By signing the letter below, you understand this letter will be shared withTown Council. It will be sent at 11am tomorrow, Wednesday, in advance of the Wednesday meeting and, possibly, again as more signers join the letter. Share with your network that feels similarly. 12/12/2023
Dear Town Council,
I support Affordable Housing. Please optimize efforts, finish the work and submit the Housing Plan for certification by the 1/31/24 deadline.
Katherine Gilpin
● 15 year resident
● Involved in schools, PVSD and President WHS Foundation 2021-Present ● Forme Alpine Hills Youth Committee Co-Chair
● Parents of two teens at WHS
Sue Ten
● 9 year resident
● Former Board member PVSF and current Board member WHSF ● Two children who attended PVSD and WHS.
Crystal Ciancutti
● 17 year resident
● Past chair of the PV Holiday Fair
● Co-founder of the PV Women’s Club
● Three kids in the PV School District
Tammy Crown
● 20 year resident
● Former PVSF Advisory Board member
● Two children who attended PVSD.
Jeff Klugman
● 20 year resident
● Former PVSD Board Member; Former PVSD School Board President ● Two children who attended PVSD.
May Chen
● 20 year resident
● Prior PVSD Volunteer
● Medical Oncologist (MD) at Stanford
● Two children who attended PVSD.
Kei Befu
Anna Busse
•7 year resident
•Stanford Professor
•PV Ranch Board Member
•3 children who attend PVSD and Woodside
Kwok Lau
•37 year resident
•Friends of the Portola Library - coPresident
•Former Alpine Hills Club Board President
•Past PVSD parent volunteer - 2 children
•Active in Bay Area Nonprofits
Susan Silberman
•11 year resident
•Former PVSD volunteer, current WHS volunteer
•Child attended PVSD schools and currently at WHS
Aimee Armsby
● 13-year resident
● Member, PV School District Board of Trustees
● Alpine Hills Board Member
● PV Ad Hoc Housing Element Committee member
● Woodside HS Foundation Board member
● Past President, PV Schools Foundation
● Member, SMC Countywide Oversight Board
● 2 kids + 2 stepkids attended PV schools
Elizabeth Holmes
● 16 year resident
● Interior Designer with in town business
● 3 children PVSD k-8
● 2 currently at Priory
Mike Armsby
● 13-year resident
● Former President and Board member of Alpine Hills Swim & Tennis Club ● Finance Committee for Portola Valley Schools Foundation ● 4 kids who all attended PV schools
Sarah Dorahy
● 11 year resident
● Former PTO President Ormondale
● Former PVSD Auction Co-Chair
● 3 children attended PV schools
Maryann Moise
● 31 year resident
● Former PV Council Mayor/Councilmember (17 years)
● Former San Mateo County Board Member OneShoreline, CCAG, Express Lanes, Library JPA, Commute.org, Heart
● Board Member Peninsula and South Bay YIMBY Action
● Former PTO President Corte Madera
● Former PVSD Foundation Member
● Former PVSD Bond Measure Co-Chair
● 2 children attended PV Schools
Rebecca Flynn
● 23 year resident
● ASCC
● ADU Ambassador
● PV Sustainability committee
● PV Water Conservation Committee
● PV Parks & Rec committee
● Town Center Committee
● PVSD bond measure oversight committee
● 2 children attended PV schools
● Former PVSD volunteer
● Former WHS volunteer
● Sequoia High School PTA Treasurer
● PVForum founder and moderator (19 years)
Dave Cardinal
● 35-year resident
● Founding member of PV’s original Website Committee
● Former volunteer with PVSD, PVSF, WFPD, and FOPVL
● Former President Alpine Hills Tennis & Swim Club
● Big believer in bringing economic diversity to our town Jerry Shefren
● 40 year resident of Portola Valley and 10 year resident of Ladera ● Director of the Sequoia Healthcare District
● Member Emergency Preparedness Committee
● CERT member PV Branch
● Strongly believe in affordable housing in PV
Lorrie Duval
● 35-year year resident of Portola Valley
