The foundation is intended to serve both communities as a source of funding for projects that the cities cannot afford to place in their budgets. It is a nongovernmental organization with a board of directors made up of community members.

At an April 6 Monte Sereno council meeting, resident Fred Hawkes said he didn't see a need for the foundation, since there are already many existing foundations within the area to which people can donate money. He also said he didn't like the idea of having a private organization trying to escape the Brown Act, a law that governs meeting access for local public bodies. Hawkes questioned the city's involvement in the foundation.

Monte Sereno Mayor Erin Garner told Hawkes that Monte Sereno and Saratoga council members would only have two members each sitting on the foundation's board of directors, and all other members would come from the community.

"My impression is that Saratoga is making a good-faith effort to reach out to us," Garner said.

Saratoga Mayor Ann Waltonsmith says the cities' council members will not actually serve on the board, but merely provide guidance to current board members Lori Fox and Phil Boyce until the foundation gets off the ground. The organization is currently and will be a part of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation until enough donations are received.

"It will have to have funding money that's paying the staff, paying the bills, and we have to have a space, even if it's someone's house at first," Waltonsmith said. "Once it's going, then it's open for business and can go out and start saying, 'Okay folks, you've got projects, what do you want to do?' "

But Monte Sereno residents questioned how their city would benefit from foundation dollars, since the city does not have parks, businesses, schools or major events such as those in Saratoga.

Garner described the foundation as a vehicle for residents to contribute to the community, while prescribing what their dollars will fund, such as renovations and beautification to Highway 9. He asked the council to approve a $5,000 funding request to help get the foundation up and running. Saratoga will donate an additional $12,500 next year.

"The way I look at it, there's money being funneled out of our community and into surrounding ones when it could be used here," Garner said. "I'm suggesting that we at least help out with the seeding of this for the first year and see how it goes."

Former Monte Sereno City Councilwoman Dorothea Bamford said if people want to donate to schools or parks, there are already foundations in place for such intentions.

The council voted to bring the item back to its April 20 meeting.