the almanac 06.01.2011 - section 1

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By Kate DalySpecial to the Almanac

Menlo School has launched a pilot program to boost the number of girls who

study science, technology, engi-neering and math — referred to as STEM. The program grew out of the work of the Girls Committee, formed at the Atherton school last year, and made up of teachers, administrators, board members, alumni, parents and students. The committee’s mission was to answer such questions as these, posed by committee member Grace Limaye: Why is the student speaker at graduation almost always a boy? Why do more boys win elections in the upper school? Why do we not have more gender balance in robotics, applied science research, and computer science — classes dominated by males? Ms. Lamaye, an enrichment specialist in the middle school who teaches science, now finds herself as co-leader of the pilot program called M-BEST (for Menlo’s Bridge to Engineering, Science and Tech-nology), which is restricted to girls. Upper school engineering teacher Joanie Banks-Hunt is the other co-leader. This school year, Menlo has been working with about 75 female students, in grades 7 through 12, to give them more exposure to the STEM fields by showing them role models, introducing them to men-tors, and creating opportunities to collaborate. As the academic year winds down, some students are already involved in internships that are a direct result of the M-BEST pro-gram. Menlo School decided to design its own program. While there are nonprofit programs and extracur-ricular options, the researchers couldn’t find an existing school-based program to follow, Ms. Limaye said. The M-BEST co-leaders recruited about 15 upper schoolers to act as an advisory board, and help brainstorm. Board members set up 10 workshops on Saturdays. For example, one student organized a workshop on electric cars and lined up a speaker from Tesla Motors. Some 56 younger female stu-

dents, known as “scholars,” have been meeting periodically with the co-leaders during the school day.

Why so few? In designing the M-BEST pro-gram, the co-leaders looked to a research report recently released by the American Association of Uni-versity Women and entitled, “Why So Few?” The paper states: “Although women are the majority of college students, they are far less likely than their male peers to plan to major in a STEM field.” Two reasons for this are stereo-typing and bias. The paper studies the difference in boys’ and girls’ math performances, pointing out they are about the same, with boys doing a little better in spatial skills. The report adds that with some training, that gap can be closed. What’s missing for girls, the paper concludes, is “an environ-ment of encouragement.” At Menlo, Ms. Limaye said, “there is a lot of cultural stereotyp-ing and peer pressure going on. ... some classes may be perceived as too nerdy or too ‘boy.’” Senior Annie Cook, who serves on the M-BEST advisory board and is “math and science focused,” noted that few girls take AP chem-istry and physics at Menlo. She said the recent M-BEST workshop on medical professions

has inspired her to think about becoming a doctor or vet. She hopes to study molecular biology at Yale. In April, a total of 11 doctors spoke to female students about their jobs. Dr. Yvonne Cagle, a family physician who grew up in the Bay Area and went on to become a NASA astronaut, told the students why the medical profession is “very different” from other careers. “It’s very personal,” she said. “You never give up, and you never let up. It’s not 9 to 5. You’re in it for the duration until the job is done.” Another speaker, Dr. Jill Helms, is a craniofacial surgeon and stem cell researcher at Stanford. She chose to go into medicine after her mother developed lung cancer. “That was a real turning point,” she said. “I wanted to make a difference. I was smart enough. I knew how to work harder than anyone else. I don’t give up, am curious about how things work, and care about people.” Dr. Kathryn Hodge, a flight sur-geon with the Air National Guard at Moffett Field, had her own story. “I wanted a little more excitement than a clinic setting offered,” she said, “so I went into rescue medi-cine.” She described the duties as rang-ing from combat search and rescue, including in Afghanistan, to airlift-ing critically ill passengers off cruise ships, and assisting after Hurricane Katrina. “There’s nothing more rewarding than rescue,” she said. “You can’t tangibly measure it because it’s in your heart.” When Dr. Hodge showed off the contents of her 40-pound backpack filled with emergency supplies, she had the rapt attention of Liz Simo-novich, an eighth-grader who is interested in pediatrics and ortho-pedic surgery, and Alex Welch, an 11th-grader whose father is an electrical engineer and mother was a pediatric oncologist. Dr. Susan Adler, an anesthesi-ologist, and fellow Menlo parent and speaker Dr. Chris Threatt, a urologist, compared notes on their experience working with females in the medical field. They agreed that women tend to practice obstetrics, pediatrics, family medicine, derma-tology and anesthesia, and that sur-

June 1, 2011 The Almanac 3

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C A L L I N G O N T H E A L M A N AC

UPFRONT

Bridging gender gap in science

Photo by Pete Zivkov

Elaine Wong, an eighth-grader at Menlo School, works on building a structure to elevate as many ping pong balls as possible, using a limited number of toothpicks and marshmallows. This activity was one of many at a kick-off event for the school’s M-BEST program, which aims to encourage girls to pursue science and technology studies.

See M-BEST, page 6

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By Renee BattiAlmanac News Editor

The town of Atherton is pre-paring to outsource its entire building and public works

departments, handing 13 of 16 non-management staff members their pink slips by the end of the month. Peter Finn of Teamsters Local 856 told the Almanac that on May 26 town representatives informed him and two employees who are union stewards of the plans. Employees were officially notified by the town the next day, according to Mayor Jim Dobbie. “I am very, very sad that this was necessary to help bring the town into financial viability,” Mr. Dobbie told the Almanac. “We take no pleasure in laying off these employees whatsoever, but if we

don’t take these steps, everybody’s going to lose their jobs because we’ll go under.” The town is facing a nearly $900,000 deficit in fiscal year 2011-12, a figure that’s projected to climb steadily if spending cuts are not put in place. The projected deficit, which represents about 8 percent of the current fiscal year’s budget of $10.6 million, is due to falling property tax revenue and rapidly rising employee costs. The 13 represented employees working in the building depart-ment and the public works depart-ment — which provides streets, parks and facilities services — will lose their jobs effective July 1. Mayor Dobbie said a bidding pro-cess — known as an RFP process — for private companies wishing to provide the town’s services has been under way, and should be wrapped

up in time for contract employees to step in by July 1. He said office space will be provided for them in town facilities. Mr. Finn said he and the two employees attending the May 26 meeting were “blown away by the depth and breadth” of the cuts. “In my experience, this is unprec-edented in the Peninsula.” The three employees represented by Local 856 whose positions were not on the cut list are administra-tive support staff in town hall, Mr. Finn said. The town’s planning services are already outsourced, leaving police services as the only remaining multi-staffed department operated by town staff. When asked if that will change, Mr. Dobbie said, “I don’t think there are any plans to outsource our police department.” As for those who will lose their

M E N L O P A R K | A T H E R T O N | W O O D S I D E | P O R T O L A V A L L E Y


Private school feels squeezed by lease delay■ Woodland School poised to spend $8 million on Ladera campus renovation.

By Renee BattiAlmanac News Editor

When Ladera Elementary School closed in the late 1970s, there was “a lot of

angst in the Ladera community,” says Lennie Roberts, who served as PTA president of both Ladera and La Entrada public schools, and experienced the turmoil first hand. “There was quite a battle.” Over the years, the Las Lomitas School District has leased the cam-pus — located in the small Ladera community near Portola Valley — to private schools, including the preschool-through-eighth-grade Woodland School that has occu-pied the site since 1981. The relationship between Woodland and the community has not always been smooth — for many years there had been “long-standing differences,” according to Ladera resident Rob Decker, a former longtime president of the community association. But about five years ago, a new administration stepped in, and “wanted to work the community, to improve traffic, parking and communication,” he said.

“Since then, there’s been excel-lent communication between the school and the community ... and follow-through on the part of the school.” As Woodland’s lease of the campus nears an end, some Ladera residents have become concerned over the delay of the bidding pro-cess that would allow Woodland to compete for another long-term lease so that it might remain in the community and renovate the deteriorating facilities on the site. Ms. Roberts and other residents joined Woodland School officials at a May 3 school board meeting at which the school site was dis-cussed. “The concern (expressed at the meeting) was over the pulling back from their original schedule” of opening the bidding process for the campus, Ms. Roberts said. The district had informed Woodland school last October, in a letter, that the bidding process — known as an RFP process — would begin in January 2011, according to a May 9 letter to the Las Lomitas district board written by David Spreng, chair of the Woodland School board of directors. That assurance from the district was a

key reason the Woodland board signed a one-year lease extension, to July 2013, as expiration of its long-term lease approached. But since giving Woodland that assurance, the Las Lomitas board and Superintendent Eric Hartwig determined that more strategic planning of the district’s

educational program and more review of facilities needs to be done before signing a long-term lease for the Ladera campus. Consequently, the date to begin the RFP process shifted, first to June 2011, then to June 2012 “at the earliest,” accord-ing to Mr. Spreng’s letter. That presents a problem for

Woodland School, whose board and supporters have pledged to spend over $8 million on renova-tion and upgrade of the campus. “Respectfully, we no longer have faith in projected timelines regard-ing this lease and we must protect

Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac

Preschool children line up before heading to the multipurpose room for gymnastics at Woodland School.

