The Almanac 09.22.2010 - Section 1

PORTOLA VALLEY: Equestrians worry about conflicts with kids on town trails. Page 5

T H E H O M E TOW N N E W S PA P E R F O R M E N L O PA R K , AT H E RTO N , P O RTO L A VA L L E Y A N D WO O D S I D E

SEPTEMBER 22, 2010

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MAKING A RACKET B A D M I N T O N P L AY E R S F I G H T C I T Y H A L L A N D W I N See section 2

Your New Carts Are Coming!

Recycle, Compost and Garbage Cart Deliveries Start Now Starting August 30, Recology San Mateo County will be delivering new carts to homes throughout the RethinkWaste service area. Be sure to review the information found attached to your new Garbage cart. This kit will help walk you through the new collection service, letting you know exactly what can and what cannot go into each cart. Visit www.RethinkWaste.org for the delivery schedule.

How To Use Your New Carts.

BLACK CART = GARBAGE (20, 32, 64 and 96 gallon)

Basically anything that can’t go in the blue or green cart goes here. Waste, such as Styrofoam packaging, peanuts, and food containers; bagged animal waste and diapers; ceramics, glassware, mirrors, and window glass; wrappers and juice pouches; black plastic; and plastic bags, buckets, and broken toys.

Please make sure to set out your old green yard trimmings cart on your FIRST COLLECTION DAY immediately following the delivery of your new carts.

The old cart will be taken away. You can choose to keep your recycling tubs, but if you want them taken away, simply place them upside down next to your carts during a recycling collection week. You can also have your old garbage cans taken away. Simply affix one of the “Take Me” stickers that came with the information kit.

You can have your old tubs and cans taken away through December 31, 2010.

BLUE CART = RECYCLE

GREEN CART = COMPOST

(64 gallon)

(96 gallon)

For single-stream recycling, meaning all recyclables in one cart – no more sorting!

You can mix newspapers, junk mail, cardboard and other paper products with plastic, metal, and glass containers.

Recycling will be picked up every other week through December 31, 2010.

Visit RecologySanMateoCounty.com or RethinkWaste.org for details.

2 N The Almanac N September 22, 2010

Out With The Old

Use your new green Compost cart the same way you’ve been using your current Yard Trimmings cart – by putting in only materials that come from your yard.

Compost carts will be picked up every other week through December 31, 2010.

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This map, based on information from the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS), shows gas mains in The Almanac’s circulation area. “A” shows the segment on the “top 100 list” of the riskiest pipelines.

Menlo Park gas pipe on PG&E watchlist

By Sandy Brundage Almanac Staff Writer

W

hen PG&E released a list of its top 100 riskiest gas pipelines on Sept. 20, one Menlo Park pipe appeared on that list.

“We have been assured that these are not ‘safety issues,’ but are pipelines that need to be watched for upgrades and repair,” Mayor Rich Cline said. “If it felt there were danger — PG&E has said they would replace it now.”

The only Menlo Park segment appearing on the “top 100 list” of riskiest pipelines is an 18-foot line near Dumbarton Avenue and

Donahoe Street, along the East Palo Alto border, according to the PG&E report.

The segments ranked at 1 are the riskiest. Coming in at 95, the Menlo Park line earned a place on the list through a combination of factors, including potential for corrosion, third-party damage, or ground movement; and design characteristics such as age.

However, three main gas pipelines run through The Almanac’s circulation area, including Woodside, Atherton and Menlo Park. On a map provided by the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS), one — 101 — runs along the length of U.S. 101 in

Menlo Park.

Pipelines 109 and 132 border U.S. 280, before curving along Sand Hill Road and into Palo Alto.

Line 132, first installed in 1956, is under investigation for the Sept. 9 explosion in San Bruno, The Palo Alto Weekly reported.

PG&E identified segments of all three pipelines as needing retrofits in a report to the state public utility commission last year.

The portion of Line 132 that exploded was not included in the top 100 riskiest pipelines.

bers of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

The county is in negotiations with several other unions with expired contracts.

Other concessions in the AFSCME contract include higher co-payments and health care premiums and, for new employees, lower retirement and health care benefits and higher contributions to cost-of-living

Menlo Park needs new revenue.

Menlo Gateway provides it.

— The Palo Alto Weekly contributed to this report.

Some county workers agree to wage freeze About 2,000 San Mateo County employees, including park rangers, social workers, licensed vocational nurses, and building inspectors, have agreed to a contract that forgoes salary increases for the next 26 months, according to a statement from the office of Rich Gordon, president of the county board of supervisors.

The contract was ratified on Sept. 9 and applies to local mem-

WHY I’M VOTING

adjustments, the statement said.

The same changes apply to the county’s management employees.

In a temporary measure to help relieve the burden of these changes, the county will, in 2011 and 2012, contribute $200 per year per employee to their health care flexible spending accounts. Laid-off employees will receive a week’s pay for each year of service up to 10 years.

Get daily local news updates FREE in your e-mail inbox.

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“The Menlo Gateway project—a proposed hotel, health club and office complex to be built on currently underutilized industrial land east of Highway 101—will deliver nearly $1.7 million in new revenue every year right into Menlo Park’s General Fund without raising taxes on Menlo Park residents. It also provides $1.8 million in revenue for local elementary, high school and junior college districts.

This is one project that’s right for Menlo Park. So this November, join me in voting YES on Measure T.” — Rich Cline, Mayor, City of Menlo Park

CALLING ON THE ALMANAC The Almanac newsroom is at 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025.

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THE ALMANAC (ISSN 1097-3095 and USPS 459370) is published every Wednesday by Embarcadero Media, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 940256558. Periodicals Postage Paid at Menlo Park, CA and at additional mailing offices. Adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation for San Mateo County, The Almanac is delivered free to homes in Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside. Subscriptions for $60 per year or $100 per 2 years are welcome. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Almanac, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025-6558. Copyright ©2010

by Embarcadero Media, All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

To see and learn more about Measure T, visit us at: www.menlogateway.com

Paid for by the 2010 Citizens Coalition for Menlo Gateway, Yes on T, major funding by the David D. Bohannon Organization, 100 Independence Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025 September 22, 2010 N The Almanac N 3

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Equestrians worry about culture, trail conflicts

By Dave Boyce Almanac Staff Writer

E

questrians from Portola Valley and nearby communities seem nettled, in part by the prospect of students frequenting a trail along the south side of Alpine Road, and in part by the prospect of a new charter for the town’s Trails Committee.

The charter is scheduled for discussion by the Town Council on Wednesday, Sept. 22, at the council’s 7:30 p.m. meeting in the Historic Schoolhouse at 765 Portola Road.

The Trails Committee allows equestrians and other trail users to communicate with the council and the community. But the committee has “lacked good representation from the full array of trail users in town, including hikers, parents of schoolchildren, dog walkers, cyclists and others,” Mayor Steve Toben told The Almanac.

At the council’s Sept. 8 meeting, a room full of equestrians complained about having not seen proposed revisions to the charter, including an emphasis on student use of trails. The council asked the committee for its own suggestions, which

it provided on Sept. 14. The language singling out student priorities has been deleted, Mr. Toben said.

Other issues of equestrian concern include the trail around Town Center and the importance of horse culture to the town’s ethic. Horses keep the parcels large and the atmosphere rural, the equestrians said.

Horses are a “keystone species” to the town’s culture, which needs protection in a changing world, said former Trails Committee chair Mary Hufty, who agreed to speak to The Almanac on behalf of equestrians.

“People are so used to being the keystone species that they forget the impact that another keystone species might have,” she added.

The trail

Students are at the heart of the Alpine Road trail matter.

Though not on the council’s agenda for Sept. 22, the dirt trail between Roberts market and the Alpine Hills Swim & Tennis Club may come up.

The town has tentative plans to resurface this trail with crushed rock, replacing the peppering of small rocks and possibly making

Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac

Students ride a trail along Alpine Road where they’re not allowed, in part because equestrians use the trail.

The plan to make this dirt trail a safe route to school and friendly to students pulling wheeled backpacks could irk equestrians worried about skittish horses.

it more inviting to students pulling wheeled backpacks: more roll, less bounce.

For Corte Madera Middle School students, this trail is a natural route to the Alpine Hills club for after-school sports lessons or to meet family members.

It is one of several trails identified by a coalition of residents as safe routes to and from school.

The idea: more students walking

and biking to school and fewer being hauled around by their parents.

But having more students on this trail might create tensions with equestrians. The stretch across from Roberts is particularly high and narrow. It’s fenced on one side and bordered on the other by an abrupt, steep grassy slope about 10 feet high.

A spooked horse could get out of

control and go plunging down the slope and on to the road.

Bikes are another complication. While they are not allowed on this trail, kids bike there anyway. How would they respond to a smoother surface?

There is a competing safety issue: The other side of Alpine Road has an asphalt trail, perfect See TRAIL, page 8

Town inches forward on new Town Center Menlo Park to buy house for

By Renee Batti ATHERTON the task force include building below-market-rate program the center entirely with private Almanac News Editor

T

he town of Atherton took another step forward in the effort to upgrade its aging and cramped government offices when the City Council on Sept. 15 green-lighted the request for architects to submit design proposals for a new Town Center.

The cost of a new center is projected at about $12 million, according to the volunteer Town Center Task Force, which has been examining options and costs for such a project since March. Options for funding include private donations — an idea supported by at least some of the task force members, including City Councilwoman Elizabeth Lewis.

“I think if Portola Valley can do it, so can Atherton,” Ms. Lewis said, referring to that town’s mostly privately funded $20 million Town Center, com-

N

pleted in 2008.

