Monte Sereno
CityNewsletter
18041 SARATOGA-LOS GATOS ROAD, MONTE SERENO, CA 95030
A
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
LOS GATOS, CA
PERMIT NO. 9
Summer, 2014
POTENTIAL FOR DANGEROUS FIRE SEASON
s we prepare to go to press with
this issue of our City Newsletter, extreme
drought has created the potential for
high fire danger throughout the far
West, with California currently seeing
the most wildfire activity. El Niño could
be a factor later in the summer’s season,
but Cal Fire reports that the strength of
the cyclical Pacific Ocean pattern is still
in question, with warmer and drier than
average conditions expected across our
region through October.
Santa Clara County Fire asks all of us
to be particularly mindful this season.
Most hillside residents are aware of the
need to clear all flammable vegetation
within 30 feet of their homes to create
a defensible space in case of fire. Also
remove all pine needles and leaves from
roofs, eaves and rain gutters. Trim tree
What’s Inside
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West Nile Virus is Here. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Youth Activities in the Community. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Washing Cars in the Drought. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Where Do Property Taxes Go?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Changes to Recycling Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Last Call for Nominations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Save the Date; City Picnic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Vacation House Check Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
FREE Composting Workshops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Who to Call at City Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
City Web Site: www.cityofmontesereno.org
City Email: [email protected]
limbs 10 feet away from chimneys or
stovepipes, and remove dead limbs
hanging over rooftops. Remove limbs a
minimum of 6 feet off the ground. Stack
firewood at least 100 feet away from
your home (and uphill, if possible.)
COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE - REGISTER NOW!
The Los Gatos and Monte Sereno
Community Garage Sale gives
participants a chance to clean out their
garages, attics and closets, and keep
those valuable items from going into
the landfill. Residents of Monte Sereno
hold garage sales at their homes, or
join with neighbors to hold block sales.
Participants choose the spot, the Town
of Los Gatos and City of Monte Sereno
buy ads to promote the event, and the
sellers keep the cash! All you have to do
is REGISTER.
The Annual Garage Sale will be held
on Saturday, October 4th. The all
day event is a perfect opportunity to
get acquainted with neighbors, build
community trust, and spend quality
time with family members. Schools,
church and community groups are
encouraged to participate. For more
information, or to register your event,
visit: www.losgatosca.gov/garagesale
or call 408.354.6834.
S
Monte
Says ...
anta Clara County Vector Control
had logged 16 positive hits for West
Nile virus in mosquitoes this year by
mid-July. Last year at this time, it had
none. The county has already logged
nearly 300 infected birds, an increase
of 60 percent of the positives counted
statewide and more than three times
the number found in all of 2013.
Fogging in areas of Monte Sereno, Los
Gatos, Campbell and West San Jose
have already approached a dozen, and
are almost certain to surpass last year’s
record 13 events.
Many people are under the impression
that drought conditions result in less
mosquito breeding, but it actually
can have the opposite effect. Early
warm temperatures are a factor, and
birds and mosquitoes are in closer
contact because they come together
at the same watering holes. Also,
poorly maintained swimming pools
and decorative ponds can be massive
breeding grounds for mosquitos. Some
varieties can breed in small containers
such as cans, saucers, bottle caps and
even plant leaves holding water.
“I HATE MOSQUITOES.”
WEST NILE ON TRACK FOR RECORD YEAR
The Asian Tiger Mosquito (ATM) is smaller than most other varieties and is a day biter. Please
report sightings of the ATM immediately to the Santa Clara County Vector Control Distirct.
Even in its mild form, humans infected
with West Nile average 16 days off
work from the virus. But residents
can avoid the risk of exposure by
minimizing contact with mosquitos.
Vector control officials advise:
• When outside, especially in the
early morning and early evening
hours and two hours after sunset,
wear long pants and long sleeves.
Apply insect repellent to exposed
skin.
• Get rid of standing water outside
the home, even in buckets, old
tires, flowerpots and toys.
• Report dead birds or squirrels
immediately. Call the West Nile
Virus Hotline at 877.WNV.BIRD
(968.2473) or report online at
www.westnile.ca.gov.
• Change the water in birdbaths and
pet bowls every few days.
• Make sure screens on windows
and doors are secure and properly
attached.
