Election 2005: Steve Kennedy aims to return to fire board Election 2005: Steve Kennedy aims to return to fire board (August 03, 2005)

By Renee Batti

Almanac News Editor

He was censured three times by his fellow board members, was asked more than once to resign, and was forced to surrender his badge, but Steve Kennedy says he will "make an effort to create alliances" with his colleagues if voters return him to the Menlo Park Fire Protection District board on November 8.

Mr. Kennedy, who was voted out of office in 2003, and two incumbents -- Peter Carpenter and Ollie Brown -- are so far the only declared candidates for the three open seats on the five-member board.

Incumbent Del Krause told the Almanac he will not seek re-election. If he doesn't change his mind, the filing period for this race will be extended to Wednesday, August 14.

The dearth of candidates has left some current board members worried that history will repeat itself: Mr. Kennedy, of East Palo Alto, won his first term in 1999 merely by showing up at the county elections office. One of only two candidates for two seats that year, he was appointed. The other candidate, Bart Spencer, currently serves as board president.

The last two years of Mr. Kennedy's term were marked by a series of confrontations with fellow board members and fire district staff, leading to the three censures. By summer 2003, his fellow board members and the firefighters association were actively working toward his defeat in his attempt to win a second term.

This year, board members also made an effort to encourage viable candidates to run for a seat on the board, but as of the Almanac's press time on Monday, those efforts had not paid off.

Incumbent and declared candidate Peter Carpenter of Atherton was first appointed to the board in March 2001, then won election to the seat that November.

Incumbent and candidate Ollie Brown of Menlo Park is completing his first term, having won a seat on the board in 2001.

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