Menlo Park: Last-act drama plays out in council race Menlo Park: Last-act drama plays out in council race (November 03, 2004)

** Late-in-the-game mailers cause a stir.

By Rebecca Wallace
Almanac Staff Writer

The last-act drama in the Menlo Park City Council race has heated up over mailers sent out late in the game, sparking accusations of negative campaigning and last-minute hit pieces.

A glossy mailer denouncing candidates Lorie Sinnott and Michael Lambert has caused a particular stir. Paid for by the Menlo Park Residentialists, a group listing Councilman Paul Collacchi as treasurer, the mailer labels the candidates "developers" and says they'll align with the current council majority to create a pro-development "monopoly" if elected.

Meanwhile, candidate Kelly Fergusson said she felt attacked by one of Mr. Lambert's fliers. It takes her to task for leading a referendum effort against new home-building rules adopted early this year, saying she's "done a significant disservice to our community."

Ms. Sinnott and Mr. Lambert have been endorsed by the council majority: Lee Duboc, Mickie Winkler and Nicholas Jellins. Ms. Fergusson and Andrew Cohen are supported by Mr. Collacchi and Councilman Chuck Kinney.

Mr. Collacchi and Mr. Kinney are not running for the council again, leaving two seats open.

Mr. Collacchi's address, but not his name, is listed in very small type on the Menlo Park Residentialists' mailer, which states, "Don't let the City Council majority keep railroading our community." It features a cartoon of a train and, presumably, council members Duboc, Winkler and Jellins on board.

The train cars are labeled with accusations against the three, including "Passed Monster Homes Ordinance," referring to home-building rules that the three council members voted to pass but later rescinded after the Fergusson-led referendum effort garnered sufficient signatures.

The mailer chides Ms. Sinnott for listing her occupation as "Planning Commissioner/Mother" on the ballot, rather than saying that she also is chief financial officer for her architect husband's firm. On a recent Fair Political Practices Commission financial disclosure form, Ms. Sinnott declared that she earned more than $100,000 annually from Samuel Sinnott and Company in Menlo Park.

The mailer also states that Mr. Lambert, an architect, has a "personal financial interest in local development projects" and "managed the largest commercial development project in our city."

Another flier sent out by the Menlo Park Residentialists is highly critical of Ms. Sinnott, accusing her of being supported by the real estate community. It also says she has conflicts of interest such as owning property downtown that could benefit from projects she favors, such as parking garages.

The mailers were fueled by $7,000 worth of contributions to the Menlo Park Residentialists, which the group reported to the City Clerk's office last week. Contributors included Mr. Collacchi, who gave $2,000; 2002 council candidate David Speer, who gave $1,000 and loaned the group another $1,000; and resident Charles Bourne, who gave $500 and loaned $1,000, according to campaign finance forms.

Responses

Upon seeing the flier, Mr. Lambert promptly fired off a letter to the Almanac, saying it is "filled with angry and inflammatory lies which now may become Paul's legacy."

Mr. Lambert said he is a licensed architect and contractor, but said he has no personal interest in local development, adding that his contractor's license is currently inactive.

He also said that he did manage the development of the large Sun Microsystems campus in Menlo Park, but that he did it as a Sun employee and had no financial interest in the project.

For her part, Ms. Sinnott circulated a recorded phone message over the weekend saying that the mailers against her were filled with falsehoods. "They're desperate," she said to the Almanac of her opponents.

Ms. Sinnott said the only property she and her husband, Sam, own in Menlo Park is their home. In addition, she said she receives an annual income of a few thousand dollars because she's a beneficiary of a family trust in a building on Curtis Street downtown.

"If a parking structure went in next to that building I would call the city attorney and ask if I can vote on it," she said.

Ms. Sinnott has also said that she listed her occupation as "Planning Commissioner/Mother" because the work she does for her husband's firm is part-time only. When asked about the FPPC form stating income of more than $100,000 from the firm, she responded, "Sinnott and Company may be worth over the $100,000 limit, and that's where I work."

Ms. Sinnott, who has received several contributions from real estate agents during the campaign, said she just got a late contribution of $950 from the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, as well as one of $500 from the Tri-County Apartment Association.

Ms. Sinnott said she expects to end the campaign with about $23,000 in spending, while Ms. Fergusson, the other top fund-raiser, said she plans to come in just under $30,000.

Fair game?

As for the mailers, Ms. Fergusson said she had approved them before they were sent out.

"I signed an ethics pledge when I entered this race that promised that I would discuss the issues and criticize the records of opponents' policy that merit criticism," she said. "These are not last-minute allegations. They've been covered in letters (to the editor)."

Mr. Collacchi also said in an e-mail that he stands by the mailers, saying the "railroad" mailer "criticizes voting records, campaign platforms and potential and existing financial conflicts of interest of candidates, all of which are fair game."

He added, "The information is presented somewhat dramatically to gain the reader's attention, but so what?"

Council meeting is canceled

Election Night will be an off night for the Menlo Park City Council, which is canceling its regular Tuesday-evening meeting.

Council meetings will resume on Tuesday, November 9. That meeting is tentatively scheduled to include a discussion of land uses for the Haven Avenue area, which is east of U.S. 101 and has been eyed as a potential site for an auto mall.

For more agenda information, call 330-6620 or go to www.menlopark.org.

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