Design teams imagine a different Menlo Park near the Facebook

Transcription

Negotiating the school
playground | 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
MARCH 9, 2011
| VO L . 4 6 N O. 2 8
W W W. T H E A L M A N AC O N L I N E . C O M
To boldly go
Design teams imagine a different Menlo Park
near the Facebook campus Section 2
apr.com
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AT H E R TO N
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WO O D S I D E
Wonderful private location offering
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MENLO PARK OFFICE 1550 EL CAMINO REAL, SUITE 10 0 650.462.1111
WOODSIDE OFFICE 2930 WOODSIDE ROAD 650.529.1111
APR COUNTIES | Santa Clara | San Mateo | San Francisco | Marin | Sonoma | Alameda | Contra Costa | Monterey | Santa Cruz
2 N The Almanac NMarch 9, 2011
UP F RONT
MA, ALPINE LITTLE LEAGUES
REGISTERING 13-14 YEARS-OLD PLAYERS
Sunday,
March 6 & 13
Burgess Park,
Menlo Park
2 p.m. practice
follows until 4
e-mail [email protected]
or call 851-8017 for details
APPLEWOOD
APPLEWOOD
COUPON
COUPON
pplewood N
RY!
VE
EE DEL
I
FR
Have a Part
EE DEL
I
FR
Have a Part
Among those in the cast are, from left, Brianna Ramies of Woodside, Tessie Rhodes of Woodside, Kyra Bowser
of Redwood City, Katelynn Degnan of Woodside, Zoe Magnussen of Woodside (a second-grader at Woodside
Elementary), LeeAnn Patrick of Woodside, Elayne Hovsmith of Woodside, and Austin Merrill of Woodside.
RY!
VE
Delivers!
ow
Photo by Tina Patrick
pplewood N
A
y!
Delivers!
ow
A
y!
Woodside High stages ‘Once on this Island’
By Miranda Simon
Special to the Almanac
W
oodside High School
students will present
as their spring musical, “Once on this Island,” in five
performances starting March
18 at the Performing Arts Center on the school campus, 199
Churchill Ave.
The play is based on Trinidadian author Rosa Guy’s novel,
“My Love, My Love,” set on an
island in the French Antilles.
The plot, based on Hans
Christian Anderson’s “The Little
Mermaid,” involves a group of
Caribbean peasants, a pair of
lovers, and a pact with the devil,
and is laced with themes of class
distinction and racial prejudice.
Performances will be at 8 p.m.
on March, 18, 19, 25, 26; and 2
p.m. on March 20.
Visit woodsidehs.org/drama
or call 367-9750 to buy tickets.
Tickets will also available after
school at the Performing Arts
Center box office starting March
10. The price is $20 for adults,
$15 for seniors, and $10 for students and staff.
A
2 OFF $3 OFF
$
owner, Lee Isgur, decided not to
renew the lease when he couldn’t
come to an agreement on terms
with the property owner. The restaurant had planned to redesign its
space and menu to accommodate a
more casual atmosphere and menu,
with more “approachable” prices,
Mr. Redberg said on March 7.
“That’s the direction we were
going,” Mr. Redberg said, adding
that “it’s hard to do formal dining” in today’s market.
“Who’s actually making it?” he
said. The Left Bank restaurant in
Menlo Park serves about three
times the number of diners as
Marche, but it’s a more casual and
affordable restaurant, he said.
Marché employs about 35 people, said Mr. Redberg, who has
been with the restaurant for 19
months. The chef, Guillaume
Bienaime, has been there for two
years, Mr. Redberg said.
To commemorate Marché, the
restaurant plans to host “one last
Nantucket Dinner event” on Friday
and Saturday, March 25 and 26.
“As always, our friend and
fisherman Steve Bender will be
joining us to share his stories of
times past,” the website statement
says. “Please note that on these
final days, we will only serve this
special menu”
Go to restaurantmarche.com
for more information.
CALLING ON THE ALMANAC
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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
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delivered free to homes in Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola
Valley and Woodside. Subscriptions for $60 per year or
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These Coupon
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Gluten-Free
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.EW(OURS/PEN-ON3ATAMnPMs3UNAMnPM
Marché restaurant to close at month’s end
Marché restaurant in Menlo
Park, which opened its doors at
898 Santa Cruz Ave. in late 2001, is
closing after an attempt to negotiate
a new lease failed, according to the
restaurant’s general manager William Redberg.
The last day of service for the
restaurant, known for its pricey,
high-quality cuisine, will be Saturday, March 26, the restaurant
announced on its website on Saturday, March 5.
“After nine years of service, the
difficult decision to close was made
this past week, as we faced the
expiration of our lease,” the website
announcement said.
Mr. Redberg said the restaurant’s
Extra Large or
Family Size Pizza
Medium or
Large Size Pizza
1001 El Camino Real, Menlo Park (650) 324-3486
www.applewoodpizza.com
David Ramadanoff
presents
Master Sinfonia
Chamber Orchestra
with Marcolivia
Mendelssohn
Ruy Blas Overture
Martinu
Concerto for 2 Violins
marcolivia, violins
Mendelssohn
A Midsummer Night’s
Dream
Tickets:
Gen Admission $20
Seniors (60+)
$16
Youth
$5
This ad sponsored by
Ginny Kavanaugh and
Joe Kavanaugh
of Coldwell
Banker, Portola Valley.
Visit them at
www.thekavanaughs.
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Saturday, March 12 at 8:00 pm
Valley Presbyterian Church
945 Portola Rd., Portola Valley
(Free reception follows)
Sunday, March 13 at 2:30 pm
Los Altos United Methodist Church
655 Magdalena at Foothill Expressway,
Los Altos
(Free reception at intermission)
March 9, 2011 ■ The Almanac ■ 3
On Sale Grocery
Sale Dates: March 9, 10, 11, 12
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2007 Surround, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley
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2009 Cartha Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
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This is serious wine at an affordable price. Both aromatic and flavorful, the wine
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A L L E Y
Can county handle more inmates in local jails?
By Dave Boyce
Almanac Staff Writer
W
ith a $25 billion hole to
fill in the state budget
that takes effect July
1, a proposition by Gov. Jerry
Brown would shift to counties,
including San Mateo County,
responsibility for some state
functions, including elements of
criminal justice, mental health
and child welfare services.
This “realignment” would
include a gradual transfer of
oversight from the state to the
counties of parolees and prisoners convicted of “non-violent,
non-serious and non-sex-related” crimes.
The county Board of Supervisors discussed realignment on
Tuesday, March 1, in their boardroom in Redwood City. Joining
the discussion were the three
state Assembly members whose
districts include the county: Jerry
Hill and Rich Gordon participat-
ed by phone; Fiona Ma attended
in person.
To make room in the jail for
some 400 more inmates annually, the county would have to
find alternatives for people in
custody for less serious offenses,
Sheriff Greg Munks told the
board. Other county officials testified as to the spillover effects of
this shift on health, welfare and
parole services.
The incoming prisoners will
be serving three-to-five-year
sentences and would have been
returning to San Mateo County
anyway, Sheriff Munks noted.
With realignment, they’ll be
coming back sooner but will
complete their sentences, he
added in an interview.
“There’s a lot of people in
prison who need to be in prison.
That aspect is working (but) I
think the governor’s idea is a
good one,” Mr. Munks told the
Almanac. Programs to lower
recidivism rates are not work-
‘We’re not used to having
people (in jail) for two or
three years. It could change
how we build jails and
operate them.’
SHERIFF GREG MUNKS
ing, he said, and local agencies,
which are closer to communities
in which ex-convicts attempt to
rebuild their lives, may be better
suited to help them.
“We know the (nonprofit) local
service providers,” Mr. Munks
said. “We are connected with
the community. We’re able to do
more.” Ending the re-incarceration cycle is also expensive and
thus critical to more efficient
operation of local and state governments, he said.
The county jail, officially rated
for 834 inmates, currently houses
1,000, Mr. Munks said. Plans for
a new jail in Redwood City are
well along and will eventually
boost capacity to 1,456.
Sixty percent of current
inmates are awaiting trial, and
a good percentage of them are
headed to prison, he said. The
other 40 percent are serving less
than a year. The average stay is 27
days, a low number due in part to
thousands of arrestees who are
simply booked and released.
Inmates who would otherwise
be in prison “will be a new normal,” Mr. Munks said. “We’re
not used to having people in
there for two or three years. It
could change how we build jails
and operate them.”
Alternatives for the lesser
offenders who will be squeezed
out include the Sheriff’s Work
Program, which has inmates
working along roads and in
parks, and the Work-Furlough
Program, in which inmates spend
nights in jail but days otherwise
employed.
Realignment thus presents a
great opportunity to address reentry and rehabilitation issues
with such cost-effective programs, Mr. Munks said. “It’s
kind of the centerpiece of what
we want to build.”
The crux of the matter: “How
do we do this so we don’t crash
one system in favor of another?”
Higher case loads
County resources are limited.
The probation department, for
example, had to lay off 30 percent of its staff, Chief Probation
Officer Stuart J. Forrest told the
board. The higher case loads predicted after realignment would
“build a structure on very weak
legs,” he said.
The early prison transfers
may, “because they represent
the greatest cost to the state,”
include prisoners with “severe”
substance abuse and mental
See REALIGN, page 7
Las Lomitas district has plans
for portables, lower class-size
By Renee Batti
Almanac News Editor
N
ew portable classrooms
will be situated at both
Las Lomitas School
district schools this summer
to address the unexpectedly
high enrollment growth at the
elementary school district, the
school board has decided.
