Saratoga News

Letters & Opinions

Speak Out

Cheaper container is
available for trash

This is in part to comment about your summary of the new group that has now taken over waste management for our area. In case patrons, and apparently you, too, were misinformed or just did not read the very fine print in the volumes of literature, the "Selection Card" did not specify that a 20-gallon garbage ("solid waste") container is also available. This is a savings of $4.68 per month, versus the next size, 35-gallon container--shown as the smallest size on the "selection card."

On Feb. 13, at a community meeting held in Saratoga, a representative from West Valley Collection and Recycling said that the 20-gallon size garbage container was not specified on the selection card because very few people would use that size!

Cheaper--buy the smaller bucket.

Mr. and Mrs. George Kirk

La Paloma

Another view
of traffic issue

We are so glad to see the article regarding pedestrian safety in Saratoga ("Pedestrians struck by SUV on Big Basin Way," March 13)! It is very fortunate those folks were not killed or much more seriously injured. My wife and I were nearly struck in the crosswalk when leaving The Plumed Horse on our anniversary in November.

We do not understand why the emphasis is upon the SUV rather than the fact that the driver was driving on a suspended license. If the auto had been a Prius or Mini Cooper would you have written such? By the way, we do not own an SUV.

John A. Saunders

Lomita Avenue

Politics matters
in tree removal cases

It appears that in Saratoga there are two standards for tree removal: one for the city council, and one for everyone else. Four years ago, the city council dragged an elderly resident through a prolonged and expensive permitting process to remove a redwood tree that was destroying her driveway and posed a safety hazard to her neighbors. Consulting arborists agreed from the get-go that the tree should be removed, but she was granted a permit only after the city determined that it would be too costly to regrade the street to accommodate the tree.

However, if you are the city council, the process is easy. The council directed the removal of two mature redwoods at the historical museum with the stroke of a pen. In fact, the process was so easy that Councilwoman Ann Waltonsmith was able to change her mind overnight on which trees to remove.

Stan Bogosian

Lomita Avenue

Conrado Company
a good neighbor

The Conrado Company is indeed a community builder. I would like to publicly thank the Conrado Company for sponsoring the Saratoga Idol Talent Contest. The winner of this event will receive $1,000 at the Rotary Art Show on May 6 and showcase local talent. Idol is one of many events this civic-minded company has generously supported. It is important to recognize those that go above and beyond. Hats off to the Conrado Company. We are lucky to have them in Saratoga.

Deborah Rice

Matilija Drive

Board agrees with the
decision to close pool

At our meeting on March 20, the board received input from school administrators, program swimmers (residing either within or outside of the city of Saratoga), parents and Peter Raykovich (director of the De Anza Cupertino Aquatic Program), as well as the advice from our district legal counsel regarding the Saratoga High School noon swim program.

At the end, the board expressed our support for the district's decision to close down the Saratoga High School noon swim program. The reasons are as follows:

According to the legal opinion, California law contains a strong policy promoting student safety at school sites and freedom from disturbances by third parties. It is important to note that enforcing this policy is not a reflection upon the trustworthiness of the community members who are participating in the program. Rather, it is a recognition that the school district must regulate access to its sites in a way that protects against others outside of the community who may have an intent to injure students or invade their privacy, and to take advantage of the trust that the district might extend to the community.

The legal opinion also pointed out that if the district does decide to continue this program, numerous measures have to be in place, such as: Use of the pool monitored at all times by an authorized adult provided by DACA, notification to parents that the district is offering the pool for use by DACA during the student lunch period, as well as other preventive means to protect the safety and privacy of our students.

It is very difficult to implement all the measures, and in addition the district will have to deal with the potential liability risk about continuing this program. The DACA director also expressed at the board meeting his concern about the liability exposure for DACA.

For the noon program swimmers, perhaps they can look into the nearby swim facilities such as YMCA and West Valley College to continue their noontime swim activities.

Our district truly values our partnership relationship with the city of Saratoga and the community. With this case, however, we feel our foremost fiduciary responsibility is the safety and welfare of our students and cannot compromise that responsibility by offering the Saratoga High School noon swim program.

Cynthia Chang

Toni Ann Place

Cynthia Chang is the president of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District board.

Principal's decision
supported by PTSA

We wholeheartedly support and applaud the decision made by Jeff Anderson, principal of Saratoga High School, to close the school's pool to the De Anza Cupertino Aquatics adult swim program at noontime. Jeff spoke at our last Parent Teacher Student Association meeting, and also had the support of all the parents present at the meeting.

Having an open high school in our community is wonderful. The school is in use by students and community groups every day, and having access provides a strong sense of community. However, we were surprised to learn that any adult could use the pool and locker room during school hours; in this case lunchtime.

Having open access to the pool and locker room during school hours is potentially very risky to the physical and emotional safety of our youth. Chances are that the adults are nice people who just want a place to swim at lunchtime. However, as parents we don't want to risk the safety of our kids.

We support the decision to close the high school pool during school hours because it puts the safety of our high school students first. After all, isn't this one of the things that our high school is supposed to do?

Terrie Creamer

Padero Avenue

Helen Chang

Sevella Lane

Terrie Creamer and Helen Chang are the co-presidents of the Saratoga High School PTSA.