The town already has about $1.8 million earmarked for the construction of a new building department facility. That department, along with the planning department, now works out of trailers in Town Center — housing that was supposed to be temporary when it was set up in the late 1990s, according to Councilman Charles Marsala.

Task force member Steve Dostart reported to the council that rebuilding the facilities would be from $300,000 to $500,000 more than rehabilitating the existing buildings. But because of a number of factors, including a significant reduction in construction time if the project were started from scratch, the option to build brand new facilities “is the clear winner,” he said.

Funding options presented by

contributions, or funding the estimated $6 million police station through private donations and the remaining costs through a bond or parcel tax.

The task force report listed various options for bond or parcel tax funding, with parcel tax estimates ranging from $55 per year per parcel to $265 annually.

The task force provided figures indicating the amount of space needed to create a well-functioning Town Center, tallying the total square footage at 14,416. Of that, 6,900 square feet would be devoted to a police station.

The council chose to move ahead on seeking design proposals now rather than wait until early next year, when a new council will be seated. “It doesn’t mean the town is making a commitment,” said Mayor See TOWN CENTER, page 8

By Sandy Brundage Almanac Staff Writer

A

s part of its program to expand below-marketrate housing in Menlo Park, the City Council agreed Sept. 14 to purchase a home at 1441 Almanor Ave. in the Belle Haven neighborhood for $349,000 plus closing costs.

The purchase is funded by the $2 million fund established by the council in 2009 as part of a Neighborhood Stabilization Program to buy and rehabilitate foreclosed, blighted properties to sell to residents qualifying for below-market rates (BMR).

The vote was 4-1, with Councilman John Boyle dissenting.

Describing the house as a “fixerupper” rather than a blighted property, he said he wasn’t convinced it was a good fit for the program.

“This is not a dump,” he said.

“This was not foreclosure prevention. It’s really crossing the line and bringing us into the wrong mindset.”

According to the staff report, the property is not in foreclosure, but the owners owe more on the mortgage than the house is worth. The five-bedroom, two-bath house has been on the market for nearly two years.

Staff estimated the cost of rehabilitating the home with new wiring, heating, kitchen appliances, and other improvements at $140,000.

BMR housing scarce

The rest of the council backed the purchase. Mayor Rich Cline pointed out the growing need for large homes, and the difficulty of finding a five-bedroom See HOUSING, page 8

September 22, 2010 N The Almanac N 5

Headline: Every Night Lights Dear Editor: The lawsuit filed against Sequoia Union High School District (“SUHSD”) is about Every Night Lights, not just a few Friday night football games.

It is also about SUHSD following the correct process set forth and required by law and by common decency when it is aware of strong concern from neighbors about the effect of night-time usage of the football field everyday, every week, every year.

Six years ago, Superintendent Patrick Gemma wrote in a letter to the Mayor of Atherton that “[i]f lights are ever formally proposed for the Menlo-Atherton Football Field, the Sequoia Union High School District will conform to the local building and zoning rules of the Town of Atherton. If an amendment to the local rules is needed in order to have the lights installed, the Sequoia Union High School District will adhere to the ordinance amendment process established by the Town.”

Last fall, SUHSD changed its mind and began the process to install lights on the football field at MA. Many members of the neighborhood surrounding MA attended meetings of the SUHSD School Board to express our concerns regarding the change that these lights would bring to our community. We asked SUHSD to respect the zoning code of the Town of Atherton as was previously agreed to by Dr. Gemma. As a compromise, we suggested that SUHSD bring in temporary lights for four home football games this coming year to give the neighborhood, MA and SUHSD some experience in what night games might bring to the community.

After many months of discussions, SUHSD rejected our request, and has continued planning to install permanent lights.

This summer SUHSD has spent time and money to install the electrical connectivity to support temporary lights that will be in place and in use during this coming school year. SUHSD has told us that these temporary lights are intended to be used for more than four home football games; they could be on for all games, practices, community events, and even non school related events such as semi professional football practices and games.

SUHSD is not concerned with being a good neighbor to the residents and community surrounding MA or the Towns of Atherton and Menlo Park. Therefore, Protect Atherton’s Residential Character (PARC) filed a lawsuit filed against SUHSD related to the installation of temporary lights on the football field at Menlo Atherton High School (“MA”).

Many of us are former MA families. Our kids played sports and we were part of the Boosters, PTA and school community.

We have lots of school spirit and go to MA football games, swim meets, soccer games and more. We support all kids in their academic, sports and extracurricular activities at MA. Most of us voted “Yes” on past bond measures to support SUHSD’s efforts to continue improving MA’s campus and keep public education strong for all students.

Despite our public and repeated concerns over extensive usage of lights for MA activities, semi-pro sports teams and other outside groups, SUHSD chose to bypass environmental review for the proposed temporary lights. There will be numerous environmental impacts resulting from the installation and use of commercial lights in a residential neighborhood. We need SUHSD to be forthcoming about the scope of usage by everyone, not just MA students, so that these uses and their impacts can be properly evaluated and addressed.

Whether it is High Speed Rail, Big Box Retailers coming into town or commercial lights on a football field, some residents will be impacted more than others. It is incumbent on us to speak up and protect the quality of life and environment that makes the Menlo Park and Atherton communities unique. MA is adjacent to both Atherton and Menlo Park so both towns are affected by MA’s actions.

Finally, yes-we bought properties next to a school and, yes, we knew what that entails. However, installing commercial lighting on the football field at MA is a different proposition that will fundamentally change the character of our neighborhood, and significantly impact the Towns of Atherton and Menlo Park.

It is time to get the this lighting proposal out in the open so its full impact on Atherton and Menlo Park residents can be determined and discussed with full transparency.

Respectfully, Protect Atherton’s Residential Character (PARC) 6 N The Almanac N September 22, 2010

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Current, former officials campaign against Gateway project

By Sandy Brundage

because these lead to developers writing most of our emerging laws and standards,� Ms. Fry, a former planning commissioner, said. “The Bohannon project is a case in point — it may not even start for eight years, or be completed for more than 20 years, but the M-2 planning was put on hold in favor of processing that project, and it changes both the city’s General Plan and Zoning rules for its exclusive benefit,� she said.

Balancing Menlo Park’s budget, revising the city’s fee structure, and updating the general plan to include environmental controls such as carbon emission regulations, round out the group’s agenda.

Former mayor Paul Collachi also appears on the group’s list of supporters.

Current city officials adding their two cents’ worth to the group include Planning Commissioner Vince Bressler and Councilman Andy Cohen.

One candidate for City Council, Chuck Bernstein, has also signed on. He has challenged the language used in the ballot arguments supporting Measure T, saying it misled the public as to whether Menlo Park schools would benefit from the project.

Council members Rich Cline and Kelly Fergusson, who support the project, contributed to writing the ballot arguments.

They responded to Mr. Bernstein’s criticisms by standing firmly behind the language used.

Visit factsnothype.org to see the Measured Growth for Menlo Park website.

Setting record straight on Folger Stable

tin Wunderlich bought the 974acre property that included the stable from coffee magnate James Folger II in 1956 and donated the property to San Mateo County in 1974, Ms. Lang said.

Advocates for the Folger Stable are now engaged in raising $1 million to create “The Bill and Jean Lane Endowment Fund,� Ms. Lang said. The effort has reaped $850,000 so far and the group is looking for donors to help achieve the goal.

Almanac Staff Writer

B

eing out of office doesn’t mean you’re out of politics in Menlo Park. A group of former council members and commissioners working alongside current office holders hopes to defeat Measure T, a ballot measure asking residents to approve the Bohannon Gateway project.

The group, “Measured Growth for Menlo Park,� also has bigger plans. Member Patti Fry described their goal as wanting city planning to be a consistent, consensus-driven process instead of piecemeal, projectby-project approvals that end up changing the city’s zoning laws. “We oppose changes that are driven by unsolicited projects that don’t conform to city rules

The renovation of the Folger Stable in Woodside cost $3 million, not the $5 million stated in the Sept. 15 issue of The Almanac, and the project is a renovation, not a restoration, said fundraising cochairs Susan Lang and Jill Daly in an e-mail.

While two press releases for the project refer five times to the project as a restoration, it is a renovation, Ms. Lang and Ms. Daly said

in a note to set the record straight.

For one thing, Ms. Lang said in a phone interview, the project did not undergo a historic structural review. “A lot of people have called it (a restoration) and they were all incorrect,� she said. “We have said ad nauseam to them not to use ‘restoration.’�

Finally, The Almanac story did not note the role of the Wunderlich family in the stable’s history. Mar-

A

Delivers! ow

A basketball player at Stanford University in the 1950s, Mr. Arrillaga has been active as a player and a coach in Menlo Park’s Burgess Gym basketball programs for 30 years.

Other recipients of 2010 Golden Acorn Awards are: ■Tarlton Properties Inc., winner of the Albert J. Giannotti Award for Business Excellence. Tarlton is being recognized for its work molding the business area of Menlo Park east of U.S. 101 into a “major revenue component for Menlo Park,� the Chamber said in a press release. “The Willow Business Park is positioned by the Tarltons to become Menlo’s business technology center,� the Chamber said. ■JobTrain, the Menlo Park nonprofit that provides job-training,

Featuring violin performances by Anthony Doheny

Have a Part

The 38th annual Golden Acorn Awards banquet, sponsored by the Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce, will be held Thursday, Sept. 23, at the Stanford Park Hotel, 100 El Camino Real in Menlo Park, from 6 to 9 p.m.