For more information, visit Santa
Clara County Vector Control at:
www.sccvector.org
or
call
408.918.4770
YOUTH ACTIVITIES IN THE COMMUNITY
On July 15, 2014 the City Council
appointed 10 Monte Sereno youth to
serve on the 2014-2015 Monte Sereno
Youth Commission. The Commission,
made up of middle and high school
students, is established by the City
Council to help engage youth in the
city, learn about local government, and
provide opportunities for the youth to
get involved with projects that serve
the community.
The previous Commission was busy
during the 2013-2014 school year and
hopes to continue some of the same
events this year. During the last year
the Commission volunteered in a local
soup kitchen, participated in the Los
Gatos Holiday Parade, held a bake
sale to raise money for Silicon Valley
Animal Control Authority, harvested
fruit off resident’s fruit trees for a food
bank, and hosted a City Ice Cream
Social to celebrate the City’s Birthday.
It’s not too late to join the 2014-2015
Youth Commission! There are still
two openings for youth that live in the
City and are entering grades 8-12. Or,
if you would like to participate without
joining the Commission, feel free to
attend Youth Commission meetings
held on the second Wednesday of each
month at 4pm. For more information
on the Youth Commission contact
[email protected].
I
DROUGHT: CONSERVATION & CREEK FRIENDLY CAR WASHING
f you are trying to save water in the
current drought situation, and you’d
like to help keep our creeks clean at
the same time, look at the manner in
which you wash your car. Have you
been washing it on the driveway, or a
paved area, letting all the runoff flow
to the gutter and into the storm drain?
Two alternative methods are much
more drought and eco friendly:
1) Use a commercial car wash
2) Wash at home on a landscaped or
unpaved area
COMMERCIAL CAR WASHING
When you use a commercial car wash,
T
you’re not adding to your own water
bill, and commercial facilities don’t
discharge their wastewater into storm
drains and creeks. You can download a
“Watershed Watch Discount Card” at
this link, to get discounts at local car
washes, including Classic Car Wash
in Campbell, Los Gatos and Saratoga:
w w w. MyWa t e r s h e d Wa t ch . o r g /
Images/WW_Discount_5-2014.pdf
landscaping so that you can save
water by skipping one of your regular
irrigation cycles. In addition, allowing
the dirty wash water to soak into the
ground prevents that water, and the
pollutants it carries, from ending up in
your local creek. Microorganisms in
the soil will break down many of the
pollutants in that wash water, providing
a filter system for the polluted water.
WASHING AT HOME
If you must wash your vehicle at home,
park it on a grassy or landscaped
area (i.e. “unpaved” area). Using
this method, the water will soak into
the ground, providing water to your
D I S C O U N T
C A R D
Visit www.MyWatershedWatch.org or call
1-866-WATERSHED for new offers
WHERE DO MY PROPERTY TAXES GO?
he City of Monte Sereno receives
only 5.2% of the property tax revenues
collected from Monte Sereno. The
remaining property tax dollars go to
public agencies and are distributed
according to the pie chart shown.
West Valley Sanitation
District; 0.0000%
County School Service;
3.1379%
City of
Monte Sereno;
5.2193%
Midpeninsula
Regional Open
Space District;
1.4588%
Santa Clara
County Library;
2.4083%
Santa Clara
Valley Water
District North
Central Zone;
0.8489%
Saratoga Cemetary District;
0.5594%
Santa Clara Co Water-Misc
District; 0.4579%
Los Gatos Union Elementary;
24.9442%
West Valley-Mission College;
7.8224%
Santa Clara Valley Water
District West Zone 4;
0.1180%
Los Gatos-Saratoga High;
18.6956%
Santa Clara County;
12.8043%
Santa Clara Valley Water
District; 0.1537%
Central Fire Protection
District; 14.2499%
Bay Area Air Quality Management District;
0.1733%
THE RULES ARE CHANGING FOR RECYCLING
What is recyclable and what is
garbage? Well, the rules are changing
for that question, and the changes
start with Styrofoam (Polystyrene).
West Valley Collection & Recycling
will no longer accept the following
in your recycling bins: egg cartons
(molded foam), meat trays (molded
foam) cups and plates, take-out food
containers (polystyrene foam), foam
packing (e.g. from electronics) and
packing “peanuts” (bagged or loose.)
Other plastic materials that are not
accepted include: plastic utensils (e.g.
spoons, forks, knives, straws), chip bags,
foil beverage pouches, latex gloves,
PVC pipe, rubber bands, and credit
cards. Paper products which are not
recyclable include: pizza delivery boxes,
take-out food containers, ice cream
cartons, coated paper cups and plates,
waxed paper, tissues (e.g. Kleenex)
paper towels and napkins and dirty
newspaper (paint, pet waste or food/
grease.) Please put all of these items in
your garbage. For a more complete list,
visit: www.westvalleyrecycles.com.
