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Menlo Park City Council candidates debated the future of downtown, Meta’s role in the city and how to fix issues with Belle Haven’s new $65 million community campus at The Almanac’s candidate forum on Oct. 8.
The forum featured all six candidates running to represent three of the city’s council districts: Wonman Lee and James Rohr in District 1, incumbent Drew Combs and Vamsi Velagapudi in District 2, and Charlotte Reed and Laura Melahn in District 4.
As the only incumbent seeking reelection, Combs defended his record and Meta employment, while Velagapudi said the City Council needed change and a representative who is able to work more closely with Meta. Reed and Melahn sparred over the city’s plan to build affordable housing on downtown parking lots. Rohr and Lee pitched their visions for how their district can get a long-awaited grocery store after plans for a major development were paused.
Voters in each district will choose their representatives on the Nov. 3 ballot. District 1 represents the Belle Haven and Bayfront neighborhoods; District 2 includes the Suburban Park, Flood Triangle, Lorelei Manor and Willows neighborhoods; and District 4 covers downtown Menlo Park, Allied Arts and parts of central Menlo Park.
The forum was livestreamed by the Midpen Media Center, and a recording is available on the center’s YouTube channel.
The District 4 candidates differed over the city’s controversial plans to build affordable housing on three city-owned downtown parking lots. An initiative to require a citywide vote on future changes to downtown parking plazas that diminish parking availability, access or convenience, is on the Nov. 3 ballot as Measure P.
Melahn, who refused to take a position on Measure P, said developers’ proposals and an economic feasibility study showed the effort was financially unworkable. She advocated amending the city’s housing plan to replace the parking-lot units by building them elsewhere.
Reed, who opposes Measure P, said state housing bonds and infrastructure funding could help close financing gaps to pay for parking structures.
“Developing downtown is the best option that we have to build housing and prevent financial punishment from the state for Menlo Park not following through on its development plans. It’s really important that we follow through and build the housing and parking structures,” Reed said.
Reed criticized Melahn for declining to answer a yes-or-no question on whether she supports Measure P.
“I am on team Menlo Park. That is my answer to where I stand on Measure P. That is a position that is focused on what’s good for the city in the long run. To be on team yes or team no is not productive,” Melahn said.
Seeking to represent Belle Haven, both Rohr and Lee expressed the need for the community to finally have a grocery store and pharmacy.
Lee said the Meta’s indefinite “pause” on Willow Village, its mixed-use mega-development slated for Belle Haven, had left the neighborhood without a much-anticipated commercial center envisioned. He called for a walkable shopping area and said additional housing could help attract a grocery store by providing customers nearby.
Rohr said older residents need better access to everyday necessities. He advocated looking for another location for a grocery store and suggested a farmers market, if a full-service grocery store proved impractical.
“We need to have a closer area for our aging population to be able to deal with things that are daily needs for them,” Rohr said.
Both candidates also raised concerns about the city’s 2-year-old Belle Haven Community Campus. Rohr cited problems with temperature control, flooring and pool design, saying future projects needed more scrutiny before construction. Lee credited the work that went into the campus but pointed to pool equipment failures and reductions in operating hours.
In the District 2 race, Velagapudi advocated looking to Meta, the largest employer in the city, for ways to work together to benefit Menlo Park and potentially, as a source of additional tax revenue.
“They’ve walked away from (the Willow Village) commitment but we should have tried to find a way to get them to actually help us,” Velagapudi said. “I think there’s a way we can actually now negotiate with Meta on the business license tax, among other things. They need good PR. There’s a deal to be done and we need somebody that could actually go and knock on the door of Meta and have the conversation.”
Because Combs works for Meta as a compliance director, he is required to recuse himself from discussions involving his employer. Combs rejected the suggestion that his recusals from Meta-related council decisions had diminished District 2’s representation and pointed to neighborhood improvements during his two terms and his engagement with residents.
Combs cited a recent council consideration of a Meta lobby remodel as an example.
“I don’t think that District 2 residents are diminished by the fact that I didn’t get to comment on the color scheme in Meta’s lobby,” Combs said.
Velagapudi urged voters to choose new leadership to address the city’s housing, budget and traffic challenges, while Combs emphasized the city’s public services and record of improvements.
“That doesn’t mean that there isn’t work ahead, because certainly there is,” Combs said.
Candidates were given one minute to answer questions on topics ranging from housing and development to the environment and equity. The forum was held in the Menlo Park City Council chambers and was moderated by The Almanac’s editor Andrea Gemmet and reporter Arden Margulis. The crowd in the Chambers included current Councilmembers Jeff Schmidt, Cecilia Taylor and Betsy Nash.
Taylor, who represents District 1, and Nash, who represents District 4, are not seeking reelection.
The Almanac’s 2026 Voter Guide includes candidate comparisons and coverage of local races and ballot measures.