Reservations are $100. For more information, call 325-2818.

career-counseling and job-placement services. JobTrain will receive the Nonprofit Organization Award.

Its programs combine vocational, academic and life-skills development. In the past year, 75 percent of graduates were placed in jobs, the Chamber said. â– The Rotary Club of Menlo Park Foundation, winner of the Public Service Award. The foundation awards college scholarships to high school students who meet scholarship and needs criteria, and gives grants to local nonprofits. This year, the foundation gave $114,000 in scholarships to graduates of Menlo-Atherton High School, Sacred Heart Preparatory, Eastside College Preparatory, Menlo School, and East Palo Alto Academy. â– Music@Menlo, the highly celebrated chamber music festival held for the past eight summers in the local community. Music@ Menlo is receiving the Cultural Innovator Award. The festival includes concerts, lectures, and a chamber music institute for emerging artists. For the first time, Music@Menlo will present a winter program beginning with an Oct. 3 performance by the Emerson String Quartet.

EE DEL I FR

N INFORMAT ION

Delivers! ow

Palo Alto developer John Arrillaga, the major private donor to the city of Menlo Park’s new gymnasium, is among the recipients of 2010 Golden Acorn Awards, given annually by the Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce to organizations and individuals for community service and business excellence.

The awards will be presented at the Chamber’s annual Golden Acorn Awards banquet, set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, at the Stanford Park Hotel in Menlo Park.

The evening will begin with a State of the City address by Menlo Park Mayor Rich Cline, followed by the banquet and award presentations.

Selected by a committee of Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce members, the recipients of Golden Acorn Awards will be honored in the fields of community service, business excellence, public service, innovation, and nonprofit work.

Mr. Arrillaga, who is also the major private donor to a new gymnastics center to be built later in the Civic Center, will receive the Gary T. and Elissa Williams Memorial Award for Community Service.

Menlo Park’s new gym in the Civic Center is due to open in October.

“Back to Church� Sunday Sunday, September 26th – 9:30 a.m.

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Arrillaga among Acorn Award winners

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N E W S TRAIL continued from page 5

for rolling backpacks. But to get to the club, students would have to cross Alpine at Portola Road and re-cross at Golden Oak Drive, where the crosswalk has blind curves in both directions and traffic traveling at 35 mph or more.

“I really believe (the Golden Oak crosswalk) is the most dangerous area we have in all of town,” Councilman Driscoll said in an interview.

Something’s got to give. For equestrians who stable their horses east of Los Trancos Road, the Alpine Road trail is a vital link to Windy Hill and Coalmine Ridge, Ms. Hufty noted.

If there are known times when students are likely to be on the trail, the equestrians could agree to avoid the trail then, Ms. Hufty said. Students should be educated about equestrian

safety concerns, she added.

In an interview, Mayor Toben noted just such a compromise as a way forward. The bunches of cyclists who regularly crowd Alpine and Portola roads have published their schedules on the town’s website to let equestrians know when they’re coming through. “The equestrians were thrilled,” Mr. Toben said.

“That’s how one shares a community resource.”

Necessity drove this case. In November 2009, two horses on Portola Road panicked and galloped off with a group of northbound cyclists. The cyclists did not slow down, according to three accounts of the incident.

One equestrian was immediately thrown to the road and suffered a broken bone; the other rider, who was reportedly pleading with the cyclists to stop, managed to stay mounted until the whole group came to an uphill section and the horses slowed.

A

City buys house for ‘below-market’ program HOUSING continued from page 5

BMR units, he said.

Beltramos’ townhomes

house at below-market rates.

Councilman Heyward Robinson thought the house met the criteria for the program by virtue of having been on the market so long. “We’ve really struggled to find homes to buy.

Habitat (for Humanity) is also struggling,” he said.

Once the house is refurbished, city staff said it will be resold for approximately $409,000 to a buyer selected from the waiting list for BMR housing. The proceeds feed back into the neighborhood-stabilization program.

Housing Manager Douglas Frederick said the city has purchased one other home through the program.

Menlo Park currently has 57

The issue of where to find new units in a largely developed city remains challenging.

Menlo Park requires developers proposing projects larger than 10,000 square feet to set aside BMR housing, or pay inlieu fees.

However, the city’s policy states, “It should be noted that the City’s primary objective is to obtain actual BMR housing units, either for rent or for sale, rather than equivalent cash from in-lieu fees.”

This objective sparked debate when the Menlo Park Housing Commission unanimously agreed on Sept. 1 to the Beltramo’s Investment Co. request to pay the fees instead of including three BMR units as originally

proposed in the 16 townhomes planned for 1460 El Camino Real.

The commissioners made a counterproposal, asking for one BMR unit, and 3 percent of the sales prices on five market-rate townhomes as in-lieu fees to compensate for not including two more BMR units. They also asked for $207,348 in commercial linkage fees, and a graduated percentage of the revenue once sales exceed $1 million.

The city can spend the money to buy below-market-rate housing somewhere else in Menlo Park — provided that such units can be found.

The Beltramos accepted those terms. The Planning Commission will decided whether to approve the deal on Oct. 4; the City Council will also need to sign off on the agreement.

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TOWN CENTER continued from page 5

Kathy McKeithen. “We need to have a design to ask people to give (donations),” she said.

Resident Jon Buckheit cautioned the council against endorsing a new Town Center without considering what measures the town might have to take in the future to address its financial problems. “The elephant in the room is, we’re supposed to be looking at outsourcing,” he said, noting that San Carlos has outsourced its police services to the county Sheriff’s Office and that a “huge portion” of the new center would be devoted to a police station.

Mayor McKeithen replied that even with outsourcing, space would likely be needed for onduty staff, vehicles, equipment, and holding cells.

The task force was formed to refine the work done by the now-disbanded Blue Ribbon Task Force, which was headed

by Councilman Marsala.

Task force members were assisted by consulting engineer Phil Warnes, president of SigmaTech, who provided his services for free. The task force was to be disbanded at the end of the month, but the council renewed its mandate and directed it to continue gathering information while issues such as possible outsourcing of town services are worked through.

A

N TOW N SQ UA RE Post your views and comments on TownSquare: www.TheAlmanacOnline.com

8 N The Almanac N September 22, 2010

N E W S

New â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Shop Localâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; program aims to boost area business, shopping A new program to connect shoppers in Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Woodside and Atherton with local businesses is launching today at ShopMenloPark.com.

The new website â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a directory of nearly all businesses in Menlo Park, Portola Valley and Woodside â&#x20AC;&#x201D; features profiles of companies, special offers and coupons, restaurant menus, photos, maps, event announcements and more.

The program is a collaboration of The Almanac, the Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce, Hometown Peninsula and the city of Menlo Park. Its aim is to raise awareness of the products and services offered by local merchants and their importance to the vitality of the community.

More than 400 Menlo Park businesses have already created their Shop Menlo Park profiles or posted information in preparation of the launch of the site. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are excited to launch what will be the most comprehensive and interactive local business directory available anywhere,â&#x20AC;? said Tom Gibboney, publisher of The Almanac. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While there are many other attempts at business directories out there, none offers either residents

or business owners the breadth of features of ShopMenloPark.com,â&#x20AC;?

Mr. Gibboney said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And none is supported by the marketing reach of the local newspaper and the dominant community website.â&#x20AC;?

With ShopMenloPark.com, any business physically located in Menlo Park, Portola Valley or Woodside can create a free profile, including photos, product offerings, coupons, links to its website, gift certificates and much more.

Businesses can promote their special events, create additional Web pages and sell merchandise online. Restaurants can upload their menus. A verification process helps to ensure the greatest possible accuracy of the content.

Local residents can search for businesses by name or category, display profiles with maps and contact information, browse special offers of all merchants, buy gift certificates, and post comments about individual businesses.

New offers or updates to a business profile can be quickly spotted through a news feed on the site.

A multimedia marketing campaign will promote ShopMenloPark.com through The Almanac, on AlmanacOnline.com, and in Express, the news digest e-mailed to

New smoking law one step closer

By Sandy Brundage Almanac Staff Writer

M

enlo Park crept a step closer to expanding its smoking ordinance. After debating a few tweaks to the language and grilling the city attorney on how the ordinance would be enforced, the City Council voted 5-0 to introduce the new regulations at its Sept. 14 meeting.

The ordinance will return to the council for a second reading and council action. If the council approves the ordinance, it will go into effect in 60 days.

City Attorney Bill McClure walked the council through major changes to the ordinance, which will ban smoking in outdoor areas

like Cafe Borroneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s patio unless the business owner chooses to set aside a designated, unenclosed space for smokers.

The burden will be on the owners to put up signs allowing smoking, Mr. McClure said, otherwise the assumption should be that smoking is prohibited.

While residents can still smoke within their own apartments, or while walking in the street, common use areas of multi-unit housing will become smoke-free zones.

Mr. McClure explained that those violating the ordinance could be subject to fines and code-enforcement action.

Not all was smooth sailing during the discussion. Council mem-

more than 4,000 people each day.

In addition to ShopMenloPark. com, similar sites are being launched in Palo Alto (ShopPaloAlto.com) and Mountain View (ShopMountainView.com.).

Users of any of the sites can choose to search businesses in the other communities as well.

