Meeting Information

COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN

City and County of San Francisco

MINUTES

Regular Meeting

Wednesday, April 25, 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 Ann Lehman

Vice President Carolene Marks Susan Murphy

Commissioner Julie Burton Carol Sacco

Commissioner Dorka Keehn Winnie Xie

Commissioner Emily Murase

Commissioner Andrea Shorter

Commissioner Valerie Tulier

1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL

President Miles called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m.

Commissioner Valarie Tulier arrived at 5:10 p.m.

Commissioner Dorka Keehn left at 6:40 p.m.

2. ADOPTION OF AGENDA

President Miles switched Agenda Items 6 and 7. Commissioner Keehn requested that she give the full discussion of the Domestic Violence investigation report during the Interim Executive Report. m/s/c (Murase, Marks, Majority) To adopt the revised agenda for the Wednesday, April 25, 2001, regular meeting.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Commissioner Marks noted grammatical errors and requested that they be corrected and also requested that the organizations who had listed

their local community meetings times and dates be added to the minutes. m/s/c (Murase, Marks, Unanimous) To approve the amended minutes of the Community Meeting held Wednesday, March 28, 2001.

4. PRESIDENT’S REPORT

· Executive Director Search: Ann Courtright, Personnel Analyst, gave a detailed report on the various methods of outreach she was using to advertise the Executive Director position.

· Amy Ackerman, City Attorney was on hand to answer questions. She explained the two step hiring process. 1) The hiring of the Executive Director is a joint process between the Mayor and Commission. 2) Commissioners review resumes, interview, come up with list of three recommendations and submit them to the Mayor. He makes the appointment. Amy Ackerman continued that since the Commission has already established a sub-committee to review the résumé’s, the sub-committee can do the initial screening, make recommendations about who should be interviewed then the full Commission makes the determination of who to present to the Mayor. When the Commission conducts a personnel search such as for a Department Head, discussions about the process take place in an open session. The Commission may go into closed session to screen résumé’s and to interview. Amy Ackerman stated if this body has established a personnel committee it is a Sunshine body and the meetings must be noticed. The Brown Act gives two policy reasons for allowing closed session for these matters: 1) to protect the privacy of the candidate; and 2) to allow the Commission to engage in candid discussion about the qualifications of the applicants.

5. INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Given by Ann Lehman, Policy Analyst, on behalf on Interim Executive Director, Rosario Navarrette

· Ms. Lehman expanded on other various listings that the Executive Director’s job description has been distributed to.

· The `Respect is What’s Sexy’ Campaign is published in Ms. Magazine April/May issue: The designer of the campaign will be designing a new logo for the Department’s website. Commissioner Shorter commended the staff of the Department for their work on the public awareness campaign.

· Commissioner Keehn reported on the Domestic Violence Public Hearing which will be held on Tuesday, May 15, 2001, from 3:00 to 7:30 p.m. at City Hall. There will also be a press conference at 11 a.m. in the Mayor’s pressroom.

· Take Our Daughter to Work Day is Thursday, April 26, 2001.

· The Women Who Make a Difference Awards will be held September 20, 2001, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The event is encompassing our Violence Against Women Awards.

· The 2001 Directory of Social Services for Women in San Francisco has been completed and is available for distribution.

· VERIZON has asked to be a partner for October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We will have more details at the next meeting.

· The Department has received thirty responses for the Work Life Survey.

· Staff attended the Youth Commission Public Hearing on Homelessness Issues for Youth in January.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT

6. NEW BUSINESS

· Peggy Coster, representing Independent Resource Center, gave a presentation regarding disabled women and Medicare. Ms. Coster requested a letter of support from the Commission. Commissioner Murase offered other means of support in addition to a letter of support: 1) Proclamation; and, 2) Action before the Board of Supervisors.

· Ann Lehman gave a report on the pending Federal Bankruptcy Law Bills requesting that the Commissioners vote on passing a resolution condemning the pending Federal Bankruptcy Law Bills H.R. 333 and S. 420. m/s/c (Murase/Marks/Unanimous) To approve the amended resolution by deleting ambiguous language.

