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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
Special Meeting
Friday, July 27, 2001 at 5:00 P.M.
25 Van Ness Avenue, 3rd Floor
Room 330, AIDS Conference Room A
San Francisco, CA 94102
(DRAFT)
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                    Ann Courtright
Vice President Carolene Marks                    Susan Murphy
Commissioner Julie Burton
Commissioner Dorka Keehn
Commissioner Emily Murase
Commissioner Andrea Shorter
Commissioner Valerie Tulier

1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
President Miles called the meeting to order at 5:10 p.m.
Commissioner Valerie Tulier arrived at 5:11 p.m.
Commissioner Emily Murase excused herself at 5:50 p.m.

2. PUBLIC COMMENT (on all matters pertaining to the closed session)
None

3. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE APPOINTMENT/HIRING:          DISCUSSION
Executive Director of the Department on the Status of Women
Commissioner Shorter requested that the process of the Executive Search Committee be recorded.

President Miles stated that after extensive outreach, eighty-four resumes were received. The criteria for reviewing the resumes was established by the Executive Search Committee with input by one additional commissioner. The Executive Search Committee asked Ann Courtright, Personnel Officer to review all resumes and remove those that clearly did not meet required criteria. Nineteen resumes were removed, leaving sixty-five resumes for the Executive Search Committee to review. Each member of the Executive Search Committee independently reviewed sixty-five resumes using the criteria established. The Executive Search Committee met and selected seven of the sixty-five individuals to invite to interview. The Committee developed standard interview questions to ask each candidate and asked Department staff to submit suggestions for questions as well. Three staff member’s submitted ideas, all of which were incorporated into the final interview questions of the seven candidates who were invited to an interview, two candidates withdrew hours before their scheduled interview. Five candidates were interviewed and one candidate withdrew her name the day after her interview. Four candidates remained interested after the interview.

Several commissioners questioned the criteria that was used. Ann Courtright and Commissioner Tulier answered the questions by reading the first paragraph of the criteria as well as explained how the search committee established the criteria. Commissioner Keehn asked if the Commission as a whole approved or voted on the process. She stated that at a previous commission meeting City Attorney Amy Ackerman had advised the Commission on the proper process.

Commissioners Keehn and Shorter questioned the process and asked if a step was missed, due to the fact that it seemed from one meeting to another it went from reviewing résumés to having picked the final candidates. President Miles stated that the Commission had been updated at every meeting and reminded them that there is a four-week period between every meeting; therefore, the process continued to move forward during that period. Adine Varah, Deputy City Attorney was present in lieu of Attorney Ackerman who is currently on leave, and was asked by the commissioners if the proper procedures were being followed. Deputy City Attorney Varah stated she was not present at the meeting Attorney Ackerman had attended; however, she reviewed the minutes and what they reflected in regards to the process. She stated that by having the special meeting and closed session, the Commission was currently following the process required by the Sunshine Ordinance and in accordance with Charter Section 4.102(5), which states that, "Unless otherwise specifically provided, [the Commission shall] submit to the Mayor at least three qualified applicants and if rejected, to make additional nominations in the same manner, for the position of Department Head subject to the appointment of the Mayor."

Deputy City Attorney Varah also reviewed certain provisions of sections 67.3 and 67.4 of the Sunshine Ordinance for commission members. Ms. Varah noted that when the commission takes an action to create a committee, the committee becomes a full "policy body" and is subject to the same public meeting, record, minutes, and agenda requirements as the full commission. In contrast, where a member of the commission, the Mayor, or a department head creates an advisory committee by his or her own initiative, then that committee is a "passive meeting body" that is subject to less stringent requirements under the Sunshine Ordinance. Attorney Varah stated regardless of whether the search committee qualified as a policy body or simply a passive meeting body, the ultimate decision of final nominations of candidates is up to the full Commission under the Charter.

Deputy City Attorney Varah stated that the minutes and the Commissioners’ comments suggest that there may have been some ambiguity regarding the scope of authority of the Executive Search Committee and its reporting obligations to the full Commission. She reassured the commission that what they are currently doing by holding this special meeting and closed session is entirely appropriate.

Commissioner Tulier stated that for future proceedings, clear policies should be established. They must state everything that needs to be approved and in what process as well as provide updates. Commissioner Shorter also stated that for the future they should have more clarity in terms of the points of a process and have the Commission’s input as a whole.

President Miles stated that she was in continuous contact with the Commissioners and kept them abreast of the process and proceedings. She stated that in the future criteria for a process would be set.

Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957 and San Francisco administrative Code Section 67.10(b) discussion and possible action to nominate a candidate(s) to the Mayor for appointment as Executive Director. - Closed Session

President Miles went into closed session at 6:00 p.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT                                        STAFF PRESENT
President Juanita Miles                                        Ann Courtright
Vice President Carolene Marks
Commissioner Julie Burton
Commissioner Dorka Keehn
Commissioner Andrea Shorter
Commissioner Valerie Tulier

President Miles reconvened the open session at 7:20 p.m.

Reconvened in open session. Pursuant to San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.12(b)(4): motion and vote to report any action or roll call vote taken concerning the nomination of a candidate(s) to the Mayor for appointment as Executive Director.

Motion and voted to elect whether to disclose any or all of the discussions held in closed session pursuant to San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.12(a).

m/s/c (Burton, Keehn, Unanimous) Motioned that no action was taken during closed session.

m/s/c (Keehn, Burton, Unanimous) Motioned not to disclose any of the discussions held in closed session.

The Commission addressed the next steps in the Executive Search for Executive Director:

1. Ann Courtright will provide each commissioner with the resumes as well as one blank rating sheet for the top twenty-five candidates (excluding those reviewed in closed session on 7/27/01).
2. Commissioners will review and rate each candidate using the rating sheet provided. Commissioners will return the rating sheets to Ms. Courtright before the August 22, 2001 commission meeting. Ms. Courtright will tabulate the ratings from all seven Commissioners and compute the average rating for each candidate.
3. Commissioners will meet at the next publicly noticed regular meeting which will be held August 22, 2001, and continue the discussion of the candidates in a closed session meeting and decide whether other candidates should be interviewed by the Executive Search Committee or the whole Commission based on the ratings compiled by Ms. Courtright. If so, the Commission would postpone making nominations until the reviews, interviews and ratings are complete. If not, the Commission will proceed with nominations.

4.           PUBLIC COMMENT
None

5.           ADJOURNMENT
m/s/c (Marks/Shorter/Unanimous) Motioned to adjourn the meeting.
President Miles called for the meeting to adjourn at 7:35 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