By Khalida Sarwari
Mary-Lynne Bernald was officially sworn in as Saratoga’s new mayor this week.
Bernald was appointed to the position by the City Council on Dec. 6, but an illness prevented her from attending the council meeting that evening, so the oath of office ceremony was moved to Wednesday, Dec. 20.
In addition to serving as mayor, Bernald will serve on eight agencies, including the Santa Clara County Cities Association’s legislative action committee and city selection committee, the Hakone Foundation board, the South Flow Arrivals ad hoc committee, the West Valley Mayors and Managers Association, West Valley Solid Waste Management Joint Powers Authority, Saratoga Historical Foundation, and Public Art Committee.
Manny Cappello, who was appointed vice mayor, will go on to represent the city on the Santa Clara County Cities Association board of directors, as well as serve on the Santa Clara County Housing and Community Development advisory committee, the Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Council and the West Valley Sanitation District. Councilman Howard Miller will serve on the Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority board of directors, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority policy advisory committee, as well as VTA’s state Route 85 corridor policy advisory board, the America in Bloom Committee, Saratoga Sister City Organization, Council Finance Committee and the Saratoga Ministerial Association.
Councilwoman Emily Lo, who served as the city’s mayor this year, will be on the Hakone Foundation board and executive committee, KSAR Community Access TV board and the Santa Clara County Library Joint Powers Authority board. Councilman Rishi Kumar will serve on the Association of Bay Area Governments, the Santa Clara County Comprehensive County Expressway Planning Study policy advisory board, the Santa Clara Valley Water Commission and the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce and Destination Saratoga.
Annette Stransky, a longtime member of the Heritage Preservation Commission, was appointed to another four-year term. She’ll lead an agency that implements the city’s heritage preservation ordinance. The commission surveys properties within the city to establish an inventory of heritage resources and can further recommend that these resources be designated as a historic landmark, heritage tree, heritage lane or historic district.
The Traffic Safety Commission welcomed Belal Aftab, Mitch Kane and David McIntyre, who was appointed the commission’s chairman. City clerk Nora Pimentel administered the oath to the commissioners as well as to Cappello, who led the Dec. 6 meeting in Bernald’s absence.
The Traffic Safety Commission is an advisory agency tasked with investigating, reviewing and analyzing traffic safety issues raised by the community and public safety agencies and ultimately making recommendations to the city regarding traffic safety.
Link:
Bernald sworn in as new Saratoga’s mayor, rest of council set roles for 2018
