Candidate for
Board Member; Menlo Park Fire Protection District

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Stephen Nachtsheim - MPFPD Board member and President

Virginia Chang Kiraly - MPFPD Board member

Rex Ianson - MPFPD Board member and retired MPFPD firefighter

Bart Spencer - Former MPFPD Board member and President

Del Krause - Former MPFPD Board member and President

Ollie Brown - Former MPFPD Board member and President, retired MPFPD Fire Chief

Peter Ohtaki - Mayor of Menlo Park and former MPFPD Board member and President

Elizabeth Lewis - Mayor, Atherton

Jerry Carlson - Former Mayor, Atherton

Chris Cobey - Former Mayor, Atherton

Bill Widmer - Council Member and former Mayor, Atherton

Mickie Winkler - Former Mayor, Menlo Park

Lee Duboc - Former Mayor, Menlo Park

Andy Cohen - Former Mayor, Menlo Park

Catherine Carlton - Menlo Park City Council

Laura Martinez - East Palo Alto City Council

Paul Goeld - Former Mayor, Woodside

Judy Kleinberg - Former Mayor, Palo Alto

Edward Moritz - Board Member West Bay Sanitary District

Roy Thiele-Sardina - Board Member West Bay Sanitary District

Henry Riggs - Planning Commissioner, Menlo Park

Rick Reed - Former Director, Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Services

Doug DeVivo - CEO

Alain Enthoven - Eccles Professor of Public and Private Management (Emeritus)

Brian Blackford - Construction Project Manager and 20 year resident of Menlo Park.

Scott Barnum - ADAPT Coordinator/CERT

Joyce and Phil Lively - Atherton civic volunteers

Mark Davis - Atherton civic volunteer

Walter Sleeth - Atherton civic volunteer

Zach Whitman - Atherton civic volunteer

John Boyle - Former Menlo Park Vice Mayor and City Council Member

Here is the correspondence between the union and myself during both this election and my previously very successful reelection in 2005:

2013 election:

From: Peter Carpenter <peterfcarpenter@gmail.com>

Subject: Re: San Mateo Labor Council Endorsement Process

Date: August 15, 2013 11:52:08 AM PDT

To: smclcjulie@sbcglobal.net

Ms. Lind,

Thank you for your invitation but I do not wish to be interviewed or endorsed by the labor council.

Since there will (hopefully) be a new firefighter's contract negotiated with the Fire District during the forthcoming term, I can understand that it is in the labor union's interest to have Fire District Directors who you think will serve your interests. Similarly, an endorsement by a labor union for an election that will be immediately followed by labor negotiations carries with it the appearance of a conflict of interest.

If elected I will be committed to serve the interests of the citizens of the District. In a democratic society the choice of elected officials is properly the responsibility of the voters and not that of a small special interest group.

Sincerely,

Peter Carpenter

On Aug 15, 2013, at 11:36 AM, Julie Lind <smclcjulie@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

Candidate:

Thank you for making the decision to seek elected office this November. Attached please find the endorsement questionnaire for the San Mateo Labor Council. Completion of the questionnaire is a requirement for anyone interested in being considered for endorsement. The questionnaire is due no later than 5pm on Friday, August 23rd. The interview for your race will be held Tuesday, September 3rd from 5:30PM + 6:00PM at the CA Teachers Association Offices (333 Hatch Dr., Foster City). Please let me know if you'll be able to attend, and feel free to call with any questions. Best of luck!

Respectfully,

Julie Lind, Political Director

San Mateo County Central Labor Council

650-572-8848 office/650-572-2481 fax

650-333-4110 cell

smclcjulie@sbcglobal.net

2005 election:

Menlo Park Firefighters' Association

District 10 of Local 2400, I.A.F.F
P.O. Box 534 Menlo Park, CA 94026-0534
(800) 218-9081

08JUN05

Peter Carpenter
1 Larch Drive
Atherton, Ca 94027

Director Peter Carpenter,

Since your appointment to the Menlo Park Fire District Board of Directors you have been successful in retaining your position in an election. In your tenure you have been noticeably involved with our US&R Team, our CERT program, the implementation of an improved District Sprinkler Ordinance and have served on standing committees of the District Board. Your leadership in these areas as well as your candidness regarding the Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) has guided the District with professionalism, conviction and clarity through rough times.

