Election briefs: Candidate filing period opens, fire board incumbents running for reelection

If you have watched any of the recent Fire Board meetings you have seen how difficult Board President Jones’ challenge is as he tries to get the current board to do its job. The other four directors are engaged in a bizarre combination of childish behavior towards one another and micromanagement of things about which they have no competence. Critical programs have stalled for months and the Chief and the staff sit in bewilderment as the board refuses to do its job.

The seats of two of the directors, Kiraly and Silano, are up for election in November. They are no longer serving the best interests of either the community or the Fire District.

Kiraly and Silano should not be running for reelection.

Before anyone endorses either of these candidates please watch a couple of recent Fire Board meetings and ask yourself if this is the kind of behavior we want from our elected officials.

The residents of the Fire District would be better served by two new directors who have sound management experience, no greater political aspirations and who will join with Director Jones to provide the quality of oversight and direction which the citizens expect and the Fire District staff deserve.

Is there a reason that Kiraly needs to be both a Fire District Director and Harbor Commissioner at the same time other than to serve her interests and needs?

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Maybe it's time for a change.

Running for two boards at once is ridiculous. It's time to find someone to replace Kiraly on the Fire Board if it can't keep her full interest.

"Running for two boards at once is ridiculous."

It is also illegal. But to enforce the law a private citizen has to get permission from the State Attorney General to file suit.

From: Peter Carpenter
Date: July 27, 2020 at 4:07:59 PM PDT
To: registrar@smcacre.org
Cc: Warren Slocum <WSlocum@smcgov.org>, Don Horsley <dhorsley@smcgov.org>
Subject: Filings for Incompatible Offices

Dear Mr. Church.

I have been informed that Virginia Kiraly has filed or intends to file as a candidate for BOTH the San Mateo County Harbor District Board and the Menlo Park Fire Protection District Board.

As would be clearly evident by both of these offices being, for the first time, on the same ballot and hence voted on by the same constituents these are incompatible offices.

I hereby request that you not permit Virginia Kiraly to file for both of these offices.

Respectfully,

Peter F. Carpenter
Registered voter in both the San Mateo County Harbor District and the Menlo Park Fire Protection District

Peter Carpenter is right again!!!!

This was posted by Virginia Kiraly, in her own words, from her Facebook Page. As you can see the Menlo Park Fire Protection District is contained in the SMC Harbor District.

QUOTE: by KIRALY,

The San Mateo County Harbor District represents the entire county, so our budget must reflect that representation. As a member of the Harbor Board's Finance Committee, I am proud that it recommended a fiscally responsible and sound budget, with the hard work of the Harbor District's staff, especially in light of COVID-19.

For the coastside, the top three projects were: the Harbor District Surfer’s Beach bathrooms and greenspace improvements, the Surfer’s Beach Restoration/Harbor Dredge Project, and the West Trail Shoreline Protection.

For the bayside, the Harbor District remains committed to partnering with the City of South San Francisco to combat sea level rise and support ferry transportation across SF Bay by surveying and replacing docks.

Vote count:
Ayes: Chang Kiraly, Mattusch, Reyering
Noes: Brennan, Larenas

I agree with Peter Carpenter; watch the Fire Protection District meetings AND the Harbor Commission meetings on YouTube to witness dis-function taken to new heights.

Vote them all out.

@Allen. I too watched the harbor and fire board meetings. There appears to be a common denominator on both boards: Virginia Kiraly.