Without public direction, San Marino's current city manager, current public works director and staff are promoting a slick campaign with taxpayer money to virtually demolish a community resource, touting co$tly "renovations" to what is currently known as the San Marino Center (previously the San Marino Women’s Club). The San Marino City Council is now deliberating about the schemes (sic).

At a recent heart-breaking city council meeting, Mayor Gretchen Shepherd-Romey and council member Dr. Steven Huang were outvoted, and a $350K contract was, many believe, illegally awarded to Crane Architectural Group. And at the most recent city council meeting on September 9, 2020, what started out as a $4 million dollar project quickly rose to $5.3 million -- that's over 25% higher in just one meeting.....

Yet we are supposed to "leave our egos at the door." Well, we cannot leave our wallets and logic at the door, Vice Mayor Ken Ude. Should this plan go forward, we jeopardize not only our pocketbooks and our City's integrity but we also put our giant landmark native oaks north of the building at great risk of harm.

Our public works director could not even get the crosswalks repainted on a repaving project on Mission St. without intervention (a resident called the subcontractor herself after observing the danger for over 2 months). Nor would our planning & building dept. enforce an ordinance which should have prevented a commercial builder from laying solid concrete in the drip-line of a native oak tree earlier this year (rear parking lot at 2461 Mission St.).

Let's give San Marino City Council our thoughts about being fiscally responsible, insist that we preserve the façade of this mid-century building which is undeniably a "potential historic resource" and demand reason, honesty, transparency and a legal process with regard to any and all contractors who work within OUR city.

The City Council will be re-convening on September 25th to continue hearings on this project, and resident engagement is critical NOW. Your important feedback will be compiled, submitted for the public record and reviewed by council. Therefore, make your input official. We must all sign and comment to pause and reassess. DO IT TODAY!