Councilwoman McKeithen named Atherton mayor Councilwoman McKeithen named Atherton mayor (December 24, 2003)

By Andrea Gemmet

Almanac Staff Writer

Kathy McKeithen's one-year-term as the mayor of Atherton got off to a good start last week, when she adjourned the December 17 City Council meeting at 10:42 p.m., three minutes ahead of schedule.

In the town where the monthly council meetings frequently run from 7 p.m. to midnight and beyond, and last month's 1:58 a.m. adjournment set a record for longest meeting, it was something of a triumph.

The largely ceremonial post of mayor rotates among the five council members, with the honor usually going to the outgoing vice mayor -- this year, that's Ms. McKeithen, who won with a unanimous vote, as did Councilman Bill Conwell, who was tapped for the post of vice mayor.

The council appears to have recovered from tensions evident at last month's meeting, in which then-mayor Jim Janz and Councilman Alan Carlson criticized Ms. McKeithen for having launched an impromptu investigation into "the appearance of preferential treatment" within the town's building department.

Ms. McKeithen thanked Mr. Janz for his work as mayor, "keeping us on the right track, and mollifying some difficult situations." She gently tweaked him for the "dubious honor of chairing the longest council meeting ever held," but concluded, "we're all very, very thankful."

Mr. Janz summed up his term by saying it had been an interesting year, citing the state's budget problems, Caltrain issues and the "on-again, off-again, on-again, off-again" vehicle license fee revenues, among other things. He also thanked his colleagues for being civil and cooperative with each other.

"It's been a privilege and an honor to serve the town as mayor for the past year," he said.

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