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Atherton continues to search for some place its police officers and dispatchers can sleep between or after 12-hour shifts.
At a May 16 City Council meeting, council members directed City Manager George Rodericks to look at options for providing temporary sleeping quarters for police department employees.
Many live far from Atherton, and speakers at an earlier meeting said that as many as seven officers and dispatchers were sleeping in two shifts in a house they had been allowed to use in Holbrook-Palmer Park.
But that arrangement, which had been made with the Atherton Police Officers Association in 2014, ended in April after Atherton Police Chief Steve McCulley couldn’t find affordable living quarters near Atherton for himself and his wife, and they moved into the house.
The town was considering revamping another town-owned building in the park to make two bedrooms and bathrooms for the police employees, but council members saw problems with that idea.
“I personally believe that we’re going down the wrong path here,” said council member Elizabeth Lewis. “I don’t like the idea.”
More space is needed, she said, suggesting the town could perhaps put a modular home somewhere in the park or rent a house for the employees.
Council member Bill Widmer pushed back against providing the temporary housing. Being provided a place to sleep is “not a right. It looks like it’s becoming a right,” he said. “They knew where Atherton was when they got hired. They knew where they lived when they got hired.
“Maybe what we need to do is give a stipend for people who live close,” Widmer said. “I just don’t think we should be in the housing business.”
But council member Rick DeGolia said some of the employees made decisions to work in Atherton because the sleeping arrangement was an option. “We have a responsibility to address an issue we know exists,” he said.
Town Attorney Bill Conners said he had the answer to one question council members had at an earlier meeting. Local residents really can’t offer police employees free or reduced-price housing, he said. The law says that “you have to avoid even the appearance of impropriety,” and providing housing could give the appearance that something was expected in return, Conners said.
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Take a look at Transparent California and look up any one of the Atherton employees salaries. They ALL make well over six figures and they expect housing too??? This is beyond ridiculous. Let the Sheriff’s Office take over police services and the problem is solved. Money will be saved and the whiney do nothing “police department” will go away. Look at the “crimes” they deal with in the police blotter…bicyle stolen, wallet stolen…pretty sure a six figure salary (NOT including the benefit package) is ample pay for the “stress”…find your own place to live. Jeez…
The Caltrain station there is hardly used (only on weekends). Eminent domain that and build something – problem solved.
Bill Widmer and Elizabeth Lewis are spot on correct. This is outrageous. I just looked at the above mentioned “Transparent California”…wow…just wow.
An employee completes a job application at a location they know they will be reporting to. Suddenly, they “just realized” the expense of living in that area or the inconvenience of having to commute to said location. Not a lot of sympathy here. You decided to apply and work there. Go elsewhere if you are not willing to A.) live near by or B.) Do not want to commute. Free place to live! Now that is comical!
@laughing, careful, my read of the article suggests Elizabeth Lewis isn’t again this because of what Reality, yourself, and Amazed point out, but rather because she thinks it doesn’t go far enough.
Atherton police officers make more than tech workers in Silicon Valley. If they don’t get housing stipends, neither should the police.
Enough, already! We’re already paying for 90% pensions for them. Now free housing? Is anyone besides Widmer going to draw the line?
It’s pretty clear the residents won’t support this.
I have said this for years. If the San Mateo County Sheriff can take over Half Moon Bay, San Carlos and San Bruno, cover the entire transit area (trains and busses) provide full service to Woodside, Portola Valley, Ladera and all unincorporated area too, they can easily take over little Atherton with not even a hitch on their schedule. Atherton would save MILLIONS and MILLIONS immediately! Enough is enough!
on a cost per resident basis, this has to be the most expensive police force anywhere.
Their pay is generous, and they should be able to afford housing within a legitimate distance from here. if teachers can figure this out, these public servants should be able to as well.
Not sure the Sheriff’s department could give our “persnickety” residents the service they would command. But it is worth a look, as other communities have done.
Looking at Transparent California, the salaries are beyond anyone’s wildest expectations. Now they want free housing. Next it will be free meals because food is expensive here.
Why does this union get to have our elected representatives agree that their six-figure pay is bankable disposable income and doesn’t need to cover any of the essentials of life??!? Does anyone else get that deal? Do our teachers?
