November 2015 Recap

1. N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 5 N E W S L E T T E R
WWW.RISHIKUMAR.COM || WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/VOTERISHI || RKUMAR<at>SARATOGA.CA.US
NO MORE A FRESHMAN!
Dear friends,
My warm wishes to you and your loved ones for a fantastic holiday season.
Yes time certainly flies when you are having fun. My first year on the
council has been a tremendous experience. I have learnt a lot, contributed,
participated, innovated and helped push the ball further in providing
services to Saratogans cheaper, faster, better. I have put in tremendous
effort into this opportunity to serve, spent a lot of time in reading,
researching, thinking, educating, setting up processes, engaging citizens,
creating opportunities for a win-win; all have worked well and I look back with a sense of satisfaction.
The one thing I have tried to do is to be the unique strong rational voice on the council, bringing a vision,
an innovative and a fresh perspective, while zealously wanting to make a difference to help every citizen of
Saratoga. As a community organizer, I was advised by some of you last year to trim down the activities
given the new council role, but it has only ballooned thanks to all the great ideas that came at me from
friends, community members and well wishers. It is all good...I continue to make best use of the
opportunity in serving you.
I very much appreciate your support, input, guidance and feedback through this last year. Please wish me
humility, compassion, luck, strength, energy, wisdom and God speed to continue to provide that
phenomenal service to our community that I have a sincere quest for.
I would love to get your feedback; I have created an informal survey to
get feedback on my service to Saratoga. I want to know how I can be a
better public servant! The survey is only a few questions, and your
responses are anonymous. I welcome your thoughts, suggestions, and input
on how I can do a better job leading, serving, and
representing our community. You can take the
survey here:
www.tinyurl.com/CouncilmemberKumar
I truly appreciate having friends like you in
my life and of course a wife of 20 years
now Seema Kumar keeping me honest, in-
line.
Sincerely, Rishi Kumar
NEWSLETTER EDITOR: YOUTH INTERN SHAUNAK VAIDYA
MY MONTHLY OFFICE
HOURS ARE NOW AT THE
BIG BASIN CAFÉ – 1st
SATURDAY OF EVERY
MONTH, 9AM-10AM
MY PERFORMANCE
REVIEW

2. Lorem Ipsum
WWW.RISHIKUMAR.COM || WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/VOTERISHI || RKUMAR<at>SARATOGA.CA.US
The directors of finance, public
works, recreation, and planning
have a new contract offer. The
Council imposed a contract having
offered. This seemed like the best
option having gone through cycles
of discussions. As per then Mayor
Howard Miller. “The data indicates
our directors are fairly
compensated.
CREEK TRAIL
PROJECT IS A NO-GO
Saratoga City
Council contract
offerings
C i t y u p d a t e
Community Choice Energy
allows city and county
governments to pool the
electricity demand of their
communities to buy greener
sources of electricity on behalf
of residents and businesses in
their jurisdictions. Shifting to
greener energy sources through
a Community Choice Energy
program is one of the most
impactful actions Silicon Valley
communities can take to lower
carbon emissions. In addition, a
Community Choice Energy
program can provide
competitive electricity rate
options, further incent residents
and businesses towards
photovoltaic solar, and stimulate
the local green economy.
Community Choice Energy has
been successful for customers
and beneficial for the
environment in communities
that have implemented these
programs in California, such as
Marin and Sonoma counties.
SARATOGA
PARTICIPATING:
Silicon Valley
Community
Choice Energy
Village Creek Trail Project Status
– by Iveta Harvancik, City Staff
In 2012, the City was awarded a
grant for construction of the
Village Creek Trail from Santa
Clara Valley Water District as
part of the Clean, Safe Creeks and
Natural Flood Protection Grant
Program.
Due to concerns expressed by the
property owners near the
proposed project, the creek trail
design and construction will not
be able to meet the SCVWD
grant timeline. The SCVWD has
asked the City to release the grant
back to the District Grant
Program and to resubmit a new
application at a later time. Of the
total grant amount of $27,000,
the City spent only $480 so far
for a field survey. No additional
City funds were spent and the
construction has not started. As a
result, the grant funds will not be
used and the $480 will be
refunded to the District.
Saratoga
Encroachment
The water district recently began
the removal of hazardous trees
along Saratoga Creek between
Prospect Road and Cox Avenue.
deceased trees that are at risk of
failure and damaging properties or
human life. During the boundary
surveys for this project, several
encroachments onto water district
property were identified. On
November 12, 2015, letters were
sent notifying 33 property owners
along Saratoga Creek of their
encroachments, indicating that
survey stakes would be placed the
week of December 7, 2015.
COUNCILMEMBER RISHI KUMAR NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2015 Page 2 of 12
SARATOGA FOOD AND TOY DRIVE
PROPOSITION 47
AND CRIME IN
SARATOGA The city is accepting new and unwrapped toy donations through Dec.
16 and food donations through Dec. 21. Specially marked collection
containers are at locations throughout the city. The most needed food
items include canned tuna, peanut butter, baked beans, canned nuts,
powdered milk, 100-percent juice in boxes or cans and canned
vegetables and fruits. Other requested food items are boxed pasta,
rice, cereal and canned soups and stews.
Councilmember Kumar brought
up the impact of Proposition 47
on crime and break-ins in
Saratoga with both Senator Jim
Beall and Assemblymember Low
at the joint meeting with Council