Menlo Park freezes pay for its police sergeantsBy Sandy BrundageAlmanac Staff Writer

Menlo Park’s eight police sergeants won’t see a pay raise for two years

under the terms of a new contract unanimously approved by the City Council that also implemented a two-tier pension system. The previous contract provided an average 3 percent pay raise every six months since January 2009. Under the new contract, four patrol sergeants will get their annu-al hours cut by 104, which city staff estimated would save $36,000. Automatic health benefit increases, where the city would pay 85 percent of any increase, also got the ax. Finally, employee pension con-tributions increased from 9 to 12 percent, with an estimated annual savings to the city of $39,000.

The council praised the police sergeants union for its cooperation. “This required a lot of help,” Mayor Rich Cline said at the May 24 coun-cil meeting. “We can’t do this alone, it’s a different economy, and we are well aware of the sacrifices being made by people in different areas of the city.” Vice Mayor Kirsten Keith ques-tioned why the police department, which has 36 line officers, needs eight supervising sergeants along with two commanders. Police Chief Bryan Roberts answered that many factors dictate appropriate staff-ing levels, such as the number of service calls and types of crime in a community. He said a community like Menlo Park with 32,000 people would generally have about 48

See WOODLAND, page 8

See SERGEANTS, page 8

Outsourced: Building, public works staffs ATHERTON■ Thirteen employees

to lose their jobs.

See OUTSOURCED, page 8


N E W S

gery is still a predominantly male field, particularly orthopedics. Ms. Limaye noted that today there are more females than males enrolling in medical school. Her father, who is a doctor, is hiring more female doctors to work part-time. When it comes to rais-ing families “it’s easier to balance work and home life now,” she said. Seventh-grader Denna Nazem attended the medical workshop, but said a better fit for her was

an M-BEST workshop where she played a computer game with a movie scene. “I’m into technology and I enjoy computer science and programming,” she said. In May, Dr. Maria Klawe, presi-dent of Harvey Mudd College, spoke on a topic that would inter-est Denna: “increasing and retain-ing the participation of females in computing.” Even though a few people have complained that boys are excluded from M-BEST, the program will continue to be open to girls only in the fall, Ms. Limaye said. A

M-BEST continued from page 3

Mark Box resigns from Menlo Park school boardBy Renee BattiAlmanac News Editor

The superintendent of the Menlo Park City School District is recommend-

ing that the school board avoid a costly election and instead appoint a replacement for board member Mark Box, who has announced his resignation, effec-tive June 30. Mr. Box, whose term ends December 2012, said in his let-ter of resignation that he and his family plan to move to Bar-celona, Spain, for the 2011-12 school year. Superintendent Ken Ranella said in a letter to the school community that the board has scheduled a special meeting for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 31, to decide whether to call for an elec-tion, which would take place in November, or appoint someone to the five-member board. Among Mr. Ranella’s reasons for recommending an appoint-ment is the cost of an election, which he estimates at about $45,000. Also, he said in the letter, “candidates should not be encumbered with running a campaign for a seat that would expire 13 short months later.”

Mr. Ranella also noted that it would be wise to have a full school board in place as a new superintendent begins work in July. “A November election would leave a seat vacant for the first few critical months of this transition,” he wrote. Mr. Ranella is retiring at the end of June; Maurice Ghysels was hired last month to replace him. If the board follows Mr. Ranel-la’s recommendation to appoint Mr. Box’s replacement, it will decide on a process for residents of the district to apply for the position, which would be filled again by voters in November 2012. Mr. Box was elected to the board in 2008, after serving as president of the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation and as chairperson of the dis-trict’s 2006 bond campaign. “Mark leaves big shoes to fill,” Mr. Ranella wrote. “He has exemplified both integrity and selflessness in his service. His volunteer contributions to the Menlo Park school district and the community have helped to ensure that our schools continue to provide the best educational experience possible for our stu-dents.” A

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A daytime burglar targeted three Menlo Park homes in the 300 block of Arbor Road in one day. Demonstrating some flexibil-ity in the matter of choosing an entry point, the unknown sus-pect clambered through a front window, a rear window, and an unlocked back door on May 23, according to police. The fruits of such illicit labor were not great — so far only a Google TV receiver and a Nintendo Wii, total value about $600, were reported stolen. One victim noticed rummaged draw-ers, but no missing items. Later in the week, another Wii vanished, this time in the 300 block of Grayson Court. A neighbor spotted someone suspicious leaving the home around 9:30 p.m. carrying sto-len property that turned out to include a television and pair of earrings as well as the game con-sole, for an estimated total value of $1,400. According to police, the unknown suspect broke in through a door at the back of the house.

Drug buy turns into robbery The assault of an 18-year-old man sitting in a car parked at Grayson Court and Arnold Way in Menlo Park was linked to an appointment to buy marijuana, according to the district attor-ney’s office. Samson Ahokava, 19, Navan-deep Kang, 18, and Westin Tapia, 18, reportedly approached the car on the night of May 20. The trio surrounded and beat the victim,

tearing open his ear, the district attorney’s office said. They fled in a 2006 Volvo reportedly driven by Mr. Kang, but police cut the getaway short. They pleaded not guilty in San Mateo County Superior Court on May 23. So far only Mr. Kang has posted the $50,000 bail; all three men return to court in June.

Home-invasion victim recovering An 88-year-old Menlo Park man remains hospitalized in stable condition after being knocked unconscious during a home invasion, according to Menlo Park police. An early-morning call led police to his home in the 1000 block of Windermere Avenue on May 22. He told investigators that two suspects kicked open a side door in the garage and ransacked the home around 5:15 a.m. before fleeing. One suspect, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a hooded sweat-shirt pulled over his face, told the victim he had a gun. Residents of homes in the 600 block of Central Avenue and the 800 block of Laurel Avenue in Menlo Park reported some-one tried to kick in their front doors as well that morning. One homeowner described seeing a 5 foot 10 inch black man, about 20 years old, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt with dark shoes. Investigators think the inci-dents could be related, according to police spokeswoman Nicole Acker. Police ask that anyone

with information contact Sgt. Tim Brackett or Detective Chris-tine Powell at 330-6300.

Bookkeeper sentenced for embezzlement Although she initially ruled that a bookkeeper who had embezzled thousands of dollars from Roger Reynolds Nursery deserved a longer jail sentence than promised under a plea bar-gain, Judge Lisa Novak reversed course on May 23. With no objection from the prosecution, Evette Christine Weiler, 32, received one year in county jail with credit for 225 days served and five years’ supervised probation, according to district attorney’s office. The Fremont woman must also pay $139,929 restitution to the Menlo Park nursery and can no longer work as a bookkeeper or accountant. She reinstated a no-contest plea after the judge ultimately decided against state prison time. Ms. Weiler attracted suspicion after vendors complained about not getting paid and employee health insurance coverage lapsed for lack of payment, according to the district attorney’s office. She worked at the nursery for almost two years. In January, auditors discov-ered “dozens of checks” written to a Fremont business called “When Every Penny Counts,” police reported. Prosecutors said that Ms. Weiler concealed the embezzlement by transferring money from the nursery’s 401K retirement plan.

