San Marino newsletter 4 pg.pmd

							July 2007

Volume No. 124

CITY HIGHLIGHTS
City of San Marino celebrates the Fourth of July

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pproximately 13,500 people attended the City’s “Honor America” Fourth of July celebration at Lacy Park. The event included food booths, a Family Fun Zone with games and a parade by the Rotary Club. The San Marino Community and Tom Sullivan’s Dixieland bands were the musical entertainment. The San Marino High School Chamber Choir performed a variety of songs, including the national anthem, before a fireworks show concluded the festival. The Third Annual J.P. Blecksmith Memorial 5K Walk and Run was also held on Wednesday, July 4. James Patrick “J.P.” Blecksmith of San Marino was killed on November 11, 2004 while taking part in Operation Iraqi Freedom II. Proceeds raised from the event benefitted the J.P. Blecksmith Leadership Foundation, which funds a scholarship at Blecksmith’s alma mater, Flintridge Preparatory School. Approximately 550 individuals participated in the event this year, more than 200 than Fourth of July photo by Ismael Diaz last year.

Library remains on schedule and on budget

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he City of San Marino is still on schedule and on budget for the new Crowell Public Library to open January 2008. The steel framing for the new library project is near completion

and the building is taking shape. The furniture for the library has been ordered and will be delivered in November. Ten (10) months into the project, the City has incurred its (continued on page 3)

City Hall implements temporary new hours

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Library Fundraising Status as of July 9, 2007
Source Library Foundation City of San Marino Campaign Total Goal $11,000,000 $ 5,959,210 $16,959,210 Fundraised $ 9,022,400 $ 5,959,210 $14,981,610 Percentage of Goal 82% 100% 88%

o increase its availability to the public and improve customer service, the City implemented new public operating hours for a two-month trial period effective July 1. City Hall is now currently open Mondays through Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed on Fridays. The City would like to receive comments from the public about this new schedule. Comments can be e-mailed to Assistant City Manager Cindy Collins at ccollins@cityofsanmarino.org.

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Free waste roundup event scheduled
an Marino residents can safely dispose of household hazardous waste and e-waste at a free roundup event on Saturday, August 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Santa Anita Race Track, Gate 3, on Huntington Drive in Arcadia. Materials such as used motor oil, paint, turpentine, acid or lye-based cleaners, household and car batteries, and pesticides and garden herbicides can damage the environment if tossed in the trash or poured down a sink or storm drain. Household e-waste includes consumer electronic equipment such as computer monitors, televisions, VCRs, stereos, fax machines, computer keyboards and cellular telephones, which cannot be disposed of in trash cans. Many of these products can be reused, refurbished or recycled. When preparing items for drop-off, leave them in their original containers and transport them in a sturdy box in the trunk of your car. Do not mix products together. Explosives, ammunition, radioactive materials, tires or waste from businesses will not be accepted. There is a limit of 15 gallons or 125 pounds per vehicle. For more information, call the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works at (888) CLEAN-LA, the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County at (800) 2380172 or visit www.lacsd.org.

Marina C. Wang appointed new City Treasurer

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wenty-five-year San Marino resident Marina C. Wang was appointed the new City Treasurer earlier this year. As part of her duties as Treasurer, Wang ensures that proper funds are maintained to pay all warrants issued. With the assistance of the City Manager and Finance Director, she is responsible for assuring that all investments are made in conformance with the City of San Marino’s investment policy. Wang tracks the status of all investments of City funds and other information required by State law, and keeps the City Council apprised of all such matters. Wang has held top posts at various banks, including senior executive vice president and chief operating officer at First Commercial Bank from 2002 to 2004; president, chief executive officer and director at Trust Bank from 1997 to 2000; and president, chief executive officer and director at First Public Savings Bank from 1995 to 1997. She is a long-time active community member, with Board memberships on the East Los

City of San Marino Mayor Matthew Lin (left) recognizes newly appointed City Treasurer Marina C. Wang.

Angeles City College Foundation and The Old Mill Foundation. Wang has also served on the Huntington Library and California State University, Los Angeles Foundation Finance committees, and as co-treasurer of the Library Foundation. Wang earned her master’s in business administration at California State University, San Jose and became a certified public accountant in 1972.

City proposes to implement one-year contract with Police Officers’ Association

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he City of San Marino has proposed a one-year contract with the San Marino Police Officers’ Association (POA) following an impasse on employment negotiations. The contract provides a 3.5 percent cost of living increase that became effective July 11, 2007. The most recent change (May 2006 to 2007) in the Consumer Price Index was 3 percent.

The contract will provide additional time for the City and POA to negotiate a longer-term agreement. Negotiations between the City and the POA began in mid-March. The complete staff report and details relating to the contract are available for review by the public in the City Clerk’s office located at City Hall.

