Councilmember rishi kumar saratoga halloween newsletter 2018 google docs

12/31/2018 Halloween 2018 Newsletter - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CjXClcvi7k19SpwPKG_NuiREtqTqbxUG3LIHqiNlzUM/edit 1/47

Halloween 2018 Newsletter
Newsletter intern: Akshay Manglik
On Mobile/Tablet, View in Landscape Mode

Contents
A Note From Rishi:
A tale of soul and soles...

City Happenings, Info, & News

● Pumpkins are making Saratoga safe :-)
● Leaves are falling ..so is the crime
● New restaurant in Saratoga: Hero Ranch Kitchen
● Detectives Catch Vehicle Burglars
● SCVWD Water Project Grants
● Assessment Growth Up in Assessor’s FY 18/19 Report
● Major Road Improvements in Saratoga
● Allendale Speed Tables Installed
● Grover House/Blue Rock Shoot Project Update
● New Crosswalk Saratoga Signs
● Great California Shakeout Drill - Be prepared always
● 2018 Pavement Management Program
● Building Permits Summary
● PG&E Tree Removal on Cox
● Silicon Valley Clean Energy Green Prime Results
● California K-12 Computer Science Curriculum Updates
● Lighted Crosswalks going live

Upcoming Events
● Witchy Walk-A-Bout
● Saratoga Tree Lighting
● Midterm Elections
● Santa Clara County CERT looking for volunteers

Q&A with Councilmember Rishi Kumar
● Visit www.RishiKumar.com/faq for the complete list
● Question: How can I deal with rats?
● Question: Where do my taxes go?
● Question: Where can I look up city services?
● Question: How to prevent car break ins?

Glimpses via Pictures


A Note From Rishi
A TALE OF SOUL AND SOLES

Dear neighbor,
As we began our reelection campaign in late August, we had this
aspiration to meet each and everyone of you. Why? It was about getting
the pulse of Saratoga and engaging in a conversation with as many of you
as I could at your doorstep. Some called it a pipe dream! It turned out to be
*wonderful* listening opportunity, to converse about Saratoga. It is pretty
clear we all love Saratoga and want the best with so many wonderful
ideas and aspirations for Saratoga.

Well, we did it!  We have visited almost every Saratoga home that was
possible. Over 140 friends and family from Saratoga and beyond, including
my wife Seema and I, volunteered our weekends in walking, knocking and
talking. The conversations we had has been such an educational
experience... my soul has been enriched with that experience! The soles of
my running shoes are proof that I display like a medal to anyone who
cares :)

The hills were of course difficult to navigate, but many neighbors mentioned
warmly that they had never seen any other candidate come by in decades.
Here is the video “For 42 years, no one came”
https://www.facebook.com/VoteRishi/videos/vl.285827905342017/2398880
63338721/?type=1

Simply stated, the reason we did what we did over the last four years on
the city council is because of what we learned from the campaign trail of
2014….the dialogue builds the fortitude to NOT shy away from taking on
the tough challenges.
•
During my first term as your councilmember, I reminded myself everyday
that I serve your interest. I have purposefully focused my efforts with a
citizencentric vision, responsiveness and resultsdriven behavior  to  impact
Saratoga’s toughest challenges , like rising crime and water rates.

Saratoga is indeed a special place where my wife Seema and I, along with
our two sons, have enjoyed living for over 17 years with so many warm and
friendly neighbors, idyllic setting for our families, “far away” from the
madness of Silicon Valley. Saratoga has an amazing community spirit –
one big happy family.

I am very thankful to you for the privilege of serving Saratoga, and through
my diligent service I will express my thanks in impactful ways.  I will
continue to build upon the proven track record of good, honest, open and
collaborative City governance; being an involved, committed, dedicated
and vigilant advocate of every resident of Saratoga. Please know that I hold
your faith and trust dearly.

