Commentary

Citizens should criticize less, volunteer more

By Karen Seroff

Wow! I have lived in Saratoga most of my life and have always regarded it as a warm and caring community. Recently, however, I am appalled at the many comments from residents attacking those citizens who have willingly volunteered their time as City Council members and city commissioners. It is especially sad that some people feel so free to make negative statements about others without bothering to research the facts.

I feel particularly incensed when my family's motivations for volunteering for public service are being questioned. To set the record straight, please note that for the four openings on the Parks and Recreation Commission, there were only four people who applied. In defense of the City Council, they extended the deadline for applicants; I am sure in part hoping for more people to come forward.

However, our citizens seem to be more willing to spend their time criticizing others than volunteering for community service. As for Marcia Kaplan's concern, expressed in the Dec. 29 issue of the Saratoga News, that my husband and mother will agree on all issues, I can assure her that, in our family, many different views are held on various issues in Saratoga and elsewhere.

Interestingly enough, in our family we actually respect one another's opinions. I am proud to have a family that is willing to step forward and dedicate its time and ideas to try to improve the city of Saratoga. Never was any effort made to pretend that my husband and mother were not related, and the Saratoga News made sure to point out the connection in its article. It seems to me that honesty should actually be applauded rather than condemned, as it seems to be often sorely lacking in public affairs and politics.

In regards to Linday Lainsdown's letter in the Jan. 5 issue of the Saratoga News, again it seems that facts were deemed unimportant prior to her accusations of "unacceptable bias" on the parts of the newly appointed commissioners. While indeed our home lies close to the Azule Park, my parents' home actually happens to be adjacent to Kevin Moran Park and is in a different development altogether. Please be informed that my husband and I are very much in support of developing neighborhood parks in Saratoga and never suggested "removing" the Heritage Orchard. I grew up playing in the apricot and prune orchards of this valley and believe their historic and symbolic value are irreplaceable.

Our letter to the Saratoga News over a year ago stated that we felt that high use sports fields did not belong in small neighborhood parks. (Didn't many of Ms. Lainsdown's neighbors on Marshall Lane feel the same way?) We felt that a location like that of the Heritage Orchard was more suitable to a central recreation facility and that perhaps committing small parcels of historic orchards throughout the city would allow more people the opportunity to enjoy them.

Our suggestion was to use some of the Heritage Orchard land to facilitate the highly desired sports facilities and keep some of the other existing city orchard properties protected as part of our heritage. While we respect that many members of the community may not agree with our opinions, please respect that we don't feel small local parks should be developed into high-use sports complexes. The Joint Powers Authority was suggested to the Commission by the City Council as a possible idea to be explored, by agreeing to investigate this option. Ms. Lainsdown feels that the commissioners are stating they are against local parks. How does one draw such misbegotten conclusions?

In regards to the time necessary to decide how the limited city Park Development Funds should be spent, I think it is relatively ambitious for Ms. Lainsdown to expect decisions to be made prior to the Parks and Recreation Commission's first meeting as a group.

Perhaps most of all I would like to state that those members of the community who have such strong opinions on issues should step forward and take a lesson from my family, donate your time as a volunteer or commissioner for Saratoga and contribute something besides criticism. I firmly believe that the members of the City Council and various commissions did not volunteer for public abuse, they volunteered for public service.

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Karen Seroff is a resident of Saratoga.

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