We're a little worried that the city would approve a construction project without the planning commission's review and approval, but that's just what happened with a house-rebuild project currently under construction on Paseo Lado in the El Quito neighborhood.

The home no doubt will be beautiful—that's not the point. The building department approved the project, but there was no public hearing or planning commission review. And that means no oversight by the city.

We're a little worried that a property owner's building permit that should have expired last week did not expire. The house in question has been under construction for 5½ years, and neighbors have indicated that they want the project completed now. Still, when the date arrived for expiration of the building permit, the city chose not to exercise that option.

We're a little worried that the city cannot settle its differences with the Chamber of Commerce and work together in the best interest of Saratoga. The city and the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce have been at odds for months now and only recently have made strides to reach a compromise.

Still at issue is where the chamber office will wind up—in its current site on Los Gatos­Saratoga Road, or in a new location on Big Basin Way or somewhere else. Solving that problem will be no easy task since the city manager cannot even get straight the reason that the Chamber is moving in the first place.

Saratoga City Manager David Anderson told a Saratoga News reporter last week that the Chamber was moving because the building at the current site is in disrepair and in need of renovation. But he clearly reported in an email dated June 14 that the move was necessary if the Chamber did not meet city demands of open meetings and the addition of council members to the Chamber board. Curiously, he claims to have misspoken last week.

And we're a little worried that the city would spend $4.5 million to purchase the Grace United Methodist Church site on Prospect Road. While the piece of real estate may be worth every penny the city paid for it, letter writer Peter Knight makes a good point—should the city get involved in real estate speculation with taxpayer dollars?

Worse than that, however, was the city's initial indication that the senior center would be relocated to that site. After informing the public of that plan, it was discovered that the buildings at the site were in such disrepair that such a move would be cost prohibitive. Did the council make the announcement that the senior center would occupy the site to appease the public, or did the city not know the conditions of the buildings on the property? Either way, it's curious.

For all of those reasons, we're a little worried about Saratoga. And we think Saratoga residents should be, too.