The board last month approved
installing up to eight portable
classrooms, at a cost of about
$100,000 each. Superintendent
Eric Hartwig said the district
may start with only four — two
at Las Lomitas School (K-3) in
Atherton and two at La Entrada
School (4-8) in Menlo Park.
Creating new classroom space
will allow the district to start
easing class size back down
to earlier levels by hiring new
teachers, Mr. Hartwig said.
Since the 2007-08 school year,
the district has curtailed teacher
hiring, in spite of growing
enrollment, because of budgetary concerns. As a result, class
size has grown from two to
three children per classroom
at Las Lomitas, and about four
students per classroom at La
Entrada, he said.
“It saved us a lot of money
to have higher class sizes,” he
said, adding that it allowed
the district to eliminate deficit
spending. Now, the district is in
a position to hire “in the neighborhood of four to seven new
teachers” to reverse the inchingup of class size as enrollment
continues to grow, he said.
Projections from a demographic study done a number
of years ago underestimated
the rate of student growth in
the district. The study also predicted that enrollment growth
would level off by about 2015,
and possibly decline after that.
A more recent study refutes
those projections, however. By
2016, there will be 148 more
students than the earlier study
predicted, and by 2017, that figure is expected to grow to 172,
according to the recent study.
Current district enrollment is
1,339, with 642 at Las Lomitas
and 697 at La Entrada, according to district records.
Mr. Hartwig said that projections for the next school year
show a jump in enrollment of 32
children (to 674) at Las Lomitas,
and 15 students (to 712) at La
Entrada.
At its February meeting, the
school board also hired the
See PORTABLES, page 7
Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac
Oak Knoll Elementary School student Jalea Ragins leaps off an assembled piece from Imagination
Playground during recess last week.
Negotiating the school playground
By Miranda Simon
Special to the Almanac
S
ome will grow up to be masters of persuasion and savvy
entrepreneurs. Others will
mellow into more generous sorts.
For now, they trade blue foam
bricks for cylinders and “noodle
tubes” to build fortresses and ships
— and make “marshmallow guns”
to defend them with.
According to Principal David
Ackerman, who is watching from
the sidelines, Oak Knoll elementary schoolers are learning negotiation 101.
Oak Knoll is the first Califor-
nia school to have Imagination
Playground on campus, Assistant
Principal Kristen Gracia said.
The $8,000 blue foam play kit
was brought to Oak Knoll, a K-5
school, to wedge some unstructured play into kids’ overschedSee PLAYGROUND, page 6
March 9, 2011 N The Almanac N5
N E W S
Negotiating the playground
PLAYGROUND
Prepare yourself for homeownership
WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK
from
buying the home of your dreams?
Habitat for Humanity’s Homebuyer
Readiness Program will help you
identify and resolve the obstacles
getting in your way, providing the
information you need to move
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Owning a home may be the single
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make, so it is important to be ready.
Habitat’s upcoming workshops will
prepare you for homeownership by
helping you to address three of the
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2. High debt to income ratio
3. Poor money management,
leaving you with inadequate funds
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continued from page 5
Highlights
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS:
sCREDIT REPAIR - March 16
sDEBT REDUCTION - March 23
sMONEY MANAGEMENT - March 30
Take advantage of Habitat’s upcoming
workshops and get ready for homeownership
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sLOCATION
East Palo Alto City Hall, Community Room
sTIME
6:00-7:30pm
sCONTACT
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Homebuyer Readiness Program
Habitat for Humanity Greater SF
Phone: 415-625-1012
uled daily lives, and give those who
don’t like sports an alternative way
to enjoy recess.
But it’s also meant to bolster their
problem-solving skills, and help
them deal with one another to get
what they want.
The foam shapes, mats, balls and
fabric pieces, designed by architect
David Rockwell, are intended to fit
together in specific combinations
so children have to learn to negotiate to get what they need.
The kids often squabble, but
teachers don’t butt in unless it
involves their safety. The school
philosophy is minimum teacher
intervention in the playground,
so that children learn to fend
for themselves. Children, in turn,
establish their own, unspoken rules
for coexistence, Mr. Ackerman
said.
“They have to compromise,
decide what’s fair and what’s not
fair,” he said.
To some parents, this looks chaotic, but those who really study the
kids see they have made their own
rules without anyone telling them
what to do, he said.
Out of the array of recess-time
equipment at Oak Knoll, Imagination Playground — purchased
with a grant from the Menlo ParkAtherton Education Foundation
and funding from Oak Knoll’s
Parent-Teacher Organization —
has been the most difficult to deal
with for adults, Mr. Ackerman said.
The adults would, on first impulse,
try to settle children’s squabbles
themselves. The foam shapes, Mr.
Ackerman said, have been a test in
patience.
“It gives you faith in the kids’ ability” to settle problems on their own,
he said.
What the kids live out on the
playground is reflected in their
class work. Piecing Imagination
Playground together is a problemsolving exercise, and gives the kids
practice in collaboration and dealing with one another.
“All the recess (experiences)
carry over to the classroom,” he
said. “If you go in today’s classroom,
it includes a lot more collective work
than before.”
Sharing and trading
When the cart full of Imagination Playground pieces rolled into
the playground one noon in January, kids didn’t automatically work
together, Mr. Ackerman said. As the
doors opened, each child rushed to
pick his or her favorite shapes.
As their architectural plans
became more ambitious, the only
solution they found was to share
and trade shapes, said Ms. Gracia,
the assistant principal. This meant
they had to learn some serious
negotiation skills.
Almost two months later, Jack
Barry, 9, and his brother Huck, 8,
are building a fortress with what
looks like a canal system. That
fortress is under attack by Wylie
Ocken, 8, using what he calls
“marshmallow guns” (foam circles
attached to floppy noodle tubes).
Margot Gibbons, 6, and Esmirna
Taylor, 7, are building a house or a
ship — they’ll decide as they go.
One of the girls asks Ms. Gracia
for help with getting a piece they
need from the boys, but Ms. Gracia
turns her away.
Random notes
Imagination Playground is not
the only tool for unstructured play
at Oak Knoll.
The school’s playground is
bustling with bouncing elementary schoolers playing basketball,
descending slides, or playing catch.
Their high-pitched shrieks of joy
blend with random notes from
a playground piano — another
(successful) experiment in unstructured play, Mr. Ackerman said.
It’s a brimming amusement park
without the rides.
But despite the rich selection of
toys and playground equipment,
there isn’t something for everyone. While most children rejoice
when recess comes around, a
handful of children may count
the minutes until it’s over.
“A lot of the kids who play with
this are the kids who don’t like
sports, so recess has been very
hard for them,” he said. “This
gives those kids something else
that’s not sports.”
According to Mr. Ackerman,
the school used to have a group of
children who liked to play with
mud rather than a basketball, but
the puddle is not there anymore.
He wonders whether kids would
like to bring it back into the mix.
It may not be as innovative as
Imagination Playground, but
making mud cakes is, after all, an
old recipe for fun.
A
Two cougar sightings in six hours
Two mountain lions were
sighted in the Woodside area
within a six-hour period from
Thursday night, March 3, to early
Friday morning, county emergency officials said.
The Thursday sighting was at
about 6 p.m. in the vicinity of 359
Preston Road near state Highway
84, officials said.
At about 12:05 a.m. Friday,
another cougar was spotted in
the vicinity of High and Woodside roads, they said.
Visit keepmewild.org for information about mountain lions.
N E W S
R EAL E STATE Q&A
Council approves modified pool contract
By Sandy Brundage
N MENLO PAR K
T
hey didn’t have to split a
baby, but the Menlo Park
City Council had to split
the city’s public pools on March
1, an issue so contentious that a
former planning commissioner
weighed in from afar — far away,
as in out of the country — while
on vacation.
Patti Fry’s lengthy letter analyzing the situation and asking for
more sunshine made an appearance via proxy at the podium as
another Menlo Park resident read
it out loud.
As Parks and Recreation Commissioner Kelly Blythe summarized the commission’s advice
regarding the proposed terms, he
told the council, “Good luck.”
The final unanimous vote to
approve the contract, with a
few changes, probably left no
one happy except city staff and
council, who might be relieved to
finish the months-long debate.
The changes included letting
city staff decide how much Team
Sheeper will have to pay for facility repairs; accepting SOLO’s
decision not to accept additional
lane hours on Sundays nights;
and appointing representatives
from the Finance Audit Committee and Parks and Recreation
Commission to help staff review
Team Sheeper’s annual financial
reports.
Councilman Peter Ohtaki’s
suggestion to figure out how
to charge higher fees for nonresidents, with the goal of having
the money go into a pool repair
and maintenance fund, was also
accepted.
SOLO did get more pool time
during the week with a bump to
80 lane hours, up from the 45
available under the previous contract, and set practice times. Since
the club declined the Sunday
hours, lap swimmers will lose 35
hours only during the week.
The contract requires Team
Sheeper to pay $3,000 a month
to lease the Burgess pools; be
responsible for all operating costs;
and operate the Belle Haven pools
for at least three months a year.
City staff estimated that would
save Menlo Park $540,000 to
$640,000 a year, not counting
the additional $36,000 in revenue
from the rent payment.
Team Sheeper also agreed to
complete $200,000 in capital
improvements to one or both pool
facilities, which would trigger
automatic renewal of the five-year
contract.