The â&#x20AC;&#x153;shop localâ&#x20AC;? movement is gaining visibility and supporters throughout the nation, as studies have shown that communities benefit more from dollars spent close to home. In addition to keeping sales-tax revenue in the community to support the schools and other programs, 68 percent of the money spent at a locally owned business remains in the community, compared to only 43 percent for national chain store purchases, research has shown. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This initiative will not only help connect local residents with local businesses, it will help inform residents on why locally owned businesses are so important to the character, attractiveness and economic vitality of the community,â&#x20AC;? said Clark Kepler, president and founder of Hometown Peninsula, one of the sponsors of ShopMenloPark.com and an alliance of locally owned businesses.

C U S T O M S O L U T I O N S F O R E V E R Y S T Y L E A N D E V E R Y B U D G E T

bers Kelly Fergusson and Andy Cohen voted to delete the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;adverselyâ&#x20AC;? from a new clause that allows one resident to sue another if â&#x20AC;&#x153;adversely impactedâ&#x20AC;? by their secondhand smoke, on grounds that a judge should decide what sort of impact the exposure had.

Council member John Boyle resisted the proposed change. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They once got a whiff of someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smoke, and now they want to sue them. Do we really want to encourage that behavior?â&#x20AC;? he asked.

Colleague Heyward Robinson also voted against the deletion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Adverselyâ&#x20AC;? survived the challenge, remaining after a 2-2-1 vote with Mayor Rich Cline abstaining for lack of strong feelings about the word one way or another.

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Atherton City Council candidate forum set for Sept. 30 Voters will have a chance to hear from Atherton City Council candidates, and contribute to a pool of questions the contestants will field, during a forum set for 7 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 30, at HolbrookPalmer Park in Atherton.

Candidates will make opening statements, then respond to questions submitted by attendees during the forum, sponsored by the Atherton Civic Interest League (ACIL)

and the League of Women Voters.

Three of the four candidates, who are running for three seats in the Nov. 2 election, have said they will attend, with candidate Cary Wiest saying he has a scheduling conflict that may prevent him from participating. In addition to Mr. Wiest, the candidates are incumbents Jerry Carlson and Jim Dobbie, and Bill Widmer.

Each candidate has been asked

by the ACIL to submit a 500-word statement and answer several questions prior to the forum. ACIL president Peter Carpenter said the statements and responses will be posted online before the event, although the website has yet to be established.

The forum will be held in the Pavilion at the park, off Watkins Avenue just east of El Camino Real.

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Menlo Country Club swimmers win championship meet This story was submitted by John Macdonald of Woodside, a member of the Menlo Park County Club swim committee.

The Menlo Country Club won the recent Peninsula Interclub Swim League (PISL) Swim and Dive Championship at the Avery Aquatic Center at Stanford University. The club finished 2-3 for the PISL dual-meet season, but came back strong for the championship meet.

Almost all team members reside in Atherton, Woodside and Menlo Park.

The other clubs that participated in the July 24 meet were Sharon Heights, Los Altos, Circus Club, Palo Alto Hills, and Peninsula.

At the meet, Menlo won 13 Gold, 16 Silver, and 12 Bronze metals and every swimmer and diver added points to the team’s total.

Stanford water polo star Kelly Eaton was head coach, and was assisted by Rob Reinhardt, Nate Cass, Reid Schultz, Amanda Avery, Jessi Wood.

Mary Beth Corbett was diving coach Mary Beth Corbett.

Members of the Menlo Country Club swim team.

Neighbors seek injunction to stop football field lights

By Dave Boyce Almanac Staff Writer

M

omentum is building for night football at Menlo-Atherton High School, a change that would end a nearly six-decade tradition of afternoon-only games at the school.

The temporary light towers are in place and football season has arrived. The first game is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 7, at the football field.

If the judge handling a lawsuit by neighbors to stop the lights does not decide soon on an injunction the neighbors are seeking to protect their relatively quiet and dark evenings, night

games will have become a fait accompli, noted Anna Shimko, a San Francisco-based attorney representing the neighbors.

In a conference on Sept.

13, San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Marie Weiner “certainly seemed to be leaning toward an injunction of one form or another,” Ms. Shimko said in an interview.

Asked to comment, Tim Fox, an attorney from the county counsel’s office who is representing the Sequoia Union High School District, said he doesn’t make a habit of guessing what judges are thinking.

Judge Weiner, he said, was asking informational questions

such as what relief for the residents might look like. “It’s a different question from ‘How would I do it,’” he said.

The neighbors’ lawsuit claims that the Sequoia district is in violation of state law that requires such projects to be reviewed for possible effects on the environment, including noise, traffic, light and safety impacts.

The school district is preparing such a study for the permanent lights; the temporary lights are a stand-in so that night football, and evening soccer and lacrosse and athletic practices, can go ahead for the current school year.

EN TESTS IR S R O O D T OU

STANFORD THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7TH

An impact study should have been done for the temporary lights as well, Ms. Shimko contends. “They just put the cart before the horse and jumped the gun,” she said.

Mr. Fox, in a separate interview and unaware of Ms. Shimko’s use of the cart-and-horse metaphor, summed up the district’s actions with the temporary lights. “Sometimes,” he said, “you have to put the cart before the horse as long as the cart goes back behind the horse at the end of the day.”

The choices before Judge Weiner, Ms. Shimko said, are a temporary restraining order sometime within the next two weeks or a preliminary injunction that would stop use of the lights until after a hearing on

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See LIGHTS, next page

For more information, visit http://emergency.stanford.edu or email preparedness@stanford.edu.

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Not just football

School district board members on Sept. 1 voted to go ahead with the temporary lights and to claim the district’s right to exempt itself from local zoning laws. Board members asserted that they have considered the neighbors’ concerns, in part by restricting use of the lights.

For the four football games, the lights must be out by 10:30 p.m. They must be out by 8:30 p.m. for all other weeknight athletic events, including the six games of soccer and six of lacrosse allowed per season and all evening athletic practices. No one can use the lights on weekends. The public address system is available for football games only.

This being a school, the evening activities also align with a 40-minute later start time for the first academic class of the day, a change officials made in recognition of research showing that teens need more sleep than they typically get.

The change is laudable, Ms. Shimko said, but does not justify “nearly two and a half hours of (artificial) light” in November. “They have not justified the need for the late use of the lights at all,” she added. “They absolutely can accommodate all school-related practices before it gets dark.”

Football, soccer and lacrosse are

Stanford University will test its outdoor emergency siren system twice, 30 minutes apart on Thursday, October 7th.

The test, which residents of Menlo Park and Palo Alto may hear, will consist of a warning tone, followed by a verbal message.

presents PLAYING FOR THE FUTURE

the merits of the case, scheduled for Nov. 9.

By Nov. 9, all four of M-A’s scheduled night games for this season will have been played.

That fact — the school’s having lights while the case is on hold — could tilt the judge toward a restraining order if she sees the neighbors being at an unfair disadvantage, Ms. Shimko said.

and much more

N E W S

Woodside nixes solar-panel plan

By Dave Boyce Almanac Staff Writer

T

he dustbin is now the official resting place for plans to spend some $100,000 to put solar panels on the roof of the Woodside Town Hall. The plans have been on hold for about two budget years as town staff waited for the economy to stabilize and a state or federal incentive of extra funding to materialize.

The Town Council voted unanimously on Sept. 14 — with Mayor Dave Burow and Councilman Peter Mason absent — to do as a staff report recommended: scrap the plans because the technology has not met staff hopes of becoming a more cost-effective investment.

Better to replace the antiquated and ineffective heating and air conditioning systems in Town Hall and Independence Hall (where the town’s deliberative bodies meet), Town Engineer Paul Nagengast told the council.

By its vote, the council also approved spending $25,000 to replace the Town Hall roof, a longplanned companion project that can be done before the rains set in, Mr. Nagengast added.

The staff report suggested the use of more efficient lighting and the unplugging of equipment not needed to be on during non-working hours.

Reducing electrical demand is a better approach, Councilman Dave Tanner said. Solar panels, while a great idea, don’t pencil out financially, he said.

Councilwoman Deborah Gordon asked Mr. Nagengast to continue to monitor the progress of solar energy technology. “I don’t want to just give up,” she said.

A

IF DEVELOPMENT IN MENLO PARK DOESN’T WORK FOR EVERYONE, IT DOESN’T WORK FOR ANYONE. An Open Letter to the Matteson Companies From the College and Partridge Avenue Neighborhoods There is agreement among the Menlo Park City Council, its Planning Commission, and our neighborhood that El Camino Real needs to be developed. But we also all agree that development needs to be done with a plan. The property at 389 El Camino Real is prime real estate that has the potential to de ine the El Camino corridor and serve as the anchor— and an example— of the City’s vision for its redevelopment plan.

Furthermore, our neighborhood, Allied Arts, has a history dating back to the early 1920’s. This heritage is part of what makes our neighborhood so special to us. So whatever is inally built at 389 El Camino Real must not only be an asset to the Menlo Park community at large, but a welcome addition to the local neighborhood as well.

The current proposal you’ve submitted for the development of the vacant lot at 389 El Camino Real does not it into that category.

In its unanimous rejection by Menlo Park’s Planning Commission, the commissioners echoed our own repeated concerns: It’s too big. It’s too high. It’s too dense.

LIGHTS continued from previous page

concerns to the neighbors, but the athletic practices that can take place five evenings a week are a real thorn in that they could interrupt parents putting their kids to bed, Ms. Shimko said. Even though the public address system is out of bounds? “There is still ample noise on the field” and spillage of light, she said.

A

It requires too many variances—13 in all—begging the question of why we have any regulations at all.

We’re willing to work with you to ind some common ground.

What we’re not willing to do is accept development that maximizes your revenue at the expense of our quality of life, the character of our neighborhood or the vision for our city. After all, we live here.

