HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-02-2017 Council agenda packetSaratoga City Council Agenda – Page 1 of 5
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
MARCH 1, 2017
5:00 P.M. CLOSED SESSION
Administrative Conference Room, City Hall | 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070
CLOSED SESSION AGENDA ITEMS:
CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS
Property: Assessor’s Parcel Number 397-30-053.
Agency negotiator: John Cherbone, James Lindsay, Richard Taylor
Negotiating parties: PG&E
Under negotiation: Price and terms of payment for potential easement.
5:30 P.M. JOINT MEETING
Administrative Conference Room, City Hall | 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070
Joint Meeting with Planning Commission
7:00 P.M. REGULAR SESSION
Civic Theater, Council Chambers | 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
REPORT ON POSTING OF THE AGENDA
The agenda for this meeting was properly posted on February 23, 2017.
REPORT FROM JOINT MEETING
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ON NON-AGENDIZED ITEMS
Any member of the public may address the City Council for up to three (3) minutes on matters
not on the Agenda. The law generally prohibits the City Council from discussing or taking action
on such items. However, the Council may instruct staff accordingly.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CEREMONIAL ITEMS
Saratoga City Council Agenda – Page 2 of 5
Commendation for Pranav Sairam
Recommended Action:
Present the commendation to Pranav Sairam.
Public Safety Task Force Appointments
Recommended Action:
Approve the resolution appointing members to the Public Safety Task Force and direct the
City Clerk to administer the Oath of Office to the Public Safety Task Force Members.
1. CONSENT CALENDAR
The Consent Calendar contains items of routine business. Items in this section will be acted on in
one motion, unless removed by the Mayor or a Council Member. Any member of the public may
speak on an item on the Consent Calendar at this time, or request that the Mayor remove an item
from the Consent Calendar for discussion. Public Speakers are limited to three (3) minutes.
1.1. City Council Meeting Minutes
Recommended Action:
Approve the City Council minutes for the Regular City Council Meeting on February 1,
2017, City Council Retreat on February 3, 2017, and Regular City Council Meeting on
February 15, 2017.
1.2. Review of Accounts Payable Check Registers
Recommended Action:
Review and accept check registers for the following accounts payable payment cycles:
01/31/2017 Period 7; 02/07/2017 Period 8; 02/14/2017 Period 8; and 02/21/2017 Period 8.
1.3. Treasurer’s Report for the Month Ended January 31, 2017
Recommended Action:
Review and accept the amended Treasurer’s Report for the month ended January 31, 2017.
1.4. Motor Vehicle Resolutions Restricting Parking on Saint Charles Street
Recommended Action:
Adopt Motor Vehicle Resolution restricting parking on Saint Charles Street
1.5. Motor Vehicle (MV) Resolution Revising Parking Restrictions at Melinda Circle
Recommended Action:
Revise the Motor Vehicle (MV) Resolution restricting parking on Melinda Circle.
1.6. Update to City Council Norms of Operation
Recommended Action:
Approve the resolution amending the City Council Norms of Operation.
1.7. Request for Reallocation of Community Event Grant Funds from SVDC
Recommended Action:
Reallocate $820 in Community Event Grant Program funding from the SVDC Pet Parade to
the St. Paddy’s Party.
2. PUBLIC HEARING
None
Saratoga City Council Agenda – Page 3 of 5
3. OLD BUSINESS
None
4. NEW BUSINESS
4.1. Quarterly Communications Report
Recommended Action:
Provide direction on 2017 spring communication efforts; online survey topics and either an
annual Saratogan with a monthly email newsletter or a quarterly Saratogan with a limited
monthly email newsletter.
4.2. Website Layout and Color Scheme Proposal
Recommended Action:
Provide input to staff.
4.3. FY 2016/17 Mid-Year Budget Status Report and Budget Adjustment Resolution
Recommended Action:
Review Mid-Year Budget Status Report and adopt the attached resolution approving the
proposed budget adjustments.
4.4. Public Art Committee Recommendations
Recommended Action:
Consider recommendations from the Public Art Committee to authorize a local artist to
paint a utility box at the entrance to the Village; allocate funds and authorize placement of
Willys and Betty Peck bronzes in Blaney Plaza; and, designate a public art allowance of
$15,000 in the Fiscal Year 2017/18 Operating Budget.
CITY COUNCIL ASSIGNMENT REPORTS
Mayor Manny Cappello
Cities Association of Santa Clara County
Council Finance Committee
Santa Clara County Housing and Community Development (HCD) Council Committee
Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Council (SASCC)
West Valley Mayors and Managers
West Valley Sanitation District
Vice Mayor Emily Lo
Hakone Foundation Board & Executive Committee
KSAR Community Access TV Board
Public Art Ad Hoc
Saratoga Chamber of Commerce & Destination Saratoga
Santa Clara County Library Joint Powers Authority
Santa Clara County Expressway Plan 2040 Policy Advisory Board
Council Member Mary-Lynne Bernald
Association of Bay Area Governments
Cities Association of Santa Clara County-Legislative Action Committee
Cities Association of Santa Clara County-Selection Committee
FAA Select Committee on South Bay Arrivals
Saratoga City Council Agenda – Page 4 of 5
Hakone Foundation Board
Public Art Ad Hoc
Saratoga Historical Foundation
Saratoga Sister City Organization
West Valley Solid Waste Management Joint Powers Authority
Council Member Howard Miller
Council Finance Committee
Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority Board of Directors
Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Policy Advisory Committee
VTA State Route 85 Corridor Policy Advisory Board
VTA Board West Valley Cities Alternate
Council Member Rishi Kumar
Santa Clara Valley Water District Commission
Saratoga Ministerial Association
CITY COUNCIL ITEMS
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
ADJOURNMENT
CERTIFICATE OF POSTING OF THE AGENDA, DISTRIBUTION OF THE AGENDA
PACKET, COMPLIANCE WITH AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
I, Debbie Bretschneider, Deputy City Clerk for the City of Saratoga, declare that the foregoing
agenda for the meeting of the City Council was posted and available for review on February 23,
2017 at the City of Saratoga, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070 and on the City's
website at www.saratoga.ca.us.
Signed this 23th day of February 2017 at Saratoga, California.
Debbie Bretschneider, Deputy City Clerk
In accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act, copies of the staff reports and other materials
provided to the City Council by City staff in connection with this agenda are available at the
office of the City Clerk at 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070. Note that copies of
materials distributed to the City Council concurrently with the posting of the agenda are also
available on the City Website at www.saratoga.ca.us.Any materials distributed by staff after the
posting of the agenda are made available for public review at the office of the City Clerk at the
time they are distributed to the City Council. These materials are also posted on the City website.
In Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need assistance to participate in
this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at 408/868-1269. Notification 24 hours prior to the
meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this
meeting. [28 CFR 5.102-
35.104 ADA title II]
Saratoga City Council Agenda – Page 5 of 5
To view current or previous City Council Meeting videos, visit www.saratoga.ca.us/council
03/01 5:30 p.m. Joint Meeting with Planning Commission | 7:00 p.m. Regular Session
03/15 6:00 p.m. Study Session with PG&E | 7:00 p.m. Regular Session
04/05 6:00 p.m. Joint Meeting with Sheriff’s Office | 7:00 p.m. Regular Session
04/17 6:00 p.m. Budget Study Session
04/19 6:00 p.m. Joint Meeting with Supervisor Simitian | 7:00 p.m. Regular Session
05/03 5:00 Joint Meeting with KSAR | 6:00 p.m. Joint Meeting with County Fire and Santa Clara County
FireSafe Council | 7:00 p.m. Regular Session
05/17 5:00 p.m. Joint Meeting with Saratoga News Editor and Reporter | 6:00 p.m. Joint Meeting with
Hakone Board | 7:00 p.m. Regular Session
06/07 5:30 p.m. Joint Meeting with Saratoga Neighborhood’s & Neighborhood Watch in Community Center,
Multipurpose Room | 7:00 p.m. Regular Session
06/21 6:00 p.m. Joint Meeting with Saratoga Ministerial Association | 7:00 p.m. Regular Session
07/05 6:00 p.m. Joint Meeting with Historical Foundation | 7:00 p.m. Regular Session
07/19 Meeting Cancelled
08/02 Meeting Cancelled
08/16 6:00 p.m. Joint Meeting with Chamber of Commerce and Destination Saratoga | 7:00 p.m. Regular
Session
09/06 6:00 p.m. Joint Meeting with SASCC | 7:00 p.m. Regular Session
09/20 6:00 p.m. Joint Meeting with Youth Commission | 7:00 p.m. Regular Session
10/04 5:30 p.m. Joint Meeting with Saratoga School Districts in Senior Center, Saunders Room | 7:00 p.m.
Regular Session
10/18 6:00 p.m. Joint Meeting with San Jose Animal Control | 7:00 p.m. Regular Session –
11/01 6:00 p.m. Joint Meeting with West Valley – Mission Community College Board of Trustees | 7:00 p.m.
Regular Session
11/15 6:00 p.m. Joint Meeting with Senator Beall Jr.| 7:00 p.m. Regular Session
12/06 6:00 p.m. Joint Meeting with Representative Low | 7:00 p.m. Regular Session
12/20 6:00 p.m. Study Session – Council Norms | 7:00 p.m. Regular Session
Unless otherwise stated, Joint Meetings and Study Sessions begin at 6:00 p.m. in the Administrative Conference Room at Saratoga City
Hall at 13777 Fruitvale Avenue and Regular Session begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Civic Theater at 13777 Fruitvale Avenue.
CITY OF SARATOGA
CITY COUNCIL JOINT MEETING CALENDAR 2017
City of Saratoga
CITY COUNCIL JOINT MEETING
Meeting Discussion Topics
Joint Meeting with Planning Commission
March 1, 2017 | 5:30 p.m.
Saratoga City Hall | Administrative Conference Room
5:30 p.m.Welcome & Introductions
5:45 p.m.Planning Commission 2017 Work Plan
and Priorities
6:45 p.m.Other Remarks & Wrap-up
Dinner will be provided at the Joint Meeting.
The Regular Session of the City Council begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Civic
Theater. Joint Meeting attendees are invited to attend the Regular Session
and share an overview of the Joint Meeting.
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Planning Commission Work Plan Page 1 of 4
CITY OF SARATOGA
Memorandum
To:Mayor Lo & Members of the Saratoga City Council
From:Erwin Ordoñez, Community Development Director
Date:March 1, 2017
Subject:Planning Commission FY2017-2018 Work Plan
On November 1, 2016, the Planning Commission held its annual Work Plan Retreat. The draft 2017
Community Development Department Work Plan for the Planning Commission is proposed as the
following four items:
1.Continue to work on Village Specific Plan Policy Update and Design Guidelines
2.Creating Educational Outreach/Website Materials
3.Reviewing the City’s Tree Regulations
4.Recommending a General Plan Element Update (Circulation, Open Space/Conservation,
and/or Land Use.
Village Specific Plan Policy Update and Design Guidelines
The Commission recognized the City Council priority of completing the Saratoga Village Specific Plan
Policy Updates and Design Guidelines, and identified this as its primary work plan item. The Planning
Commission has held three study session on the Village with approximately 10-20 members of the
public present at each meeting. Staff has continued its practice of notifying the stakeholders groups
via the Community Outreach mailing lists during the entire process (e.g.Chamber of Commerce,
Saratoga Village Development Council, interested property owners, businesses, residents, etc.).
On March 14, 2017, the Planning Commission is scheduled to confirm its consensus on the Phase I
policy items before presentation to the City Council for input at an April 2017 “check-in” meeting. A
similar process will be followed for the Phase II policy items at the conclusion of that phase.
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Planning Commission Work Plan Page 2 of 4
Once the City Council has weighed-in on both the Phase I and II policy recommendations, the final
adoption public hearing process of the proposed changes to the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance and
Village Design Guidelines will be initiated before the Planning Commission in September 2017 and
then finalized with the City Council. This implementation process may potentially include specific
actions such as:
•Adopting a resolution acknowledging the Saratoga Village Specific Plan implementation
•Adopting New Saratoga Village Design Guidelines
•Adopting City Code Amendments
•Adopting General Plan Policy Amendments
Creating Educational Outreach/Website Materials
The Planning Commission affirmed its desire to help City staff create outreach educational materials
for the website to better inform the public and applicants of the Planning Commission public hearing
and the City’s development review process. Based on the City Council’s direction in 2016, the
Commission identified two topics and provided script points to staff for the first topic. Given the
departure of the City Manager’s Analyst who coordinated the City’s video program this effort was
temporarily delayed until the position was filled. The Commission is again ready to work with staff
as the City’s resources permit.
The Commission also reaffirmed its suggestion of creating City Website materials such:
Commissioner videos similar to the very popular City Council web videos
Process flow charts for applications
Information on how to navigate the City website to find information on public hearings
Very brief overview of the notification process
How to read the public hearing and other notices
Who to contact with questions
A general overview of what to expect at the meetings(i.e. meeting format, process, amount of time to
speak, what it means to "continue" etc.)
An overview of required "Findings" and their relevance
Review City’s Tree Regulations
The Planning Commission has suggestedthat a review of the City’s Tree Regulations is needed due to
recent projectdesign reviews and tree appeals heard in 2016. The Commissiondiscussion specifically
included the following items:
Impacts of the drought/climate change
Reviewing appropriate species for planting/replacement/protection
Consistency with Wildland Fire Protection/Fire Safety
Consistency of tree replacement requirements (tree removal 15-gallon replacement vs. design review
project $10,000 replacement value/in-lieu fee)
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Planning Commission Work Plan Page 3 of 4
General Plan Element Update
State Law mandates that City General Plans and their required component elements be updated
periodically during the 20 year effective period of a General Plan. The City Council in recent years has
had an on-going goal of periodically updating Saratoga’s General Plan Elements in a comprehensive
manner based on the last update/adoption date of the individual elements, available resources and
the current needs of the community. Based on the age of the City’s General Plan Elements, the
Commission recommends updating one or more of these elements within the period of their next
workplan:
1)Circulation and Scenic Highway
2)Open Space and Conservation
3) Land Use)
Outlined below is a list of the City’s General Plan Elements with the date of the last update:
General Plan Element Last Update
Open Space and Conservation Element (combined element)2007
Land Use Element 2007
Circulation and Scenic Highway Element 2010
Safety Element 2013
Noise Element 2014
Housing Element 2014
At the February 3, 2017 City Council Retreat, the Council affirmed its desire to update the General
Plan and asked the City Council Finance Committee to determine if additional funding is available to
update all three elements identified by the Commission within a 24-month time period.
Current Commission Membership:
Name Term Ending Eligible for Reappointment
Dede Smullen 3/31/2017 Yes
Tina Walia 3/31/2017 Yes
Colleen "Kookie" Fitzsimmons 3/31/2018 Yes
Wendy Chang 3/31/2018 Yes
Sunil Ahuja 3/31/2019 Yes
Joyce Hlava 3/31/2019 Yes
Leonard Almalech 3/31/2020 No
Commission Duties/Purpose:
2-15.030 - Powers and duties.
The Planning Commission is hereby designated as the planning agency of the City, as described in
Section 65100 of the Government Code, and shall exercise the functions of a planning agency as
prescribed in Section 65101 of the Government Code. The Planning Commission shall also exercise
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Planning Commission Work Plan Page 4 of 4
the powers and perform the duties conferred upon it by this Code and assigned to it from time to
time by the City Council.
Government Code 65100:
There is in each city and county a planning agency with the powers necessary to carry out the
purposes of this title. The legislative body of each city and county shall by ordinance assign the
functions of the planning agency to a planning department, one or more planning commissions,
administrative bodies or hearing officers, the legislative body itself, or any combination thereof, as it
deems appropriate and necessary. In the absence of an assignment, the legislative body shall carry
out all the functions of the planning agency.
Government Code 65101:
(a) The legislative body may create one or more planning commissions each of which shall report
directly to the legislative body. The legislative body shall specify the membership of the
commission or commissions. In any event, each planning commission shall consist of at least five
members, all of whom shall act in the public interest. If it creates more than one planning
commission, the legislative body shall prescribe the issues, responsibilities, or geographic
jurisdiction assigned to each commission. If a development project affects the jurisdiction of
more than one planning commission, the legislative body shall designate the commission which
shall hear the entire development project.
(b) Two or more legislative bodies may:
(1) Create a joint area planning agency, planning commission, or advisory agency for all or
prescribed portions of their cities or counties which shall exercise those powers and perform
those duties under this title that the legislative bodies delegate to it.
(2) Authorize their planning agencies, or any components of them, to meet jointly to coordinate
their work, conduct studies, develop plans, hold hearings, or jointly exercise any power or
perform any duty common to them.
10
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE:March 1, 2017
DEPARTMENT:City Manager’s Office
PREPARED BY:Debbie Bretschneider, Deputy City Clerk
SUBJECT:Commendation for Pranav Sairam
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Present the commendation to Pranav Sairam.
BACKGROUND:
Pranav Sairam is a 9-year-old student at Country Lane Elementary. He is also one of the top 35
chess players of his age in the United States. In December, he won the championship for his
grade level at the CalChess Grade Level Championship.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A –Commendation for Pranav Sairam
11
COMMENDATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA HONORING THE
PRANAV SAIRAM
WHEREAS, Pranav Sairam, a 9-year-old student at Country Lane Elementary
School in the Moreland School District, is one of the top 35 chess players of his age in
the United States; and
WHEREAS, after learning chess at an after-school program, Pranav has played
in competitive tournaments since 2014 when he was 7; and
WHEREAS, since Pranav started competing, he tied for 2nd place in the
California Grade Level State championship in 2015, won the US National G/60
championship for his rating group in 2015, and won 1st place in the “8 and under” age
group in the US Junior Nationals in Livermore in 2016; and
WHEREAS,most recently, Pranav Sairam was crowned champion in his grade
level (4th grade) at the CalChess Grade Level Championship on December 3, 2016;
and
WHEREAS, although Pranav practices chess for eleven hours a week, he also
plays the clarinet in the Moreland School District Honor band and plays a Mridangam,
an Indian Classical Percussion instrument.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of
Saratoga does hereby recognize and congratulate Pranav Sairam on his 1
st Place win
at the CalChess Grade Level Championship and wish him the best of luck in his quest
for more chess championships.
WITNESS MY HAND AND THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA on this
1st day of March 2017.
Emily Lo, Mayor
City of Saratoga
12
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE:March 1, 2017
DEPARTMENT:City Manager’s Office
PREPARED BY:Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Assistant to the City Manager
SUBJECT:Public Safety Task Force Appointments
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approve the resolution appointing members to the Public Safety Task Force and direct the City
Clerk to administer the Oath of Office to the Public Safety Task Force Members.
BACKGROUND:
At the February 15, 2017 City Council Meeting, the City Council adopted a resolution establishing
the Public Safety Task Force for a limited term ending November 30, 2018. Per Resolution 17-
010, the Task Force is comprised of five members, each nominated by a member of the City
Council. Nominations were due by February 22, 2017.
The nominated members are noted below.
First Name Last Name Nominating Council Member Term
Rebecca Jepsen Mayor Lo March 1, 2017 –Nov. 30, 2018
Ray Cosyn Vice Mayor Bernald March 1, 2017 –Nov. 30, 2018
John Hirokawa Council Member Cappello March 1, 2017 –Nov. 30, 2018
Chuck Page Council Member Miller March 1, 2017 –Nov. 30, 2018
Sudip Ghosal Council Member Kumar March 1, 2017 –Nov. 30, 2018
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A –Resolution of Appointment
Attachment B –Oaths of Office
Attachment C –Resolution No. 17-010
13
RESOLUTION NO. 17-___
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA
APPOINTING MEMBERS TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE
WHEREAS, the Public Safety Task Force was formed by the City Council via resolution 17-010
to serve in an advisory capacity to the City Council on matters related to public safety and to provide
recommendations to be considered by the City Council to enhance public safety in the City of Saratoga;
WHEREAS, the Public Safety Task Force is comprised of five members, each nominated by a
member of the City Council and appointed by the City Council;
WHEREAS, the Public Safety Task Force Members shall serve for a limited term ending
November 30, 2018, at which point the Task Force itself shall be terminated.
NOW, THEREFORE,the City Council of the City of Saratoga hereby resolves that the following
individuals are appointed to the following terms:
First Name Last Name Nominating Council Member Term
Rebecca Jepsen Mayor Lo March 1, 2017 – Nov. 30, 2018
Ray Cosyn Vice Mayor Bernald March 1, 2017 – Nov. 30, 2018
John Hirokawa Council Member Cappello March 1, 2017 – Nov. 30, 2018
Chuck Page Council Member Miller March 1, 2017 – Nov. 30, 2018
Sudip Ghosal Council Member Kumar March 1, 2017 – Nov. 30, 2018
The above and foregoing resolution was passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Saratoga City
Council held on the 1
st day of March 2017 by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Emily Lo, Mayor
Attest:
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk
14
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA
I, Rebecca Jepsen, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the
Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California
against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance
to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of
California; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or
purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon
which I am about to enter.
Rebecca Jepsen, Member
Public Safety Task Force
Subscribed and sworn to before me on
this 1st day of March 2017.
Crystal Bothelio
City Clerk
15
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA
I, Ray Cosyn, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the
Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California
against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance
to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of
California; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or
purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon
which I am about to enter.
Ray Cosyn, Member
Public Safety Task Force
Subscribed and sworn to before me on
this 1st day of March 2017.
Crystal Bothelio
City Clerk
16
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA
I, John Hirokawa, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the
Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California
against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance
to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of
California; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or
purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon
which I am about to enter.
John Hirokawa, Member
Public Safety Task Force
Subscribed and sworn to before me on
this 1st day of March 2017.
Crystal Bothelio
City Clerk
17
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA
I, Chuck Page, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the
Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California
against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance
to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of
California; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or
purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon
which I am about to enter.
Chuck Page, Member
Public Safety Task Force
Subscribed and sworn to before me on
this 1st day of March 2017.
Crystal Bothelio
City Clerk
18
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA
I, Sudip Ghosal, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the
Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California
against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance
to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of
California; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or
purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon
which I am about to enter.
Sudip Ghosal, Member
Public Safety Task Force
Subscribed and sworn to before me on
this 1st day of March 2017.
Crystal Bothelio
City Clerk
19
20
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE:March 1, 2017
DEPARTMENT:City Manager’s Office
PREPARED BY:Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Assistant to the City Manager
SUBJECT:City Council Meeting Minutes
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approve the City Council minutes for the Regular City Council Meeting on February 1, 2017, City
Council Retreat on February 3, 2017, and Regular City Council Meeting on February 15, 2017.
BACKGROUND:
Draft City Council minutes for each Council Meeting are taken to the City Council to be
reviewed for accuracy and approval. Following City Council approval, minutes are retained for
legislative history and posted on the City of Saratoga website. The draft minutes are attached to
this report for Council review and approval.
FOLLOW UP ACTION:
Minutes will be retained for legislative history and posted on the City of Saratoga website.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A –Minutes for the Regular City Council Meeting on February 1, 2017
Attachment B –Minutes for the City Council Retreat on February 3, 2017
Attachment C –Minutes for the Regular City Council Meeting on February 15, 2017
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Saratoga City Council Minutes – Page 1 of 8
MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
At 5:00 p.m., the City Council held a study session on the Council Norms of Operation in the
Administrative Conference Room at Saratoga City Hall at 13777 Fruitvale Avenue. The City
Council reviewed the Norms and directed staff to bring back a revised copy of the Norms with
the following changes:
-Update seating arrangement based on Mayoral Rotation Policy
-Add language that states when a member of the public provides personal contact
information in connection with a City Council agenda item, use of that individuals
contact information shall be limited to the intended use associated with that agenda item
and the City will limit use of personal informational on the City website
-Add language that states scheduling of City events will be the Mayor’s responsibility and
will be done with due consideration for the organizations involved in the event and
availability of Council Members
-Add language that states City Council Resolutions of Support or Opposition are generally
disfavored with the exception of matters that have a specific and identifiable impact to
the City
-Add a statement that clarifies that the City Council use of electronic devices at City
Council Meetings shall be for the purpose of obtaining information and shall be
respectful to audience members at public meetings
-Add language that states Council Members shall be respectful of each other and maintain
a polite discourse with each other
At 6:00 p.m., the City Council held a Joint Meeting with representatives of the Mountain Winery
in the Administrative Conference Room at Saratoga City Hall at 13777 Fruitvale Avenue.
At 7:00 p.m., Mayor Emily Lo called the Regular Session to order and led the Pledge of
Allegiance. Mayor Lo then announced that the meeting would be held in honor of William
Glennon.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT:Mayor Emily Lo, Vice Mayor Mary-Lynne Bernald, Council
Members Manny Cappello, Howard Miller, Rishi Kumar
ABSENT:None
ALSO PRESENT:James Lindsay, City Manager
Richard Taylor, City Attorney
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Asst. to City Manager
John Cherbone, Public Works Director
Mary Furey, Finance & Administrative Services Director
Erwin Ordoñez, Community Development Director
Michael Taylor, Recreation & Facilities Director
Sandy Bailey, Project Manager
Lauren Pettipiece, Administrative Analyst I
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Saratoga City Council Minutes – Page 2 of 8
REPORT ON POSTING OF THE AGENDA
City Clerk Crystal Bothelio reported that the agenda for this meeting was posted on January 26,
2017.
REPORT FROM STUDY SESSION AND JOINT MEETING
Mayor Lo announced that the City Council started a Study Session on the City Council Norms,
which would reconvene after the Regular Session. She also noted that the Council held a Joint
Meeting with the Mountain Winery.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ON NON-AGENDIZED ITEMS
None
COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Council Member Kumar announced Love Notes in Saratoga Village, the elimination of the San
Jose Water Company drought surcharge and efforts to remove the Santa Clara Valley Water
District’s call for a mandatory reduction of water use by 20 percent, and notices that property
owners in the Weed Abatement Program can expect to see in the coming weeks.
Council Member Miller announced the roll out of Silicon Valley Clean Energy and upcoming
local charity races, including the City of Campbell annual Valentine’s run.
Council Member Cappello announced Abrahamic Religious Trialogue: Serving Humanity and its
Challenges at Congregation Beth David on February 25.
Vice Mayor Bernald shared the City’s A grade from the American Lung Association, the
Blossom Festival on March 18, and Valentine’s gift offerings at the Saratoga Historical Museum.