Monte Sereno Newsletter
18041 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd.
Monte Sereno, CA 95030
Phone: 354-7635
Fax: 395-7653
Email: [email protected]
LAST CALL FOR CITY COUNCIL
NOMINATIONS
T
his November there will be three (3) City Council seats to be filled.
The Nomination Period began July 14th and ends Friday, August 8th.
That is the time frame during which a potential candidate can obtain
and file the necessary documents to enter the City Council race. For
more information please contact the City Clerk at 408.354.7635 or
[email protected].
SAVE THE DATE: CITY PICNIC
When:Saturday, September 27
Time:11:00am to 1:30pm
Where: Vasona Park—Circle Picnic Site
What: Food, Fun, Music and Meet Your Neighbors
Reservations:Please help us plan for the amount of food and drink to
provide by emailing us an RSVP and telling us how many
will be in your party. [email protected].
VACATION HOUSE CHECK SERVICE
Just a reminder… The Los Gatos/Monte Sereno Police Department
offers a Vacation House Check Service to all residents. When making
vacation travel plans, place an advance call to request a daily check on
your home. The police dispatcher will ask several questions, such as:
dates the house will be vacant, names of individuals holding a key to
the house, and whether pets will be left in the backyard. To arrange for
a Vacation House Check, call 408.354.8600.
FREE HOME COMPOSTING WORKSHOPS
Learn how to turn your grass, leaves, and kitchen scraps into nutritious
soil for your garden. For a schedule of various dates and locations in
Santa Clara County, and to register, call the Rotline at 408.918.4640
or visit www.ReduceWaste.org. Classes are about 2 hours long. August
workshops will be held in Sunnyvale and Palo Alto.
Who to Call at City Hall
City Council —
Mayor Burton Craig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .341-9369
150 Almaden Blvd, Suite 1250, San Jose, CA 95113
[email protected]
Vice Mayor Walter Huff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650-960-1395
18041 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd, Monte Sereno, CA 95030
[email protected]
Council Member Lon Allan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354-8854
559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, CA 94305
[email protected]
Council Member Marshall Anstandig . . . . . . . .354-1002
16151 Bachman Avenue, Monte Sereno, CA 95030
[email protected]
Council Member Curtis Rogers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .656-4550
15256 Via Del Sur, Monte Sereno, CA 95030
[email protected]
City Hall Staff —
City Hall, 18041 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd. . . . . .354-7635
City Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cityofmontesereno.org
City Manager, Brian Loventhal
City Clerk/Assistant City Planner, Andrea Chelemengos
Finance/Facilities Officer, Sue L’Heureux
Management Analyst/Planner, Erin Ventura
Administrative Clerk, Eileen Finn-Kopp
Administrative Clerk, Katheryn Musselman
City Engineer, Mo Sharma
City Attorney, Kirsten Powell
Building Official, Howard Bell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354-2805
Postal Clerk, Julie Werner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354-5466
Telephone Numbers —
EMERGENCY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 911
LOS GATOS-MONTE SERENO POLICE DEPARTMENT
Business/Non-emergency
Mon.-Fri. 8am-5pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354-5257
After 5 pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354-8600
FIRE HAZARDS (Central Fire District) . . . . . . . . . . .378-4010
ANIMAL CONTROL/SHELTER SERVICES
Silicon Valley Animal Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . .764-0344
ROAD OBSTRUCTIONS, and other road problems,
Call the City Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354-7635
SEWER TROUBLE, or to apply for sewer connection:
West Valley Sanitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .378-2407
After Hours Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .299-2507
HEALTH & SAFETY HAZARDS
Hazardous Waste Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .299-7300
County Health Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .885-4200
Poison Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1(800) 876-4766
MONTE SERENO POST OFFICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354-5466
GAS/ELECTRIC - PG&E (24 hours) . . . . 1(800) 743-5000
WATER-SAN JOSE WATER CO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279-7900
After 4:30pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279-7811
TELEPHONE REPAIR (Verizon) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .611
CABLE TV (Comcast) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1(800) 945-2288
24-hour repair . . . . . . . . . . .1(800) 945-2288 option 1
Internet Customer Service . . . . . . . 1(888) 262-6300
GARBAGE & RECYCLE
(West Valley Collection & Recycling) . . . . .283-9250