City Councilmembers,


I have had the opportunity to review the applications for the City Council seat representing District 5 and the first thing I want to say is that we are fortunate to have so many interested and qualified applicants.


Secondly, I am writing to support the application of Nicole Kemeny for the role. I have known Nicole for over ten years and I can attest to her deep care for the community, her relevant experience, and her leadership qualities.


Regarding Nicole’s relevant experience, you can see the breadth and depth of what she has to offer via her application and I want to underscore that she’s the only candidate, as of Sunday night, who has any experience as an elected or appointed government official. As someone who was recently appointed to a commission with our city, I can attest to the learning curve associated with navigating local government operations. With Nicole’s experience, I imagine she will be able to jump right in and be an effective member of the Council. This is essential given the critical decisions before the City Council.


As a leader, Nicole walks her talk, leading as a role model with deep integrity. Her values are clear and she demonstrates them in everything she takes on. She generously shares her experience and wisdom and she encourages others to step into leadership roles as well.


Finally, I want to underscore Nicole’s commitment to justice. While she would be representing District 5, I know she cares deeply about all residents of Menlo Park, particularly the Belle Haven community which has been historically underserved. As an example, I saw her attend, and be deeply engaged in, a conversation with the Belle Haven community about Menlo Park’s Climate Action Plan. She listened carefully and helped me see some very clear next steps around climate adaptation and mitigation that would be beneficial to the Belle Haven community.


Thank you for taking the time to review all of the applications and I know we would all benefit from Nicole’s leadership on our City Council.


Best,

Nancy Larocca Hedley

Vice Chair, Environmental Quality Commission

District 4 Resident