Photograph by Paul Myers

City Manager Dave Anderson recently completed his first year in Saratoga. Members of the city council say he is beginning to build consensus in the city's quiet but strong and opinionated neighborhoods.




City manager earns praise and a raise from council

By Oakley Brooks

What a difference a year and a half makes.

Eighteen months after the Saratoga City Council sent former City Manager Larry Perlin packing, council members could do nothing but sing the praises of current City Manager Dave Anderson after recently agreeing to raise his salary.

Anderson, the city's top executive who oversees the day-to-day operations of Saratoga's city government, has signed a two-year contract worth $120,000 this year and $138,000 next year. That's a substantial increase from the $103,000 salary Anderson earned during his first year in Saratoga.

The council also awarded Anderson a bonus of $7,000 for his work during the last year.

"Given where he started from, he's just done a tremendous job," said Mayor John Mehaffey.

Perlin's relationship with the community had been mixed, marked by flare-ups with community groups, such as youth sports advocates and the Hakone Garden Foundation board. The city council unanimously voted to end his contract in February.

Longtime public servant Anderson replaced interim city manager Bill Norton last August.

Council members say he has adeptly restocked a beleaguered city staff and built some consensus in the community.

In May, Anderson brought on Tom Sullivan to head the community development department. Sullivan, a veteran planner, has helped shape the city's plan to increase housing opportunities, and he is working to rebuild a department that's been deeply affected by turnover in the last year.

Anderson also filled a vacant assistant city manager position with former consultant and Walnut Creek city staffer Lorie Tinfow.

"He has solidified the whole working group within the city," said Vice Mayor Nick Streit.

Streit also credits Anderson with completing a deal between the Saratoga Fire District and the Santa Clara County Fire Department that allows the adjoining districts to cooperate in fire protection and emergency response. After the Saratoga Fire District board agreed to enter discussions with the county in June, many insiders in the dispute over local fire service were skeptical that the collaboration would happen.

But Anderson steered negotiations, and in mid-August both departments signed an agreement to share resources.

"I'm a negotiating type of guy," Anderson said.

Anderson's community-building skills were put to the test again several weeks ago when he caught an earful from disgruntled residents in the El Quito Park neighborhood. They complained the park had been overrun by loiterers and was crumbling from shoddy maintenance.

He responded by telling residents he would meet them at home plate on the El Quito softball field the next morning with sheriff's deputies to develop a task list with neighbors.

"How many city managers would have said that?" Streit said.

Anderson asked the city council for a two-year contract to avoid negotiating during a potentially contentious period--next fall's election season.

"We agreed to do that because we don't want to subject him to political football," said Councilman Stan Bogosian.

Despite much congeniality between the council and Anderson, Mayor Mehaffey said he still had some constructive criticism for the city manager at the annual evaluation. Mehaffey refused to reveal the details of the discussion.

But hiring staff will continue to be a priority for Anderson. In July, he lost a financial guru in Administrative Services Director Mary Jo Walker. Dave Mooney, the city's parks maintenance supervisor, also recently announced he will leave the city.

Anderson, 49, came to Saratoga after 25 years of public service in Washington state and throughout California.

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