I wish you all a very happy Halloween celebration with your loved ones.
Warm Regards,
Rishi Kumar || rishi@rishikumar.com || 408.805.5993

City Happenings, Info, & News

Pumpkins are keeping Saratoga safe
Pumpkins all over Saratoga are keeping an eye, getting involved with our
active Neighborhood Safety Watch program :)

Creative Genius Art credit for this above picture goes to Earla from the Cumberland
Drive Neighborhood Block Party
In certain spots, the pumpkins are participating in the election process. No
one should be excluded from it :)

Leaves falling...crime is dropping too
SARATOGA HOME BURGLARIES in 2018
We are at ~45 burglaries in 2018 so far (not an oﬃcial sheriﬀ number) in comparison to a total
of 69 in 2017 and 130 in 2016
Thanks to the leadership of so many Neighborhood Safety Watch leaders of Saratoga, we have
done a great job of reducing crime in our city, but I highly recommend that you do enhance the
safety of your home with simple deterrents listed here www.tinyurl.com/Top25SafetyTips
But car break-ins are on the uptick, so please stay alert. DO NOT leave any valuables visible in
your car
NOTE: Scroll down to see burglary data from 2005-2017 and also comparison with other
cities
● 10/15 - 1 residential burglary
● 10/8 - zero
● 10/1 - 1 residential burglary
● SEPTEMBER (10)
● 9/24 – 6 residential burglaries
● 9/17-9/23 2 residential burglaries
● 9/10 – 9/6 One attempted burglary
● 9/3-9/9 - 2 residential burglaries includes 1 attempted
● AUGUST (5)
● 8/27-9/2 - zero
● 8/20-8/26 - zero
● 8/31-8/19 - none
● 8/6-8/12 - 3 residential burglaries
● JULY (1)
● 7/23-7/29 - none
● 7/16 - 7/22 - 1 residential burglary
● 7/9-7/16 - none
● 7/2 - 7/8 - none
● **JUNE (0)
● 6/25 -7/1 - none
● 6/18-6/24 - none
● 6/11-6/17 - none
● 6/4 - 6/10 - none
● ** MAY (4)
● 5/28-6/3 - none
● 5/21-5/27 - none
● 5/14-5/20 - none
● **APRIL (3)
● 4/30-5/6 - none

● 4/23-4/29 - none
● 4/16-4/22 - none
● 4/9 - 4/15 - 1 residential burglary
● 4/2 - 4/8 - 2 residential burglaries
● **March - (8 )
● **February - (10 )
● **January - (5)
***Visit the city of Saratoga safety page for information on the latest crime stats and
Neighborhood Watch Programs http://saratoga.ca.us/stayingsafe

Home Burglaries in Saratoga as per West Valley Patrol’s oﬃcial report:
● 2017 - 69
● 2016-130
● 2015-125
● 2014-98
● 2013-72
○ AVERAGE # OF BURGLARIES BETWEEN 2006 to 2012 = 65)
● 2012-59
● 2011 - 53
● 2010 - 66
● 2009 - 76
● 2008 - 64
● 2007 - 76
● 2006 - 59
Crime Coverage and Neighborhood Watch Coverage from Saratoga News

https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/04/07/saratoga-sees-quick-growth-of-neighb
orhood-watch-programs/
https://www.mercurynews.com/2016/07/06/is-saratoga-among-the-safest-cities-in
-california-yes-but/
https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/06/07/neighborhood-watch-credited-with-re
ducing-crime/
https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/07/27/message-to-criminals-neighbors-are-watc
hing-as-auto-burglaries-rise/
https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/02/10/saratoga-city-creates-process-to-install-su
rvillance-cameras-in-public-right-of-way/
https://www.mercurynews.com/2016/10/27/saratoga-more-than-30-neighborhood-wat
ch-programs-certiﬁed-by-city-other-safety-measures-put-in-place/
HOW DO WE COMPARE?

See the report from the DA’s office reproduced from this link
https://www.sccgov.org/sites/da/newsroom/newsreleases/Documents/2018NRDocs/CSU%20
2017%20Annual%20Report.pdf
NOTE: The DAs office and our West Valley Patrol have slightly different calculation techniques
to track crime. Year to year comparison should be made between data available from the
specific agency only. Both numbers are accurate, but use a different calculation technique.
Example DAs office counts attempted break-ins towards the total burglary count while West
Valley Patrol discards attempted break-ins as part of their total.

New restaurant - Hero Ranch Kitchen in Saratoga
Hero Ranch Kitchen — the Hero is short for Heropoulos — serves dinner five
nights a week, Wednesday through Sunday, from 5 to 10 p.m. Because of limited
seating, advance reservations (24 hours’ notice or more) are recommended.
Read about it here
Details: 14583 Big Basin Way, Saratoga; www.theheroranchkitchen.com

Detectives Catch Vehicle Burglars
On October 9, West Valley Patrol detectives arrested three of the four suspects
involved in a series of vehicle burglaries that occurred in September. These suspects
are believed to be responsible for entering a dozen locked and unlocked vehicles in the
18000 block area of Montpere Way in the early morning hours of September 6. The
suspects took garage door remotes from two vehicles and accessed the garage at
each of those residences. The suspects took an assortment of property, including a
bicycle, cash, paperwork, and work equipment.
The four suspects were identiﬁed through an extensive follow-up investigation of the
September 6 crimes. During the investigation, detectives determined that these
suspects were also responsible for numerous other crimes throughout the South Bay
area, including carjacking, auto theft, and ﬁrearms possession. The suspects were also
involved in multiple police pursuits, recklessly evading through public streets.
Detectives will continue their investigation of this crew, as they believe this crew to be
responsible for numerous other burglaries in the City.

