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Home My WebLink About07-06-2009 Summer SaratoganSaratoganSaratoganTheCITY o f S A RATOG A CALIF O R N IA1956 Summer 2009 Accountability in Saratoga As a steward of tax payer dollars, the City of Saratoga takes great care to maintain a high level of public trust in the City’s ability to account for public funds. In accordance with State law, Saratoga hires an independent fi rm to conduct an audit of City fi nances. This includes a careful examination of the City’s fi nancial statements and records, as well as an evaluation of the City’s accounting practices. This fi nancial oversight ensures the City is accountable and transparent in its use of public funds, since the audit is used to protect City resources from loss, theft, or misuse. Details of the annual audit are published in the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). The CAFR is available on the City’s website to allow the public to review the City’s reporting procedures. The CAFR for the fi scal year that ends June 30, 2009 is expected to be available in the fall. Responsible oversight of tax payer money is one of the many ways in which the City is accountable to the public. Read more about City accountability in this issue of The Saratogan. •• Open Government •• Saratoga strives to involve the community in government decision making by keeping residents informed and offering opportunities to participate. Find out more about open government in Saratoga below. •• Maintaining Safe Buildings •• The City’s building codes ensure buildings meet safety standards. Without this oversight, the safety of the public could be compromised. Turn to page 2 to see how building permits and inspections keep Saratoga safe. •• Reliable Infrastructure•• Saratoga has approximately 140 miles of road. Keeping its network of roads open and functional is key to the success of any city and a top priority for Saratoga. On page 2 read more about how the City maintains this critical resource. Open, Transparent Governance The City of Saratoga—your locally elected government—helps ensure transparency and open government through: Posting meeting agendas and conducting open meetings of the City Council and City Commissions;• Promptly responding to records requests from the public;• Publishing readily accessible information on the City’s website; and• Providing excellent customer service at City hall and in the community.• Experience the openness of your City government by visiting City Hall, participating in a community meeting, or attending a Council or Commission meeting. “The best government is an open government in which the American people are able to see what policy makers are doing and have the opportunity to participate in their decision-making.” — Senator Byron Dorgan (D - South Dakota) Why Permit? The City of Saratoga requires building permits and inspections for a wide range of home improvement projects, including remodeling, roofi ng, and installing new water heaters. These permits and inspections are a City service that keeps residents safe by ensuring work is done to code. For example, an improperly installed water heater can be a signifi cant fi re hazard, and a poorly built deck could collapse; the City’s inspections help reduce these dangers by verifying that safety regulations have been followed. Large projects such as additions require multiple inspections by the Building Department, but many smaller projects only need a fi nal inspection, including water heater and furnace replacements, air conditioner installations, and roof-mounted solar panels. For more information about building permits, call (408) 868-1201 or visit www.saratoga.ca.us. Please note that the Building and Planning Counters are now closed every Friday. Leveraging Funds for Reliable Roads As you drive down the road, what do you see out your front window and what do you feel as your car encounters the surface of the road? Do you notice the condition of the roads you’re driving on? A street’s condition is rated using a “Pavement Condition Index” (PCI). The PCI has a scale from zero to 100, with the lowest end rated a “failed” road, and 100 as an “excellent” road. City staff is dedicated to ongoing maintenance and improvements to City roads so they never receive a rating of “failed”, which would require complete road reconstruction. Instead, Public Works staff regularly monitor the condition of streets, and schedule those in the worst condition to receive maintenance fi rst. Using this technique, the City has achieved an average PCI rating of “Very Good” and has avoided costly deferred maintenance on deteriorated roads. You may have noticed that as a main thoroughfare, Saratoga Avenue experiences a lot of wear and tear. Recently, City staff sought out and received a federal stimulus grant that will fully fund the repaving of two sections of Saratoga Avenue, from Cox Avenue to the City limits and from Scotland Drive to Ranfre Lane. The federal grant will help