The new library has gone up and celebrated a glorious grand reopening in June, much to the delight of thousands of Saratoga residents who turned out for the event.

And the old fire station has come down, reduced to rubble at the corner of Big Basin Way and Highway 9. But the good news is that the demolition of the old building will give way to a brand new facility.

It was a year of change in the city. The Saratoga Chamber of Commerce moved out of its old home in the McWilliams House to take up residence on Big Basin Way; St. Andrews Parish and School received approval for construction of new facilities; and the once-abandoned Azule Park became a city jewel for residents to enjoy.

There were some changes in leadership around the city. The Saratoga City Council reorganized. After two years leading the city, Mayor Nick Streit moved back to his role as councilman as he passed the gavel on to Vice Mayor Ann Waltonsmith. Moments after she became Mayor Waltonsmith, the council selected fellow member Kathleen King as the new vice mayor. Norman Kline and Stan Bogosian remained to round out the city council.

Gordon Duncan took over as the Saratoga Fire District's new chief, replacing longtime Fire Chief Ernie Kraule, who stepped down after serving the community for 34 years; West Valley College President Dr. Marchelle Fox announced her plans to retire, with her retirement effective Dec. 31; and three members of the Saratoga Planning Commission—George Roupe, Erna Jackman and Lisa Kurash—resigned to pursue personal endeavors, with Jill Hunter taking over Jackman's position as the commission's chairwoman.

—Dick Sparrer

January

Members of the West Valley­Mission Community College District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to remove the concept of a stadium from the master plan, temporarily ending a long debate between the city and the school. The proposed features, which included bleachers, lights and a scoreboard, were added to the district's master plan in 1989 despite a former agreement to never build a full-sized stadium on the campus. The decision was in part due to budgetary concerns.

Newcomers Arthur Gardiner and son Jason celebrated the grand opening of Home Choice Pharmacy in the Saratoga Village Shopping Center. Many were drawn to the business not only for medications, but also because of its old-fashioned philosophy—if customers can't come to them, they will go to the customers.

Good news came to the Saratoga Little League when members of the city council agreed to revise repayment plans for the improvements made at Congress Springs Park, where the league plays. The original agreement obligated the league to reimburse the city $30,000 annually over a three-year period. However, the council decided to reduce the annual amount to $18,000 and extended the time frame to five years.

In an attempt to meet standards set by the Association of Bay Area Governments, the planning commission approved new revisions to the housing element of the city's General Plan. Under the revised version, homeowners living in single-family-residence zones are no longer required to obtain a use permit for second-dwelling units, which must be between 400 and 1,200 square feet.

After having spent 27 years in the McWilliams House, the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce decided it was time to move on. Chamber employees packed up and settled into their new and cozy 600-square-foot abode at 4485 Big Basin Way. The chamber was paying approximately $1 per square foot at the McWilliams House, which was in need of major repairs.

The city council passed an emergency resolution urging state legislatures to fight Gov. Gray Davis' proposal to shift vehicle licensing fee revenues away from local governments.

Former Lt. John Hirokawa spent his first month as the sheriff's Westside Substation's new captain. Prior to the change, Hirokawa spent 22 years on the force and 11 years as a patrol officer.

February

Several Saratogans showed their appreciation and support for troops in the Middle East at an event held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, where many wrote letters and signed Valentine's Day cards. The event, organized by Campbell resident Jared Sowards, featured a presentation by the color guard and a meet-and-greet session with a representative from the U.S. Army and Air Force.

It was announced by the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce toward the end of 2002, but resident and entrepreneur Ray Froess was still enjoying his title as the city's business person of the year. Froess was presented a plaque during an honorary luncheon held at the Toll House Hotel in Los Gatos. Owner of Protégé Marketing, Froess went into the field of marketing after having 25 years in the engineering industry. Froess also dedicated his time to helping out the chamber on several occasions with his technical expertise.