And we are determined to work to make our lives here better, not worse. Our objective is to have something at 389 El Camino Real that is truly extraordinary for everyone concerned. We hope you agree and we look forward to your response.

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Atherton continues legal challenge to high-speed rail

By Renee Batti Almanac News Editor

T

he fight goes on: Atherton will “continue with legal remedies” to force the state’s high-speed rail agency to address the town’s concerns in the highspeed rail project’s contested environmental impact report (EIR), according to Eileen Wilkerson, the town’s assistant city manager.

The City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 20 to move forward with two lawsuits the town has joined against the California High-Speed Rail Authority over its program EIR, which focuses on the potential impacts of the rail line’s planned Bay Area-to-Central Valley route.

The authority was forced to decertify and revise the document last year because of a court order prompted by a lawsuit from Atherton, Menlo Park, and a coalition of nonprofit groups. The agency recently recertified the report, but the litigating groups still have concerns with the revised document.

For example, the new EIR doesn’t address widespread criticism of the rail authority’s ridership projections, which the authority has admitted were flawed. The agency used these projections to justify its choice of the Pacheco Pass route, which would traverse the Peninsula, as the preferred alternative for the rail line, as opposed to the Altamont Pass in the East Bay, which the plaintiffs support.

Ms. Wilkerson said that Stuart Flashman, the attorney representing the plaintiffs, recommended that the town continue fighting the rail authority when he spoke to the council at its special Sept. 20 meeting, which began at 8 a.m.

The town hopes to have its legal costs covered through private funding, Ms. Wilkerson said, noting that Julie Quinlan of the Community Coalition on HighSpeed Rail told the council that her group was successful with fundraising for the first lawsuit, and would do what it can this time as well to cover the costs.

A

Menlo Park meets on high-speed rail

By Sandy Brundage Almanac Staff Writer

T

he Menlo Park City Council will hold a closed session meeting on Tuesday, Sept.

21, to discuss taking legal action against the rail authority over its final environmental impact report (EIR), which was re-certified earlier this month.

The California High Speed Rail Authority revised the first EIR, released in 2008, after being sued by Menlo Park, Atherton, and several nonprofit groups.

Mayor Rich Cline, who also chairs the Peninsula Cities Consortium (PCC), said the council may consider litigation after researching

what other cities are doing.

The consortium is made up of five elected officials from Menlo Park, Atherton, Palo Alto, Burlingame and Belmont, five cities that would be heavily impacted by construction of a high-speed rail system.

The public will be allowed to comment before the council goes into closed session. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. in the community room of the Belle Haven Senior Center at 110 Terminal Ave. Following the closed session, the council will hold a study session at 7 p.m. on the development plan for the Willow Business Area in the main hall of the senior center.

Eight locals attend Scout Jamboree Eight members of Menlo Park Boy Scout Troop 222 attended the National Scout Jamboree in Virginia recently in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Boy Scouts of America.

Among roughly 2 million scouts who attended the event were Webb Henninger, Willian Schultz and Sam Falkenhagen of Menlo-Atherton High School; Varun Tolani of Sacred Heart Prep; Ian Delisle of Summit Prep; Grant Henninger and AJ Connell of La Entrada; and Will Carhart of Hillview.

12 N The Almanac N September 22, 2010

From July 26 through Aug. 4 at Fort A.P. Hill in Fredericksburg, Virginia, the boys heard speeches by several Eagle Scout celebrities, participated in outdoor activities and competitions, and socialized with scouts from across the country.

When not at such distant events, camping trips, or monthly outings, Troup 222 meets at the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church weekly during the school year, and also convenes during community service projects.

— Hannah Totte

Almanac Staff Writer

S

tephen Ebaugh, the 53-yearold man killed by a train in Menlo Park on Sept. 12, had a long history of service, first as a U.S. Marine. He later worked for NASA and served as president of the Palo Alto Elks.

Jan Poellot, who works in the Elks office, said the lodge was not at liberty to discuss Mr. Ebaugh’s life.

The Elks newsletter ran a 2007 profile of Mr. Ebaugh that described him as a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corp who later worked for NASA as an experimental aircraft research techni-

cian. He filled the office of lodge chaplain before becoming president in 2009.

Southbound train number 438 struck Mr. Ebaugh on train tracks at Glenwood Avenue, north of the Menlo Park station, at about 5:14 p.m., Caltrain spokeswoman Tasha Bartholomew said.

Mr. Ebaugh was on the tracks for unknown reasons, and Caltrain’s official position is that he was trespassing, she added.

No further information is available yet about the accident. Ms. Bartholomew said this is the seventh fatality for Caltrain this year.

Store opens, office construction starts Some chain stores are finding a warm welcome in Menlo Park.

PETCO plans to open one of its smaller “Unleashed” neighborhood stores at 515 El Camino Real on Oct. 25.

The approximately 5,000-squarefoot store will offer organic pet food and other specialty items.

Spokesperson Brooke Simon said the Unleashed stores typically hire eight to nine people.

There will also be room for new businesses on the other side of town. Construction has started on a two-story, 9,000-square-foot office building at 100 Middlefield Road, to replace the Chevron station that closed down three years ago. Realtor Boyd Smith said the building should open in February.

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Talk at MP Library: Democracy in Russia “Russia’s Road to Democracy” is the topic for a talk by author Harold E. Rogers Jr. to be given at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 2, at the Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St. in Menlo Park. Mr. Rogers will discuss whether Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev can transform Russia into a progressive nation.

The program is supported by the Friends of the Menlo Park Library. Free van service is available for Menlo Park seniors and those with disabilities. To schedule a pick-up, call 330-2512.

Council members start endorsing candidates Current Menlo Park City Council members, up for re-election or not, are starting to choose their favorites among the six candidates for three seats on the council.

Running for office are incumbents Rich Cline and Heyward Robinson, educator Chuck Bernstein, Menlo Park Fire Protection District board president Peter Ohtaki, Planning Commissioner Kirsten Keith, and wildcard entrant Russell Peterson.

Mr. Cline and Mr. Robinson appear to be supporting each other, based on the joint campaign kickoff party they hosted on Sept. 12.

There are three seats open on the council. Mr. Cline endorsed Ms. Keith for the remaining spot.

Councilman Andy Cohen, on the other hand, would like to clean house. He’s campaigning against both incumbents, which, he admitted, might make his life more difficult next year if they win anyway.

He would like to see candidates Peter Ohtaki, Chuck Bernstein, and Ms. Keith join him on the dais.

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ules that significantly limited house size on Athertonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Parker Avenue have divided residents of that street for years, with the split now nearly even between those residents arguing that the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restrictions are unfair and need to be changed, and those who want to keep things the way they are.

The question has been before the City Council and Planning Commission numerous times since 2008, but may finally be near resolution with a compromise proposal unanimously embraced by the council at its Sept. 15 meeting.

Ironically, the compromise is nearly identical to a proposal crafted in March 2009 by Councilman Charles Marsala, supported by Councilwoman Elizabeth Lewis, but killed by a 3-2 vote of the council.

Parker Avenue lots are less than 10,000 square feet, making them atypical of most Atherton lots, which are about one acre.

However, Parker Avenueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s zoning is R1-A, which allows much bigger houses on lots larger than 10,000 square feet than it does

on smaller lots.

About half of Parker Avenue residents say they want more flexibility to build additions and garages, and have urged the town to either change the R1-A zoning rules that now apply to their street, or to change their streetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s zoning to R1-B, which is a zoning applied to a small number of Atherton streets, mostly surrounding Town Hall, that have lots smaller than one acre.

The other residents argue that allowing larger houses on the small lots would adversely alter the neighborhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambience and lead to houses that are too large for the cul-de-sac of small lots.

A number of residents of surrounding streets have also opposed changing the rules, saying that homeowners would be likely to extend their homes to the rear and infringe on the privacy and tranquility of their backyard neighbors.

The Planning Commission, which has reviewed the proposed changes several times, has recommended against their approval twice in recent months.

The council, however, wavered in its position when the matter

%,):!"%4( "%4( '//$-!. 3#(/,%2 Elizabeth â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bethâ&#x20AC;? Goodman Scholer, a longtime resident of Atherton and Suisun Valley died peacefully at her daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ranch in New Mexico on August 4. She was 87.

Beth enjoyed a successful career as an interior designer and was a long time volunteer at Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Beth was predeceased by her husband, Dr. John Scholer who served as a doctor at Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Beth is survived by her beloved daughters Susan Goodman of San Acacia, NM and Patty L. Stump of Mammoth Lakes, CA. She is also survived by four stepchildren, eight grandchildren and two great-grandsons and by many cherished friends.

Throughout her life, Beth supported many charities, but in her retirement years, she took great pleasure from the company of her family and friends. Beth was a great friend to all who knew her and she will be remembered mostly for her warm smile.

In lieu of ďŹ&#x201A;owers, her family requests that donations are made to Palo Alto Medical Foundation.

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was before it.

At the Sept. 15 meeting, the council endorsed a compromise plan, put forward by Mayor Kathy McKeithen but reflecting solutions proposed by Councilman Marsala last year, that would change the front setback requirements of the current zoning, allowing residents to extend their houses frontward.

The setback would change from 39 feet to 23.25 feet.

The compromise plan would not change the rear setbacks, addressing the concerns of residents on surrounding streets who feared houses would be extended out closer to the rear property lines, diminishing their privacy.

The plan would also slightly reduce the allowable building space on a second-floor addition, but would, overall, give homeowners an additional 547 square feet of floor space.

