By Khalida Sarwari
The Saratoga City Council chose an official city flower, announced that it would help tackle human trafficking countywide by training local businesses and presented a number of proclamations among other actions at its busy March 2 meeting.
To start things off, the council appointed David McIntyre to a partial term on the traffic safety commission. McIntyre, whose term ends Dec. 31, 2017, replaces outgoing commissioner Corinne Vita. He was one of three people who applied for the position.
In honor of National Arts Education Month, the council presented a proclamation to representatives of the Santa Clara County board of education declaring March as “Arts Education Month.”
The move was done in response to a request by the county board to support arts education in schools. The board runs a countywide initiative called “Artspiration” that provides arts education in schools. The program was developed by a team of administrators, teachers, parents, students, artists and community leaders to help students build critical thinking skills, curiosity, flexibility, communication, innovation and collaboration.
The council also presented a proclamation to representatives of the Northern California chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society declaring the week of March 7-13 as “Multiple Sclerosis Week” and encouraging Saratogans to support individuals with MS.
The NMSS was credited with raising awareness about the debilitating disease for nearly 60 years and working to prevent future generations from being diagnosed with MS. Currently, the disease impacts at least 2.3 million people worldwide and more than 12,000 people ages 20-50 in California. The cause and cure for the disease remain unknown.
Council members also approved a resolution expressing support for combating human trafficking. As part of this effort, the city plans to work with the Santa Clara County human trafficking task force and the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce to host and conduct a training for local businesses on how to identify and prevent human trafficking. The FBI has identified the Bay Area as one of the top areas of the country for human trafficking, an epidemic and crime where people are moved illegally, most commonly for the purposes of forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation.
Finally, the council approved a resolution designating the red geranium as the official city flower. Last year, Saratoga competed in the America in Bloom competition and was awarded top honors in the city’s population category and given the Most Beautiful Canopy of Trees Award. As part of the judging process, the city was presented with suggestions for building a stronger sense of community and identity, one of which was the designation of a city flower. Members of the Saratoga in Bloom Committee, the group that oversaw the city’s involvement in the contest, recommended that the red geranium be designated as the official city flower because it is a perennial that enjoys full sun or partial shade and is considered partially drought tolerant, is non-invasive yet easy to care for and attracts both butterflies and hummingbirds. Residents can begin to look for red geraniums throughout the Village this spring in planters and hanging baskets.
Link: Proclamations, human trafficking, flower all on busy council slate
