By Clyde Noel

Of the 27,693 residents of Los Altos, 300 came to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a dinner dance at the Los Altos Golf and Country Club last Saturday. The focus of the evening was the activity of the city councils over the past five decades.

Displaying picket-sized placards that described the frailties and strengths of the 50 years of frustration with city councils, the 16 honorable past-mayors in attendance remembered those as the best of times. Each member of the present Los Altos council is also a former mayor.

“This is our celebration of a great city,” said Kris Casto, current Los Altos mayor. “Someone called it ‘The Heart of Silicon Valley,’ or the ‘Hometown of Silicon Valley’ but it’s just a special place to us.”

“We have planned more than two years for this,” said Councilman Francis La Poll. “It started with the Jan. 1 Fun Run, then the summer picnic and tonight is the glitter capstone of our 50th year.”

Los Altos can trace its roots back to Spanish land grants; but as an incorporated charter city, its history only goes back to Dec. 1, 1952. The road to its 50th celebration wasn’t always smooth. While former Mayors Roy Lave and Marge Bruno described some controversial moments, volunteer residents roamed the L-shaped restaurant with walking placards that read “What about parking?” “Second-story people are snoops” and “Just say no to leaf blowers.”

The past mayors reminisced about the city’s history by decades, starting with the 1950s when Bruno said the residents had strong opinions just as now. Lave commented about the issues in succeeding decades including the gas-powered leaf blower era of the 1980s.

Between the surf and turf dinner and the 50th anniversary chocolate cake dessert, they sang an insulting spoof of the long-defunct “The Homeowners League” (Home on the Range with new words by Vicki Reeder) and “That’s Our Los Altos,” with a Reeder twinge from the Follies that brought another sip from the evenings beverages.

Several of the former mayors recalled their contributions.

Lee Lynch, 1974: “I’m proud to be a former mayor and continue to contribute to the image that is Los Altos.”

Bob Grimm, 1980: “You can participate in community decisions and try to make a difference with the quality of life in the community.”

Jane Reed, 1987: “It’s the highest honor that a community can bestow on a person. From my point of view, I would like to be able to contribute to making life better.”

Dave Reeder, 1990: “It was a great honor to represent the citizens of Los Altos.”

Marge Bruno, 1994: “As a former mayor it means being part of a large group of people and gives you the right to criticize and not be accountable.”

Former mayors and current council members King Lear and Lou Becker provided closing remarks as King asked people to raise their hands if they didn’t want a movie theater. He was deluged with the response. Becker remarked, “It’s the city we love.”

A rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday Los Altos” rang out as the 50 individual candles were lit like an Olympic torch for posterity.

Happy Birthday Los Altos.