Saratoga Sticks With County Sheriff as Los Gatos Police Bid Fails 1-4

Saratoga will keep the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office as its police provider, its arrangement since incorporation in 1956, despite a roughly 30% cost jump. After more than three hours of staff briefings, provider pitches and public comment on Oct. 7, 2026, the City Council rejected a motion to join the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department 1-4. The same late-night session committed $2.5M in park funds to Hakone Gardens' koi pond and started a race against a Dec. 31 animal services deadline.

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• Los Gatos-Monte Sereno police contract fails 1-4; the sheriff stays despite a roughly 33% cost spike.
• Neither police contract caps total payments, staff warned, which clouds any projected savings.
• Deputies' union and a surveillance watchdog group led a public comment period that ran heavily pro-sheriff.
• $2.5M approved 4-1 for Hakone koi pond rebuild, leaving about $1.73M in the park fund.
• Council orders animal services RFP before a Dec. 31 notice deadline for San Jose's auto-renewing contract.

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Council Keeps the Sheriff, Defers the Bill

The basics: Saratoga, like many small Santa Clara County cities, contracts out policing rather than running its own department. Both options on the table were "full cost recovery" contracts, meaning the city pays the provider's actual costs.

Why it matters: The vote preserves a 70-year relationship but leaves a large, recurring cost increase for the incoming council to solve.

Where things stand: City Manager Leslie Arroyo said the county's December 2025 full-cost-recovery proposal would have raised annual law enforcement costs by about $3M, or 33%, for essentially the same service. Negotiations brought that to $11.6M. The council then cut service hours to about $10.6M annualized (a projected $10.828M) under a five-year agreement effective Oct. 1 with a one-year termination clause.

Los Gatos-Monte Sereno offered service starting Nov. 1, 2027, at about $9.7M for FY2027-28. The package included 16.5 new positions (seven sworn), a four-beat regional structure, a Saratoga workspace and a quarterly advisory committee. Administrative Services Director Ryan Hinchman cautioned that interest, discretionary services and extraordinary costs could be passed along, and that "neither sets an all-inclusive cap on the city's total payments." Staff used a $1.5M transition placeholder, and many transition costs were excluded from that figure.

Los Gatos Town Manager Chris Constantine was candid about the town's motive. "It's strictly financial in terms of the reason we're here," he said. He described a 3% to 8% base rate adjuster and said Saratoga could exit without cause after year three. Constantine also addressed hiring risk: "At 39 officers, which we will be at very quickly, we can fully serve Saratoga."

Police Chief Jamie Field outlined a 5-10-15 response-time standard and 24/7 local dispatch. She said she knew of no agency that guarantees response times. That matters because emergency response topped the city survey at 86% of 495 responses. Sheriff Bob Johnson argued for continuity: "Our presentation has been going on every minute of every day of every week of every month of every year over the past 7 decades."

The other side: Councilmember Belal Aftab stood alone, pointing to the county's limited leverage and the long-term math. "Under the new methodology proposed by the county and signed by us, our costs are going to increase by about 30%," he said.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The majority cited stability and contract gaps. "The contract does not guarantee a specific number of officers or patrol hours for Saratoga," said Councilmember Yan Zhao. Vice Mayor Tina Walia cited the substation, regional surge capacity and transition costs. "After much deliberation, my vote is to continue services with the sheriff," said Councilmember Kookie Fitzsimmons. Mayor Chuck Page, who seconded Aftab's motion for discussion, backed the sheriff while pressing for better records and response-time data.

The motion failed (For: 1, Aftab; Against: 4, Page, Walia, Zhao, Fitzsimmons; Absent: 0). Deputies keep their Saratoga assignment. Los Gatos loses a revenue partner it openly sought for financial reasons.

What's next: The council asked staff to examine an organizational assessment and requested the sheriff's monthly service reports.

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Deputies, Privacy Advocates Tilt the Record

Why it matters: Public comment ran heavily toward the sheriff, and council members' reasoning echoed the speakers' themes of risk, trust and missing guarantees.