Mayor Lo announced the Community Event Grant program for Fiscal Year 2017/18, the deadline
to submit applications for the Planning Commission and Youth Commission, and a cooking
demonstration from Chef Martin Yan at Saratoga Library on February 4.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Presentation by Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) on the Next Network Project
Recommended Action:
Receive presentation from Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) on the Next Network
Project aimed at improving transit ridership.
Jay Tyree, VTA Senior Project Manager, and Ying Smith, VTA Transportation Planning
Manager, provided a presentation on VTA Next Network.
Mayor Lo invited public comment on the item.
The following person requested to speak:
Jim Stallman 23
Saratoga City Council Minutes – Page 3 of 8
No one else requested to speak.
Council Member Miller proposed extending the 55 bus line down Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road
to the corner of Big Basin Way and Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road, down Saratoga Avenue to
the Transit Center at West Valley College at 30 minute intervals to maintain a public
transportation connection to the City’s downtown, between Saratoga and CalTrain, and to
the City’s Transit center.
The City Council concurred with this requested change to the Next Network plan and
requested that the Mayor submit a letter to VTA expressing this request from the City
Council.
1.CONSENT CALENDAR
1.1. City Council Meeting Minutes
Recommended Action:
Approve the City Council minutes for the Regular City Council Meeting on January 18,
2017.
CAPPELLO/MILLER MOVED TO APPROVE THE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FOR
THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON JANUARY 18, 2017. MOTION
PASSED. AYES, LO, BERNALD, CAPPELLO, MILLER, KUMAR. NOES: NONE.
ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
1.2. Review of Accounts Payable Check Registers
Recommended Action:
Review and accept check registers for the following accounts payable payment cycles:
1/17/2017 Period 7; and 1/24/2017 Period 7.
CAPPELLO/MILLER MOVED TO ACCEPT CHECK REGISTERS FOR THE
FOLLOWING ACCOUNTS PAYABLE PAYMENT CYCLES: 1/17/2017 PERIOD 7;
AND 1/24/2017 PERIOD 7. MOTION PASSED. AYES, LO, BERNALD, CAPPELLO,
MILLER, KUMAR. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
1.3. Treasurer’s Report for the Month Ended December 31, 2016
Recommended Action:
Review and accept the amended Treasurer’s Report for the month ended December 31,
2016.
CAPPELLO/MILLER MOVED TO ACCEPT THE AMENDED TREASURER’S
REPORT FOR THE MONTH ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2016. MOTION PASSED.
AYES, LO, BERNALD, CAPPELLO, MILLER, KUMAR. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN:
NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
1.4. Highway 9 Improvements Phase IV Project – Appropriation of Additional Funds
Recommended Action:
Approve a budget resolution to appropriate $49,684 in additional funds for the Highway 9
Improvements Phase IV Project and authorize City Manager to execute the same.
24
Saratoga City Council Minutes – Page 4 of 8
RESOLUTION NO. 17-005
CAPPELLO/MILLER MOVED TO APPROVE A BUDGET RESOLUTION TO
APPROPRIATE $49,684 IN ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THE HIGHWAY 9
IMPROVEMENTS PHASE IV PROJECT AND AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER TO
EXECUTE THE SAME. MOTION PASSED. AYES, LO, BERNALD, CAPPELLO,
MILLER, KUMAR. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
1.5. Resolution of Support for Senate Bill (SB) 65
Recommended Action:
Approve the resolution of support for SB 65.
RESOLUTION NO. 17-006
CAPPELLO/MILLER MOVED TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT
FOR SB 65. MOTION PASSED. AYES, LO, BERNALD, CAPPELLO, MILLER,
KUMAR. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
2.PUBLIC HEARING
None
3.OLD BUSINESS
None
4.NEW BUSINESS
4.1. Community Event Grant Program Application
Recommended Action:
Review Community Event Grant Program application for this fiscal year and provide
direction.
Lauren Pettipiece, Administrative Analyst II, presented the staff report.
Mayor Lo invited public comment on the item.
The following person requested to speak:
Rabbi Leslie Alexander
No one else requested to speak.
CAPPELLO/MILLER MOVED TO ALLOCATE $1,000 FROM THE COUNCIL
DISCRETIONARY AS A FY 2016/17 COMMUNITY EVENT GRANT TO THE
SHUSHAN COUNTY FAIR HOSTED BY CONGREGATION BETH DAVID.
MOTION PASSED. AYES, LO, BERNALD, CAPPELLO, MILLER, KUMAR. NOES:
NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
4.2. Use of Public Right of Way for Surveillance Cameras
Recommended Action:
Accept staff report and provide direction to staff.25
Saratoga City Council Minutes – Page 5 of 8
City Attorney Richard Taylor presented the staff report.
Mayor Lo invited public comment on the item.
No one requested to speak.
MILLER/BERNALD MOVED TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSED STANDARDS FOR
ENCROACHMENT PERMITS FOR PRIVATE SECURITY CAMERAS WITH THE
FOLLOWING AMENDMENTS: REVISE SECTION 2 BULLET 1 TO ALLOW AN
EXCEPTION FOR ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND ADD A
REQUIREMENT THAT HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS MUST NOTIFY ALL
RESIDENTS AND HOMEOWNERS OF THE APPLICATION 30 DAYS IN
ADVANCE OF THE CITY’S DECISION ON THE PERMIT AND PROVIDE
CERTIFICATION OF THE NOTICE. MOTION PASSED. AYES, LO, BERNALD,
CAPPELLO, MILLER, KUMAR. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT:
NONE.
4.3. Authorization for Points of Interest Markers
Recommended Action:
Adopt a resolution authorizing a process for establishing Points of Interest Markers on
public property or within a street right of way.
Sandy Bailey, Project Manager, presented the staff report.
Mayor Lo invited public comment on the item.
The following people requested to speak:
Rina Shah, Heritage Preservation Commission Chair
Annette Stransky, Heritage Preservation Commission Vice Chair
No one else requested to speak.
RESOLUTION NO. 17-007
MILLER/BERNALD MOVED TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A
PROCESS FOR ESTABLISHING POINTS OF INTEREST MARKERS ON PUBLIC
PROPERTY OR WITHIN A STREET RIGHT OF WAY AND DIRECTED STAFF
TO CREATE A SIMILAR LOOK AND FEEL FOR MARKERS SO THAT THEY
ARE EASILY IDENTIFIED. MOTION PASSED. AYES, LO, BERNALD, CAPPELLO,
MILLER, KUMAR. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
4.4. Formation of Public Safety Task Force
Recommended Action:
Provide direction to staff.
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Assistant to the City Manager, presented the staff report.
26
Saratoga City Council Minutes – Page 6 of 8
Mayor Lo invited public comment on the item.
No one requested to speak.
CAPPELLO/MILLER MOVED TO DIRECT STAFF TO BRING BACK A
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE
COMPRISED OF 5 MEMBERS – EACH NOMINATED BY A MEMBER OF THE
CITY COUNCIL – WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY
AND TERMINATING NOVEMBER 30, 2018. THE CITY COUNCIL FURTHER
DIRECTED THE TASK FORCE TO CONSIDER CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION
ON THE FORMATION OF THE TASK FORCE TO GUIDE DEVELOPMENT OF
A PROPOSED WORK PLAN. MOTION PASSED. AYES, LO, BERNALD,
CAPPELLO, MILLER, KUMAR. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT:
NONE.
4.5. City Council Meeting Schedule
Recommended Action:
Provide direction to staff regarding the City Council’s 2017 meeting schedule.
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Assistant to the City Manager, presented the staff report.
Mayor Lo invited public comment on the item.
No one requested to speak.
MILLER/CAPPELLO MOVED TO CANCEL THE SECOND REGULAR MEETING
IN JULY AND FIRST REGULAR MEETING IN AUGUST. MOTION PASSED.
AYES, LO, BERNALD, CAPPELLO, MILLER, KUMAR. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN:
NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
4.6. Adoption of City Council Assignments – Ministerial Association
Recommended Action:
Approve the resolution amending the City Council assignments.
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Assistant to the City Manager, presented the staff report.
RESOLUTION NO. 17-008
LO/MILLER MOVED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CITY
COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS AND DESIGNATE THE ALTERNATE FOR THE
MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION AS ANY COUNCIL MEMBER AVAILABLE TO
ATTEND. MOTION PASSED. AYES, LO, BERNALD, CAPPELLO, MILLER, KUMAR.
NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
CITY COUNCIL ASSIGNMENT REPORTS
Mayor Emily Lo
Santa Clara County Library Joint Powers Authority – Saratoga Library will soon have a new
Community Librarian, Michael Eitner. He will start February 27.
27
Saratoga City Council Minutes – Page 7 of 8
West Valley Mayors and Managers – the work plan for the year was decided at the last meeting.
It includes housing, ABAG/MTC merger, clean energy, age-friendly communities,
transportation, and State legislation that may impact the West Valley cities.
Vice Mayor Mary-Lynne Bernald
Public Art Committee – the first meeting was held on January 31. The Committee considered its
mission and a proposal for life-sized bronzes of Willys and Petty Peck.
Saratoga Historical Foundation – the Foundation is concerned about storage, which is an
ongoing concern. The school education programs are continuing to grow.
Vice Mayor Bernald thanked the City Council for the flowers following surgery on her shoulder.
She also shared that she attended an event at Montalvo featuring artist Jerry Smith, who is
working with a group of residents to create bronzes of Willys and Betty Peck.
Council Member Manny Cappello
Santa Clara County Housing and Community Development (HCD) Council Committee – the
meetings to consider allocation of HUD dollars are being scheduled and will start February 6
with a review of all applications and available funding.
Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Council (SASCC)– during the last meeting, it was reported
that memberships are growing dramatically. There is also a new check-in system similar to those
used by gyms. This will provide SASCC with more accurate information about member
engagement at the Senior Center. Adult Care participation is also expected to increase with the
closure of the San Jose Veterans Day Care program closing in March.
Council Member Howard Miller
Finance Committee – the Finance Committee considered a proposal to make the Committee a
Committee of the Whole so that all members of the City Council may attend and participate in
Finance Committee meetings. A resolution reflecting this proposed change will be coming
before the City Council. Additionally, the Finance Committee has been reviewing the financial
and budget matters that will be discussed at the Council Retreat.
Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority Board of Directors – implementation continues to move
forward and the Authority is very busy. With changes in Council assignments in other
communities, there are some new Board of Directors.
Council Member Rishi Kumar
Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)– Council Member Kumar attended the ABAG
meeting on behalf of Vice Mayor Bernald. There was discussion of what the Bay Area needs
from a council of governments, as well as the merger with MTC.
Santa Clara Valley Water District Commission – the Commission received an update on drought
conditions. There was also discussion of the drought surcharge and elimination of the 20% water
reduction requirement.
CITY COUNCIL ITEMS
None
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
None
28
Saratoga City Council Minutes – Page 8 of 8
ADJOURNMENT
MILLER/CAPPELLO MOVED TO ADJOURN THE REGULAR SESSION AT 9:34 P.M.
AND RECONVENE THE STUDY SESSION ON COUNCIL NORMS IN THE
ADMINISTRATIVE CONFERENCE ROOM. MOTION PASSED. AYES, LO, BERNALD,
CAPPELLO, MILLER, KUMAR. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
Minutes respectfully submitted:
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk
City of Saratoga
29
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 1 of 27
MINUTES
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2017
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
CITY COUNCIL RETREAT
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Emily Lo called the meeting to order at 8:42 a.m. in the Community Room of Saratoga
Library at 13650 Saratoga Avenue in Saratoga, CA.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT:Mayor Emily Lo, Vice Mayor Mary-Lynne Bernald, Council
Members Manny Cappello, Howard Miller, Rishi Kumar
ABSENT:None
ALSO PRESENT:James Lindsay, City Manager
Richard Taylor, City Attorney
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Asst. to City Manager
John Cherbone, Public Works Director
Mary Furey, Finance & Administrative Services Director
Erwin Ordoñez, Community Development Director
Michael Taylor, Recreation & Facilities Director
Captain Rich Urena, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office
Debbie Bretschneider, Deputy City Clerk
Monica LaBossiere, Human Resources Manager
Tony McFarlane, Finance Manager
Lauren Pettipiece, Administrative Analyst
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ON NON-AGENDIZED ITEMS
None
AGENDA ITEMS
City Council Strategic Goals: Community Enrichment & Public Safety
City Manager James Lindsay provided an overview of the City Council Strategic Goals,
Community Enrichment and Public Safety.
Mayor Lo requested that a new objective to be an age-friendly city be added to the
Community Enrichment goal.
Council Member Cappello supported the request and shared he would also like to see
language that speaks to being an inclusive community that honors and respects diversity. The
Cities Association has a similar priority, which the Cities Association has labeled as
Equitable Cities.30
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 2 of 27
Council Member Kumar suggested that Objective E under Community Enrichment, Foster a
business-friendly environment, be expanded to include a focus on family-friendly business
and quality of life. He shared that he has heard a desire to attract family-oriented businesses
to Saratoga and encouraging existing businesses to offer more for families. He also
commented on campaigns to encourage families to visit Saratoga businesses.
Council Member Cappello expressed reservations about proactively seeking out certain types
of businesses.
Mayor Lo agreed and added that she would be willing to add language to the objective that
refers to family-friendly businesses.
Council Member Kumar also proposed that the new objective on being an age-friendly city
specifically include mention of youth so it is clear that the City values people of all ages.
Mayor Lo suggested this is already captured in other objectives.
Council Member Kumar suggested that the first strategy under Community Enrichment
Objective A, Engaged and Vibrant Community, be rephrased to acknowledge the way in
which cultural events enhance vibrancy.
Mayor Lo agreed.
Council Member Cappello suggested including reference to the City’s tobacco control
policies to the strategies under Community Enrichment Objective C, Promote health as a
community value. He also suggested that the first strategy under Objective C also note
financial resource provided to encourage physical activity.
Council Member Kumar recommended adding a reference to the City’s volunteer program
under Community Enrichment Objective D, Cultivate organizational and leadership potential
in the community.
City Manager James Lindsay noted that while there are no strategies listed for Community
Enrichment Objective E, Foster a business friendly environment, the City has done a number
of things to make Saratoga an attractive business location through reducing barriers to entry
and investing in infrastructure. These efforts could be added as strategies to this objective.
Mayor Lo and Council Member Cappello discussed business regulations and striking a
balance between creating enough protections for the City while not creating so many barriers
businesses choose to locate somewhere else.
Vice Mayor Bernald spoke about the importance of engaging the property owners of the
City’s commercial space.
Council Member Kumar spoke about the value of family-friendly business and echoed the
importance of striking a balance so that the City’s regulations do not discourage business.
Council Member Miller noted that there is a very small number of vacant business spaces in
the Village. The City has made a number of changes to make it easier to open a business in 31
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 3 of 27
Saratoga and other changes would likely have a very high financial impact on the City.
Overall, the City seems to be doing a good job encouraging business.
Mayor Lo shared her observations that the most successful businesses tend to have well
developed partnerships with different parties, including the City, property owners, other
businesses, and residents. She also commented on the challenges of owning a retail business
and shared her opinion that it would be a shame to reserve space for retail businesses and end
up with vacant storefronts.
Council Member Cappello said he felt the best thing the City can do is help draw people to
the downtown, which the City has been doing. While there are a few vacancies, these are part
of the natural business cycle. If the City gets involved with trying to manipulate the business
market in the community, it may make things worse.
Council Member Kumar shared that he has observed that many Saratoga families are not
familiar with the Village and often go to other cities instead of visiting downtown Saratoga.
Council Member Miller asked that the strategies under Public Safety Objective A:
Preservation of life and safety include references to the efforts of the Santa Clara County Fire
Department.
Council Member Kumar asked if emergency preparation and Community Emergency
Response Teams (CERT) should be mentioned in the strategies under Public Safety
Objective A: Preservation of life and safety.
City Manager James Lindsay noted that there are strategies tied to emergency preparedness
and CERT under Public Safety Objective C and suggested changes related to these two topics
be reflected under that objective.
Council Member Kumar requested that Public Safety Objective B: Crime prevention
emphasize Neighborhood Watch as a strategy.
Council Member Miller noted that Objective B could be revised to read, “Crime prevention,
such as Neighborhood Watch or crime prevention programs.”
Council Member Cappello recommended adding the Public Safety Task Force to this
objective.
Council Member Kumar also proposed that the strategy, “Build relationships and
community,” under Public Safety Objective B: Crime Prevention include community forums.
Council Member Kumar asked if the Sheriff’s Office is requesting that people show proof of
citizenship or provide their passport for routine stops.
Captain Urena shared that the Sheriff’s Office does not investigate, detain, or take action
enforcement on matters related to immigration. The Sheriff’s Office will not ask proof of
someone’s status.
32
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 4 of 27
COUNCIL CONSENSUS:
The City Council agreed to add a new objective to be an age-friendly city within the
Community Enrichment goal and recognize inclusiveness that honors and respects diversity.
The Council also agreed to include the City’s efforts to encourage business as strategies
under Community Enrichment Objective E: Foster a business-friendly environment.
Additionally, the Council asked staff to include language to encourage family-friendly
business. The City Council also requested the first strategy under Community Enrichment
Objective A, Engaged and Vibrant Community, be rephrased to acknowledge the way in
which cultural events enhance vibrancy. The City Council agreed to update Community
Enrichment Objective C, Promote health as a community value, by noting tobacco control
policies and financial resource provided to encourage physical activity. Staff was asked to
update Community Enrichment Objective D, Cultivate organizational and leadership
potential in the community, by referencing the City’s volunteer program and replacing the
word committees with Commissions.
The Council directed staff to add references to the Santa Clara County Fire Department under
Public Safety Objective A: Preservation of life and safety. The Council also asked that
Neighborhood Watch, the Public Safety Task Force, and crime prevention forums be
included as part of the strategies under Public Safety Objective B: Crime prevention.
The City Council asked that staff incorporate changes to the Council Strategic Goals and
bring them back to Council for approval.
Finance Review: Fiscal Policies, Mid-Year Budget Status, and Five Year Forecast
Mary Furey, Finance and Administrative Services Director, provided a report on the fiscal
policies, which are adopted as part of the budget. There are no proposed updates as part of
the Fiscal Year 2017/18 budget, but staff will be bringing forward a Debt Management
Policy to the City Council in March. If the City Council would like to request revisions to
existing policies, she requested submittal of those requests to staff by March 1.
Finance and Administrative Services Director Mary Furey then reported on the Mid-Year
Budget Status. She provided information about estimated expenditures and revenues, noting
the current projections for different taxes and fees and operational expenditures. Overall, the
City is doing well this year. There are several proposed mid-year budget requests, including
additional funding for tree maintenance that is needed due to recent storms, vehicle and
equipment replacement to purchase new pool vehicles instead of leasing them, and vehicle
and equipment maintenance for tractor repairs.
Finance and Administrative Services Director Mary Furey shared the five-year forecast with
the City Council, explaining some of the assumptions used to prepare the forecast and their
impact on the resulting projections.
Finance and Administrative Services Director Mary Furey then discussed the California
Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) Discount Rate Change, approved by the
CalPERS Board of Administration in December 2016. She described how the discount rate is
expected to be phased in and how that will impact Saratoga and how it might affect the
City’s Unfunded Accrued Liability (UAL).33
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 5 of 27
Council Member Miller noted that the City initially had a goal to pay $500,000 towards the
UAL, so that payment would only take 15 years. He suggested that the City Council may
want to consider increasing the annual payment amount to keep the 15 year target. He added
that given changes in electric vehicle technology, it would be better to lease electric vehicle
pool cars instead or purchasing them. He also commented that roughly $100,000 is expected
to come back to the City later this year from Silicon Valley Clean Energy. This is the
repayment of initial funds needed to launch Silicon Valley Clean Energy. The Council may
want to consider where the money should go.
Mayor Lo asked if there might be disadvantages associated with paying down the UAL at an
advanced pace.
Council Member Miller responded that there would have to be extraordinary circumstances
that would cause advance payment of the UAL to negatively impact the City, such as a
legislative action that lumped city liabilities together, instead of accounting for them
individually.
Finance and Administrative Services Director Mary Furey provided additional information
about the projected rate of return.
Council Member Cappello returned discussion to the question raised by Council Member
Miller regarding whether the Council should maintain its goal to pay down the UAL on a 15
year schedule knowing that the UAL amount is expected to increase as a result of the
changes to the discount rate.
Council Member Kumar recommended working through a regional organization, like the
League of California Cities, to address issues with the UAL management.
Council Member Cappello asked for additional information about issues with leasing electric
pool vehicles.
Public Works Director John Cherbone explained that lease terms requested by leasing
companies had become very onerous since the City’s first lease of electric vehicles.
City Manager James Lindsay added that staff could work through lease issues if the City
Council preferred to lease pool vehicles instead of purchase them.
Council Member Cappello indicated a preference to lease electric pool vehicles given rapid
changes in technology.
The City Council concurred with this approach.
Council Member Miller proposed that the City stick with the 15 year plan to pay down the
UAL.
Council Member Kumar suggested that the $100,000 from Silicon Valley Clean Energy be
set aside for public safety in the Fiscal Year 2017/18 budget. The funds could be used for
things like payment of encroachment permits for Homeowners Associations to install
security cameras in the public right of way or sending crime prevention information to all
Saratoga households.
34
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 6 of 27
Mayor Lo suggested that the Finance Committee could consider where to place the $100,000
from Silicon Valley Clean Energy and make a recommendation to the City Council. She also
noted that City staff would be bringing forward an agenda item on the structure of the Public
Safety Task Force and budget requirements could be included as part of that item.
Council Member Miller noted that development of the Fiscal year 2017/18 budget is already
underway and funding requests should be considered together at the next Finance Committee
meeting.
Council Member Cappello proposed that the Council give direction to staff to place the
money in the Council Discretionary Fund and then the City Council consider how to use it in
the future.
Vice Mayor Bernald noted that the Public Art Committee met last week and received a
request for funding for an art project for the current fiscal year. Additionally, the Committee
may be asking for an annual allowance for art-related efforts. If the Finance Committee is
considering operating budget requests for Fiscal Year 2017/18, then funding for Public Art
should be considered as well.
Public Works Director John Cherbone noted that many of the Boy Scout and Girl Scout
volunteer projects, such as those for Eagle Awards, often require the City to purchase
materials.
Council Member Miller asked when the City Council might be asked to consider the funding
request from the Public Art Committee mentioned by Vice Mayor Bernald.
City Manager James Lindsay said the request is currently expected to come before the City
Council on March 1, 2017.
Council Member Kumar suggested allocated $250,000 in Fiscal Year 2017/18 for marketing
and outreach, so that the city can increase outreach and conduct large communication
campaigns.
COUNCIL CONSENSUS:
The City Council directed staff to pursue options to lease electric pool vehicles instead of
making a mid-year budget adjustment to purchase electric pool vehicles. Council agreed to
proceed with the proposed mid-year budget adjustment for tree maintenance and the vehicle
and equipment maintenance internal service fund.
The City Council directed the Finance Committee to consider operating budget requests for
Fiscal Year 2017/18, including the request for funds for public safety, marketing and
outreach, public art, and Boy/Girl Scout projects. The City Council further directed the
Finance Committee to make a recommendation regarding the timeline and framework of the
UAL payment.
The $100,000 expected from Silicon Valley Clean Energy should be placed in the City
Council Discretionary Fund.35
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 7 of 27
Staffing & Service Levels
City Manager James Lindsay described organizational changes planned in the Recreation and
Facilities Department following the resignation of Adam Henig. His position has been
converted to a Coordinator and the position has already been filled.
City Manager James Lindsay then proceeded to Sheriff’s Office staffing levels with a
reminder that per the City’s agreement with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, the City
must inform the Sheriff’s Office of any law enforcement staffing level changes by March 1.
He noted that staff is not recommending changes to Sheriff’s Office staffing levels.
Mayor Lo asked if there is any connection to reduced property crime and increased patrols.
Captain Rich Urena added that the Sheriff’s Office is not recommending changes to law
enforcement staffing levels either. Response times to 911 calls are often used to determine if
staffing levels are adequate and response times are well within the parameters of the
agreement between the City and Sheriff’s Office. He added that the data does not appear to
suggest increasing patrols decreases property crime. The real deterrent to crime is engaging
the community. Additionally, residents may request patrol checks if they will be away from
home or have concerns about activity in their neighborhood.
Council Member Miller noted that he is happy with the services being offered by the
Sheriff’s Office. He acknowledged challenges last year with property crime, but noted he felt
the City is in a good place with more established Neighborhood Watch groups per capita than
perhaps any other city. Despite property crime increases, Saratoga is still among one of the
safest California cities and there are efforts underway to make Saratoga safer still. He asked
if there is sufficient Sheriff’s Office staffing to support the City’s Neighborhood Watch
efforts.
Captain Urena confirmed that there is.
Council Member Kumar asked if the Sheriff’s Office checks for proof of citizenship when
stopping someone for something like a traffic violation. He also asked about use of automatic
license plate readers.
Captain Urena noted that the Sheriff’s Office does own automated license plate readers and
these can be used in Saratoga once the County’s surveillance policy is approved by the
County Board of Supervisors. After that, the Sheriff’s Office can present information about
the policy to the City Council. He also confirmed that the Sheriff’s Office does not check for
proof of citizenship.
The City Council confirmed that current Sheriff’s Office staffing levels are acceptable.
Council Member Cappello questioned whether there are sufficient resources available to the
City to onboard new hires and help them get familiar with the City’s culture and priorities.
City Manager James Lindsay confirmed that there are sufficient resources. However, the
management team has been discussing what makes Saratoga’s culture distinct and how to
identify if recruits will be a good match with the City’s culture. Staff will be working on this
36
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 8 of 27
issue. He noted that as new hires are brought up board, it does divert the attention of
supervisors and directors from other work and there is a learning curve for new hires as they
learn their position. Though a consultant or Human Resources could potentially help in this
area, each department does things slightly different and serves the community in a different
manner, so there is value in having supervisors and directors acclimate new hires.
Council Member Kumar asked if staff receive diversity training or sensitivity training for
working with older adults.
