EARTH DAY AND THE SMEAC 
SPRING BAILEY CANYON 
CLEAN UP! SATURDAY, 

APRIL 23, 8:00 TO NOON


SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2016

VOLUME 10 NO. 16

VOTERS SAY YES TO PRESERVING SIERRA MADRE!


“ Sierra Madre voters sent a clear message 
on Tuesday that we love our town and we 
want to keep city services at least at their 
current level. Receiving over 72% of the 
vote is almost unbelievable!” Edward 
Garcia, Chair-YES on Measure UUT.

 Voters in Sierra Madre turned out in 
significant numbers to show their approval of 
two things: 1) The job that incumbents John 
Capoccia and John Harabedian have been 
doing as councilmembers and 2) the Yes on 
Measure UUT effort that will bring in sufficient 
revenues in order to maintain critical services 
like the Police and Fire Departments. 

 Also elected were unopposed candidates 
Michael Amerio as City Treasurer and 
Melinda Carillo for City City Clerk. All will 
be sworn in at the next council meeting on April 
26, 2016. That will also be the last swearing in for 
current city clerk Nancy Shollenberger who held 
the position for 32 years.

 The victory for the UUT also was the second 
defeat of Tea Party backed measures on Tuesday. 
In Arcadia, voters rejected efforts to repeal their 
Utility Users Tax. (See story on page 7). A 
measure similar to the Arcadia measure for a full 
repeal of the UUT is currently scheduled be on 
the Sierra Madre ballot in 2018, as reported earlier 
in this publication. 

 The provisional ballots and vote by mail ballots deposited at the polling places during the April 12, 
2016 election will be counted in the City Hall Council Chambers, 232 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, 
on Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at 10:00am. 


John Capoccia

John Harabedian


Michael Amerio

Melinda Carillo

RECEPTION TO HONOR 
RETIRING CITY CLERK 

NANCY SCHOLLENBERGER

 The community is invited 
to join the City of Sierra 
Madre in celebrating 
outgoing City Clerk 
Nancy Sue Shollenberger 
for her 32 years of service 
from 1984 – 2016. The 
reception will take place 
on Wednesday, April 
27, 2016, 5:30 p.m. at 
the Hart Park House 
Senior Center, 222 W. 
Sierra Madre Blvd. Sierra 
Madre, CA 91024.

 Nancy Sue Shollenberger was first elected as City 
Clerk in 1984 and will serve until April 26, 2016. 
Shollenberger, along with her husband and two 
children, moved to Sierra Madre in 1968. In 1972, 
Nancy started her own business, The Sierra Madre 
Answering and Secretarial Service. After cell 
phones and computers came into being, Nancy 
closed down her business in 2000. In 1984, Gary 
Adams approached Nancy’s husband and asked 
him if he thought Nancy might consider being 
City Clerk. Nancy was very busy with her business 
and raising their two children, and never thought 
about being City Clerk. Of course, Shollenberger 
was honored that a City Council Member would 
think about her, so she considered it and decided 
to run in 1984.

 Shollenberger has spent the last 32 years serving 
as City Clerk and her dedication will be honored 
at the April 27th reception. 

SIERRA MADRE 
SCHOOLS ALSO 
WIN BIG!

 Impressive achievements have 
become a hallmark of Sierra 
Madre’s public schools, and 
this year is noteworthy. As 
the recently expanded Middle 
School campus completes its 
first successful year in May, 
students at both the elementary 
and middle schools have posted 
exceptional proficiency scores. 

 Statewide awards are also 
validating Sierra Madre 
Schools’ exceptional faculty and 
administration. This month 
alone, Laura Palmer (Fourth 
Grade) has been named as 
just one of five Teachers of 
Excellence, while as a whole 
Sierra Madre Elementary was 
decorated as an elite California 
Gold Ribbon School.

 A major contributor to these 
achievements is the Annual 
Fund, the Sierra Madre Division 
of the Pasadena Education 
Foundation that provides 
supplemental program funding 
at both the Elementary and 
Middle Schools.

 Devoted parents continue 
to shoulder production of 
Annual Fund events, such as 
the Holiday Tree and Décor 
sales drive, Talent Show, 
Annual Fund Auction, and the 
upcoming Golf Tournament on 
May 3rd.

 “Some very special families and 
local businesses are fueling our 
students’ ongoing success. We 
are so grateful, and hope new 
community relationships can 
expand these impacts, ” related 
Gretchen Lee, a past Annual 
Fund Auction Co-Chair. Other 
prominent supporters include 
Ixora Floral Studio, the TIAA 
Scholarshare office in Pasadena, 
Wound Care Advantage, 
Purple Frog graphics, Zugo’s 
Restaurant, Sierra Fitness & 
Pilates, and a strong showing 
of parents from neighboring 
Field Elementary School whose 
families will also move on to 
attend our Middle School.

 “Our Parent Teacher 
Associations have been blazing 
some outstanding new trails as 
well. Their first annual STEAM 
Night was just last week and it 
was stunning, with hundreds 
in attendance to celebrate 
science and experience 
state-of-the-art technology,” 
noted Fred Thomas, another 
extremely active Sierra Madre 
School Parent. “As our Golf 
Tournament approaches, I look 
forward to taking a Tuesday off 
to spend time with some heroes 
in Sierra Madre education.”

(See page 5 for more information)