Where things stand: Elizabeth Lacey, vice president of the Deputy Sheriffs Association of Santa Clara County, said the union has 380 members, about 18 of them assigned to Saratoga, and urged the council to weigh experience and institutional knowledge. Three speakers tied to Safety Over Surveillance Saratoga formed the most organized bloc. Kimberly Wu and Brian Eaton called the contract rushed. Eaton cited a Los Gatos finance director's statement that the cost model had not been reviewed. Musa, with the Council on American Islamic Relations, raised concerns about long-term surveillance powers and safeguards.

Residents echoed those doubts on cost. Bill Dalton argued Los Gatos looked cheaper only because it provides about 10,000 fewer enforcement hours. Tim McKenzie called the costs a wash. Glenda Ani posed six questions on response times, staffing and payback. Ping Lee, who disclosed he is running for council, backed the sheriff.

The other side: Los Gatos Vice Mayor Maria Risto pledged a true partnership that would preserve Saratoga's identity. Monte Sereno Mayor Lon Allen praised his town's 30-year partnership with the department but told Saratoga to choose what is best for itself. Resident Patrick Moekler called the partnership a sustainable, lower-cost option. Jonathan Knowles, president of the Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Foundation, invited Saratoga to join the foundation.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Several speakers on both sides asked for service-level metrics regardless of provider. The council's follow-up request for monthly sheriff reports responds directly to that ask.

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Hakone Pond Wins $2.5M Despite Process Gripes

Why it matters: The council committed more than half of the city's unallocated park development fund to a single project, weeks before a new council takes office.

Where things stand: Staff said the 100-year-old pond is only 1.5 feet deep. "The pond currently loses more than 30,000 gallons of water each week," said a city staff presenter. Plans are 75% complete. Construction would run from Nov. 1, 2027, to mid-2028, and the project is estimated at about $5M, with the Hakone Foundation raising the other $2.5M. The allocation draws the park fund down from $4,227,285 to $1,727,285.

Meredith Lee, executive director of the Hakone Foundation, said the foundation expects to lose $1M to $1.5M and has paused bookings. "I am forecasting we're preparing to lose at least a year of revenue," she said.

The city attorney explained that Quimby Act fees, which developers pay for parkland, must be spent on the purpose they were collected for. That rules out diverting the money to roads, as Ani had asked. Foundation leaders Ann Walton and Emily Lo backed the project. A remote commenter objected to deciding a $2.5M item at 11:30 p.m. after it first appeared on consent.

The other side: "Putting it on consent calendar did not help," said Vice Mayor Walia. "I do think that the next council should make this decision," said Councilmember Aftab.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: "So I am in favor of making the decision today and allocating the funds," said Mayor Page. Fitzsimmons moved the resolution amending the FY2026-27 budget, and Page seconded. It passed (For: 4, Page, Fitzsimmons, Zhao, Walia; Against: 1, Aftab; Absent: 0). Hakone gets its match. Future park projects compete for the remaining $1.73M.

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Animal Services Heads to Bid

Why it matters: Saratoga's San Jose Animal Care contract "will automatically renew for a 3-year term on June 30th, 2027," said Code Compliance Officer Nathan Sagastumi, unless the city gives notice by Dec. 31, 2026.

Where things stand: Staff compared three options:

• San Jose: a predictable 4% annual escalator, but slow dispatch communication.
• The county: hillside and large-animal field coverage, flexible pricing and quick responsiveness.
• Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority: a joint powers agency with higher costs and shared capital.

Edgar Nolasco, agency director of the County of Santa Clara Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency, said the county's pricing is dynamic, not complex.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Councilmember Zhao said, "I would like to direct staff basically to look at alternative vendors." Mayor Page followed: "Let's do an RFP so we have some hard numbers." No vote was taken; the council agreed by consensus.

What's next: Staff will seek bids, with a decision expected near early December.

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• Consent calendar approved unanimously, 5-0, after the Hakone item was moved to general business.
• 2026 code update public hearing opened with no speakers and continued to the next regular meeting.
• Resident Dory Albert asked for a Redwood Middle School bus task force and cumulative wildfire-evacuation review of new builds; the council signaled it would agendize the task force.
• Youth Commission briefed the council on its 2026-27 work plan.
• Meeting adjourned in memory of Yasmin Kothari.

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Looking ahead: The animal services RFP and the continued code update hearing return before year's end. The sheriff's escalating costs will land on the next council's budget.