As long as there is a union that is going to buy council seats for people, this is never going to end. Either we need to start having council members representing residents, not employees, or we need to outsource. Our union is supposed to be the council members. The police have their union.
Time to outsource the police department to the county sheriff. Save about 70% of the town budget and now the problem becomes the sheriffs office…….problem solved!,,,,,
I said it earlier. I am not sure that we Athertonians would live with a police force we couldn’t have a more direct control over.
that being said, the savings would be huge, really huge
The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office assumed the policing for San Carlos, Half Moon Bay, and Millbrae(not San Bruno.) The crime rate has almost doubled since they took over and in a recent interview with residents of Millbrae, they said they have never felt more unsafe. The trasient population has almost doubled.
The Sheriff’s Office has taken a very lack luster approach to all of this likely because its an election season. The deputies would rather sit in their offices than be on the streets.
At least our Atherton Police is proactive and takes out the trash. I will stand up for these people. They can use my home, I will just get something else in the same wonderful town.
Carlos Bolanos is a pervert who got busted in vegas for getting illegal manipulation. We do not need him or his crew anywhere near Atherton.
@confused
Well there you have it. the very definition of “persnickety”.
the comment about the Sheriff’s character shows a lack of class only an Athertonian could exude. And they wonder why the 99%’ers hate us all. sigh.
Confused…Atherton has proven to be VERY corrupt over the years. Painting the broad brush over an entire agency more that 1000 strong is really unfair. Give me the crime stats to back your claim. Everyone I know is THRILLED with the expanded and much more experienced service in Cities now served by the Sheriff’s Office. This is about abuse. They (Atherton employees) make a boatload of money for doing really nothing. “Taking out the trash” as you say, it is not solving crimes as there are VERY few crimes. This is about being paid extremely well and expecting FREE housing to boot. Name ONE single company or business that would support that? I am waiting!
Confused, blame prop 47 and 57 and general incompetence at the highest levels of the State of California government for more transients. Cities are building and building without consideration for infrastructure and affordable housing needs. This has nothing to do with the Sheriff providing services for contract Cities. San Mateo, Redwood City, and on and on are all being inundated with homelessness and transients. Crime rates are going up BECAUSE of prop 47 and 57. Do your homework!!!!
Just don’t understand why our great police force can’t use some of the many vacant cottages/guests houses on resident’s properties. There are many widows/singles living in our community who would love to have an officer in their cottage/guest house. I know that some will say that this would inure favoritism but in our small town, all of us receive favoritism as our police force is tremendous AND how good is it that they would be within minutes of any problems that might arise.
This is an easy and quick solution that is win/win for all. Let’s stop all of the bureaucratic back/forth and just do it!
If a place to sleep between shifts is really what this is about, strike a deal for a cheap rate with the Best Western on Fifth Avenue and problem solved. Cops get a place to sleep, and a local business gets a steady stream of business.
Let the police officers’ union pay for it, or maybe the council would be willing to go 50/50 with the union.
If the Best Western isn’t good enough, then let the officers pay for something nicer from their pockets.
I think the Town should look into two possibilities. First, is that the Town (in conjunction with other neighboring cities, and/or Police Associations) should look to obtain bulk “corporate” rates on hotel rooms from local hotels on the Peninsula. The cities could then offer these to their employees and then “charge” a reasonable amount to the employee via payroll deduction. Airlines are able to obtain bulk rates for their flight crews, and perhaps the Town can obtain these same rates. The second consideration would be for either multiple cities, or the public employee unions (the preferred option) to join together and develop a large scale “short-term” housing for their employees. Just picture a developed 100 unit “hotel” building for employees. The owners would then contract with a professional hotel management firm. The employees would then be charged by either their employer (city) or through Union pay deduction for the nightly stay. In the event, that the owners no longer want the housing, the building can be converted into affordable housing, or sold.
Airbnb is the answer. It’s the sharing economy. Good for everyone !
Read carefully in the article – the Atherton PD had the problem covered by allowing up to seven officers to sleep in a single house -which was instead taken by a single officer – the Chief of Police and his wife. The Chief manufactured this problem by feathering hisnown nest on the backs of his employees! Fire the Chief, and hire a new one who is willing to pay for his own home, and the problem is solved…
Here’s a better (and less destructive) idea. The chief, the officers – everyone – pays for their own housing out of their generous salaries, just like everyone else around the Bay Area.
