T-Mobile facility can continue operating
Following a public hearing, council members granted T-Mobile's request to extend the conditional use permit for its telecommunications facility at 600 Palm Avenue. The original permit, issued in December 2016 for a 10-year term, was set to expire in December 2026.
City Planner Arturo Ortuño presented the application for the site, which is in the general commercial and mixed-use zone at the northeast corner of Palm Avenue and Rainbow Drive. The second-floor installation includes nine panel antennas, two equipment cabinets and one battery cabinet. Reinforced plastic screen boxes in the building's color conceal the antennas, and the installation also includes a 6-foot-high fence.
The council also voted unanimously to approve the consent calendar.
Penelope Quinn's poster advances
IB Arts brought the council a single submission for the city's entry in a national poster project marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Artist Penelope Quinn's design features the Imperial Beach pier, a sandcastle, estuary wildlife and birds, and A. Wasil's surfer sculpture.
The group had notified artists on its contact list on August 7 and set an October 1 local submission deadline. Quinn was the only artist to submit work, and the council unanimously approved the entry.
The initiative is the Freedom 250 City Art Poster Project, organized by the U.S. Conference of Mayors with the National Endowment for the Arts as part of the Mayor's Institute on City Design. Final artwork is due to the Conference of Mayors on November 6, 2026. Posters chosen for the national display will appear at the organization's 95th Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., in January 2027.
City Manager Tyler Foltz described the no-cost contest as a chance to gain national recognition for both Imperial Beach and a local artist. Councilmember Mariko Nakawatase said, "I love that you guys found a free opportunity to highlight the city and an artist."
Recognition for fire engineer and assistant city clerk
Jorge Martinez's mother, Maria, pinned his new badge during a ceremony recognizing his promotion to fire engineer. Fire Chief John French said Martinez joined the Imperial Beach Fire Department in 2017 and was promoted on September 18, 2026. His training and career included EMT school, work as a firefighter and then becoming a paramedic. Martinez expressed gratitude that the department had taken him on.
Asked by Mayor Pro Tem Jack Fisher to explain the engineer's role, Martinez described responsibilities that begin with checking the engine and keeping its equipment ready for emergency calls. The job also requires planning efficient routes, driving defensively and knowing hydrant locations.
Councilmember Carol Seabury told Martinez, "The city is very fortunate to have you as a member of our team, and we want to keep you as long as possible."
City Clerk Jacqui Kelly administered the oath of office to Carly Dartez as assistant city clerk. Dartez's promotion was recognized as a reflection of her hard work and commitment to residents and city service. Nakawatase recalled that Dartez was the first person she contacted for help after being appointed to the council. McKay credited Dartez with keeping him organized.
Filipino American history and first responders honored
Marilyn Escalante accepted the city's proclamation recognizing October as Filipino American History Month. An Imperial Beach resident, she represents the Council for Teaching Filipino Language and Culture, whose membership includes 75 teachers across San Diego.
Escalante teaches Filipino in after-school programs serving students from elementary school through college. The Sweetwater Union High School District recruited her from the Philippines 26 years ago, and her assignment at Mar Vista High School lasted 20 years. Her husband taught for 15 years at St. James School.
According to HistoryLink.org, the Filipino American National Historical Society established the observance in 1991, with the first celebration held in 1992. Congress designated October as Filipino American History Month in 2009. The month commemorates the first recorded arrival of Filipinos in the continental United States: a Spanish ship's landing near Morro Bay, California, on October 18, 1587.
The council separately designated October 28 as National First Responders Day in Imperial Beach. EMS1 reports that Congress officially designated the observance in 2019 through a bipartisan Senate resolution. Its unofficial beginnings followed the 2013 killing of MIT police officer Sean Collier, 26, by the Boston Marathon bombers. Collier's brother Andrew subsequently campaigned for a national day recognizing all first responders.
A trade approach to cross-border sewage
In her council report, Nakawatase recounted a discussion about sewage pollution from Mexico with Beatriz Gardoqui, who served as Mexico's undersecretary for Foreign Trade. The two met at a conference Nakawatase attended in Mexico City.
Nakawatase said Gardoqui advised treating the pollution as a trade irritant and pursuing trade enforcement tools as a way to seek a cross-border sewage solution.
Separate winter outlook warns of high water
Apart from the council proceedings, the California Coastal Commission has warned that the 2026/27 El Niño could reach historically strong, or "super," intensity. As of September 2026, the event was still strengthening and was expected to last into Northern Hemisphere spring 2027.
The Commission cited NOAA's estimate of about a 69 percent chance that the event would surpass the strength of previous El Niño events dating to 1950. It expects intensification during December through February, when coastal communities could face more frequent and intense storms, rainfall and high waves.
Yale Climate Connections reported that California coastal water levels were about one to two feet above expectations as of October 2026. Those elevated levels contributed to millions of dollars in coastal damage associated with large swells from Hurricane Marie in September and Hurricane Rachel in October.
The report, citing climate scientist Daniel Swain, also identified additional king tide periods on November 24-26 and December 22-25, 2026, and January 20-23, 2027. It described coastal flooding during those tides as almost certain, including on days with calm, sunny weather.
Next council meeting
The council is scheduled to meet again on November 4 at 6 p.m. in the Council Chamber, 825 Imperial Beach Boulevard. Meeting information and online viewing are available through the city's website.