A
by Gloria Darke
Foreclosure Market
Q: I am wondering if I am too late to take
advantage of the foreclosure situation here.
I would like to buy something in foreclosure,
do a little fixing and then resell it. I know the
market has gotten better here in the Bay area
but I was thinking further out in Stockton
and surrounding communities. I have done a
bit of research and it appears there are many
distressed sales there. What do you think –
have we missed the best buying opportunity?
Dan W.
A: While I am not so familiar with that area, I
would suggest that you really need to know what
you are doing in buying a foreclosure. You would
be competing literally on the courthouse steps
with people who do this all the time. You don’t have
the opportunity to inspect the properties as you
normally would so you cannot be assured of the
condition of the house. Another hurdle will be the
lending institutions, not only for you to purchase
(you need all cash) but for a buyer to purchase
the property from you. The lenders are requiring
extensive paper work, appraisals, tax returns,
income and job verification, for even the lowest
loan to value. Buying a bank owned property is
a somewhat less challenging process but it also is
not for the meek. One would think that since the
bank owns so many of these properties they would
be service oriented and anxious to have a smooth
sale. Not at all. It is nearly impossible to reach
someone at the bank – even if these properties
are listed with realtors it is difficult to get a call
back – and even when you get through it is several
calls to reach the right person. It may take many
days for you to get a response to your offer. And
should you need anything from the title company,
they may well be out of state or out of the area and
equally unwilling to expedite the closing process.
I would also ask what you might know about real
estate in this area? There is a reason there are so
many foreclosures there and one has to speculate
about who the buyers might be for available
properties. You would be competing to sell your
property with all the other foreclosures remaining
on the market, certainly for the near future.
I would suggest finding an experienced realtor in
the area who can advise you as to neighborhoods,
inventory and sales prices before making a decision.
Good luck to you. There is no doubt bargains to
be had for someone.
For answers to any questions you may have on real estate, you may e-mail me at gdarke@apr.
com or call 462-1111, Alain Pinel Realtors. I also offer a free market analysis of your property.
Menlo Park council cracks open union negotiations
By Sandy Brundage
W
orking into the latenight hours of March
1, the Menlo Park City
Council voted 5-0 to keep the
public a little more informed
about negotiations with the city’s
five labor unions, making it one of
the few local agencies to do so.
Fourteen of 15 Peninsula cities surveyed by staff indicated
they don’t solicit public comment beyond allowing speakers
to address proposed contracts
when the contracts go before
REALIGN
health problems and less predictable behavior, Mr. Forrest said in an
e-mail.
Helping these people will require
“a consistent, multi-disciplinary
approach containing elements of
cognitive skills, training, targeted
treatment, vocational training and
education,” he said. “Realignment
may present an opportunity to
expand the capacity of such programs.”
The county health establishment,
while quite critical of proposed
cuts in allowed Medi-Cal visits
and skilled nursing assets, agrees.
“Overall, we’re quite optimistic
council for approval. The exception, Pacifica, presents employee
compensation as a topic during
public budget study sessions.
Menlo Park’s new policy came
as a follow-up to the formation
of a labor subcommittee in
December, manned by Mayor
Rich Cline and Vice Mayor
Kirsten Keith.
During the March 1meeting,
city staff argued that full disclosure would leave the city at a
disadvantage during negotiations,
since the unions aren’t required to
be equally transparent.
The council agreed, but also
found ways to shed a little more
light on the process.
“The fact is, there is an unfair
system if we have to negotiate in
public and they don’t,” said Mayor
Cline. “But we should be public as
much as we can without losing our
position.”
Now, city staff will prepare public reports before labor negotiations start, and at least 15 days
before any proposed agreements
go to the council for approval, that
outline employee salaries, benefits,
associated costs, and the process
used to decide what constitutes a
competitive package.
about realignment to have closer
connection of services to clients,”
said Srija Srinivasan, an assistant
to the county manager for public
health issues.
The long recession has “greatly
increased” demands for county
assistance, which already serves
84,000 children, youth and adults,
said Beverly Beasley Johnson,
director of the county’s Human
Services Agency.
Medi-Cal in San Mateo County
now serves 64,000 children and
adults, up from 55,000 in 2009, she
said, noting that determining eligibility now takes up to five months.
“The system of safety net service
will be critical to the success of
realignment,” she said.
“Our safety net is going to be
pretty frayed,” said Supervisor Don
Horsley, whose district includes
Atherton, Woodside, Menlo Park
and Portola Valley. “We may well
have to revisit some issue of tax” to
retain “outstanding” and “robust”
public services, he said.
Assemblyman Gordon, asked
to comment on the discussion,
said, “I have great confidence in
the ability of local governments to
effectively and efficiently implement these services after realignment.”
San Mateo County is noted for
demographic concentrations at
either end of the age spectrum, and
for cooperation between the public
and nonprofit sectors. “One defines
a need and the other defines how it
can be met,” he said.
architectural firm Sugimura
Finney Architects to design
and engineer the specifications
needed for placing the portable
classrooms on the two cam-
A
Support Local Business
PORTABLES
A
puses.
The cost for the architectural
service, which Mr. Hartwig estimated at $30,000, is in addition
to the $100,000 cost per portable
classroom approved by the
board that night.
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A
N E W S
ORDINANCE NO. 9
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE
WOODSIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF
CALIFORNIA
AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING BY REFERENCE, THE 2009 INTERNATIONAL, FIRE CODE
WITH THE 2010 CALIFORNIA AMEDMENTS INCLUDING ALL ADOPTED STANDARDS AS
SPECIFIED PRESCRIBING REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS TO LIFE
AND PROPERTY FROM FIRE OR EXPLOSION WITHIN THE TERRITORY OF THE WOODSIDE
FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, ESTABLISHING A BUREAU OF FIRE PREVENTION AND
PROVIDING OFFICERS THEREFORE AND DEFINING THEIR POWERS AND DUTIES.
WHEREAS, Health and Safety Code section 13869 provides that the Woodside Fire Protection District Board of
Directors (“Board”) has the authority to adopt a fire prevention code by reference pursuant to applicable governmental code provisions.
WHEREAS, Chapter 33 of the International Fire Code pertains to fireworks and this Board finds that the Woodside Fire
Protection District enacted Ordinance No. 3 in 1986, prohibiting the use and sale of fireworks within the entire territory
of the Woodside Fire Protection District; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 33 of the International Fire Code pertains to storage of explosives and ballasting agents where
the storage and use is permitted, and this Board finds that it is in the best interest of the District to specify and restrict
where such storage and use be permitted in the District.
WHEREAS, Section 108.1 of Chapter 1 of the International Fire Code pertains to the Board of Appeals and this Board
hereby determines that the Board of Directors act as a Board of Appeals; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 38 of the International Fire Code does not specify where the storage, use, handling, or dispensing of liquid petroleum gas is permitted, and this Board finds that it is in the best interest of the District to specify
where such uses should be permitted in the District; and
WHEREAS, Table B105 of Appendix B of the International Fire Code provides specified fire flow requirements for
buildings and this Board finds that said requirements are not practical due to the lack of existing municipal water
systems and the rural nature of the fire district; and
WHEREAS, Section B103.1 and Section B103.3 of Appendix B of the International Fire Code allows for the reduction
of fire-flow requirements or authorizes the fire code official to utilize NFPA 1142 or the International Wildland-Urban
Interface Code to set requirements; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 1 of the International Fire Code does not specifically authorize audio visual or other recording
including photographs to assist with investigations of alleged violations of this Code or fire incidents and this Board
finds that use of said technological assistance is in the best interest of the District; and
WHERAS, In accordance with section 101.3 of the California Fire Code for subjects not specifically covered by the
code, as deemed necessary for firefighter safety and suppression activities, Woodside Fire Protection District finds
it necessary to maintain a set of design and installation guidelines as deemed necessary for firefighter safety and
suppression activities.
WHEREFORE, this Board does ordain as follows:
SECTION 1.
TITLE.
This Ordinance shall be known as the “Fire Code” of the Woodside Fire Protection District and may be cited as such,
and will be referred to in this ordinance as the “International Fire Code” or “this Code”.
SECTION 2.
ADOPTION OF THE 2009 INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE/2010 CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE
& FIRE CODE STANDARDS
It is hereby adopted by the Board of Directors for the purpose of prescribing regulations governing conditions hazardous to life and property from fire or explosion, that certain code known as the 2009 International Fire Code with the
2010 California Amendments Title 24 Part 9, and the whole thereof, including all Appendices and the International
Fire Code Standards, as compiled, recommended and published by the International Code Council, save and accept
only such portions thereof as are hereinafter expressly deleted, modified or amended by this ordinance; and including such new sections and paragraphs which are hereinafter added to and made a part of the Fire Code and of this
ordinance, of which not less than two (2) copies have been and are now filed in the Office of the Fire Chief of the
Woodside Fire Protection District and the same are hereby adopted and incorporated, by this reference, as fully as if
set forth out at length herein, and from the date on which this ordinance shall take affect, the provisions of same shall
be controlling within the Woodside Fire Protection District.
SECTION 19.
Menlo councilwoman pays
for D.C. trip — for now
By Sandy Brundage
N
o stranger to raising eyebrows, Menlo Park Councilwoman Kelly Fergusson
did it again when she mentioned
her plans to stay at a $400-per-night
hotel while in Washington, D.C.,
for two nights this week on council
business.
