Atherton: Three file for three council seats Atherton: Three file for three council seats (August 14, 2002)

** If no one else files, election may be cancelled.

Atherton Mayor Alan Carlson, incumbent Bill Conwell and Charles Marsala have filed candidate papers for the three open seats in November's City Council election.

If no one else files by the deadline at 5 p.m. Wednesday, August 14, the council will decide at its August 21 meeting whether to call off the election and appoint the three candidates, or to go ahead with the election anyway, said City Clerk Sharon Barker.

Mr. Conwell filed August 8, according to Ms. Barker, and Mr. Carlson filed July 17, two days after the filing period opened.

Charles Marsala, a member of the town's Park and Recreation Commission and Arts Committee, filed his papers August 9, he said.

The filing deadline was extended five days to August 14 because incumbent Dianne "Didi" Fisher decided not to run for reelection. When an incumbent doesn't file, election law extends the deadline for non-incumbents.
Campaign finance

Mr. Carlson is the only candidate to have filed the most recent round of campaign finance statements, which covers fundraising and expenditures from January 1 through June 30. His reelection committee reports raising a total of $2,497 and spending $183 on campaign literature and miscellaneous expenses.

Mr. Carlson was the biggest contributor to his own campaign, with a donation of $500. The next largest contribution reported was $250 from Atherton real estate developer John Lovewell.

Other contributors, each giving $100, include: Atherton Audit Committee member Bob Jenkins; Little League booster Jeff Morris; former council member Bob Huber; former Atherton City Attorney Robin Faisant; and Christopher Cobey, an attorney at the law firm where Mr. Carlson works.

All 14 donors of $100 or more are Atherton residents. Mr. Carlson also reported receiving $547 in un-itemized contributions of less than $100.

By Andrea Gemmet