My wife and I were shocked to learn that our city council is plotting to rob the citizens of their ability to utilize the Saratoga Library community room.

Active volunteers, engaged in the many activities that contribute to a healthy community, are a vital necessity for an outstanding community. To deprive volunteer-driven, cash-starved organizations of a central place to hold meetings at a modest cost is to kill the spirit and vitality of Saratoga.

The concept that the city council should have priority of use of the community room and the audacity to establish high fees for use is totally wrong! It destroys the time-honored right for community groups to come together for educational and service-oriented meetings. I have personally given many slide shows enlightening American Association of University Women groups about other countries and parts of the world. This would have been impossible without the community room.

I have learned about local history by attending meetings sponsored by the Saratoga Historical Foundation. This, too, would have been impossible without the library community room, since no other suitable facility is available for their use. As a recognized supporter of the community, I personally have searched for meeting facilities for a necessary meeting, only to discover the dearth of such facilities in Saratoga.

I agree that the council needs better meeting facilities, but these should be gained through specific planning for that need and by utilizing the many avenues available to the council. Robbing community organizations of the library's community room is not the right way to achieve this end!

—Donald B. Miller, Wild Oak Way


Urging Peck to write about Saratoga trees

Thank you for bringing Willys Peck's column to us. It is always enjoyable, and the article about the Brown family was especially so.

Perhaps you could persuade Mr. Peck to write a column about Saratoga's trees. Since firewood was vital in much of Saratoga's first 100 years, the area was largely denuded, as old photographs show.

Modern Saratoga is an urban forest, and when I look out at the mature oaks crowding Wildcat Creek along Farwell Avenue, it is hard to believe there was once a hog farm there, without a blade of grass in sight.

And perhaps old photographs might alleviate some of the city council's worries about trees and the impulse to create overly intrusive tree ordinances mandating how each tree should be pruned and cared for. Nature, with the help of homeowners, is doing very well returning our area to its pre-civilization status.

—Robert Dwyer, Farwell Avenue


Man carries a purse, and he's proud of it

This is a reply to Carl Heintze in regard to his opinion column on "Why do women use purses, men pockets?" I am a nearly 64-year-old man and have been carrying a purse for more than 15 years. I can't really recall when I started carrying one, but I am on my third or fourth right now.

The reason is really simple. The modern man carries a lot more stuff than his caveman ancestors. There are all kinds of cards, including credit cards, ID cards, library cards, membership cards, ATM cards, video store cards, Costco or grocery store cards and so on. If a man carries reading glasses, he has to put them somewhere, and he may not always be wearing a shirt with pockets. The modern man's wallet is a big, bulging thing, and it looks like it would be very uncomfortable to sit on it.

A good purse is laid out very nicely, and all of these cards and other things are very easy to get at. The man's purse tends to be smaller than a woman's, although I have seen women with purses like mine or even smaller.

I have never felt the least bit uncomfortable carrying a purse from the very beginning. No bullies have kicked sand in my eyes.

I recommend purses for men unless you are very happy with your bulging wallet. Thanks for asking the question, Carl.

—Bob Trowbridge, Mountain View


Efforts of St. Andrew's youth help environment

I would like to respond to the letter by Diane King in the March 26 Saratoga News, in which she voices her objection to the expansion of St. Andrew's Church and School. While I strongly believe that the expansion has been purposely and painstakingly planned and designed to mitigate impact on the surrounding neighborhoods, I take particular exception to Ms. King's statement that "there has already been a large negative environmental effect by the school on the nearby Saratoga Creek area."

I would like to remind Ms. King and the school's neighbors of Mary Ann Cook's column (Saratoga News, Dec. 18, 2002) regarding the St. Andrew's Church Youth Group's adoption of the portion of Saratoga Creek between Scotland and Crestview.

The youth group (which includes many St. Andrew's School students) agreed to a minimum two-year commitment to keep the creek clear of garbage and debris that could negatively affect the area's environment. The initial cleanup in December resulted in the removal of numerous bottles, cans, chairs, bags of cement and box springs that were residing in the creek and on its banks. Based on the difficulty of removal, it was obvious that many of these items had been in the creek for years—and this garbage would still be polluting Saratoga Creek if not for the volunteer efforts of the youth group. The youth group's commitment to perform at least three cleanup events per year will ensure that Saratoga Creek maintains its natural look.

Before rushing to judgment on all the negative points of the proposed expansion, let's keep in mind the benefits and help St. Andrew's Church and School is bringing to the Saratoga city, community and environment.

—Jeff Hoever, Greenbrook Court