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Letters
DeCinzo missed the mark on Safe Ride
The teens working on initiating a Saratoga Safe Ride program have a few more programs to add to DeCinzo's cartoon published in the March 3 edition of the Saratoga News:
* Saratoga Creativity Program for Struggling Cartoonists (which will, we are sure, be fully taken advantage of by Mr. DeCinzo);
* Saratoga Listening Comprehension Aid for Public Safety Commission Liaisons (which will, we are sure, be fully taken advantage of by Mr. Peter Gonda);
* Saratoga Teen Ride Program for soon-to-be unemployed cartoonists and liaisons (which we are sure, we will be there for them);
The suggested amendments to the cartoon are not to be vicious or retaliatory attacks aimed at Mr. DeCinzo or Mr. Gonda, but rather to show that we are involved with and support Safe Ride, and would take their joking and skepticism to heart if they were based on facts.
We do not recall seeing Mr. DeCinzo at either the City Council meeting or at the Safety Commission meeting in which Safe Ride was proposed. Those of us involved in Safe Ride are appalled at the misconception of the program and wish that Mr. Gonda had asked questions or spoken to any of us involved in the program at either of the two meetings. A few questions posed to us by him would have cleared up his obviously confused perception of the program.
The teens involved with the program would like the opportunity to explain the program yet once again to Mr. Gonda and to the confused Mr. DeCinzo and to anyone who cares to know about the program and its intentions.
We want to applaud and thank the Saratoga Fire Department and the Santa Clara County Sheriff Department for their true understanding and support of our Safe Ride program. We also would like to thank the Saratoga City Council for daring to look into our program proposal. Last but not least, to thank the Saratoga Youth Commission and their true liaison, Bev Tucker, for their support in our effort to make Saratoga a safer place for teens and the community as a whole.
Mike Manouses
Saratoga High School student
Fields, neighborhoods must change someday
The residents in the Marshall Lane neighborhood have been lucky to have a quiet, peaceful neighborhood still. Ours was once like that. As more people and more traffic move in, everything changes and we need to roll with these changes.
It is unfortunate that the children of today will not grow up knowing a quiet, peaceful street as I did. Instead they constantly have to watch for speeding cars when they play in the streets.
This leads to the ongoing issue of improving the existing fields at Marshall Lane that are currently being used for sports. I honestly do not believe that there will be 200 to 400 cars traveling back and forth. We are not trying to build another arena there.
The T-ball teams have 12 players each. The games are at various times so there will not be any back-to-back games. I am not sure where the Marshall Lane residents want these children to play. To me, this area would be the safest for all. Since children cannot play freely in their neighborhoods, shouldn't we make a sacrifice so there is somewhere they can go?
Believe me, I know it is hard to give up a quiet, peaceful neighborhood, but the times, they are a changin', and we all need to do our best to create a place for the children.
Kathy Smith
Paseo Flores
Planning Commission insulted by letter
I was disappointed and concerned by the publication of Mr. Bob Schwenke's letter in the March 3 edition of the Saratoga News. His letter was insulting and discourteous and distorted the facts of his recent experience in front of the Planning Commission.
Mr. Schwenke, the home designer responsible for the unauthorized demolition of a historic home on Saratoga Avenue, came before the Planning Commission after the fact to request variances to Saratoga Zoning Ordinance requirements. Mr. Schwenke was sarcastic and rude to the Planning Commission and disrespectful to the community of Saratoga at a time when he should be apologetic for disregarding the city's land use and heritage preservation regulations.
As a resident of Saratoga for more than 40 years and a member of the Planning Commission, I know that development proposals in Saratoga are carefully reviewed for consistency with Saratoga's general plan and zoning requirements by the city staff, Planning Commission and an actively engaged public.
Our top priorities include protection of that which makes Saratoga special and of the residents' quality of life.
Mr. Schwenke wrote in his letter that he was too embarrassed to tell people he lives in Saratoga. In fact, as a resident of Saratoga, I am embarrassed by Mr. Schwenke's conduct at the meeting and his totally inappropriate letter published by the Saratoga News. I sincerely hope now the record is complete in this shameful matter and none of us will be further embarrassed by Mr. Schwenke.
Mark H. Pierce
Saratoga Planning Commission
Resident doesn't believe SUSD claims
Hey, School Board: Just because your "Commentary" in the Saratoga News arrived on St. Patrick's Day doesn't give you the right to dish out all that blarney. Give us a break!
Don't claim there has been an adequate study of traffic and circulation problems around the Oak Street school. Really, now! The fact is that you all were in deep denial about traffic hazards until we started screaming and pointing.
Don't say, "Oh, that's the city's problem." Don't claim that the price of child safety is too steep. Don't claim that neighbors could have attended meetings they didn't know about. Don't ignore the frustrations of the parents and others hung up in these traffic gridlocks.
Don't claim the right to further befoul our neighborhood streets with a 27 percent increase in traffic blight. Don't claim that your "time-line" construction schedule compels you to forge ahead before these problems are resolved, until you have considered revising your schedule. Don't defy our Saratoga city government.
Think about why it was felt necessary for the city, the tree people and our committee to speak of seeking legal injunctions.
Don't expect anyone to believe that all you have really wanted is (using your own word) "collaboration."
And why, pray tell, in the name of a sacred $40,000,000 bond issue, have you relied on architects instead of hiring a competent and unbiased project manager?
Art Anderson Jr., M.D.
Kids' Safety First Committee
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Saratoga, California Since 1975