Gordon Duncan was recognized as the Saratoga Fire District's new chief at a ceremony held at the Saratoga Senior Center. Present were Duncan's friends, family, city officials and the former chief, Ernie Kraule, who stepped down after having served the community for 34 years to become the liaison for the district. Prior to becoming the new chief, Gordon was the assistant chief for a little less than two years.

The Saratoga Adult Care Center received negative responses from employees and a drop in membership following what some workers considered a wrongful termination of Karen Lorenz, who had worked at the center for 15 years. According to Lorenz, she and then-executive director Sean O'Leary expressed a difference of opinion regarding plans to relocate the center to a new facility on Prospect Road. However, the center said that the decision to let Lorenz go was based on financial reasons. In addition, some fellow workers left the center soon after.

The Saratoga Rotary Club and members of various organizations participated in the first of several meetings held inside the Baltic Room at West Valley College to discuss plans for Building Bridges, an event born out of local resident Fred Armstrong's dream to promote cultural diversity. More than 50 people attended the event, brainstorming types of entertainment, food and ways to incorporate the concept in schools.

The Saratoga City Council took its first major step in addressing a number of maintenance issues with the 138-year-old 500-square-foot McWillams House on Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road. The council voted to allocate $1,500 to install and waterproof a new drainage system, but held off on other repairs, which included painting the building's exterior and replacing the front- and back-porch steps.

An old Gateway Committee disbanded as a result of tension and fruitless attempts among business owners and residents to reach a consensus regarding the Gateway Design Guidelines. A new committee soon was formed. At a city council meeting, Mayor Nick Streit appointed Vice Mayor Ann Waltonsmith and Councilman Norman Kline as the first two members of a new Gateway ad hoc committee.

March

March 15 was a date that several teachers and school administrators in the Saratoga Union School District dreaded for months. The district made a painful decision to lay off 29 full-time positions in its four schools in response to then-Gov. Gray Davis' proposed budget cuts and a $1.6 million shortfall from a lack of revenue from property taxes.

Likewise, the Los Gatos­Saratoga Union High School District did its part in balancing its budget by proposing to eliminate 11 teaching and two administrative positions from the two high schools.

Impassioned staff and students lobbied for West Valley­Mission Community College District officials to save jobs and programs, but to no avail. The district's board of trustees made the decision to give layoff notices to more than 92 full-time academic staff members and six classified staff members at West Valley College. Despite hearing more than 14 hours of public testimony at three separate meetings within a one-week period, trustees were almost unanimous in their approval of the resolutions that would lead to the layoff notices.

Parents, administrators and commuters breathed a sigh of relief when city and school officials decided to work together to address an ongoing issue of traffic congestion along Fruitvale and Allendale avenues near Redwood Middle School. In response to traffic and safety concerns, the city agreed to add additional street signs, crosswalks and medians to prevent drivers from making dangerous and illegal maneuvers. In addition, administrators announced a new pick-up and drop-off zone at the end of Allendale Avenue.

City council voted to approve the Mills Act Property Tax Abatement Program, statewide legislation allowing owners of historic buildings to apply for a property-tax break at a significant financial loss to the city and a decorative cost to the applicant. The program prohibits the property owner from making any significant change to the building, such as building an additional structure or painting the exterior.

The planning commission underwent reorganization following the resignation of three members, George Roupe, Erna Jackman and Lisa Kurash, all of whom left in pursuit of personal endeavors. Jill Hunter took over Jackman's position as the commission's new chairwoman.

April

The Saratoga Historical Museum got more than its 15 minutes of fame when it was featured on an episode of History Detective on television network PBS. The museum was included in a piece about John Brown and his wife and children, who settled in Saratoga.

The planning commission approved the design of a new Internet access center called The Zone on Prospect Road. The plan featured high-speed wired and wireless connection.

After hearing concerns from several residents, council members voted to take the community room at the Saratoga Library off their list of options as a future meeting location. The council considered it at a previous meeting in March.