On August 25th, 2005, a sub-committee of the Association Board met with eight candidates and found that there were several qualified candidates that would potentially serve as excellent Directors. Through our established candidate interview process the Menlo Park Firefighters have elected to endorse three other candidates for District Board of Director.

In a recent District Board meeting you stated that if enough qualified candidates were running for the Board, you would feel as if you would be able to graciously remove yourself from the election. At this time the Association Board respectfully requests you follow through with that statement. The title "Incumbent" carries a weight with the voters that will be difficult to overcome. An example of such weight was found in the previous election. Incumbent Steve Kennedy, was only narrowly defeated after being censured three times by the District Board of Directors and having no support of the Firefighters' Association.

Knowing that you are unavailable for a personal meeting I wish to speak with you regarding this matter via telephone prior to September 9th. I am available by cell 650.924.0361.

Respectfully,

Tom Neylan
President of the Menlo Park Firefighters
Vice President of District 10 of IAFF Local 2400

cc.
District 10 of IAFF Local 2400
file

• *******
  Peter F. Carpenter

Tom Neylan
President of the Menlo Park Firefighters
Vice President of District 10 of IAFF Local 2400

Dear Tom,

I am in receipt of your letter of 08JUN05(sic) and I thank you for your acknowledgment of my contributions to the Fire District during my current term. As I told you in our 7 September phone call, I am running for re-election and I hope to serve at least one more full term.

However, in your letter you state that the Association requests that I remove myself from the election because the Association has chosen to support other candidates and "the title `Incumbent' carries a weight with the voters that will be difficult to overcome". Since there will be a new firefighter's contract negotiated with the Board during the forthcoming term, I can understand that it is in your Association's interest to have Directors who will serve your interests. I shall be satisfied to continue to serve the interests of the citizens of the District, so I decline your request to withdraw. In a democratic society the choice of elected officials is properly the responsibility of the voters and not that of a small special interest group such as yours.

I am confident that the voters will share the view that you have expressed in your letter that my " leadership in these areas (US&R Team, our CERT program, the implementation of an improved District Sprinkler Ordinance) as well as your candidness regarding the Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) has guided the District with professionalism, conviction and clarity through rough times".

Sincerely yours,

1 Larch Drive, Atherton, CA 94027-2125

650/323-1162 FAX 650/326-6419

My response to the Labor Council's letter:

Peter F. Carpenter

18 September 2005

Shelley Kessler
Executive Secretary
San Mateo County Central Labor Council
1153 Chess Drive, Suite 200
Foster City, Ca 94404

Dear Executive Secretary,

Thank you for your letter of Sept. 13, 2005 indicating that I did not receive the Labor Council's endorsement. When District 10's Board of Directors requested that I remove myself from the election because they have chosen to support other candidates and "the title `Incumbent' carries a weight with the voters that will be difficult to overcome", I declined their request to withdraw. As I told Tom Neylan, since there will be a new firefighter's contract negotiated with the Board during the forthcoming term, I can understand that it is in the labor union's interest to have Fire District Directors who you think will serve your interests. I shall be satisfied to continue to serve the interests of the citizens of the District. In a democratic society the choice of elected officials is properly the responsibility of the voters and not that of a small special interest group.

Similarly, an endorsement by a labor union for an election that will be immediately followed by labor negotiations carries with it the appearance of a conflict of interest. You state that, if I am reelected, "we hope for a good working relationship with you during the term of your office". Let me be clear, my responsibility as a Director of the Fire District is to serve the citizens of the District; labor relations are, quite properly, the responsibility of the Fire Chief.

I am confident that the voters will share the view expressed in the letter from District 10 which stated that my " leadership in these areas (US&R Team, our CERT program, the implementation of an improved District Sprinkler Ordinance) as well as your candidness regarding the Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) has guided the District with professionalism, conviction and clarity through rough times".

Sincerely yours,

1 Larch Drive, Atherton, CA 94027-2125