City Manager James Lindsay said that staff are sensitive to the needs of the community in
terms of both diversity and age, but additional resources and training could be provided to
reinforce cultural and age awareness. He agreed to work with the Human Resources Manager
on this.
Council Member Cappello also suggested that sensitivity to cognitive challenges, such as
dementia, be included.
City Manager James Lindsay said that they would include that as well. He then proceed to
share changes that he plans to propose as part of the Fiscal Year 2017/18 budget. The first of
these proposed changes is to permanently transition Poh Yee, Senior Building Inspector/Plan
Checker, to the Public Works Department. He has been working in Public Works for the last
year and it has been very beneficial for Public Works. The proposed staffing change will
result in a slight increase in staffing in Public Works and slight decrease in staffing in
Community Development. City Manager James Lindsay then noted that there have been a
number of City Council initiatives that the City have been managed by the City Manager’s
Office, which has been possible due to temporary staffing made available to the City
Manager’s Office in the last year. Consequently, he is proposing to transition from 4.45 Full
Time Equivalent (FTE) staff members to 4.9 FTEs by creating a new Deputy City Manager
position and modestly reducing the hours of the Executive Assistant position, at the
incumbent’s request. The City Clerk position would become a dedicated City Clerk and the
Analyst would be more focused on communications work.
Council Member Miller shared an observation about the amount of work that the City
Council has generated for the City Manager over the last few years and commented on the
efficiency of the City Manager’s Office. He then noted a few examples. He also commented
on the prioritization of communications. He expressed support for the proposed changes to
the City Manager’s Office.
Council Member Kumar also commented on the proposed restructuring and noted several
recent achievements.
Mayor Lo confirmed there was support from the Council to proceed with the proposed
reorganization as part of the Fiscal Year 2017/18 budget.
COUNCIL CONSENSUS:
The City Council agreed that no changes in staffing levels are needed as part of the City’s
agreement with the Sheriff’s Office. The City Manager agreed to provide staff with training
to reinforce sensitivity to diversity, age, and individuals with cognitive challenges. The City 37
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 9 of 27
Council also expressed support for proposed Fiscal Year 2017/18 organizational changes in
Public Works/Community Development and the City Manager’s Office.
FY 2017/18 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Budget Preview
Tony McFarlane, Finance Manager, presented a preview of the Fiscal Year 2017/18 CIP,
including updates on projects in the Fiscal Year 2016/17 CIP.
Public Works Director John Cherbone provided status updates on the Highway 9
Improvement Phase IV Project, Prospect/Saratoga Median Improvements, Quito Road
Bridges, and Hakone Gardens Miscellaneous Improvements/Koi Pond Improvements. He
also updated the Council on the status of the Guava Court/Fredericksburg crossing at Joe’s
Trail and the Saratoga to the Sea Trail.
Recreation and Facilities Director Michael Taylor provided a status update on the Senior
Center Restroom ADA Upgrades Project.
Tony McFarlane, Finance Manager, discussed recommended projects to projects currently
funded. This included moving the Beaumont Avenue Traffic Circle to the Unfunded List and
closing the Hakone Gardens Miscellaneous Improvements Project and transferring the
remaining funds to the Koi Pond project or another Hakone Gardens project consistent with
the terms of the development agreement between the City and Hakone.
Public Works Director John Cherbone provided additional background on the Beaumont
Avenue Traffic Circle project.
Council Member Miller suggested that the City Council accept the two recommended
changes to existing, funded projects.
The City Council agreed.
Tony McFarlane, Finance Manager, reviewed proposed changes to unfunded projects.
Council Member Miller proposed that the City Council accept the changes to projects in the
Unfunded CIP
The City Council agreed.
Tony McFarlane, Finance Manager, detailed additional funding requests for existing, funded
CIP. These projects included: El Camino Grande Storm Drain; Damon Lane Retaining Wall;
Hakone Gardens Koi Pond Improvements; Citywide Tree Planting Program; Citywide LLD
Initiation Match Program; and Village Façade Program.
Council Member Cappello requested information about prior year allocations and
expenditures for the Citywide Tree Planting Program.
City Manager James Lindsay agreed to share that information with the City Council prior to
the CIP Prioritization Study Session on February 15, 2017.
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Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 10 of 27
Council Member Miller requested information on funding for the 2015 by 2015 Tree
Planting Challenge and funding for the 2020 by 2020 Tree Planting Challenge.
City Manager James Lindsay said he would provide that information to the City Council.
Community Development Director Erwin Ordoñez provided additional information about
recent uses of the Village Façade Program.
Tony McFarlane, Finance Manager, provided information about the City Council and staff
nominated CIP.
Council Member Miller requested that the Village Fast Charge Electric Vehicle Stations
project name be changed to Village Level II Electric Vehicle Charging Stations.
Mayor Lo asked if fees for electric vehicle charging stations would also be considered.
Council Member Miller suggested that take part of the Fee Schedule update and noted that
PG&E may be introducing a network of charging stations and may be willing to install
stations in Saratoga.
Mayor Lo asked for additional information about the State Route 85/Saratoga Avenue
Beautification Project.
Council Member Miller, as the Council Member who nominated the project, explained that
the purpose of the project would be to beautify the State Route 85 on ramps and off ramps at
Saratoga Avenue and the segment of Saratoga Avenue near State Route 85.
Mayor Lo if the indicated project cost of $250,000 would be an annual project amount.
Public Works Director John Cherbone explained that this amount reflects initial costs.
Caltrans may be willing to provide a stipend to offset initial or ongoing costs.
Mayor Lo then asked for additional information on the Village Clock project.
Council Member Miller, as the nominating Council Member, provided additional
information. He noted that as part of the America in Bloom competition, he saw many
examples of town clocks. Costs range from $15,000 to $150,000. The location and timeline
for the project could be determined by the America in Bloom Committee and Public Art
Committee.
Council Member Cappello noted that several nominated projects have connections with
America in Bloom. He asked for additional information about the America in Bloom
connections and timing.
Public Works Director John Cherbone noted that the America in Bloom Committee has
planned out a focus for each annual America in Bloom competition in the years ahead. The
focus on this year will be flowers. The following year will focus on the medians and the
following year will be focused on volunteer projects, with the Bocce Ball Court project
proposed as the volunteer project for that year.39
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 11 of 27
Council Member Cappello asked if the City Hall Courtyard Renovation could be timed with
the Bocce Ball Court project for the purposes of the America in Bloom competition.
Public Works Director John Cherbone said he thought that they could.
In the interest of time, staff did not review the CIP prioritization process with the City
Council.
Tony McFarlane, Finance Manager, reviewed available funding sources for the Pavement
Management Program. He noted that staff is recommending a little over $1.3 million for the
Pavement Management Program, since increasing this amount above this level may have
negative impacts on the City’s Measure B assumptions and allocations. If the Governor’s
Transportation Package is approved, these funds will be added to the Pavement Management
Program.
Mayor Lo noted that some of the CIP funding sources are received by the City annual, but
several are new.
Tony McFarlane, Finance Manager, explained that while the Governor’s Transportation
Package is shown as a potential funding source, the City is not budgeting for it.
Council Member Miller also noted that SB 1 funds are not shown, since it is unclear what
will happen with that funding. He added that the City Council has had a goal of funding
Roadway Improvements at $2 million and asked if there is interest in allocating additional
funds to the project to reach the $2 million target.
Tony McFarlane, Finance Manager, then reviewed available funding sources for the Fiscal
Year 2017/18 CIP.
Mayor Lo invited public comment on the item.
The following people requested to speak:
Joyce Hlava recommended funding the Big Basin Way Turnaround Project.
Bob Dunnett spoke on behalf of the Saratoga Monte Sereno Community Foundation and
recommended keeping the Magical Bridges Playground project in the funded CIP.
Dave Johnston recommended allocating funds to the Peck public art bench.
Council Member Miller suggested that the City Council consider funding for the design of
the Big Basin Way Turnaround project as part of the CIP Prioritization Study Session.
Council Member Bernald noted that the Public Art Committee met last week and is expecting
to bring forward a request for funding for the Peck bench at the March 1, 2017 City Council
Meeting. She also mentioned a request to paint one of the utility boxes in the Village and that
she expects the conceptual artwork to be considered at the March 1, 2017 City Council
Meeting as well.
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Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 12 of 27
COUNCIL CONSENSUS:
The Council agreed to move the Beaumont Avenue Traffic Circle to the Unfunded CIP and
close the Hakone Gardens Miscellaneous Improvements project and transfer remaining funds
to the Koi Pond project as part of the Fiscal Year 2017/18 CIP.
The City Council accepted proposed changes to projects in the Unfunded CIP.
City Manager James Lindsay was asked to provide the City Council with prior year
allocations and expenditures for the Citywide Tree Planting Program and the funding for the
2015 by 2015 Tree Planting Challenge and funding for the 2020 by 2020 Tree Planting
Challenge with the City Council.
Staff agreed to change the Village Fast Charge Electric Vehicle Stations project name to
Village Level II Electric Vehicle Charging Stations.
The City Council requested the cost of the Big Basin Way Turnaround project design for the
CIP Prioritization Study Session.
After the CIP Budget Preview, the City Council took a break for lunch.
Communications
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Assistant to the City Manager, provided an introduction to the
item, explaining some of the challenges that local governments face in communicating with
the public.
Lauren Pettipiece, Administrative Analyst, explained efforts that the City has made to
overcome communication challenges and what the City plans to do to further improve
communications.
Council Member Miller said he’s happy with the City’s efforts to recognize modern media
and respond accordingly. He did note that he hopes the new website will be cleaner, purer,
and simpler. He suggested the Silicon Valley Clean Energy website as a model.
Lauren Pettipiece, Administrative Analyst, shared that staff plans on using a simple and
modern design that is easy to navigate and with a prominent search function. There will be
several check-in points with the City Council during the development process.
Council Member Kumar observed that there are many different communication channels that
people use to talk to each other and therefore it is important that we do not limit ourselves to
one single channel. Nextdoor postings have been helpful because they are reactionary and
predictive to things happening in the community. He added that he recently saw a post from
another local government organization that turned off the option to comment and expressed
his appreciation that the City has not opted to do this. He suggested that the City consider
sending out more frequently email communications in addition to the quarterly Saratogan
email. He proposed monthly emails.
Mayor Lo concurred that multiple tools are necessary to communicate with residents. She
noted that the City is not able to see discussions on posts that originate from residents.
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Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 13 of 27
City Manager James Lindsay noted that the City will need to be careful about sending emails.
If the City sends emails too often, the City may see an increase people unsubscribing.
Council Member Cappello noted that there has been significant improvements in
communications and the City is on the right track. He did mention that he has heard people
have unsubscribed from Nextdoor, because of negative comments and tension. While the
City isn’t initiating these threads, people appear to be losing interest in the platform.
Council Member Miller shared his opinion that most people want relevant information. There
is a lot of information available, but it isn’t always relevant to you. The challenge is to find
information that is relevant to the community and communicating it at the right time.
Nextdoor is also a great source of potential topics.
Vice Mayor Bernald agreed and added that it is important that the City avoid overwhelming
people. She read a letter to the Saratoga News several months ago and the author argued that
the City did not do a very good job self-promoting or letting residents know what the City
has done. Finding a way to communicate this information without inundating would be good.
City Manager James Lindsay noted that the Saratogan is now published quarterly
electronically. This substantially reduces the cost and staff could look into making it a more
frequent publication and reducing the printing schedule or by doing a monthly digest
between quarterly publications. Staff can also look t popular topics on Nextdoor and include
those as part of the Saratogan.
Council Member Miller suggested that the most popular topics, like Ask our Staff and Quick
Tips from Captain Rich, and trending Nextdoor topics could be emailed out more frequently.
Council Member Kumar suggested that emails direct people to the website. He also liked the
idea of a digest or hot topics getting emailed once a month. He suggested that the City also
direct people to Nextdoor posts, if appropriate. He suggested that the City website could
include information and frequently asked questions on important topics, like Silicon Valley
Clean Energy.
Council Member Miller cautioned against duplicating information on the City website that
can be found on the website of other organizations.
Council Member Kumar recommended use of text messages to communicate with residents.
Lauren Pettipiece, Administrative Analyst, shared that the County recently transitioned from
Blackboard to Everbridge for AlertSCC messages. The system includes the ability to send
text messages for non-emergency messaging for those elect to receive text messages from the
City. The system is free for the City to use.
Council Member Miller asked about the City’s Twitter account.
Lauren Pettipiece, Administrative Analyst, explained that the City has two accounts.
Mayor Lo requested that the new website be search friendly. She also shared her observation
that it appears many residents seem interested in Nextdoor topics that connect with their daily
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Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 14 of 27
lives, such as contractor referrals or lost pets. Postings of that nature tend to be very
enthusiastic. She also noted that some postings require a significant amount of time, because
the amount of questions that they may generate.
Vice Mayor Bernald added that a recent post about the Saratogan generated comments and
questions about the Saratoga News. Lauren was very quick to respond.
COUNCIL CONSENSUS:
The City Council requested that the website redesign focus on a website with a simple and
pure design as well as search functionality. City staff will consider opportunities to
communicate with residents by email more frequently and present options as part of the
Quarterly Communications Report in March. The City Council also requested staff find ways
to share information about trending Nextdoor topics outside of the Nextdoor platform.
General Plan Updates
Community Development Director Erwin Ordoñez provided a report on proposed General
Plan Update options.
Mayor Lo invited public comment on the item.
The following people requested to speak:
Dede Smullen, Planning Commission Chair, supported an update to the Land Use Element
and option 2 outlined in the staff report to prepare a shared environmental impact report to
update more than one General Plan Element.
Mayor Lo asked if grant funding is available for General Plan updates.
Community Development Director Erwin Ordoñez indicated that he is not aware of any, but
will look into it.
Vice Mayor Bernald asked if there which combination of updates, between the Circulation
Element, Open Space/Conservation Element, and Land Use Element, would be most
advisable.
Community Development Director Erwin Ordoñez noted that there is overlap between the
Circulation and Land Use Elements.
Vice Mayor Bernald asked if updating the Land Use Element now would help minimize State
efforts to impose housing requirements.
City Manager James Lindsay responded that updating the Land Use Element now may help
the City identify areas within the City that are appropriate for housing growth, but that would
not necessarily prevent the State from overreaching.
Council Member Miller asked if there could be a third option not mentioned in the staff
report to do all three elements, Circulation, Open Space/Conservation, and Land Use
together.
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Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 15 of 27
Community Development Director Erwin Ordoñez commented that updating the Circulation
Element will make it easier to get grants for certain projects, such as roadway improvements.
He added that the options provided in the staff report reflect funds available General Plan and
Advance Planning Update CIP.
Council Member Miller noted that additional funds could be added to the project upfront to
address cash flow issues so that all three elements could be done in 2 fiscal years.
City Attorney Richard Taylor added that combining the three elements together over the
course of two years is the superior option, from the legal perspective. If the updates are using
a shared environmental review document, community desires may change given enough
time.
Dede Smullen, Planning Commission Chair, said that the Planning Commission felt the Land
Use Element is the priority, but the Commission is not opposed to updating all three
elements.
Council Member Cappello commented that consultants can usually do work on their end
fairly quickly. What frequently slows projects down is the effort on the City’s side. He said
he felt the City could do all three elements in two years.
Vice Mayor Bernald asked if there is funding available to add to the element updates.
Tony McFarlane, Finance Manager, said that there is not currently enough money in the
General Plan and Advance Planning Update CIP for all three, unless funding from another
source is added.
Council Member Miller suggested that if the Council wants to update all three elements in
two years, the Finance Committee can look at how to fund the updates to make it possible.
COUNCIL CONSENSUS:
Staff will explore grant opportunities for the General Plan updates. The City Council directed
the Finance Committee to look at opportunities to fund updates to the Circulation, Open
Space/Conservation, and Land Use Elements within 2 years.
Citywide Transportation Assessment Progress Report
Public Works Director John Cherbone and Franziska Church with Fehr and Peers provided a
status report on the Citywide Transportation Needs Assessment, including the estimated
timeline and areas that will be studied as part of the assessment.
Council Member Cappello wondered if it would be possible to capture data on those who are
traveling through Saratoga and have start and destination points outside of the City.
Franziska Church responded that this data may be available and she agreed to look into
available options.
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Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 16 of 27
Council Member Cappello also asked if it would be possible to obtain data from navigation
apps to identify how drivers move through the City during peak traffic times.
Franziska Church agreed to look into obtaining this data, but cautioned against planning
based on uncommon conditions, like congestion.
Mayor Lo commented upon corporate shuttle buses using smaller residential streets.
Franziska Church responded that part of the assessment is to contact employers that have
their own shuttle buses to request information about where those shuttles travel and pick up
passengers.
Council Member Miller recommended seeking data that can produce actionable items for the
City. For example, data that relates to last mile issues and connectivity may help the City
understand who is coming to the City and help inform transit solutions. He also noted that
VTA, MTC, and Silicon Valley Leadership Group have done some work related to corporate
shuttles and may share their data with the City or facilitate conversations between the City
and employers. West Valley College also draws in several thousand people every day and
may have good information about where students and staff are coming from. Though some
organizations have faced challenges obtaining this information, the City may be successful
since there is an interest in facilitating transportation solutions rather than fighting the
operation of employer shuttle buses. On the request for data on people traveling through the
City with starting points and destinations outside of the City, VTA does have a demand
model. However, it is not fully accurate during congested periods. The data does show that
people crossing out of Saratoga’s northern border are almost entirely from within Santa Clara
County and many are coming from areas like, Almaden Valley and State Route 17. Many
people assume the commuters traveling through Saratoga originate from Morgan Hill or
Gilroy. It would be very helpful for the City to know how many people are coming down
Highway 9 and Quito Road to Lawrence Expressway instead of using State Route 85, what
the City’s contribution is to Lawrence Expressway, and how many people come through the
City to avoid traffic on State Route 85.
Vice Mayor Bernald noted that drivers feed into the City is at Pollard Road from Campbell.
Council Member Miller shared that his opinion on the value of producing more fine grain
data than what is available through other organizations, like VTA.
Franziska Church thanked Council Member Miller for the suggestions for additional sources
of data and agreed to work with the organizations that may have access to the data.
Mayor Lo asked if the assessment would include residents who commute for work would be
surveyed.
Franziska Church said that a survey could be developed to identify the common destinations
and routes of residents.
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Asst. to the City Manager, provided a report on the Saratoga
Senior Taxi Pilot Program.
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Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 17 of 27
Council Member Miller shared that VTA is conducting a pilot on flexible shuttles. VTA is
also looking at ways to make the most of capacity within the paratransit system.
Additionally, Measure B could potentially fund alternative transportation methods. However,
it is not clear if this potential funding would be allocated directly to cities or regional groups
or managed by VTA. He also noted that the pilot started as part of the Citywide
Transportation Needs Assessment and asked if the pilot would be splitting from the
assessment.
City Manager James Lindsay responded that it would now become distinct from the Citywide
Transportation Needs Assessment.
Council Member Cappello informed the City Council that the Senior Center has been
meeting with Avenidas in Palo Alto to learn about their senior transportation program that is
run by volunteers. He also mentioned communications he and the Senior Center have had
with Supervisor Joe Simitian and his staff regarding senior transportation and invited
representatives of the Senior Center to share their findings from the meetings with Avenidas.
Lisa Huening, Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Council (SASCC) Board of Directors
President, commented that one of the lessons learned from the Saratoga Senior Taxi Pilot
Program is that a lot of assistance and guidance is needed in a transportation program. The
Avenidas program has a part time coordinator and part time driver who provides rides when
volunteer drivers are not available. When rides cannot be provided by volunteers or the part
time driver, rides are coordinated with Lyft. Volunteer drivers usually drive about 4 hours for
week and there is a total of 20 volunteer drivers in the program. Rides on average are 4 miles.
The program has been in place for the last 15 years. She shared her opinion that the Avenidas
program is probably the best model given the needs of older adults.
Council Member Cappello added that volunteer drivers receive their schedule of trips in
advance of their shift. Program participants are asked to make ride reservations 36 hours in
advance. Last minute trips are typically provided by the part time driver or Lyft.
Vice Mayor asked about the level of insurance provided.
Lisa Huening, SASCC Board of Directors President, explained that volunteer drivers must
provide Avenidas with a copy of their driver’s license, meet minimum insurance
requirements, enroll with the DMV, and have their vehicles inspected. Additionally, drivers
need a mobile phone with hands-free capacity.
Mayor Lo asked if a pilot based on the Avenidas model would require recruitment of
volunteer drivers.
Lisa Huening, SASCC Board of Directors President, said that it would require a combination
of a part time driver, volunteer drivers, and a part time coordinator. The program would
likely start small, offering rides within a 4.5 mil radius. Longer rides could potentially be
coordinated through a provider, like Lyft.
Council Member Cappello added that initially the program may run at a loss, but eventually
it can become self-sufficient.
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Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 18 of 27
Tylor Taylor, SASCC Executive Director, shared that the Avenidas model uses a sliding
scale pricing system based on distance traveled. The program generally uses Lyft sparingly,
because the difference in ride cost is covered by Avenidas. The volunteer and part time
drivers are used first as the cost less. During meetings with Avenidas, they provided good
advice on what to look for in drivers. Initially, the program would likely provide 25 to 30
rides per week with approximately 10 volunteer drivers. A radius of 4.5 miles would cover
80 percent of the destinations of Senior Taxi Pilot Program participants. In roughly 2 years,
the program could become profitable.
Council Member Miller asked what the pricing would be.
Tylor Taylor, SASCC Executive Director, said that they would follow the Avenidas model
and base pricing on distance.
Council Member Miller asked what ride details might be shared with passengers and when
they would receive that information.
Tylor Taylor, SASCC Executive Director, responded that passengers would receive similar
information to that shared with Uber passengers and it would be shared at least a few minutes
before the ride or the day before prescheduled rides.
Mayor Lo asked how the fare for rides is split.
Tylor Taylor, SASCC Executive Director, explained that the fare is not split. The fee would
be paid to the Senior Center. Volunteer drivers would be eligible for a small reimbursement
and the Senior Center could provide gas cards to drivers if funding were available.
Mayor Lo asked if the pilot proposed by the Senior Center could be self-supporting based on
fees collected by rides.
Tylor Taylor, SASCC Executive Director, said that initial funding would be required. The
program may break even within 6 to 8 months.
Council Member Miller speculated it might cost $10,000 to $20,000 to launch the program.
Vice Mayor Bernald asked for clarification on the proposed ride rates.
Tylor Taylor, SASCC Executive Director, reviewed the rate structure and explained that rates
are per trip, not roundtrip. Reservations for return trips could be scheduled at the same time
that outbound trips are booked.
Vice Mayor Bernald asked if participants would have the same driver.
Tylor Taylor, SASCC Executive Director, explained that it is probable and part of the
program goals is to provide the opportunity for socialization.
Vice Mayor Bernald noted a report on the proposed program that was shared with Council
Member Cappello and asked if that would be shared with the rest of the City Council.
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Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 19 of 27
Lisa Huening, SASCC Board of Directors President, explained that the report is a draft of the
business plan for the program and it is currently under development.
Vice Mayor Bernald asked if SASCC would be requesting funds from the City to launch the
program.
Lisa Huening, SASCC Board of Directors President, said that SASCC would be requesting
funds.
Council Member Cappello commented that the City learned a lot from the Saratoga Senior
Taxi Pilot Program and the Senior Center is also gaining a lot of valuable information rom
Avenidas. The model used by Avenidas has been proven to work. Additionally, the Saratoga
Ministerial Association is already interested in helping by providing volunteer drivers, since
many of the organizations struggle to arrange transportation for congregants. Additionally,
the volunteer aspect of the program makes it more than just a transportation program and
helps address issues of isolation among older adults. SASCC is planning to request $20,000
to start of the program.
Council Member Miller noted that the proposed program is modeled on a program that has
been very successful. If there were a change in the existing transportation infrastructure, such
as changes to VTA services for older adults, the program would make it very easy for older
residents to adjust as they would continue to call the concierge service at the senior center to
make transportation arrangements. For longer distance rides, perhaps the program could also
help older adults obtain Clipper cards or arrange rides to Caltrain stations. While $20,000
sounds like a lot of money, it is also a very inexpensive investment to help advance this
service in the community.
Vice Mayor Bernald asked how long Avenidas has been running its transportation program.
Tylor Taylor, SASCC Executive Director, said 15 years.
Vice Mayor Bernald asked how long volunteers typically stay involved in the program.
Lisa Huening, SASCC Board of Directors President, stated that volunteers tend to stay
involved for a long time.
Vice Mayor Bernald asked if Avenidas has experienced any issues with accidents or claims.
Tylor Taylor, SASCC Executive Director, said that there have been no accidents or claims in
the history of the program.
Vice Mayor Bernald asked about the qualifications of drivers and who determines if a driver
is qualified.
Lisa Huening, SASCC Board of Directors President, explained that each driver has to fill out
an application and are subject to a background check. Additionally, vehicles are inspected by
a transportation coordinator.
Vice Mayor Bernald asked if there would be a detailed description of how the $20,000 would
be used by SASCC if the City Council allocated the funds to the program.
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Tylor Taylor, SASCC Executive Director, said that information would be included in the
program proposal and funding request to the City Council.
Mayor Lo added that she would like to see a breakdown of how the funds would be used, as
well as additional program details, like who will run the program, how long it will last, how
financials will work, and other details regarding the program.
Tylor Taylor, SASCC Executive Director, agreed to provide that information as part of the
request.
Council Member Miller suggested that the funding request come before the City Council
before the budget study session in mid-April. He suggested the first meeting in April as an
opportunity for the City Council to consider the request.
Vice Mayor Bernald asked if the City’s purchasing policy or competitive purchasing
requirements would apply to this request.
City Manager James Lindsay replied that they would not, since the City would be issuing a
grant as opposed to purchasing a good or service.
Vice Mayor Bernald asked if allocating funds to the program would preclude participation in
other transportation programs with similar intentions to serve older adults.
City Manager James Lindsay explained that providing funding would not compete with or
negate other proposals that may arise.
Council Member Miller commented that program proposed by the Senior Center is somewhat
of an experiment to see if the proposed program can help address transportation needs of
older adults in the community. Whether it fails or succeeds, it will help illuminate ways to
meet senior transportation needs. The City is in a position to act quickly and other partners
may join in down the road or try something different.