The compromise plan will now go before the Planning Commission. Mayor McKeithen pushed for a commission review and recommendation in time for the council to take final action by November, before a new council is seated. The plan would involve approval of a zoning code amendment creating a new overlay zone specifically for Parker Avenue.

The commission will also be asked to review the public rightof-way requirements on the street. Most Atherton streets have rights-of-way, or easements, of 40 to 60 feet, but Parker Avenueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easement is 70 feet. That means that residents canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t build fences as close to the roadway as they could if the easement were smaller, and therefore have less space for garages and front yards.

A

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Back to Churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Bethany Lutheran Church at 1095 Cloud Ave. in Menlo Park is celebrating â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Back to Churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sunday on Sept. 26 at 9:30 a.m., according to K.C. Aarons, director of communications for the church.

In preparation, sermons in September have focused on reasons people leave the church. The Sept. 26 sermon will look at why people are coming back. The special service will feature violin performances by Anthony Doheny, a faculty member of the Community School of Music and Arts in Mountain View.

Go to Bethany-mp.org or call 854-5997 for more information.

C O M M U N I T Y

How sweet it is: Project Read fundraiser

By Renee Batti Almanac News Editor

B

elievers in the power of literacy will have a chance to indulge their sweet tooth while sweetening the coffers of Project Read-Menlo Park at the nonprofitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Taste Desserts for Literacyâ&#x20AC;? fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 25, at the Burgess Recreation Center in Menlo Park.

The event, which will feature sweets for sampling donated by a range of local businesses, is set for 7 to 9 p.m. It also will include a silent auction, presentation of testimonials and community literacy awards, and live music by Monsters are not Myths, a Bay Area four-piece band that melds rock, blues and folk sounds.

Bakeries, markets and other businesses donating desserts include Cafe Zoe, CoolEatz Catering, Annâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Coffee Shop, Willow Market, Sweets by Sue, Crepes Cafe, Carpaccio, Cedro Ristorante Italiano, JobTrain Culinary Arts Program, Redwood Catering, La Biscotteria, and Trader Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

In addition to donated items winning bidders can take home, the silent auction this year will include a number of experiences. They range from a San Francisco Giants field visit and four lower box tickets; to a tour led by KTVU-TV Channel 2 reporter Rita Williams, for up to six people, of the television station, with a peek at a news show in progress; to lunch with local legislators and professionals.

The annual Taste Desserts event has for the last three years raised money for Project ReadMenlo Park at a time when the program has received diminishing funds from the city, but has seen an ever greater need to provide its service: free tutoring to adults trying to improve their lives by learning to read and write English. The program trains volunteers to work oneon-one with students, and since its founding in 1985 has helped more than 3,000 local adults. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This year, a portion of the silent auction proceeds will support our program focusing on adults and their preschool-aged children,â&#x20AC;? fundraising event co-chair Kristi Breisch said in a press release. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By serving the whole family, we promote generational literacy in family and community members.â&#x20AC;?

Tickets for the event are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.

They can be purchased at Cafe Zoe, 1929 Menalto Ave.; Keplerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bookstore, 1010 El Camino Real;

the front desk at the Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St.; and the Project Read office in the library.

The Burgess Recreation Center is at 700 Alma St., near the library in the Menlo Park Civic Center.

Go to projectreadmenlopark. org for more information, or call 330-2525.

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C O M M U N I T Y

Foster brothers expect to be back in business next summer

By Michael Abramson Special to The Alamanac

W

hen life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Or in this case, when a rough economy makes finding a job impossible, buy an old truck, give it a colorful paint job, and sell ice cream from it.

That’s what Atherton brothers Joe and Pete Foster did this past summer.

Joe, a 19-year-old Menlo High School grad and a sophomore at Vanderbilt, and Pete, a 16-year-old junior at Menlo High School, decided to start the Foster Brothers Ice Cream Truck business after other job opportunities failed to materialize.

“It was kind of like a crazy idea at first, but we looked at trucks more and more and it just kind of became, ‘we can actually do this,’” Joe said.

The brothers started by purchasing a beat-up old ice cream truck and turning it into a drivable, sleek-looking one. While the truck did not always run

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Pete Foster, left, and brother Joe

perfectly — it was not highwaysafe and locking the truck was difficult — a new paint job and some new wheels and rims certainly made it catch the eye.

They created a cool-look logo, with the message: “Serving the Peninsula since 2010.”

Unfortunately, the brothers suffered a setback in July when their truck was broadsided by a van running a red light in Menlo Park. They were out of business for several weeks.

Recently they posted on their website that the truck is repaired and they “look forward to serving you next summer.”

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Pete, left, and Joe Foster in their cool-looking ice cream truck.

ice cream flavors at prices ranging from $1 to $3, they did well on the street but even better at events, from birthday parties for a dozen people to corporate picnics for thousands.

Besides ice cream, the brothers sold T-shirts out of the truck

N OB IT UARY

James Milton Massard Lockheed research scientist

James Milton Massard, a former Menlo Park resident, died Sept. 13 in Corydon, Indiana. He was 82.

Mr. Massard was a specialist in structures and vibrations engineering at Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. in Sunnyvale, working on numerous areospace and marine program.

Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Mr. Massard grew up in Wellington, Ohio. He received his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Ohio University in 1950 and his master’s and doctorate in civil

with their name and logo for $17 each.

Overall, the job has been educational, they said.

“It puts into perspective that the more you work, the more you make,” Joe said.

Learning that lesson was

engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1955.

After serving on the faculty at the University of Illinois, he relocated to Palo Alto in 1957 to join Lockheed as a research scientist. He moved to Menlo Park in 1967.

During his 30 years at Lockheed, Mr. Massard worked on the Polaris, Poseidon, and Trident missile programs, the Space Shuttle, and the Sea Shadow Stealth Ship project.

He was recognized in “Who’s Who in America,” “Who’s Who in the West,” and “Who’s Who in Aviation” for his achievements as an engineer.

After retiring initially to Palm Springs, Mr. Massard later lived in

the best part of the job, Pete observed.

“That and all the ice cream we get to eat,” Joe added.

A

To keep up with the brothers, search online for Foster Brothers Ice Cream Truck.

Florida, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. He was an avid snow skier and golfer, and a talented musician, playing piano, flute, and trumpet, say family members.

Mr. Massard is survived by his children, James Massard of Palo Alto, Gary Massard of Corydon, Indiana, and Patricia Massard of Hershey, Pennsylvania; and two grandchildren.

A private family service will be held, with interment in Garland Brook Cemetery in Columbus, Indiana. Memorials in his name may be made to Florida Cocker Spaniel Rescue, Inc., 4635 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes, FL 34639; www.floridacocker.org.

St. Raymond student helps U.S. squash team beat Canada F. Gabriel Morgan, a member of the U.S. National Junior Squash Team, helped Team USA defeat Team Canada at the Ontario-American Challenge held Aug. 13-15 at the White Oaks resort in Ontario, Canada.

The annual competition, the “Battle of the Border,” pits top-ranked U.S. boys and girls against Canada’s top squash players.

Gabriel, a seventh-grader at St. Raymond School, is the son of Reynolds and Wendy Morgan of Menlo Park. He has been playing squash seriously since 16 N The Almanac N September 22, 2010

he was 9. His first sport was ice hockey, but after suffering a concussion, his parents said no more contact sports, Photo by Mo Patapoff according to F. Gabriel Morgan Kim McNair, spokesperson for St. Raymond School.

Gabriel, the U.S. No 1-ranked junior player in the boys under13 division, was undefeated through the weekend and won each match 3-0 in best of

five games. In the final game, Gabriel defeated his opponent, Canada’s No. 1-ranked under-13 boy, to help Team USA to a 19-5 victory in team match play.

This summer Gabriel made two other trips to Canada to train and play squash, including a week in Vancouver and a twoweek stint in Toronto.

During the 2010-2011 season, Gabriel will have a heavy travel schedule to play in weekend tournaments, many in Eastern cities.

“I do a lot of homework on the plane and in hotels, but that’s OK because I have a ton of fun and I love playing squash,” he says.

F O R

T H E

R E C O R D

SEOPPEN T2 7

N PO LI C E C A L L S This information is from the Atherton and Menlo Park police departments and the San Mateo County Sheriffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office. Under the law, people charged with offenses are considered innocent until convicted.

ATHERTON Fraud report: Unauthorized use of credit card to buy computer later delivered to victimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house, Park Drive, Sapt. 13.

MENLO PARK Residential burglary reports: â&#x2013; Losses totaling $14,550 in theft of laptop computer, Apple iPod, cuff links, cosmetics, perfume, watches, handbags and binoculars, 1100 block of Woodland Ave., Sept. 16. â&#x2013; Losses totaling $3,645 in theft of camera, camcorder, video game console, jewelry, cuff links, coins and $75 in cash, 700 block of Arnold Way, Sept. 16. â&#x2013; Losses of $300 in theft of two portable DVD players from open garage, 100 block of Buckthorn Way, Sept. 12.

Grand theft report: Sport baby stroller valued at $350 stolen, Menlo Ave. and Curtis St., Sept. 14.

Auto burglary reports: â&#x2013; Window smashed and losses totaling $575 in theft of stereo, headrests, wallet and cards, 1600 block of Marsh Road, Sept. 14. â&#x2013; Losses totaling $350 in theft of checkbook, wallet, cards and cash, 100 block of Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor St., Sept. 11.

â&#x2013; Window smashed and satellite radio valued at $100 stolen, 500 block of Bay Road, Sept. 12. â&#x2013; CD case and cell phone with total value of $22 stolen, 200 block of Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor St., Sept. 11. â&#x2013; Windows smashed in two vehicles but nothing stolen, 100 block of El Camino Real, Sept. 14.

