Saratoga News


Jim Shaw	Stan Bogosian

Shaw and Bogosian review their time on City Council

By Sarah Lombardo

With eight months of public service under their belts, City Councilmen Jim Shaw and Stan Bogosian, newcomers to the Saratoga political arena, give themselves lukewarm grades on their performances on the council so far.

"Well, I guess maybe a C+ grade," Shaw said. "I had some disappointment in some of the things that have gone on, but, on the other hand, I find that as a council, we seem to be working cooperatively where it benefits to work cooperatively. I see no spite or revenge or anything like that. Where we do have our differences, it's been there all along, and we express it."

In their campaigns for office last year, both councilmen ran on platforms of change, criticizing the council for its perceived lack of openness and distance from the residents, and citing a number of issues they felt needed to be addressed in Saratoga. Although the councilmen both admit that they have not had the opportunity to tackle some of those issues, such as traffic congestion and the cleanliness of Saratoga Creek, they said that they believe they have made some strides.

"Among the things we've done, I think, is we've opened up the process a little bit," Bogosian said. Early on, both men asked that the council discuss the possibility of conducting Tuesday night meetings in a larger room. Those meetings were being held in the administrative room of City Hall, which could not accommodate many spectators. After some discussion, the council voted to move the meeting to the Senior Day Care in the Community Center.

The councilmen have also gained some ground in their efforts to televise all council meetings and Planning Commission meetings. In April, the council voted to look into the pros and cons of televising such meetings. Just last week, Interim City Manager Larry Perlin told Planning Commission members and council members that commission meetings will probably be set to go on the air in the fall.

After what many in the community considered a rancorous campaign, Bogosian said he is pleased that the councilmembers have been able to leave that rancor behind.

"I am very comfortable with the fact that I think we've been able to keep hot-button issues on a more or less civil level," Bogosian said. "It's been trying at times, but it's working."

Voices have been raised with a few such issues. Discussions about the validity of a report on the condition of Saratoga Creek, commissioned by the city and presented to the council during a televised meeting, not only caused heated discussions between residents and the council but among council members themselves. It is a subject to which both councilmen said they will be returning.

"I would really like to move on this and get this thing behind us. And I don't mean sweep the problem under the rug," Bogosian said. "I believe there is a problem. I believe we need to step up to the plate and do something about it. The lawsuit is only one facet of the problem here."

Shaw said he would also like to see more done on the issue of noise from Highway 85. With a noise-reduction consultant now conducting tests and preparing recommendations for ways to lessen the traffic noise, Shaw said he'd like to see the council do what it can.

Shaw and Bogosian both expressed concern that budget hearings and juggling finances have taken up the majority of the council's time.

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