Lisa Huening, SASCC Board of Directors President, added that the Senior Center is working
closely with Supervisor Simitian and had discussions with West Valley Community Services
about development of a transportation program. At this point, West Valley Community
Services is not positioned to operate a transportation program. However, the Senior Center
will continue to engage and work collaboratively with potential partners as the program
proceeds.
Council Member Cappello added other neighboring cities were invited to participate in a
West Valley transportation pilot program. Other cities were interested, but did not engage
further to participate. It is possible the program could be developed and refined then
expanded beyond Saratoga.
Council Member Kumar expressed appreciation for Vice Mayor Bernald’s questions and
indicated support for the initial concept of the program proposed by SASCC.
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COUNCIL CONSENSUS:
Council asked staff to determine if data is available for individuals traveling through the City
with start and destination points outside of Saratoga; and seek data that provides insights into
how people enter and leave the City, as well as routes they taken within Saratoga, from
navigation apps, VTA, MTC, West Valley College, and Silicon Valley Leadership Group.
The City Manager agreed to survey residents on their common destinations and routes.
Council requested that SASCC bring forward a detailed transportation program proposal and
funding request no later than the April 1, 2017 City Council Meeting. The proposal and
request should include a detailed description of the proposed program and a breakdown
describing how requested funds are proposed to be used.
Statewide Policy Issues on the Horizon: Marijuana, Housing, and Drones
City Attorney Richard Taylor provided a presentation on State regulatory changes related to
marijuana.
Council Member Cappello asked if medical and recreational marijuana could be regulated
separately or if the same rules must apply to the sale, use, or production of both.
City Attorney Richard Taylor explained that separate regulations could be applied.
Council Member Miller asked for additional background on the policy option to require
compliance with existing laws for indoor cultivation of marijuana for personal use.
City Attorney Richard Taylor explained that while existing law, such as the building and fire
codes, may not expressly refer to marijuana, the existing codes do apply and the City Code
could be modified to directly refer those growing marijuana indoors for personal use to
applicable regulations and codes. The City has done something similar in City Code Chapter
17- Sustainability.
Mayor Lo asked if the City would be able to strengthen or revise its regulations if it were to
adopt policies or ordinances this year before the State finalizes its regulations.
City Attorney Richard Taylor responded that the City would be able to modify or adjust its
regulations or policies in response to State policies. If the City were to wait until after the
State adopts its policies and implements them, it may be some time before the City knows
what the State regulations will actually be. He also clarified that stores that sell medical
marijuana are currently prohibited in Saratoga.
Vice Mayor Bernald asked if this included delivery of medical marijuana.
City Attorney Richard Taylor said that the City Code does not currently regulate delivery of
medical marijuana.
Council Member Kumar asked for clarification in the event that State and local regulations
conflict.
50
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 22 of 27
City Attorney Richard Taylor explained that local governments can adopt more restrictive
requirements that the State, but cannot allow less restrictive requirements than the State.
City Manager James Lindsay pointed to Alcohol Beverage Control regulations as an
example.
Council Member Miller asked if medical and recreational marijuana regulations should be
separate or combined.
City Attorney Richard Taylor suggested separate regulations.
Council Member Miller asked if it would be legal to hand out recreational marijuana for free
and if it is possible to regulate free distribution of recreational marijuana.
City Attorney Richard Taylor said he believes it would be legal and is not sure if there are
ways to regulate it. There could be some conflicts with existing law. For example, it would
be illegal to give recreational marijuana to a minor.
Council Member Miller noted that the City would probably not be able to regulate delivery
through mail carriers.
City Attorney Richard Taylor clarified that most city regulations of delivery services are for
dedicated delivery services, not traditional mail and package delivery services.
Mayor Lo asked if existing regulation of tobacco products would apply to marijuana.
City Attorney Richard Taylor explained that the existing tobacco regulations define tobacco
to include marijuana. Consequently, existing City tobacco regulations apply to marijuana.
While the City Code currently prohibits sale of medical marijuana, there are not regulations
concerning sales of commercial marijuana.
Mayor Lo asked if a tenant renting space would need permission from the property owner to
grow marijuana indoors.
City Attorney Richard Taylor explained it would depend on the lease.
Council Member Cappello asked if the City could dial back regulations if the City adopted
restrictions on marijuana in advance of the State and then felt that the State regulations were
sufficient.
City Attorney Richard Taylor confirmed that the City could do this.
Council Member Cappello asked if the City would be limited in rules it could adopt later
after State law goes into effect.
City Attorney Richard Taylor said that waiting would not necessarily preempt the City from
adopting its own regulations. However, it is possible that if the City waits to adopt its on
regulations then a shop could open in the City under a State permit.
Council Member Cappello asked if there was a limit on regulations for indoor cultivation.
51
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 23 of 27
City Attorney Richard Taylor said that it is unclear what the limitations are.
Council Member Miller suggested providing direction to staff to prepare an ordinance that
would prevent retail recreational marijuana sales in the City and requires compliance with all
building, electrical, and fire codes for indoor cultivation. He asked if the City could require
permits for indoor cultivation.
City Attorney Richard Taylor said that the City could require individuals growing marijuana
indoors to register with the City and require inspections of registered indoor cultivation
locations to ensure compliance with building, electrical, and fire codes. He added that the
City could charge a cost recovery fee for registration.
Council Member Miller expressed support for an ordinance prohibiting retail sales of
recreational marijuana, adding language in the City Code expressly requiring compliance
with all building, electrical, and fire codes for indoor cultivation, and requiring individuals
growing marijuana indoors to register with the City subject to a cost recovery fee.
Council Member Cappello agreed.
Mayor Lo asked about advertising.
City Attorney Richard Taylor noted that advertisement is protected by free speech, but there
are some existing rules in the City Code related to signage in tobacco retailer locations. That
said, it would be very difficult to restrict or prohibit advertising related to marijuana.
Vice Mayor Bernald commented on existing City signage regulations, such as restrictions on
neon and blinking signs.
City Attorney Richard Taylor added that the existing regulations apply to the structure of the
sign, not the content. The City is not able to regulate the content of signs.
Vice Mayor Bernald returned discussion to delivery of marijuana.
City Attorney Richard Taylor noted some of the complications associated with regulating
delivery and suggested that the City Council consider regulation of delivery if it turns out to
be an issue.
Community Development Director Erwin Ordoñez presented on housing regulations on the
horizon.
City Manager James Lindsay added some of the rationale behind the Governor’s interest in
by-right housing, sharing that this approach is motivated by the belief that the State shortage
of housing is being caused by NIMBY behavior. As a result, there have been recent
discussions between cities and the League of California Cities to propose an alternative to
by-right housing that would allow cities to do precise planning in certain parts of a city. Any
housing proposals that fully comply with the precise plan would be able to proceed directly
to the building process. In this scenario, the city would do all the planning work. This
alternative to by-right housing is still in preliminary phases and may change significantly or
it may not develop further. He added that some of the language used in communications from
52
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 24 of 27
the State seem to suggest that there will be pressure to increase housing density. However, it
is too soon to say exactly how or if this will play out.
Council Member Cappello asked if there is anything that the City can do to protect itself or
preempt State regulations.
City Attorney Richard Taylor suggested that it may be a good time to take on the proposed
General Plan updates discussed earlier. As part of the update process, the City can take a
careful look at some of constraints to significant development in Saratoga.
Community Development Director Erwin Ordoñez provided a report on drone regulations.
Council Member Miller noted that he would want to avoid regulations that prohibit drones
entirely in the City.
Mayor Lo invited public comment on the item.
John Linney expressed opposition to City regulations of drones.
No one else requested to speak.
Council Member Kumar noted a recent incident where a resident living near a park had a
drone fly into their backyard. Safety and privacy are important considerations, but it will also
be important to avoid being overly restrictive.
Council Member Cappello requested a copy of FAA regulations for drones.
COUNCIL CONSENSUS:
The City Council directed staff to bring forward an ordinance prohibiting retail sales of
recreational marijuana; adding language in the City Code expressly requiring compliance
with all building, electrical, and fire codes for indoor cultivation; and requiring individuals
growing marijuana indoors to register with the City subject a fee to recover costs associated
with registration and inspection.
City Manager James Lindsay agreed to provide the City Council with a copy of FAA
regulations of drones.
Village Visioning Progress Report
Community Development Director Erwin Ordoñez provided a status report on the Village
Visioning project.
Vice Mayor Bernald noted that Federated Church has expressed interest in working with the
City to construct a garage. She asked how funding for this type of project would work.
Community Development Director Erwin Ordoñez explained that initial conversations about
thegarageseemtosuggestthatmoneyfromtheCitywillnotbenecessary.However,Federated
Church is seeking technical advice and cooperation in relocating utilities.53
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 25 of 27
Mayor Lo invited public comment on the item.
HughRoberts shared that his political science advisor in college was Burton Brazil, Saratoga’s
first Mayor. Hugh said he feels Mayor Brazil would be very pleased by the collegiality and
competence of everyone at the Retreat.
Dede Smullen, Planning Commission Chair, noted that the Village Plan workshops have been
attended by a small group of people and it would be helpful to have larger participation.
No one else requested to speak.
Mayor Lo expressed interest in helping to address the concerns mentioned by Dede Smullen.
Council Member Cappello concurred.
Vice Mayor Bernald suggested that City staff work with the Saratoga News to draw more
attention to the Village Plan public meetings.
Retreat Wrap Up
City Manager James Lindsay reviewed Council consensus and direction for each agenda
item.
City Council Strategic Goals: Community Enrichment & Public Safety
The City Council agreed to add a new objective to be an age-friendly city within the
Community Enrichment goal and recognize inclusiveness that honors and respects diversity.
The Council also agreed to include the City’s efforts to encourage business as strategies
under Community Enrichment Objective E: Foster a business-friendly environment.
Additionally, the Council asked staff to include language to encourage family-friendly
business. The City Council also requested the first strategy under Community Enrichment
Objective A, Engaged and Vibrant Community, be rephrased to acknowledge the way in
which cultural events enhance vibrancy. The City Council agreed to update Community
Enrichment Objective C, Promote health as a community value, by noting tobacco control
policies and financial resource provided to encourage physical activity. Staff was asked to
update Community Enrichment Objective D, Cultivate organizational and leadership
potential in the community, by referencing the City’s volunteer program and replacing the
word committees with Commissions.
The Council directed staff to add references to the Santa Clara County Fire Department under
Public Safety Objective A: Preservation of life and safety. The Council also asked that
Neighborhood Watch, the Public Safety Task Force, and crime prevention forums be
included as part of the strategies under Public Safety Objective B: Crime prevention.
The City Council asked that staff incorporate changes to the Council Strategic Goals and
bring them back to Council for approval.
54
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 26 of 27
Finance Review: Fiscal Policies, Mid-Year Budget Status, and Five Year Forecast
The City Council agreed to proceed with the proposed mid-year budget adjustments, with the
exception of the proposal to adjust the budget to purchase new pool vehicles. Alternatively,
Council requested staff pursue options to lease electric pool vehicles instead of making a
mid-year budget adjustment to purchase electric pool vehicles.
The City Council directed the Finance Committee to consider operating budget requests for
Fiscal Year 2017/18, including the request for funds for public safety, marketing and
outreach, public art, and Boy/Girl Scout projects. The City Council further directed the
Finance Committee to make a recommendation regarding the timeline and framework of the
UAL payment.
The $100,000 expected from Silicon Valley Clean Energy should be placed in the City
Council Discretionary Fund.
Prior to the Budget Study Session in April, the City Council will consider a request for funds
for a transportation program from SASCC.
Staffing & Service Levels
The City Council agreed to make no changes to the existing staffing levels in the Sheriff’s
Office agreement. The City Council requested staff training to reinforce sensitivity to
diversity, age, and individuals with cognitive challenges. The City Council also expressed
support for proposed Fiscal Year 2017/18 organizational changes in Public Work and
Community Development and the City Manager’s Office, which included adding a new
position (Deputy City Manager), reducing the Executive Assistant to .9 FT., and assessing
the job title of the Administrative Analyst position.
FY 2017/18 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Budget Preview
The Council agreed to move the Beaumont Avenue Traffic Circle to the Unfunded CIP and
close the Hakone Gardens Miscellaneous Improvements project and transfer remaining funds
to the Hakone Gardens Koi Pond Improvements project as part of the Fiscal Year 2017/18
CIP.
The City Council accepted proposed changes to projects in the Unfunded CIP.
The City Council requested information about funding levels and use of funds for the 2015
by 2015 Tree Planting Challenge and the 2020 by 2020 Tree Planting Challenge
Staff agreed to change the Village Fast Charge Electric Vehicle Stations project name to
Village Level II Electric Vehicle Charging Stations.
The City Council requested the cost of the Big Basin Way Turnaround project design for the
CIP Prioritization Study Session.
55
Saratoga City Council Minutes– Page 27 of 27
Communications
The City Council requested that the website redesign focus on a website with a simple and
pure design as well as search functionality. City staff will consider opportunities to
communicate with residents by email more frequently and present options as part of the
Quarterly Communications Report in March. The City Council also requested staff find ways
to share information about trending Nextdoor topics outside of the Nextdoor platform.
General Plan Updates
The City Council asked staff to seek grant opportunities to fund the General Plan Updates
and agreed to update the Circulation, Open Space/Conservation, and Land Use Elements
within 2 years. The City Council directed the Finance Committee to identify opportunities to
fund the updates within the 2 year timeframe.
Citywide Transportation Assessment Progress Report
Staff was directed to: seek data for individuals traveling through the City with start and
destination points outside of Saratoga; identify data that provides insights into how people
enter and leave the City, as well as routes they taken within Saratoga, from navigation apps,
VTA, MTC, West Valley College, and Silicon Valley Leadership Group; and survey
residents on their common destinations and routes.
Council requested that SASCC bring forward a detailed transportation program proposal and
funding request no later than the April 1, 2017 City Council Meeting. The proposal and
request should include a detailed description of the proposed program and a breakdown
describing how requested funds are proposed to be used.
Statewide Policy Issues on the Horizon: Marijuana, Housing, and Drones
The City Council directed staff to bring forward an ordinance prohibiting retail sales of
recreational marijuana in Saratoga; adding language in the City Code expressly requiring
compliance with all building, electrical, and fire codes for indoor cultivation; and requiring
individuals growing marijuana indoors to register with the City subject a fee to recover costs
associated with registration and inspection.
The City Council requested a copy of FAA regulations of drones.
Village Visioning Progress Report
No action or direction given.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Lo adjourned the meeting at 4:48 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted:
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk
City of Saratoga
56
Saratoga City Council Minutes – Page 1 of 4
MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
At 6:00 p.m., the Saratoga City Council held a study session on the FY 2017/18 Capital Improvement
Plan (CIP) Budget in the Administrative Conference Room at Saratoga City Hall at 13777
Fruitvale Avenue.
Tony McFarlane, Finance Manager, provided an overview of the objectives of the study session
and actions taken at the City Council Retreat on February 3, 2017, which included accepting the
updated Unfunded project costs.
The City Council considered projects on the FY 2016/17 Unfunded CIP Projects list and selected
projects to consider for funding, to close, or keep on the Unfunded CIP Projects list for FY
2017/18.
At 6:57 p.m., the City Council took a short break then proceeded to the Regular Session. The city
Council returned to the study session at 7:12 p.m.
The City Council then considered requests for additional funding for existing CIP projects.
The City Council then reviewed nominated CIP projects and selected projects to consider for
funding, to reject, or place in the FY 2017/18 Unfunded CIP Projects list.
The City Council took a break at 8:15 p.m. and resumed the meeting at 8:34 p.m.
COUNCIL CONSENSUS:
The City Council closed the Hakone Gardens Miscellaneous Improvements project and allocated
remaining funds to the Hakone Gardens Koi Pond Improvements project.
The City Council moved Beaumont Avenue Traffic Circle project to the FY 2017/18 Unfunded
CIP Projects list and reallocated funds to the CIP Reserve.
The City Council closed and removed the Senior Center Cool Roof and Solar Panels at City Hall
from the FY 2017/18 Unfunded CIP Projects list.
The City Council kept the following projects in the FY 2017/18 Unfunded CIP Projects list:
ADA All-Inclusive Playground, Quarry Park Trail Improvements, Quarry Park Pond
Improvements, Joe’s Trail at Saratoga deAnza Phase II, Theater Improvements, Norton/Villa
Montalvo Emergency Route, Via Regina Trail, Congress Springs North Side Entrance, Saratoga
Village Creek Trail Construction, Renovation of Community Center State, and Community
Development Remodel. However, if additional funding becomes available before the budget
study session in April, staff would work through the Finance Committee to determine if there is
sufficient funding for the Community Development Lobby Remodel project.
The City Council placed the following nominated projects in the FY 2017/18 Unfunded CIP
Projects List: Village Clock, Saratoga/Herriman Traffic Signal, Village Leve 2 Electric Vehicle
Charging Stations, Bocce Ball Court, State Route 85/Saratoga Avenue Beautification, and City
Hall Courtyard Renovation.
57
Saratoga City Council Minutes – Page 2 of 4
The City Council accepted additional funding requests for El Camino Storm Drain at $145,000,
Citywide Tree Replanting Program at $20,000, Hakone Gardens Koi Pond Improvements from
Park-in-Lieu at $110,000, and Citywide LLD Initiation Match Program at $26,000 for FY
2017/18.
The City Council supplemented existing funding sources of the Annual Roadway Improvement
Project (gas tax, vehicle impact fee, Measure B sales tax) with an additional $295,000 from CIP
reserve funds plus $65,000 from vehicle license fees for FY 2017/18.
The City Council funded the following unfunded projects for FY 2017/18: Saratoga to the Sea
Trail Design at $250,000, Big Basin Way Turn Around Design at $50,000, Village to the Quarry
Park Walkway Preliminary Design at $50,000, Quito Road Sidewalk Improvements Design at
$50,000.
The City Council funded the following nominated projects in FY 2017/18: Annual Parks, Trails,
Grounds and Medians at $100,000 as an Annual CIP Priority Project and Village Crosswalk and
Sidewalk at $44,000.
The City Council consolidated the additional funding request for the Damon Lane Retaining
Wall and nominated Hillside Retaining Wall Repair projects into a single project, Annual
Retaining Wall Project, funded at $200,000 as an Annual CIP Priority Project for FY 2017/18.
The City Council rejected the additional funding request for the Village Façade Program for FY
2017/18.
REGULAR SESSION
Mayor Lo called Regular Session to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Administrative Conference Room
at City Hall at 13777 Fruitvale Avenue.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT:Mayor Emily Lo, Vice Mayor Mary-Lynne Bernald, Council
Members Manny Cappello, Howard Miller, Rishi Kumar
ABSENT:None
ALSO PRESENT:James Lindsay, City Manager
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Asst. to City Manager
John Cherbone, Public Works Director
Mary Furey, Finance & Administrative Services Director
Erwin Ordoñez, Community Development Director
Michael Taylor, Recreation & Facilities Director
Monica LaBossiere, Human Resources Manager
Tony McFarlane, Finance Manager
Lauren Pettipiece, Administrative Analyst I
REPORT ON POSTING OF THE AGENDA
City Clerk Crystal Bothelio reported that the agenda for this meeting was properly posted on
February 9, 2017.
58
Saratoga City Council Minutes – Page 3 of 4
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ON NON-AGENDIZED ITEMS
None
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor Lo announced the Hakone Lunar New Year Celebration on February 19.
1.CONSENT CALENDAR
1.1. Financial System Contract Renewal
Recommended Action:
Authorize the City Manager to enter into a five-year renewal contract with SunGard Public
Sector, LLC.
CAPPELLO/MILLER MOVED TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER
INTO A FIVE-YEAR RENEWAL CONTRACT WITH SUNGARD PUBLIC
SECTOR, LLC. MOTION PASSED. AYES, LO, BERNALD, CAPPELLO, MILLER,
KUMAR. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
1.2. Resolution Establishing Finance Committee as a Committee of the Whole
Recommended Action:
Approve the resolution establishing the Finance Committee as a Committee of the Whole.
RESOLUTION NO. 17-009
CAPPELLO/MILLER MOVED TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AS A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. MOTION
PASSED. AYES, LO, BERNALD, CAPPELLO, MILLER, KUMAR. NOES: NONE.
ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
1.3. Resolution Establishing a Public Safety Task Force
Recommended Action:
Approve the resolution establishing a Public Safety Task Force.
RESOLUTION NO. 17-010
CAPPELLO/MILLER MOVED TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING
A PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE. MOTION PASSED. AYES, LO, BERNALD,
CAPPELLO, MILLER, KUMAR. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
2.PUBLIC HEARING
None
3.OLD BUSINESS
None
59
Saratoga City Council Minutes – Page 4 of 4
4.NEW BUSINESS
None
CITY COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS
Mayor Emily Lo
No report
Vice Mayor Mary-Lynne Bernald
No report
Council Member Manny Cappello
No report
Council Member Howard Miller
No report
Council Member Rishi Kumar
No report
Hold cc assignments till next meeting.
CITY COUNCIL ITEMS
None
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
City Manager James Lindsay shared an informational memo on crime statistics and law
enforcement costs for Saratoga and several other neighboring cities, which was created following
a request for information from Council Member Kumar. He also shared information about
organizational changes at the Saratoga News.
Following the conclusion of the Regular Session, the City Council returned to the study session.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Lo adjourned the regular meeting at 9:06 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted:
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk
City of Saratoga
60
Gina Scott, Accounting Technician
SUBJECT: Review of Accounts Payable Check Registers
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Review and accept check registers for the following accounts payable payment cycles:
1/31/2017 Period 7
2/7/2017 Period 8
2/14/2017 Period 8
2/21/2017 Period 8
BACKGROUND:
The information listed below provides detail for weekly City check runs. Checks issued for $20,000 or greater are listed separately
as well as any checks that were void during the time period. Fund information, by check run, is also provided in this report.
REPORT SUMMARY:
Attached are Check Registers for:
Date
Ending
Check #
1/31/17 132543 132585 43 79,994.85 01/31/17 01/24/17 132542
2/7/17 132586 132636 51 163,546.28 02/07/17 01/31/17 132585
Accounts Payable 2/14/17 132637 132675 39 89,247.35 02/14/17 02/07/17 132636
2/21/17 132676 132721 46 291,030.22 02/21/17 02/14/17 132637
Accounts Payable checks issued for $20,000 or greater:
Date Check # Issued to Dept.Amount
01/31/17 132550 PW 35,425.00
02/07/17 132598 PW 22,460.00
02/07/17 132601 CDD 24,630.00
02/14/17 132671 PW 29,940.00
02/21/17 132678 CDD 21,100.00
02/21/17 132685 PW 118,459.20
02/21/17 132712 CDD 46,322.37
Accounts Payable checks voided during this time period:
AP Date Check #Amount
11/22/16 132160 Void check 19.44
01/31/17 132560 Re-issue check 300.00
01/31/17 132551 Void check 300.00
ATTACHMENTS:
Check Registers in the 'A/P Checks By Period and Year' report format
General
General
Various
2 Work Trucks
Bond ReleaseGeneral
Plan Check Services
Gary Mo & Shuying Gu
Vista Landscape Maintenance
Fund Purpose
Landscape Mtc
Bond Release
MerribrookCIP Streets Projects
JPA DuesCity of Campbell
Dino Turchet Construction
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE:March 1, 2017
DEPARTMENT:Finance & Administrative Services
PREPARED BY:
Ending
Check #
Accounts Payable
Type of Checks Date Starting Check #
Accounts Payable
Accounts Payable
Issued to
Jai Prabakaran
Shawn Gardner
Reason Status
Call out mileage not rmb
Name change by request
Alice Tsai & Lingin Chiao
Clark Miller
General
Name change by request
Vehicle/Equip Rplcmnt
Shums Coda Associates, Inc.
Chevrolet of Watsonville
Prior Check Register
Checks
Released
Total
Checks Amount
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE: March 1, 2017
DEPARTMENT: Finance & Administrative Services
PREPARED BY: Ann Xu, Accountant
SUBJECT: Treasurer’s Report for the Month Ended January 31, 2017
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Review and accept the amended Treasurer’s Report for the month ended January 31, 2017.
BACKGROUND:
California government code section 41004 requires that the City Treasurer submit to the City Clerk and the
legislative body a written report and accounting of all receipts, disbursements, and fund balances. The
Municipal Code of the City of Saratoga, Article 2-20, Section 2-20.035 designates the City Manager as the
City Treasurer. This report is prepared to fulfill this requirement.
The following attachments provide various financial transaction data for the City of Saratoga’s Funds
collectively as well as specifically for the City’s General (Operating) Fund, including an attachment from
the State Treasurer’s Office of Quarterly LAIF rates from the 1st Quarter of 1977 to present.
FISCAL STATEMENT:
Cash and Investments Balance by Fund
As of January 31, 2017, the City had $445,773 in cash deposit at Comerica bank, and $20,696,521 on
deposit with LAIF. The City Council’s adopted policy on the Working Capital Reserve Fund states that
effective July 1, 2016: for cash flow purposes and to avoid occurrence of dry period financing, pooled cash
from all funds should not be allowed to fall below $1,000,000. The total pooled cash balance as of January
31, 2017 is $21,142,294 and exceeds the minimum limit required.
City’s Current Financial Position
In accordance with California government code section 53646 (b) (3), the City is financially well positioned
and able to meet its expenditure requirements for the next six months. As of January 31, 2017, the City’s
financial position (Assets $21.9M, Liabilities $2.5M and Fund Equity $19.4M) remains very strong and
there are no issues in meeting financial obligations now or in the foreseeable future.
Unrestricted Cash
Comerica Bank 445,773$
Deposit with LAIF 20,696,521$
Total Unrestricted Cash 21,142,294$
Cash Summary
80
The following Fund Balance schedule represents actual funding available for all funds at the end of the
monthly period. This amount differs from the above Cash Summary schedule as assets and liabilities are
components of the fund balance. As illustrated in the summary below, Total Unrestricted Cash is adjusted
by the addition of Total Assets less the amount of Total Liabilities to arrive at the Ending Fund Balance –
which represents the actual amount of funds available.