Lane Weiss , a 1973 graduate of Saratoga High School, replaced Mary Gardner as the new superintendent of the Saratoga Union School District . Weiss brought with him years of experience in the education and musical field. He spent more than two decades working in the public school system in the Bay Area as an instructional assistant, a music teacher and an assistant superintendent.

May

The city council voted to uphold a previous planning commission's decision to allow construction of new facilities at St. Andrews Parish and School, despite some residential concern about privacy, traffic congestion and noise. The plan entailed the deconstruction of all of the institution's existing buildings, except for the 11,446-square-foot sanctuary, to allow space for a performing arts center, a three-story administration office building and a two-story classroom building. The expansion is approximately 72,705 square feet. The original design included a bell tower, but that was rejected by the planning commission in response to complaints from neighbors.

Residents received a new way of tuning in to issues stirring within the community and throughout the Silicon Valley. Saratoga Today, hosted by Councilman Norman Kline and Judith Lawrenson, unveiled its first show featuring fellow Councilwoman Kathleen King, who talked about her involvement with the Silicon Valley Children's Hospital.

Students participating in the Citizen's School Program at the Southwest YMCA demonstrated their creative skills during a presentation before parents, staff and architectural consultants. They shared their ideas for a new teen center at the facility on Quito Road. The plans included a kitchen with an island in the center, a disc jockey's booth with technological gadgets and computers with audiovisual software, a stage area and a circular stairway.

Mark Bingham, the passenger on Flight 93 who courageously fought against hijackers and successfully diverted the plane from hitting the state capital, was honored for the first time at the annual Memorial Day ceremony held at Madronia Cemetery. The event was coordinated by the Saratoga Foothill Club.

Commuters in the El Quito neighborhood are driving happy, thanks to the 13 speed humps, six cobblestone medians and 10 speed limit signs that were installed by the city in response to major safety concerns among several residents.

Harmonie European Day Spa received local television media coverage for an arrest of an employee who was charged with sexual battery and improper conduct with clients. Owner Patricia Bottero said the incident has not affected her business.

Seven of the 13 teaching and administrative staff members of the Los Gatos­Saratoga High School District who received a pink slip in March appealed their termination notices, but only three were successful in retaining their jobs. The good news came to English teachers Kelly Brown and Bill Peck and Chinese teacher Mariam Fan at Saratoga High School.

In a move they called a "leap of faith," officials of the West Valley­Mission Community College District voted to rescind the last of the 61 layoff notices that they had sent to full-time faculty in March. The decision was the third time the district board had taken back the pink slips after receiving improved budget numbers from the state and identifying other sources of funding for certain staff positions.

June

A student at Redwood Middle School was arrested after sending a bomb threat to the school's principal via email. In the midst of finals week, the students were evacuated from their classrooms and led to the lower field, while administrators and sheriff deputies searched the facility. After an intense search, sheriffs were able to trace the computer used to send the email to the juvenile suspect.

After much anticipation and several weeks of unexpected construction delays, residents got their first look at the newly remodeled Saratoga Library during the grand reopening celebration, in which thousands of visitors crowded almost every section of the 48,000-square-foot facility. The event featured performances from various entertainment groups, including the Saratoga Taiko Drummers and the Saratoga Woodwind Quintet. The project came in approximately $250,000 under the $15 million budget.

Anticipation and fear had built up among elementary and middle school teachers for the past six months regarding possible layoffs, but the tension ended with a sigh of relief. The Saratoga Union School District announced that it would not eliminate any teaching positions, thanks to the money raised through the Saratoga Education Foundation. The foundation gave the district $230,000 to fund three teaching positions, allowing the district to rehire employees who received pink slips in March and May. The money also made the district eligible for class-size reduction program funds.

It was a close call, but parents, local businesses and community members pulled together to help make the Performing Arts and Lecture Center at Saratoga High School—a $7.2 million project—a dream come true. Supporters raised more than $1.6 million in less than three months, in time to award a construction contract to the lowest bidder.