Spousal abuse report: 100 block of Terminal Ave., Sept. 14.

Fraud reports: â&#x2013; Loss of $1,900 in unauthorized credit purchases at Macyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, first block of San Mateo Drive, Sept. 10 â&#x2013; Loss of $1,024.in unauthorized opening of cable TV account, 2100 block of Santa Cruz Ave., Sept. 16. â&#x2013; Unknown loss in fraudulent stock deal, 700 block of Laurel St., Sept. 15. â&#x2013; Attempt to cash fraudulent check, 800 block of Willow Road, Sept. 15.

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PORTOLA VALLEY Auto burglary reports: â&#x2013; Vehicle left with windows slightly open robbed of purse containing cash, credit cards, gift cards and other items, parking lot of Woodside Priory School at 302 Portola Road, Sept. 11. â&#x2013; Credit card and cash stolen, parking lot of Woodside Priory School at 302 Portola Road, Sept. 12.

WEST MENLO PARK Battery report: Male victim jumped by eight others, one of whom hit victim on back of head with metal pipe, Cerrito and Hull Ave., Sept. 11.

Vikings Pop Warner football: week 3 This report is from Adam Greenlow of Menlo Park, a player on the Junior Midgets Vikings team.

He is an eighth-grader at St. Raymond School. All players named are with the Vikings.

The Menlo-Atherton Vikings of the Pop Warner football league played in various places in the third week of the season.

The games took place Sunday, Sept. 19.. The Mitey Mites and the Junior Pee Wees played at Raimondi Park in west Oakland.

The Pee Wees played in Half Moon Bay. The Junior Midgets and Midgets played at Andrew Hill High School. Following are the game summaries: Mitey Mites: (8/9 year-olds) The Mitey Mites played a hard opponent and unfortunately lost to the East Bay Warriors, 18-6. Justin Sinclair threw a halfback pass to Ellis Darnell, who then ran the ball to the end zone for six points. Although the defense let up a few touchdowns, they laid in some stellar hits. Joe Posthauer played an excellent game along with Darian Houston and David Houston, who were the ones with the big tackles. Ezra Bazan had a nice sack to keep the Warriors from scoring yet again.

Junior Pee Wees: (10/11 year-olds) The Vikings played a very hard opponent, the East Bay Warriors, and were beaten, 26-0. The Viking defense played a great game in the first half only to let in a touchdown with two minutes to go in the second quarter. The Warriors slowly wore down M-A, but the Vikings gave it their all.

The Vikings were not able to pop a touchdown in during this rough game.

Pee Wees: (11/12 year-olds) The Pee Wees couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite pull off the win versus the Coastside Cougars. After the Cougars scored on their first drive, the Vikings held them for the rest of the game.

The defense only let them get a total of 50-yards after the first drive. Charles Ferguson and Joshua Towers had a nice game on defense. Nick Becker had a

fumble recovery with two minutes to go on the 20-yard line. The Cougars got the ball back and Treâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sean Bishop stopped them on the 10-yard line when it was fourth down. The Vikings then drove the ball 90-yards with many runs by Lavell Gates and Joshua Towers. During this drive Will Ritchey completed a pass to Marcus Gershenberg for a 20-yard gain. The drive ended with Joshua Towers scoring. Unfortunately, the Vikings could not achieve a win in this exciting football game. The final score was 8-6.

Junior Midgets: (12/13 year-olds) The Junior Midgets played the Andrew Hill Raiders. Early in the second quarter, Robby Beardsley threw a 15-yard pass to Adam Greenlow, who then ran it 60-yards to score. This put the Vikings in a 6-0 lead at the half. In the third quarter, Danny LaPorte and Robby Beardsley had many great passes for big gains. Manupo Turituri and David Teu both had very nice runs, and each got touchdowns on up-the-middle blast plays. Sean Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Keefe had three crucial fumble recoveries. The defense, including Sam Ferguson and Viliami Aholelei, held the Raiders scoreless.

The final score was 20-0.

Midgets: (13/14 year-olds) The Midgets had a tough defeat verse the Andrew Hill Raiders. To start the game off, the Vikings drove the ball 70 yards and scored from a pass thrown by Matt Odell and caught by Andrew Robinson. The passing game was excellent with many connections between Andrew Robinson and Matt Odell. The score at half was 14-8. Jayshawn Puckett and Malcom Gates both had superb games on offence and defense. Sorry to say, the Vikings could not convert and lost 29-8.

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September 22, 2010 N The Almanac N 17

Serving Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley, and Woodside for 44 years.

Editor & Publisher Tom Gibboney

Editorial Managing Editor Richard Hine News Editor Renee Batti Lifestyles Editor Jane Knoerle Senior Correspondents Marion Softky, Marjorie Mader Staff Writers David Boyce, Sandy Brundage Contributors Barbara Wood, Kate Daly, Katie Blankenberg Special Sections Editors Carol Blitzer, Sue Dremann Photographer Michelle Le

Design & Production Design Director Raul Perez Designers Linda Atilano, Gary Vennarucci

Advertising Vice President Sales & Marketing Walter Kupiec Display Advertising Sales Heather Hanye Real Estate Manager Neal Fine Real Estate and Advertising Coordinator Diane Martin Published every Wednesday at 3525 Alameda De Las Pulgas, Menlo Park, Ca 94025 Newsroom: (650) 854-2690 Newsroom Fax: (650) 854-0677 Advertising: (650) 854-2626 Advertising Fax: (650) 854-3650 e-mail news and photos with captions to: Editor@AlmanacNews.com e-mail letters to: letters@AlmanacNews.com The Almanac, established in September, 1965, is delivered each week to residents of Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside and adjacent unincorporated areas of southern San Mateo County. The Almanac is qualified by decree of the Superior Court of San Mateo County to publish public notices of a governmental and legal nature, as stated in Decree No. 147530, issued November 9, 1969.

Subscriptions are $60 for one year and $100 for two years.

N

WHAT’S YOUR VIEW?

All views must include a home address and contact phone number. Published letters will also appear on the web site, www.TheAlmanacOnline.com, and occasionally on the Town Square forum.

TOWN SQUARE FORUM POST your views on the Town Square forum at www.TheAlmanacOnline.com EMAIL your views to: letters@almanacnews.com and note this it is a letter to the editor in the subject line.

MAIL or deliver to: Editor at the Almanac, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025.

CALL the Viewpoint desk at 854-2690, ext. 222.

Ideas, thoughts and opinions about

local issues from people in our community. Edited by Tom Gibboney.

A day to celebrate a life

F

riday, Oct. 1, is the day to celebrate the life of an extraordinary man who was an abiding presence in our community for many decades. On that day, at noon, the family, friends and colleagues of Bill Lane will gather at Stanford Memorial Church for a memorial service.

Mr. Lane, who died July 31 at the age of 90, was distinctive among the many extraordinary people in our area in that he not only played a role at the national and even global level, but he cared a great ED ITORI AL deal about the local community.

The opinion of The Almanac He was a frequent presence in the most local of venues, from Portola Valley council meetings to The Almanac’s newsroom.

Moving to California as a boy in 1928 when his parents bought Sunset magazine, he and his younger brother Mel started out selling subscriptions door-to-door during the Great Depression. After service in the Navy during World War II, they plunged into the family business, and took it over in 1961. Although they sold the business in 1990 to Time Warner, the brothers continued to be active in their many areas of interest. Mel died in 2007.

Bill Lane was a leading philanthropist, giving generously of funds and time to national and local parks and environmental causes, and to his alma mater, Stanford University. From 1985 to 1989, he was ambassador to Australia and Nauru.

A member of Portola Valley’s first Town Council, Mr. Lane was a lead donor to the building of the Portola Valley Town Center.

L ETT E RS Our readers write

Another solution to downtown parking problem Editor: In your editorial on Sept. 8, you correctly identify the downtown parking problem as a result of employee parking — either through use of parking permits or employee car-shifting every two hours. However, you imply that the only solution is to build the unwanted parking structures that would change the character of the entire downtown.

There is another alternative: Buy the 3.45-acre Derry property next to the Caltrain tracks and convert it to all-day, free parking. Provide one of those white, under-used shuttle buses to move people from the lot to two stops on Santa Cruz during the hours of 7:30-9:30 a.m.

I am guessing that the cost of the land, parking lot improvements, and shuttle costs would be less than thea construction costs of the multi-level parking structures, to say nothing about the disruption to local businesses during construction. The frustrated Derry family would certainly be willing to listen, after years of setbacks in their own plans for redevelopment.

The land, so close to the train

18 N The Almanac N September 22, 2010

tracks, makes parking an ideal use that could care less about noise.

Everyone wins and the downtown does not have to suffer the implementation of the new downtown renovation plans.

Oh yeah, and leave Foster’s Freeze alone. I went there 45 years ago, as a kid when we won our Little League games. I still love that place, definitely part of the charm and diversity of downtown and a nice contrast to the tony, upscale places to have a $40 lunch.

Douglas F. Kirkwood Ringwood Avenue, Menlo Park

A plea on behalf of pets and wildlife Editor: This is a warning to cat or dog owners about rat poison. We recently lost our sweet and gentle dog Rudy to what appears to be rat poisoning. He was happy and healthy, but on a recent run ate bait from a neighbor’s yard and two days later became ill. Within hours he was dead despite veterinary intervention.

Rat poison usually contains warfarin which is disguised to taste good; however, when ingested, it will cause internal bleeding about 48 hours later.

