Attachment 9 - Protest to Proposed Assessments 529-23-019 and 529-23-020ATTACHMENT 9
Town and County staff spoke with Ms. Harlan today about the assessment fees and noted that
this was for work in 2020 and inspection fees for 2021. The fee breakdowns are:
APN 529-23-019: 3100 Square feet at $5.40 per 100 square feet for $167.40 and the
administrative fee that is assessed when work is done by the contractor of $984 for a total of
$1151.40, plus to inspection fee to 2021 of $84 bringing the grand total to $1,235.40. Pictures
of the work are attached.
APN 529-23-020: 900 Square feet at $5.40 per 100 square feet for $48.60 and the
administrative fee that is assessed when work is done by the contractor of $984 for a total of
$1032.60, plus to inspection fee to 2021 of $84 bringing the grand total to $1,116.60. Pictures
of the work are attached.
From: MARILYN HARLAN
Sent: Monday, August 2, 2021 8:01 PM
To: Clerk <Clerk@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: contesting weed abatement charges
August 2, 2021
To: Los Gatos Town Council, via Los Gatos Town Clerk
And Santa Clara County Weed Abatement Division
This email addresses a highly questionable county bill against APN 529-23-019 Marilyn S.Harlan,
Trustee and 0wner APN 529-23-020 Benjamin J. and Shari Shanker.
The Santa Clara County Weed Abatement Division somehow has this summer charged Harlan
$1,235.40, Shanker $1,116,60 for county contracted weed abatement supposedly done on July
27, 2020. The Shankers' gardener cleared both properties before the July 27 date the county
contractor reportedly claims to have worked on the properties. We have received no
itemization for the contractor's bill. We each paid the gardener specifically $500 (a total of
$1000) for clearing the grass specifically. There is no way the property needed the additional
work claimed.
I had no idea we were being charged for a weed abatement problem in 2020 until a Los
Gatos Town Council Ietter announcing an August 3 public hearing on the matter arrived around
the 16th of July.
The Shankers are on a trip out of the country and can't attend the meeting. Neither can I. My
reasons include, but are not limited to, the fact that I am necessarily caregiving a severely
medically compromised friend just released from an icu hospital bed and can't attend the
meeting or a virtual meeting.
ATTACHMENT 9
We contest these charges and hereby formally request their expedited removal from our tax
bill.
Meanwhile, please provide me and Shanker with the contractor's business name who billed
the county on this matter and a copy of his or her itemized billing, including time and materials.
Yours truly,
Marilyn Harlan