Nick Streit is at an advantage. As the only incumbent running for the three open city council seats this fall, and as the city's sitting mayor, Streit is a known entity for voters in a way that the five other candidates are not.

But Streit says that not only have his last four years on city council served to make the community familiar with him, those are also years in which the council has worked together better and accomplished more than in the past. His triumphs, together with those of his colleagues, are what he points to when asking Saratogans to entrust him with another four years.

"I think we made a difference," Streit says of the current council. "I think the council's whole approach this time was much more effective. You didn't see anyone fighting on the dais. We need to keep that continuity going."

Streit, 47—a managing partner of accounting firm Delucchi, Hawn & Co., LLP, in San Jos—also says that he thinks professionals like himself are valuable on the council right now. The city continues to work to upgrade its parks, work with schools and neighborhoods to improve traffic, and make plans for the use of the new North Campus Facility, purchased under Streit's watch this summer. All of these projects are of particular interest to families, says Streit, the father of two children, ages 6 and 9.

But the purchase of the North Campus Facility property has raised some questions—the city's original plan for the site was as a location for the senior center, but research showed that upgrading the buildings for that purpose would cost more than the city could spend. The city went ahead with the purchase anyway, causing some to wonder about the council's motivations.

Streit says he will defend the city's $4.5 million purchase to anyone; those who question it "have no idea what we're up against. We need the property regardless of what goes there."

He points to other councils that haven't been as bold to purchase available property, such as the one that chose not to buy land across Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road from Saratoga High School—land that could have made an excellent community space but is now a housing development. This council, he says, had the vision to anticipate the city's need for land and purchase property that future councils can make greater use of.

But although this council has had its successes, Streit says the council members of the future have their work cut out for them. The city's fiscal situation is a worry—it has already been affected by the current economic downturn and could be hurt even more by future state budget cuts, he says.

Another pressing task, Streit says, is to work with West Valley College in an effort to put 30 years of tension between the college and its neighbors behind them. He believes that can happen, notwithstanding the council's opposition to the Measure E bond the college proposed on the March ballot. If it had passed, the measure would have, among other things, allowed the college to build a stadium on the campus, something many area residents were dead set against. Streit says every council member supported a bond to improve West Valley, but he "will not vote for a bond that has the stadium in there because it will change the character of the neighborhood."

For Streit, the existing neighborhoods come first, above any new development, new traffic routes or programs, and businesses. But, while that is the case, he also thinks choices about Saratoga's future can be beneficial for everyone if they are made in a collaborative environment.

"It's a real balancing act," he says. "I enjoy it. I think I'm making a difference. I think we've had some great accomplishments. I want to continue that."

Nick Streit

Age: 47

Occupation: Certified public accountant and certified valuation analyst, managing partner of Delucchi, Hawn and Co., LLP in San Jose

Education: Graduated from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., in 1977 with B.S. in accounting and minor in economics. Received M.S. in taxation from Golden Gate University in San Francisco in 1989.

Background: Served four years on the Saratoga City Council, currently serving as mayor. Also served one year on the finance commission and was its chairman.

Family: Married to Lynne; they have two children, ages 6 and 9