By Caitlin MoylesSpecial to the Almanac

A new Great Clips salon opened Saturday, May 28, at Sharon Heights

Shopping Center in Menlo Park. Located behind Starbucks, it offers “value-priced haircuts” for men, women, and children on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Ray Solnik, who holds the Menlo Park franchise from this national chain. The salon celebrated its grand opening Saturday with a $4.99 haircut special that will be offered for about a week, he said. A Stanford alumnus, Mr. Sol-nik is president of Buena Vista Consumer Brands LLC, which also holds a Great Clips fran-

chise in Sunnyvale that opened in November. “I’ve been in the technology industry for 15 years, and after running my last high-tech com-pany, I decided to investigate some alternatives,” Mr. Solnik said. He chose Great Clips, he said, because it’s adding about 150 stores a year and seemed like a solid business opportunity. The 1,000-square-foot salon in Menlo Park has six cutting chairs and two flex stations that are designed for rinses and shampoos but can be converted to cutting stations. Mr. Solnik said he had been talking to the management

company that represents the shopping center for two years because they wanted to make sure Gary Mitome, a barber who has been working in the shop-ping center for about 40 years, approved of the arrangement. “(Gary) and I have been work-ing closely together to make sure this a successful venture,” he said. “He has the option to come join us.” Mr. Solnik has spoken with students at La Entrada Middle School in Menlo Park about how to add a personal touch to the salon. He hopes to start a wall of fame that recognizes local student achievement and contributors to the community. Great Clips is located at 325 Sharon Park Drive, Suite F2, in Menlo Park. A


N E W S

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It's Still My HomeQ. Is it normal for the agent

to ask us to leave during an open house? Interested people may ask questions that we know the answers to and might help to sell the house.

A. When real estate agents sched-

ule an open house, they almost always

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REAL ESTATE Q&Aby Gloria Darke

jobs, Mr. Finn said he and other union officials “are concerned about their livelihood and their families.” But residents should also be concerned about how services will be affected by outsourcing, and that the decision to lay off such a large number of employees and outsource critical services was made with no opportunity for the public to weigh in, he added. He also expressed concern about the degree of “institutional knowl-

edge” about the town and its workings that will be walking out the door along with the employees, some of whom have decades of experience in their positions. “I don’t believe that’s going to be a big problem,” Mayor Dob-bie said. Speaking at the May 18 City Council meeting, building inspec-tor Joseph Aiello cautioned the town against outsourcing services, saying that it may not save the town money, and could in fact be more costly. A comparison he made of his time and compensation with

that of a consultant working in the building department showed that the consultant cost the town about one-third more than he did, Mr. Aiello said. He noted, too, that the building department is supposed to pay for itself, “when it’s run correctly,” with revenue generated from fees charged for permits and services. During a special May 9 meet-ing, the council gave Mr. Dan-ielson its support and expressed confidence in his judgment when he stated that staff cuts would be necessary if the town hopes

to address its financial crisis. He noted that 80 percent of the town’s costs are for labor. A financial analysis presented at the meeting projected deficit spending of about $856,000 in the 2011-12 fiscal year budget, assuming no salary increases and no capital improvement spend-ing. And Finance Director Louise Ho projected that the town’s reserves, which have been tapped into in recent years to balance the budget, will be exhausted by 2015,

offering no bail-out of the town’s projected $1.2 million deficit in the 2015-16 fiscal year. “This is the picture of a struc-turally insolvent (entity),” Mr. Danielson told the council after Ms. Ho’s presentation. New labor contract talks are set to reopen soon, Mr. Finn told the Almanac after the announcement of the staff cuts, and “the union is more than willing to engage in serious discussions on providing concessions to save services.” A


N E W S

Private school squeezed by lease delay

ourselves as an institution,” Mr. Spreng wrote. “We simply cannot run the risk that we will be a school without a campus. ... Whether intentionally or not, the indefinite and impossible-to-predict delay in the long-term lease RFP is pushing Woodland out of its 30-year home and is effectively removing us from the long-term lease process alto-gether.” Woodland officials and residents are asking the board to push up its timeline for opening the RFP process, and Las Lomitas board President John Macdonald says the board has heard the message. “We understand the situation they’re in,” he told the Almanac, adding that the board has asked Mr. Hartwig to “see if there’s a way to get the process going sooner.” Mr. Hartwig said he plans to meet with managers this week to consider whether the timeline can

be moved up. “We want to be a good landlord, and they’ve been a terrific tenant,” he said. Both he and Mr. Macdonald stressed, however, that the district must consider what’s best for its students first, and with student enrollment exceeding past projec-tions and continuing to grow, it’s necessary to plan scrupulously for the future. “We need to determine whether we will be a two-school or three-school district,” Mr. Hartwig said. (Currently, the district operates two schools, Las Lomitas in Atherton, and La Entrada in Menlo Park.) Mr. Macdonald said the ques-tion of how much campus space is needed can’t be answered before the district draws up a map for instruc-tion into the future, and that takes time. Further complicating the ques-tion is the lease of the district’s La Loma site, near the district office in Menlo Park, to the private Phillips Brooks School, which has expressed

interest in moving to the larger Ladera campus. Phillips Brooks renovated the La Loma campus at considerable cost; its lease expires in 2017, with a five-year extension option, Mr. Hartwig said. Mr. Spreng, in his letter to the board, noted that the district has talked about a possible swap of campuses by Phillips Brooks and Woodland, but insisted that such a move wouldn’t work for Woodland. For one thing, Woodland’s enroll-ment exceeds the 276-student limit spelled out in the use permit for the La Loma campus. John Ora, Woodland’s head of school, said enrollment is expected to reach 316 in the future — slightly less than the 325 maximum allowed by the Ladera site’s use permit. Both Ms. Roberts and Mr. Decker voiced concern that, should Phillips Brooks or another school move to the Ladera site, the spirit of coop-eration and harmony with the resi-dential community might be lost. Recently, Woodland School held a

community meeting at which plans for a renovated campus were pre-sented. Judging from the tenor of discussion at that meeting, “I think the community would prefer that Woodland stay,” Mr. Decker said. “They’re a known organization, good neighbors, and the scale of their improvements ... and their plans for the future are all very

much in sync with the interests in the community.” The plans include a new recre-ational facility that would be open for community use, and the con-tinuation of an open, welcoming campus that is “a good match for the community,” according to Ms. Roberts. “We don’t want fences or ... an island.” A

Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac

Woodland fourth-graders build a bridge in Susan Whited’s class.

P A I D O B I T U A R Y

Muriel Roosman died at the age of 93 after having resided for many years in Menlo Park. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Clarence Roosman, and also outlived all the members of her family: her brother Dick Wittmer and his wife Doris, her sister Lenore Horvath, and many, many friends. Her parents were Margaret Wittmer and Walter Jewell Wittmer.

A woman of faith, she maintained her Christian Scientist devotions throughout her life. In her early adult life, she was a businesswoman and legal stenographer from 1944 to 1964 and retained her precise accounting and record-keeping skills until the end of her life. Having learned the importance of being well turned out from those years in business, she was an impeccable dresser, and especially liked shoes and clothing in red. But more important, she was a true lady.

Drawing on her prodigious memory, she was a storyteller par excellence, reeling out tales about friends, family, trips, and events from her entire life at a moment’s notice. A generous, outgoing, and gregarious person, she knew the histories of all her friends and neighbors, took an interest in everyone she met, knew the art of conversation, and brought out everyone’s story. Above all, she was a good friend, unfailingly caring of

others. She learned the lessons of kindness and followed them all her life. Muriel loved classical music, especially opera, went to countless performances of the San Francisco and West Bay Opera Companies, and heard many of the opera greats. She loved travel and went with her husband to Sweden and many places in California. After Clarence’s death, she took over 100 tours and trips to California sites—and kept records of every one of them. An avid gardener, she was often outside, tending to her beloved roses, pruning and feeding them—what she called giving them a pat on the back. In spite of health problems from an early age, she was strong, brave, and independent. Even with her failing health in the past two or three years, she never failed to express her gratitude for a life well lived, for her many blessings, rich experiences, and friends. Her friends are grateful for having known her and will miss her deeply. Those wishing to honor her memory are requested to give donations in her name to their favorite charity .

Muriel J. RoosmanMarch 27, 1918-April 21, 2011

police officers. As for the eight sergeants, Chief Roberts said each either supervises one of four patrol teams or a spe-cialized unit such as narcotics. The police department does plan to convert two vacant sworn officer slots to less costly non-sworn com-munity service officer positions, according to the chief, who told the council that the salary differential is $80,000. For new hires, the police ser-

geants union agreed to provide pension benefits using a “3 percent at 55” formula based on the average of the highest three years’ salary. The staff report noted that as many as six new sergeants may be hired by 2012 as older officers retire, and Chief Roberts indicated the open positions would be “promotional opportunities” for current officers. According to the police depart-ment, all eight of the current ser-geants were promoted from within the organization, and have served an average of 18 years in Menlo Park. A

SERGEANTScontinued from page 5

WOODLAND continued from page 5

OUTSOURCED continued from page 5

Service Tuesday for Laura Chinlund A memorial service will be held Tuesday, May 31, for Laura J. Chin-lund, who died April 3. She was 93. Mrs. Chinlund studied at the National College of Education in Illinois and taught professionally for a few years. She also volunteered as head librarian at the Peninsula Regent retirement community in San Mateo. She and Daniel, her husband of 41 years, moved to Menlo Park in

1969. Mr. Chinlund died in 1980. The couple had two children, Nancy and Gordon, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. The service will be held at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church at 950 Santa Cruz Ave. at 2 p.m. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco, 55 Hawthorne St., Suite 600, San Fran-cisco, CA 94105, or to the church.