We don’t care if the rat dies; however, if the dog or cat or child eats the poison, they will die, and

Longtime councilman and former mayor Ted Driscoll noted that while there were many people involved in Portola Valley’s incorporation, including Bill Lane, Mr. Lane was unique in his ongoing commitment. “He gave more than half a century of support to this town.”

Right up until the end. Mr. Lane regularly drove to town meetings and invariably had a good word for someone.

For those of us at The Almanac, Bill Lane’s kindness and personal interest is our lasting memory. He would frequently drop by the office with words of encouragement as well as information and observations about matters large and small.

Last year, when we celebrated Marion Softky’s 40th anniversary of writing for The Almanac, Mr. Lane made a point of attending the event, even though he had to interrupt a vacation and fly in from Lake Tahoe to be there.

As Marion wrote in a story on Bill Lane’s 90th birthday, nothing was too small or too big to gain Mr. Lane’s attention, energy and funding.

His deep pockets were accompanied by energetic participation and meticulous attention to detail.

Living in Portola Valley for more than 50 years, he and his wife Jean Lane helped shape the town, both through their generosity, and through personal involvement in nearly every aspect of life there.

Bill Lane will be missed for his large contributions. But he will also be missed by many of us for his personal attention and interest in individuals and local matters in the community.

As Portola Valley Mayor Steve Toben observed, “He never stopped caring about the life of the community.” if one of our beautiful birds of prey such as an owl or raptor eats the poisoned rat, (it) will also die as the warfarin or poison is still active in the dead animal. This is called secondary kill.

Please honor our neighborhood animals and local wildlife and use alternative methods, such as the easy and effective Rat Zapper or Victor Electronic Rat Trapper, to kill only the pest you intend to kill.

Cindy Russell Portola Valley

Where’s the media outrage?

Editor: In 2001 PG&E paid itself handsome bonuses and went bankrupt.

The media was silent. Now, in 2010, PG&E is responsible for a massive explosion, deaths, and people becoming burn victims because of a 24-inch gas main in San Bruno.

When the BP platform in the Gulf of Mexico exploded, it was the lead story for weeks.

This explosion happened to our neighbors on the Peninsula. There is no apology from PG&E, no fund to remedy the damages to San Bruno or the residents. Being a burn victim is horribly painful and usually requires multiple surgeries.

Instead we read about the agonizing plight of cyclists that have

to stop at stop signs. The media’s priorities are just a little out of line with humanity.

Bruce Campbell Santa Maria Avenue Portola Valley

Ticket motorists, not cyclists, for violations Editor: Rolling through a stop sign on a bicycle is illegal, but it should be kept in perspective.

The bicyclist who rolls through a stop sign does so mostly at his or her own risk. Motorists who talk on a cell phone while driving, or exceed the speed limit, even by as little as 5 mph, are also breaking the law, but more importantly, they represent a vastly greater risk to other users of the road.

So maybe the police should have zero tolerance for either bicyclists or motorists who break the law.

The reality is though that police resources are limited, and they can’t catch all law breakers.

In this environment it’s unfair and inappropriate to single out bicyclists for ticketing. The police should make safety their top priority and go after motorists who speed and use their cell phones. When they’ve got those problems under control they See LETTERS, next page

V I E W P O I N T

Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Measure U has fatal flaw

By Henry Organ

T

he Board of Supervisors has posted measures for the November election.

One of them, Measure U, is on a proposed charter amendment. This is of interest to me because I was honored to serve on the 2010 County Charter Review Committee.

Measure U asks voters: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shall the San Mateo County Charter be amended to require filling of vacancies on the Board of Supervisors by election for vacancies occurring on or before October 15 of the third year of the term, and by election or appointment for vacancies after October 15; and to authorize for vacancies in any county elected office, an all-mailed ballot election, and commencement of the process to fill the vacancy on the date a resignation letter is filed?â&#x20AC;?

The Board of Supervisors and the Charter Review Committee were asked by the 2008-09 civil grand jury to correct the procedures for filling vacancies on the board. The request is discussed extensively in a memorandum from the grand jury. It is titled: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Appointment vs. Election: How Should the Vacated Board of Supervisor Seats Be Filled?â&#x20AC;? Measure U is the supervisorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; response to the grand jury.

The devil is submerged in what Measure U proposes for filling vacancies occurring â&#x20AC;&#x153;after October 15.â&#x20AC;? Note that Measure U allows for â&#x20AC;&#x153;appointmentâ&#x20AC;? to these vacancies. An appointee has the power of incumbency on the ballot, if he or she opts to run in the next election. The grand jury memorandum had

L E T T ER S Continued from previous page

should begin to worry about what cyclists are doing.

John Higgins Marmona Drive, Menlo Park

Helping Bayfront Park Editor: On Sept. 25, park lovers will enjoy a morning working on the shores of San Francisco Bay as everyone pitches in to clean up Bedwell Bayfront Park (9 a.m. to noon).

Sept. 25 is International Coastal Cleanup Day, and our local bayfront shoreline will also benefit

concluded that â&#x20AC;&#x153;The power of incumbency is demonstrable and should not be bestowed by an appointment.â&#x20AC;? And, the grand jury noted in its findings that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since 1980, incumbents seeking re-election have been re-elected 100 percent of the time.â&#x20AC;? Thus, appointees, in effect, become the future office holder in the next election, courtesy of the supervisors. Measure U, if approved, would continue this violation of democratic principles.

If it is necesGUEST sary for an OPINION app oi ntment to be made to fill a vacancy during this short period, the grand jury recommended that the supervisors consider â&#x20AC;&#x153;provisional appointments.â&#x20AC;? Specifically, the grand jury recommended the following: â&#x20AC;&#x153;If the term for the vacated seat is less than one year, a provisional appointment should be made in which the appointee is prohibited from running for the seat to which she or he was appointed during the next election cycle.â&#x20AC;?

The grand juryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recommendation for vacancies after October 15 has considerable merit; however, it was not accepted by a majority of the Charter Review Committee members. An acceptable alternative to fill a â&#x20AC;&#x153;short-termâ&#x20AC;? vacancy would be someone who has been elected to the position; a â&#x20AC;&#x153;supervisor-elect.â&#x20AC;?

Semantically, such a person would not be an appointee, but be requested to begin serving as soon as possible after the vacancy is in effect.

The nation is suffering significant societal harm as a result of irresponsible deregulation of financial institutions. Similarly, political appointments, unless eliminated or tightly regulated, will render significant harm to political institutions nationally, and locally.

The Charter Review Committee did a good job of election chartering for vacancies occurring during the period on or before October 15. Measure Uâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposal for filling vacancies by appointment after October 15, however, invites â&#x20AC;&#x153;political incest.â&#x20AC;? As political observers can verify, resignations and appointments can be cleverly timed and orchestrated for appointments. Such appointments give â&#x20AC;&#x153;backdoorâ&#x20AC;? advantages to election for â&#x20AC;&#x153;the anointed.â&#x20AC;? This is a disservice to voters, and to other candidates and possible candidates.

Some supporters of this troublesome appointment provision assert that it grants the supervisors â&#x20AC;&#x153;flexibility,â&#x20AC;? which it is claimed they need. The supervisors have been offered the flexibility they need by the grand jury via provisional appointments, and all-mail balloting.

Measure U is unsatisfactory, undemocratic, unacceptable and undeserving of voter support. San Mateo County can do better than this measure.

Henry Organ was a member of the Charter Review Commission and is a resident of Menlo Park.

from this global effort to improve our planetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marine environment. If you want to enjoy a heart-warming morning working with good people, contact our local coordinator, Davena Gentry, at (650) 814-3412.

Menlo Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bayfront Park also is scheduled to benefit financially from the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development agreement to build the Menlo Gateway project, which includes a new hotel, health club, and three office buildings on 16 acres east of Highway 101. On the November ballot is Measure T which, if passed, will provide over $600,000 in improvements to our Bayfront Park.

Environmental leaders are supporting the Menlo Gateway proposal because it will be a model for green, sustainable development.

Our cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Environmental Qual-

ity Commission has endorsed it because the project will include LEED-certified energy-frugal buildings, low greenhouse gas emissions (100 percent offset by purchasing carbon-offsets), and an estimated 15 to 20 percent tripreduction (carpooling, Caltrain and bikes).

Some nay-sayers arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t satisfied that our city budget will receive $1.6 million annually, $14 million in one-time fees (for affordable housing, etc.), and $1.8 million annually for area schools from Menlo Gateway. Yet the project passed Planning Commission review and is endorsed by the City Council. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an environmental home-run and deserves our support.

Clem Molony Menalto Avenue, Menlo Park

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September 22, 2010 N The Almanac N 19

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Classic new 5-bedroom home by Persicon Company – complemented by a guest house with kitchen – offers a resort-like setting with pool and spa on a level, one-acre lot in West Atherton; award-winning Las Lomitas schools.

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Currently under construction, this stunning three-story classic Tudor-style home features 6 bedrooms with 7 full and 2 half baths and a pool house, all built with extraordinary detail and craftsmanship; scheduled for completion in 2010 Offered at $11,500,000

Well laid out two-level traditional home on approx. one acre; features two-story formal entry, fireplaces in living and family rooms, eat-in kitchen, heated pool, and 3-car garage; Las Lomitas schools

PENDING SALE

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To view these properties and others, please visit my website at www.tomlemieux.com 650 329 6645 tlemieux@cbnorcal.com tomlemieux.com

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20 N The Almanac N September 22, 2010