Menlo Park may have contested council race

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Is this the husband of Annette Jahnke, the realtor? (which would make perfect sense, give his support of B-D-W in the last election)

ex-husband. She is now Annette Smith.

dear lord, save our little town. I know we haven't been good nor smart but what did we do to deserve this. From the frying pan to the fire. The menlo park swinging pendulum. Back and forth. Back and forth.

We need some one smart, calm and interested in the opinions of others - like John Boyle.

Some One, Quick. Throw your hat in. The City needs you

Really, who wants to run for city council? Sit through interminable meetings with your colleagues jawboning (unfortunately, the worst offender is not up for re-election)?

Still waiting for Henry Riggs to step up to the plate, and maybe even former council member Schmidt. Should be an entertaining election year.

Hope not Riggs.

Boyle's Boys are still at it.

Pretend to listen and negotiate but vote the same way throughout.

Sounds like the guys in DC no?

Talk like you are one of the people but don't dare vote against the money. We'll assess Boyle's record in two years and the "pragmatists" (read: developer backed, developer induced, well-funded right wingers) will once again be proven nothing more than long-winded talk every Tuesday night.

To see Fergusson in action...

The website, recallfergie.com ( http://recallfergie.com ) is still online with a link to a video from last year.

The video features Fergusson, along with Robinson, showing great disrespect to a fellow public servant.

give Jeff a break, he's trying to drag himself out of a hole,
just like Boyle did with his imploding Pluris dot bomb and related litigation that pursued him. Mine their brains and get the most of their public service efforts. Just keep 'em on a short leash.

I don't condone disrespectful behavior by elected officials or by the anyone in the public. But let's allow space for everyone to be human and make mistakes. I can forgive, especially if they sincerely apologize. Why can't you? Some of these posts sound like witch hunts against people (Jahnke, Fergusson, Robinson are specifically named) who are generous enough to be willing to serve our community. Are they perfect? No! Can they admit to mistakes and make good decisions for the entire community? That's what should be debated.

Having intention to serve our community is different than having ability to make good decisions for our city. We need capable people not anyone off the street.

The problem is that anyone with any sense knows that the glory of serving on council is far outweighed by the downside of being in the unforgiving public eye. There are a number of inordinately bright, energetic, and generous souls who repeatedly refuse to run because they are justifiably concerned that the experience will not be a happy one. And so we get into a cycle of electing inferior council members who draw community ire, thereby turning off more qualified would-be candidates, resulting in yet more elections with candidates who are less-than-ideal, who then become inferior council members.

It's so easy to be contemptuous of others whose difficult work you've never had to do. If you think we've had to vote time after time for so many "less-than-ideal" candidates, would you mind defining the ideal candidate?

Isn't it our job as community members to help our elected officials understand what is important to us by communicating with them, and when we think they aren't doing the best possible job to let them know that and provide constructive suggestions?

With possibly only 1 or 2 examples, our Councilmembers are not professional administrators, experienced governmental employees, or even career politicians.