Posted by Charles Marsala, a resident of the Atherton: West Atherton neighborhood, on Apr 21, 2009 at 3:49 pm

Additional details on these topics:

Regarding the Non-School Events Ordinance. The Ordinance requires non-school events at schools that go after 9pm indoors to pay for a permit from the Town of Atherton and to inform all neighbors within 500 of the school. There are fifty homes within 500 feet of Sacred Heart and M-A High Schools and almost one hundred homes with 500 feet of Menlo College.

Permits are also required for outdoor activities going after 7pm on weekdays and after 5pm on Saturdays.

So should the Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby need use of a school facility past 9pm to clean-up, they need to pay for a permit and inform the neighbors within 500 feet of the school they use for the event.

In the case of Pop Warner, in 2006 the neighbors came to a council meeting and requested the council advise the city manger to deny the permit request. Pop Warner has been lobbying ever since to have the ordinance modified, bringing in 150 signatures of Atherton residents to a council meeting in 2007.

As a neighbor of two high schools, I do not want my address given out to any group who seeks a permit so that I can be informed. As a resident of Atherton, I do not think it is a wise use of Atherton staff time and finances to monitor compliance of the ordinance.

Regarding the Grand Jury rumor: It is a misdemeanor for a member of the Grand Jury to have made such a comment. The comment attributed to the Grand Jury member by whoever started the rumor is false.

Regards,

Charles Marsala

Council Member

Posted by fara fawcett, a resident of the Atherton: other neighborhood, on Apr 21, 2009 at 6:37 pm

I can think of a better name for the FY 2008-09 grand jury

Charlie's Angels

Posted by woodsider, a resident of the Woodside: Mountain Home Road neighborhood, on Apr 21, 2009 at 8:03 pm

Why would the people of Atherton I'm sorry {Lindenwood} get so upset if it wasn't true. I think Athertoin's don't play well with others.

Posted by julian, a resident of the Atherton: West Atherton neighborhood, on Apr 21, 2009 at 9:33 pm

Way to go Charles

It's about time somebody blew the whistle on those lindenwood lunatics.

Posted by rich, a resident of the Menlo Park: Fair Oaks neighborhood, on Apr 21, 2009 at 10:18 pm

sounds as though civil war has broken out in Atherton

maybe they ought to send in the national guard,

better yet, a UN peacekeeping force,

nah, lets not fool around - send in the marines