SCVWD Water Project Grants

Up to $100,000 available for innovative water conservation projects

The window is now open for applicants to apply for a portion of $100,000 in
grant funding for testing new and innovative water conservation programs and
technologies. The funding is part of the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood
Protection Program parcel tax, approved by voters in 2012. The maximum grant
amount is $50,000 and the minimum grant amount is $5,000. Proposals are due
on Dec. 7, 2018 and all projects must be completed by June 30, 2019.

The program provides funding to study and test new water conservation
activities, with the goal of identifying promising water savings devices and
strategies that can assist the water district in meeting its long-term goal of
saving more than 32 billion gallons of water per year by 2030. Previous
grant-funded projects include educational initiatives and research into new,
replicable technologies that support water conservation.

Public, private, and nonproﬁt organizations are eligible to apply. Details on the
application process are posted at https://goo.gl/ozx3Rd.

A pre-proposal workshop will be held at the water district at 5750 Almaden
Expressway, Room B-108, in San José, from 10 a.m. to noon on Oct. 29, 2018.

Questions about this request for grant proposals should be directed to
grants@valleywater.org.


Up to $200,000 available in mini-grants to support wildlife habitat
restoration

Another grant window is open for applicants to apply for a portion of $200,000
in mini-grants, designed to provide seed funding to encourage broader and/or
long-term community engagement in wildlife habitat restoration and watershed
stewardship activities in Santa Clara County.

Applicants can request up to $5,000 per project. At program staff's discretion,
partial or full funding may be granted. No more than $5,000 will be awarded
per project. Applications must demonstrate matching funds of at least 25% of
the total project cost (monetary or in-kind). Applications will be accepted
throughout the year until all grant funds have been disbursed.

Mini-grants will be awarded to restore wildlife habitats, and projects must be
located in Santa Clara County and provide at least one of the following
benefits:
● Enhance creek and bay ecosystems
● Improve fish passage and habitat
● Increase community awareness and understanding of watershed
stewardship

Public, private, and nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply. Details on the
application process are posted at https://goo.gl/ozx3Rd.

The funding is part of the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection
Program parcel tax, approved by voters in 2012.

This grant cycle is the second round of funding for mini-grants. During the
15-year life of the Safe, Clean Water Program, the water district expects to
distribute nearly $35 million in grants, partnerships and rebate programs,

under several diﬀerent funding categories. Each year, one or more grant
programs will have a new funding cycle.

Questions about this request for grant proposals should be directed to
grants@valleywater.org.

Assessment Growth Up in Assessor’s FY 18/19 Report

The Santa Clara County Assessor’s Oﬃce has released their 2018/19 Annual Report.
The Assessor’s Annual Report provides a wealth of interesting and detailed statistics,
charts, and narrative information, comparing geographic and historical data of all
locally assessed property.
As this chart from the report shows, with Santa Clara County into the eighth year since
the height of the 2009 recession, Saratoga’s annual assessment roll increased by
another 6.52% over the prior year. Total roll growth grew by 7.34%

Major Road Improvements

Allendale Speed Tables Installed

Installation of the two speed tables on Allendale Avenue was completed on October
17. Striping and signage will be completed on October 18. The speed tables are
located between Chester Avenue and Via Alto Court and between Montpere Way and
Loquat Court. The Traﬃc Safety Commission approved installation of the speed tables
in March 2015.


Grover House/Blue Rock Shoot Project Update

The redevelopment of Blue Rock Shoot and Grover House on Big Basin Way began
this week. The contractors have built a covered pedestrian walkway in front of the
property to maintain the walkway and provide a buffer from the work zone. Demolition
work is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, October 23.
An informational flyer has been created and will be distributed to those interested in the
project. Special thanks to Lauren Pettipiece for creating the flyer.