Ms. Fergusson, who will accompany the city’s high-speed rail
lobbyist Ravi Mehta and Palo Alto
Councilman Larry Klein on the
trip, told the council the goal is to
“educate members of Congress.”
Ms. Fergusson defended herself
in a memo written to City Manager
Glen Rojas on March 3, stating that
she’ll pay for the trip until reimbursement can be placed on the
agenda at the next council meeting
on March 15.
The memo outlined the city’s
stance on high-speed rail, which
Ms. Fergusson will present as a
member of the city’s HSR subcommittee: Build high-speed rail right
or not at all; publish a credible
ridership study and business plan;
correct oversight deficiencies; and
invest in electrification to benefit
both Caltrain and Menlo Park.
The team hopes to meet with
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-California; Rep.
Anna Eshoo D-Menlo Park; and
Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo,
according to Ms. Fergusson, to
discuss those topics and ask for $1
billion in funding to electrify Caltrain.
But does Ms. Fergusson need
to go?
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This ordinance shall be published once in the Country Almanac and shall be effective upon the expiration of 30 days
from its adoption.
Regularly passed and adopted this 31 day of 2011, by the following vote:
NOES against said ordinance:
Directors: None
Peter Berger
Secretary of the Board, Woodside Fire Protection District
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AYES and in favor of said ordinance:
Directors:
Berger
Cain
Gardner
“I don’t think it’s necessary,”
Vice Mayor Kirsten Keith noted
during the March 1 council
meeting. “We’ve hired a lobbyist, and that’s the goal or the
purpose of the lobbyist. Anna
Eshoo has an office in Palo Alto,
Jackie Speier has one in San
Mateo. I don’t see the need for it.”
Ms. Fergusson responded that
meetings are “a lot more powerful
if elected members from affected
communities are there carrying the
message as well.”
Who decides who goes where and
how, anyway? Mr. Rojas explained
the council travel policy: A $10,000
fund covers travel for all five council members. They can ask the city
to pay in advance, or request reimbursement.
If they travel out of state, the
reimbursement must be approved
by the council during a regular
meeting.
Political players, such as former
mayor Lee Duboc, questioned
whether a potential conflict of
interest exists between Ms. Fergusson’s service as a councilwoman
and as an employee of Siemens, a
global corporation that may bid for
a high-speed-rail contract.
City Attorney Bill McClure said
he hasn’t seen any facts indicating
that Ms. Fergusson’s employment
presents a conflict of interest as
defined by the Fair Political Practices Commission. That could
change if Siemens bids on or wins a
contract, he said, at which point Ms.
Fergusson would need to recuse
herself from high-speed rail discussions conducted by the council.
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N E W S
Teacher put on leave after student calls cops
By Renee Batti
Almanac News Editor
A
teacher at Selby Lane School
in Atherton has been placed
on paid administrative leave
after a 13-year-old student in his
class called Atherton police to report
that the teacher was yelling and that
she felt threatened, according to the
Redwood City School District.
Police responded to the elementary school at about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, after the girl called
and made the allegations about her
teacher, John Haynes.
In a prepared statement, the
school district said that when the
police arrived, they “found a calm
classroom, with no students in
danger.”
Police Lt. Joe Wade said the
M-A players stage
‘Putnam Spelling Bee’
The Menlo-Atherton International Thespian Society will stage
the musical comedy, “The 25th
Annual Putnam County Spelling
Bee,” on March 18-19 and March
24-26 in the performing arts
center at Menlo-Atherton High
School, 555 Middlefield Road in
Atherton.
Showtime is 7:30 p.m., plus a
student called the police from
the campus restroom, saying that
the teacher “was going crazy and
throwing tables.” She sounded
genuinely scared, he said.
When officers arrived at the
classroom, he said, they found
class in session, everyone was calm,
“and there wasn’t anything strewn
around.”
After talking with the teacher and
students, the officers determined
that “there was no criminal activity,” Lt. Wade said. The teacher had
lifted a table up a couple of inches
from the floor and let it drop to
make a loud noise as a way to get the
students’ attention, and the table
toppled over, he said.
No disciplinary action has been
taken against the teacher, who was
placed on leave so the district could
investigate the student’s allegations,
the school district’s statement said.
“Administrative leave is a procedure that is used to protect the
rights of both teachers and students; it ensures that facts are determined before any conclusions are
reached,” the statement said. “(It)
allows time for a full assessment
of the situation; input is gathered
from students, teachers and anyone
involved in the situation.
“After the situation is investigated and the facts are determined,
the district decides on an appropriate course of action and determines
whether discipline of either teacher
or student is warranted.”
Superintendent Jan Christensen said the district hopes to
conclude the investigation within a matter of days.
N BRIEFS
en Speaker Luncheon will be
held from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Friday, March 18, in Menlo Park.
Guest speaker is Brad Dacus,
president of Pacific Justice Institute, whose affiliated attorneys
defend religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties
at no charge to defendants. Call
for location and where to send
check: 591-7269. Admission is $35
pre-paid if reserved by March 14.
2 p.m. matinee March 19. The
Menlo-Atherton High Orchestra
will accompany the performers.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $8
for seniors and students.
Visit thecenteratma.org for
more information.
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C O M M U N I T Y
Menlo: Con man swaps
closet for prison cell
Simon Gann, who pretended
to be a millionaire math savant
to romance a Menlo Park woman
into a relationship and out of
approximately $1,900 was sentenced to 16 months in state prison
on March 4.
Posing as “Saleem Dutante,” he
told the victim his credentials included a degree from MIT, and the ability to count cards “like Rainman,”
according to court testimony.
Mr. Gann pleaded no contest to
grand theft and witness tampering
in January, which saved his 32-yearold victim from testifying about
their relationship after he threatened
to broadcast her sexual history.
Visit tinyurl.com/Gann2011 for
more on the Almanac website.
Three busted for drugs, guns
Three East Palo Alto men watched
their fortunes take a turn for the
N BRIEFS
worse on March 3, as police officers
and FBI agents pounced.
A search of three locations in East
Palo Alto turned up a “large quantity” of cocaine base, powdered
cocaine, money, and four guns,
including a MAC-11 machine pistol, according to Detective Sgt. Eric
Cowans of the Menlo Park police
department’s narcotics enforcement task force.
Jeron Jones, 23, Ricardo Alvarez,
30, and of East Palo Alto, and Rodney Powell, 40, were arrested and
booked into San Mateo County jail.
According to Detective Cowans, all
three suspects have prior records for
drug-related crimes.
The FBI’s involvement was standard procedure for task-force investigations, police said.
Meeting on impact of hospital expansion
This week, Menlo Park’s transportation commission will discuss
a neighboring city’s development
— the planned Stanford hospital
expansion, which is expected to
impact traffic in Menlo Park. The
commissioners will review the
final environmental impact report
and make recommendations to
the Menlo Park City Council.
The $3.5 billion project,
described by Palo Alto city officials as the city’s largest project
ever, would bring about 1.3 million square feet of new development and more than 2,200 new
employees to Palo Alto by 2025.
It includes reconstructing
Stanford Hospital and Clinics,
expanding Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, renovating the
Hoover Pavilion, and replacing
School of Medicine facilities.
Perhaps of most interest to
local residents, the report details
how the project would affect
local roadways and intersections,
Peter Buffett holding free concert in Atherton
Peter Buffet, the son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett and
a composer and pianist, will hold
a free “Concert and Conversation” at 7 p.m. Thursday, March
10, in the Harman Auditorium
on the Sacred Heart Prep campus
at 150 Valparaiso Ave. in Atherton.
During the 90-minute performance, Mr. Buffett will play the
piano, accompanied by cellist
Michael Kott. The program will
reflect messages in his book,
“Life Is What You Make It: Find
Your Own Path to Fulfillment.”
Reservations are strongly recommended.
Nancy Hood
Nancy Hood was born in San Francisco on
December 1, 1920 and passed away January
13, 2011. Nancy attended Miss Burke’s School
and Stanford University where she majored in
French. After college, she embarked on a career
in the United States Foreign Service that took
her to posts in Washington D.C., and Europe
over the span of twenty years. When she retired
she returned to California and became active in
the church communities of the Woodside Village Church and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
in Menlo Park. She also volunteered countless
hours to the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California
Nancy was preceded in death by her three
bringing 10,000 new vehicle trips
to the area per day.
The meeting starts at 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 9, in council
chambers at the Civic Center, 701
Laurel St.
Caltrain declares
fiscal emergency
Caltrain’s board of directors
declared a fiscal emergency
March 3 during a meeting in
San Carlos that attracted hundreds of riders who oppose
service cuts.
The Peninsula Corridor Joint
Powers Board, which governs
Caltrain, declared the emergency so directors could consider
“radical” solutions and close
a $30 million budget deficit
Caltrain faces over the coming
year, Caltrain Executive Director Michael Scanlon said.
Service cuts could include
Visit shschools.org/PeterBuffett to make reservations.
‘Wizard of Oz’
“The Wizard of Oz” will be
presented by the Portola Valley
Theatre Conservatory, in Lane
Family Hall Theater, 945 Portola
ending all daytime, evening,
weekend and special-event service except for peak commuter
times, the board has warned.
But residents urged the board
to consider several alternatives,
including taking $5.5 million
earmarked for the Dumbarton
Rail project, deferring electrification, and raising fares and
parking fees.
The board could decide service cuts by April 7.