Firefighters at the Saratoga Fire District held a party at the station on the corner of Saratoga Avenue and Saratoga­Los Gatos Road to bid the 80-year-old building farewell . Days after the event, construction workers began the demolition process of the 7,000-square foot building to make room for a two-story, 14,000-square foot facility with nine bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining area and a day room. Prior to the event, the Memorial Arch was moved back to its original home in Blaney Plaza.

July

Resident Jack Mallory took things into his own hands when he found out that there were no city-related Fourth of July celebrations planned. Nearly 100 residents attended a gathering at Azule Park, organized by Mallory with the help of some friends. Visitors participated in a bell-ringing ceremony, paraded around the park wearing patriotic colors, sang songs and ate ice cream.

Due to grim numbers in the budget, which was $1 million less than the previous fiscal year's, the city was forced to revise its agreement with the Saratoga Employment Association in the Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement prohibits city employees from getting raises until June 2004 and extends the time a worker can use comp time from 90 days to 180. In addition, city staff had to adjust to a new schedule, which required working nine-hour days and having every other Friday off.

Good news came to merchants in the Village when the city council voted to approve seven-day tree-lighting services on all 98 trees on Big Basin Way at an approximate $6,000 cost to the city. Merchants said this would liven up the downtown area tremendously.

A project that was 10 years in the making finally came to fruition. After more than 20 design sketches, several community-input meetings and much built-up anticipation, the city celebrated the grand opening of Azule Park. What was once an abandoned rodent-ridden forest with rotting oak and walnut trees is now a place where residents can engage in recreational activities. The 4.3-acre lot features two playground areas, horseshoe pits, bike paths, a par course, barbecue grills and an open grassy area.

Sunnyvale resident John Ng pled guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison and three years on parole for possessing a tool for an unlawful purpose, burglary and attempted rape of a Saratoga resident, whom he had met through the Sierra Singles Club seven years earlier. The two dated briefly and kept in contact throughout the years.

Saratogan Ed Stafford was recognized by the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce for his entrepreneurial spirit and his warm heart. Stafford received the 2003 Hank Tedesco Award for Small Business Excellence. The 62-year-old resident and owner of two apartment complexes dedicated much of his time to cleaning up the neighborhood and making sure that his tenants were taken care of.

August

Local law enforcement agents destroyed thousands of marijuana plants in a three-site drug bust. With the help of the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting organization, officers of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office spent hours walking through the forest on Aug. 25 and 26, destroying thousands of close-to-mature marijuana plants in the secluded hillsides of Saratoga, Los Gatos and the eastern portion of Santa Clara County. The two-day operation yielded a grand total of more than 6,000 plants ranging from 4 to 7 ¹/2 feet tall. According to Santa Clara County police, this was the second largest drug bust for the county in 2003.

Dr. Rose Tseng retired from West Valley­Mission Community College District, despite having left her position as chancellor four years earlier. Tseng, who served as the district's chancellor from 1993 to 1998, was also entitled to receive lifetime benefits for herself and her husband from WV­MCCD along with a retirement package. Her retirement came at a time when WV­MCCD was asking employees to take pay cuts because of anticipated dramatic cutbacks in state funding for community colleges.

Los Gatos­Saratoga Joint Union High School District students received exceptional results on the California Standardized Testing and Reporting assessment. District students increased their scores up to 18 percentage points from the 2002 national percentile ranking on the California Achievement Tests, 6th edition; those tests are part of the STAR testing students take every May.

September

The Saratoga City Council set a precedent when it voted to create the first-ever City and Schools Ad hoc Committee. The committee included members of the council and representatives from all seven school districts and private schools in the area. The goal of the committee was to address issues affecting students, school administrators and the community.

In September the city council held its first special community meeting, which turned out to be the one of the most widely attended meetings ever. The council heard concerns from the 150-member audience, which included issues relating to city parks, the new Saratoga Library, the city's Historical Park, refurbishing needs at city hall, and the North Campus property.

