June 14, 2012

1. Call to Order and Roll Call
5:30 PM

Present Commissioners: Sally Stephens, Jack Aldridge DVM, Pam Hemphill, Susanna Russo, Geneva Page, Ryan Young, John Denny – SFPD

Absent Commissioners: Philip Gerrie, Lisa Wayne – Rec & Park, Vicki Guldbech – ACC

2. General Public Comment

No Public Comment

3. Approval of Draft Minutes from the May 10, 2012 Meeting

No Commission nor Public Comment

Minutes approved unanimously as written

4. Chairperson’s Report and Opening Remarks

A) Update on Rules Committee hearing to fill expiring appointments to the Commission

Comr. Stephens – Spoke with Clerk of Rules Committee. Hearing for filling of expired Commission seats may not happen until September. They are busy with ballot initiatives in June & July. They take August off. They may fit us in in July but we are not a priority since we serve until we are replaced.

No Public Comment

B) Update on Joint Zoo Oversight Committee

Comr. Stephens – JZ discussions in the last few months have been about the death of several beloved animals, the lion, spectacled bear, black rhinoceros, giant eland, grey seal, and a tiger. All due to complications of old age. Believe the increased focus on the zoo by this Commission and the public has had an impact. Recent acquisitions have all come from rescue situations. The zoo is working with Terry Maple, former head of the Atlanta Zoo. He calls his approach to the animals, “wellness”, having to do with the physical as well as the emotional health of the animals. I invited him to come to our Commission to talk to us about his approach that is animal wellness focused and not as much on conservation focused. He wants to bridge the gap between zoo people and animal welfare people.

No Public Comment

5. Old Business

Discussion/action to send a Quarterly Report of the Commission’s discussions and actions taken in the second quarter of 2012 to the Supervisors

Comr. Stephens – This is back again due to a typo from last month’s agenda that said the report was for 2011 not 2012. Checked with our City Attorney and she recommended that we vote on it again with the correct year to avoid any confusion. The report is almost identical to the one we voted on last month. There is additional information about the bison that was found dead.

Comr. Hemphill – Would like the links in the letter about Dog Bite Prevention month.

Comr. Stephens – This is not intended to be a letter to the Sups but a summary of what we have talked about.

Comr. Hemphill – Since the draft letter is not on our website the links are not available to the public.

Comr. Stephens – We could put a draft of the letter on our website.

Comr. Hemphill – Either way but it is easier to put it into this report with the links.

Comr. Aldridge – This is a quarterly report to the Supervisors. It should have enough information so they can see what we have been talking about. I don’t know if adding the links makes any difference.

Comr. Hemphill – We are also putting it up on the website so it is a summary for the public as well.

Comr. Aldridge – Yes, the question is what should be in a summary.

Comr. Hemphill - The links are only available in the letter sent to the Supervisors so the only place the public could get those links would be in the Quarterly Report.

Comr. Denny – The SF Health Code 41.3 says only that we should send a written report to the Supervisors.

Comr. Hemphill - Yes but we also voted to put it up on the website.

Comr. Stephens - My concern is the precedence to have to include URL’s in the future. If it is just a couple this time, I’m ok either way. This is just a summary and not intended to be a source of information.

Comr. Hemphill – We could instead post a draft of the letter sent to the Supervisors.

Comr. Stephens – We could do that but then we should post all the letters we have sent to the Supervisors. We could also put the draft in the supplemental information section for April 2012 on our website.

No Public Comment

Vote on sending Quarterly Report for second quarter of 2012 as written and to put Comr. Hemphill letter to the Supervisors under supplemental information for the ACWC April 2012 meeting.
Passed unanimously

6. General Public Comment

No Public Comment

7 & 8. Calendar Items and Task Allotments

Comr. Stephens – Comr. Gerrie offered to follow and visit the Supervisors after I send the Quarterly Report.

9. Adjournment 5:55 PM Philip Gerrie
Commission Secretary