Running for office while holding another office is not inherently a conflict - it is rather a matter of judgement and priorities. When Peter Ohtaki was on the Fire Board he ran, successfully, for the Menlo Park Council. In the process he never neglected his duties and responsibilities on the Fire Board. How an individual handles such a situation is a great test of their suitability for public office.

This is one hell of a lot different being the Mayor and being a member of the Fire Board. I don't find your example at all compelling, Mr. Carpenter.

As explained above, this is hardly an ordinary time in Menlo Park, with all that is going on and on top of that a new City Manager just coming on board.

Keith's personal ambitions should not trump the very serious needs of the City at this time.

Has Ms. Keith been negligent in her role as mayor? I haven't heard that suggested. The suggestion that she resign as mayor because 1) there are a lot of important issues going on, and 2) she might be interested in spending some part of her time running for another office.

It seems that building success with any accomplishments as mayor would be a very good motivation. Accomplishmentlessness won't get my vote. Beyond that, there does not seem reason to suggest that she give up being mayor to run for supervisor...any more than giving up her breakfast, lunch, or personal time on weekends.

Ms. Fergusson was next in line to be mayor according to the policy, but she spoke to Mr. Ohtaki and Mr. Cline, which was a brown act violation. Mr. Ohtaki decided to ignore the policy by nominating and voting for Mr. Cohen.

The view writes that Ms. Keith "struck a deal with Fergusson". This goes against the findings in McClure's staff report and the DA's investigation. The Almanac town square is only only place we can find such tortured logic. The only person that can correct these findings is Peter Ohtaki. Mr. Ohtaki told both McClure and the DA's investigator that he was not aware Ms. Fergusson had spoken to a majority of the council. If the view knows that Mr. Ohtaki provided false testimony to McClure and the DA, then Mr. Ohtaki may be guilty of a crime.

"This is one hell of a lot different being the Mayor and being a member of the Fire Board."

Actually the Fire Board has a larger budget and serves a much larger population - and it does so with a balanced budget, zero service complaints and almost no unfunded pension liabililty. The City Council would do well to follow their example.

"the findings in McClure's staff report and the DA's investigation. "

Given that both Fergusson and Keith declined to provide evidence the resulting report is notable only by the absence of facts. Fergusson's resignation as "Mayor" is silent testimony to what she refused to confirm under penalty of prosecution. She is, of course, free to post a denial in this Forum if she is so inclined - although the statute of limitation has not expired.

Peter, only Fergusson declined to speak to the investigator.

Details is correct - only Fergusson declined to provide evidence. The other two participants in the illegal serial meeting were NOT aware that they were participating in a serial meeting and they bear no responsibility for the incident.

[Post removed; stick to the topic.]

[Post removed; stick to the topic and don't attack other posters.]

[Post removed because it is a response to another post that was taken down.]

[Post removed. Please don't use Town Square to speculate about what people may have done.]

Fortunately, the almanac chat rooms is pretty much like most chat rooms across the internet world- useless for productive conversation, but a great way for frustrated, arm chair political wanna bes,such as "a view", the original poster, to throw rocks at people who work long hard hours at making our community a better place to live.

If "a View" held his opinions consistently,then he should also call for Masur, Romero, Morantes, Woods, and Cohen to resign also. ALL public office holders have difficult challenges ahead today with limited financial resources.

The best qualification of a candidate for public office is years of hard decision making in the public eye. We need more people like her in higher office.

MP voter simply doesn't understand:

I have tried to make clear that Keith's decision to run at this time when Menlo Park is at such a critical junction, seems very in-appropriate since so many critical issues are now in play. She is quite obviously only interested in promoting her own self interests.

As a Menlo Park resident I won't comment on candidates who are not Menlo Park council persons.

On Cohen, he is retired and doesn't have a job also taking up his time. He has also served on council for 7 years, not just over 1 year as Keith has done. I didn't ask Keith to resign from council, only that she should resign as Mayor. Cohen is not mayor, just on council.

Finally, anyone that thinks a "real" report on the Fergusson Brown act violation was issue is just ignorant. McClure first tried to cover up the whole incident and due to his incompetence in noticing the meeting (and called out on this by Peter Carpenter), his attempt partially failed. Then it went to Wagstaffe, who stated he did an investigation and decided to not take further action. No real report was issued. We still don't know the identity of who was the "third party" involved in the violation. Kieth job as a hired San Mateo Co. public defender certainly puts her in a position of knowing well the DA, and having influence on Wagstaffe's decision to go the McClure route and just cover it up.

On top of all of this is Fergusson has decided to run for a third term this fall. Fergusson has endorsed Keith in her run for supervisor. I guess she is looking to remove Keith in her own personal ambition to again, someday, become Mayor of Menlo Park.

I probably know more about this Brown Act violation that any other individual - except, of course, Fergusson. In my informed opinion only Fergusson committed a serial meeting violation. Fegusson discussed the pending council agenda item (election of the mayor) either directly or via an intermediary with both Keith and Ohtaki. However neither Keith or Ohtaki had any way of knowing that Fegusson was engaged in such serial polling of other council members and hence neither Keith or Ohtaki knowingly participated in Fergusson's serial meeting.

In my opinion Wagstaff failed to perform his responsibility to enforce the law - primarily because the San Mateo DA has never had the professional courage to confront other elected officials.

Given the DA's unwillingness to enforce the law then had Fergusson not resigned her ill gained position as Mayor it would have been up to me or another citizen to have filed a civil suit to force her to do so.