Woodside Elementary School will stage the musical “Annie” as its eighth-grade operetta June 1-4 at George Sellman Auditorium on campus, 3195 Woodside Road. In the cast are, from left, Bria Michelsen, Elise Waldow, Paul Henry Lego, Nicole Schumacher, Robert Wang and Lindy Garrett. Tickets are $10-$12. The June 1 dress rehearsal starts at 6 p.m. and other performances at 7 p.m. For information, call the school office at 851-1571, ext. 291.


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Sanitary district liable in sewage spillsBy Dave BoyceAlmanac Staff Writer

In a partial resolution of a lawsuit by San Francisco Baykeeper against the West Bay Sanitary

District, a federal court judge has found the district liable for 21 sew-age overflows, each of more than 100 gallons, that entered Peninsula streams, including streams in Ather-ton, Woodside, Menlo Park and Portola Valley. Of 68 such overflows from manholes or residences between 2004 and 2010, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen determined in a May 23 summary judgment that 21 qualify as violations of the federal Clean Water Act, including nine in the Ather-ton Channel, six in San Francisquito Creek, three in Corte Madera Creek and one in Los Trancos Creek. Baykeeper’s suit cites 162 over-flows, of which 94 were less than 100 gallons. As for the other 47 100-gallon-plus incidents, the judge said he needs more information, which Baykeeper plans to provide, Executive Director Deb Self in an interview. A trial on these unresolved spills, and a decision on penalties for all of the spills, is set for February or March of 2012, said West Bay’s attorney in this case, Anthony Condotti of the Santa Cruz firm Atchison, Barisone, Condotti & Kovacevich. West Bay looks good by com-parison with the tanker that spilled 60,000 gallons of fuel oil after run-ning into the Bay Bridge in Novem-ber 2007, whereas the district spilled 45,000 gallons over six years, most of which was recovered before it reached the Bay, Mr. Condotti said. If assessed the maximum penalty, the district will be out $975,000 for

the 21 spills just resolved and pos-sibly another $1.7 million for the other 47, he said. Baykeeper has offered to settle, with any payout likely going to the Rose Foundation in support of a local environmental project, Ms. Self said. Baykeeper, Mr. Condotti said, is employing a “novel” theory: if sewage escapes through a manhole cover and the district’s clean-up leaves behind even “a single mol-ecule” that could later travel to the Bay, that is reason enough for sanctions. “Baykeeper is essentially seeking

to hold the district liable for every spill when the vast majority are fully controlled,” he said. The pol-lution levels are not even detectable let alone a cause of environmental harm, Mr. Condotti said, adding: “That’s the heart of this case.” Ms. Self disagreed. “We showed and the judge agreed that 36,670 gallons of raw sewage contami-nated creeks, sloughs and the Bay,” she said. “That’s not one molecule and certainly causes environmen-tal harm.” “Thirty-five years of Clean Water Act jurisprudence says you can’t discharge sewage into creeks. There’s nothing novel about that idea,” she added. “Now that West Bay’s liability has been established by the court, it’s not a matter of whether they are going to fix their whole crumbling system, but when.” Baykeeper settled similar cases with a Burlingame sanitary district and four nearby jurisdictions. Mr. Condotti acknowledged that

history but noted that the district faces a large payout of ratepayer dollars either way: to Baykeepers’ “pet charity” or in court. Baykeeper has taken to oversee-ing water quality, Ms. Self said, because the regional water qual-ity control board “is not able to enforce” the Clean Water Act. The board could not be reached for comment. Sanitary districts must report all sewage spills to the state, which is how Baykeeper found the basis for this complaint. “Ours are really tiny little spills, 100 gallons or less,” West Bay Dis-

trict Manager Phil Scott told the Almanac. “We usually catch them before they affect anything.”

Old pipes The West Bay Sanitary District dates from 1902 and maintains 207 miles of pipe, much of it the same age as its neighborhoods, Mr. Scott said. Eighty percent of the district’s spills were due to tree roots intrud-ing into pipes, Mr. Scott said. “The challenge is to try to maintain our lines and replace our lines without interfering with all the trees.” Phone calls and staff observa-tions trigger many maintenance calls, he said. For several years the district’s been using remote-control cameras to check flow conditions, and videos exist for about 90 percent of the system, he said. When an incident involving a manhole cover occurs near a creek, the cover is often fitted with a robotic phone that calls authori-ties when it senses rising water, Mr. Scott said. “We are doing the right thing,” he said. “The effect is absolutely positive.” A

If assessed the maximum penalty, the district could pay $2.6 million in fines.

Photo by Jan Sager

‘Annie’ in Woodside


On June 26th

You’re Invited! Celebrate the 20th Birthday of

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Join us for a community celebration Sunday, June 26, 10 am – 4 pmLocation: Intersection of Quarry + Welch Roads, Palo Alto, CA

There will be fun for all ages, featuring more than 75 interactive booths, musical performances, storytelling,

face painting, local food favorites, cupcakes and more. We’ve helped so many children celebrate their birthdays.

Now we invite you and your family to help us celebrate ours. More information at anniversary.lpch.org.

By Sandy BrundageAlmanac Staff Writer

For years, council watchers have called for a balanced Menlo Park budget. Now

they might finally get what they want, but will it be a case of “be careful what you wish for?”

The balancing act The adjusted budget for fiscal year 2010-11 shows a $571,675 deficit between revenue and

expenses; the proposed budget resets that difference to zero. City Manager Glen Rojas’ presentation during the May 23 council meet-ing drilled down into the details of how the city can force expendi-tures back into line with revenue. The report cautioned the council that a balanced budget doesn’t equal a sustainable budget, at least in part due to short-term strategies no one wants to resort to forever. Highlights: ■ Paying off $7.16 million

unfunded public safety pension liability with CalPERS, at the suggestion of Councilman Peter Ohtaki, saved $828,000 for the fiscal year 2011-12, and $3.6 mil-lion in interest overall. ■ Fee increases expected to boost general fund revenue by $212,000 for the coming fiscal year. ■ Converting two sworn police officer positions to less-costly community service officer slots, to save $220,000.

■ Labor negotiations that the city hopes will follow in the foot-steps of the newly approved police sergeants contract. ■ Outsourcing one custodial position to save $27,000 and con-tracting with Team Sheeper for pool operations, and considering doing the same for grounds main-tenance. ■ Transferring a half-time posi-tion from business development to engineering, saving $60,000, and freezing a part-time teacher position at the Menlo Children’s Center. ■ Short-term maneuvers such

as buying fewer library books and cutting back staff training. Slash-ing library support inspired the library commission to protest. In a letter to council on May 24, the commission listed five funding sources that will either dry up or reduce contributions by as much as 77 percent to a library system already struggling with limited hours, materials, and programs.

Safe for now Breakfast with Santa dodged the budget bullet, as staff recom-


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Menlo Park pulls balancing act with budget

See BUDGET, page 12

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mended leaving “special events” alone, which run up an annual tab of $105,000. So did a 3 percent pay cut for the 77 city employees earning more than $100,000 — which drew criticism from Council-man Andy Cohen, who said sacrifice and leadership need to start at the top. Joining col-league Kelly Fergusson, he stat-ed his opposition “taking people at the bottom of the ladder and dumping them by privatizing or contracting them out.”

Sore points Staff considered reducing the $25,000 budgeted to support the city’s use of the Menlo-Atherton Performing Arts Cen-ter — Menlo Park contributed $2.6 million to build the center in 2008 — because of prob-

lems coordinating events with the school and unanticipated costs, such as paying custodians, technicians, and school staff. Instead, they recommended using an events planner to better leverage the property. The city’s high-speed rail lobbyist, Ravi Mehta, was less fortunate. After a spirited coun-cil debate, with Vice Mayor Kirsten Keith leading the charge for defunding the position, the council voted 3-1, with Ms. Fergusson dissenting and Mr. Cohen recused, to slice the budget in half to $50,000. Menlo Park and Palo Alto share expenses for the lobbyist.