Meetings cancelled
The comfortable chairs in Menlo Park council chambers are
getting a rest from harboring
dozing gadflies during late-night
meetings for a couple weeks. The
City Council will not meet again
until Tuesday, March 15.
The Planning Commission also
takes a short break, returning on
Monday, March 21. Both groups
meet at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center
at 701 Laurel St.
Road in Portola Valley. Preview
performances are March 16 and 17
at 7:30 p.m. Regular performances
are March 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26 at
7:30 p.m., and March 20 and 27 at
3 p.m.
Visit pvtc-ca.org for more information and to order tickets.
Jeanne L. Marx
brothers, Jack, Robin and
Tom. She will be greatly
missed by her sisters-inlaw Jean Hood and Shari
Kiser and many nieces
and nephews.
A memorial service
will be held at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in
Menlo Park on March 19
at 11am. Please send remembrance donations to
the Alzheimer’s Society
in lieu of flowers.
PA I D
O B I T UA RY
PA I D
OBITUARY
Warner Raleigh Carr, Jr.
Warner Raleigh Carr, Jr., a long
time resident of the Peninsula,
died on February 21, 2011, just
one month after his 87th birthday.
He was born in East St. Louis,
Illinois, the eldest of 6 brothers.
He taught himself to read and
attended a one room school in his
early education. He enlisted in the
Navy during WW II and graduated
from the University of Southern
California after the war. After a
successful career as the head of
two local steel companies and The
George F. Cake Co., he earned
a Master’s degree in English,
N BR IE FS
writing a novella for his thesis. He
volunteered as a reading tutor for
underprivileged children late in
his life, supporting his belief that
education is the both a right of and
key for success for every person.
He was an avid golfer, reader, and
an amateur historian. His second
wife, Loretta predeceased him.
He is survived by first wife, Nedra
Carr, his daughter Lisa Carr, and
his two grandchildren, Catherine
and Clayton Carlson. His family
will have a memorial service for
him in May.
Passed away peacefully on February 23, 2011, surrounded
by her loving family. Jeanne was born on October 17, 1915, in
Oxnard, California and graduated from Scripps College in 1936,
and attended graduate school studying French Literature at U.C.
Berkeley. Jeanne married Daniel Marx, Jr. of San Francisco in 1939
and together they lived in Hanover, New Hampshire for more than
30 years, where Dan was a Professor of Economics at Dartmouth
College and where they raised their four children. When Dan
retired in 1970, they moved to Menlo Park, California.
Jeanne was a devoted wife and mother and remained active in
volunteer activities into her 90’s. Among the many organizations
to which Jeanne contributed many volunteer hours in Hanover
were the Girl Scouts of America, the Boy Scouts of America,
the New Hampshire Association for the Blind, for which she
transcribed schoolbooks into Braille, and the League of Women
Voters. In Menlo Park, Jeanne was a volunteer for Bay Window,
Allied Arts Guild, and the Charter Auxiliary to the Lucille Salter
Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. Jeanne was an active
member of the Charter Auxiliary for more than 30 years.
Jeanne enjoyed her many loyal friends and encouraged and
enjoyed large family gatherings. She was beloved by her children,
grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Jeanne is survived by her children, Constance Angove of Nevada
City, Daniel H. Marx of Needham, Mass., Nancy Ellsworth of
Menlo Park, and Richard Marx of Penngrove. She is also survived
by seven grandsons, Jonathan Renner, Dirk Renner, Mark
Ellsworth, Daniel Ellsworth, Joshua Marx, Julian Marx and Alder
Marx; five great grandchildren, Nicholas Renner, Erik Renner, Ella
Renner, Reese Renner, and Opal Marx; and her brother, Joseph E.
Levy of Berkeley.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lucille Packard
Foundation for Children’s Health, 400 Hamilton Ave., Ste 340,
Palo Alto, CA 94301, or to a charity of your choice.
Friends are invited to join the family in a celebration of Jeanne’s
life from 3 to 5 pm on March 11, 2011, at Allied Arts Guild, 75
Arbor Road at Cambridge Avenue, Menlo Park.
PA I D
OBITUARY
N E W S
N OB I T UA RY
Sam Goodman
Atherton civic volunteer
Sam Goodman, for years a familiar figure on the Atherton civic
scene, died Feb. 26 at the age of 80
after a long illness.
Mr. Goodman moved from
Atherton about a year and a half
ago, according to his son, Stephen.
The Goodmans first moved just
over the border into Redwood City,
then, as Mr. Goodman’s health
worsened, to Los Altos.
He died of kidney failure at El
Camino Hospital, his son said.
A retired consultant and corporate executive, Mr. Goodman
served on the town of Atherton’s
Audit Committee, and was active
in the Atherton Civic Interest
League.
In 2008, he was on the ballot for
a seat on the City Council. Weeks
before the election, he announced
that he was dropping out of the
race, but it was too late to have his
name taken off the ballot and he
received several hundred votes.
Born in New York City, Mr.
Goodman was raised from the age
of 3 by his mother and aunt after his
father died.
He received his MBA and doctorate from New York University, and
was the author of seven economic
and finance textbooks, according
to his family.
He served as the commanding officer of the USS Mononga-
hela during the
Korean War;
his military
awards include
the National
Defense Services
Ribbon and the
Sam Goodman
European Clasp,
his family said.
His career included a long-held
position as chief financial officer of
the Nestle Corp. He held that position for Ampex Corp. as well. Later,
he joined the Turnaround Management Association, an international
nonprofit dedicated to corporate
renewal and turnaround management, his family said.
Mr. Goodman was also a distinguished adjunct professor in the
Department of Finance and Economics at Golden Gate University.
A man whose knowledge
crossed into many fields, Mr.
Goodman was “a perpetual student of history, and especially the
American West and Wyatt Earp,”
his family said.
He is survived by his wife of 54
years, Bea; three sons, Mark of
Los Angeles, Stephen Grant of Los
Altos Hills, and Christopher of
Tucson; and eight grandchildren.
Funeral services have been held.
In lieu of flowers, the family
requests that memorial donations
be made to the Bay Area Association of Kidney Patients, an organization of which he was a founding
member. Donate online at baakp.
org, or by mail to BAAKP, P.O. Box
2332, Menlo Park, CA 94026.
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 Sheriff’s Office. Under
the law, people charged with offenses are
considered innocent until convicted.
ATHERTON
Fraud report: Unauthorized uses of
credit cards, Moulton Drive and Holbrook
Lane, Feb. 28.
MENLO PARK
Grand theft report: Losses estimated at
$2,000 in theft of two leather jackets, two
cell phones, and purse with credit cards
and cash from unlocked vehicle, 1600
Marsh Road, Feb. 26.
Residential burglary report: Loss estimated at $900 in break-in and theft of
mountain bike and laptop computer, 300
block of O’Connor St., March 2.
Robbery report: Loss estimated at $41
in robbery of four T-shirts and four pairs of
jeans, 800 block of Newbridge St., Feb. 26.
Fraud reports:
■ San Francisco man arrested on charges
that include using false name in prescription for a morphine-related cough syrup,
Walgreens at 643 Santa Cruz Ave., Feb. 25.
■ Loss of $822 in unauthorized use of
checking account to purchase fireplace
in another state, 300 block of Sharon park
Drive, March 3.
Auto burglary reports:
■ Loss estimated at $405 in break-in and
theft of leather boots, briefcase, Apple
iPod and 30 CDs, 2800 block of Sand Hill
Road, March 3.
■ Loss estimated at $20 in break-in and
theft of satchel, 800 block of Alma St.,
Feb. 27.
Stolen vehicle reports:
■ Silver 2000 Toyota Celica, 4000 block of
Campbell Ave., March 2.
■ Gray 1999 Honda Civic, 1200 block of
Willow Road, Feb. 26.
WOODSIDE
Theft report: Loss estimated at $500 in
theft of GPS device from unlocked vehicle
during interval of 15 to 20 minutes, parking
lot of Roberts market at corner of Woodside
and Mountain Home roads, March 2.
PORTOLA VALLEY
Fraud report: Unauthorized use of credit
card to make two gasoline purchases, 400
block of Minoca Road, Feb. 25.
Burglary at Menlo Park Presbyterian
A burglary and associated loss of
about $12,900 has left the Menlo
Park Presbyterian Church at 950
Santa Cruz Ave. without its electronic device that controlled the
church lights, according to a March
5 police report.
Police investigators have no idea
how many people might have been
involved in the burglary, Menlo
Park Police Department spokeswoman Nicole Acker told the
Almanac. The police report shows
no indication of fingerprints having
been found at the scene, she said.
The church was undamaged.
Like many churches, this one was
unlocked and open to the public
from time to time, Ms. Acker said.
Police believe the burglary
occurred between 9:30 p.m. on
Wednesday, March 2, and 12:30
p.m. on Friday, March 4.
Frances Nippes
May 27, 1925-Feb. 21, 2011
Frances C. Nippes, 85, a 40 year resident
of Atherton, died February 21, 2011. Frances
departed this life at her home in Atherton after a
courageous 4 year battle with ovarian cancer. At
the time of her passing, Frances was surrounded
by her family and at her side was Dick Nippes,
devoted husband of almost 64 years. Frances
and Dick had a wonderful marriage that was full
of love and together they enjoyed many simple
pleasures such as visits from the children and
grandchildren, great conversations over evening
cocktails, entertaining friends, bridge parties, as
well as Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.