● Former Member, Emergency Preparedness and Wildfire Preparedness Committees
● Former Board Member, CERPP, WFPD’s early Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program
● Former Board Member, Friends of the Portola Valley Library (FOPVL) ● One daughter attended PVSD schools
● Volunteer coordinator, Portola Valley Neighborhood Watch ● Strongly believe in affordable housing in PV
Jane Wilson
● 20 year resident
● ASCC (current Chair)
● Former Parks and Recreation Committee
● Former PTO President, Corte Madera
● Former PVSD volunteer
● Former Woodside High School Foundation Board member
● Former Friends of Portola Valley Library (10 years)
● 2 children attended PV schools
● Former Co-chair of Portola Valley Holiday Fair
● Co-founder Portola Valley Quilting Group
● Friends of Sausal Creek volunteer
Randy Von Feldt
● Former PV Schools Foundation Co-President
● Former Board Member Alpine Hills
● 22 year resident
Debbie Dalzell and Mark Wilson
● 30 year residents
● Alpine Hills Members
● Kids attended PV Schools
Katherine H Terhune (aka Ratcliff)
● 51 year resident
● Active with many meetings and pursuits of committees. (never formally a volunteer as yet)
Bill Unger
● 15 year Portola Valley Resident
Anne Kopf-Sill
● 35-year Portola Valley resident
● Former member and chair of PV Emergency Preparedness Committee ● Currently, PV Planning Commissioner
● Planning Commissioner representative to PV’s Ad Hoc Housing Element Committee
● Former member (6 years) and Chair (2 years) of Woodside High School Foundation
● Chair (many years) of Woodside High School’s Season of Sharing Program Caroline Diarte Edwards
● 8 year PV resident
● Owner of international admissions coaching business
● 4 children through PVSD; 2 currently at CMS, 2 at Priory ● Regular school volunteer at PVSD and Priory
● Former AYSO board member
Heriberto Diarte
● 8 year PV resident
● Venture investor
● 4 children through PVSD; 2 currently at CMS, 2 at Priory ● Ex member of PV’s Parks and Recreation Committee
● Ex member of the PV School Foundation and the PV School Audit committee ● Current member of Woodside Priory Board of Trustees
John Richards
● 58 year resident
● Former Town Council member / mayor (13 years)
● Former Planning Commission member (4 years)
● Former ASCC member (8 years)
● Attended Portola Valley schools, as did 2 kids
● Architect and builder of 16 ADU’s in PV
Sharon Richards
● 38 year resident
● Put up with husband on the council for 13 years
Alex Von Feldt
● 22 year resident
● 2 children in PV Schools
● Former Conservation Committee member, ASCC Commissioner and Planning Commissioner
● Friends of Sausal Creek member
● Local environmental leader who sees the need for affordable housing to allow young environmental professionals an option to stay in our community Al Sill
● 35 year resident
● Past member and chair of Water Conservation Committee ● Past member and chair of the ASCC
● Past member of Sustainability and Wildfire Preparedness Committees ● Vice-chair of ad hoc housing element committee
Matt Rollefson
● 12 year resident
● 2 children in PV schools
Joyce Shefren
● 40 year resident in PV–10 previous years in Ladera
● Former Board member of League of Women Voters of South San Mateo County Chair of housing committee for LWVSSMC
● Former member of Trails Committee in PV
● Strong supporter of affordable housing in PV
Brooke Day
● 13 year resident
● Former PTO President, Ormondale
● Former PVSD Board Member; Former PVSD School Board President ● Child attended PVSD and Woodside Priory in Portola Valley. ● Current PVSD Parcel Tax Committee Member
Neil Day
● 13 year resident
● Former PVSD Volunteer
● Child attended PVSD and Currently attends Woodside Priory in Portola Valley.