Not final Finer points of budgetary tweaking remain up for nego-tiation. Menlo Park may or may not adjust the utility users and transient occupancy taxes, for example. The city may or may not take Flood Park from the county, but now that the county has extended its deadline for closing the park by six months, both sides have time to plan a transition. Those fine points may provoke discussion again when the pro-posed budget returns to the coun-cil on June 14 for adoption. A

BUDGET continued from page 11

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The Menlo Park Tradition Continues! June 10,11, 12

Nativity’s 31st Annual Spring Carnival

Fun for the whole family.....

Bar with 5 beers on tap & Margaritas

Great selection of foodFriday 6:00 to 10:00 — Spill The Wine (Soul, Funk, R&B)

Saturday 6:00 to 10:00 — The Bell Brothers (New Country)

Sunday 2:00 to 6:00 — Second Story (Classic Rock)

Silent AuctionIn the New Gym — Friday 5-11pm

Saturday, Noon-8pmSunday Noon-5pm (Pick-up day only)

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The town picnic in Portola Valley on Saturday, June 4, will feature music by

DJ William Cadiz, a barbecue lunch served by the Boy Scouts, a cake walk sponsored by the Girl Scouts, an inflatable bouncy house, and a fire engine tour. This year, attendees can also participate in a martial arts dem-onstration to be held at 12:30 p.m., and a tennis demonstration with Corinne Mansourian at 1 p.m. The festivities will take place in the Town Center, located at 765 Portola Road, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The traditional Zot’s to Tots Race, which allows participants to run, cycle or skateboard from Alpine Inn, located at 3915 Alpine Road, to the Town Center, will precede the festivities at 10 a.m., said Jane Wilson, a member of

the Committee of Parks and Recreation who helped plan the event. She added that the road will be partially closed for the event. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Winners of the 10 different age groups will receive medals in the Town Center at the end of the race, Ms. Wilson said. In an effort to be more envi-ronmentally friendly, Ms. Wil-son encourages participants to bring their own reusable water bottles. At the event, attendees can learn about emergency prepared-

ness at an informational exhibit, which will raffle off an emer-gency kit, said Councilwoman Maryann Derwin, who helped plan the event. She added that the Corte Madera eighth-grade class of 2012 will serve frozen yogurt to raise money for their trip to Washington, D.C. The event will also feature face painting sponsored by the Portola Valley Teen Committee, a balloon lady, and a dunk tank. Visit portolavalley.net to see the Spring 2011 PV Post with more information. The newsletter is located under Town News. A

— Caitlin Moyles


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Ira Ruskin diagnosed with malignant tumorBy Gennady SheynerEmbarcadero Media

Former state Assemblyman Ira Ruskin, whose dis-trict included Menlo Park,

Atherton, Woodside and Portola Valley, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and is halting his political career. Mr. Ruskin, a Democrat from Redwood City, told his sup-porters in an email May 26 that he had undergone emergency surgery for a malignant brain tumor about two weeks ago and that he is preparing to undergo “aggressive treatment,” including radiation and chemotherapy. Mr. Ruskin, 67, said he was advised by his doctors that the tumor, while not curable, is con-tainable. “The surgery went well, and my recovery has been great,” Ruskin wrote. “I feel so improved and reinvigorated.”

He was elected to the State Assembly in 2004, when he defeated R e p u b l i c a n Steve Poizner to succeed former Palo Alto Mayor Joe Simitian. He was easily re-elected twice before being termed out in 2010. He was succeeded by fellow Democrat Rich Gordon. The 21st District straddles San-ta Clara and San Mateo counties and includes Menlo Park, Ather-ton, Woodside, Portola Valley, East Palo Alto, Redwood City, San Carlos, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Stanford, and a small part of San Jose. Mr. Ruskin and Sen. Simitian both made appearances at Mr. Gordon’s celebration party on Election Night. At that time, Mr.

Ruskin told the audience that he planned to run for Sen. Simi-tian’s seat in the state Senate in 2012. Now, he is putting these plans on hold to focus on recovery, he wrote. “Given the treatment ahead, I am withdrawing from all politi-cal activity at this time in order to focus on my recovery and to be with my wife, Cheryl, friends, and family,” he wrote. “I will be look-ing inside myself to understand how I want to spend my time and how I otherwise want to contrib-ute to the community.” Mr. Gordon released a state-ment Friday morning praising Mr. Ruskin’s service in the Assembly. He said he has been “impressed by the deep respect that so many in Sacramento have for Ira.” “I wish Ira the best and my thoughts will be with him in the days ahead,” Mr. Gordon said. A

Ira Ruskin

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PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

NOTICE OF HEARING TO COLLECT ASSESSMENTS AT THE EXISTING FEE RATES FOR THE SIDEWALK AND TREE

ASSESSMENTS FOR THE CITY OF MENLO PARK LANDSCAPING ASSESSMENT DISTRICT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2011-12

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the City Council of the City of Menlo Park will hold a Public Hearing on adoption of a resolution overruling protests, ordering the improvements, confirming the diagram and ordering the levy and collection of assessments at the existing fee rates for the sidewalk and tree assessments for the City of Menlo Park Landscaping Assessment District for Fiscal Year 2011-12.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN, that the City Council will hold this Public Hearing on Tuesday, the 14th day of June, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.in the Menlo Park City Council Chambers, Civic Center at 701 Laurel Street, Menlo Park, California, at which time and place inter-ested persons may appear and be heard.

Any person interested may appear at the public hearing and be heard on any matter related to this matter.

Visit the City’s website for City Council, public hearing, agenda, and staff report information at www.menlopark.org.

Dated: May 26, 2010

MARGARET S. ROBERTS, MMC, City Clerk

Published in THE ALMANAC on June 1, 2011 and June 8, 2011

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Tip-A-Cop For one day only, it’s OK to offer money to a police offi-cer — as long as it’s part of the Tip-A-Cop Special Olympics fundraiser at Stacks restaurant on Wednesday, June 8. The event raises money to give local athletes free training and competition in 15 sports, according to a press release. The fundraiser runs from 8 a.m. to noon at 600 Santa Cruz Ave. in Menlo Park. Contact Vic-toria Martinez at 330-6300 or [email protected] for more information.

Meeting canceled In keeping with tradition, the Menlo Park City Council won’t meet on the day after a holiday — in this case, it’s skipping

Tuesday, May 31. The council is expected to reconvene on June 7. One pos-sible agenda item: the Willows traffic study, generator of many unhappy emails from neighbor-hood residents and consumer of many, many hours of staff time, not to mention $120,000.

Civil grand jury recommends Tasers Menlo Park is a rarity in San Mateo County, one of only two cities that doesn’t arm police officers with Taser guns. The county civil grand jury would like to change that. A grand jury report released May 24 stated Tasers were fired 130 times in the county within the past two years, with no reports of death or serious injury. Finding non-lethal alternatives appealing, the jury recommended that both Menlo Park and East Palo Alto add Tasers to their law enforcement toolbox.

‘Passive energy’ house unveiled Clarum Homes said it has now built the first home in the county that relies upon solar power and heat generated by people and appliances to reduce energy consumption by 90 per-cent, according to a press release issued by the company. Clarum will host a tour of the house on Thursday, June 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1206 North Lemon Ave. in Menlo Park.

Bark party Dogs on parade, now coming to this summer’s Menlo Park Block Party! Participating dogs will earn a certificate, while the owners will have to settle for listening to bystanders compli-ment their canines. Visit tinyurl.com/3j9msjz to sign up. The registration dead-line is June 15.

