By Khalida Sarwari
For Saratoga’s newly minted Mayor Mary-Lynne Bernald, preserving the city’s character will remain the front-and-center priority in 2018.
But, she knows that won’t come without a few challenges. Two, in particular, that she’s already poised to take on are public safety and roads. Keeping the city’s crime rates down will require the help of Neighborhood Watch groups and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, she said. “Engaging our neighbors through Neighborhood Watch grants will promote not only public safety, but also encourage neighborhood social interaction,” she said.
Bernald also said she would do her part to maintain city roads and work toward reducing traffic noise.
Other areas of focus for the first-time mayor are schools, the downtown and the city’s public art program.
In terms of schools, she envisions a partnership between the seven school districts and West Valley College. “Our schools are truly the bedrock upon which our community is built,” she said.
Completing the design work for a walking and cycling path from downtown to Hakone Estate and Gardens is another priority for Bernald, who believes that the project will effectively tie the economic aspects of Saratoga’s downtown with the natural beauty in the hills. She said she’d also like to look into improving the parking circulation in the Village and creating a safer Sixth Street turnaround to enhance the downtown experience.
And it’s not just downtown she’s got her sights on. She thinks the city’s parks can use a boost, too.
“Improving our parks will make them more inviting and usable for our residents in our age-friendly community,” she said.
Finally, Bernald aims to expand Saratoga’s public art program through initiatives such as Paint the City, Painted Utility Boxes and Painted Rocks, and also through chronicling historical art and exploring additional opportunities and partnerships to celebrate Saratoga’s heritage.
And if there’s anyone who would know a thing or two about that, it would be Bernald, who has called the city home for 39 years now. Though it’ll be her first year as mayor, Bernald brings a wealth of experience to the position.
Prior to being elected to the Saratoga City Council in November 2014, Bernald served as chairwoman of the city’s Planning Commission, where in the span of 18 years she spent a decade involved in General Plan updates; supported applications that brought the farmers market, tasting rooms and outdoor music to downtown Saratoga; and researched and reviewed various city ordinances and guidelines, design review applications, conditional use permits, annexations, subdivisions and capital improvement projects. She said this experience gave her in-depth knowledge and appreciation for the intricacies of local government service.
“Much of what I will draw on as mayor will come from those years as Planning Commission chair,” she said. “That experience taught me to do my homework, understand the issue and the impacted area, and listen–listen to and respect the community and my fellow council members.”
In addition to her impressive work at City Hall, Bernald also has community volunteer experience behind her. She volunteered at the Butter Paddle for 10 years back when it was located in Saratoga.
Next year, 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.
Bernald grew up in a family that moved nearly every two years due to her father being a career military officer. She has lived in other parts of the country as well as in Germany. She received a degree in political science from the University of Colorado.
“I have experienced many lifestyles and now have come to appreciate all that Saratoga—its geological location, its residents, its schools and its safety—has to offer,” she said.
She and her husband have two adult sons.
Bernald was appointed to the position by the council on Dec. 6, but an illness prevented her from attending the meeting that evening, so the oath of office ceremony was moved to Dec. 20. She said she looks forward to joining a “professional, dedicated, informed and community-focused city government.”
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