3. 3
VILLAGE PLAN
UPDATE
The Saratoga Village Specific Plan
Update website is now available
and can be accessed using the
following link:
http://www.saratogavillageplan.
org. In January 2016, this
dedicated website will also serve
as the official portal for the public
to participate in the On-line
Survey prepared by Peak
Democracy for Saratoga Village.
In addition to news and
information about the update
project, the website currently has
downloads of relevant
documents, contacts, and
information about the Saratoga
Village. The most recent
additions to the site are in the
“Events Calendar Section” and
include meeting materials from
the November 17, 2015 Joint
Planning Commission and
Heritage Preservation
Commission Kick-off
Meeting.
http://www.saratogavillageplan.
org/events/2015/11/17/saratog
a-village-plan-update-kick-
offmeeting
The project coordinator for the
update process is Senior Project
Manager Kirk Heinrichs who can
be reached at (408) 868-1222 or
kheinrichs@saratoga.ca.us.
U P D A T E S F R O M L A S T M O N T H A N D
U P C O M I N G E V E N T S
Last month something historic
happened in the city of Saratoga’s
Parks Department. A new addition
to the beautiful parks of Saratoga,
the Saratoga Quarry Park was
launched at 22000 Congress Springs
Road. As the park is still relatively
new, two events will be held to try
and make the park more open to the
public and even just aesthetically
pleasing. If you’re looking for the
chance to volunteer, or you just
want to witness Saratoga’s newest
park, help maintain the beauty of
the newly opened Saratoga Quarry
Park by participating in the "Let's
Work Saratoga!" program. Two
events will be held on Saturday,
December 12, and Saturday,
January 9, at Saratoga Quarry Park.
Both events will be held from 9
a.m. to noon. Volunteers will be
divided into working groups of 10-
12 and will help remove invasive
plants to clear areas near trails. Each
group will be led by volunteer
leaders. Volunteers should bring
gardening gloves, sunscreen, water,
and wear a long-sleeved shirt and
closed-toed shoes.
WWW.RISHIKUMAR.COM || WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/VOTERISHI || RKUMAR<at>SARATOGA.CA.US
Councilmember Kumar was
elected to the California League of
Cities API Caucus as a Director At-
Large back in October. He is very
excited at the prospect for the
public policy contribution and
learning and more importantly,
bringing the learning back to our
city council. Councilmember
Kumar is the first councilmember
of Saratoga that has joined the
board. This Caucus is a state wide
league of cities group that was
formed in 2000. The Asian Pacific
Islander (API) Caucus is a diversity
caucus organized within the League
of California Cities. The API
Caucus serves as leaders to
improve the quality of life,
advocate on behalf of the API
community, and provide resources
to develop the next generation of
leaders. This group is active in the
development of public policy
affecting our cities, constituents,
and all of California.
Councilmember Kumar was also
appointed to the League of CA
Cities Employee Relations
Committee
COUNCILMEMBER
KUMAR’S RECENT
ELECTION
Opportunities at
the Saratoga
Quarry park
COUNCILMEMBER RISHI KUMAR NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2015 Page 3 of 12
READ DETAILED FLOOD PLAN
ht tp://w ww.slideshare .net/rishi 59/2015-resized -floodplai n-
mailer-fin al-10 231 5