Neighbors and SFPUC: Move oak tree?By Sandy BrundageAlmanac Staff Writer

Granny might have to move. Tree advocates and San Francisco Public Util-

ities Commission officials met last week to discuss how to save the 65-foot-tall heritage oak tree standing in the way of the Hetch Hetchy pipeline. The centuries-old oak sits in the middle of a site at 827 15th Ave. in North Fair Oaks that’s designated for a pipeline meant to carry water from the Hetch Hetchy as part of a $4.6 billion seismic improvement project. Granny almost came down ear-lier this month on short notice. But after the neighborhood organized a protest, the SFPUC ensconced the tree within an “avoidance area” and directed its contractor, Moun-tain Cascade, to stop work within

that boundary for now. Mediated by a liaison from Supervisor Rose Jacobs-Gibson’s staff, the May 24 meeting proceed-ed after a squabble over whether the press, which had been invited by the tree’s advocates, would be allowed to attend what was osten-sibly a public meeting. SFPUC project manager Joseph Ortiz brought everyone up to date on what options have already been considered. The commission looked at ways to preserve Granny that even surprised the advocates, such as moving the tree 600 to 700 feet away from the pipe. That remains on the table, as does the option of tunneling under the tree, which would cost an estimated $430,000. Contractors continue to explore how far the oak’s root system extends and whether the

roots are wrapping around the two water pipes already installed nearby, which affects the viabil-ity of either choice. “It might not seem like it, but I’ve lost a lot of sleep over this tree,” said Matt Horowitz, a project arborist. “It tears me up.” One option — running the pipe above ground and over the tree roots — won’t work, according to Mr. Ortiz and Mr. Horowitz, because of weight. At 2,000 pounds per foot, the pipe would require a mammoth support structure and the combined weight would smash Granny’s roots. The neighbors expressed their understanding of how critical the pipeline project is, while remain-ing cautiously optimistic that both sides will figure out a solution. “The tree is not going to stand in the way of water for citizens,” Charles Berkstresser said. Granny looms over his backyard; if the tree gets moved, it might end up much closer to his house — an option he said he could live with, provided there’s enough room for both home and oak. The SFPUC and neighbors will meet again in a couple weeks after the root investigation and cost evaluations are finished. A


N E W S


NOTICE OF HEARING TO AUTHORIZE COLLECTION OF A REGULATORY FEE

AT EXISTING RATES TO IMPLEMENT THE LOCAL CITY OF MENLO PARK STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR

FISCAL YEAR 2011-12

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Menlo Park will hold a Public Hearing to authorize collection of a regulatory fee at existing rates to implement the local City of Menlo Park Storm Water Management Program (SWMP) for Fiscal Year 2011-12.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the City Council will hold this Public Hearing on Tuesday, the 14th day of June, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. in the Menlo Park City Council Chambers, Civic Center at 701 Laurel Street, Menlo Park, California, at which time and place inter-ested persons may appear and be heard.


Visit the City’s website at www.menlopark.org for City Council, public hearing, agenda, and staff report information.

Dated: May 26, 2011


Published in THE ALMANAC on June 1 and June 8, 2011

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NOTICE OF HEARING TO RECOMMEND THAT THE SAN MATEO COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT IMPOSE BASIC AND ADDITIONAL CHARGES FOR

FUNDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2011-12 COUNTYWIDE NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES)

GENERAL PROGRAM

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Menlo Park will hold a Public Hearing to recommend that the San Mateo County Flood Control District impose basic charges at existing rates and increasing the additional charges by 1.02 percent for funding the Fiscal Year 2011-12 Countywide National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Program.




Dated: May 26, 2011


Published in THE ALMANAC on June 1 and June 8, 2011.

A 17-year-old Menlo Park youth was arrested on sexual battery charges on Friday, May 20, at a dance at the Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, according to a report obtained from the Anaheim Police Department. Police are not identifying the suspect because he is under 18, but they did book him into the Orange County Juvenile Hall and kept him there over the weekend, Anaheim police Sgt. Rick Martinez said. The suspect was released early in the follow-ing week, police said.

The incident began when the suspect reportedly touched his 17-year-old female dance part-ner inappropriately. She and her friends then called in Disney representatives who escorted the suspect and the victim off the dance floor to wait for police, Sgt. Martinez said. Police are investigating and will consult with the district and city attorneys offices as to whether the incident consti-tutes a chargeable offense, and if so whether the offense is a misdemeanor or a felony, Sgt. Martinez said.

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MP teen arrested in Anaheim

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The Mid-Peninsula League of the San Francisco Symphony is bringing the garden inside for this year’s gala fundraiser. The Menlo Circus Club will be the setting from 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday, June 12, for dinner, a floral display, and three musical performances. For years, the league’s signa-ture event was “Symphony in Flowers,” a garden tour held every other year. The difficulties of staffing and finding hom-eowners willing to open their gardens to the public led mem-bers to look for new formats. “We’ve decided to be flexible,” says league spokesman Michal Brenzel. A highlight of the June 12 gala will be 10 floral creations from local designers. Each designer will interpret a different musical classic, such as “The Waltz of the Flowers,” Nights in the Gardens of Spain,” and “La Dame aux Camellias.” Among those taking part are J Floral Art of Redwood City, Ornamento of Pacifica, and Cindy’s Flowers of Menlo Park. This year’s party will include performances by three chamber ensembles: a trio from the San Francisco Symphony, musicians from the San Francisco Sym-phony Youth Orchestra, and an ensemble from the Music@Menlo Institute. Guests at the gala will have a sit-down dinner in the club-house instead the wine and appetizers usually served at the league’s garden parties. There will be live and silent auctions, according to co-chairs Betty Ogawa of Atherton and

Mimi Kugushev of Menlo Park. Nancy Greenbach of Atherton is league president. Tickets are $190 each, by advance reservation only. For information and tickets, call 325-5530. All proceeds benefit the San Francisco Symphony and its outreach programs. The Mid-Peninsula League offers its Concerts for Kids program to elementary school students at Costano and Flood schools in East Palo Alto.


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Vaulters hold Spring Fest The Woodside Vaulters Spring Fest competition will take place Saturday and Sun-day, June 4 and 5, at the Por-tola Valley Training Center, 100 Ansel Road in Menlo Park. The annual competition, to be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, is free and open to the public. More than 100 vaulters, ages 4 to 28, will perform compulsory moves and free-style routines choreographed to music. Competitors at Spring Fest will include mem-bers of the U.S. Equestrian Team, who took part in the World Equestrian Games in 2010. Woodside Vaulters, founded in 1990, provides year-round

instruction in recreational and competitive vaulting.

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Sunset sets ‘Celebration Weekend’

Horse owners hold trunk show


Sunset magazine will hold its 14th annual Celebration Weekend on Saturday and

Sunday, June 4-5, on its seven-acre campus at 80 Willow Road in Menlo Park. This year’s theme is “Make it Your Own.” Sunset editors, celebrity chefs, and experts on home, garden and design will share ideas in a series of show-cases, tastings, and demonstra-tions. “This year’s theme really cel-ebrates the ‘do it yourself’ spirit of living in the west” and finding one’s personal style, said Katie Tamony, Sunset editor-in-chief. The event will feature Sunset’s Cargotecture house, a green living space designed by the Seattle-based Hybrid Architec-ture. The home is made from a recycled cargo container and features a kitchen, bathroom,

large glass windows, sleeping space for four people, and a Sunset-designed outdoor patio extension. Seminars will offer visitors tips on home activities from beekeeping and tending chick-ens to brewing beer. West Coast food trucks will be parked on site for the event. Rick Bayless, season one win-ner of Bravo’s reality TV show Top Chef Masters, and eight other celebrity chefs will host demonstrations on a cooking stage. There will be four daily wine seminars. Hours for Sunset’s Celebration Weekend are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. There will be free shuttle service from the Oracle parking lot at 1601 Willow Road in Menlo Park, east of U.S. 101. Tickets at the door and online are $16 for general admission and $12 for seniors over 60. Visit sunset.com for more information. A

WHOA!, the Woodside-area Horse Owners Association, is dressing up its quarterly meet-ing on Wednesday, June 1, with a trunk show of new Day of the Horse logo apparel and an opportunity for attendees to visit the Carriage Room Muse-um, a display about the history of horses in Woodside, at Folger Estate Stable in Wunderlich County Park, where the meeting will take place. WHOA! will also give prizes to equestrians who register for its seventh annual Day of the

Horse event, scheduled to take place Oct. 8. The Carriage Room Museum will be open to attendees from 5 to 6 p.m., and the meeting begins at 6 p.m. Meeting attend-ees will also be able to purchase tickets for the Day of the Horse raffle. WHOA! quarterly meetings are open to the public. RSVP to [email protected] or call (650) 867-7631. Visit whoa94062.org for more information.

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WEST BAY SANITARY DISTRICT

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS GIVEN pursuant to Sections 5473, et. seq. of the California Health and Safety Code that the District Board of West Bay Sanitary District has, by general regulation, elected to collect its char-ges for sewer services for FY 2011-2012 on the tax roll in the same manner as general taxes and will cause to be filed with its Secretary a written report containing a description of each parcel of real property receiving sanitary sewer service from the District and the amount of the charge for each parcel.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that on Wednesday evening, June 29, 2011 at the hour of 7:00 p.m. at the meeting room located at the District’s offices, the District Board will conduct a Public Hearing to hear and consider all protests and objections, if any, to the report.

