Councilman declines run

The decision comes after a host of family issues made him realize his priorities. It's also fueled by hostility on the council that's grown worse since Bauer was accused of leaking confidential information about a former city manager to the press a year ago. He denies the accusations and instead insists Mayor Dave Warden and Councilwoman Coralin Feierbach are responsible.

"It's impacted the reputation of the city and reinforced the negative image of Belmont," he said.

The constant tension between Bauer and his colleagues - which almost resulted in a fist fight last year - isn't his main reason for leaving. Bauer, 54, was forced to deal with two aging parents this year. His mother died last month and his father suffers from ongoing illnesses. A year of hospital visits made Bauer realize his family must be his first priority. The stress of it all also put Bauer himself in the hospital for a day.

Both Warden and Feierbach say the council will be better without Bauer.

Warden said he's not surprised by the decision because Bauer didn't seem happy on the council. However, if Bauer did run, Warden said he'd "definitely make it a top priority" to see him defeated.

The two men barely speak to each other since they almost came to blows last year at an annual fair. The situation was diffused when San Mateo County Supervisor Jerry Hill stepped in, Bauer said.

The bitter relationship between Bauer, Warden and Feierbach stems from a June, 2003 special election, in which Bauer supported Feierbach rival George Burgess. Warden threw his support behind Feierbach. After the bitter race, the council called off the November regular election because only two candidates, Warden and Phil Mathewson, announced intentions to run.

It worsened when information from a closed session council meeting was leaked to a columnist last August. The column described a negative performance evaluation of then City Manager Jere Kersnar. Following the meeting, Kersnar left the city. Bauer openly criticized the council's decision in the column. It was assumed he leaked the information. Bauer insists he did not leak the information and only told two people about the meeting - his wife and campaign manager.

"I feel he disclosed confidential information at least two times. For that reason alone, I feel good that he's not running," Feierbach said yesterday.

The council threatened censure and Bauer was forced to hire legal representation. The rest of the council never followed through on its threat, but Bauer still owes himself $5,000 he had to borrow from his campaign coffers to pay legal fees.

Bauer was openly critical of the council decision to separate from San Carlos in fire services and an open space initiative proposed by Feierbach.

If passed by voters in November, the initiative would make current density requirement in the Belmont hills law. Only a future vote of the public could change it. Feierbach said it's something she's been aiming to do for 30 years.

Bauer thinks her proposal is "the height of arrogance" because it assumes future councils, or the people who elect them, won't be smart enough to decide what's best for the city. Instead, Bauer said, she is trying to impose her own views on future generations that may not agree.

"It's dictatorial and damn near fascist," he said.

Feierbach makes no secret of her feelings about Bauer, but said she tries to contain them at public meetings. It's something Bauer doesn't do, she said.

"Mr. Bauer, in a way, has been his own worst enemy," Feierbach said.

Council feuds aside, Bauer has been asked by his family not to run again. Last year, his daughters asked him not to run again because they could sense the tension in his attitude. In April, he had shoulder surgery. Since then, Bauer has lost his mother to a long-term illness, continues to care for his ailing father and is dealing with his own health problems.

In July, while Bauer's mother was in the hospital, he drove himself to the emergency room for chest pains. Doctors kept him overnight for observation. Moments after being released the next day, Bauer received a phone call from nurses at the same hospital about his mother's drastic decline in health. She died days later.

The following week he prepared for the funeral. He pulled nomination papers when he returned, but had no intention on filing for candidacy, he said.

He's happy to support 48-year-old Lieberman, a president of a management consulting firm specializing in product pricing. Lieberman moved to Belmont in 1995 and has served on the Finance Committee since 2000. He decided to run because he wants to do more to give back to his community, he said yesterday.

As for Bauer, he's not done with politics.

"I really get jazzed by this. I get a sense of value and exhilaration from making a positive impact ... and preventing negative impacts," Bauer said. "Depending on who's running, I'd look at state Assembly or San Mateo County Board of Supervisors."

Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com