New Crosswalk Signs

Flashing lighted crosswalk signs will be installed at three locations in Saratoga upon
the recommendation of the Traffic Safety Commission. These crosswalk signs display
an irregular flashing pattern to help increase drivers’ awareness of pedestrians.
Construction began last week, and installation at the intersection of Quito Road/McCoy
Avenue will be completed by October 31. Installation at the intersections of Herriman
Avenue/Lexington Court and Cox Avenue/Cumberland Drive will be completed by
mid-November.

Great California Shakeout Drill

More than 264,000 people in Santa Clara County registered to participate in the Great
California Shakeout on October 18 at 10:18 a.m. The Shakeout is a great reminder of
the need to prepare for emergencies and disasters – especially earthquakes – and to
let our City staff and community members know about helpful tools to make
preparation easier and more effective. The time we invest in preparedness today will
pay off tomorrow with greater peace of mind and protection of ourselves, family,
friends, and property. Staff on the Safety Committee conducted the City’s evacuation
drill at on Thursday, October 18 at 10:18 a.m.

2018 Pavement Management Program

The 2018 Pavement Management Program is underway and going well. Subcontractor
J D Partners is finishing up the last of the curb, gutter, and driveway work, while
O’Grady Construction has completed preliminary repairs to Mt. Eden Road and plans
to start paving on Monday, October 8. Repaving work on Pierce Road will continue into
next week as well. Please see the September issue of this newsletter to see a list of all
the streets that are being paved

Building Permits

PG&E Tree Removal

In order to remain compliant with safety regulations, PG&E has needed to annually
prune 22 silver dollar gum eucalyptus trees that grow under high voltage distribution
and transmission power lines. The trees are located on the north side of Cox Avenue
between Fredericksburg Drive and Glen Arbor Court. Some of the eucalyptus trees are
circled in the included photo.
This year, PG&E will remove these trees rather than pruning them. Newcomb Tree
Service will begin to remove the trees on November 5 and will coordinate traﬃc control

with the Public Works Department. All other compatible vegetation will remain, such as
the Hollywood junipers and other shrubs.

SVCE Green Prime Results

With the startup of Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE), the City Council considered
whether City facilities would switch from the regular PG&E energy sources to the basic
50% renewable/50% carbon-free Green Start option, or to the more environmentally
sustainable 100% renewable Green Prime option. The December 7, 2016 report to
Council estimated a change to Green Start would save the City about .5 to 1% ($1,100)
per year, whereas upgrading to the 100% renewable Green Prime option would cost
the City about 4% ($8,500) more per year. The Council determined it was best to be
environmentally proactive, and chose to go with the Green Prime option despite the
higher cost.
As a follow-up, SVCE prepared an analysis for the City to assess whether the switch to
the Green Prime 100% renewable electricity power sources was in line with
expectations presented to the Council. As it turns out, Green Prime electricity cost only
about $3,800 more than PG&E over the course of the 2017/18 Fiscal Year. In part, this
lower than expected cost was due to PG&E’s 10% rate increase in March of 2018,
whereas Green Prime rates stayed the same. For Fiscal Year 2018/19, the City’s 100%
renewable Green Prime energy is now estimated to only be about 1% ($2,400) more
expensive than PG&E.

California Computer Science Curriculum Updates

From the committee:

We are pleased to announce that the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) took
action to begin the public review and comment period for the draft Computer Science
Strategic Implementation Plan (CSSIP). The public review and comment period is an
opportunity for any interested individuals or organizations to provide comments and
suggested edits to the IQC. Those comments and suggestions will inform the IQC’s
actions at its January 24-25, 2019, meeting, at which it will consider recommending the
draft CSSIPP to the State Board of Education for adoption in March 2019.
The draft Computer Science Strategic Implementation Plan and the survey are
available on the CSSIP web page. We encourage you and your interested colleagues to

provide us with feedback to make this an even more robust plan to guide computer
science education in California.
NOTE: Councilmember Rishi Kumar is a panel member on CSSIP and has
collaborated with this team to roll this out for California

Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons Lighted Crosswalks
– by Mainini Cabute
Public Works staff has been working with Saint Francis Electric to install the Rectangular Rapid
Flashing Beacons lighted crosswalks. The three crosswalks will be located at the intersections of
Quito Road/McCoy Avenue, Herriman Avenue/Lexington Court, and Cox Avenue/Cumberland. The
intersection of Quito Road/McCoy Avenue will be the first priority.
Upcoming and Past Events
Witchy Walk-A-bout
Witchy Walk-A-Bout
October 27, 2018
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Downtown Saratoga Village

