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2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
City and County of San Francisco
MINUTES
Regular Meeting
Wednesday, June 22, 2001 at 5:00 P.M.
City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 408
San Francisco, CA 94102

American Sign Language interpreters and a Sound Amplification System provided upon request with 48-hour advance notice to 415-252-2570. Limited accessible street parking available. Accessible MUNI Lines are the 15, 44, 23 and 24 lines. Accessible seating for persons with disabilities (including those using wheelchairs) will be available. Meeting proceedings available in alternative formats. In order to assist the City’s efforts to accommodate persons with severe allergies, environmental illness, multiple chemical sensitivity or related disabilities, attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various chemical based products. Please help the City to accommodate these individuals. To make arrangements or for accessibility information, contact Susan Murphy at 415-252-2570 (Voice) or 415-252-2550 (TDD).

MEMBERS PRESENT          STAFF PRESENT
President Juanita Miles          Rosario Navarrette
Vice President Carolene Marks          Susan Murphy
Commissioner Dorka Keehn
Commissioner Emily Murase
Commissioner Valerie Tulier

1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
President Miles called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m.
Commissioner Dorka Keehn arrived at 5:37 p.m.
Commissioner Julie Burton - excused
Commissioner Andrea Shorter - excused

2. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Commissioner Tulier requested that a revision be made to add an update of the Friends of the Commission to item ten (10) Announcements. Vice President Marks requested that the State Conference be added under Announcements as well. m/s/c (Marks, Tulier, Unanimous) To adopt the revised agenda for the Wednesday, June 22, 2001, regular meeting.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
m/s/c (Marks, Murase, Unanimous) To approve the minutes of the regular meeting held Wednesday, May 23, 2001.

4. PRESIDENT’S REPORT

· Commissioner Tulier agreed to be the alternate delegate for the National Association for the Commission of women.
· President Miles requested suggestions from the Commissioners for a Resolution to take with her to the National Association Convention.
· President Miles gave an update of the Executive Committee’s progress with the Executive Director’s search. They are reviewing the résumé’s-- and meeting with the Personnel Officer, Ann Courtright.
· An African Delegation came to the Department on the Status of Women offices of approximately 18 women delegates and their interpreters. It was a great opportunity to meet women from all over Africa and exchange information.
· Election of Officers will be taking place in August.

5. INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

· Department Budget: No changes were made to the department’s budget at the Board of Supervisor’s budget hearing that was held on June 20, 2001.
· Women Who Make a Difference Awards: The luncheon will be held on Friday, September 21, 2001, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in the Bay Room at Gabbiano’s at 1 Ferry Plaza, San Francisco.
· Bayview Hunters Point Meeting Follow-up: A meeting has been scheduled with Supervisor Maxwell for July 12th at 1:00 p.m.
· Verizon Partnership: Verizon proposes to donate a number of cell phones that will serve as independent living tools for the women in the three shelters. The cell phones will be prepaid with voicemail and speed dial set to the crisis line. They will also be donating $20,000 to W.O.M.A.N., Inc. to ensure staffing during the campaign to deal with the increase in calls. They will also donate $3,000 to be distributed evenly to the three shelters for translation of instructions for the use of the cell phones and any other need they may identify. The tentative date for launching the campaign is October 2nd.
· Description of Departmental Staff Positions: Enclosed in the Commissioners packets were brief descriptions of each position in the department and their roles.
· Domestic Violence Public Hearing: Transcription is in process of the proceeds of the public hearing. It will be included in the Review Panel’s final report.
· Violence Against Women (VAW) Contract Negotiations and Site Visits: Winnie Xie, Administrator for the VAW grants is currently conducting site visits, working with the City Attorney’s Office to prepare contacts and has begun negotiations for next fiscal year’s funding.
· Adult Sexual Assault Task Force: A letter was sent to Dr. Bob Oaking head of the Psychiatry inquiring on the status of the Victim Recovery Center.
· The Centralized Multilingual 24 Hour Crisis Line: On June 5, 2001, the members of the Board approved the City’s acceptance of The California Endowment Grant given to us in the amount of $145,475.00.
· Miscellaneous Items:
o Jennifer Mitchell is compiling the data submitted by the 40 departments on the Work-Life Survey.
o Ann Lehman was invited to conduct a presentation to the Public Interest Law Initiative in Transitional Societies (PILI) of Columbia Law School, about San Francisco’s adoption of CEDAW.
o Ms. Navarrette introduced the three new interns; Mary, Molly, and Helen and thanked them for their help.

PUBLIC COMMENT

· The public had concerns that there were no interpretive services available for the public who were present.
· Rosario Navarrette, the Interim Executive Director stated that the Department did not receive notification that any was needed. The public is informed to contact the office for any interpretive services (Language or American sign language). She also stated that there was no money allocated in the budget for interpretive services and that is one of the points being approached by the Department to the Board of Supervisors. President Miles stated that we were not derelict in our duties in sending notification and wanted to acknowledge that we are not insensitive to the needs of the community.
· Joanine Zhang: She commented that there is a lack of legal assistance in the Chinese community. More preventative measures and programs are needed that deal with cultural competency.

6.           SUPERVISOR AARON PESKIN

· Supervisor Peskin welcomed and thanked everyone for attending. He spoke on the work that Teresa Woo had done with Chinese Newcomers and extended his support to the new Director Julia Ling. He then went into detail the budgets that were granted at the Budget Hearing he had just attended prior to arriving at the Commission Meeting. He also stated that an issue with Chinatown as well as other neighborhoods is the equal access ordinance for mono-language access that was passed by the Board of Supervisors but was not provided for in the Mayor’s budget, the Board of Supervisors will fund it so that people will have access. He thanked the Commission for the work that they have done.