On the night of Sept. 20, during a football game between the Saratoga Falcons and the Mountain View Spartans, one or more culprits broke into a locked music room. Stolen goods included 20 cell phones, at least $1,000 in cash (including $250 from one person), two guitars, shoes and one student's boxer shorts. Although the marching band's personal items and clothing had been left unattended in the music room, the doors to the room were self-locking.

It was another successful turnout at the 15th annual Celebrate Saratoga! Street Dance, the biggest and loudest affair in the city. Adults, children, babies in strollers and leashed four-legged friends from all over the city, as well as former Saratoga residents and party-goers from neighboring towns, crowded the streets along Big Basin Way at the Sept. 13 event, drawing a turnout of more than the expected 30,000 people throughout the five-hour fiesta. Attendees drank, ate and danced the night away.

October

Argonaut Elementary kindergarten teacher Connie Clancy was named Teacher of the Year for the Saratoga Union School District. The 34th annual award reception was hosted by the Santa Clara County Office of Education and held at the San José Repertory Theatre in downtown San Jose. Clancy has taught at Argonaut Elementary School since 1991 and was nominated for her efforts as the president of the Saratoga Teacher's Association the previous year.

Saratoga resident Tim Heinrich was named "Sexiest Man in America" in ABC's contest for All My Children. He won after several months of competition against thousands of entrants. Heinrich landed spot appearances on several episodes thanks to his title.

After eight months of planning, the city celebrated its first Building Bridges event on Oct. 26 at West Valley College, days after United Nations Day. More than 100 local organizations participated in the event that featured a variety of cultural dances and musical ensembles.

West Valley College President Dr. Marchelle Fox announced plans to retire from her position; her retirement became effective at the end of the semester, on Dec. 31. Fox was the first female to lead the 12,500-student campus and at eight years in the position has the longest tenure.

The city of Saratoga looked forward to its first real Christmas tree in downtown, thanks to a $5,000 check given to the city by Phil Boyce, board member of the Hakone Foundation, and his wife, Susan. The city selected a 25-foot blue spruce to be planted next to the Memorial Arch in the downtown plaza.

In spite of financial difficulties, Saratoga learned there was actually extra money in the 2003­04 Capital Improvement Projects budget, which meant that several parks, buildings and streets could have a chance for some long-awaited and much-needed improvements. City council members were able to save approximately $783,000 in the current budget after making changes in work orders to several projects.

The Saratoga Union School District board of trustees passed an agreement in a 4-1 vote that gave teachers and staff a 2 percent salary increase to help compensate them for elevated costs of living. In addition to the 2 percent salary increase, the agreement stated that the district would maintain and pay the costs of health and welfare for district employees and their dependents from the 2002­03 school year. In addition, the district will pay for health and welfare benefits of those who are currently covered in the 2003­04 school year.

The Saratoga City Council held a second special community meeting on Oct. 28. Attendance was not as high as at the first special meeting, but much was discussed about the vision of the city's future. Tables turned as the council voted unanimously to give residents the opportunity to research various revenue sources for maintaining the city's infrastructures through a subcommittee consisting of community members appointed by Mayor Streit.

According to the results of the 2003 State Academic Performance Index Growth Report, Saratoga High School continued to shine in the educational excellence spotlight. A cornerstone of California's Public Schools Accountability Act of 1999, the API is a numeric index or scale ranging from a low of 200 to a high of 1,000. Saratoga High School raised its previous year's score by 11 points for a score of 900. Saratoga's score hoisted the school into fifth position statewide, but first place in comprehensive high schools.

Police arrested two people suspected of stealing from 37 members of the Saratoga High School marching band when the group performed at Los Gatos High School in September. Anthony Koelenbeek, 20, and Gina Samaripa, 19, were booked on charges of burglary after police found some of the missing items in their San Jose apartment on Oct. 23. A sword, watch, two guitars and some gift cards were among the missing items that police retrieved from the apartment. None of the roughly 20 cell phones reported stolen were recovered.

