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COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
4:30 PM
City Hall, Room 408
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
Members Present Staff Present
Vice President Williams Executive Director Emily Murase, PhD
Commissioner Andrea Evans Department Secretary Jennifer Baker
Commissioner Dorka Keehn CEDAW Analyst Kim-Shree Maufas
Commissioner Jing Xu Lee Justice & Courage Analyst Colleen Montoy
Commissioner Carolene Marks Policy Analyst Carol Sacco
Commissioner Katherine Munter
I. CALL TO ORDER / AGENDA CHANGES
Vice President Williams called the meeting to order at 4:32 pm. No public comment.
II. CLOSED SESSION
Pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(c) and San Francisco Administrative Code 67.10(d)
A. No Public Comment on Matters Pertaining to Closed Session.
B. Action: The Commission Voted to Hold Closed Session to Confer with Legal Counsel. m/s/c (Keehn/Munter/unanimous).
C. Conference with Legal Counsel
Pursuant to Government Code Sections 54956.9(a) and San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.10(d)(1), the Commission met in closed session to confer with legal counsel regarding existing litigation:
State of California Department of Fair Employment and Housing
Martin v. Department on the Status of Women
Charge No. E200304A1604-00-RSE/37AA404378
III. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION
A. Action: The Commission voted not to report on action taken in closed session.
Pursuant to Government Code section 54957.1(a)(2), San Francisco Administrative Code section 67.12(b)(2)
B. Action: The Commission voted not to disclose any or all discussion held in closed session.
Pursuant to San Francisco Administrative section 67.12(a).
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Action: Approved draft minutes from May 24, 2006 with minor changes. m/s/c (Williams/Keehn/Unanimous). No public comment.
V. PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Vice President Angela Williams updated the Commission on logistics for the July Strategic Planning Retreat and thanked Commissioner Marks and Executive Director Murase for all their hard work. Vice President Williams also offered her congratulations to the Department on the Status of Women (Department) and the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Task Force for a recent award from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for their Gender Analysis Report.
Vice President Williams reported on a recent meeting of the Sweatfree Procurement Advisory Committee, noting that she supplied the Department with information about the group for those interested.
IV. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
A. Executive Director
Executive Director Murase reported that the Justice and Courage Safety Audit videoconference with Department Heads was held on June 23 and that the project received an enthusiastic response from all of those involved. She directed Commissioners to her written report for more information and the full project timeline.
Dr. Murase introduced new intern Miwa Hashimoto who joined the Department after recently graduating from Saint Mary’s College. Ms. Hashimoto reported that she is looking forward to working with the Commission throughout the summer.
B. Staff Report
Policy Analyst Ann Lehman reported to the Commission on her work with the CEDAW Taskforce and the Gender Analysis Report. She noted that she is thrilled that the report received recognition from NACo and that she looks forward to presenting a draft gender analysis of the Department to the CEDAW Committee at the July meeting.
C. Agency Partner Profile – Asian Perinatal Advocates
Dr. Murase reported that Asian Perinatal Advocates was unable to present as part of the agenda due to a community open house they were hosting that evening.
V. CONSENT AGENDA
All matters listed hereunder constitute a Consent Agenda and are considered to be routine by the Commission on the Status of Women. They will be acted upon by a single roll call vote of the Commission. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the Commission so requests, in which event the matter shall be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered as a separate item. Members of the public may speak on each item listed on the Consent Agenda.
Dr. Murase asked that Commissioners contact Department Secretary Baker if they are interested in attending any upcoming community events, especially those for which a resolution has been drafted.
Action: Approved Consent Agenda. m/s/c (Keehn/Evans/Unanimous)
A. Res. 2006-032: Resolution Recognizing Asian Perinatal Advocates’ 19th Anniversary Dinner
B. Violence Prevention Supplemental Appropriation
Action: The Commission voted to allocate $800,000 to VAW partner agencies as an across-the-board increase over current funding levels.
Commissioner Lee left the meeting at 5:20 pm.
VI. OLD BUSINESS
A. Labor Conditions of Exotic Dancers
Commissioner Evans provided an update on the draft legislation concerning the Labor Conditions of Exotic Dancers. She began her report by providing Commissioners with a general overview of the legislation, noting that it creates a permitting structure for live adult entertainment businesses in San Francisco where none has previously existed. Commissioner Evans also clearly explained the purpose of the legislation as she sees it: to eliminate stage fees and private booths in San Francisco, both of which she believes lead to an environment of coerced prostitution in clubs and one that is hazardous to women.
She thanked Deputy City Attorney Dorji Roberts for all of his hard work on the legislation and for being present at the meeting to answer the Commissioners’ questions.
Deputy Attorney Roberts provided the Commission with the latest draft of the legislation, noting that the only questions remaining for the Commission concern the language restricting private booths and enclosures in live adult entertainment clubs, new language that was added about a right to private action, and the language addressing past labor violations as they relate to permitting.
After discussion, including a review of the observations gathered following a visit of two adult entertainment clubs by Executive Director Murase, Secretary Baker, and Commissioner Evans, the Commission voted to approve the language of the legislation with a few minor changes. Commissioner Keehn thanked Commissioner Evans and the Department for their hard work and noted that she is eager to see this legislation move forward through upcoming discussions with the Entertainment Commission. Secretary Baker added that she would forward information about the Department’s July 21 presentation before the Legislative Committee of the Entertainment Commission to Commissioner Keehn.
Public Comment
Daisy Anarchy expressed concern designating the Entertainment Commission as the permitting body in the legislation and asked the Commission to instead consider the Department of Public Health as an alternative. She also asked for clarification about dancer names vs. legal names as they are defined in the legislation. Finally, Ms. Anarchy asked the Commission to reconsider language in the legislation restricting private booths, as she fears that the language as it currently exists allows for dangerous private enclosures to still be constructed by club owners.