Frances was born in Philadelphia, PA and, after
marrying Dick in 1947, they lived in several east
coast cities including Barberton, OH, Natick, MA,
Westfield, NJ, and Pittsburgh, PA before moving to
Atherton, CA in the summer of 1971. She was an avid
volunteer and an active member of several charity
organizations. Her favorites were the local charities
where her activities made a difference including
Holbrook Palmer Park, Atherton Dames, and
Atherlons. She enjoyed being a member of several
social bridge groups and discovering new recipes
with Recipe Traders.
Frances is survived by
her husband Dick and 4
children, Rick Nippes of
San Francisco, Jim Nippes
of Menlo Park, Louise
Gusha of Pleasanton and
Bill Nippes of Mountain
View. Frances affectionately called Mema,
leaves behind 6 grandchildren, Nicole, Andrew,
Jimmy and Mark Gusha all of Pleasanton, CA;
and Matthew and Kristen Nippes of Mountain
View, CA. She is also survived by daughters-inlaw, Mary Rohan Nippes of Menlo Park, Teresa
Nippes of Mountain View and son-in-law Greg
Gusha of Pleasanton.
At the request of Frances, there will be no funeral
services. The family requests contributions in
Frances’ memory be made to either of these
two organizations: Holbrook Palmer Park, 150
Watkins Ave, Atherton, CA 94027; or to Ovations,
251 W Central St #32, Natick, MA 01760. The
latter is an organization specializing in ovarian
cancer research and can accept online donations.
PA I D
O B I T UA RY
George Daniel McDonald
November 12, 1910 - February 20, 2011
George Daniel McDonald was born in Flagstaff,
Arizona, two years before Arizona became a state. His
father, (Archibald) Daniel McDonald had been a cook
in the lumber camps of eastern Canada. He migrated
west and married the former Mary Elisabeth Hatfield
of Kentucky. Mary Elisabeth had been orphaned in
the famous feud with the McCoy family.
The family lived in lumber camps throughout the
west. Aside from school, George learned the ways
of the world as a “Whistle Punk” blowing a whistle
in the logging camp near Placerville, California to
alert the operators of the “Steam Donkey” to start
their move to pull logs to the flotation pond. He also
worked as a golf caddy at the Del Paso Country Club
in Sacramento.
George, his sister, Ruth, and his mother (now divorced
from Daniel) moved to Oakland, California. He ran
the mile for Oakland Technical High School and later
competed for the Olympic Club of San Francisco. He also
caddied at the Claremont Country Club.
After high school, George signed aboard a banana
boat which plied the route between San Francisco
and Hawaii. Some of his favorite memories are of the
trips he made to sea.
Later, George apprenticed as a pattern maker, a
trade now lost to computer technology. Patterns were
wooden mock-ups of items later to be cast from iron.
The molten iron was poured into sand molds which
had been packed around the wooden patterns. As a
journeyman pattern maker, he worked with wood for
much of his career. During most of this life he handmade many gifts and trinkets from wood for family
and friends. He made gavels for organizations,
bird houses, trivets, and other useful items, never
accepting money for his efforts.
He worked at H.C. Macaulay Foundry in Berkeley,
California, for several decades. While there, he met
Barbara Sainsot on a streetcar en route to his job. They
married and had three children: Sally Fay McDonald
Menzel,
Warren
George McDonald,
and Michael Robert
McDonald. Their
marriage lasted 68
years until Barbara’s
death in 2002.
For much of
their lives, George
and Barbara lived
in Albany and
nearby
Berkeley.
It was there that
George began long
association
with
the Masons, going
through the chairs,
becoming master and serving in many other capacities
in several lodges. He was active in the Blue Lodge, the
Shrine, York Rite, Royal Arch, Commandry and other
Masonic organizations. He was a 32nd degree Mason
and had received the Hiram award.
He left Macaulay in the 1960s and took a job
as President of Berry Foundry in Sacramento,
necessitating a move from Berkeley to Sacramento.
After retiring from active employment in 1970, he
and Barbara moved to Meadow Vista, near Auburn,
California. After Barbara died, he moved to Irvine
to be with his daughter, Sally. In 2005, he moved to
Menlo Park, and lived with his son, Warren, until his
death.
George is survived by his three children, two
daughters-in-law (Bobbie McDonald and Lauri
Parks) and a son-in-law (Daniel Menzel), seven
grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren.
No services are planned. George will be greatly
missed by all who had the great fortune to know him.
PA I D
O B I T UA RY
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proudly announces
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Spring
!!
ClassGuide
The Class Guide, with information about
local classes, is published quarterly in the
Almanac. To inquire about a listing, e-mail
Karla Kane at [email protected]. To
inquired about paid advertising, call the
display advertising department at 650326-8210.
Bullying Workshop for Parents. The Parents Place presents a bullying workshop for
parents, to learn what bullying is, and how
and when to intervene. Presenter is Gloria
Moskowitz-Sweet, LCSW. March 16, 6:307:30 p.m. Portola Valley Library, 765 Portola
Road, Portola Valley. Call 650-851-0560.
California Native Plant Society Gardening Program. Tips on planting native plants
and sustainable gardens. All lectures are
given by CNPS professionals, experts in
native plant landscaping. March 15, 9:30
a.m. Free. Woodside Library, 3410 Woodside Road, Woodside. Call 650-851-0147.
Call for a Tour: 650-324-8617
The German-American International School
275 Elliott Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025
(650) 324-8617 | www.gais.org
Mid-Peninsula
High School
Parenting Workshop. A workshop on what
to do when children are not following directions and understanding limits. Presenter:
Susan Stone Belton, BSE. March 14, 5:306:30 p.m. Free. Woodside Library, 3140
Woodside Road, Woodside.
QWERTY Education Services. 1050
Chestnut St., #201, Menlo Park | 650-3268484 | www.qwertyed.com | Academic
tutoring and diagnostic educational evaluation for K-12 and college. Contact Michael
Perez, director, for a no-cost phone consultation.
Sequoia Adult School. Little House Community Center, Menlo Park. 650-306-8866.
adultschool.seq.org | Middle-Eastern belly
dance classes. Approx. $8 per class. Mondays in Menlo Park in studio at Little House
Community Center. Tuesdays in mirrored,
well-floored Palo Alto High School dance
studio. All welcome. Any weight or age.
Sequoia District Adult School. 3247 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park | 650-306-8866
| adultschool.seq.org | Clothes making:
Kimono robe class introduces beginners to
the basics of sewing and making clothes.
Please bring your own sewing machine.
Be Yoga Be Wellness. 1923 Menalto Ave.,
Menlo Park | 906-9016 | www.be-yoga.com
| Community yoga studio. Small class sizes,
excellent instruction, reasonable prices.
Also offered are workshops on ayurveda,
reiki, and mediation.
spring
open house
Saturday, April 23, 2011
10:30-12pm
No RSVP is necessary
Choose a small, caring, innovative high school
1340 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025
(650) 321-1991 www.mid-pen.com
Jazzercise at Little House Activity
Center. 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park |
703-1263 | www.jazzercise.com | Jazzercise blends aerobics, yoga, Pilates, and
kickboxing movements into dance routines
set to fresh new music. All fitness levels
welcome. Classes are ongoing, go directly
to class to register.
Istituto Educazione Italiana. 868-5995 |
www.italybythebay.org | Italian Language
for adults in the evening on the campus of
Menlo College in Atherton. Courses in Italian cooking in Redwood City. Workshops in
painting Tuscan and Venetian landscapes/
cityscapes using acrylics in collaboration
with the Pacific Art League (668 Ramona
St., Palo Alto). Workshops in Florentine silversmithing at the Allied Arts Guild in Menlo
Park. Full fee and schedule information can
be found online.
Bair Island Aquatic Center. 1450 Maple
St., Redwood City | 650-241-8213 | gobair.
org/learntorow | Learn to Row classes for
adults at BIAC, a local nonprofit boathouse.
No previous experience or fitness level
required. Six sessions in spring and summer, consisting of two weekends of classes
(9-12 Saturday and Sunday), followed by
four weeks of instruction in our novice crew.
Cost: $250 (includes 3 month membership
at BIAC).
Children’s Health Council. 650 Clark Way,
Palo Alto | 688-3625 | chconline.eventbrite.
Panel: Remembering the Duvenecks
Six people who knew Josephine and Frank Duveneck
will participate in “Remembering the Duvenecks of Hidden
Villa,” a panel discussion, at 7
p.m. Wednesday, March 16.
This free event takes place
at the Hillview Community
Center Multipurpose Room at
97 Hillview Ave. in Los Altos.
Panelists include grandson
David Duveneck, a former
Hidden Villa camper, former
directors, and former and
present Hidden Villa board
members.
This discussion is being
held in conjunction with the
exhibit, “Touching Lives: The
Duvenecks of Hidden Villa,”
on view at the Los Altos History Museum.
Visit tinyurl.com/Duveneckpanel for more information.
Parent education
program at M-A
Fred Luskin, author, professor and director of the Forgiveness Project at Stanford
University, will give a parent
education presentation at 7
p.m. Wednesday March 16,
at the performing arts center at Menlo-Atherton High
School, 555 Middlefield Road
in Atherton.
The free presentation is
entitled “Authentic Parenting:
A Prescription for Health and
Happiness.” RSVP to 8680590 or parenteducation@
mabearspta.org.
