Keith leads Menlo Park council fundraising

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Incumbent Kirsten Keith raised $13,943 according to the campaign finance report that covers the period from July 1 through Sept. 30, outpacing the other five candidates running for three open seats on the Menlo Park City Council. The reports were filed by Monday, Oct. 6, with the city clerk’s office.

Ms. Keith also reported receiving $2,303 in nonmonetary contributions, most of which went toward a fundraiser held at the Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club organized by developer David Bohannon. Tickets went for $100 to $1,000 each. She also received $867 in campaign literature distribution and mailings from developer Greenheart’s “Committee for a Vibrant Downtown — No on (Measure) M.”

Noteworthy money donors include John Tarlton, CEO of Tarlton Properties, and Atherton resident and Menlo Park Fire Protection District board member Peter Carpenter ($900 each); Mr. Bohannon and Tod Spieker of Spieker Companies ($1,000 each); “marketing ninja” Deborah Conrad of Cowboy Ventures ($2,019); the California Apartment Association PAC ($500); Pacific Gas and Electric ($250); and a slew of current and past city commissioners, former council members and other officials.

Ms. Keith spent $3,335 on lawn signs, voter data and campaign literature.

Fellow incumbent Peter Ohtaki reported $8,635 in monetary contributions and $983 in non-monetary donations, which included Greenheart’s slate mailings and campaign literature distribution.

Appearing on his list of donors are SLAC physicist Charles Munger Jr. ($995); Lincoln Club of Northern California PAC ($900); and Peter Carpenter and Tod Spieker ($900 each).

Giving $500 each were Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers venture capitalist Ted Schlein, the Republican Leadership Council, developer Matt Matteson, homemaker Deborah Clemetson, and investor Bob Lane. Pacific Gas and Electric contributed $250.

Mr. Ohtaki’s expenditures –$3,364 — mostly went toward campaign literature, food for a kick-off event and a $500 donation to the Coro Fellows program run by a nonprofit public affairs organization.

Former council member Kelly Fergusson, who lost a bid for re-election in 2012 but resurfaced for this year’s campaign with the support of the Save Menlo “Yes on M” faction, came in third, with $8,472 in monetary donations and no non-monetary contributions. That includes $619 donated by herself; $1,000 from Save Menlo co-founder Mike Lanza; and $500 each from “Yes on M” supporters Morris Brown and Elizabeth Houck. There were a sprinkling of out-of-town donors.

Ms. Fergusson’s filing reports the occupation and employer of many donors only with the word “requested.”

Her $4,034 in expenses included $27 for nametag badges for “Yes on M,” and campaign materials.

In fourth place, newcomer and Planning Commissioner Drew Combs raised $7,650 in monetary donations, including $325 donated by himself. He reported $217 in nonmonetary donations, consisting of $157 in event food from wife Alexa.

Donors of interest included “Yes on M” supporters Mike Lanza, Elizabeth Houck and Morris Brown ($500 each); account manager William Hyland of Mission Viejo ($400); former councilman Heyward Robinson, George Fisher and registered nurse Catherine Wilson ($250); and Atherton attorney Chip Lutton ($200).

Environmental Quality Commissioner Kristin Duriseti reported raising $4,918 in monetary donations and gave her campaign a $4,000 loan. She had a single nonmonetary donation of photos by Irene Searles Photography.

Donors included Camille Townsend, a teaching assistant at Stanford, who gave $500, contributed the same amount to Ms. Fergusson and gave $1,000 to the “Yes on M” committee.

Giving $250 to Ms. Duriseti were Clean Coalition attorney Craig Lewis, former councilman Heyward Robinson, attorney George Fisher, and registered nurse Catherine Wilson.

As he predicted, incumbent Rich Cline raised the least amount of money as he continued his tradition of low-budget campaigning. His $3,500 in monetary donations includes a $1,000 loan from himself. He reported $992 in nonmonetary contributions from Greenheart’s committee for mailings and campaign literature distribution.

Peter Carpenter gave $900, and Ted Schlein, Matt Matteson, Tod Spieker and the California Apartment Association PAC chipped in $500 each.

Mr. Cline’s expenses — $2,883 — were dedicated to campaign paraphernalia and literature.