LETTERS TO THE EDITOR LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (July 28, 2004)

Kinney says writers misstated his motives

Editor:

I would like to correct some misstatements and assumptions made by Raymond "Dee" Tolles, Ted Sorensen, Frank Tucker and Sue Kayton in their "Guest Opinion" of July 21.

First the foursome stated, "A few years previously, Mr. Kinney himself voted against mayor pro tem Bernie Valencia's election to mayor, because he realized the importance of having a mayor in agreement with the majority of the council." I was never contacted to ascertain my reasons for my vote, so how do they really know what my reasons were for voting against Ms. Valencia as mayor even if she was the previous mayor pro tem? If they would have reviewed Policy # CC-93-001, effective 11/16/93 (I believe Mr. Tolles was on the council at that time this policy was approved by the council), they would have noted that there is no mention of the mayor pro tem as usually and automatically becoming the next mayor. Instead they would have noted that there were three current council members eligible for this position, Valencia, Collacchi and Kinney. Having been on the council for one year I based my decision on who I believed was best for the job and not, as stated, because I realized the importance of having a mayor in agreement with the majority of the council.

As an aside, my vote for Mr. Jellins to be mayor in December 2000 was based upon the above-noted policy, even when I knew most certainly Mr. Jellins was not part of the then-majority.

And who said I was part of the majority? As my very first statement as council member in December 1996, I made a short speech in which I noted I was elected to listen, do my homework and represent all of the people in my decision making.

Second, concerning the 2002 election, the same policy states, "The council shall select as mayor an elected member of the council who has served a minimum of one year and who has not served as mayor." For those few council watchers, this meant newly elected council members Ms. Duboc and Ms. Winkler were not eligible because of their newness to the council, which left Collacchi, Jellins and Kinney the only ones considered.

The council policy further states, "If all eligible members have served as mayor, which they had, then the member with the longest elapsed time since serving as mayor shall be selected as mayor." This means according to the Policy # CC-93-001 that Kinney should have been elected mayor.

As the guest opinion by the foursome noted, the council elects the mayor by majority vote, which they did when electing Jellins that night in December 2002, but not in accordance with Policy # CC-93-001, only by the majority vote. I asked that night for discussion on this matter regarding the council policy, whether it was still in effect or to be disregarded, and the silence was deafening.

This is all old news, and there have not been any carry-over ill feelings resulting from the above on my part, but I did want to set the record straight and correct the foursome's misunderstandings and to bring to task their liberties with reality.

Chuck Kinney
Menlo Park councilman

Kinney not ill-treated by current council majority

Editor

I have followed events at city hall the last three years, first as a homeowner, then as a neighborhood representative. As I respect Chuck Kinney in spite of some differing views, I'm a little saddened to see a political piece by (former City Council members) masquerade as praise for a good man's civic service. (Guest Opinion, July 14.) I recall the council's zoning proposal just over two years ago that would have reduced my "working class" post-war neighborhood's ability to add kids' bedrooms and further complicated a tortuous approval process. That's when several neighborhoods (not "real estate agents" or "speculators") joined forces to support new minds for city hall. As I recall, only Chuck Kinney even bothered to visit us when we spoke out.

Looking back, it's no surprise that the current council has to make unpopular budget choices. The economy had tanked two years earlier, and the mayor in 2002 was still pitching a $2 million bike tunnel exiting into an unwilling car dealership, while "deferring" preventive maintenance of our infrastructure, including three major streets near me. It's disappointing not to have a brand new child care building we can't afford - but it's terrific that a good, next-best solution was found.

Since 2002, I have never seen so many neighborhood meetings on issues we care about -- so Mr. Schmidt's reference to the current "private style of governance" and "the current regime" is comic relief. But to say Chuck Kinney was subject to "vindictive behavior and disdain" is just b.s. Everyone appreciates that Chuck is a gentleman; for your readers who don't frequent Laurel Street, I saw him treated so -- and vice versa -- at the dozen or so meetings I attended. The zoning proposal has been difficult, but the team working on it is listening, and rewriting. And this group is watching the books. That's what we put them there to do.

Henry Riggs
Callie Lane, Menlo Park

'Residentialist' philosophy didn't fix the potholes

Editor:

After reading (the July 14) guest opinion authored by former council members Jack Morris, Steve Schmidt and Mary Jo Borak, I felt compelled to make a few comments.

There is no question that the former councils led by the authors were driven by much different philosophies than that of the new majority of Jellins, Winkler and Duboc. In fact, it was those former policies based on "residentialist" philosophies that began to worry the citizens of Menlo Park. Policies that were put in place by the former "residentialist" councils were aimed at restricting development. As stated in their letter, they voted in Ordinance 915, a highly restrictive housing ordinance. This was their goal: to make it difficult for people to develop their homes into larger structures.

Further restrictions to development included an overbearing permit process for business (owners) who wished to redevelop their properties. The permit process became so stifling that Menlo Park earned an "anti-business" distinction.

Traffic issues were ignored for years. It took a huge public outcry for Steve Schmidt to finally agree to the Sand Hill Road project. Roads fell into a state of disrepair because these council members believed "if you build it more cars will come." Drive around Menlo Park. How do the roads look to you? Should we continue to ignore the potholes?

There is no question that TOO MUCH development or unbridled development is not a good thing. But, no one is advocating this. Real estate agents are earning a great living in one of the most lucrative residential real estate geographies in the world! Are they bad people because they are taking advantage of this phenomenon? Are we all suffering because our home values never plummet?

The policies of the new majority have tried to restore balance to the government of Menlo Park. There is no one extreme solution to any problem and the current leaders have tried to govern our city with solutions that will benefit the entire city -- not just a few people who lobby continually for their programs. As stated in the guest opinion, there has been a huge shift in policies. From the standpoint of residents who voted in the new majority -- we welcome this shift. Mr. Schmidt, Ms. Borak and Mr. Morris, you and your supporters need to accept that there are a majority of residents who did not like your policies. We don't want to live by your "residentialist" philosophies any more. Let us be who we are.

Mary Gilles
Hermosa Way, Menlo Park

Goats R better than gas-powered mowers

Editor:

I want to thank the town of Woodside for the decision to bring in Goats R Us with hundreds of goats, a couple of border collies, and the careful humans who managed the whole operation.

For about one week, it was a neighborhood event to watch the pastoral scene as those goats cleared the fire hazard on Kite Hill. They also cleared poison oak and star thistle.

In our fast-paced, high-tech world, it was a treat to step back in time and let peaceful, grazing goats clear the brush instead of gas-powered mowers or a controlled burn.

Goats R Us has a terrific Web site that tells all about the goats, the dogs, and the people who make up their operation.

I hope this can become a yearly event.

Jennifer Gonzales
Alta Mesa Road, Woodside

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