Saratoga Tree Lighting!
The holiday season is nearly here, which means that the annual Saratoga Tree Lighting
Ceremony is just around the corner! This year, the Tree Lighting will take place on
Friday, November 23 at 5:30 p.m. in Blaney Plaza. As in previous years, the event will
include a performance by the Marshall Lane Elementary School Mustang Chorale and
the lighting of the Blaney Plaza holiday tree.
After the ceremony, attendees can enjoy the Saratoga Holiday Wine Stroll hosted by
the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce, explore Village shops during extended shopping
hours, delight in exceptional food and drinks at Village restaurants, listen to holiday
music, and take a ride in a horse- drawn carriage.

Midterm Elections
Upcoming midterms elections on Tuesday, November 6th. Make sure to vote! It’s the
lifeblood of our American democracy…

Santa Clara County CERT looking for volunteers
Santa Clara County is looking for sixty victim volunteers for our annual CERT exercise.
Below is some information about what we would like the victims to do. Please help us
create an excellent exercise for our Santa Clara County CERT members as Victim
Volunteers.
Exercise scope: The CERT teams from across Santa Clara County will meet on Oct
27th at Moffett Field for a joint exercise. Any CERT who is a member of one of the
Santa Clara County CERT organizations.
During the exercise, CERTs will:
* Practice responding to a major earthquake with extensive damage, injuries, and
fatalities
* Practice search & rescue
* Practice triage and medical treatment
* Practice setting up an incident command post and using radios for communication.
What you will do: Victim volunteers really make the exercise. You will be given
scenarios and placed in the old barracks for the CERT teams to find you TRIAGE and
treat you based upon your scenario. You are encouraged to get into the roles as much
as you wish. After you check in you will be given your scenarios and assignments.
When: There are two sessions and you may select either session or participate in both
sessions. First session starts at 8:00am and the second starts at 11:50am both last
about three hours.
What to bring: You will need to be at least 18 years old to gain access to the Federal
site and will need to complete a waiver at check-in. Snacks and drinks will be provided.
Dress appropriately for the weather, long pants, closed toe shoes and long sleeve shirt
is recommended, prepare to get a little dirty, Identification is needed to get through the
security gates at the base.
Registration link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/santa-clara-county-cert-exercisevictims-oct-27-2018-m

oﬀett-ﬁeld-tickets-50756210191?fbclid=IwAR0fd3LrlOVGOAXuQqEY0oARt643gg814Y
pdCzr-A2cKXTksOZ7u7TgmZ8A

Q&A with Councilmember Kumar
Visit www.RishiKumar.com/faq for the complete list

Question: How can I deal with rats?
Visit www.RishiKumar.com/rats for details


Question: Where do my tax dollars go?

Question: Where can I look up city services?

Question: How to prevent car break ins?

If you have a teenage that drives, please ask them to NEVER ever leave their car
unattended with their backpack/ laptop / musical instruments in the car, whether visible
or not
Please warn your neighbors -- An uptick in car break-ins has been observed

Do not leave anything valuable in your car - do not leave garage door openers
Do not even leave anything valuable in the trunk - leaving laptops there is a VERY bad
idea
Parking in Saratoga Village/ Quito Village/ Gateway / Argonaut/ Saratoga High /
Redwood? Be very careful
They are targeting Saratoga High, 85 degrees etc. - spots that are popular teen
hangout
Please review the safety tips at http://tinyurl.com/top25safetytips You will ﬁnd simple
tips that are actionable.
If you are looking for product recommendations, visit here
And if you don’t have an active neighborhood watch program in your neighborhood,
time to take the lead and start one today
I would love to see an active Neighborhood Safety Watch program in every
neighborhood of Saratoga.

Glimpses - A Pictorial View

Conversations on the campaign trail

Neighborhood Block Parties

Our City hosts a Neighborhood Watch meeting

SARATOGA’S VIBRANT SOCIAL SCENE


KUMAR FOR COUNCIL 2018 CAMPAIGN RELATED
POSTINGS BELOW

An endorsement letter published in the Letters section of San Jose Mercury News today
https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/10/18/letter51/

HOW TO DRAW THE LINE?
SINGLE BLACK OR BLUE LINE ONLY

Councilmember rishi kumar saratoga halloween newsletter 2018 google docs

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Councilmember rishi kumar saratoga halloween newsletter 2018 google docs