Anyone wishing to address the District Board concerning these mat-ters may do so in writing at or before the date of the Public Hearing or may be heard at the time of the Board’s meeting.

Dated: May 25, 2011

/s/ Phil Scott Phil Scott District Manager

To be published pursuant to Government Code 6066.

Submitted by M.J. Davey, execu-tive director, Menlo Atherton Youth Lacrosse.

The Grizzlies, the Menlo Atherton Youth Lacrosse Club, will celebrate the con-

clusion of its inaugural season when it travels to San Francisco on June 5 to play in the Northern California Junior Lacrosse Association’s year-end Lacrosse Festival. At the festival, the Grizzlies will compete with about 15 Bay Area youth lacrosse teams in a day-long jamboree. The festival marks the culmina-tion of a remarkable first season for the new lacrosse club. It was nearly one year ago when local parents first had the idea to form a new youth lacrosse club for local youth in Menlo Park and Atherton. Led by M.J. Davey, the founder of Atherton Lacrosse Camps and parent of a fifth-grader at Encinal School, the parent group petitioned the league to form the new club and began registering players. In its first year, the club pro-vided playing opportunities for 70 lacrosse players ranging in age from 5 to 11, playing on four boys and girls teams. For most of the players, it was their first experience playing organized lacrosse.

Parents have volunteered in key roles to help run the club. Local businesses, such as Ori-ental Carpet and GGV Capi-tal, have provided sponsorship donations. Local high schools (Menlo-Atherton, Menlo School and Sacred Heart) welcomed the teams onto their fields for half-time mini-scrimmages. And the Menlo Park Recreation Depart-ment welcomed the club with allocation of needed field space. In an especially exciting event for

the kids, the top-ranked Stanford University women’s lacrosse team hosted the Grizzlies girls team for a special half-time demo exhibi-tion during their Division 1 game against Cal. While the current spring season is coming to an end, local playing opportunities are not. “Grizzlies Sizzling Summer” lacrosse is open to any local youth and will meet on Tuesday evenings throughout the summer for skills development and scrimmaging. Later this year, the club will host its “Fall Ball” program to continue the year-round playing opportuni-ties. Next year, there are plans to field an under-13 boys team, under-11 boys and girls teams, multiple under-9 boys and girls teams, and a developmental program for 5- and 6-year-old beginners. Visit menloathertonlacrosse.com for more information. A


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P R I N T & O N L I N E

Lacrosse: Grizzlies travel to San Francisco

Callan Davey of the Menlo-Atherton Grizzlies plays at the Sequoia High School field.


The Pulgas Water Temple has been closed temporarily due to water system construc-

tion in the entrance and parking lot areas, blocking access to the temple grounds and portable restrooms. The temple, located on Can-ada Road in Redwood City, closed May 23 and is expected to re-open in mid-summer, according to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The work is part of the $4.6 bil-lion Water System Improvement Program to repair, replace and seismically upgrade the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System. The work around the temple is related to a dechloramina-tion facility, which insures that the water running through the

reservoir system has an appro-priate pH balance, said Alison Kastama, a spokesperson for the commission. The temple and its surrounding facilities are a key component of the Hetch Hetchy water system and the Crystal Springs Res-ervoir System, which provides supplementary water supply to San Mateo and San Francisco counties. The temple was built in 1934 to mark the location where the waters from the Sierra Nevada Mountains reach the Peninsula. Ms. Kastama said the com-mission has known about the construction for about a year, so it will not interfere with weddings or other events at the site. Visit sfwater.org/SCT for more information and to receive email notification when the temple reopens. A

Water Temple closed til mid-summer

This information is from the Atherton and Menlo Park police departments and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. Under the law, people charged with offenses are considered innocent until convicted.

PORTOLA VALLEY

Residential burglary report: Loss esti-mated at $34,900 in break-in and theft of jewelry, Old La Honda Road, May 25.Theft report: Progressive disappearance of resident’s jewelry tied to two house-keepers with history of similar chains of events in other households, Antonio Court, May 25.

WOODSIDE

Residential burglary report: Window of rear door smashed but suspects not able to enter home, Summit Springs Road, May 25.

MENLO PARK

Residential burglary report: Bicycle stolen from garage, 300 block of Hedge Road, May 26.Auto burglary report: Window smashed and purse stolen, 100 block of Hanna Way, May 26.Grand theft report: Bicycle stolen from sidewalk, 1000 block of El Camino Real, May 26.Fraud report: Identity theft, 700 block of Magnolia St., May 24.

POLICE CALLS

Council urged to throw out traffic-calming planEditor: As a 40-year Willows resident and a former member of Menlo Park’s Transportation Commission, I am appalled that the city seems deter-mined to repeat the 1993 Willows traffic calming fiasco. In 1993 the city spent three years and untold resources to install a maze of street obstacles demanded by a small group of activists, only to have them voted-out by the neigh-borhood after years of conflict. In response to that fiasco, the city created the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP) which requires activists to present a petition signed by 60 percent of households in support of their plan before city resources are employed. When applied, this program has responded to traffic concerns while minimizing neighborhood strife. The current Willows Area Wide

traffic Study was instigated in response to a small number of activists, centered on Chester, Dur-ham, O’Keefe and Woodland, near the 101 freeway. To benefit

them, the city waived the petition requirement and hired a consultant to respond to their concerns. The resulting plan upends traditional Willows patterns, diverting neigh-

borhood traffic away from 101. Gilbert and the Pope Street bridge, already the most heavily trav-


It is extremely short-sighted for a thin majority of the Atherton Town Council to push aside a proposal that would have at least opened the door to consideration

of an ethics oversight board that would review citizen com-plaints about actions of town employees. The recent 3-2 defeat of the measure proposed by council members Kathy McKeithen and Bill Widmer would certainly not have been a guarantee that there would be no more law-

suits or other grievances filed against the town, which has recently paid out nearly $1 million in settlements and legal expenses for lawsuits

filed by former employees. But if such a measure had been in place a few years ago it might have defused major upsets like the pair of pending lawsuits, one by Jon Buckheit and the other by Kimberly Sweidy, which each are seeking $10 mil-lion. If one of these actions reaches only half its goal it could punch a major hole in the town’s meager reserves. Under-performing town employees are said to be the culprits in both suits — a police officer in the Buckheit case and a building inspector in the Sweidy case. The legal actions might have been unnecessary if the residents involved had had a way to inform a complaint-review panel about their grievance before it got to the multi-million dol-lar level. As described by Ms. McKeithen and Mr. Widmer, an ethics board would be composed of a council member, a resident who is a retired judge or attorney, and the town’s manager or human resources director. The board would confidentially review citizen complaints of actions by town employees, and then bring a recommendation of how to proceed back to the council. Cost of the committee would

be minimal staff time, depending on the number of griev-ances filed, but certainly it would not compare to the thou-sands of dollars spent on litigation in prior cases against the town. After the defeat of the measure, Ms. McKeithen said she was “horribly disappointed” with this council. “Why on Earth the council is afraid to air the issue (before the pub-lic) is of concern to me,” she told the Almanac after the May 18 meeting. “Are we afraid we have too much dirty laundry and to air it would be a mistake?” she asked. Mayor Jim Dobbie said he thought an ethics oversight board would be “putting in another layer” and complicate a process best handled by the city manager. If the manager does not perform to the council’s satisfaction, the manager should be fired, Mr. Dobbie said. But Ms. McKeithen called such an approach naive. “We don’t just fire people. We let people stay on and on and on. It’s not easy to fire people.” And Ms. McKeithen didn’t buy the majority’s contention that starting up such a board would not be wise during a tough budget year. She said, “It’s costing us a lot more in litigation because such a review process doesn’t exist now.” We agree. It may take years for Atherton to recover from the current budget crunch and rash of lawsuits. And it will not be easy for the council to explain why some staff posi-tions must be cut and why there is not a clear procedure in place for citizens to bring complaints against town staff members. In our view, establishing an ethics oversight board would send a message to Atherton residents that the council is seriously pursuing a more open and transparent strategy. If handled properly, such a panel could go a long way toward defusing many Atherton complaints before they fester into nasty lawsuits.