4. Lorem IpsumCOUNCILMEMBER RISHI KUMAR NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2015 Page 4 of 12
INVITATION: JOIN
THE Leadership:
SARATOGA vibrant
citizens group
Sunday before Thanksgiving, a
few Saratogans gathered to
discuss how to build a better
vibrant connected Saratoga. An
idea is now in the works to create
a leadership committee centered
around this. The intention is to
have this team meet once a
quarter (called the VIBRANT
SARATOGA TEAM ) and
collaborate towards the better of
our local community to “Keep
Saratoga Vibrant”. Here is the
form created with the purpose of
getting folks to champion specific
initiatives
Tinyurl.com/VibrantSaratogaTea
m.
CALIFORNIA
DROUGHT
MANDATES?
Our leadership, state water
officials, environmentalists and
some local water managers are
considering making California's
new water-wasting rules a
permanent part of state law,
even in wet years. Next
summer, = the CA Water board
will hear public input and vote
on making some or all of the
water-wasting rules permanent.
U P D A T E S F R O M L A S T M O N T H A N D
U P C O M I N G E V E N T S
SARATOGA HIGH
MARCHING BAND AT
THE ROSE PARADE
Saratoga High School Marching
Band will be at the Tournament
of Roses Parade on January 1st.
Are you planning your Saratoga
Rose Parade party yet?
Saratoga High Tournament
Director Mr Boitz and Associated
Director Mr Pwu are leading the
practice sessions and the logistics
planning. Mr Boitz’s 18-year
tenure at Saratoga High includes
many impressive feats, including
participation in 2012 in the
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The band is comprised of 150
musicians, 20 pit percussion
members, 37 color guard
members and three drum majors.
In the contest, held Nov. 7 in
American Canyon, Saratoga
won first place for music,
design and visual for their
performance of "Quest," a
piece that was based on the
phone game Monument
Valley. The school was rated
the top band of the nearly two
dozen participating bands
SARATOGA HIGH
MARCHING BAND
WINS FIRST PLACE
AND CITY COUNCIL
COMMENDATION
This year Saratoga’s Home for
the Holidays exhibit is coming to
the Historical Museum and
staying all throughout December.
The museum is opening a new
exhibit on Nov. 27 that portrays
how people around the world
commemorate the months of
December and January. Titled
"Home for the Holidays," ; you
will see displays of stories,
recipes and even an interactive
table with Matchbox toys, a Mr.
Potato Head, a Jenga game and
Tinkertoys. There are displays,
for example, depicting the New
year's Eve tradition in the U.S. of
the lowering of the ball and
countdown in New York City's
Times Square, the celebration of
the Tet Vietnamese New Year
and the Chinese New Year
holiday with dragons and
firecrackers. Exhibit ends on the
31st
of January. HURRY!
Holiday exhibit
at the Saratoga
History museum
VILLAGE BUSINESS
UPDATE
Plumed Horse and La Fondue are
under the same ownership of
JOSH WEEKS. Last month,
Wine Spectator Magazine named
the Plumed Horse one of eight
restaurants from around the
world that stand at the forefront
of wine-and-food culture.
SANDBAGS ARE AVAILABLE FOR FREE AT THE
CITY YARD. CALL (408) 868-1245

5. 5
G l i m p s e s F R O M N O V E M B E R
COUNCILMEMBER KUMAR
WAS nominated BY
LEAGUE OF CA CITIES API
CAUCUS (THANKS!) to
attend the University
of Southern
California, Bedrosian
Center’s Local Leaders
Program
COUNCILMEMBER RISHI KUMAR NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2015 Page 5 of 12
AT THe Prospect Median Project
open house – SARATOGA LONG
TIME RESIDENTS Donna and Ray
Muzzy. THIS IS THE FIRST OF MANY
OPEN HOUSE TO DISCUSS THIS
PROJECT; BEAUTIFICATION AND
SAFETY ARE KEY FOCUS AREAS
At Golden Bridge Award -
Business and Innovation
Awards in its 7th year
Accepting an award on
behalf of HIS COMPANY,
Smart utility systems FOR
ENERGY INNOVATION

