At its June 1 meeting, the council listened to a request by Jack Mallory, chairman of the Citizens Committee to Save the North Campus, to delay the sale of the property for a year before voting 3-2 to proceed with plans to sell the site at 19848 Prospect Road in the next few months.

Mayor Kathleen King, Vice Mayor Norman Kline and Councilman Nick Streit voted to go forward with Councilwomen Ann Waltonsmith and Aileen Kao opposing. The voting pattern was no different from a city council meeting in February when the council first decided to sell the North Campus.

Mallory said his committee had been working on the issue for more than three months and implored the city to save the land for future needs.

The citizens committee has the support of the Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Council. In recent months, SASCC board members have repeatedly said that they are interested in moving the Saratoga Senior Center to the North Campus.

"The city is built out. There is little land remaining," Mallory said.

He said the committee had grown to 25 members and raised $50,000 in cash and pledges.

"A leading Saratoga realtor, Carol Mauldin, has felt so strongly about the merits of the North Campus as a community treasure that she has donated $5,000 in advertising," Mallory said.

He said that the first phase of the committee's efforts had been directed at informing the public about the North Campus. The next phase would involve contacting residents and asking for their support.

Mallory offered the help of retired community members to assist in remodeling and maintaining the facility.

"We welcome offers to remodel the Fellowship Hall [one of the buildings at the North Campus] by business, nonprofit groups and residents at no cost to the city so that more of the facility can be rented," he said.

Mallory said the committee was willing to bear the cost of maintaining the North Campus for a year. "We're willing to pay up to $15,000 with the remainder coming from rental income," he said.

"We ask that you grant our request to delay the preparations for sale of the North Campus for one year, until June 30, 2006," Mallory said.

As he finished speaking, some members of the Senior Center held up placards that read "Save the North Campus."

Jeff Schwartz, vice-president of the board of trustees for the West Valley-Mission Community College District, also urged the council to take a one-year hiatus on the issue of the North Campus. "Let us explore every financially-viable plan," he said.

Mauldin told the council members that they were making a big mistake. "Please do not sell out our town. I don't think people understand what they're losing," she said.

Former Councilman Stan Bogosian, who has long argued that the city should sell the property, voiced his opinion yet again. "It's very important that the city moves forward and sells this property quickly," he said.

The controversial piece of property was formerly owned by the Grace United Methodist Church. In 2002, the church sold its property to the city for $4.5 million.

Aki Okuno, a charter member of the church, said the property had been sold to the city on a verbal promise that it would only be used for community purposes.

"It broke my heart when the city voted to sell the property," she said.

When the debate moved to the council, all the members stuck to their guns.

"I don't think Saratoga needs nine more upscale homes," Waltonsmith said. "I think the citizens were a little startled when the council rushed to sell the property."

Kao echoed Waltonsmith's thoughts and said delaying the sale of the North Campus would enable a more thorough study of the property.

Councilman Streit reminded everyone why the North Campus was purchased in the first place.

"The intent was to keep the sheriff's department in town. The original plan was to move the senior center to the North Campus while the sheriff's department moved to the civic center," he said. "But for some reason, the seniors were not willing to move. In the meantime, the economy hasn't improved and the city's infrastructure is falling apart."

Streit said that he was not going to change his mind about the North Campus. "We need to follow the established timeline for the sale of the North Campus," he said.

Kline said that the North Campus is in such poor shape that it had been practically impossible to use it for any community activity. "Our reserves are at an all-time low. The sale of the campus would put money back in the reserves."

Kline said such a sale might also help the city spend some money on the existing senior center facility.

King said she also wanted to move forward with the plans to sell. "If any options for community use come up, we have until September or October to change the plans," she said.

A timeline for the sale of the North Campus indicates that the city will start considering offers from interested buyers in November.

"This still gives us three to four months to raise the funds. I intend to give it a big try," Mallory said after the meeting. "We are disappointed in the council's decision but we're still in the game to save the North Campus."

The Citizens Committee to Save the North Campus holds an open house on June 12 so that residents can learn more about the property. The open house will be held from 12:30 to 4 p.m. at the campus, 19848 Prospect Road. For more information, call Jack Mallory at 408.252.7447.