Jacob Richter goes to
spelling bee finals
Laurel School third-grader
Jacob Richter is going to the Bay
Area finals of
the Chronicle
Spelling Bee
to be held Saturday, March
19, in San
Francisco.
Jacob, 8,
qualified for
Jacob Richter, 8
the finals by
com | More than 20 parent education
classes offered every semester for parents
of children from birth to age 18. Getting
to Sleep, Children & Technology, Positive
Parenting for the Strong-Willed Child, and
more.
Lucy Geever, Flight Instructor and
Advantage Aviation. 1903 Embarcadero
Road, Palo Alto | 533-4018 | advantage-aviation.com/ | Offering learn-to-fly seminars,
private pilot ground school and flying lessons, along with free seminars for pilots.
N A RO U ND TOW N
Horses played an important
role in the lives of Josephine and
Frank Duveneck, who for years
held an event called “Horseplay”
to raise money for charity.
placing among the top 50 spellers in the Chronicle Spelling
Bee semi-finals on Feb. 19.
The spellers at the semi-finals ranged in age up to those
in the eighth-grade
The winner of the Bay Area
finals will be invited to the
Scripps National Spelling Bee
in June.
How to apply for
Zider scholarships
Preliminary applications for
Chris Zider scholarships must
be postmarked by March 21.
Two $15,000 scholarships are
awarded annually, one to a
boy and one to a girl. High
school sophomores may apply
if they live in Atherton, East
Palo Alto, Los Altos Hills,
Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Woodside, or on
the Stanford campus, or if
they attend Menlo School or
Woodside High.
Financial need is not a
requirement. Applications are
available at high school counseling offices or by calling the
Beta Group at 233-8700.
Visit chriszidescholarship.
com for more information.
County of San Mateo RecycleWorks. 555
County Center, 5th Floor, Redwood City |
599-1498 | RecycleWorks.org | Become a
certified master composter. Learn to compost and garden without the use of toxic
chemicals. Classes are free to San Mateo
County residents.
The Talking Playhouse. 595 Price Ave.,
Suite A, Redwood City | 678-9769 | talkingplayhouse.com | Social-learning and
Continued on next page
C L A S S
Continued from previous page
social-skills classes and activities for all age
groups, including theater games and writing groups. See website for timetable and
more information.
Little House Activity Center. 800 Middle
Ave., Menlo Park | 326-2025 | peninsulavolunteers.org | Computer workshops, health
lectures, investments, travel, self-improvement, movies, opera previews, ballroom
dancing and weekend trips for people over
50. Costs range from free to $40. Register
in person or by phone.
Children’s Music Workshops. P.O. Box
60756, Palo Alto | 306-0332 | Alisonsmusiclessons.com | Kids music classes and
private lessons for guitar, piano and voice.
Locations in Palo Alto and Mountain View.
Music for special-needs children too.
Community School of Music and Arts
at Finn Center. 230 San Antonio Circle,
Mountain View | 917-6800 | arts4all.org |
The Community School of Music and Arts
(CSMA) offers classes year-round in music,
visual and digital arts for ages 18 months
to adult. Vacation and summer camps,
one- and two-day arts workshops offered
throughout the year. Private music lessons
, taught by international faculty. Financial
assistance available. Private lessons also
offered.
environment.
of growth into the fabric that is the Phillips
Brooks School community.
Jim Gorman Swim School. 3249 Alpine
Road, Portola Valley | 854-6699 ext. 100 |
[email protected] | Patient, professional instructors and warm, clean pools make
it fun to learn to swim. Private and small
group lessons for all ages and abilities,
from water babies (3-30 months) to national
champions. Weekday and weekend lessons
available for sign-ups now.
Kirk House Preschool. 1148 Johnson St.,
Menlo Park | 323-8667 | mppc.org | Kirk
House Preschool is a half-day preschool
with both morning and afternoon classes
for children 3-, 4-, and 5-year olds (Young
Fives class). Kirk House Preschool is a
Christian, play-based school which offers a
development-oriented curriculum in a parklike setting.
Phillips Brooks School. 2245 Avy Ave.,
Menlo Park | 854-4545 | phillipsbrooks.org |
The Phillips Brooks School, an independent
co-educational day school for students
in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade,
prepares each student to live a creative,
humane and compassionate life, and to be
a contributing member of society. The curriculum emphasizes the basic academic
disciplines and their integration into everyday life, while developing the foundation for
individual scholastic excellence and inspiring an enthusiasm for life-long learning. The
overall school experience weaves the intellectual, spiritual, social and physical areas
Midpeninsula Community Media Center.
900 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto | 4948686 | communitymediacenter.net | The
Media Center offers classes every month
in a wide range of media arts, including
publishing media on the Web, podcasting,
digital editing, field production, TV studio
production, Photoshop for photographers,
citizen journalism, and autobiographical
digital stories. One-on-one tutoring is also
available. Biweekly free orientation sessions
and tours. Website has specific dates, fees,
and scholarship information.
Circle of Friends Preschool. 3214 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park | 854-2468 |
[email protected] | Circle of Friends
Preschool offers a well-rounded curriculum
in a warm personal environment. Its goal is
to promote the development of the whole
child: physical, emotional, social, language
and intellectual. Detailed assessment of
each child helps build partnerships with
families to support emerging competencies. All this in a play-based program
where children have opportunities to create,
explore, problem solve, learn concepts,
and integrate knowledge in a hands-on
G U I D E
Trinity School. 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park | 854-0288 | trinity-mp.org | Early
childhood through grade 5. Trinity School
encourages children from all backgrounds
to love learning. Trinity fosters rigorous academics grounded in child-centered content.
The legacy of a Trinity education is a curious mind and a discerning heart.
Woodland School. 360 La Cuesta Drive,
Portola Valley | 854-9065 | woodlandschool.org | Preschool-8th grade. Woodland School’s focus is a challenging academic program with a strong enrichment
program of art, music, drama, computers,
gymnastics and physical education. Science, math and technology are an integral
part of the 5th-8th grade experience.
Extended Care is offered 7:30 a.m.-5:30
p.m. Call for a brochure or to set up a tour.
German-American International School.
275 Elliott Drive, Menlo Park | 650-324-8617
| www.gais.org | [email protected] | GAIS is an
international school serving approximately
300 students in preschool through 8th
grade. GAIS offers a German bilingual
program through 5th grade, and welcomes
English-speaking students in a new English language Middle School program that
offers German, Spanish and French as
additional language options. GAIS follows
the academically rigorous, inquiry-based
programs developed by the International
Baccalaureate Organization.
Portola Valley Non-Fiction Book Club.
The club will discuss “The Immortal Life of
Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot. March
17, 1-2:30 p.m. Portola Valley Library, 765
Portola Road, Portola Valley. Call 650-8510560. smcl.org
The Menlo Art League. The March meeting of the Menlo Art League will feature
Melinda Miller Collins, who will do an acrylic
painting with collage. March 9, 6:45-8:30
p.m. Free. The Menlo Park Library, 800
Alma Street St., Menlo Park. Call 650-9062045. menloartleague.org
‘Women and Jazz.’ Marcus Shelby brings
his trio to the Woodside Library for a musical presentation that reflects the works of
female jazz composers and celebrates pioneering women in American history. March
19, 2-3:30 p.m. Free. Woodside Library,
3140 Woodside Road, Woodside.
Gardening Under Oaks. Alexandra Von
Feldt will speak on caring for oak trees. A
tour of the native-plants garden follows.
March 15, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Woodside
Library, 3140 Woodside Road, Woodside.
The Portola Art Gallery presents “Atmosphere and Land” by Mark Monsarrat. San
Francisco plein-air and studio painter Monsarrat is featuring large works and smaller
pieces in his classic tonal-colorist landscape style. Through March 29, 10 a.m.-5
p.m. Free. Portola Art Gallery, 75 Arbor
Road, Menlo Park. Call 650-321-0229.
www.portolaartgallery.com
Marcolivia. Marcolivia, violin duo, returns
to Master Sinfonia for Martinu’s Concerto
for Two Violins. MSCO also performs Mendelssohn’s “Ruy Blas Overture” and “A
Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Reception
included. March 12, 8 p.m. $5-$20. Valley
Presbyterian Church, 945 Portola Road,
Portola Valley. mastersinfonia.org
Support Local Business
Birds of Bedwell Bayfront Park. Volunteer
birders will point out a variety of wintering
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“COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION”
One-on-one in home tutoring by qualified educators. K-12, all subject
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AP, and writing and study skills. Learning Strategies instructs though
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TRX STRENGTH AND
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Schedule private lessons in your
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MON., WED., FRI. (8:30AM)
Please look at our website for further information
www.creative-learning-strategies.com
or call (650) 747-9651 and/or email at
[email protected]
References available upon request
*FREE hour with a 10 session commitment
HELP YOUR
STUDENT
GET INTO COLLEGE.
bird species. Meet along entrance road.
Heavy rain cancels. March 12, 11 a.m.-1
p.m. Free/Bedwell Bayfront Park, end of
Marsh Road, Menlo Park. Call 650-3257841. friendsofbayfrontpark.org/index1.html
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Join us @ 805 El Camino Real, Menlo Park (The Dancer’s Loft)
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CALL AJ TUTORING TODAY!
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Personalized approach with proven results.