Dan Cornew
● 25 year resident
● Former PVSD Volunteer
● 4 Children attended PVSD
Rosalie Cornew
● 25 year resident
● Former PVSD Volunteer
● 4 Children attended PVSD
● Founder of Portola Valley new family welcome program
● Town volunteer
Mary Nam
● 13 yr resident
● 2 children attended PVSF
Serra B. Simbeck
● 19 year resident
● 3 children attended PVSD
● Former Co-President PV Schools Foundation
● Former Co-Chair PV Schools Endowment
● Strong believer in need for affordable housing in PV to allow for a more diverse and inclusive community
Mauricio Simbeck
● 19 year resident
● 3 children attended PVSD
● Local Latino business owner
● Supporter of local affordable housing to allow for a more diverse and inclusive community
Linda Kamran
● 9 year resident
● 4 children attend PVSD & Woodside HS
● Current Co-President, PV Schools Foundation
● Chair, PV Schools Parcel Tax Campaign
Steve Toben
● 32 year resident
● Former mayor (2006, 2010)
● Former member, PV Town Council (2003-11)
● Former PV Planning Commissioner (199-2003)
Jon Goulden
● 37 year resident
● Current Planning Commissioner
● Former Co-President, PV Schools Foundation
● Former parent volunteer at Ormondale and Corte Madera ● Former cub scout leader
● Partner at Silicon Valley Social Ventures
Patty White
● 23 year resident
● Former parent and volunteer at Ormondale and Corte Madera ● 2 children attended PV Schools
Susan McLaughlin
● 12 year resident
● Former PTO President Ormondale
● Former parent volunteer at Ormondale and Corte Madera ● Treasurer, Measure Z Campaign
● 2 children attended PV schools
Amy White
● 23 year resident
● Attended Ormondale and Corte Madera
● Employee at Roberts Market and Woodside Priory
-Submitted to Town Counceil at 11:15am Wed, 12/13/24-
From: Maryann Moise
To: Jeff Aalfs; Sarah Wernikoff; Craig Taylor; Judith Hasko; Mary Hufty Cc: Sharif Etman; Jennifer Torres; Corie Stocker; Town Center Subject: Reorganization Night and the Rotation of Mayor Date: Tuesday, December 12, 2023 12:38:17 PM
You don't often get email from [email protected]. Learn why this is important December 12, 2023
Dear Mayor Aalfs, Vice Mayor Wernikoff, Councilmember Taylor, Councilmember Hasko and Councilmember Hufty.
After watching the “This WUI Life” video by Mr. Turcott posted on the PV Forum, I feel compelled to write in defense of one of Portola Valley’s most honorable and cherished traditions—the rotation of the Mayor each December.
I was a Portola Valley Town Councilmember and four-time Mayor for 17 years, and reorganization night in mid-December was always a low key, calm and congenial event when the Vice Mayor was elevated to Mayor by a vote of the Council. During my tenure, there was one Councilmember who was not nominated for Vice Mayor or Mayor for reasons I will not discuss, but even he knew that he didn’t have the votes and as such, he did not push the issue.Other than that exception, all my colleagues had a chance to serve as Vice Mayor and Mayor, some multiple times.
In Portola Valley, if you serve on the Council and you have a good working relationship with your colleagues and the Town Manager, you will serve as Vice Mayor. Generally, four Councilmembers will also serve as Mayor. Everyone who serves two terms will serve at least one term as Mayor.
Over the years, councils in other cities have made news with combative re-org meetings and lengthy votes with results that split the council and left everyone in the room feeling disappointed.I was always proud that Portola Valley took the high road on re-org night with no drama, following established protocol.
It is unfortunate that Vice Mayor Wernikoff was not able serve as Mayor last year thereby throwing off the routine, but she had an extraordinary reason. This year the Council has the opportunity to get back on track and vote in Vice Mayor Wernikoff as Mayor, a position she is due based upon our tradition and her experience. And given this past tumultuous year and the one ahead, a modicum of institutional knowledge and experience is highly needed since the Mayor, Vice Mayor and Town Manager set the agenda, deal with the major issues and to a certain extent due to the Brown Act, run the Town.
I do wish to point out that a few of Mr. Turcott’s assertions did not ring true to me.We have not used the highest vote count as criteria for Mayor because we have not deemed it best practice.Some cities do and I have seen the unfortunate consequences that can occur. Historically, those who have served on the Portola Valley Council are not seeking higher office nor are they looking for perceived status as Mayor; they serve as unpaid volunteers to help the community. Also of note, the candidate with the highest vote count is often the one who has never served on the Council and therefore has not had to make controversial votes that have angered a portion of the voting public. A fresh face has no baggage.
This has been an exceptionally difficult year for the Portola Valley Town Council, but you are all still standing!Please pay forward the recent stability our new Town Manager has brought to Town and choose the Vice Mayor as Mayor for 2024.
Thank you for your service. I know firsthand how taxing this job is and you are all appreciated.
Warmly,
maryann
Maryann Moise
Portola Valley, CA 94028
PV Councilmember 2005-2022