San Marino

Saying that increased costs for fire, police and other services would burden city finances, San Marino officials are taking steps to block further annexation attempts by residents of nearby unincorporated areas. San Marino, which has spent more than $100,000 fighting three annexation attempts, is asking the Local Agency Formation Commission to change its "sphere of influence" to prevent unincorporated areas to the north from trying to join the city.

Re: San Marino Faces Hard Choices (Times, Sept. 20). It is always presumptuous to give advice, but having lived in San Marino for 15 years (1960s, '70s and '80s), I can't contain myself. Basically, the situation San Marino faces is one of cultural priorities. Whereas in the past volunteerism, especially with youth groups, was the norm, today education and economic success are foremost. Ideally, cross-cultural social events might help, but would the various groups participate?

The Orphean Youth Orchestra of Leicester, England, is expected to arrive today for a week of performances throughout Southern California. Patrick D. Conroy, a San Marino High School teacher, has arranged for San Gabriel Valley families to house the orchestra's 41 members, who are both professional and amateur musicians.

The San Marino Police Department is going Hollywood, landing a part in the upcoming remake of the movie "Father of the Bride," starring Steve Martin. The City Council last week decided to allow Touchstone Pictures, which will release the film, to use San Marino's Police Department emblem in the movie, which is expected to open at Christmastime. The department emblem will be used on police cars and uniforms. City Atty.

In an effort to create safer neighborhoods, city and law enforcement officials will recruit residents to Neighborhood Watch programs at a community meeting tonight sponsored by the San Marino Police Department. Police Chief Frank Wills, Mayor Eugene Dryden, City Manager Keith Till and a Fire Department representative are scheduled to attend. Officials will explain how Neighborhood Watch programs work during a question-and-answer session. Sixteen blocks in the city have Neighborhood Watch groups.

A Los Angeles County neighborhood sandwiched between San Marino and Pasadena has submitted more than enough valid signatures on a petition asking for annexation to San Marino, officials of the Local Agency Formation Commission have ruled. The commission, which oversees the annexation process, determined Monday that 250 signatures, 200 more than legally necessary, were valid on the petition from the neighborhood with 991 registered voters.

The City Council has established a committee to attract new business to the city. PRISM (Partnership for Revitalization in San Marino) will consist of the city manager, two council members, an attorney, a San Marino business executive, the director and president of the Chamber of Commerce, and two residents. The panel, an outgrowth of the city's Strategic Planning Committee, will hold its first meeting in September.

Supt. of Schools Gary Richards announced that candidates for three school board seats up for election Nov. 2 should file papers between July 12 and Aug. 6. Seats on the four-member San Marino Unified Board of Education held by Nancy Bartlett, David Destino and Bruce Rutherford will be open. Bartlett and Destino are serving their first four-year terms. Rutherford was elected two years ago to complete the term of a board member who resigned.

Mandatory water rationing was lifted in San Marino on Wednesday and replaced with a "Stage 1 Conservation Watch." City Manager Keith Till reported that recent rains have reduced the need for 1991 rationing levels and overuse penalties, but he added that residents will still be asked to voluntarily cut back water usage by 10%. The city's decision follows that of the Metropolitan Water District to lift restrictions.