Fund Balance Designations
In accordance with Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement No. 54, Fund Balance
Reporting and Governmental Fund Type Definitions, the components of fund balance are categorized as
follows: “non-spendable fund balance”, resources that are inherently non-spendable from the vantage point
of the current period; “restricted fund balance”, resources that are subject to enforceable legal restrictions;
“committed fund balance”, resources whose use is constrained by limitations the government imposes upon
itself through formal action at its highest level of decision making and remains binding unless removed in
the same manner; “assigned fund balance”, resources that reflects a government’s intended use of
resources, such intent would have to be established at either the highest level of decision making, by a body,
or an official designated for that purpose; and “unassigned fund balance”, net resources in excess of what
can properly be classified in one of the other four categories. Currently, the City’s fund balance reserves
fall into one of the four spendable categories; restricted, committed, assigned, or unassigned fund balance.
ATTACHMENTS
A – Change in Total Fund Balances by Fund under GASB 54
B – Change in Total Fund Balances by CIP Project
C – Change in Cash Balance by Month
D – Local Agency Investment Fund (LAIF) Quarterly Apportionment Rates
+
Total Unrestricted Cash 21,142,294$
Plus: Assets 847,216
Less: Liabilities (2,500,444)
Ending Fund Balance 19,489,066$
Adjusting Cash to Ending Fund Balance
81
ATTACHMENT A
CHANGES IN TOTAL FUND BALANCE UNDER GASB 54
Fund Descri ption
Fund
Balance
7/1/16
Increase/
(Decrease)
Jul-Dec
Current
Revenue
Current
Expenditure Transfer In Transfer Out
Fund Balance
1/31/17
General Fund
Restricted Fund Balances:
Environmental Services Reserve 313,182 - - - - - 313,182
Committed Fund Balances:
Hillside Stability Reserve 1,000,000 - - - - 210,000 790,000
Assigned Fund Balances:
Future Capital Replacement & Efficiency Project Reserve 1,472,408 - - - - 1,410,648 61,760
Facility Reserve 1,200,000 - - - - - 1,200,000
Carryforwards Reserve - - - - - - -
Unassigned Fund Balances: -
Working Capital Reserve 1,000,000 - - - - - 1,000,000
Fiscal Stabilization Reserve 2,250,000 - - - - - 2,250,000
Development Services Reserve 719,562 - - - - - 719,562
Compensated Absences Reserve 209,937 - - - - - 209,937
Other Unassigned Fund Balance Reserve (Pre YE distribution 2,475,531 (1,606,824) 3,553,303 1,987,638 - - 2,434,372
General Fund Total 10,640,620 (1,606,824) 3,553,303 1,987,638 - 1,620,648 8,978,813
Special Revenue
Landscape/Lighting Districts 1,005,796 (102,698) 276,881 66,964 - - 1,113,015
Capital Project
Street Projects 1,559,080 (600,523) 29,275 36,911 1,305,000 - 2,255,921
Park and Trail Projects 471,639 (24,188) - 2,908 98,000 23,000 519,542
Facility Projects 245,639 2,716 6,673 9,468 190,648 - 436,206
Administrative Projects 667,699 (10,090) 2,588 51,272 167,394 117,394 658,925
Tree Fund Projects 94,100 (7,965) - 6,930 - - 79,205
Park In-Lieu Fees Projects 495,465 (4,404) - - - - 491,061
CIP Grant Street Projects 25,310 (8,069) - - - - 17,241
CIP Grant Park & Trail Projects 21,206 (2,410) - 189 - - 18,607
CIP Grant Administrative Projects - (16,837) 16,837 - - - -
Gas Tax Fund Projects 1,135,927 (382,544) 39,694 23,551 - - 769,526
CIP Fund Total 4,716,065 (1,054,316) 95,066 131,230 1,761,042 140,394 5,246,233
Debt Service
Library Bond 922,952 (653,576) 501,374 182,968 - - 587,783
Internal Service Fund
Liability/Risk Management 376,488 (22,785) 90,876 5,984 - - 438,596
Workers Compensation 304,401 (4,969) 43,915 39,865 - - 303,482
Office Support Fund 96,172 5,822 13,281 5,179 - - 110,096
Information Technology Services 274,223 29,191 131,714 65,825 - - 369,303
Equipment Maintenance 165,949 27,926 68,750 23,867 - - 238,758
Building Maintenance 370,717 53,577 231,740 75,472 - - 580,562
Equipment Replacement 611,708 61,512 31,250 - - - 704,470
Technology Replacement 274,339 52,911 31,250 - - - 358,500
Building FFE Replacement 339,222 89,855 50,000 19,615 - - 459,462
Total City 20,098,652 (3,124,374) 5,119,399 2,604,605 1,761,042 1,761,042 19,489,066
82
ATTACHMENT B
FUND BALANCES BY CIP PROJECT
CIP Funds/Pro jects
Fund Balance
7/1/16
Increase/
(Decrease)
Jul-Dec
Current
Revenue
Current
Expenditure Transfer In Transfer Out
Fund Balance
1/31/17
Street Projects
Annual Road Improvements 630,647 (430,085) 29,275 27,491 550,000 - 752,346
Roadway Safety & Traffic Calming 51,574 (35,559) - - 50,000 - 66,015
Highway 9 Safety Project - Phase IV 120,149 (7,052) - - - - 113,097
Beaumont Traffic Circle 30,000 - - - - - 30,000
Village LED Streetlights 4,835 - - - - - 4,835
Annual Infrastructure Maintenance& Repair 88,517 (108,500) - 9,420 200,000 - 170,597
Village Pedestrian Improvements - Phase II 18,424 - - - 105,000 - 123,424
EL Camino Grande SD Pump 142,988 - - - - - 142,988
Storm Drain Capture Device 30,000 - - - - - 30,000
Wildcat Creek Outfall 40,000 - - - - - 40,000
Fourth Street Bridge Widening 100,000 - - - - - 100,000
Quito Road Bridge Replacement 157,830 - - - - - 157,830
Quito Road Bridge - ROW ACQ 45,373 (419) - - - - 44,953
Damon Lane Retaining Wall - - - - 190,000 - 190,000
Bainter Ave Retaining Wall - (18,908) - - 210,000 - 191,092
Underground Project 98,744 - - - - - 98,744
Total Street Projects 1,559,080 (600,523) 29,275 36,911 1,305,000 - 2,255,921
Parks & Trails Projects
Park/Trail Repairs 618 - - - - - 618
Sustainable Landscaping 72,160 (9,606) - - - - 62,554
Magical Bridge Playground - - - - 32,000 - 32,000
Hakone Gardens Miscellaneous Improvements 96,548 (7,922) - (7,922) - 23,000 73,548
Hakone Gardens Infrastructure Improvements 122,435 - - 7,922 - - 114,513
Hakone Gardens Koi Pond Improvements - - - - 66,000 - 66,000
Saratoga to Sea Trail - Construction 100,000 - - - - - 100,000
Joe's Trail at Saratoga/De Anza 33,997 - - - - - 33,997
Guava/Fredericksburg Entrance 45,880 (6,661) - 2,908 - - 36,311
Total Parks & Trails Projects 471,639 (24,188) - 2,908 98,000 23,000 519,542
Facility Projects
Security Locks 23,375 - - - - - 23,375
CIP Facility Building Improvement - (1,130) - 831 70,648 - 68,686
ENG/CDD Window Replacement 2,238 (228) - - - - 2,010
Civic Theater Improvements 90,660 3,974 6,673 8,637 - - 92,670
CC/SC Panel Upgrade - - - - 120,000 - 120,000
SPCC Furniture & Fixtures 13,896 - - - - - 13,896
Library Building Exterior Maintenance Projects 15,470 100 - - - - 15,570
Library - EV FC Station 100,000 - - - - - 100,000
Total Facility Projects 245,639 2,716 6,673 9,468 190,648 - 436,206
Administrative and Technology Projects
COMB Document Imaging Project 43,973 (10,097) - 1,965 - - 31,911
City Website/Intranet 69,409 - - - 15,000 - 84,409
Development Technology 44,113 17,108 2,588 17,056 - - 46,753
Trak-It Software Upgrade 42,733 (8,650) - 700 - - 33,383
LLD Initiation Match Program 24,000 - - - - - 24,000
Horseshoe Beautification 25,000 - - - - - 25,000
Citywide Transportation Needs Assessment - (5,500) - 4,951 50,000 - 39,549
General Plan Update 200,000 - - 25,000 - 52,394 122,606
Village Façade Program 15,751 - - - - - 15,751
Village Specific Plan Update 47,606 (2,951) - 1,600 52,394 - 95,449
Wildfire Protection Plan 25,000 - - - - 25,000 -
Risk Management Project Funding 90,115 - - - 50,000 - 140,115
CIP ADMIN - UNALLOCATED 40,000 - - - - 40,000 -
Total Administrative and Technology Projects 667,699 (10,090) 2,588 51,272 167,394 117,394 658,925
83
ATTACHMENT B (Cont.)
FUND BALANCES BY CIP PROJECT
CIP Funds/Projects
Fund Balance
7/1/16
Increase/
(Decrease)
Jul-Dec
Current
Revenue
Current
Expenditure Transfer In Transfer Out
Fund Balance
1/31/17
Tree Fund Projects
Citywide Tree Planting Program 70,850 (8,090) - 6,930 - - 55,830
Tree Dedication Program 21,500 125 - - - - 21,625
SMSCF Tree Donation Program 1,750 - - - - - 1,750
Total Tree Fund Projects 94,100 (7,965) - 6,930 - - 79,205
CIP Grant Street Projects
Highway 9 - Phase IV - (4,833) - - - - (4,833)
Prospect/Saratoga Median Improvement (40) - - - - - (40)
Citywide Signal Upgrade II (965) - - - - - (965)
Saratoga Ave Sidewalk 26,316 - - - - - 26,316
Quito Road Bridge - ROW ACQ - (3,237) - - - - (3,237)
Total CIP Grant Street Projects 25,310 (8,069) - - - - 17,241
CIP Grant Park & Trail Projects
AB8939 Beverage Container Grant Funding 8,397 (2,410) - 189 - - 5,798
Joe's Trail at Saratoga/De Anza 12,809 - - - - - 12,809
Total CIP Grant Park & Trail Projects 21,206 (2,410) - 189 - - 18,607
CIP Grant Facility Projects - - - - - -
SC - Restroom ADA Upgrade - (16,837) 16,837 - - - -
Total CIP Grant Facility Projects - (16,837) 16,837 - - - -
Park In-Lieu Fees Projects
Magical Bridge Playground - - - - 128,000 - 128,000
Quarry Park ADA Access - (5,304) - - 250,000 - 244,696
Unallocated Park Fees 495,465 900 - - (378,000) - 118,365
Total park In-Lieu Fees Projects 495,465 (4,404) - - - - 491,061
Gas Tax Fund Projects
Annual Roadway Improvements 572,850 (279,109) 39,694 4,395 - - 329,039
Prospect/Saratoga Median Improvements 395,244 (103,435) - 19,156 - - 272,653
Citywide Signal Upgrade II 99,759 - - - - - 99,759
Quito Road & Paseo Olivos Storm Drain 40,000 - - - - - 40,000
Big Basin Way Sidewalk Repairs 20,990 - - - - - 20,990
Quito Road Bridges 7,085 - - - - - 7,085
Total Gas Tax Fund Projects 1,135,927 (382,544) 39,694 23,551 - - 769,526
Total CIP Funds 4,716,065 (1,054,316) 95,066 131,230 1,761,042 140,394 5,246,233
84
ATTACHMENT C
CHANGE IN CASH BALANCE BY MONTH
85
ATTACHMENT D
March June September December
1977 5.68 5.78 5.84 6.45
1978 6.97 7.35 7.86 8.32
1979 8.81 9.10 9.26 10.06
1980 11.11 11.54 10.01 10.47
1981 11.23 11.68 12.40 11.91
1982 11.82 11.99 11.74 10.71
1983 9.87 9.64 10.04 10.18
1984 10.32 10.88 11.53 11.41
1985 10.32 9.98 9.54 9.43
1986 9.09 8.39 7.81 7.48
1987 7.24 7.21 7.54 7.97
1988 8.01 7.87 8.20 8.45
1989 8.76 9.13 8.87 8.68
1990 8.52 8.50 8.39 8.27
1991 7.97 7.38 7.00 6.52
1992 5.87 5.45 4.97 4.67
1993 4.64 4.51 4.44 4.36
1994 4.25 4.45 4.96 5.37
1995 5.76 5.98 5.89 5.76
1996 5.62 5.52 5.57 5.58
1997 5.56 5.63 5.68 5.71
1998 5.70 5.66 5.64 5.46
1999 5.19 5.08 5.21 5.49
2000 5.80 6.18 6.47 6.52
2001 6.16 5.32 4.47 3.52
2002 2.96 2.75 2.63 2.31
2003 1.98 1.77 1.63 1.56
2004 1.47 1.44 1.67 2.00
2005 2.38 2.85 3.18 3.63
2006 4.03 4.53 4.93 5.11
2007 5.17 5.23 5.24 4.96
2008 4.18 3.11 2.77 2.54
2009 1.91 1.51 0.90 0.60
2010 0.56 0.56 0.51 0.46
2011 0.51 0.48 0.38 0.38
2012 0.38 0.36 0.35 0.32
2013 0.28 0.24 0.26 0.26
2014 0.24 0.22 0.24 0.25
2015 0.26 0.28 0.32 0.37
2016 0.46 0.55 0.60 0.68
Quarterly Apportionment Rates
Local Agency Investment Fund
86
Page 1 of 1
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE:March 1, 2017
DEPARTMENT:Public Works Department
PREPARED BY:Mainini Cabute, Management Analyst II
SUBJECT: Motor Vehicle (MV) Resolutions Restricting Parking on Saint Charles Street
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt Motor Vehicle (MV) Resolution restricting parking on Saint Charles Street
BACKGROUND:
In April 2014, the City Council approved parking restrictions along both sides of Saint Charles
Street except for a small section in front of 20711 Saint Charles Street. The City gave exception
to that location because the owners at that time had small children with special needs and
requested that we keep that section unrestricted so that the children’s care givers could park
temporarily during pick up and drop off in between appointments. In 2015, the owners of 20711
Saint Charles sold their home and moved.
At the November 10, 2016 Traffic Safety Commission (TSC) meeting, Saratoga residents who
live on or near Saint Charles Street attended the Traffic Safety Commission meeting to express
their concern that cars parked on any section of Saint Charles would prevent emergency vehicles
from passing through the street because it is too narrow. A representative of the Santa Clara
County Fire Department attended the meeting and testified that the street is too narrow for larger
emergency vehicles to pass through the street when cars are parked on either side of the street.
The Traffic Safety Commission recommends that the City complete the restriction on Saint
Charles Street to accommodate emergency vehicles.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A:MV Resolution Parking Restriction at St. Charles Street
Attachment B: Location Map Parking Restriction at St. Charles Street
87
RESOLUTION NO. MV- ______
RESOLUTION IMPLEMENTING A NO PARKING RESTRICTION
ON SAINT CHARLES STREET
The City Council of the City of Saratoga hereby resolves as follows:
I. Based upon an engineering review and traffic study, the City Council hereby determines
that the location below is congested such that the restrictions described are necessary and
hereby imposed for the best use of the street and to facilitate the proper movement of
traffic and prevent congestion. :
NAME OF STREET LOCATION RESTRICTION
Saint Charles Street Both sides of Saint Charles
from Sixth Street to Oak
Street.
No Parking or Stopping
Anytime to be
designated signs
indicating the
prohibition at
appropriate intervals in
such sections or both.
II. All prior resolutions and other enactments imposing a parking restriction at the location
specified above are hereby repealed to the extent of their inconsistency with the restriction
specified above.
III. This resolution shall become effective at such time as the signs and/or markings are
installed.
The above and foregoing resolution was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of
Saratoga at a regular meeting held on the 1st day of March, 2017, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
______________________________
Emily Lo, Mayor
ATTEST:
____________________________
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk
863514.1
88
89
Page 1 of 1
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE:March 1, 2017
DEPARTMENT:Public Works Department
PREPARED BY:Mainini Cabute, Management Analyst II
SUBJECT:Motor Vehicle (MV) Resolution Revising Parking Restrictions at Melinda Circle
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Revise the Motor Vehicle (MV) Resolution restricting parking on Melinda Circle.
BACKGROUND:
In November 2015, the Traffic Safety Commission (TSC) recommended restricting parking by
installing parking signs and red paint at the corners of Kristy Lane and Melinda Circle and on Melinda
Circle opposite of the back entrance to Christa McAuliffe Elementary School. Unfortunately, the
placement and time restriction language of the signs became confusing and resulted in both the school
community and residents feeling frustrated.
At the January 12, 2017 TSC meeting, the commissioners recommended that the City simplify the
restrictions by restricting parking at all times on the corners of Kristy Lane and Melinda and at the
corner of Melinda Circle opposite of the back entrance to the school. The school community and
residents support the revised restrictions.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A:MV Reso Parking Restriction at Melinda Circle and Kristy Lane
Attachment B: Location map Parking Restriction at Melinda Circle and Kristy Lane
90
RESOLUTION NO. MV- ______
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING RED PAINT MELINDA CIRCLE
The City Council of the City of Saratoga hereby resolves as follows:
I. Based upon an engineering and traffic study and the input of the Traffic Safety
Commission and Saratoga residents the City Council hereby determines that the location
below is congested such that the restrictions described and hereby imposed are necessary
for the best use of the street and to facilitate the proper movement of traffic and prevent
congestion.:
NAME OF STREETS LOCATION RESTRICTION
Melinda Circle At the corners of Melinda
Circle and Kristy Lane and
on Melinda Circle
opposite the back entrance
of Christa McAuliffe
Elementary School
No parking at any time
in the area to be marked
by 50 feet of red paint
on each of the corners of
Melinda Circle and
Kristy Lane, and 50 feet
on Melinda Circle
opposite the back
parking lot of McAuliffe
Elementary School.
II. All prior resolutions and other enactments imposing a parking restriction at the location
specified above are hereby repealed to the extent of their inconsistency with the restriction
specified above.
III. This resolution shall become effective at such time as the signs and/or markings are
installed.
The above and foregoing resolution was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of
Saratoga at a regular meeting held on the 1st day of March, 2017, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
______________________________
Emily Lo, Mayor
ATTEST:
____________________________
91
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk
863506.1
92
0 50 100 150 20025Feet
Melinda Circle Parking Restriction at Kristy Lane
±
No Parking or Stopping Anytime
93
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE:March 1, 2017
DEPARTMENT:City Manager’s Office
PREPARED BY:Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Assistant to the City Manager
SUBJECT:Update to City Council Norms of Operation
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approve the resolution amending the City Council Norms of Operation.
BACKGROUND:
On February 1, 2017, the City Council held a study session on the Council Norms of Operation
and directed staff to make a number of changes. These changes included the following:
-Update seating arrangement based on Mayoral Rotation Policy.
-Add language that states when a member of the public provides personal contact
information in connection with a City Council agenda item, use of that individuals
contact information shall be limited to the intended use associated with that agenda item
and the City will limit use of personal informational on the City website.
-Add language that states scheduling of City events will be the Mayor’s responsibility and
will be done with due consideration for the organizations involved in the event and
availability of Council Members.
-Add language that states City Council Resolutions of Support or Opposition are generally
disfavored with the exception of matters that have a specific and identifiable impact to
the City.
-Add a statement that clarifies that the City Council use of electronic devices at City
Council Meetings shall be for the purpose of obtaining information and shall be
respectful to audience members at public meetings.
-Add language that states Council Members shall be respectful of each other and maintain
a polite discourse with each other.
Additionally, staff has included grammatical edits and corrections, administrative changes to
reflect current practices, and minor clarifications.The administrative changes to reflect current
practices include:
-Section 1: An update describing how items are added to an agenda and where they appear
on the agenda.
-Section 1:Updated language on use of the timer for public speakers.
-Section 1: Updated description of when Closed Sessions are held. 94
-Section 2: Updates to mail circulation process.
-Section 6: Updated language on when meetings occur.
Clarifications proposed include:
-Section 3: This section describes how the City Council and Commissions behave at
meetings of other bodies and before other governmental agencies. Staff’s
recommendations clarify expectations for interactions between the City Council and City
of Saratoga Commissions/bodies and between the City Council/Commissions and bodies
outside of the City of Saratoga.
-Section 6: This section details the order of items on regular City Council items. Staff’s
recommendation reflects current practice and suggested changes based on how items
currently appear on agendas. For example, staff suggests eliminating the Old Business
section as items are very rarely heard under Old Business.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – Resolution Amending the City Council Norms of Operation
Attachment B – Proposed Changes to City Council Norms of Operation
95
RESOLUTION NO. 17-____
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA
AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL NORMS OF OPERATION
WHEREAS, the City Council adopted a policy establishing Norms of Operation for City
Council in 2004 through City Council Resolution 04-007; and
WHEREAS, the Norms of Operation were amended in June 2007 through Resolution 07-
075 to establish a policy for City sanctioning of a community event; and
WHEREAS, in 2008, the City Council amended the Norms of Operation through
Resolution 08-069 to require that the City Council Reorganization during Election years take place
on the Tuesday immediately preceding the first regular meeting of December; and
WHEREAS, the Norms of Operation were amended in 2009 to establish the Saratoga
Rules of Parliamentary Procedure via Resolution 09-024; and
WHEREAS, the Norms of Operation were amended again in 2012 to allow the
Reorganization during Election years to occur during a regular meeting if desired and then in
August 2013 to reflect changes to meeting decorum guidelines and remove language regarding
City sanction of community events; and
WHEREAS, during a study session on the City Council Norms of Operation on February
1, 2017, the City Council directed staff to make a number of changes.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,that the City Council of the City of Saratoga
hereby amends the City Council Norms of Operation as shown in Attachment A to the
resolution and further resolves that the attached document shall supersede prior resolutions,
guidelines and understandings relating to the City Council Norms of Operation.
The above and foregoing resolution was passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Saratoga
City Council held on the 1
st day of March 2017 by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Emily Lo, Mayor
ATTEST:
DATE:
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk
96
1
CITY OF SARATOGA
CITY COUNCIL NORMS OF OPERATION
(Updated via Resolution 17-___, March 1, 2017)
Section 1. OPERATION OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
A. City Council Meetings shall be run following the outline listed in Section 6.B. of this
document. Each item shall be introduced by the Mayor and heard in accordance with the
Rules of Parliamentary Procedure attached hereto as Exhibit A. The Mayor may place an
item anywhere on the agenda. During Council Items at a Regular Meeting, two City
Council members may request an item be placed on a future agenda.
B. The Mayor may place an item anywhere on the agenda. Two City Council members may
place an item on the agenda.
C. A single City Council Member may place on item on the agenda under City Council
Member Items. Items under this manner shall have a limited staff report, if appropriate. No
significant resources (more than three hours of staff time) shall be used by staff until the
Council gives direction on the item. The Mayor shall determine when three hours of effort
has been utilized.
D. If an item appears again in a future Council meeting, it shall be heard under Old Business.
Items placed under public hearings shall only be those that are defined by law as requiring
a special notice and a public hearing or those called by City Council on its own volition.
E.B. In order to ensure that all members of the public have an opportunity to speak and
that the Council is able to complete its business, there will be a three-minute limitation on
comments by the public except for applicants and appellants at public hearings or as
otherwise provided by law. In order to effectively enforce this rule, the City Clerk will
monitor the time for each speaker with an electronic timer. The timer will beep at the one-
minute remaining point, and again at the three-minute point. If there are more than twenty
(20) identified speakers for one item at the beginning of the public comment period or
public hearing, the Mayor may adjust the three-minute time down to two minutes per
speaker.
F.C. Closed sessions of the City Council shall generally be conducted prior to the 7:00
p.m. business portion of regular meetings. If necessary, Closed Sessions not completed
prior to the 7:00 p.m. business portion will be considered at the conclusion of the business
portion of the meeting, or as otherwise determined by the City Council. Special Council
Meeting may be called by the Mayor with proper public notice.
G.D. Members of Council should not engage in debate with a member of the public or
Staffstaff at Council meetings since these debates seldom resolve concerns and many times
inflame feelings at a public meeting. Any concerns by a member of Council over the
behavior or work of a City employee during a Council meeting should be directed to the
City Manager privately to ensure the concern is resolved.
97
2
H.E. Prior to the close of the public hearing or comment period
CouncilmemberCouncil Members may ask questions of anyone in the audience. The
public hearing and comment period are the times for Council to receive evidence. Once
the hearing or comment period is closed, the Council deliberates based on that evidence.
While Council may elect to re-open a hearing or comment period (assume no prejudice to
the rights of an applicant or appellant) it should make every effort to get all the
information it needs while the hearing or comment period is still open. If the Council
asks questions after the final presentation of the applicant/appellant in a permit-related
hearing the Council would need to provide the applicant/appellant with an opportunity to
rebut the answers to the questions. While these rules need not apply as strictly to
hearings where due process is less of an issue (i.e., an ordinance amendment) a uniform
set of rules for all public hearings and comment periods is desirable.
I.F. The Mayor may, with Council concurrence, schedule Council review of agenda items out
of their prescribed order on the printed agenda if a large number of the public are present to
speak on agenda item.
G. Persons in the audience will refrain from behavior which will disrupt the public meeting.
This will include making loud noises, clapping, shouting, booing, hissing or engaging in
any other activity in a manner that disturbs, disrupts or impedes the orderly conduct of the
meeting. Persons in the audience will refrain from creating, provoking or participating in
any type of disturbance involving unwelcome physical contact. Persons in the audience will
refrain from using cellular phones and/or pagers while the meeting is in session.
Appropriate attire, including shoes and shirts, are required in the Council Chambers and
other Council meeting rooms at all times. Persons in the audience will not place their feet
on the seats in front of them. No food, drink (other than bottled water with a cap), or
chewing gum will be allowed in the Council Chambers and other Council meeting rooms,
except as otherwise pre-approved by City staff. All persons entering the Council Chambers
and other Council meeting rooms, including their bags, purses, briefcases and similar
belongings, may be subject to search for weapons and other dangerous materials.
J.H. The City Council uses computers at the dais for agenda materials. Council
members should limit their use of computers to matters pertaining to the meeting
and comply with the City’s Electronic Communications Policy (for example, no e-
mailing or other communication during the meeting except in cases of family
emergencies). In using computers at the dais Council members should be respectful
of their fellow Council members, staff, and the public. Council members should not
base decisions on information acquired through the internet during a Council
meeting unless the information and its source is shared with the entire Council and
the public as part of the meeting before the decision is made.
