EDITORIAL: The Almanac endorsements EDITORIAL: The Almanac endorsements (October 26, 2005)

Carpenter, Brown and Ianson for fire board

When Menlo Park Fire Protection District voters go to the polls November 8 to elect three board members, they can rest assured that the district is doing well financially and is meeting its operational goals. Other than the inability to hire a long-term chief, the 105-person operation is meeting its objectives.

Of the nine candidates in this race, three stand out and gain our endorsement: incumbents Peter Carpenter and Ollie Brown, and longtime firefighter Rex Ianson, who retired two years ago after 36 years with the district. All three have extensive knowledge of district operations. We especially like Mr. Carpenter's willingness to question, as we do, the cost of the current generous pension plan, which allows firefighters, after 30 years of service, to received 90 percent of their highest pay for life, starting as early as age 50.

Another concern that has surfaced in this race is the involvement of Local Firefighters Union Local 2400, which has endorsed three candidates, including Mr. Brown, a former firefighter, and Mr. Ianson, a union member. The union's stamp of approval, and financial and organizational help during the campaign, gives a definite advantage to the candidates it has endorsed. Another question is whether these candidates will show their union allegiance when they vote on a new contract or to reduce pension benefits.

The candidates endorsed here were questioned on this matter and assured the Almanac that their votes would represent the entire district, and not just Local 2400. We hope they keep their word.

Mr. Carpenter became involved in fire service at an early age and was a smokejumper in Redding during college. He organized support for Menlo Park's task force in New York City in the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks, and his current focus is on improving communications for all civic agencies during a Katrina-like disaster here. He is a skilled budget and operational analyst and has served as board president.

Mr. Brown began his firefighting career in the 1960s, and had his first supervisorial job in 1969. He retired from the Menlo Park district in 1997, and served as interim chief as one of his last assignments. Mr. Brown has an encyclopedic knowledge of the department's procedures. He recently wrote up in a policy manual for new board members.

He also is working hard on the CERT program, which trains residents in emergency-response procedures that they can implement in their own neighborhoods. Mr. Brown supports the current pension program but said he expects PERS to do better and contribute more revenue to the program in the future.

After 36 years in the district, mostly as a rank-and-file firefighter, Rex Ianson is still going strong. He continues to serve on Task Force 3 and recently returned from a tour of duty in New Orleans. He has lived in Menlo Park for 36 years, a decision made when firefighters were required to live in the district. He is committed to the community and knows what it will take to coordinate the department with other agencies to organize a successful emergency-preparedness system.

Mr. Ianson believes the current pension program is sustainable, but said if costs go up he would consider asking firefighters to increase their contributions to avoid raising taxes in the district.

The Almanac recommends Peter Carpenter, Ollie Brown and Rex Ianson for the three seats on the Board of Directors of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District.

Driscoll, Merk and Derwin for Portola Valley Council

How and when to build and pay for a new Town Center is by far the biggest issue in Portola Valley these days, but the four candidates for three open seats on the Town Council all agree that the $20 million complex should be built.

After an agonizingly slow process of determining that the present Town Center location was vulnerable to an earthquake along a trace of the San Andreas Fault that runs across the property, the council decided to build a new center near the current site but on ground considered safe. The decision has many supporters, but there continues to be significant opposition, although opponents evidently have not become involved in the council race.

The council will continue to play a key role in the Town Center, particularly in arranging the extraordinary financing needed for the project and in reaching out to the community, which all candidates agree was lacking during the preliminary design phase.

To accomplish this mission, we believe incumbents Ted Driscoll and Richard Merk should be re-elected. Newcomer Maryann Moise Derwin, who has a significant record of service in the school district, should be elected

Ted Driscoll has been tempted to end his long service on the council, but he says the need to complete the Town Center project led him to run for a fourth four-year term. Mr. Driscoll is a no-nonsense council member who understands the town's commitment to protecting open space and the environment and doing as much as possible with volunteers. He supported the Nathhorst Triangle housing project, although he is not a major advocate of bringing affordable housing to the community.

Richard Merk is the council's detail man, a role he relishes when complicated projects come before the body. He is also an avid environmentalist who wants to keep Portola Valley a very desirable community.

Although an early supporter, Mr. Merk voted against the new Town Center's environmental impact report in a gesture he said reflects his constituents' unease with the project's funding problems and the design of the buildings, which he believes will look dated after 10-15 years. But we expect Mr. Merk to work with his colleagues and ultimately help find a workable design for the center.

Maryann Moise Derwin has been active in the Portola Valley School District, including serving as PTA president, and chair of the Measure J school bond measure. We believe she can bring some calm to the polarization developing around the Town Center, making use of her experience during the school district's loss of two middle-school principals.

She believes the community should unite around its core values of respecting the land and community service, and is an advocate of approving housing opportunities for people of moderate incomes.

We believe Ms. Derwin's style will mesh well with the current council as they work through the difficult task of designing, financing and building a new Town Center.

The Almanac recommends Ted Driscoll, Richard Merk and Maryann Moise Derwin for Town Council.

