Rather than siding with one of the two political camps vying to win a majority of seats on the Menlo Park City Council, influential developer David Bohannon is writing checks across the board.

Mr. Bohannon's company, the David D. Bohannon Organization, donated $2,000 to each of the six council candidates, according to campaign finance reports filed last week.

Mr. Bohannon said he is backing all six candidates so he won't be "attached" to the actions of one of two sides of a "bipolar council."

In 2002, Mr. Bohannon supported then-candidates Lee Duboc, Nicholas Jellins and Mickie Winkler, who form the current council majority.

Although Mr. Bohannon's company donated to the current campaigns to re-elect incumbents Duboc and Winkler, he said his past involvement in politics -- particularly his support of the two councilwomen -- was "a mistake."

"I've encouraged the majority to be more inclusive in their behavior, and I don't think they've done that," Mr. Bohannon said. "There's a lot of frustration in the community, and what I didn't expect, is that frustration has become attached to me. I regret having gotten so actively involved in supporting one [political] side or the other."

He added that his name has been linked to various decisions made by the current majority -- including a proposal to build a golf course at Bayfront Park -- that he had nothing to do with.

Mr. Bohannon's company has proposed a new 125-room hotel and more than 500,000 square feet of office space on a total of 13.5 acres near Marsh Road and U.S. 101.

The council viewed the project plans in October 2005, but there has yet to be an announcement that the project is moving forward.

He said all six of the candidates requested to meet with him before the election, and after discussions with the candidates, he decided to contribute to all of their respective campaigns.

"I think any of these candidates will serve the community well; I just don't want to be aligned with one side," Mr. Bohannon said. "I want to help them all get their messages out and let the voters decide."

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