It was an evening of interviews and infighting, but for Peter Carpenter, president of the board of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District, it was also some kind of wonderful.
“This evening has been one of the high points,” he said in concluding the five-hour session and referring to his 13 years on the board. “I would be perfectly comfortable giving up my seat … for any one of the seven of you,” he said.
He was talking to seven district residents interviewed on Sept. 19 for possible appointment to the seat of Rex Ianson, who resigned in August with 14 months left in his term. The interviews touched sensitive matters, including the board’s relationship with the town of Atherton and board members’ relationships with each other — and candidates were forthcoming in their analyses.
In a district that serves Menlo Park, Atherton and East Palo Alto, plus nearby unincorporated areas, five of the seven candidates reside in Menlo Park: Sean Ballard, Scott Barnum, Cynthia Bosworth, Michael Hoff and Jeff Pallin.
Candidate Robert Jones resides in East Palo Alto and Stephen Nachtsheim, in Atherton.
Mr. Carpenter had planned for an appointment that evening, but board members Chuck Bernstein and Virginia Chang Kiraly insisted on having more time to meet with candidates individually.
The two-page candidate application includes space for “a brief statement” on why the applicant wanted the appointment, but two candidates attached extensive resumes which led to an imbalance, Ms. Chang Kiraly and Mr. Bernstein said.
Mr. Carpenter and colleague Rob Silano were just as adamant in insisting on acting that evening, with Mr. Silano noting repeatedly that he’d prepared with outside sources, including LinkedIn pages. Both Mr. Carpenter and Mr. Silano suggested their colleagues hadn’t done their homework.
Since a majority of three is needed to make an appointment, after the board completed its other business and after conclusion of the candidate interviews, Mr. Carpenter continued the matter to the October meeting.
If three board members cannot agree on an appointee, the board can set an election, or let the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors appoint someone.
A better relationship?
It was a tight fit in the classroom at Fire Station 1 at 300 Middlefield Road. With three rows of fold-up chairs for the public, and the board and district staff positioned around the periphery, there’s barely enough space to walk.
The seven candidates stood one by one, made opening statements and took questions in a round-robin style. Following are some highlights of their remarks.
With the Atherton City Council investigating the return on its investment of property tax payments to the fire district, and the district responding with a less than collaborative attitude, Mr. Bernstein asked candidate Scott Barnum, a former Atherton resident, about possible ameliorative steps.
The issues are complex and have an emotional component that’s probably getting in the way, Mr. Barnum said. “What you need to do is start fresh,” he said. “It’s not unsolvable, it’s not irreconcilable, but I think it’s enough of a problem that it’s got a lot of people kind of concerned.”
The fire district has nothing to hide and should give town officials what they want, he said. “It’s a good organization and the economics seem to point to staying with the structure that is currently in place,” he said. “But if you get defensive, it makes it very difficult for the town to do its job and answer to its constituents on this issue.”
Candidate Stephen Nachtsheim, a former fire board member, called the situation “a series of unfortunate events,” adding that the two agencies got off on the wrong foot. What’s needed is “a lot more communication and a bit more empathy,” he said. “As a citizen of Atherton, I’d be happy to take on that task.”
A better fire board?
Ms. Chang Kiraly asked every candidate for insights on what would contribute to a more efficient and successful fire board.
Mr. Barnum described the board members as good people, interested in transparency and having the district’s welfare at heart — the makings of a “very good board.”
“It comes down to some extent to the more personal side of things and getting the board to collaborate and be kind of in fifth gear as opposed to third gear and down shifting from time to time,” he said. “Being open to receive (this) feedback is a great sign.”
Candidate Jeff Pallin, a community college dean and marketing professor, noted the benefits of groups embracing their disagreements. “I think conflict is actually very healthy,” he said. One element he noted as not present that evening: no one acknowledged that a conflict was underway and no one questioned whether they should stop and talk about it. “I don’t think you should run away from conflict,” he said.
Candidate Cynthia Bosworth noted the importance of interpersonal dynamics and trust. The board should appoint someone who can facilitate bridge building, she said.
Candidate Michael Hoff recommended rotating seats and allowing time after tense interactions for “the internal chemistry to settle down.”
A bit more autonomy
Several candidates spoke about the fire district and its support of residents involved with emergency response teams, including Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT).
Preparation begins at home and the district should encourage residents toward that end, said candidate Sean Ballard, chief executive of an investment firm.
Collaboration between the district and the response teams is important, but the response teams deserve “a little bit more autonomy,” Mr. Barnum said.
East Palo Alto tenants and property owners lack understanding, said candidate Robert Jones, director of a nonprofit and of East Palo Alto CERT. “Sometimes there’s cords coming out from a socket that runs everything in the house,” he said in a reference to hazardous conditions in the community. “It’s working for them, but the safety aspect of that. … That’s why I’m really big on the ‘Get ready’ class, cause we need to educate everybody in East Palo Alto, and that’s our mission, that’s our goal.”
CERT teams, Mr. Nachtsheim said, need to market themselves to the public on the importance of preparedness, and they might look around the country for best practices used by other such teams.
Other business
The board commended Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman on the purchase of a 28,000-square-foot warehouse in East Palo Alto as the new home of the Urban Search and Rescue Task Force.
The board also discussed what to do with a house next to a small fire station on Almendrahl Avenue in Atherton for which the district paid $4.6 million, an investment intended to allow construction of a larger fire station when the current station is replaced, possibly decades away.
Should the district budget $500,000 to bring the house up to code to make it suitable for renting to the general public? Taking that path would essentially put the fire district in a property management role and incur an annual property tax bill of $50,000, with a return on the district’s investment in about 15 years, according to Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman and Mr. Carpenter.
Should the district scrape the property and use it for parking? Should there be a compromise that involved spending less to rehabilitate it and resulting in a less desirable property? The board will revisit the topic. Mr. Bernstein said he will be visiting the site.
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