Any prospective commissioner reading the Saratoga News editorial of Nov. 5 might well question whether civic duty is worth the cost. Facts and justice were victims to the sensationalism rampant in that issue of the paper. To set the record straight, and to come to the defense of some reputations, which were the objects of denigrating slurs, I undertake the task.

First, the library commission did not " ... turn down an offer from Betty Peck to donate a wooden bench with a plaque ..." honoring Willys Peck. The library commission is simply an advisory adjunct of the city council, and lacks power to act, including accepting or rejecting any gifts. Moreover, there was no action taken about the Peck offer.

The discussion at the Oct. 22 library commission meeting centered upon the gift policy for the library. That policy was put in place before the library renovation, in anticipation of the problems which the library staff, not the commission, would deal with in deciding how to deny donations of art.

Under the exemplary leadership of the then chairwoman of the library commission, Marcia Manzo, I undertook the research of relevant policies, and after I presented the positions of other cities and libraries at a library commission meeting on Jan. 24, 2001, a motion was unanimously passed to deny any offer of a permanent donation. This study, along with the commission's recommendation, was presented to the city council at a joint council and library commission meeting on Feb. 13, 2001. It was accepted by the council, and Councilwoman Ann Waltonsmith was interested in an idea included in the study, of having an art commission for Saratoga. This has now been established, also because of the commission's work. It should also be noted, since it was not reported by the News, that the representative from the art commission who was present at the Oct. 22 meeting decided this is an issue the art commission might deal with.

At the Oct. 22 library commission meeting, Assistant City Manager Lorie Tinfow presented the issue of the Peck bench, but it was not clear to the commissioners what the city council was asking of us. Therefore, Lorie said she would relay our reiteration of policy to the council.

It serves no good purpose for the Saratoga News to impugn civic-minded and conscientious commissioners, some of whom have worked for years to see the creation of this splendid library. For the News to say the commissioners lack courage and leadership is unworthy of factual and just journalism. It takes courage and leadership to remain steadfast to a reasoned rational policy, and the suggestion that the city should change its policy when it wants to (actually the News said the powerless commission should change the policy at will) is analogous to saying it's fine to adhere to a law only when it suits one's purpose.

Shame on you, Saratoga News!

—Ruth G. Gipstein, Saratoga Library Commissioner, Charters Avenue


Updated tree ordinance would impact residents

Your Sept. 17 article, "City takes a step to protect trees by updating ordinance," failed to mention the two most important changes in the proposed new law.

First, the removing of trees for the use or enjoyment of one's own property will no longer be a valid reason to issue a tree-removal permit. Under the current law, one of the factors used to determine if a property owner may remove a tree is, "The necessity to remove the tree for the economic use or the enjoyment of the property." This criterion is removed from the new ordinance.

Second, there are no limits on the financial burden that the city can impose when issuing a tree-removal permit. The new ordinance provides, "The director may grant or deny the application or grant the same with conditions, including, but not limited to, (1) the condition that one or more replacement trees be planted of a species and size and at locations designated by the director; (2) relocation of existing tree desired to be removed; and/or (3) payment of a fee to the Tree Fund ... " The defect under the existing law (which contains only condition 1) is made worse by the addition of conditions 2 and 3 in the proposed law.

There are deficiencies in the present law that are corrected by the proposed ordinance. New provisions, such as new notice requirements and the consideration of trees on neighbors' lots, are long overdue. However, the new ordinance goes too far because in its entirety it turns every parcel of private property in Saratoga into a tree preserve to be managed at the discretion of the community development director. The legitimate interests of property owners in removing trees to use or enjoy their own property should be protected, not abridged, by the city.

—Robert Zager, Calle Montalvo


Restrooms at Moran Park a liability

By absolute necessity, children from Blue Hills School who live on the east side of the freeway and walk or bike to school must use the pedestrian overcrossing that lets out in Kevin Moran Park. There is no other route. The routes to both Cox and Prospect avenues are too distant and circuitous, and those two streets are far too busy for young grade school children to traverse twice every day alone.

The installation of restrooms at Kevin Moran Park will attract transients, just as they have to every other park with restrooms. Public restrooms are scarce—transients need restrooms, and so they will find them.

The juxtaposition of transients and young grade school children forced to use a specific route by decisions made by governing members of the city of Saratoga creates a climate ripe for a liability suit against the city, when something unfortunate does occur.

Along with restrooms come clandestine activities, since a room screened from public view scrutiny then exists, open to anyone who enters. Drug dealing, smoking by children, and other illicit activities will occur where none do at present.

Community parks should be developed only on main arterioles. Caltrans and the city of Saratoga made a joint decision to place the Blue Hills pedestrian overcrossing so that it lets out in Kevin Moran Park. This is, therefore, the city-mandated route for young children living east of the freeway. Due to the necessity of using the Blue Hills overcrossing, grade school children must walk and bike along Northampton Drive and Scully Avenue, the only streets serving Kevin Moran, twice daily to and from school. These are low traffic streets, with no sidewalks, and are the only safe routes these children can take. The city therefore has a fundamental responsibility of the highest priority to make sure those routes are safe.

Kevin Moran Park is served only by Northampton Drive and Scully Avenue. A decision by the Saratoga City Council to sell part of the park for additional home construction, or to develop this park into a high-use community park would increase the traffic flow considerably on these streets, increasing the danger to young grade school children walking and biking on them to an unacceptable level.

—Anthony Hoffman, Saratoga