The Los Gatos Town Council has decided to spend some of the proceeds from the Vasona land sale last year to acquire 2.7 acres of land along University Avenue, where a youth sports complex will be built, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

The Merc says that the council plans to hold hearings to get town input on how to use the land.  Soccer fields (non regulation sized) are planned.  No doubt the skatepark issue will resurface.

Mary's personal note: It always surprises me when a large purchase like this (or the decision to build a new library) comes without consultation of the Los Gatos residents/voters. Of course, our elected officials are supposed to make decisions on many things for us.  I am not sure that I'm too comfortable with a multi-million dollar decision being made without input, though, or when input is only sought after the fact for how to use something purchased - not whether to make the purchase.  Many will certainly be happy about the land, and it's agreed that we need more soccer fields.

The Town of Los Gatos is updating its general plan and is holding workshops to get the public's input.  The next one is Saturday April 18th from 10 am to 12 noon at Calvary Church, 1633o Los Gatos Boulevard (in the Parkside Rooms).

The Town Council has identified these areas as topics to consider:  recreation, parks & open space; green building; youth and senior services. 

Want more information? Visit www.lggeneralplanupdate.org.

Where Do Los Gatos Residents Vote?

This Tuesday is the general election and many in the town may be wondering  where can you vote? Click on the link and you'll be able to input your address and see your assigned polling location.

This year, some Los Gatos residents were informed that they are voting by mail or dropping off a completed ballot at a nearby polling place.

For those of us in the east Los Gatos neighborhood of Belwood, Alerche Road and Harwood Road near Belwood, the place to drop off ballots is Noddin School, 1755 Gilda Way (at Harwood Road), San Jose 95124.

I wondered why this time around we got a vote-by-mail ballot when normally we just go to the cabana on Belwood Gateway to vote. The California Elections code determines that if there are fewer than 250 registered voters in a precinct, it must be a "mail ballot" area. (It apparently can vary from one election to the next as to how a precinct will be designated in terms of having a polling place or not. ) This seems to be happening all over the state, particularly in areas where jurisdictions are more complicated.

For more information on voting by mail, or dropping off ballots, please see the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters page on the SCCGOV site. There are multiple ways to get your vote turned in.

Please note, all completed ballots must be received no later than 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 4, 2008.

What about the Los Gatos Town Council race?

If you find that the election is looming quickly and you remain undecided about your town council vote, here are some resources for you to check out:

League of Women Voters Information on the candidates for Los Gatos Town Council

Los Gatos Town Council Forum (1 hour video in which each candidate responds to questions and areas of concern)

Peggy Dallas - www.Peggy4Council.org

Michael Kane - www.MichaelKane4LG.com

Steve Rice - www.SteveRice4LG.com 

Barbara Spector - www.spector-re-elect-her.org

I would encourage everyone to take time in reading each candidate's site, view what the League of Women Voters presents, watch the forum online and choose after becoming informed. Some of the candidates put an amazing and helpful amount of information into their sites.

As we go into the election, I can see strengths in each one of the candidates.  Some of the plusses in each one as I see it:

Peggy Dallas - will bring a fresh voice and architectural background to the council

Michael Kane - focus on protecting hillsides, wants to stick to the town's general plan

Steve Rice - very highly experienced volunteer in the town, broad vision of town's needs

Barbara Spector - incumbant, extremely experienced

Thank you, candidates, for caring so much about our town that  you're running for council, and for all the volunteer work that you do for our town. Best of luck to all of you.