State budget cuts created the need for the Los Gatos­Saratoga Joint Union High School District to look to the community to help pay for items such as teachers' salaries, quality programs, resources and smaller class sizes. Los Gatos and Saratoga residents who were also active voters received phone surveys regarding a parcel tax. The survey helped gauge the level of support for a possible parcel tax measure in a March 4, 2004, election. Later, the parcel-tax measure was not recommended because of a lack of support from those surveyed.

Wrestling was considered for elimination at West Valley College. But wrestlers—both past and present—spoke against the elimination to West Valley­Mission Community College District board members. The announcement that the team was being considered for elimination because of budget cutbacks caught board members by surprise. But the decision was not made by the board; rather, it was a collective decision made by leadership in the college's physical education and athletics department. Statewide budget cuts affecting West Valley College in the form of a $1.6 million deficit have mandated that the PE and athletics department reduce full-time faculty by 25 percent.

November

Four firefighters from the Saratoga Fire Department returned on Nov. 3 from their weeklong journey to the Cedar fires in San Diego County. Captain Berk Gilson and his crew—Parker Patri, Matt Meadors and Mike Buress—was among the first five strike teams out of 89 from the Bay Area that arrived at the scene in El Cajon. In all, they protected approximately 100 homes in El Cajon and another 100 in Pine Valley. During their eight-day stay, the firefighters trekked 1,300 miles and slept fewer than 20 hours.

Saratoga resident Cynthia Chang was selected as one of 10 recipients of the 2003 Asian American Heroes Award. Saratoga City Councilwoman Kathleen King nominated Chang for her work in the community. Chang was involved with several projects that dealt with promoting diversity and cultural awareness, such as Building Bridges.

The Saratoga City Council decided to extend a 45-day ordinance that was adopted at a Sept. 17 meeting, which would prohibit potential owners of personal-service businesses from opening those businesses in the Village. The original ordinance was set to expire on Nov. 29, but the new one was immediately put into effect at a Nov. 19 city council meeting and will follow through until October 2004.

December

The Gateway ad hoc committee, comprised of three city officials, two residents and two merchants, completed its mission in drafting design guidelines for the area bounded by the railroad tracks and Prospect Road along Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road. The document, which highlights recommended actions for those planning on developing or redeveloping a piece of property, covers a wide range of issues, from construction materials allowed to recommended hues of a property's frontage and permitted landscaping features.

The Saratoga City Council was reorganized, with several members switching titles. A Dec. 9 special city council meeting marked the end of Nick Streit's two-year term as mayor and the beginning of one for Ann Waltonsmith. In addition, Kathleen King took over Waltonsmith's position as vice mayor.

Controversy surrounding the possible development of an official trail that connects Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road and Saratoga Avenue resurfaced during a city council meeting on Dec. 3. Fifty-one residents attended the meeting to express interest in and opposition to the proposed development of the Union Pacific Railroad Trail. After three hours of discussion, the council directed staff to further investigate the possibility of constructing the trail.

Just when Saratoga and Los Gatos started negotiating with San Jose for animal care services, the Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority presented some attractive solutions as a way to retain members. Board members of the Joint Powers Authority offered to give Saratoga part ownership of the new facility on Thomas Road if it agreed to put $300,000 toward construction of the building. Meanwhile, San Jose offered to provide services to the city if it agreed to put in $300,000 for expansion of its existing building. Under that proposal, Saratoga would not have equity in the building. In another option presented by SVACA, should Saratoga decide to withdraw, it can establish case-by-case contracts with the cities in SVACA for field and shelter services. However, this option requires that Saratoga help pay for the new facility.

The city council may have saved some money in the Capital Improvement Projects budget after changing work orders on certain projects, but it faced another disappointment when the governor decided to take revenue from vehicle licensing fees away from cities. At a city council meeting, council members directed staff to reprioritize projects on the list of things to do and research the effects of possibly freezing some projects until addition funding is available.