98
3
Section 2. CITY COUNCIL RELATIONS WITH CITY STAFF
A. There shall be mutual respect from both Staffstaff and CouncilmemberCouncil Members
of their respective roles and responsibilities when and if expressing criticism in public
session.
B. City Staffstaff shall acknowledge the Council as policy makers and the City Council shall
acknowledge Staffstaff as administering the Council's policies.
C. All written requests for information or questions by City CouncilmemberCouncil
Members to Staffstaff shall be directed to the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk, or
Department Managers (with a copy to the City Manager). All complaints should be
submitted to the City Manager or, if a complaint concerns the City Manager, to the City
Attorney.
D. All written informational material requested by individual CouncilmemberCouncil
Members shall be submitted by Staffstaff to all CouncilmemberCouncil Members with
the notation indicating which CouncilmemberCouncil Member requested the
information.
E. Council shall not attempt to coerce Staffstaff in the making of appointments, the
awarding of contracts, the selection of consultants, the processing of development
applications, the granting of City licenses or permits. The Council shall not attempt to
change or interfere with the operating policies and practices of any City department.
F. Mail, including email, that is addressed to the Mayor and City Council shall be circulated
by the City Clerk to the City Council with a comment as to which Staff person will be
assisting the Mayor in preparing a response. If the communication warrants a response,
Tthe Mayor's response, in addition to the original communication, will be submitted to the
City Council for their information.
G. The City Clerk shall not open mail addressed to an individual CouncilmemberCouncil
Member unless requested to do so by the CouncilmemberCouncil Member.
H. Individual CouncilmemberCouncil Members shall not direct Staffstaff to initiate any
action or prepare any report that is significant in nature or initiate any project or study. All
such direction shall be provided by the City Manager or by action of a majority of the City
Council at a City Council meeting. CouncilmemberCouncil Members may ask for limited
resources and information for items that are on an agenda as long as any information is
distributed to all City CouncilmemberCouncil Members
99
4
Section 3. CITY COUNCIL AND COMMISSION RELATIONSHIP, AND RELATIONSHIPS
INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER CITY COMMISSIONSCITY OF SARATOGA BODIES,
AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER BODIES OUTSIDE OF SARATOGA
A. Members of the City Council should not attempt to influence or publicly criticize Saratoga
cCommission recommendations, or to influence or lobby individual Ccommission
Mmembers on any item under their consideration. It is important for Ccommissions to be
able to make objective recommendations to the City Council on items before them.
Members of Council that attempt to strongly influence Ccommission positions on an item
may prejudice or hinder their role in reviewing the commission's recommendation as a
member of the City Council.
B. Individual CouncilmemberCouncil Members and Commissioners shall have the right to
attend meetings of other Saratoga governmental bodies but shall refrain from speaking or
becoming involved in the meeting's discussions. If asked a question, the
CouncilmemberCouncil Member or Commissioner should indicate that he/she can only
provide a personal opinion and does not speak for the Council or Commission as a whole.
C. If a member of the City Council or a Commission appears before another a non-City of
Saratoga governmental agency or organization except as a member of outside agency
appointed by the City Council to give a statement on an issue affecting the City, the
CouncilmemberCouncil Member or Commissioner should first indicate the majority
position and opinion of the Council or Commission (if any). Personal opinions and
comments may be expressed only if the CouncilmemberCouncil Member or
Commissioner clarifies that these statements do not represent the position of the City
Council or Commission.
C.D. Both Council Members and Commissioners shall at all times strive to maintain
respectful discourse in regards to one another and focus comments on the policy
matters under consideration while refraining from expressing criticism of members of
the Council or a Commission.
Section 4. CITY COUNCIL HANDLING OF LITIGATION AND OTHER CONFIDENTIAL
OR SENSITIVE INFORMATION
A. City CouncilmemberCouncil Members shall keep all written materials and verbal
information provided to them on matters that are confidential under State law in complete
confidence to insure ensure that the City's position is not compromised. No disclosure or
mention of information in these materials shall be made to anyone other than
CouncilmemberCouncil Members, the City Attorney or City Manager.
B. All negotiations and other contacts concerning matters that have come before the City
Council in closed session (including, but not limited to, property acquisition or disposal, a
pending claims or litigation, and/or employee negotiations) with the other party and/or
party’s agents or other representatives shall be limited to, and made by, the designated
City staff representative handling the negotiations, claim or litigation unless the City
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Council has directed that a specific Council member to assist staff in negotiations. Except
as authorized above, no CouncilmemberCouncil Member who has participated in any
closed session shall have any contact or discussion with the other party or its agents or
representatives concerning the matter under consideration except during public meetings
of the City Council. All public statements, information and press releases shall be
handled exclusively by the City’s designated spokesperson.
B.C. The personal contact information of members of the public included as part
of reports and attachments to agenda items shall only be used in relation to that
agenda item. To the greatest extent possible, staff will work to minimize the amount
of personal contact information for members of the public published in agenda
materials posted on the City website.
Section 5. BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
A. Seating Arrangement of the City Council – At regular City Council Meetings held in the
Civic Theater, the City Council shall be seated based on the order of the Mayoral
rotation, as set forth by the Mayoral Rotation Policy, with Tthe Mayor shall be seated
on the left of the five members of the City Council. The Vice Mayor shall be seated to the
right of the Mayor. The Councilmember with the most seniority shall be seated to the right
of the Vice Mayor and the remaining Councilmember shall be seated to the right of the
most senior Council member. The outgoing Mayor shall be seated to the far right of the
Vice Mayor. When there is no outgoing Mayor the remaining Councilmembers shall be
seated based upon length of service on the City Council with the most senior member
seated to the right of the Mayor. In the case of members having been elected at the same
time, seniority shall be determined by the number of votes received at the election. The
highest vote getter shall be considered senior and so on. The City Clerk shall arrange
nameplates at the Council dais at all Council meetings to assure this seating arrangement is
followed.
B. City Council Reorganization – The City Council Reorganization shall be held at the
beginning of the first regular meeting of December unless the City Council calls and holds
a special meeting on the Tuesday immediately preceding the first regular meeting of
December. The floor shall be open to nominations for the purpose of electing a Mayor and
Vice Mayor to serve for the following year. Such elections shall be made by majority vote
of the Council members present at the meeting. The Mayor and Vice Mayor shall assume
the duties of their respective offices immediately upon election. The Mayor and Vice
Mayor shall serve a one-year term at the pleasure of the Council. In election years the date
of the special meeting referenced above may be changed by the City Clerk as necessary to
ensure compliance with State election laws.
C. Mayor and Council Roles – The Mayor shall act as the primary spokesperson and official
representative of the City Council, unless such responsibility is delegated by the Mayor, or
otherwise assigned by a majority vote of the City Council. The Mayor shall preside at all
regular, adjourned, and special meetings of the City Council, including joint meetings with
commissions and closed sessions. The Mayor shall execute all official City documents,
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warrants and correspondence approved by City Council. The Mayor shall serve as the
primary contact for the City Manager to provide direction and advice regarding routine
planning and operational issues (i.e. meeting schedules, event dates, dispositions of
correspondences, etc.). Nothing in this section is intended to suggest that the position of
Mayor wields formal power or authority in excess of the other members of the City
Council. Rather, the person serving as Mayor is to be recognized as the leader of the
Council, or first among equals. The Vice Mayor shall serve and perform the functions as
Mayor in the absence of the duly elected Mayor.
D. Council Committee/Agency Assignments
Every December immediately following the City Council reorganization the Mayor shall
announce that new appointments for Committee/Agency Assignments are necessary. A list
of committee/agency assignments shall be given to each CouncilmemberCouncil Member
and each CouncilmemberCouncil Member shall provide the City Clerk with a list of the
Committee/Agency Assignments in which the CouncilmemberCouncil Member is
interested. The Mayor shall propose appointments for Council approval at the City Council
meeting immediately following the reorganization.
E. Ex Parte Communications
An Ex Parte Communication occurs when a Council member receives information from a
member of the public outside of a public meeting concerning a matter to be heard by the
City Council. Ex Parte communications are an inherent part of the City of Saratoga’s
commitment to allowing City residents ample opportunity to consult with elected
officials both inside and outside of public meetings. At the same time, the City is
committed to the principle that the business of the public should be conducted in public,
to ensure that citizens are afforded the opportunity to participate in the making of
decisions that affect their lives, and the means to evaluate choices made by the City and
its officers.
Where a City CouncilmemberCouncil Member has received information outside of a
public meeting that the CouncilmemberCouncil Member believes has a bearing on the
decision and that is not reflected in the staff report presented to the Council and the
public, the CouncilmemberCouncil Member should provide that information to the rest
of the Council and the public following the staff report and prior to beginning of public
testimony on the matter. This will allow the public and other members of the Council to
consider the information in forming their views on the decision at hand.
In addition, persons affected by the decision will also have the opportunity to know the
evidence on which the decision is to be based and have an opportunity to comment on it
and, if need be, to rebut it. This approach allows all members of the public access to
elected officials and to the rationale for decisions made by those officials.
F. Issuing Proclamations and Commendations
A proclamation is prepared at the discretion of the Mayor to proclaim a specific date or
event. Proclamations are prepared for signature by the Mayor. They may be presented at
a City Council meeting or at an event or meeting outside the City Council meeting.
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A commendation is prepared at the discretion of the Mayor. A commendation may be
issued for accomplishments such as:
Athletic/academic accomplishments
Act of heroism
Youth Accomplishments
A Community Organization’s Citizen of the Year
A Community Organization’s Business Person of the year
Outgoing elected officials
Outgoing City Commissioners
Commendations are prepared for signature by the Mayor. They may be presented at a
City Council meeting or at an event or meeting outside the City Council meeting.
G. Event Scheduling
The Mayor shall work with City staff to schedule the dates of City organized events.
Due consideration will be given to the availability of other Council Members and
community organizations involved in the event.
H. Resolutions of Support or Opposition
Resolutions of support or in opposition to a legislative action or special issue shall
only be brought before the City Council for consideration if the topic of the
resolution has a specific and identifiable impact or connection to the City of
Saratoga.
Section 6. RULES OF ORDER AND PROCEDURE FOR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
A. Time of Meetings
Regular meetings of the City Council shall be held on the first and third Wednesday of each
month in the Civic Theater commencing at 7:00 p.m.per City Code 2-10.010. Special
meetings shall be held as needed based on availability of the City Council. necessary and
convenient on the second or fourth Tuesday of the month commencing at 7:00 p.m. or at such
other time as may be necessary or convenient.
B. Order of Agenda
The following is the usual order of agenda items for regular Council meetings. The Mayor
with the concurrence of Council can change the order in which items on the agenda are
heard.
Open Session – The Mayor opens the meeting in the Administration Conference Room at
City Hall, to allow the public an opportunity to comment on closed session items before
the Council adjourns to Closed Session, as required by law. Commission interviews are
also done at this time.
Joint Meetings, Study Sessions, Commission Interviews, and Closed Session with City
Commissions – Prior to the start of the Regular Session at 7:00 p.m. in the Civic
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Theater, the City Council may hold Joint Meetings with various Community
organizations and Commissions, conduct study sessions, hold Commission applicant
interviews, or conduct Closed Sessions. These meetings typically take place in the
Administrative Conference Room at City Hall. Location and start times may vary.
Reserved time for Commission members to meet with the City Council for their yearly
update.
Closed Session – Immediately following open session, the Council adjourns to closed
session in the Administration Conference Room at City Hall. Start times may vary
depending on volume of closed session items and the estimated time required to conduct
the closed session. The items are listed on the agenda as required by law; however this
meeting is not open to the public.Regular Session – The City Council, unless otherwise
specified on the agenda, shall conduct the Regular Session at 7:00 p.m. in the Civic
Theater.
Call to Order – The Mayor calls the regular meeting to order.
Pledge of Allegiance – The Mayor may lead or call upon a member of the public or
staff to lead the pledge.
Roll Call – A quorum constituting 3 of the 5 members of the Council is required to
conduct any Council meeting. The City Clerk calls the roll.
Report of Posting of the Agenda – The City Clerk reports on the posting of the agenda
as required by law.
Mayor’s Report on From Closed Session – The Mayor is required to announce any action
taken during closed session before reconvening to the open session of the regular meeting.
Report from Joint Meeting/Study Session – The Mayor, or the Mayor’s designee,
provides a summary of the Joint Meeting or Study Session held prior to the Regular
Session.
Call to Order – the Mayor calls the regular meeting to order.
Pledge of Allegiance The Mayor may lead or call upon a member of the public or staff to
lead the pledge.
Roll Call – A quorum constituting 3 of the 5 members of the Council is required to conduct
any Council meeting. The City Clerk calls the roll.
Report of Posting of the Agenda – The City Clerk reports on the posting of the agenda as
required by law.
Oral Communications – During this portion, any persons who wish to address the City
Council on a subject not on the agenda may do so. Oral communications are not intended
as the means for debate or decision-making, but only for making a presentation in person.
Comment shall be limited to three minutes for members of the public who wish to speak.
The City Council may request follow up on matters raised during Oral
Communications.
Communications from City Commissions – Reserved time for Commission Chairs, or
designated representative, to report information to the City Council or request direction.
Council Direction to Staff –Reserved time for the City Council to request follow up on
Oral/Commission Communications.
Announcements – Reserved time for the Mayor to make special announcements.
Ceremonial Items – These items include presentation of proclamations, commendations,
appointments, administration of Oath of Office and special introductions.
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Special Presentations – Rreserved time for groups, agencies, persons to speak to the
Council on special items.
Consent Calendar–These items are routine and non-controversial items of business. Items
in this section will be acted in one motion, unless removed by the Mayor or a
CouncilmemberCouncil Member. Any member of the public may speak to an item on the
Consent Calendar, or request the Mayor remove an item for discussion. Resolutions
concerning decisions made at previous meetings are for the purpose of memorializing the
decision to assure the accuracy of the findings, the prior vote, and any conditions imposed.
Public Hearings – There are two kinds of public hearings, those required by law and those
called by the City Council of its own volition. In either event, the purpose is to provide an
opportunity for all interested persons to be heard.
During appeal hearings before the City Council, Applicants/Appellants and their
representatives have a total of ten minutes maximum for opening statements. Members of
the public may comment on any item for up to three minutes. Applicant/Appellants and
their representatives have a total of five minutes maximum for closing statements. Unless
otherwise directed by the Mayor or City Council, appeal hearings shall generally
proceed as follows:
Mayor introduces item
Staff report
Council questions for staff
Appellant’s opening remarks – 10 minutes
Applicant’s opening remarks – 10 minutes
Public comment
Applicant closing remarks – 5 minutes
Appellant closing remarks – 5 minutes
Mayor closes the public hearing
Council discussion
Council decision
Old Business – These are general items, which have been considered by the Council at a
previous meeting.
New General Business – These are general items, which havethat may or may not been
previously considered by the Council.
Council Reports on CommitteesAssignments– Provides members of the Council an
opportunity to report on agency/commissiontheir respective assignments.
City CouncilmemberCouncil Items – Provides members of the Council an opportunity to
introduce discussion/action on items not currently before the Council for consideration.
City Manager Items – City Manager or City Attorney may bring up other items of interest
or make announcements under this section.
Adjournment –The Mayor may adjourn the meeting to a date specific. If no date specific
is announced, the next meeting will be the next regularly scheduled Council meetingor the
City Council may vote to adjourn the meeting.
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C. Disruptive Comments and/or Conduct
No person who addresses the Council shall make any belligerent, personal, impertinent,
irrelevant, redundant, slanderous, loud, threatening, abusive or disparaging remark,
statement or commentary toward the Council, staff or other individuals in a manner which
disrupts, disturbs or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the Council meeting, nor
shall any such person engage in any other disorderly conduct which so disrupts, disturbs or
impedes the orderly conduct of the meeting. Any violation of this rule shall be grounds for
terminating the person’s comment period. Continued inappropriate behavior or comments,
after having been directed to discontinue, also shall be grounds for removal from the
meeting. Council shall not be belligerent or make disparaging commentary toward the
speaker. Nothing in this section shall prohibit or discourage orderly criticism of any City
decision or policy within the limits of these rules. If a member of the public fails to follow
these rules after being warned once, the Council may bar that individual from further
testimony for the evening or remove the person from the meeting.
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CITY COUNCIL NORMS EXHIBIT A
CITY OF SARATOGA RULES OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE1
Saratoga’s rules of parliamentary procedure are supported by the following four principles:
1. Rules should establish order. The first purpose of the rules of parliamentary
procedure is to establish a framework for the orderly conduct of meetings.
2. Rules should be clear. Simple rules lead to wider understanding and participation.
Complex rules create two classes: those who understand and participate and those
who do not fully understand and do not fully participate.
3. Rules should be user-friendly. That is, the rules must be simple enough that citizens
feel they have been able to participate in the process.
4. Rules should enforce the will of the majority while protecting the rights of the minority.
The ultimate purpose of the rules of procedure is to encourage discussion and to
facilitate decision-making by the body. In a democracy, the majority rules. The
rules must enable the majority to express itself and fashion a result, while
permitting the minority to also express itself (but not dominate) and fully
participate in the process.
The Chairperson Should Take a Back Seat During Discussions
While all members of the governing body should know and understand the rules of parliamentary
procedure, it is the chairperson (chair) who is charged with applying the rules of conduct. The
chair should be well versed in those rules, because the chair, for all intents and purposes, makes
the final ruling on the rules. In fact, all decisions by the chair are final unless overruled by the
governing body itself.
Because the chair conducts the meeting, it is common courtesy for the chair to take a less active
role than other members of the body in debates and discussions. This does not mean that the
chair should not participate in the debate or discussion. On the contrary, as a member of the
body, the chair has full rights to participate in debates, discussions and decision-making. The
chair should, however, strive to be the last to speak at the discussion and debate stage, and
should not make or second a motion unless he or she is convinced that no other member of the
body will do so.
1 These rules of parliamentary procedure are based on “Rosenberg’s Rules of Order: Simple Parliamentary
Procedures for the 21st Century” written by Dave Rosenberg and published by the League of California Cities in
2003. The procedures set forth in Rosenberg’s have been modified slightly to reflect custom, practice, and specific
code requirements in Saratoga. While these rules have been drafted to conform to requirements of State law and the
Saratoga City Code, in the event of a conflict between these procedures and those laws, the laws shall govern.
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The Basic Format for an Agenda Item Discussion
All City Council and Commission meetings have a written, published agenda. The meeting is
governed by the agenda and the agenda constitutes the agreed-upon road map for the meeting.
Each agenda item should be handled by the chair in the following basic format.
First, the chair should clearly announce the agenda item number and should clearly state
what the subject is. The chair should then announce the format that will be followed. If
any member of the body has a conflict of interest, that member announces the conflict
and need for recusal and leaves the dais at this time.
Second, following that agenda format, the chair should invite the appropriate people to
report on the item, including any recommendation they might have. The appropriate
person may be the chair, a member of the governing body, a staff person, or a committee
chair charged with providing information about the agenda item.
Third, the chair should ask members of the body if they have any technical questions for
clarification. At this point, members of the governing body may ask clarifying questions
to the people who reported on the item, and they should be given time to respond.
Fourth, the chair should invite public comments or, if appropriate at a formal public
hearing, open the hearing. Speakers are typically limited to 3 minutes; shorter time limits
may be imposed if numerous members of the public indicate a desire to speak to the
subject. At the conclusion of the public comments, the chair should announce that public
input has concluded (or that the public hearing, as the case may be, is closed).
Fifth, the chair should invite members of the body to make remarks on the matter. This
is an opportunity for members of the body to state their views on the subject before any
formal motions are made.
Sixth, the chair should invite a motion from the governing body members. The chair
should announce the name of the member who makes the motion.
Seventh, the chair should determine if any member of the body wishes to second the
motion. The chair should announce the name of the member who seconds the motion. It
is normally good practice for a motion to require a second before proceeding with it, to
ensure that it is not just one member of the body who is interested in a particular
approach. However, a second is not an absolute requirement, and the chair can proceed
with consideration and a vote on the motion even when there is no second. This is a
matter left to the discretion of the chair.
Eighth, if the motion is made and seconded, the chair should make sure everyone
understands the motion. This is done in one of three ways:
1. The chair can ask the maker of the motion to repeat it;
2. The chair can repeat the motion; or
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3. The chair can ask the secretary or the clerk of the body to repeat the
motion.
Ninth, the chair should now invite discussion of the motion by the members of the
governing body. If there is no desired discussion or the discussion has ended, the chair
should announce that the body will vote on the motion. If there has been no discussion or
a very brief discussion, the vote should proceed immediately, and there is no need to
repeat the motion. If there has been substantial discussion, it is normally best to make
sure everyone understands the motion by repeating it.
Tenth, the chair takes a vote. Simply asking for the “ayes” and then the “nays” is
normally sufficient. If members of the body do not vote, then they “abstain.” Unless
specific laws or procedures provide otherwise, a simple majority determines whether the
motion passes or is defeated.
Eleventh, the chair should announce the result of the vote and should announce what
action (if any) the body has taken. In announcing the result, the chair should indicate the
names of the members, if any, who voted in the minority on the motion. This
announcement might take the following form: “The motion passes by a vote of 3-2, with
Smith and Jones dissenting. We have passed the motion requiring 10 days’ notice for all
future meetings of this governing body.”
Motions in General
Motions are the vehicles for decisionmaking. It is usually best to have a motion before the
governing body prior to discussing an agenda item, to help everyone focus on the motion before
them.
The chair usually initiates the motion by:
1. Inviting the members to make a motion: “A motion at this time would be
in order.”
2. Suggesting a motion to the members, for example: “A motion would be in
order that we give 10-days’ notice in the future for all our meetings.”
3. Making the motion.
As noted, the chair has every right as a member of the body to make a motion, but normally
should do so only if he or she wishes a motion to be made but no other member seems willing to
do so.
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The Three Basic Motions
Three motions are the most common:
1. The basic motion. The basic motion is the one that puts forward a
decision for consideration. A basic motion might be: “I move that we create a
five-member committee to plan and put on our annual fundraiser.”
2. The motion to amend. If a member wants to change a basic motion that
is under discussion, he or she would move to amend it. A motion to amend might
be: “I move that we amend the motion to have a 10-member committee.” A
motion to amend takes the basic motion that is before the body and seeks to
change it in some way.
3. The substitute motion. If a member wants to completely do away with
the basic motion under discussion and put a new motion before the governing
body, he or she would “move a substitute motion.” A substitute motion might be:
“I move a substitute motion that we cancel the annual fundraiser this year.”
Motions to amend and substitute motions are often confused. But they are quite different, and so
is their effect, if passed.
A motion to amend seeks to retain the basic motion on the floor, but to modify it in some way.
A substitute motion seeks to throw out the basic motion on the floor and substitute a new and
different motion for it.
The decision as to whether a motion is really a motion to amend or a substitute motion is left to
the chair. So that if a member makes what that member calls a motion to amend, but the chair
determines it is really a substitute motion, the chair’s designation governs.
When Multiple Motions Are Before The Governing Body
Up to three motions may be on the floor simultaneously. The chair may reject a fourth motion
until the three that are on the floor have been resolved.
When two or three motions are on the floor (after motions and seconds) at the same time, the
first vote should be on the last motion made. So, for example, assume the first motion is a basic
“motion to have a five-member committee to plan and put on our annual fundraiser.” During the
discussion of this motion, a member might make a second motion to “amend the main motion to
have a 10-member committee, not a five-member committee, to plan and put on our annual
fundraiser.” And perhaps, during that discussion, a member makes yet a third motion as a
“substitute motion that we not have an annual fundraiser this year.” The proper procedure would
be as follows.
First, the chair would deal with the third (the last) motion on the floor, the substitute motion.
After discussion and debate, a vote would be taken first on the third motion. If the substitute
motion passes, it would be a substitute for the basic motion and would eliminate it. The first
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motion would be moot, as would the second motion (which sought to amend the first motion),
and the action on the agenda item would be complete. No vote would be taken on the first or
second motions. On the other hand, if the substitute motion (the third motion) failed, the chair
would proceed to consideration of the second (now the last) motion on the floor, the motion to
amend.
If the substitute motion failed, the chair would then deal with the second (now the last) motion
on the floor, the motion to amend. The discussion and debate would focus strictly on the
amendment (should the committee be five or 10 members). If the motion to amend passed, the
chair would now move to consider the main motion (the first motion) as amended. If the motion
to amend failed, the chair would now move to consider the main motion (the first motion) in its
original format, not amended.
Third, the chair would now deal with the first motion that was placed on the floor. The original
motion would either be in its original format (five-member committee) or, if amended, would be
in its amended format (10-member committee). And the question on the floor for discussion and
decision would be whether a committee should plan and put on the annual fundraiser.
To Debate or Not to Debate
The basic rule of motions is that they are subject to discussion and debate. Accordingly, basic
motions, motions to amend, and substitute motions are all eligible, each in their turn, for full
discussion before and by the body. The debate can continue as long as members of the body
wish to discuss an item, subject to the decision of the chair that it is time to move on and take
action. There are exceptions to the general rule of free and open debate on motions. The
exceptions all apply when there is a desire of the body to move on. The following motions are
not debatable (that is, when the following motions are made and seconded, the chair must
immediately call for a vote of the body without debate on the motion):
A motion to adjourn. This motion, if passed, requires the body to immediately adjourn
to its next regularly scheduled meeting. This motion requires a simple majority vote.
A motion to recess. This motion, if passed, requires the body to immediately take a
recess. Normally, the chair determines the length of the recess, which may range from a
few minutes to an hour. It requires a simple majority vote.
A motion to fix the time to adjourn. This motion, if passed, requires the body to
adjourn the meeting at the specific time set in the motion. For example, the motion might
be: “I move we adjourn this meeting at midnight.” It requires a simple majority vote.
A motion to table. This motion, if passed, requires discussion of the agenda item to be
halted and the agenda item to be placed on “hold.” The motion may contain a specific
time in which the item can come back to the body: “I move we table this item until our
regular meeting in October.” Or the motion may contain no specific time for the return
of the item, in which case a motion to take the item off the table and bring it back to the
body will have to be taken at a future meeting. A motion to table an item (or to bring it
back to the body) requires a simple majority vote.