He stated how much funds were still available to him for add backs and the Commission requested additional funding for various programs.

7. PUBLIC COMMENT

· Peggy Coster: Commented on Patient’s Bill of Rights and stated how now would be a good time to make an issue of how poorly private insurance and medi-care cover health problems for people who have them. The Public Access Channel is making itself available to the disabled community.
· Kim Rojas, San Francisco Housing Authority Domestic Violence Unit: Asked for the Commissions support for their October Dinner Dance being held October 20, 2001, at 6 p.m. at Holiday Inn on Van Ness and donations of $55 are being requested.
· Pamela Song: Commented on the City’s need to provide more funding for housing, child care and jobs.
· Joanine Zhang: Commented that there is a language barrier that needs to be crossed so that people can attend the meetings and understand. She agreed with the previous speaker that the City needs to have more funding for affordable housing. She also stated that there is child care available for children age three years and above, but very few for newborn to three. Ms. Zhang wants to work but is prevented from doing so because she has to take care of the children. She believes there needs to be more job employment. There are lots of Chinese agencies but they need more funding.
· Liu Yan Fen: Commented on employment opportunity. She was a farmer in her homeland, arrived here and worked as a seamstress. A lot of factories are closing and looking for a job is difficult. She had read in the news that the Board of Supervisor has raised the living wage salary increased. She would like to see the wage increased in the private sector.
· Lai Nga Li: Commented that she would like to see more after school programs for children. She also seconded all the comments made before her.
· Ernestine Weiss: Commented on housing and appalled at the evictions of elderly and asked Supervisor Peskin to legislate. She also stated that maintenance is not being done.

8.          PRESENTATIONS

· Julia Ling, Acting Executive Director, Chinese Newcomers Service Center: The Existing outgoing Director, Theresa Woo, introduced the new incoming Executive Director, Julia Ling. Ms. Woo went on and spoke about the service that Chinese Newcomers Service Center provides for abused women: 1) Independent living working with them, 2) Every Wednesday the District Attorney’s Office sends a representative to help people who are abused or have difficulty with disasters. Also have a regular information referral and help people with computer knowledge. She asked that people visit their website. Also, do voter registration. In the summer children are invited to come and learn computer skills. In the future they want to provide ESL to be downloaded as well. They need more support from funding agencies.

· Madeline Ritchie, Executive Director, Department of Public Health: Their Health Center just celebrated 30 years in their building but the Health Department has been providing services since 1930 in Chinatown. The range of services have varied over the years. Right now they are providing primary care to individuals, health educations programs to the community, and women’s services including pre-natal pregnancy testing and family planning. She gave statistical information on the clients and staff. They link with various programs and network with a variety of social agencies. She stated that more funding is needed printed materials translated and more levels of ESL. There are currently long waits to the ESL program as well as need for more housing.

9.          NEW BUSINESS

· Proclamation to Dr. Coleman. m/s/c (Marks/Tulier/Unanimous) To approve the Proclamation to be presented to Dr. Coleman.
· Presentation by the San Francisco Local Homeless Coordinating Board. m/s/c (Murase/Keehn/Unanimous) To adopt the resolution approving the definition of homelessness adopted by the San Francisco Local Homeless Coordinating Board.
· Presentation by the San Francisco Local Homeless Coordinating Board. m/s/c (Marks/Keehn/Unanimous) To adopt the resolution approving the Continuum of Care Plan: A Five Year Strategic Plan for Homeless Services from 2001-2006.
· Letter to Elmy Bermejo, President. m/s/c (Tulier/Marks/Unanimous) To write a congratulatory letter to Elmy Bermejo on her appointment as President of the California Commission on the Status of Women.

PUBLIC COMMENT

· None at this time

10. ANNOUNCEMENTS

11. ADJOURNMENT

President Miles called for the meeting to adjourn at 8:00 p.m.

Know Your Rights under the Sunshine Ordinance

          (Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code)
Government’s duty is to serve the public, reaching its decision in full view of the public. Commissions, boards, councils and other agencies of the City and County exist to conduct the people’s business. This ordinance assures that deliberations are conducted before the people and that City operations are open to the people’s review. For more information on your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance, or to report a violation of the Ordinance, contact the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force at 415-554-7724. To obtain a free copy of the Sunshine Ordinance contact the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, Donna Hall, Clerk, City Hall, Room 409, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102-4683, phone: 415-554-7724, fax: 415-554-7854, email: Donna_Hall@ci.sf.ca.us. Copies of the Sunshine Ordinance can also be obtained from the San Francisco Public Library and on the City’s website at www.ci.sf.ca.us.

The Board of Supervisors has amended the Sunshine Ordinance by adding provision 67A.1. The provision is effective as of January 21, 2001.

The ringing of and use of cell phones, pagers, and similar sound producing electronic devices are prohibited at this meeting. Please be advised that the Chair may order the removal from the meeting room of any person(s) responsible for the ringing or use of a cell phone, pager or other similar sound-producing electronic devices.

To review or obtain documents referred to on agenda, contact Susan Murphy at 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 130, San Francisco, CA 94102; phone: 415-252-2570, fax: 415-252-2575.

Attention: Individuals and entities that influence or attempt to influence local legislative or administrative action may be required by the San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance (SF Admin Code 16.520 - 16.534) to register and report lobbying activity. For more information about the Lobbyist Ordinance, please contact the Ethics Commission at 1390 Market Street, #701, San Francisco, CA 94102; phone: 415-554-9510, fax: 415-703-0121 and web site http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/ethics/.

Meeting Information