Some very much related news from today: Medicare will become insolvent in 2026, and Social Security in 2034.
The bottom line is whether or not we want to keep our very responsive Atherton police force. Do we want to maintain our current feeling of security and reliability? If so, then we pay up. As for the attitude that the officers shouldn’t have take the job if they couldn’t afford the housing! If we were to hire only officers who could afford to live in our area, we would have no applicants. Get real! Although paid above average for police officers, their salaries come nowhere near the incomes of Atherton’s wealthy inhabitants. Why is it that the wealthy think they are the only people deserving high incomes?
Joe, stop confusing the issue. I agree even the very highly paid Atherton officers can’t afford to live in Atherton. Redwood City, Fremont, San Jose, Daly City, et al. are all communities in which Bay Area residents with lower incomes than these officers are able to afford to live, without their employers paying for their housing.
Joe, you are completely off base. Atherton employees are acting as though they are the ONLY ones who cannot afford to live and work in the same area. Why should they get any consideration above teachers, paramedics, nurses and on and on. Get real. This is pure greed. They want to have their cake and eat it too. Their salaries are FOR their rent/mortgage. If they don’t want to live a long distance away and commute because it is cheaper, that is THEIR problem. Not the tax payer!!! They took the job and just like all those before them have dealt with it as an adult.
Keep looking Aterton
Does anyone know what happened in this recent case? Were the drivers charged or did the DA/Police decide not to proceed? And the young men .. back to Princeton I assume … not much to be ‘Proud’ of ..
https://www.almanacnews.com/news/2018/04/23/atherton-minor-injuries-in-sunday-morning-crash-that-sheared-off-power-pole
Another reason to keep APD as it is, easier to control and influence when needed.Wove love to see their statistics for ticketing WM (white motorists with 94027 addresses.. must be very few .. !) 😉
@ DC McGlynn
I’ve been very curious about this case myself. You seem to have some knowledge of it so I will ask you. Was there a law broken? I know that there was an accident but was there a law broken? Also, was the driver indeed an Atherton resident as you suggest, or does your comment about the Atherton PD being easy to ‘control and influence’ go beyond this incident?
Thanks!
@I didn’t know that
To cause that kind of damage one would have to have significantly exceeded the posted speed limit otherwise the laws of physics are being defied, never mind driving at a safe speed for the nighttime reduced visibility conditions, especially in the Town of Atherton.
So yes, the police could have lots of violations if they wanted to proceed via the SMC DA. 2 Caucasian names would infer local residents, don’t you think, at that time of the day?
Anyone reading the APD police blotter can note the prepondernce of non-white (sounding)names noted for all kinds of (normally minor) traffic violation; so in the absence of evidence my assumption is hearsay and not admissible in front of one of our learned judges.
What do you know about this incident ?
PS. I am glad the young men could walk away from this accident, perhaps they learned a valuable life lesson.
@I didn’t know that
Just like Columbo .. One more question ? Which LE Dept are you associated with ?
DC
@ DC McGlynn
I drove by the accident scene the morning after and saw the damage to the tree and the pole. Interestingly no skid marks and no damage to the resident’s wall. I would agree that how ever fast the car was traveling it was too fast for the person in control. How fast? I’m like everyone else and would just be guessing.
I’m not too good with names – take Johnson for example – plenty of both caucasian and non caucasian Johnsons around. So they may be caucasian and they may be local too but I just don’t know. Don’t know if they are Princeton boys either but given their ages probably not currently enrolled.
My knowledge is limited to what I’ve read in the local papers. I don’t know why the young men wouldn’t be charged if some violation could be proven.
And finally lieutenant I’m not associated with any local agency. Just a resident as I assume you are.
“This is pure greed. They want to have their cake and eat it too.”
Ah, Atherton. I’d say never change, but no, please change.
“The second consideration would be for either multiple cities, or the public employee unions (the preferred option) to join together and develop a large scale “short-term” housing for their employees. Just picture a developed 100 unit “hotel” building for employees.”
Build. Some. Apartments.
APD officers, pay for your own housing! These officers can definitely afford to live in the following cities…Redwood City, East Palo Alto, Union City, Fremont, Hayward, and the list goes on.
How exactly did you come up with that list, Rob?