Election 2003: Five in running for Menlo fire board Election 2003: Five in running for Menlo fire board (August 13, 2003)

By Renee Batti
Almanac News Editor

Former fire district board member A. Erwin (Erv) Ericksen filed candidate papers the day before the filing period closed last week to try to regain his old seat on the Board of Directors of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District.

His candidacy brings the number of contenders for the two seats to five: incumbents Bart Spencer of Menlo Park and Steve Kennedy of East Palo Alto; retired businessman Pete Hammond of Menlo Park; manufacturing manager John Osmer of Menlo Park; and Mr. Ericksen of Atherton, who did not seek re-election when his second fire district board term ended in 1999.

The campaign season is certain to be much livelier than when Mr. Spencer and Mr. Kennedy ran opposed for their first terms on the five-member board -- the policy body for the district that serves Menlo Park, Atherton, East Palo Alto and nearby unincorporated areas.

While important issues are likely to be debated by the candidates -- including ambulance service and the projected $1.7 million deficit facing the district next year because of shortfalls in the state's pension system -- opponents of Mr. Kennedy have indicated they will make him a key issue as well.

"I will do everything in my power to assure his defeat," district board President Peter Carpenter said of Mr. Kennedy.

Mr. Kennedy has been censured twice by his colleagues since last year. In June 2002, the board censured him for allegedly offering Acting Chief Ed Greene support for his bid to become permanent chief if Mr. Greene supported a plan Mr. Kennedy proposed to the board.

And in May, the board censured Mr. Kennedy and asked him to resign for several causes, including allegedly threatening retaliation against Chief Paul Wilson and sending an e-mail with profanity to a division chief.

Mr. Kennedy denied that he had done anything wrong, and said his actions had been mischaracterized.

Board President Carpenter said the board -- minus the two members running for re-election -- may take the unprecedented step of endorsing candidates before the election, adding that he had cleared such an action with the district's legal counsel.

"Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't even pursue this," he said of the endorsement option. But, he added, he views it as a possible means to prevent Mr. Kennedy's re-election.