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MINUTES
ANNUAL RETREAT
Saturday, October 14, 2000
Golden Gate Club at the Presidio

1)          CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
Meeting was called to order at 9:03 a.m. by President Juanita Miles

Commissioners Present:                    Staff Present:

President Juanita Miles                              Sonia Melara, Executive Director
Commissioner Dorka Keehn                    Rosario Navarrette, Assistant Director
Commissioner Emily M. Murase          Ann Lehman, Policy Analyst
Commissioner Andrea Shorter                    Latika Malkani, Policy Analyst
Commissioner Valerie Tulier                    Carol Sacco, Coordinator of Special Projects
                                                  Ann Courtright, Department Personnel Officer
Excused:                                        Rebecca Chiu, Accountant
                                                  Christina Neuner, Office Coordinator
Commissioner Carolene Marks                    Susan Murphy, Executive Assistant

Public:                    Beverly Upton, Executive Director of W.O.M.A.N., Inc.
                    Beckie Masaki, Executive Director of Asian Women’s Shelter
                    Bernice Casey, SF State Student

Facilitator:                    Yolanda Alindor

2)           ADOPTION OF AGENDA          Ms. Alindor distributed the agenda. She informed the public that the development for upcoming year, the part they were most likely interested in, would not happen until after lunch. Lunch was scheduled for an hour, but at the suggestion of Commissioner Shorter it would only be 30 minutes. The public agreed to come back at 12:30 p.m.

3)          NEW BUSINESS

v          Communication Guidelines:          Ms. Alindor asked the participants to create communication guides that would be used throughout the meeting.

v          Review of the Mission Statement

v          Review of the Program Direction:           Areas that were reviewed were: target of efforts, activities, best case outcomes, worst case outcomes, staffing and budget, and commitments.

v          Ms. Sonia Melara, Executive Director, introduced the speakers.
PRESENTATIONS:

THREE YEAR STRATIGIC PLAN- by Sonia Melara

v          Various events/celebrations achieved by COSW
v          25th Year Celebration
v          Staffing
v          Accomplishments - networked this year and now an official department
v          Women’s Voices Poll
v          Individual Development Account (IDA) Legislation
v          Need to work more with older women issues

CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN (CEDAW) - by Ann Lehman and Latika Malkani

v          Gender Analysis
v          Conference/symposium attended by Ann Lehman in Sweden
v          Organize a working symposium here
v          Work/Life surveys of City Department Policies and Practices

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (VAW) - by Rosario Navarrette

v          Needs Assessment Report
v          Recommendations

INTERNAL ISSUES

Staff discussed the department’s Personnel Policies and Procedures. A discussion was held regarding "family friendly" issues and exactly what that term meant. The staff spoke on their perceptions of the office environment regarding personnel policies implementation.

Recommendation

1)          Bring in a coach/facilitator to help problem-solve and for team building.
2)          Have a staff only meeting, then bring to the Commissioners once issues have been identified and recommendations are made.

This will be done dependent upon Sonia Melara’s return from medical leave.

CEDAW

Commissioner Murase suggested her attachment be considered. Two revisions were made. (See attachment)

Agreement: (Recommendation to the Commission)

CEDAW implementation:

Current:

Complete gender analysis with four departments, monitor two departments, family friendly policies: citywide survey & recommendations (continues in YR1-YR3), public awareness campaign (continues in YR1-YR3), planning for symposium (see YR1).

Year One (2001-2002):

- Monitoring six departments: 1) Department of Public Works, 2) Juvenile Probation Department, 3) Art Commission, 4) Rent Board, 5) Adult Probation, and 6) Commission on the Environment
- By June 30, 2002, complete 5-year citywide action plan to achieve gender equity
- Introduce policy and/or legislation
- Symposium on women and girls in nontraditional employment (focus on technology and trades, best practices, pre & post employment areas) working symposium-tentatively Summer/Fall 2001 event, follow-up throughout year and include findings in action plan

Year Two (2002-2003):

- Monitoring six departments
- Assume all Task Force duties by December 31, 2002
- Implementation of strategic plan for gender equity
- Introduce policy and/or legislation

Year Three (2003-2004):

- Monitoring six departments
- Implementation of strategic plan for gender equity
- Introduce policy and/or legislation

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (VAW)

There was a discussion regarding the three-year funding cycle and how the Violence Against Women Needs Assessment must be completed by November 2000. Latika Malkani reviewed the Needs Assessment preliminary findings for the benefit of the members of the public. President Miles asked if the agencies felt the Commission was approachable. The public expressed desire for more involvement, participation and communication. Ms. Upton stated that historically she did not know of many agencies that attended Commission meetings on a regular basis. Ms. Upton also stated that was the responsibility of the agencies for not showing.

Commissioner Shorter addressed the need for cross training for non-violence against women agencies. Ms. Upton stated non-violence against women agencies are trained by advocates o domestic violence agencies. Her agency has worked with 52 to 100 advocates over the years, working with substance abuse as well as mental health.

Agreement: (Recommendation to the Commission)

The Department will continue to engage in a three (3) year funding cycle and incorporate the recommendations from the VAW Needs Assessment.

EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMICS

Commissioner Emily Murase recommended:
Follow up on San Francisco Independent Task Force recommendation on Affirmative Action in Public Contracting with focus on access for WBE.

1)          Supervise a process and make recommendation for a Supervisor process.
2)          Focus on outreach
3)          Monitoring of Proposition 209

She expressed concern that the Department should not take on more work than it could
handle. Commissioner Andrea Shorter agreed with Commissioner Murase in not having a running list. However, Commissioner Shorter would like to make sure that there is some government agency monitoring the Consent Degree for law enforcement. Ms. Melara suggested that the City Attorney, Fire and Police Department provide the Commission with periodic reports on their progress.

Ms. Melara stated she made a personal commitment with National Policy Institute to begin the process to begin a Citywide Individual Development Account (IDA) for women. Commissioner Shorter and Beckie Masaki stated they too were working on the IDA.

Agreement: (Recommendation to the Commission)

v          Follow up on San Francisco Independent Task Force recommendation on Affirmative Action in Public Contracting with focus on access for WBE.
v          Plan process on City IDA

GIRLS

President Miles wondered if enough was being done to educate and empower girls regarding their safety. Commissioner Tulier stated that there should be a collaborative effort with community-based organization’s (CBO’s) and schools to make it into a curriculum.

President Miles stated she would like to see a Mayor’s Summit for Girls. Ms. Navarrette stated that currently the For Girls Coalition holds an annual summit for girls by girls. Commissioner Shorter, Founder of For Girls Coalition is currently doing a study on some of these issues, a human interest issue, but not a policy issue. Some alternatives she suggested: 1) find a way to continue conversation with SFUSD and Police Department, 2) work with CBO’s, and 3) support CBO’s efforts in this area.

NEXT STEPS

·          Housing issues to be discussed at the October Commission Meeting
·          Leadership Development: Staff recommendation via e-mail in November
·          Organization Development: Staff recommendation via e-mail in December
·          Health issues to be discussed at the November Commission Meeting
·          2001 Calendar for Commission
·          Need to discuss policy vs. service focus for the Department

What was not finished at the retreat will be continued at future Commission meetings.
Ms. Melara stated that everything that was going to affect the budget needs to be addressed in October and November of this year.

ACTION ITEM: The Presentation of a Certificate to the Housing Authority Domestic Violence Crisis Intervention Office.
m/s/c (Keehn/Shorter/Unanimous)

All who attended gave their individual opinion of what worked and did not work during the retreat.

ADJOURNMENT

Meeting was adjourned at 3:46 p.m.

Meeting Information