Naomi Akers asked if Private Rooms exclude dancers’ dressing rooms. Ms. Akers asked if the legislation was specific and outlined how big the viewing glass or window had to be, for example 4’x4’ or 2”x2”. Ms. Akers also asked if there is an option that other patrons would have to pay to view the rooms.
Action: The Commission voted to approve the language of the legislation with minor changes, as given to Deputy Attorney Roberts as part of the meeting. m/s/c (Keehn/Munter/unanimous).
Commissioner Keehn left the meeting at 6:55pm.
B. VisitacionValleyCommunity Meeting Follow-up
Executive Director Murase reported on a recent meeting between the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice and the Department, including Commission President Andrea Shorter, regarding results from a safety survey conducted in Visitacion Valley. However, in the interest of time, Dr. Murase asked that further discussion be added to the agenda of a future meeting, at which time she would report on the survey.
C. Strategic Planning Update
Vice President Williams reported that she and Executive Director Murase recently took part in a training hosted by CompassPoint about Strategic Planning Retreats. She also noted that she has been working with Dr. Murase to refine the agenda following this training, and that she looks forward to a productive retreat on July 28. She once again thanked Commissioner Marks for her input on the planning of the meeting.
IX. NEW BUSINESS
A. Universal Healthcare
Commissioner Marks reviewed different proposals for Universal Healthcare in San Francisco. Specifically she spoke in detail about Supervisor Tom Ammiano’s proposal to provide health benefits to the City’s 38,000 uninsured workers, and Mayor Gavin Newsom’s Health Access Program serving uninsured adults. She reported that both proposals will be addressed in a reading before the Board of Supervisor in July and that she will update the Commission further as part of her report on health at the Strategic Planning retreat on July 28. Until that time, Commissioner Marks also agreed to follow-up with the Small Business Commission and the Women’s Chamber of Commerce to alert them to the various proposals, and specifically, to encourage their members to discuss how each plan impacts small business owners.
B. Domestic Violence and Supportive Housing
Sheila Hunter, who recently graduated with a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the University of California at Berkeley, presented her thesis project on domestic violence and supportive housing in San Francisco, which she developed in close collaboration with La Casa de las Madres. She spoke about the Mayor’s 10 year report on homelessness, and articulated her concerns that victims of domestic violence are being unfairly evicted from their supportive housing and are not adequately represented in figures relating to homelessness in San Francisco. The goal of Ms. Hunter’s thesis project was to develop best practices for landlords dealing with victims of domestic violence and she urged the Commission to support these findings once they become public and go before the Mayor for consideration. She offered to follow-up with Secretary Baker to forward to the Commission copies of her report, as well as a detailed list of recommendations to the Commission on next steps.
C. Proposed Charter Amendment – Teleconferencing and Members of Boards and Commissions
Executive Director Murase reported on a charter amendment before the Board of Supervisors on teleconferencing for members of Boards and Commissions in cases when a member is unable to attend a meeting due to pregnancy or childbirth. The Commission raised questions about this amendment’s effect on meetings missed due to illness and asked Dr. Murase to investigate further and report back at a later date. She agreed to clarify with Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, who drafted the amendment.
D. Department Budget FY06-07
Executive Director Murase provided an update on the proposed Department budget for FY06-07. She also reported on the Department’s budget hearings before the Board of Supervisors, noting that she is concerned about next year’s budget outlook and has therefore taken steps in this budget season to ensure a healthy future for the Department and its Partner Agencies.
X. REPORTS
A. Health
Commissioner Marks noted that her report was covered previously in item IX.A. of the agenda.
B. Justice & Courage
In Commissioner Keehn’s absence, Executive Director Murase noted that the Justice & Courage Report was covered by VI.A. of the agenda and directed the Commission to her Executive Director’s report for more detailed information about the project timeline.
C. VAW Grants Program
Commissioner Munter thanked Grants Administrator Richard Eijima for his hard work and noted that all of the supplemental appropriation and grant renewals for FY06-07 have been signed and are ready to be processed. She also reported that earlier in the day, Mr. Eijima and Policy Analyst Lehman led a training for partner agencies about fundraising and recruiting effective board members. Commissioner Munter noted that she is concerned that Partner Agencies understand how important it is to maintain viable funding sources apart from the Department.
D. CEDAW
Vice President Williams again congratulated the CEDAW Task Force on its award from NACo and reported that the next CEDAW Committee meeting will be held on July 18, at which time a draft of the Department’s gender analysis report will be presented.
E. Friends of the Commission on the Status of Women
Vice President Williams reported that she has been in recent contact with both President Toni Wilson and Vice President Adrienne Pon and that Ms. Wilson will be on-hand at the July Strategic Planning Retreat to update the Commission on the Status of the Friends.
F. Economic Development
Commissioner Munter noted that she, along with Commissioner Marks, will follow-up with the Small Business Commission about their participation in future discussions about universal healthcare. She also reported that she recently represented the Mayor’s Office at the project launch of the San Francisco Chapter of Dress for Success. Secretary Baker is currently working with their Executive Director to schedule a presentation in front of the Commission.
XI. PUBLIC COMMENT
No public comment.
XII. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 pm.
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.
Explanatory documents: For copies of explanatory documents listed in this agenda, and other related materials received by COSW, please contact the Department on the Status of Women at 25 Van Ness Ave, Suite 130, San Francisco, CA 94102; phone: 415-252-2570, fax: 415-252-2575. Also, to the extent possible, documents will be available on the COSW website at http://www.sfgov.org/cosw.
Know Your Rights under the Sunshine Ordinance(Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code)
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Lobbyist Registration and Reporting Requirements
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