N E W S COUNCIL SEATS continued from page 8
regional transportation planning. “I’ve been advocating safe bike and pedestrian routes in town,� she said, noting that, with 10 schools within the town’s limits, “our population doubles every day school is in session.� She said the town needs to be working with Menlo Park and the schools to deal with the issue. “Our children can’t safely ride their bikes to school — that’s something I think needs to be addressed.� Regarding the library, Ms. Lewis said, “I don’t think our
residents were allowed to provide input� on the choice of location. She opposes Measure F, saying that a library “will forever change the park.� But, she added, “whatever the residents want, I’ll get behind 100 percent.�
Cary Wiest Cary Wiest ran unsuccessfully for a council seat in 2010 after living in Atherton for less than a year. He was criticized for not attending council meetings before filing papers, and not trying to be involved on a town committee or commission
before running for council. Since then, in 2011, he applied for a seat on the Planning Commission and the General Plan Committee, but others won the council’s support for those appointments. Regardless of his lack of participation in Atherton civic affairs, Mr. Wiest said his experience in regional and countywide matters, including the county’s Vision 2025 Committee and its Jail Planning Advisory Committee, has given him the necessary tools to serve on the council. He criticizes the council for not listening to residents, citing
as one example the council’s vote to build the library in the park. Although a number of residents asked the council a year ago to put the question to the voters, the council failed to do so until months later, sending a message to the community that its voice was unimportant, he said. As a council member, he said, he would listen to residents and, in doing so, would restore trust in town leaders and reassure residents “that their views matter.� Mr. Wiest said he opposes outsourcing police services, saying that “residents have spoken loudly in support� of retaining
the town’s own police force. On his website, he said he will focus on the question of “why one of the top-five riches cities in the country is struggling to properly fund public safety.� He supports renewal of the town’s parcel tax when it expires in 2014. The current City Council has allocated 60 percent of the $1.8 million in parcel tax revenue to police services, with the remaining 40 percent spent on public works projects. Mr. Wiest has expressed doubt about how the tax revenue is actually spent, and said “the money needs to be monitored� carefully. A
45 8 3 45 4 5
2012
DMBTTJD NFSJDBO HSJMM XJUI B XBSN BOE JOWJUJOH OFJHICPSIPPE GFFM TFSWJOH BQQSPBDIBCMF BOE IFBMUIZ DPNGPSU GPPE PNF JO GPS IBQQZ IPVS Ä‘ POEBZ UISPVHI 5IVSTEBZ & (QN BOE + ##QN
Ä‘ $' PĹŁ BMM TJHOBUVSF IBOE DSBGUFE DPDLUBJMT
Ä‘ % 4UFMMB SUPJT SBGU
Ä‘ BQQZ PVS GPPE TQFDJBMT
BSLJOH JT QMFOUJGVM FBTZ BOE GSFF ('" %%" $)+"
#"" M BNJOP 3FBM FOMP BSL
PDBUFE BU UIF 4UBOGPSE BSL PUFM
12 N The Almanac N TheAlmanacOnline.com N October 24, 2012
XXX NFOMPHSJMM DPN