· Christina Gotte, Co-President of The SF Chapter of Million Mom March gave a presentation and requested that the Commission endorse the event scheduled for May in Sacramento. m/s/c (Shorter/Tullier/Unanimous) To approve the endorsement of the Million Mom March.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT

7. OLD BUSINESS

· Commissioner Murase reported on the CEDAW Task Force members and made an announcement that Patti Chang is no longer able to serve due to scheduling conflicts. m/s/c (Murase/Marks/Unanimous) To adopt the CEDAW Task Force membership with the revision that the position for Community member for Economic Development and Employment is an open seat at this time.

m/s/c (Murase/Marks/Unanimous) Revised the motion to approve the appointment of Krishanti Dharmaraj with Youmna Chlala as alternate, as well as Cossette Thompson and Ken Theisen added as CEDAW Task Force members.

· The Commissioners discussed The Five Point Initiatives of issues drafted by Commissioner Shorter which were raised at the neighborhood meeting held March 28, 2001, in the Bayview Hunters Point community.

· Amy Ackerman, City Attorney, clarified that the Sunshine Ordinance provides that any policy body or committee that is formed at the initiative of another policy body (Commission) becomes a policy body. Commission Rules of Order allow committees to be formed, however, the meetings would have to be noticed with agendas and minutes. Another possibility is that the Commission could assign one Commissioner who can look at the issue and report back to the Commission. That Commissioner could then meet with whomever that Commissioner wants, as long as it is less than a quorum of the full Commission.

· Commissioner Marks announced that on September 29, 2001, a town meeting dealing with breast, prostate and colon cancer would be held at Providence Baptist Church.

· Commissioner Shorter stated that she would like a copy of the Five Point Initiative sent to Supervisor Maxwell as well as the organizations who were present at the March 28^th, Bayview Hunters Point community Commission meeting. Commissioner Shorter went on to say that she wished to strike her five point initiative and to actually continue to have discussions in order to have a more formalized process.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT

8. REPORT

· Friends of the Commission on the Status of Women - Update

Commissioner Tullier stated that the last meeting with the Friends Board went well. Unfortunately, the President of the Board, Mary Ann O’Shea will no longer be able to continue on as President. Rosario Navarrette re-confirmed the Department’s commitment to the Friends. Also, a new computer will be purchased with updated programs so that the data base can be updated as well as publication generated. The limit for the computer is $2,500. The Board members who were present re-affirmed their commitment and requested more involvement in terms of events that the Department coordinates. The Boards talents, skills and potential should be utilized. Looking at recruitment, the Board asked that each Commissioner recommend 5 names of women to the Board. A promotional flier has been designed to promote the Friends. Lastly, one of the Board members who is with a different organization (CARAL) shared a table with the Department at the Mayor’s Women’s Summit.

Ann Lehman, Policy Analyst, stated that Commissioner Burton gave a presentation with an associate to some of the staff of the Department as well as some of the Friends Board members regarding the possibilities of web site technology development.

9. PUBLIC COMMENT

No public comment.

10. ANNOUNCEMENTS

· Amy Ackerman, City Attorney, announced that Louise Renne, City Attorney, invited the Commission to a reception she was hosting for the Global Fund for Women to San Francisco. The Global Fund is a grant making organization. They are moving their offices to San Francisco. The reception will be held May 8, 2001, at her office in City Hall, Room 234 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

· Commissioner Miles stated that the Commission received a wonderful write up in the San Francisco Observer for the March Women Making History celebration written by Rochelle Metcalfe.

· Commissioner Marks stated that she would like a letter sent on behalf of the Commission to Francisca Vietor who is resigning. Commissioner Marks also spoke with Mayor Brown and he stated that he would like to see the Department and Commission more involved. He stated that he would like to have the Commission take charge of the Mayor’s Summit for Women.

· Commissioner Murase thanked the staff for sending out and mailing the various announcements.

· Commissioner Shorter invited everyone to the 25^th year anniversary for La Casa de las Madres, on May 8, 2001.

11. ADJOURNMENT

President Miles called for the meeting to adjourn at 7:40 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.