6. Lorem Ipsum
WWW.RISHIKUMAR.COM || WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/VOTERISHI || RKUMAR@SARATOGA.CA.US
CITY OF SARATOGA
MEETING FOR THE
VILLAGE SPECIFIC MASTER
PLAN UPDATE – see
write-up above
At Usc - public policy
education for elected
leaders. THANKS TO A
SCHOLARSHIP FROM
LEAGUE OF CA CITIES API
CAUCUS
Senator beall Spending
Time with A LOCAL
POLITICAL CLUB
COUNCILMEMBER RISHI KUMAR NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2015 Page 6 of 12

7. 7
=
WWW.RISHIKUMAR.COM || WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/VOTERISHI || RKUMAR<at>SARATOGA.CA.US
With Senator Monning's
Field Representative
Nicolette Lee. We had a
lot to chat about; the
evolving Silicon Valley
landscape, affordable
housing, crime, prison
system, care for mental
illness/substance abuse
disorder, water
conservation, NIMBYism
and more.
With LEA KING, EXEC
DIRECTOR SILICON VALLEY
TALENT PARTNERSHIP: at
the Valley
Transportation
authority’s innovation
center showcase at
their annual hackfest
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL Presenting SARATOGA HIGH SCHOOL
band with ~200 commendations for their RECENT WIN
COUNCILMEMBER RISHI KUMAR NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2015 Page 7 of 12

8. 8
With ASSEMBLYMEMBER Evan
low and Patrick Ahrens in
san jose – ASSEMBLYMEMBER
LOW’S HOLIDAY PARTY WITH
ELECTED OFFICIALS OF HIS
DISTRICT
Silicon Valley Coders
club startup bootcamp's
startup pitchfest –
JUDGES EVALUATING
PROJECTS. THREE BIG
WINNERS EMERGED
Pacific Energy
Advisors presenting,
answering
questions
regarding
Community Choice
Energy partnership
program to Elected
officials and
Managers
WWW.RISHIKUMAR.COM || WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/VOTERISHI || RKUMAR<at>SARATOGA.CA.US
COUNCILMEMBER RISHI KUMAR NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2015 Page 8 of 12

9. 9
Mayor Howard
Miller representing
Saratoga at the
first SR85 Corridor
Policy Advisory
Board meetinG.
COUNCIL MEMBER
KUMAR WAS IN THE
AUDIENCE
ATTENDING AS A
CITIZEN
LAUNCHING THE VIBRANT
SARATOGA CITIZENS
FORUM at SARATOGA
COMMUNITY CENTER
WWW.RISHIKUMAR.COM || WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/VOTERISHI || RKUMAR<at>SARATOGA.CA.US
COUNCILMEMBER RISHI KUMAR NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2015 Page 9 of 12

10. 10
During a
thanksgiving
celebration with
supporters, and
volunteer teams
AT THE 4th
ANNUAL SARATOGA DIWALI CELEBRATION
(LEFT TO RIGHT) WITH COUNCILMEMBER MARILYN LIBRERS (MORGAN HILL), VAN TRUONG
REPRESENTING SUPERVISOR CINDY CHAVEZ, MAYOR CATHERINE CARLTON (MENLO PARK),
SENATOR JIM BEALL, AND SUNNYVALE COUNCILMEMBER JIM DAVIS
WWW.RISHIKUMAR.COM || WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/VOTERISHI || RKUMAR<at>SARATOGA.CA.US
COUNCILMEMBER RISHI KUMAR NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2015 Page 10 of 12

11. 11
LEAGUE OF CA CITIES API
CAUCUS RETREAT MEETING:
PLANNING AGENDA FOR
2016
thanksgiving WEEKEND, The very first Indian
restaurant has set shop in Saratoga BY PEETS
COFFEE – please support them
http://bikanersweetschaatcafeca.com/
20th
ANNIVERSARY: COUNCILMEMBER KUMAR AND WIFE SEEMA CELEBRATED THEIR 20th
Picture above: Newly married, Year# 10 in RIO, Year#20 in UCLA
WWW.RISHIKUMAR.COM || WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/VOTERISHI || RKUMAR<at>SARATOGA.CA.US
COUNCILMEMBER RISHI KUMAR NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2015 Page 11 of 12

12. 12
WWW.RISHIKUMAR.COM || WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/VOTERISHI || RKUMAR<at>SARATOGA.CA.US