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A motion to limit debate. The most common form of this motion is to say: “I move the
previous question” or “I move the question” or “I call for the question.” When a member
of the body makes such a motion, the member is really saying: “I’ve had enough debate.
Let’s get on with the vote.” When such a motion is made, the chair should ask for a
second to the motion, stop debate, and vote on the motion to limit debate. The motion to
limit debate requires a two-thirds vote of the body. Note that a motion to limit debate
could include a time limit. For example: “I move we limit debate on this agenda item to
15 minutes.” Even in this format, the motion to limit debate requires a two-thirds vote of
the body. A similar motion is a motion to object to consideration of an item. This
motion is not debatable, and if passed, precludes the body from even considering an item
on the agenda. It also requires a two-thirds vote.
Majority and Super-Majority Votes
In a democracy, decisions are made with a simple majority vote. A tie vote means the motion
fails. So in a five-member body, a vote of 3-2 passes the motion. A vote of 2-2 with one
abstention means the motion fails. If one member is absent or recused and the vote is 2-2, the
motion still fails.
All motions require a simple majority, but there are a few exceptions. The exceptions occur
when the body is taking an action that effectively cuts off the ability of a minority of the body to
take an action or discuss an item. These extraordinary motions require a two-thirds majority (a
super-majority) to pass:
Motion to limit debate. Whether a member says, “I move the previous question,” “I
move the question,” “I call for the question” or “I move to limit debate,” it all amounts to
an attempt to cut off the ability of the minority to discuss an item, and it requires a two-
thirds vote to pass.
Motion to close nominations. When choosing officers of the body, such as the chair,
nominations are in order either from a nominating committee or from the floor of the
body. A motion to close nominations effectively cuts off the right of the minority to
nominate officers, and it requires a two-thirds vote to pass.
Motion to object to the consideration of a question. Normally, such a motion is
unnecessary, because the objectionable item can be tabled or defeated straight up.
However, when members of a body do not even want an item on the agenda to be
considered, then such a motion is in order. It is not debatable, and it requires a two-thirds
vote to pass.
Motion to suspend the rules. This motion is debatable, but requires a two-thirds vote to
pass. If the body has its own rules of order, conduct or procedure, this motion allows the
body to suspend the rules for a particular purpose. For example, the body (a private club)
might have a rule prohibiting the attendance at meetings by non-club members. A
motion to suspend the rules would be in order to allow a non-club member to attend a
meeting of the club on a particular date or on a particular agenda item.
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The Motion to Reconsider
There is a special and unique motion that requires a bit of explanation all by itself: the motion to
reconsider. A tenet of parliamentary procedure is finality. After vigorous discussion, debate and
a vote, there must be some closure to the issue. And so, after a vote is taken, the matter is
deemed closed, subject only to reopening if a proper motion to reconsider is made. The
standards for reconsideration are set forth in the City Code.
Courtesy and Decorum
The rules of order are meant to create an atmosphere where the members of the body and the
members of the public can attend to business efficiently, fairly and with full participation. And
at the same time, it is up to the chair and the members of the body to maintain common courtesy
and decorum. Unless the setting is very informal, it is always best for only one person at a time
to have the floor, and it is always best for every speaker to be first recognized by the chair before
proceeding to speak.
The chair should always ensure that debate and discussion of an agenda item focus on the item
and the policy in question, not on the personalities of the members of the body. Debate on policy
is healthy; debate on personalities is not. The chair has the right to cut off discussion that is too
personal, too loud or too crude.
Debate and discussion should be focused, but free and open. In the interest of time, the chair
may, however, limit the time allotted to speakers, including members of the body. Can a
member of the body interrupt the speaker? The general rule is no. There are, however,
exceptions. A speaker may be interrupted for the following reasons:
Privilege. The proper interruption would be: “Point of privilege.” The chair would then
ask the interrupter to “state your point.” Appropriate points of privilege relate to
anything that would interfere with the normal comfort of the meeting. For example, the
room may be too hot or too cold, or a blowing fan might interfere with a person’s ability
to hear.
Order. The proper interruption would be: “Point of order.” Again, the chair would ask
the interrupter to “state your point.” Appropriate points of order relate to anything that
would not be considered appropriate conduct of the meeting; for example, if the chair
moved on to a vote on a motion that permits debate without allowing that discussion or
debate.
Appeal. If the chair makes a ruling that a member of the body disagrees with, that
member may appeal the ruling of the chair. If the motion is seconded and after debate, if
it passes by a simple majority vote, then the ruling of the chair is deemed reversed.
Call for orders of the day. This is simply another way of saying, “Let’s return to the
agenda.” If a member believes that the body has drifted from the agreed-upon agenda,
such a call may be made. It does not require a vote, and when the chair discovers that the
agenda has not been followed, the chair simply reminds the body to return to the agenda
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item properly before them. If the chair fails to do so, the chair’s determination may be
appealed.
Withdraw a motion. During debate and discussion of a motion, the maker of the motion
on the floor, at any time, may interrupt a speaker to withdraw his or her motion from the
floor. The motion is immediately deemed withdrawn, although the chair may ask the
person who seconded the motion if he or she wishes to make the motion, and any other
member may make the motion if properly recognized.
Special Notes About Public Input
The rules outlined here help make meetings very public-friendly. But in addition, and
particularly for the chair, it is wise to remember three special rules that apply to each agenda
item:
Rule One: Tell the public what the body will be doing.
Rule Two: Keep the public informed while the body is doing it.
Rule Three: When the body has acted, tell the public what the body did.
Public input is essential to a healthy democracy, and community participation in public meetings
is an important element of that input. The challenge for anyone chairing a public meeting is to
accommodate public input in a timely and time-sensitive way, while maintaining steady progress
through the agenda items. The rules presented here for conducting a meeting are offered as tools
for effective leadership and as a means of developing sound public policy.
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SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE:March 1, 2017
DEPARTMENT:City Manager’s Office
PREPARED BY:Lauren Pettipiece, Administrative Analyst I
SUBJECT:Request for Reallocation of Community Event Grant Funds from SVDC
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Reallocate $820 in Fiscal Year 2016/17 Community Event Grant Program funding from the
Saratoga Village Development Council’s (SVDC) Pet Parade to the St. Paddy’s Party.
BACKGROUND:
In March 2016, the City Council allocated $820 in Community Event Grant Program funding to
SVDC’s Pet Parade. However, SVDC did not hold the event in October. SVDC is requesting that
the City Council reallocate the $820 to the St. Paddy’s Party in the Saratoga Village, which has
received Community Event Grand Program funding in previous years. This event will be held on
Saturday, March 11, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature many festive activities for children.
Further information about the event and projected expenses are included in Attachment A.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A –SVDC St. Paddy’s Party Grant Application
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City of Saratoga
Community Event Grant Application
SUMMARY OF EVENT
Event Name:
Event Date: Event Hours:
Event Location:
Grant Request: Total Event Cost:
CONTACT FOR GRANT APPLICATION
Contact Name:
Title:
Organization:
Address:
Phone: Email:
ABOUT THE EVENT
Event Description:
Estimated
Attendance: One Time Event Annual Event
Funding Amount Received from City in
Past:
Other Funding Sources:
Include source & amount
Event Promotion Plan:
Advertising & marketing
Prior Event Organizing Experience:
Describe the experience of the event
coordinator and the organization
requesting funds
Building Community:
How will your event build a
sense of community?
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St. Paddy's Party in the Saratoga Village
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Saratoga Village
$870
Jill Hunter
Chair
SVDC
20606 Lomita Avenue
jhunter95070@yahoo.com
St. Paddy's Party has been held for 10 years. Lots of fun for children.
$500
Sponsorships TBD
Flyers to schools, newspaper
Lots
Memories for children. Stores participate.
4
March 11, 2017
$820
(408) 741-1213
300-400 children
EVENT BUDGET: Please attach an itemized list of event expenses. Identify the items you are requesting grant
funding for. If needed, attach additional sheets to answer application questions.
SUBMIT TO:
Lauren Pettipiece City of Saratoga
13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070
Office: (408) 868-1275 Fax: (408) 867-8559
Email: lpettipiece@saratoga.ca.us
INDEMNIFICATION AND INSURANCE AGREEMENT
Applicant hereby agrees, on behalf of itself and its successors and assigns, to indemnify, defend and hold the City of
Saratoga, its officers, officials, agents, employees, boards, commissions, and volunteers free and harmless from and
against any and all claims, demands, causes of action, damages, liabilities, costs of expenses (including the cost of
attorney’s fees for defending any action brought against the City or any of its, officers, officials, agents, employees,
boards, commissions, and volunteers), arising out of or in any manner relating to any form of loss, injury, or damage
sustained by Applicant or any person in connection with or in any way relating to the event described above.
Applicant further agrees that as a condition of receiving funding from the City applicant will have in effect in
connection with the event liability insurance coverage in the amount of at least $1 million. The insurance coverage
will name the City of Saratoga, its officers, officials, employees, agents and volunteers as additional insured. Applicant
must provide a “Certificate of Insurance” with “Additional Insured Endorsement” to the City prior to holding the event
described above.
Applicant Name Applicant Signature Date
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SVDC 2/21/17
St. Paddy's Day Budget
Bagpiper $ 250.00
Green rocks $ 20.00
Paint for rocks (for children) $ 45.00
Golden dollars $ 50.00
Pennies on sidewalk $ 50.00
Green balloons $ 30.00
Prizes $ 30.00
Cotton Candy Machine $ 200.00
Insurance $ 195.00
Total $ 870.00
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SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE:March 1, 2017
DEPARTMENT:City Manager’s Office
PREPARED BY:Lauren Pettipiece, Administrative Analyst I
SUBJECT:Quarterly Communications Report
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Provide direction on 2017 spring communication efforts; online survey topics and either an
annual Saratogan with a monthly email newsletter or a quarterly Saratogan with a limited
monthly email newsletter.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Saratoga uses a variety of methods to communicate with residents to ensure that the
public has access to useful and important information. One of those methods is The Saratogan,
the City’s quarterly newsletter, which has been published since 2008. In the last year, the City
has taken advantage of digital technology to publish and market the newsletter in an effort to
reach more residents. That includes the use of the Constant Contact email service and social
media platforms, including Nextdoor, Facebook, and Twitter.
In addition to the newsletter, email, and social media accounts, the City also started conducting
surveys of residents through Peak Democracy and other online survey tools to ask residents
questions on relevant topics starting in early 2016. While the City has conducted more
complicated surveys (such as the survey on the Village), many of the surveys have been simple
and educational in nature.
2017 Spring Communications
Every quarter, staff provides the City Council with a preview and solicits input of upcoming
communications efforts, including topics for online surveys, City videos, and The Saratogan.
Online Surveys
For the months of April, May, and June, staff recommends proceeding with the following three
survey topics:
-Website Redesign Part 2: seek community input on the conceptual design of the City’s
new website (April)
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-Heritage Preservation Commission & Lists: call attention to the Heritage Preservation
Commission’s efforts and the landmarks/resources in Saratoga during Heritage
Preservation month (May)
-Animal Control Services: increase awareness of the City’s contract with San Jose Animal
Care & Services and the services available to residents (June)
City Video Program
Due to staffing changes, the City Video program is behind schedule. However, staff has
produced a style guide to ensure videos maintain a consistent look and feel and executed an
agreement with KSAR to produce the videos. Consequently, staff is not proposing any additional
videos, but plans to begin the Overview of the Planning Commission & Public Hearing Process
immediately and make further progress on the planned videos this spring.
Scheduled Videos
Video Host
Overview of Planning Commission & Public Hearing Process N/A
Prospect Road Median Improvement Project Council Member Manny Cappello
Tree Permit Process N/A
Heritage Trees N/A
2020 Trees by 2020 Challenge N/A
The Saratogan and Email Newsletter
At the City Council Retreat in February 2017, Council directed staff to explore opportunities to
communicate with residents by email more frequently. It was suggested the email
communication could include trending topics from Nextdoor and popular items from The
Saratogan, like Ask our Staff and Quick Tips from Captain Rich. While the current quarterly
Saratogan provides a very nice publication to use as a marketing piece and at resource tables, it
is not a very frequent communication method and article content can often become less relevant
or timely throughout the course of the quarter. Based on Council’s direction, staff has prepared 2
new options for Council’s consideration related to The Saratogan and an email newsletter that
could be implemented with the start of Fiscal Year 2017/18:
-Option 1: Annual Saratogan and monthly email newsletter
With this option, the City would publish an annual Saratogan in the January/February
timeframe. This would be an enhanced version of the current winter edition. In addition
to serving as the Budget-in-Brief, this issue would include a more thorough look at
accomplishments from the previous year and priorities going forward, making the annual
publication a longer edition that the quarterly publication. This piece would be timeless
and appropriate to utilize throughout the whole year.
The monthly email newsletter would be distributed through Constant Contact and keep a
consistent layout each month. It would include 2-3 relevant and timely articles, a “digest”
of Nextdoor’s trending topics, Ask our Staff, and Quick Tips from Captain Rich. These
sections would not be included in the annual publication to prevent redundancy and
would not fit the theme of the annual publication. This option still includes a quality
publication while also allowing the City to communicate with the community more
regularly as information can become outdated quarterly. This option would begin with
the start of the Fiscal Year, allowing staff time to publish the final quarterly issue of The 120
Saratogan, create a monthly Constant Contact email layout, conduct public outreach to
inform the community of the changes to the City’s communications, and promote
Constant Contact sign ups to receive the new monthly newsletter.
-Option 2: Quarterly Saratogan and brief/limited monthly email newsletter
With this option, the City would continue its current methods for publishing a quarterly
Saratogan.The monthly email newsletter distrusted through Constant Contact would
include only a “digest” of Nextdoor’s trending topics, reminders for upcoming events,
and time-sensitive information that would not be included in The Saratogan. This option
would maintain the publication of a quality marketing piece and also increase frequency
of email communication with the community, however the email content would be very
limited to prevent redundancy between the email and the quarterly Saratogan.This
option would also begin with the start of the Fiscal Year, allowing staff time to create a
monthly Constant Contact email layout and promote Constant Contact sign ups to receive
the new monthly newsletter.
For the 2017 spring Saratogan,staff is proposing the theme “In a Green Routine.” Articles to
support this theme would include information on the Silicon Valley Clean Energy Enrollment,
American Lung Association grade, Weed and Brush Abatement Programs, Saratoga’s Tree City
USA Designation, and leash laws. Additionally, staff recommends including a State of the City
reminder, Quick Tip from Captain Rich, upcoming events, and Ask Our Staff. The spring issue is
scheduled for publication in April.
2016/17 Winter Communications Progress Report
The 2017 winter Saratogan (Attachment A) was published in early February and serves as the
Budget-in-Brief issue, a practice that started with the 2015/16 Winter Saratogan. Articles
included the Budget at a Glance, information on the distribution of property tax, and a summary
of select capital projects. Additionally, the newsletter included tips for storm safety and
preventing package theft, Ask Our Staff, and upcoming events.
Four hundred hard copies were printed and made available at City Hall, Saratoga Library,
Saratoga Chamber of Commerce, newspaper racks, coffee shops, and other areas in the City.
Additionally, the newsletter was distributed electronically through the website, the City’s social
media accounts, and Constant Contact (Attachment B).
The City saw great success with a creative approach
to increase Constant Contact subscribers. The City
used a Game of Thrones reference in posts on
Facebook, Nextdoor, and Twitter to encourage
Constant Contact sign ups and promote the upcoming
release of The Saratogan. The post resulted in 152
new subscribers in a matter of days.
In past Constant Contact emails, staff has included brief previews of articles with links to
separate, individual pages of The Saratogan. While this approach does encourage a larger
number of total clicks, many readers do not click on all the links. This means they may only see
one page rather than the full issue. This time, staff selected a few articles to include in full, then
linked away to the full issue of The Saratogan at both the beginning and end of the email. This
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was done in an effort to ensure readers see key points in the email itself, but are able to read the
entire newsletter when they click on any link and do not miss sections.
Saratogan Constant Contact Analytics
Percentage Statistics Winter 17 Fall 16 Summer 16 Spring 16 Winter 16
Open Rate 39%38%36%37%36%
Click Rate 14%20%25%12%16%
Viewed on Desktop 50%58%53%52%55%
Viewed on Mobile 50%42%47%48%45%
Email Statistics
Sent 4,150 4,011 3,996 3,872 3,683
Opened 1,469 1,371 1,300 1,302 1,225
Forwards 0 0 1 0 0
Bounces 380 361 352 339 302
Spam Reports 2 3 3 0 4
Unsubscribes 8 23 15 16 29
Did Not Open 2,301 2,279 2,344 2,231 2,156
Click-Through Statistics
Unique Users That Clicked on Links 201 281 326 150 190
Total Links Clicked 208 329 406 184 231
Total Links Clicked w/o Separate Pages 208 188 200 91 155
Clicks on Full Issue of The Saratogan 148 139 157 52 45
Constant Contact’s click rate is based on the number of unique users that clicked on links and
the number of emails opened. While the number of emails opened increased, users did not need
to click on as many links with full articles included in the email itself, resulting in the decreased
click rate. When the links to separate pages of The Saratogan are removed from the total links
clicked, the number of links clicked remains consistent with previous emails.
While the City’s open rate and click rate are still above the industry average of 22.8% and 9.7%
respectively, staff will continue exploring new strategies and approaches to increase those
numbers.
The City continues utilizing social media as a way to reach residents. The number of people who
like the City of Saratoga’s Facebook page continues to steadily increase. There are now 1,405
Facebook followers that “Like” the City of Saratoga, up from 1,329 followers in October 2016.
A Facebook post announcing the release of the 2017 winter Saratogan resulted in the highest
engagement and reach since November. Over 2,500 people saw the post in their Facebook feed,
it was “Liked” or “Loved” by 32 people and was shared 6 times. It received an additional 36
“Likes” where it was shared.
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The City has typically announced the release of
The Saratogan on social media by sharing an
image of the issue’s front page. Staff chose to use
the photo on the front page rather than the page
itself to create a more appealing visual. This image
was acquired through the City’s Flickr group. As
part of the website redesign process, the City
initiated a photo submission program. Staff created
a Flickr photo group to receive photos from the
community for use on the City’s website, social
media accounts, and in other promotional
materials. The photo submission program was met
with a great show of support and participation. To
date, the City has received 373 photos that will
continue to be an asset and can be used in these
cases.
In addition to communications via Facebook, the City has been using Nextdoor to share
information with residents. There are currently 8,068 total users within the City of Saratoga
Nextdoor network, which is comprised of 35 neighborhoods – some of which extend beyond
City limits. This number continues to increase and is up from 7,006 subscribers in October 2016.
In January, the City shared a message from the Santa Clara county Sheriff’s Office – West
Valley Division on Nextdoor regarding the bank robbery at Wells Fargo on Big Basin Way. The
post received 43 “Thanks” and 8 comments. Residents expressed their appreciation of the City’s
transparency in its communications about the situation, a practice staff plans to continue. The
City also saw a notable response to a recent post regarding Saratoga’s leash laws. The post
received 17 “Thanks” and 13 comments. Users expressed their support of the leash laws and
were very thankful to the City for drawing attention to the topic. There were even requests for a
future City newsletter article on leash laws to reach those not using Nextdoor.
The City also utilizes Twitter to share information with the community. Since staff last reported
to Council in October, the City’s number of followers has increased from 459 to 521. Twitter has
also proven to be a useful platform to share information from our partner organizations in the
community, such as the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.
In November, the City launched a Neighborhood Watch Forum on Peak Democracy for groups
to stay connected and share ideas, resources, experiences, and best practices. While 32 people
have visited the forum, 2 ideas have been shared thus far. The results are included in Attachment
C. Staff will continue to promote the use of the open forum with its Neighborhood Watch
contacts.
Staff added an additional survey on Peak Democracy seeking input from the community on how
they use the City’s current website. The survey received 34 responses that will be used to guide
the layout and navigation of the City’s new website during the redesign process. Due to the
addition of the website survey, the survey on Community Organizations will be released during
the week of February 27 and the Smoking Regulations survey will be published later in March.
A survey regarding the 2020 Trees by 2020 Challenge will be published in early April.
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ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – 2017 Winter Saratogan
Attachment B – 2017 Winter Saratogan Constant Contact Email
Attachment C – Neighborhood Watch Forum Results
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SAR ATOGANthe
winter 2017
The City of Saratoga ended last fiscal year in a strong financial
position, with property and sales tax revenues exceeding expectations and
operating expenditures lower than anticipated. Net operations resulted in
distributing $1.4 million to capital improvement projects, and $500,000 to
reserves.
With the improved economy, the current year’s budget reflects the City
Council’s continuing commitment to fund services at pre-recessionary
levels, and enhance the quality of life in the Saratoga community. Priorities
include heightened roadway maintenance, code compliance, community
events, communication outreach, and the implementation of public safety
programs.
The City Council is careful and thoughtful in its budget development,
and this practice will continue to make Saratoga an even better place for
the people who live, work, and visit the community, as well as ensuring the
City maintains financial stability in present and future years.
Bright Fiscal Future
Be There!
Learn about the current state of the city and upcoming projects at the
As of January 1, it is now illegal to hold and operate electronic devices while driving. Devices must be mounted on the dash, center console, or lower corner of the windshield. Drivers must also use hands-free technology, such as Bluetooth or voice command.
Keep track of crime in your area. Visit www.crimereports.com
Be notified when emergencies happen in your area. Sign up at www.sccgov.org/sites/alertscc
Quick Tip from
Captain Rich
Like what you’re
reading?
Subscribe to The Saratogan and have it sent to your email account automatically!
Visit: www.saratoga.ca.us/saratogan
Visit: www.saratoga.ca.us/StateoftheCity
2017 State of the
City Address
on Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. in the Civic Theater
Photograph by Tina Case
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Saratoga’s Budget at a Glance
General Fund Revenue Sources: $20.2 Million General Fund Expenditures: $19.7 Million
Property Tax56%
SalesTax5.6%
Franchise Fees 11.1%
Fees, Licenses & Permits 7.4%
Charge for Services9.1%
Local Taxes, Interest &Rentals10.8%
Salaries & Benefits38.5%
Consultant&ContractServices11.8%
Sheriff's Services26.3%
Operational Support12.9%
Schools (Includes ERAF Shift) 65.0%
Santa Clara County 13.0%
Fire District
10.2%
Other Special
Districts 4.7%
Property Tax is Saratoga’s largest revenue source. However, Saratoga is a “low tax” city, meaning it receives
the minimum allocation allowed by State law. Due to this low-tax status, City services are limited. Saratoga
operates with a small staff and many functions are delivered by contract. As the below illustration shows,
the City receives only about six cents of every Property Tax dollar residents pay.
Countywide Sales Tax
Passed by voters
in November 2016, Measure B will go into
effect on April 1, 2017.
Once it becomes effective,
the sales and use tax rate for the City of Saratoga
is anticipated to increase
to 9.0%. This funding
will be used for road
repairs and transportation
improvements to provide
commute relief in Santa
Clara County.
City of Saratoga 6.0%
Saratoga Property Tax Distribution
*Agency distribution varies by property tax district
Water
District 1.6%
Saratoga’s General Fund budget provides for the City’s primary operations.
The charts below represent the FY 2016/17 revenue and expenditure budgets by category.
UAL 2.5%
Community Events & Grants1.2%
Operational Charges & Supplies6.8%
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Capital Improvements
Annual Roadway Improvements
Project Timeline: Ongoing
The City invested $1.5 million in the Annual Roadway Improvements project this year. This program funds ongoing street resurfacing and maintenance repairs for the City’s 135 miles of roadway, including the Pavement Management Program (PMP). The PMP plays a key role in extending the lifetime of roadways and minimizes the need for larger and more costly maintenance in the future. The 2016 PMP was primarily focused on roads in the northern part of Saratoga and the 2017 PMP will begin this spring.
Website Redesign
Project Timeline: Fall 2016 - Spring 2017
This project will update the City's website to incorporate advancements in technology and design, bringing improved structure and navigation, a new appearance, translation options, and mobile-friendly access to better help the public navigate the City's website and access information.
Prospect Road Improvement Project
Construction Begins: Spring 2017
This project will improve a 1.9-mile section of Prospect Road between Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road and Lawrence Expressway. Upgrades include median landscaping, ADA-compliant ramps, sidewalks, bus shelters, and bicycle detector loops. About 88% of this $4.75 million project will be paid for through OBAG grant funding.
Citywide Transportation Needs Assessment
Project Timeline: Fall 2016 - Spring 2017
This $50,000 project will investigate transportation needs for the City based on a comprehensive look at all demographics, including senior transportation needs. The study will look at destination patterns of Saratoga residents as well as opportunities and constraints connected to public transportation. Opportunities to expand the study with other West Valley cities will be explored.
For more detailed information on these and other projects, visit www.saratoga.ca.us/currentprojects
The City of Saratoga has an ongoing process through which it identifies, prioritizes, and develops a multi-year plan for major capital projects. “Capital Improvement Plan” projects enhance the quality of life in Saratoga by upgrading the City’s roadways, parks, facilities, and other infrastructure. These projects are approved by the City Council during the budget process and many are funded through grants.
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To learn more about The Saratogan, make comments, suggest story ideas, or just ask a question, contact
Lauren Pettipiece at lpettipiece@saratoga.ca.us or 408.868.1275. You can also find The Saratogan
online and sign up for email alerts at www.saratoga.ca.us/saratogan.
C I T Y o f S ARATO
G
A
CALIFO R N I A1956
Ask Our Staff featuring Mary Furey
Have a question? Send your question(s) to lpettipiece@saratoga.ca.us or call (408) 868-1275.
Q: I noticed a recent City Council agenda item to review and accept the City’s annual audit. What is the City’s annual audit?
A: After the conclusion of the City’s fiscal year (July 1st – June 30th), the City completes closing entries and finalizes the financial records. Independent auditors conduct an audit of the City’s financial records in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards to ensure legal and fiscal accountability to the public. The City then prepares a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report that presents:
- General information on the City’s financial structure, services, and activities
- Audited basic financial statements and required supplementary information
- Statistical data on trend and nonfinancial information
Saratoga has received the Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting award for 22 straight years, ensuring the City’s financial reports meet high standards in governmental accounting and financial reporting. Annual reports by fiscal year are available online at www.saratoga.ca.us/audit
Mary Furey is the Finance and Administrative Services Director for the City of Saratoga. She is responsible
for overseeing Finance, Human Resources, and Information Technology.