Over 10 years of rapid growth thanks to the enthusiastic word of
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Atherton, Sacred Heart, Castilleja, Woodside Priory, St. Francis,
Mountain View and Los Altos. Charismatic, professional and
10 Bay Area locations. Visit a classroom today.
Because You Know the Value of Education
© 2011, Barbara B. Baker
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
Dave Boyce, Sandy Brundage
Contributors Barbara Wood,
Kate Daly, Katie Blankenberg
Special Sections Editors
Carol Blitzer, Sue Dremann
Photographer Michelle Le
News Intern Miranda Simon
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) 223-6525
Newsroom Fax: (650) 223-7525
Advertising: (650) 854-2626
Advertising Fax: (650) 854-3650
e-mail news and photos with
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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.
■
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:
[email protected]
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.
Ideas, thoughts and opinions about
local issues from people in our community. Edited by Tom Gibboney.
Alpine-280 bike lane long overdue
I
n the wake of the tragic death of cyclist Lauren Ward at the Alpine
Road and Interstate 280 intersection, county and state transportation officials are working on four designs for a dedicated bike lane
that could improve safety there.
Ms. Ward, of Los Altos Hills, was a veteran cyclist who was run
over by the trailer wheels of a tractor-trailer truck that was heading
to the southbound I-280 on-ramp. An initial accident investigation
found that Ms. Ward somehow turned or fell into the path of the
truck. The driver said he never saw the cyclist in his rear-view mirror.
But about a month ago, the
California
Highway Patrol, citing
ED ITORI AL
new evidence that has not been
The opinion of The Almanac
made public, conducted a second
investigation at the site, including
bringing the truck back, which apparently was needed to help officers
recreate the circumstances on the day of the accident. It is our hope
that the CHP will release details of this second probe soon.
Just as important as the accident report is the work now under way
by the county Public Works Department and the California Transportation Department to design a bike lane that will give drivers and
riders a much safer path through the intersection. (One of the four
design options under study resembles the bike lane at Sand Hill Road
and I-280.)
At the stop sign on westbound Alpine Road and I-280, there is one
lane heading into Ladera, one lane that serves Ladera and southbound freeway traffic, and some extra space on the right to commit
traffic to the southbound freeway. There is no bike lane; bikes merge
from the right at places of the cyclist’s choosing while mixing it up
between lanes of diverging vehicle traffic.
The proposed bike lane would straddle the two lanes of traffic, but
to get to it, cyclists would have to cross in front of one lane, carrying
westbound Alpine Road traffic, either before or after the stop sign.
There is no easy way to do that so that cyclists can be highly visible
and move safely through the intersection.
While this intersection tends to have orderly outcomes as drivers
L ET TERS
Our readers write
After fatal accidents, residents want safer El Camino
Editor:
This letter was sent to all
Atherton and Menlo Park city
council members.
As nearby residents, we have
noted with alarm all the recent
accidents on El Camino Real. In
the space of just three months,
there have been three major accidents, including two fatalities, all
practically on our doorstep on
the stretch of El Camino between
Spruce Avenue in Menlo Park
and Fair Oaks Avenue/Atherton
Avenue in Atherton.
On Sept. 30 last year, a bicyclist was killed trying to cross
El Camino in a crosswalk at
Isabella Avenue; on Oct. 15 last
year, a pedestrian was killed
trying to cross El Camino near
the Watkins Avenue intersec-
CALL the Viewpoint desk at
223-6507.
14 ■ The Almanac ■ March 9, 2011
See LETTERS, next page
wait their turns, bikes approaching and waiting at the stop sign must
watch for traffic heading to the onramp for northbound I-280. After
the stop sign, cyclists must ride between the traffic lanes and hope
that motorists see them, which can be challenging when a bike is
changing lanes in the shadow of the overpass. And regardless of what
design emerges from this study, riders will face the essential danger
that Lauren Ward faced.
Any of the four designs would greatly improve bicycle safety at this
intersection. We prefer Option D2, which has bikes moving left into
a bike lane that splits the traffic lanes well before the stop sign. A key
advantage to D-2 is that drivers would be conscious of the presence of
bikes before leaving the stop sign. And the bike lane would be marked
with a thick and highly visible white stripe. The other versions introduce bikes to the merging traffic under the freeway overpass where
it is dark and where abbreviated distances leave little time or space
for lazy drivers to make split second decisions while at the wheels of
potentially deadly machines.
Whatever design is chosen, a new bike lane will serve as a memorial
to Lauren Ward, whose tragic death sparked the discussion to make
this long-needed improvement a reality.
Our
Regional
Heritage
The gatekeeper at
James C. Flood’s
674-acre estate off
Middlefield Road lived
in this four-bedroom
home in what is now
Lindenwood. The
“lodge” was built
in 1878 and razed
in 1954, despite
the objections of a
citizens group that
hoped to save it.
Atherton Heritage Association
V I E W P O I N T
L E T T ER S
Continued from previous page
tion; and most recently, on Nov.
30, a driver lost control on El
Camino and crashed in front of
the medical building just south
of Watkins.
We can personally affirm
that traffic goes by very fast
on this stretch of El Camino.
There are no stop lights or stop
signs between Encinal Avenue
in Menlo Park and Fair Oaks
Avenue in Atherton. Drivers
regularly exceed the posted 35
mile per hour speed limit as they
travel in either direction between
Redwood City and Menlo Park.
Cars take advantage of the open
stretch to speed up, which makes
the two crosswalks extremely
dangerous, because cars are
unlikely to see any pedestrians
in time.
We would like to see the following traffic controls put into
place in order to make our area
safer for pedestrians, bicyclists,
and drivers alike:
■ An electronic speed limit
reminder (such as that one
posted along Watkins Avenue)
should be installed to remind
drivers that the posted speed
limit is 35 miles per hour. Regular monitoring and ticketing by
police would also serve as a visible deterrent to speeding.
■ The pedestrian crosswalks
should be augmented with flashing lights on the ground and
orange flag stands (as they have
been on Ravenswood Avenue and
the corner of University Drive
and Menlo Avenue in Menlo
Park). Now the crosswalks give
the misleading impression that
it is safe to cross there.
■ Other proven traffic-calming and slowing measures could
be installed that would make
drivers more aware that this is a
residential area.
We understand that depending
on where these traffic improvements fall, they may lie in the
jurisdiction of either Atherton or
Menlo Park. However, it is a section of road that both our communities use heavily and to that
extent, it is a mutual concern.
If we are serious about making our community a friendlier
place for bikers and pedestrians,
we should not put them in dangerous situations. Nor should
we expect too much from our
drivers; they should have due
warning so they can do right by
their fellow citizens. We would
like to see some steps taken to
improve the situation before
there is another tragedy.
Lydia Lee, Spruce Avenue, Menlo
Park and more than 20 others
100 Off a 12 week or more program
$
“There‘s no place like home.”
Redwood City - San Mateo - San Jose
Menlo Park still lacks official position on rail project
By Steve Schmidt
A
s the saying goes: you’re
damned if you do and
you’re damned if you
don’t.
The latest Menlo Park kerfuffle
puts City Council member Kelly
Fergusson in the cross-hairs again
and this time the critics are making a variety of complaints. Her
planned trip to Washington, D.C,
to influence Congress members
“on funding for high-speed rail”
seems to be a problem due to a
questionable need for the trip, the
cost of the trip, and more recently,
an alleged conflict of interest due
to her employment at Siemens, a
company that some say wants the
contract to build high-speed rail.
The high-speed-rail issue in
Menlo Park has become an animal of many colors and stripes.
Ms. Fergusson was one of two
council members who approved
the city’s joining Atherton in a
lawsuit opposing the project two
years ago. She has also approved
the city’s participation in two
other lawsuits against the project
and approved our city’s membership in the Peninsula Cities
Consortium, an organization that
appears to oppose high-speed
rail on the Peninsula. One might
think that based on these bold
acts, she would be appreciated for
her devotion to the anti-HSR cause
and her trip to D.C. applauded.
Applause is not what she’s getting. Because of Ms. Fergusson’s
employment, she is presumed to
be a high-speed-rail proponent.
The often-used line, “Do it right
or not at all,” has left a void in both
Ms. Fergusson’s
and the city’s
position regarding HSR.
The question
that lingers is:
What is “right”?
Does it mean
two, three, or
GUEST
four tracks, a
OPINION
tunnel, a trench,
at-grade, on a
viaduct, six trains a day, six trains
an hour, or not on the Peninsula
ever?
No one really knows where
Menlo Park stands on any of these
variables, as there has not been a
full discussion by the council with
high-speed rail on an agenda.
Mayor Rich Cline has stated that
the city “has been on this for two
and a half years. It’s been in every
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www.matchedcaregivers.com
newspaper. (and) ... nothing has
been outside the public light on
our position on high-speed rail.
...” While this may be true, it is
the council’s job to adopt a policy
regarding this state-wide project,
a project that will bring both
benefits and negative impacts to
Menlo Park. There appears to be
no policy.
This process is overdue and puts
Ms. Fergusson in a tough position as she travels to Washington,
D.C., carrying a message that may
be only hers and has not been
adopted in public by the city. If
the council had a policy position,
Ms. Fergusson’s job of influencing key members of Congress
would be much easier. It’s no
surprise she’s getting flak from all
quarters, most of it not based on
substance.
As Mr. Cline asked last Tuesday
night, “What’s that (high-speed
rail) policy going to be?” Apparently, no one knows. Yet we have a
paid lobbyist and a council member going to Washington to say
something to important people
without our knowing what that
something is.
Steve Schmidt, former
Menlo Park council member
(QUROOE\$SULO
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