Ideas, thoughts and opinions about local issues from people in our community. Edited by Tom Gibboney.

EDITORIALThe opinion of The Almanac

LETTERSOur readers write

Our Regional Heritage

Principal Tony Rose makes last

minute comments to the excited and

nervous 1959 graduating class of Corte Madera School. Names

were not available, but Almanac readers who

may recognize a student are

urged to share their information

by sending an email to letters@

almanacnews.comPortola Valley Archives

Ethics board could help Atherton

See LETTERS, next page

All views must include a home address

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The Almanac, established in September, 1965, is delivered each week to residents of Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley and Woodside and adjacent unincorporated areas of southern San Mateo County. The Almanac is qualified by decree of the Superior Court of San Mateo County to publish public notices of a governmental and legal nature, as stated in Decree No. 147530, issued November 9, 1969.

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WHAT’S YOUR VIEW?


eled streets in the Willows, will receive an unpredictable added traffic volume as will their side streets. In a survey mailed to residents, the highest concern was “speed-ing,” yet this plan does virtually nothing about speeding. The sec-ond highest was “no concern.” Assuming the 73 percent of the Willows who didn’t even respond were also expressing “no concern,” we can expect an explosion of conflict if their tra-ditional routes are disrupted and traffic is diverted to their streets. I ask the City Council to stop this fiasco in-the-making.

Eric DoyleLaurel Avenue, Menlo Park

Council asked to stop Willows traffic studyEditor: I am appealing to the citizens of Menlo Park to urge the City Council to stop the current Wil-lows area-wide traffic study initia-tive from moving forward to the next costly step. This proposal will be on the City Council’s agenda June 7. For the third time, the city has spent excessive amounts of tax-payer’s money to appease a small, vocal minority of Willows residents who want the study, while a majority of residents are not in favor of the traffic mitigation proposals. Already this time, over $100,000 has been spent on consulting fees to derive a flawed set of proposals for traffic mitigation within the Wil-lows neighborhood, in addition to countless hours of staff time and neighborhood meetings. In April, the Menlo Park Traffic Commission voted not to advance the proposal. Please ask the City Council to do the same. We can’t afford to continue to spend money and staff time on an initiative that is so flawed and largely unwelcome in the neighborhood.

Julie Forbes O’Keefe Street, Menlo Park

Ad for Saltworks could mislead on housingEditor: The ad recently put out by Car-gill and DMB about their City in the Bay is designed to make us think that a senior who has trouble affording the basics would be able to afford Below Market Rate (BMR) housing there. Here’s a little reality check. Those of us who have looked into it know that when developers build BMR units they price them at the top of the legal formula for “Below Market Rate.” Such units are never “affordable” on a small income. Not without a subsidy.

Now, it is a worthy thing for a city to subsidize low-income housing. I am all for it. But it is extremely deceptive and down-right cruel to create an ad to make it seem that the developer will actually provide housing “afford-able” to low-income seniors. In fact, if the project is approved, Cargill and DMB can sell out and build nothing at all. Ah well, that’s Cargill and DMB empty promises for you. They will be laughing all the way to the bank while local taxpayers are left holding the bag.

Gail SredanovicAshton Avenue, Menlo Park

Trash talk has no place in Saltworks discussionEditor: Arizona-based DMB, developer for the Cargill salt ponds, resorts to vulgar mud-slinging in response to a damaging survey against their Saltworks project. Dave Boyce’s article quotes DMB’s spokesman Jay Reed as saying, “David Lewis has as much credibility about public opinion in Redwood City as Tiger Woods does talking about marital fidelity.” Trashy talk is common these days. However, it is disrespectful in such a serious discussion. And it only appears to communicate that DMB is getting really desperate.

Gita Dev, Woodside

Saltworks No requirement to provide senior housingEditor: DMB, the developer of the Salt-works in Redwood City, is running full-page ads titled, “Affordable housing for our seniors,” and promises the development “will provide hundreds of new afford-able homes for Redwood City’s seniors.”

Their website claims that 15 percent of the homes will be sold below market rate. Seniors — and all residents — should be skeptical for a number of reasons: ■ While Redwood City encour-ages developers to include 15 per-cent affordable units, there is no requirement that they do so. ■ Developers can build fewer affordable units if they offer in-lieu fees or so-called “public benefits” like plazas, benches or community rooms. ■ No one has defined “afford-able.” In fact, Saltworks has not provided prices for any of their homes. ■ Affordable units would be available to anyone who qualifies, not just seniors, and not just Red-wood City residents. Don’t fall for DMB’s warm and fuzzy ads. Housing seniors is not their top priority.

Pat Marriott , Los Altos

Resident would suspend downtown changesEditor: Menlo Park’s City Council insists on making substantial changes in downtown. Under some citizen pressure it now plans to first experiment with some trials. In the mean-time it has spent $1 million on a consultant, so it seems that it is just itching to spend more money to justify that $1 mil-lion. After all it’s only taxpayer money. As a taxpayer, I want to know whether any of that is neces-sary, or just nice to do. Can we suspend the process until the City Council demonstrates that changing downtown is needed and not just the desire by some to leave a mark?

Alexander KugushevSan Mateo Drive, Menlo Park

V I E W P O I N T

By Carol Taggert

At 300 years of age, they call her “Granny.” In truth, she is a healthy, robust middle-ager with others like her

having been known to exceed 600 years. She is a Valley oak, a tree endemic to California and the largest of all oak tree species in North America. Her height is 65 feet, with a spread-ing canopy of rich green foliage stretching 75 feet. Within that canopy her topmost branches cradle a massive nest, possibly that of a hawk, which is partially camouflaged by thick healthy foliage and not easily seen without binoculars. The diameter of her trunk is 60 inches with a circumference of 189 inches or nearly 16 feet. She resides on 15th Avenue, off Marsh Road, in Menlo Park. A 2008 McClenahan arborist’s report noted her condition to have “good vigor with nor-mal shoot growth.” A few old holes indicate

possible nesting places for species such as the Acorn Woodpecker, a cavity nester. She pro-vides safe nesting sites, food, and refuge for

mammals and a myriad of bird spe-cies. On any early morning or evening one can see birds flying in and out of the tree. How old is 300 years? The Pilgrims had arrived on our eastern shores only 80 or so years prior to when, as an infant, Granny sent her new tap roots deep into the soil. In her youth, at the age of almost 100 years, this country had a new president, and the Bill of Rights was adopted. California was

admitted into The Union and gold was dis-covered when she was a mere 150 years old. When she celebrated her approximate 200th birthday, Leland Stanford had settled in our area and the railroad connecting the east to the west was celebrated. During all this time, this oak had provided shade and a food source for the Ohlone Indians of our area. Now, today there is talk of cutting this

majestic oak down to simplify putting in a new back-up water system for the area’s resi-dents. McClenahan Tree Service has suggested three workable options in order to save “Gran-ny” and at the same time build the water system. With all the expertise and ingenuity in our area, I am sure we can preserve this magnificent specimen so that future genera-tions will recall that people of today, living in difficult economic times, were willing to put the money and effort into saving this precious resource. Additionally, preservation gives the Water System Improvement Program of the SFPUC a great opportunity to set a precedent, proving they are responsible stewards of our environment. This tree is reminiscent of the native old growth forest that thrived in this area for thousands of years. Today, it is a natural resource asset that belongs to the entire com-munity, not just one neighborhood. A

Carol Taggart lives on Valparaiso Avenue in Menlo Park.

‘Granny’ heritage oak is worthy of savingLETTERS

Continued from previous page

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NOTICE OF HEARING TO RECOMMEND THAT

THE MENLO PARK CITY COUNCIL ADOPT

THE 2010 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT

PLAN AND SBX7-7 BASELINE METHOD ONE

(URBAN WATER USE TARGETS)

California law requires that, in conjunction with the update to the Menlo Park Municipal Water District’s Urban Water Management Plan, the community be given an opportunity to give input on the urban water use target, its method of determining the water use target and any impacts to the local economy. The proposed Plan is available for public review at http://www.menlopark.org/departments/pwk/UrbanWaterMP.html

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Menlo Park will hold a Public Hearing to adopt the 2010 Urban Water Management Plan and SBx7-7 Baseline Method One and water use targets for 2015 and 2020.




Dated: May 26, 2011


Published in THE ALMANAC on June 1 and June 8, 2011.

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MARY GULLIXSON

[email protected]

BRENT GULLIXSON

[email protected]

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the almanac 06.01.2011 - section 1

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