&Q A
Mark Your Calendar!
Community Event & Street Clos
u
r
e
Grant Programs Applications
Available: January 18
Due: March 1
www.saratoga.ca.us/eventgrants
Neighborhood Watch
Grant Program Applications
Available: Now, while funds last
www.saratoga.ca.us/stayingsafe
Silicon Valley Clean Energy
(SVCE) Enrollment
All existing PG&E custombers w
i
l
l
be automatically enrolled into SV
C
E
in three phases, beginning in
April 2017. To learn more and v
i
e
w
your options, visit
www.svcleanenergy.org/
Preventing Package Theft
• Request a signature upon delivery.
• Have packages shipped to work or a trusted neighbor/friend who will be home.
• Send packages to secured locations for pick up - USPS, FedEx, UPS, and Amazon Locker offer options.
• Call 911 to report suspicious activity.
• Don’t forget to have your mail and newspaper delivery stopped while you are away.
Storm Preparation
• Clean gutters on a regular basis to direct water away from homes.
• Utilize sandbags to keep water off your property. Pre-filled sandbags are available at the City's Corporation Yard during business hours. The City also has a 24-hour sandbag station outside of the Corporation Yard.
• Report fallen trees, landslides, and flooding on roads and public property:
Emergencies: 911
Weekdays (6am-3:30pm): City of Saratoga at (408) 868-1245
Weeknights (after 3:30pm) & Weekends: Santa Clara County Communications at (408) 299-2507
128
D ear Neighb or,
This is s ue of S aratoga's quarterly newsletter foc us es on the City's annual b udget. The City of
Saratoga ended las t fis c al year in a s trong financial p os ition, with p rop erty and s ales tax
rev enues ex ceeding ex p ec tations and op erating ex p enditures lower than antic ip ated. Net
op erations res ulted in dis trib uting $1.4 million to c ap ital imp rov ement p rojects, and $50 0 ,0 0 0 to
res erv es .
With the imp rov ed ec onomy, the c urrent y ear's b udget reflec ts the City Counc il's continuing
c ommitment to fund s erv ic es at p re-rec es sionary lev els , and enhanc e the quality of life in the
Saratoga c ommunity . Priorities include heightened roadway maintenanc e, c ode comp lianc e,
c ommunity ev ents , c ommunic ation outreach, and the imp lementation of p ub lic s afety p rograms .
In the Winter S aratogan, y ou c an read more ab out cap ital imp rov ements , s torm p rep aration tip s ,
up c oming events, and imp ortant dates. Financ e and A dministrativ e Services D irector Mary
Furey also exp lains the City 's annual audit p roces s .
Read the full news letter here:
2017 Winter Sarat ogan
Capi tal Impro ve me nts
The City of S aratoga has an ongoing p roc es s
through which it identifies , p rioritizes , and dev elop s
a multi-y ear p lan for major c ap ital p rojec ts .
"Cap ital Imp rov ement Plan" p rojec ts enhanc e the
quality of life in S aratoga b y up grading the City's
roadway s , p ark s , fac ilities , and other infras tructure.
Thes e p rojec ts are ap p rov ed b y the City Council
during the b udget p roc es s and many are funded
through grants . Projec ts featured in this is s ue
include Annual Roadway Imp rov ements , the City 's
Web s ite Redes ign, P ros p ect Road Imp rovement
Project, and the City wide Trans p ortation Needs
As s es sment.
Read About These Proj ects
Sto rm P re parati o n Ti ps
With the winter s torm s eas on and heav y rains
up on us , we fac e p oss ib le flooding, fallen trees,
and lands lides. However, there are things
res idents can do to p rep are for thes e s c enarios:
Clean gutters on a regular b asis to direct
water away from homes .
Utilize s andb ags to k eep water off your
p rop erty. P re-filled s andb ags are av ailab le
at the City's Corp oration Yard during
b usines s hours . The City als o has a 24-
hour s andb ag s tation outs ide of the
Corp oration Yard.
129
Rep ort fallen trees , landslides , and flooding on roads and p ub lic p rop erty :
Emergenc ies: 9 11
Week day s (6am-3:30pm): City of Saratoga at (40 8 ) 8 68 -1245
Week nights (af ter 3:30pm) & Week ends : Santa Clara County Communications at
(40 8 ) 29 9 -250 7
Aro u nd To wn...
For a relativ ely s mall c ity , there is a lot hap p ening in Saratoga.
20 17 STATE O F THE CITY EVENT
Join Mayor Emily Lo and the res t of the
Saratoga City Counc il to learn ab out City
s erv ic es and c eleb rate what mak es Saratoga
s p ecial on Saturday , Ap ril 15, from 2 to 4 p .m.
at the Civ ic Theater.
G RANT PRO G RAMS
Neighborhood Watc h Grant Applicat ions are
av ailab le now, while funding las ts .
Community Ev ent Grant Applicat ions are als o
av ailab le now and due b y March 1. G rants will
then b e awarded on Marc h 15.
Read the full news letter here:
2017 Winter S aratogan
Past Issu e s o f The S ar atogan
Read p as t is s ues of The S aratogan
and c atc h up on ev ery thing y ou've b een miss ing.
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Web s ite Ab out the City What's New Serv ic es Things to do Contac t Us
130
All Registered Ideas sorted chronologically
As of February 22, 2017, 12:09 PM
Open Town Hall is not a certified voting system or ballot box. As with any public comment process, participation in Open Town Hall is
voluntary. The ideas in this record are not necessarily representative of the whole population, nor do they reflect the opinions of any
government agency or elected officials.
All Registered Ideas sorted chronologically
As of February 22, 2017, 12:09 PM http://www.peakdemocracy.com/4180
Neighborhood Watch Forum
Help us keep Saratoga safe! Share your Neighborhood Watch ideas, resources, experiences, and best
practices.
131
As of February 22, 2017, 12:09 PM, this forum had:
Attendees:32
Registered Ideas:2
Minutes of Public Comment:6
This topic started on November 28, 2016, 10:29 AM.
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As of February 22, 2017, 12:09 PM http://www.peakdemocracy.com/4180 Page 2 of 3
Neighborhood Watch Forum
Help us keep Saratoga safe! Share your Neighborhood Watch ideas, resources, experiences, and best
practices.
132
Daniel Onn inside City Boundary January 8, 2017, 4:49 PM
Neighborhood watch Idea
It would be a good idea if a company like Ring could provide Saratogs residences with free Ring Doorbell
cameras in return for us uploading videos of suspicious crimes to a special secure portal that the Sheriffs
Department, City of Saratoga and Nextdoor Neighbor Social Media Network can access to help us solve
crimes. Businesses could benefit from this as well. Another company could offer to install in home security
cameras that also upload to the portal and save the information in an archived area so that way the police can
download the video to a DVD.
In addition a Community Resource Volunteer could drive in a marked vehicle and drive around the
neighborhood looking out for suspicious activity. A neighbor who has been pre-screened and background
checked could work with this force. If a robbery is reported this Resource Officer would get a text and would
drive to the location of the incident and record the activity. This same volunteer could be called out for lift assists
of elderly residents, First Responder in medical emergencies and work on family disputes as well as take
reports for lost/stolen items and other Civil Matters .Each neighborhood organization can appoint one or two
neighbors on a rotating basis. Using Nextdoor the appointed officer would report the findings.
Name not shown inside City Boundary December 7, 2016, 10:02 PM
Means of Self-Defense in Connection with Neighborhood Watch Are Needed
Even stopping to observe and report suspicious behavior can leave oneself vulnerable to attack. With the Santa
Clara County Sheriff routinely denying CCW applications -- it seems as if no cause is good enough cause in
Santa Clara -- I would be very hesitant to be more proactive in observing and reporting without the means to
defend myself if necessary. The police can't be everywhere all the time, and our Sheriff needs to rethink the
current policy of not issuing CCWs to law-abiding citizens. CCWs in other California counties and other states
have had a positive impact; in effect, law-abiding CCW permit-holders, at their own expense, provide extra
security to their community by deterring crime.
Neighborhood Watch Forum
Help us keep Saratoga safe! Share your Neighborhood Watch ideas, resources, experiences, and best practices.
All Registered Ideas sorted chronologically
As of February 22, 2017, 12:09 PM http://www.peakdemocracy.com/4180 Page 3 of 3
133
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE:March 1, 2017
DEPARTMENT:City Manager’s Office
PREPARED BY:Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Assistant to the City Manager
SUBJECT:Website Layout and Color Scheme Proposal
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Provide input to staff.
BACKGROUND:
Last fall, the City entered into an agreement with CivicPlus to redesign the City’s website and
implement a new intranet. Since then, City staff have been working with CivicPlus on the new
City website. As part of this process, staff planned to return to the City Council for input on the
website layout and conceptual design.
The website layout is a grayscale model that serves as the blueprint for the updated design. It
shows the size and placement of design elements to convey the structure of the website, but does
not include fully developed design elements. The layout also shows how the structure of the
website responds when viewed from different devices (such as mobile devices) and changes
when browser sizes change.
The proposed website layout can be viewed in its responsive form online at http://cp-proposal-
ca-saratoga.webflow.io/or as an image in Attachments A and B.
The color scheme can also be viewed
online and will be applied to the website
during the design phase. CivicPlus
recommends keeping the palette to 6 colors, with 1 neutral and 5 highlights. These colors will be
implemented throughout the site in elements such as the background, graphic buttons, titles, or
links. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that colors meet a 4:5:1 contrast ratio to be in
compliance with government regulation.The proposed colors may vary slightly in the completed
project to ensure compliance.
Attachment C includes comparable examples of how the various elements might look once
implemented on a live website.
134
In addition to seeking Council in put on the layout and color scheme, staff conducted a survey on
Peak Democracy to gather information about how the City can enhance the experience of
residents using the City website. The survey is intended to help assess some components of the
layout, such as the prominent “Search First” feature. Additionally, the survey provide insights
that guide the City beyond the website layout. Some of the questions are intended to help guide
development of actual design elements. A total of 34 people participated in the survey. The
results of the survey are included in Attachment B.
After receiving input from the City Council, staff will work with CivicPlus to finalize the layout.
Based on the layout, CivicPlus will begin developing a conceptual design of the website. The
proposed design is tentatively scheduled to be presented to the City Council at the May 3, 2017
meeting. Prior to the meeting, staff will solicit community input on the design through Peak
Democracy.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – Homepage Layout
Attachment B – Interior Page Layout
Attachment C – Layout Implementation Examples
Attachment D – Survey Results
135
136
137
Layout Implementation Examples
Logo & Global Naviation
Source: http://www.montcopa.org/
Prominent Search Function
Source: https://www.mckinneytexas.org/
138
Graphic Buttons
Source: https://www.mckinneytexas.org/
Carousel/Stories
Source: https://www.mckinneytexas.org/
139
Spotlight Area
Source: http://www.montcopa.org/
140
Source: http://www.modestogov.com/
Contact Info, Helpful Links, “Sticky” Translate Button
141
Interior Page
Source: http://www.mcphersoncountyks.us/
142
Site Search Tool
17%
Top Navigation
24%
Homepage Links
17%
All of the Above
21%
Search Engine
21%
How do you most commonly find your way to what you need on the
City’s current website?
Very Easy
21%
Somewhat Easy
46%
Not So Easy
27%
Not At All Easy
3%
Extremely Easy
3%
In general, how easy is it to find what you are looking for on our
current website?
Does it take you more or less time than you expect to find what you
are looking for on our current website?
Expected
36%
Little More
48%
A Lot More
9%
Less Less
6%
Less in Menus
10%
Homepage Links
18%
Nothing
10%
Other
10%
Improved Search
51%
Which of the following would make it easier to find what you are
looking for?
How visually appealing do you find the current website?
Somewhat
33%
Not So Appealing
30%
Not Appealing
3%
Very
33%
2
4
6
8
10
C o u n c i l M e e t i n g s
C i t y D e p t .
C i t y N e w s
C i t y S e r v i c e s
S o c i a l M e d i a
C o m m i s s i o n I n f o
C a l e n d a r /E v e n t s
C o n t a c t I n f o
C u r r e n t P r o j e c t s
E m p l o y m e n t
R e s e r v a t i o n s
L i c e n s e s
P e r m i t s
R e c r e a t i o n P g m s
S e a r c h F u n c t i o n
V o l u n t e e r i n g
O t h e r
0
What information do you look for on the City of Saratoga website
most frequently? (select all that apply)
Do you have any other comments about finding your way to what you need on our website?
This site is very archaic and old. I designed many websites and am and EX- Apple employee with 20+
years of web design and large scale collaborative web and mobile experience. I can help, consult city of
Saratoga to build the best design/ website experience there is.
I like the organization and it seems to load really fast
Agendas and meeting information is too hard to find. A monthly calendar with city council and
commission meetings that are clickable and go right to agendas would be better.
It would be nice if there was an index to info in the council and planning meeting agendas. Having to
download the file to see if the topic is included in a specific week us cumbersome. And then I need to
delete these files to conserve storage space on my mobile device. Also, the crime /safety news incident
reports need to be on the front page even if only an index to internal links.
The internal search doesn't always return the right result.
I don't ever look at your website. I prefer paper in my mailbox -- too much stuff on line. I have been a
resident many, many years.
I find the first question of this survey insulting. Survey responses should be anonymous by default. Also
not good survey design to put a question like that at the beginning of the survey. There is no need to
attach names to responses about the kinds of things on this survey.
Change the colors! Whenever I visit the website, I think of old oak trees and an older, geriatric
population. Make it look more modern, with brighter colors. Also, have links to social media like your
facebook page, any instagram account, twitter...
I don't need it very often. I do like to keep up with current events in Saratoga, and appreciate a police
blotter report.
1. Make it easier to find a contact and send them a message. Supply a form based message sender
rather then an email link (my browser does not connect to any email client, so the links fail).
2. The home page should have an area for timely messages from the city that employees of the city can
easily update. That way emergency messages can be posted and easily found. You don't want to have
to find the webmaster to insert such announcements. This actually should be part of the city's
emergency preparedness machinery.
1. The mobile experience is dismal.
2. Why don't you have a dot gov domain? It would be really easy for bad guys to set up a spoof domain
of a dot us address. Only real government entities can have a dot gov domain -- people know a dot gov
domain is real.
3. The website is not https.
Please make it as simple as possible, so that those of us who are not totally computer literate and find
our way around the website. Right now it is very confusing.
149
Please share examples of your favorite government websites with us and tell us what you like about
them.
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv
The DMV site since the most used and popular pages are on the first page and you are where you want
to be in two clicks
https://www.cityofmerced.org/
uncluttered easy to use
I think you need to give folks more than a day or two to complete these surveys especially over a
weekend.
http://www.pc.gc.ca
Clean design, I like the color scheme with the right amount of text on the page.
http://www.cupertino.org/index.aspx
links to social media, nice colors
https://utah.gov/index.html
beautiful and simple search inspired design with simple navigation bar
http://www.visitstockholm.com/en/
Visually beautiful with an easy to navigate menu
http://www.nashville.gov/Government.aspx
Attractive, easy to understand but thorough menu, and includes a list of businesses in the city
http://glenview.il.us/Pages/Default.aspx
Similar to Nashville but organized according to type of user (resident, business, government, etc.)
https://www.sandiego.gov/
Simple, organized and makes things easy to find. Moreover, uses color and text that are easy and
website looks modern.
The Saratoga website has way too much text in small font and the whole News section with spotlight
and scrollbar needs to go.
http://santaclaraca.gov/
This site is modern. The desktop display is uncluttered. The mobile experience is good.
150
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE:March 1, 2017
DEPARTMENT:Finance & Administrative Services
PREPARED BY:Mary Furey
SUBJECT: FY 2016/17 Mid-Year Budget Status Report and Budget Adjustment Resolution
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Review Mid-Year Budget Status Report and adopt the attached resolution approving the proposed budget
adjustments.
REPORT SUMMARY:
After a mid-year assessment, projections indicate General Fund Year-End Net Operations will again
significantly exceed budget through higher than anticipated revenues, and expenditure budget savings.
General Fund Revenues
The projected revenue surplus will come from a number of sources, but is primarily the result of higher
than expected Property Tax revenues. Secured Property Tax, the City’s share of the 1% assessed
valuation tax on privately owned real estate, will exceed the expected budget amount by about $300,000.
Another $130,000 of additional property tax based funding will come from a combination of higher than
expected Supplemental Tax, Transfer Tax, and VLF-in-Lieu revenues, and an ERAF distribution from
the State that is $140,000 higher than anticipated. Steady property turnover, together with continued
price increases have driven annual Property Tax Revenue growth to an average of 8.6% for each of the
previous three years. The current year’s Property Tax revenue was budgeted with the expectation this
fast-paced growth would slow, yet the strong economy has held and total property tax revenue growth is
now projected to be 9.5% above last year’s receipts.
The remainder of tax based revenues (Sales Tax, TOT, Business, Franchise, and Development taxes) will
end the year just slightly higher than target ($13,000). Operational revenues, which includes fees,
services, permits, rentals, and other sources are expected to cumulatively exceed budget by almost
$150,000. A long-awaited increase in interest rates is responsible for approximately $50,000 of this
higher than expected revenue amount.
General Fund Expenditures
On the expenditure side, operational activities are in line with program budgets. Of the $364,000
expenditure savings projected for fiscal year-end, the majority ($244,000) is anticipated to come from
salary savings. Salary savings are the result of staff turnover impacts: lower entry wages; lower pension
costs; and vacancy savings. In some vacancies, a portion of the savings were used to fund contract or
temporary staff to help in the transition for essential staff duties, thereby increasing operational expenses.
151
A large percentage of budgeted operational expenses are very predictable and will closely align with
actuals each fiscal year. This includes Public Safety services, grant awards, and Internal Service Fund
support charges. Ongoing contractor and consultant services are also fairly predictable, and expenditures
typically wind up very close to budget – such as audit services, technology support, environmental
services, public works maintenance contracts, and recreation instructors. As a result, the vast majority of
actual expenditures do not vary far from budget in most operating programs.
However, there are occasions where operational activities can and do rise above normal planned
expenditures. This is the case with Tree Maintenance Services budget in the Streets Program. Due to
excessively heavy storms this winter after many years of drought, the City is experiencing a large number
of trees falling over into streets. As a result, the original $30,000 tree maintenance budget is not
sufficient to fund the higher than expected amount of emergency tree removal services needed this year.
At the Council Retreat, staff mentioned that a mid-year request would ask for an additional $30,000.
With more heavy storms through the remainder of February, and more yet to come before winter is over,
staff may need to bring a second tree maintenance budget adjustment request to Council later in the fiscal
year, after total emergency tree work expenses are determined.
Other Operating Funds
The remaining operating funds, including the 26 Landscape and Lighting District Funds, 9 Internal
Service Funds, and 1 Debt Service Fund, are more limited in focus and therefore typically operate within
restricted financial resources. Financial activity is programmatically structured so that workload and
expenses do not fluctuate significantly with changes in the economy. Operational revenues and
expenditures are determined at budget adoption, and as a result, financial activity generally follows along
a planned path.
Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance Fund
One exception this year that requires a budget adjustment is to increase the vehicle and equipment repair
budget in the Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance Internal Service Fund. The City’s large JCB tractor,
purchased in 1998 has a broken starter housing and is in need of repair. Replacing the large tractor
would be very expensive, in excess of $125,000, therefore staff would prefer to maintain the equipment
as long as possible. However, repairs are expensive. To date, $19,300 of funding was spent to replace a
broken starter housing. In addition, street program funds are being spent to rent another large tractor to
manage the emergency storm work while the JCB is unavailable.
The repair budget in the Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance Fund is funded at $50,000 each year, with
normal repair costs typically totaling somewhere in the $40-50,000 range. In most years this amount is
sufficient for all vehicle and equipment repairs. However, with almost $20,000 spent to repair this single
piece of equipment alone, expenditures are expected to exceed the available funding.
Staff is requesting the budget be amended to fund the unanticipated tractor repair. The budget
adjustment funding would come from the Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance Internal Service Fund.
Unspent budgeted funds return to the fund’s reserve balance at year end.
Capital Funds
Capital project funds are structured to reflect a particular body of work. This year, project costs are on
track, and there are no Capital Improvement Project budget adjustments requested.
Budget Adjustments
The following schedule identifies the two requested budget adjustments with account numbers and
amount:
152
Account
Increase
Expenditure
Budget
General Fund
Tree Maintenance Services 111.5201.64539 30,000
Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance Fund
Vehicle & Equipment Repairs 623.5202.64611 20,000
PROPOSED BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 – Budget Adjustment Resolution
153
Attachment 1
RESOLUTION NO. 2017-___
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA
AMENDING THE ADOPTED OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2016/17
WHEREAS, the City of Saratoga’s FY 2016/17 Operating and Capital Budget revenues and
expenditures were reviewed at mid-year and projected through year-end to determine estimated activity
for the fiscal year, and;
WHEREAS, it was determined that two operating budget line items required Council approved
budget adjustments to increase expenditure appropriations, and;
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to adopt revenues, expenditures, transfers, and/or use of
fund balance appropriations at the revised projection levels to reflect accurate planning levels, and;
WHEREAS, it is necessary to amend the City of Saratoga’s FY 2016/17 budget to adjust
revenue and expenditure appropriations to be in alignment with the revised projections;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Saratoga hereby
amends the Fiscal Year 2016/17 Operating and Capital Budget as described in the Council’s Mid-Year
Budget Status Report brought to Council on March 1, 2017;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,that the Finance and Administrative Services Director is
directed to record these changes into the City’s accounting records in accordance with appropriate
accounting practices.
The above and foregoing resolution was passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Saratoga City
Council held on the 1st day of March, 2017 by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
______________________________
Emily Lo, Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk
154
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE:March 1, 2017
DEPARTMENT:City Manager’s Office
PREPARED BY:Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Assistant to the City Manager
SUBJECT:Public Art Committee Recommendations
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Consider recommendations from the Public Art Committee to authorize a local artist to paint a
utility box at the entrance to the Village; allocate funds and authorize placement of Willys and
Betty Peck bronzes in Blaney Plaza; and, designate a public art allowance of $15,000 in the Fiscal
Year 2017/18 Operating Budget.
BACKGROUND:
At the February 21,2017 Public Art Committee meeting,the Committee heard requests to
consider painting one of the utility boxes in the Village and to provide funding and location in
Blaney Plaza funding for life-sized bronzes of Willys and Betty Peck seated on a concrete
bench..Additionally,the Committee discussed an allocation of operating funds in the Fiscal
Year 2017/18 budget for public art.
Utility Box Artwork -Village Entry:
The Public Art Committee is recommending that City Council authorize artist Tina Liddie to
paint the utility box on Big Basin Way outside of Star One Credit Union and allocate $400 from
the America in Bloom funds for Fiscal Year 2016/17 to cover the costs,including supplies and a
small artist stipend.
The project proposal is part of the efforts of the America in Bloom Committee to beautify the
City and entry to the City's downtown;the Committee hopes to have the artwork in place before
America in Bloom judges are expected to visit in May 2017.Consequently,the Public Art
Committee is recommending the allocation of funds this Fiscal Year.
If the City Council authorizes the project,staff will work with the owner of the utility box to gain
permission to paint it.
Images of the utility box and proposed artwork are included in Attachment A.
Willys and Betty Peck Bronzes:155
The Committee also heard a request for funding to commission bronzes of Willys and Betty Peck
seated on a bench, proposed for Blaney Plaza. A group of Saratoga residents has been working in
partnership with the Saratoga Historical Foundation to raise funds to commission life-sized
bronzes of Willys and Betty Peck seated on their “Count Your Blessings” bench. The total cost
of the artwork, incidental costs, and the bench is $70,000. To date, the volunteers leading the
effort to commission the artwork have raised $37,000.
As with the proposal to paint the utility box at the entrance to the Village, the volunteers leading
the effort to commission the bronzes hopes to have the artwork installed in time for the America
in Bloom judges visit to Saratoga. Based on the desired timeline, the Committee supported an
allocation of $10,000 towards the project along with a one for one matching grant of $5,000,
both allocations coming from the Fiscal Year 2016/17 Council Discretionary Fund.
In addition to the funding recommendation, the Public Art Committee is recommending
placement of the figures and the bench in Blaney Plaza. The proposed location is near the corner
of Big Basin Way and Saratoga-Los Gatos Road, where there is currently an existing table and
two seats.
The volunteers leading the efforts to commission the bronzes anticipate donating the artwork to
the City. If the City Council authorizes placement of the artwork on City property, staff will
work with the volunteers to develop a donation agreement for the artwork that complies with
City policies for donations.
The proposed location and a maquette of the bronzes (conceptual design) are shown in
Attachment B.
Fiscal Year 2017/18 Public Art Allocation:
Given the City’s increased commitment to public art through the formation of the Public Art
Committee, the Committee is recommending an allocation of $15,000 in the FY 2017/18
Operating Budget for public art. The funding could be used to fund an ongoing utility box art
program that the Committee is considering as well as funding requests, such as the one for the
Willys and Betty Peck bronzes.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – Location & Conceptual Design of Utility Box Artwork
Attachment B – Location & Conceptual Design of Willys & Betty Peck Bronzes
Attachment C – Communications from Hugh Roberts & Annette Stransky
156
ATTACHMENT B – LOCATION & CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF WILLYS & BETTY PECK BRONZES
Proposed Location:
Conceptual Design:
The image below is a maquette of the Willys and Betty Peck bronzes. A maquette is an artist’s rough
sketch and can be used to shown a conceptual design for the artwork. The maquette for the Peck
bronzes is a miniature in clay. The
artist for the Peck bronzes, Jerry
Smith, will be using a realistic style for
the final product. He produced
similarly styled bronzes of Julia
Morgan and Saint Robert Bellarmine,
which can viewed online at
http://www.jssculpture.com/page3
The bench is expected to be a simple
concrete arc, probably up on legs
depending on the City’s choice. The
wood shown with the maquette is just
for managing the models and the
double arc design has been used for
artistic effect.
157
ATTACHMENT A – LOCATION & CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF UTILITY BOX ARTWORK
Utility Box Location:
158
Conceptual Artwork:
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168