit card statements?

Why are there 3 charges in Palm Desert?

SMUSD Aug2019 Palm Desert Credit Card Charges on Scribd

OMG: In San Marino, the end justifies the means according to Mayor Steven Huang

Mayor Steve Huang attended the Preserving San Marino meeting on Tues Dec 3rd.  

I asked the Mayor if the public safety tax did not pass, would the City Council really lay off all but 1 firefighter and 1 policeman.  He replied they would find the money.  I added:...like from the reserves?  

That means the fear mongering message from the Committee of San Marino Residents for Measure SM of only having 2 first responders is NOT TRUE.  Then I said the Committee of SM Residents for Measure SM placed an ad that says all but 2 first responders would be laid off and the City Council did not refute this claim but also signed and endorsed another ad from the same Committee for Measure SM.  

Mayor Huang's response was "Whatever works."  

I guess the "end justifies the means" is the MO of San Marino.   What ever happened to honesty and integrity?

San Marino High School Visual and Performing Arts Car Wash Fundraiser

In this flyer, Friends of SMHS VAPA state: "Tax Deductible Checks can be made to Friends of SMHS VAPA."

This is not so according to the IRS.  If a benefit is received by the donor, e.g. a car wash, then the value of the car wash is not tax deductible.  Let's obey the tax laws.

Get a Tax Deductible San Marino HS Car Wash on Scribd

October 25, 2019 San Marino CA 91108 City Council Meeting

I attended the City Council Meeting and the first item on the agenda was the hiring of the new Finance Director.

Councilman Ken Ude asked if Mr. Paul Chung is "coachable."  Mr. Chung is an analyst and does not have experience as a Finance Director.  City Manager Marlowe said "yes."  Mr. Ude asked if the City Council can be involved in the coaching.  Ms. Marlowe said "no, he reports to me."  Marlowe must have forgotten she reports to the City Council.

The City Manager said Mr. Chung is available to start work on Monday November 25th.  I asked to be heard and explained the following to the Council which went completely over their heads:

1) Week of Nov 24th is a short week since it is Thanksgiving.
2) Why pay someone 5 days to work 3; plus most staff leave early on Wednesday before Thanksgiving

Plus the staff Mr. Chung needs to meet might not be in during that short week.

But since the City Council members are not hiring for their own business or practice and it's only our taxpayer dollars, wasting 2 days' salary is not an issue.

The Councilmembers need to be "COACHED" to think of the City's money as their own money.  Spend the City's money as if you are spending your own money.

They need to lead by example.  San Marino has a revenue and expense problem according to the City Manager and the Council because it needs to have a Utility Tax and a Special Public Safety Tax in order to operate. 

Let's start reducing expenses, NO MATTER HOW SMALL THE REDUCTION THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO START.  Don't be led by the City Manager.  Manage the City Manager for once.

The San Marino Tribune Will Never Print This Letter

I sent this letter to Tribune writer Mitch Lehman.  Another San Marino resident went down to the Tribune office to submit his "Dear Editor" letter and was given an indication that it would be printed.  No such luck.  Very one-side publication but how can an objective newspaper stand by false information and data?  Fake News!

The group "San Marino Residents for Measure SM" is saying defeat of this Special Public Safety Tax will leave San Marino CA 91108 with 2 first responders: 1 firefighter and 1 police officer.

This group must have confirmed with the City Council that the Council will allow this to happen; the City Council will not eliminate other non-essential expenses and programs in order to protect the lives and properties of San Marino residents.  That would be a first anywhere.  A City Council will not adjust the City's budget to make sure fire and police protection remain intact.

The Truth Behind San Marino Parcel Tax Measure SM on Scribd

聖馬力諾拒絕 710 號高速公路計劃

聖馬力諾拒絕 710 號高速公路計劃

大都會交通局(Metro) 目前正在提議一系列項目，計劃讓地方街道從710 號公路的盡頭修到210 號公路，而不是延長710 號公路，讓它從阿罕布拉山谷大道(Valley Blvd in Alhambra) 一路通車到210 號公路。

大都會交通局將支付 32 萬美元給聖馬力諾，以拓寬橫穿我們城市的亨廷頓大道 (Huntington Drive) ，使交通量增加。這些項目對我們的社區有不利影響：我們孩子的安全、空氣質量，最重要的是影響我們在寧靜的聖馬力諾市的生活質量。

目前通過聖馬力諾時，車輛在亨廷頓大道上的行駛速度一般高達 48 英里/小時，公佈的限速是 40 英里/小時。大都會交通局估計，在交通燈和加寬亨廷頓大道的共同作用下，限速將提高 16%，達到 56 英里/小時。

亨廷頓大道沿線有 6 所學校（ 4 所公立學校、1 所教區附屬學校和 1 所私立學校）。我們想讓汽車在上學和放學期間以每小時 56 英里的速度通過嗎？不！這對步行或騎自行車上學的學生來說太危險了。

隨著越來越多的汽車高速駛過，額外的廢氣污染將影響聖馬力諾及其周圍的空氣。亨廷頓大道沿線增加的噪音以及停車困難問題會影響我們的安全和生活質量。我們喜歡我們安靜、寧靜的城市，並希望保持這種狀態。

還記得 2011年的“Carmageddon”嗎？耗資 10 億美元的西側 405 號高速公路塞浦爾維達通道 (Sepulveda Pass) 拓寬項目。加州交通局已經承認，現在的通行時間比拓寬之前更長，因為在拓寬的 405 路段通過塞浦爾維達通道的汽車更多了。

大都會交通局高級執行官 Abdollah Ansari 說：“這筆錢只用於提高通行能力、改善運行狀況、實現交通同步、使車輛通過，而不是用於交通穩靜措施。”

710 公路計劃及其項目只利於駕車者在聖馬力諾高速通過，對寧靜的聖馬力諾市及其市民沒有任何好處。

本請願書請求市議會不接受任何對我們城市安全和生活質量有不利影響的 710 公路計劃及資金。

我們城市的發展方向應該由納稅公民來決定，而不是由其他任何人來決定。

通過簽署這份請願書，我們要讓市議會知道，我們不希望在聖馬力諾有任何 710 公路計劃，也不希望改變街道以讓更多汽車通過我們的城市。

請訪問此鏈接並簽署請願書：http://chng.it/MsBPcxQpkK