Pike, Werner, Frenkel-Popell for Woodside board

There is nothing broken at the Woodside Elementary School district, one of best endowed and most successful small (455 students) K-8 school districts in the state. Parental involvement is high. Students scored 942 on the most recent API (Academic Performance Index) out of a possible 1,000, one of the highest scores in the state.

Woodside receives financial help from a strong foundation, which contributed $1.5 million last year, about 25 percent of the school's annual budget. The aid helps the school provide a full curriculum, including art, music and information technology classes offered at its campus near the heart of downtown Woodside.

Four candidates are running for the three open seats on the school board, the first contested race in recent memory. All four would make superb school board members.

Our endorsements in this race are Bettina Pike, Karen Werner and Elianne Frenkel-Popell, although Ellen Ablow is a dedicated, capable worker who we hope will continue to accept leadership roles in the district.

Ms. Pike, the current board president, is eager to serve another term and see the proposed $12 million bond issue pass and the planned campus renovation completed. She is co-chair of the bond committee, along with Ms. Werner, Ms. Ablow and Mary Pincus, and wants to make sure students have an opportunity to be creative and go beyond the core curriculum that is measured on standardized tests.

Ms. Werner has been volunteering at the school for eight years. She said she is a strong supporter of helping each student reach his or her potential, rather than focusing on test scores. She also believes the school provides a sense of community for the town, illustrated by the strong support it receives from parents who do not have children in the district.

Elianne Frankel-Popell first came to Woodside 32 years ago as a kindergartner who spoke little English. She went on to graduate from Woodside School, Woodside High School and Harvard, before returning to raise a family.

She said a priority is to remain open to innovation and reduce the percentage of the school budget that is dependent on the foundation. As a longtime resident, she says she knows first-hand how important it is to form a strong bond between the school and community.

The Almanac recommends Bettina Pike, Karen Werner and Elianne Frankel-Popell for the Woodside School Board.

Yes on Measure D, Woodside school bonds

Ever since a fire swept through the Woodside Elementary School campus in 1992, many students have attended classes in what are now rickety portable classroom buildings.

Those buildings will be replaced and many other campus improvements made if the $12 million bond issue on the November 8 ballot is approved by Woodside voters. Funds would be used to build 14 new classrooms and improve other buildings and the playing fields.

Now, during a period of relatively low interest rates, is the time to make these needed improvements at Woodside. The cost to homeowners would be only $22 a year for every $100,000 of assessed valuation, just $220 for a home assessed at $1 million.

The Almanac recommends that Woodside voters approve Measure D, which will complete renovations to Woodside Elementary School begun in 1999.

Stewart, Lewin for Sequoia district board

Incumbents Sally Stewart, running for her sixth term, and Gordon Lewin, for his second, are virtually unopposed in the race for two seats on the Sequoia Union High School District board. A third candidate, Noria Zasslow, appears on the ballot but has not accepted requests for interviews.

Ms. Stewart and Mr. Lewin have plenty of work ahead in their next terms, as the Sequoia district struggles to meet the challenges of the No Child Left Behind Act. A major part of the problem is that many students entering the district from Redwood City and Ravenswood elementary districts are not prepared for high school work.

Ms. Stewart, an education consultant, believes the district should look for ways to evaluate students other than standardized tests, and consider alternate ways for them to earn school credit. She is a co-founder of EdSource, a nonprofit organization that provides information, research, analysis and data on K-12 education. She lives in Portola Valley.

Mr. Lewin, an urban planner, says parents need to be convinced that student success in elementary and middle school is crucial to success in high school. He also would like to make a teacher responsible for each high school student, so that no student would fall through the cracks.

The Almanac recommends Sally Stewart and Gordon Lewin for the Sequoia Union High School District board.

Hausman, Holober in community college district

With 40,000 students on three campuses, the San Mateo Community College District easily serves more students than many major universities. And its students often are those facing the greatest roadblocks to higher education -- poor high school performance and insufficient finances to attend college fulltime.

Ms. Hausman, who is seeking her fifth term on the board, and Mr. Holober, his third, have supported the district's outreach to San Francisco State University, that enables students to earn four-year baccalaureate degrees while attending Canada College. This innovation, as well as the district's successful nursing program, are major steps forward that enable students to get a complete education at a community college.

The Almanac recommends Ms. Hausman and Mr. Halober for another term on the community college district board.

Vote yes on community college district bonds

The San Mateo Community College District lived without repairs to most of its buildings for 37 years, until voters passed a $207 million bond issue four years ago to address health and safety issues.

This year, the district is asking voters to approve a $468 million bond measure that will continue major work at the district's three campuses. To pass, Measure A must be approved by 55 percent of the voters in the county. It will cost homeowners $12.51 per $100,000 of assessed valuation. The funds will help update nursing and healthcare training labs; renovate science, engineering and computer labs; and build training facilities for firefighters and police.

Repairs and upgrades in this college district, which serves 40,000 students, are good value and deserve voter approval. The Almanac urges voters to approve Measure A on November 8.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.