In 1961, when we built our house, we were happy to be in Saratoga, a community that valued its trees and its ambiance. Saratoga was one of the first cities in California to pass an ordinance protecting its trees. When Saratoga Avenue was widened, one curb was moved to save an ancient oak.
When Hakone Gardens was up for sale to a developer, our first city manager persuaded the council that it was too beautiful and too unusual to lose, and we bought our first park. When staff outgrew the tiny, white City Hall, architect Warren Held designed a graceful edifice of redwood and native stone, with a civic auditorium attached.
Later, a community center was added, in harmonizing color and style. Under eminent domain, the city bought, for a park, the corner of Cox Avenue and Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road, with tree-shaded Rodeo Creek running through the parcel.
In recent years, however, our City Council and its Planning Commission lost touch with what had made Saratoga unique and beautiful. The City Hall offices were replaced with a faux-Mediterranean-style building painted in a hard-to-describe color (we call it "puke-yellow"), though still attached to the original redwood and stone auditorium.
The Rodeo Creek parcel was sold to a developer, and sprouted another Mediterranean strip mall on one side of the creek, condos on the other side, and the creek is now clogged with shopping carts and trash.
The council also approved replacing the ranch-style Argonaut Shopping Center, tearing out all the trees. They promise new ones; maybe in 40 years, they'll be the size of the ones destroyed (but we'll be long gone by then). Now they're building another faux-Mediterranean shopping center, just like every shopping center in every town across the country. And now, our school board plans to remove another set of old and beloved trees--Oak Street School's giant eucalyptuses.
With minds set in concrete, they refuse to consider alternative configurations that would save the trees. They cite safety concerns--fears the trees may fall on the children--but in the 35 years we've lived along a line of giant blue gums, two branches have dropped, both in the hot, dry days of summer, when the trees try to conserve water by self-pruning. They don't drop branches autumn to spring, when school is in session. Judicious pruning by a certified arborist might even prevent such branch drops.
Former Superintendent Dan Ungaro points out that there is space behind the school, if the district office were moved. That seems worthy of consideration.
Marjorie Ottenberg and Robert Wallace
Foothill Lane
Removing trees doesn't compute
Would Saratogans have passed the school-bond measure if the leveling of the trees at Oak Street School had been mentioned on the sample ballot? Probably not. Which means the school board was not very candid with Saratoga voters when they asked us to approve the measure. Obviously, we need to be more vigilant about future bonds, and we should have been more inquisitive about this one.
The present school board's math is as bad as its public relations. The arborist's book value of the trees is in excess of $500,000. Though the board could have avoided all this fuss while still providing an adequate playing field, they want to remove heritage trees that are actually worth more money than the playing field they're putting in. This does not seem to be a very good way to protect community assets.
To say nothing of the splendor and aesthetic value of those trees--both to the neighborhoods surrounding the school and to the children who attend it.
George Kirk
La Paloma Avenue
Children belong in neighborhoods
I have been following the articles and the debates about improving or installing new playing fields at the Marshall Lane School. The latest comment was that "we don't want more children in our neighborhoods." We need to remember that the children create a neighborhood, and most importantly these children are our future. Aren't they entitled to play on safe fields, in a save environment? It is not a lot to ask.
The field at Marshall Lane is being used now for sports. I am a bit confused what the conflict is about to want to improve these fields. Isn't it important not to risk the chance of injuries?
As stated by Larry Fine in the Jan. 27th issue of Saratoga News "It should also be noted that even without the field improvements, which all will enjoy, the fields can be used by any and all citizens."
It is interesting that if the school had the money to improve these fields, it would be done--no questions asked.
We all must remember what is in the best interests of the children.
Kathy Smith
Paseo Flores
There are other ways of avoiding lawsuits
I enjoyed Bob Rosner's piece about avoiding lawsuits in the "Silicon Valley Employment Weekly" in the classified section of the Saratoga News on Feb. 17. To Mr. Rosner's excellent advice, I would add a few suggestions.
First, employers should set an example by serving on a jury when called and encourage their employees to do the same. Second, encourage more personal responsibility in our society. Third, consider litigation only as a last resort, not a first resort. Arbitration, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution can be faster and less costly for all parties in a dispute.
Don Wolfe
Silicon Valley Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse
Finding pond scum is not so easy
Keeping history of this city is necessary in cementing the idea to visitors. It is a legacy. I had heard that Saratoga was named from similarities in Saratoga Springs, NY. Is there a webpage of this city or is there another library that might have the correct meaning of Saratoga? Should we try Saratoga Springs, NY? If I locate one I will pass it on.
So far, I have found these sites that people might be interested in looking at: www.saratogasprings.com and www.lib-rary.saratoga.ny.us.
Myrna Thompson
Bohlman Road
Congratulations to the county librarian
On behalf of all the members, the Board of the Friends of the Saratoga Libraries congratulates Susan Fuller on being Library Journal's choice for Librarian of the Year for North America. We are extremely pleased and proud to claim her as our valuable, and extraordinarily able director. We are indeed fortunate to have such a strong, wise leader whose dignity and integrity are apparent to all who know her.
The Friends are greatly motivated in their efforts to support and supplement the needs of the library, and, therefore, are grateful to her for supplying the environment in which our efforts flourish.
With our mutual desire to benefit the community through our work for the library, we look forward to her continued presence and inspiration.
Ruth G. Gipstein
Secretary, Friends of the Saratoga Libraries
Saratoga, California Since 1975