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LIBRARY NEWS
Toddler Story Time Toddler Story Time introduces 2-year-olds to a group experience. Activities include stories, singing songs and finger plays. Registration is recommended. Story times will be held on Mondays from September 17 to October 29 at 10 a.m. Preschool Story Time These weekly story time sessions introduce 3- to 5-yearolds to the library and the magic of books and reading, as well as help them develop social skills needed for school. Registration is recommended. Story times will be held on Thursdays from September 20 to November 1 at 12:30 p.m. Barks and Books Elementary school children are invited to the San Marino Public Library to practice their reading skills by reading a book to a gentle dog. This special program is made possible by

volunteers of the Pasadena Humane Society. Call the children’s department at (626) 300-0777 for specific dates and times. Space is limited and reservations are required. A New Way to Discover Books The San Marino Public Library offers animated book reviews on its web site for students in kindergarten through eighth grade by ReadtheBooks.com. Sponsored in part by the San Marino Chapter of the National Charity League, this on-line resource is an innovative way for children to find new, interesting titles to read. Students can search Valentine’s and Carver’s accelerated reader lists and then check to see if the library carries that title. To access this new service, go to ww.sanmarinopl.org and click on “Children’s Webpage,” then on “Animated Book Reviews.” Library on YouTube.com Watch short films of the dedication of the new library and last March’s Topping Out ceremony by visiting the “In the News” section

of the library web page at www.sanmarinopl.org/ librarynews/inthenews.htm. These videos were uploaded to YouTube.com by Barris Shao, a freelance videographer for Channel 19. Summer Time is Reading Time While children participate in the Library’s Summer Reading Program, parents are invited to indulge in their own recreational reading. A variety of new books are available at the library. The library also offers a Book Shoppe in which the Friends of the Library sell used donated books at low prices. All proceeds go to purchasing new materials for the library. Books on CD on the Road The library has a large selection of new books on CD, both fiction and non-fiction, for your listening pleasure while on the road this summer. There are several family friendly children’s books on CD as well.

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City participates in waste recycling program
an Marino residents might not know it, but their trash is recycled when it’s picked up from City waste service provider Athens Services. The waste recycling program employs a method that is more environmentally friendly and has the benefit of saving residents the time it would take to separate their trash. California State Assembly Bill 939, the California Integrated Waste Management Act, stipulates that each city and county in the state divert 50 percent of its waste stream away from landfills. Trash collected from San Marino residences is taken directly to the Athens Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in the City of Industry, where it goes through a series of automated and manual sorting lines. The residual trash is loaded onto transfer trucks and taken to area landfills. The recyclables are then shipped to locations around the Pacific Rim and returned to the United States in the form of new, recycled products. The Athens MRF is capable of processing more than 5,000 tons of waste each day, and is fully en(continued on back page)

Library update
(continued from front page) first change order related to the quality of the fire sprinkler pipe in the amount of $5,179 (or 0.044 percent of the construction budget). The change order will be charged to the construction contingency that was incorporated in the original budget. “We continue to stay the course and follow the critical path for completion,” stated City Manager Matt Ballantyne. To continue to follow the monthly progress, please visit the City’s web site at www.cityof sanmarino.org. 3

City of San Marino honors military veterans

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he City of San Marino honored its military veterans this past Memorial Day with a special patriotic ceremony at Lacy Park. The special event featured recognition of veterans, special guest speakers and patriotic music. The San Marino War Memorial, currently under construction at Lacy Park, will be dedicated on Veterans Day, Sunday, November 11. The memorial, “Tears From a Grateful Heart,” honors San Marino residents who lost their lives defending the nation. It features a bronze kneeling soldier with his hand against a wall,

honoring fallen heroes. The project also includes a precast memorial wall, decorative paving, seating, flagpoles and landscaping. A total of $240,000 has been raised to date to construct the memorial. A Veterans Walk surrounding the War Memorial will display the names of San Marino veterans who have served the country. Those interested in purchasing an engraving on the Veterans Walk, or who would like to make a donation, should contact Councilmember Dennis Kneier at (626) 578-1109.

CHAMBER EVENTS
Visit Chamber On-Line Stay up-to-date with all of the latest San Marino Chamber of Commerce events by visiting the web site at www.sanmarinochamber.com or calling (626) 286-1022. All Chamber events are open to the public.

City participates in waste recycling program
(continued from page 3) closed with a high-tech air filtration system. Studies have shown that MRF processing is more effective and friendlier to the environment than source separation because it cuts down on truck traffic and exhaust. In February, new legislation was introduced into the Assembly that would increase the state-mandated diversion to 75 percent. If the bill passes, MRF processing of waste will be even more vital to meet the standard. Residents who would like a tour of the MRF facility can contact Athens’ Director of Governmental Affairs Chris Carlos at ccarlos@ athensservices.com.
California American Water
has a new office at 8657 Grand Avenue in Rosemead. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. The San Marino office was closed on July 20.

City of San Marino
2200 Huntington Drive San Marino, CA 91108
City Council Matthew Lin, M.D., Mayor Robert G. Twist, Vice Mayor Betty Brown, Councilmember Dennis Kneier, Councilmember Eugene Sun, Councilmember Matt Ballantyne, City Manager (626) 300-0700

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