the City leverage limited funds to help maintain this important City road. Work is expected to begin this summer. Road work on Saratoga Sunnyvale Road Skyelar McLean helping a building permit applicant Ask Jana Got Code Enforcement questions? Ask Jana! Send your questions to Jana Rinaldi at 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga CA 95070 or by email to jrinaldi@saratoga.ca.us. Dear Jana, I’m going to be installing a new water heater soon. I heard from a friend that I’ll need a permit before installing the water heater. Can you tell me what I need to do to get a permit? Water Wally Wally, Just contact our Building Division by calling (408) 868-1240 or stop by the Building Counter Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The Building and Planning Counters are now closed every Friday. For more information, visit www. saratoga.ca.us/comdev/index.html. Jana Dear Jana, Recently, my neighbor put a portable basketball hoop on the street in front of his house. It seems dangerous to mix basketball and cars, so I wanted to check with you to see if these portable basketball hoops are allowed on the roads. Hoop Dean Dean, Portable basketball hoops are not allowed on the street. These and other obstructions in the street are subject to citation. If the property owner does not remove the obstruction within the ten day period after being cited, then the City will do so at the expense of the property owner. Jana Kevin Moran Park Grand Re-Opening On July 17, 2009 at 4:00 p.m., join friends, neighbors, and the City for the grand re-opening of Kevin Moran Park. Enjoy a summer afternoon in the newly renovated park while exploring the park improvements, which include bocce ball courts, a meditation garden, tennis court, picnic tables, enhanced landscaping, and restrooms. The grand opening will include a ceremonial ribbon cutting, recreation demonstrations, and refreshments. Come dressed in workout attire along with a yoga mat and tennis racquet to participate in the demonstration! The event will be followed with a neighborhood picnic featuring local musicians. For more information visit www. saratoga.ca.us or call (408) 868-1275. Renovations to Kevin Moran Park included a new meditation garden Postal Customer Local PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Saratoga, CA Permit No. 136 ECRWSS The Saratogan 13777 Fruitvale Avenue Saratoga, CA 95070CITY o f S ARATO G A CALIFO R N IA1956 Got ideas for The Saratogan? Send story ideas or comments to Crystal Morrow at cmorrow@saratoga.ca.us or (408) 868-1275. Lighting and Landscaping Assessment Districts Sometimes the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence. In Saratoga, this is probably because “the other side of the fence” is in one of the City’s 24 Landscaping and Lighting Assessment Districts. Residents in these districts have voted for assessments on their properties that pay for City crews to install upgrades and perform maintenance on landscaping, lighting, and other beautifi cation projects. To form a new district, residents should gather community support in their neighborhoods and then visit City Hall to discuss details with the Public Works Department. Exact assessments vary depending on the status of the area and the scope of the project. Saratoga Recreation Camps 2009 Parents, looking for a way to keep your children active this summer? The City of Saratoga Recreation Department is offering over two hundred summer camps, including the week-long Camp Caterpillar for 3 ½ - 5 year olds and Nature Camp for 5-7 year olds. Other camps offered include Mad Science, Jet Cadets, Film Camp, Just 4 Kicks Soccer, Skyhawks Volleyball, Flag Football, and Dance camps. Early and extended care is available. Visit www.saratoga.ca.us/recreation or call (408) 868-1249 to register. Saratoga Medical Reserve Corps The City of Saratoga invites medical and health professionals to be part of the Saratoga Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). Like the Saratoga Community Emergency Response Team, the Saratoga MRC will assist the City in responding to major disasters. Additionally, the MRC will be highly valuable in promoting disease prevention, improving health literacy, eliminating health disparities, and enhancing public health preparedness in Saratoga. Be part of the City’s next big step in enhancing the City’s emergency preparedness capabilities! The MRC will hold its fi rst meeting on August 19, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at Saratoga City Hall. For more information, contact Jim Yoke at sccfd_esc@yahoo. com, or (408) 887-7818. Saratoga Rediscovery a community garage sale & citywide effort to reuse treasures Registration is now open for the Saratoga Community Garage Sale on for August 8, 2009. The City will provide free advertising, tips for a successful sale, and an online listing of garage sale locations for registered participants. Register online at www.saratoga.ca.us. by July 23, 2009. Assessment district on Quito Avenue