The city of Saratoga is seeking residents who want to get involved in local government to fill openings on city commissions. Applications are currently being accepted for openings on the planning commission, the heritage preservation commission and the traffic safety commission.

City commissioners work closely with the city council and city staff, play a role in city organization and provide citizen involvement in policy areas. All commissioners serve without pay.

Applications, which include a required supplement questionnaire, must be submitted to the city clerk's office by 5 p.m. on March 3. The city council will conduct interviews for the positions sometime in March.

City Clerk Cathleen Boyer said serving on a city commission is a big commitment. "You have to have the time to do it. You have information you have to read and site visits. Meetings can run long. You have to be a good listener and a good decision maker."

Paul Conrado chairs the heritage preservation commission that works in conjunction with the city council, planning commission and city staff to implement the city's heritage preservation ordinance. Conrado is coming to the end of his four-year term and is stepping down to spend more time planning Saratoga's 50th anniversary celebration coming up in September.

"You need to bring a sense of practicality to the position," he said. "You need to take a critical eye and preserve stuff worth preserving. You have a big impact on people's lives that you need to take seriously, but it's a fun job."

To qualify for commission vacancies, applicants must be residents of Saratoga, be registered to vote, have attended at least one meeting of the commission to which appointment they're seeking and not hold any elected public office or any position of employment with the city of Saratoga.

Applicants are also being sought for vacancies on the youth commission. Teenagers have until 5 p.m. on April 27 to submit applications to the city clerk's office.

Phillip Baker is the chairman of the youth commission. Baker has served on the commission for five years and will step down when he graduates from Bellarmine College Preparatory in May. He said the youth commission serves to coordinate events such as concerts and dances.

"It's a lot of fun and gives you the opportunity to learn how local government works," he said, adding that he typically devotes about 10 hours a month to the commission, which has given him valuable leadership experience. He encouraged interested middle school and high school students to apply. "I met a lot of great people I would have not otherwise met. Be prepared to have fun, get involved and be passionate about what you're doing."

Boyer said the typical applicant for commission vacancies is someone interested in getting involved and giving back to the community. She said that serving on a city commission is a good way to learn about policy-making and government structure, and can sometimes be used as a steppingstone to a future seat on the city council.

For more information, call Cathleen Boyer, city clerk, at 408.868.1269, or email ctclerk@saratoga.ca.us.