Meeting Information

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SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

3:00 – 4:30 PM

25 Van Ness, Suite 140

San Francisco, CA  94102

 

                        Members Present                                          Staff Present          

                                                Commissioner Kay Gulbengay                Executive Director Emily Murase, PhD                                                    Commissioner Dorka Keehn                  Policy Analyst Ann Lehman                                                                   Vice President Carolene Marks                      Administrative Analyst Laura Marshall

                                    Commissioner Katherine Munter            Policy Analyst Anu Menon

                                    President Andrea Shorter                       Grants Administrator Carol Sacco

                                                            Commission Secretary Cynthia Vasquez

                                                            Intern Cecilia Terrazas

                                   

                                    Excused: Commissioner Nikki Calma

           

           

I.          CALL TO ORDER/AGENDA CHANGES

President Shorter called the meeting to order at 3:08 pm and welcomed all present.  

Action:  Approved agenda.  m/s/c/ (Marks/Gulbengay/Unanimous)

No public comment.

 

II.        MID-YEAR CUTS

Executive Director Murase explained that, due to the City’s current deficit of $125, the Mayor’s Office had instructed each department to make mid-year cuts to their budgets.  At the November meeting of the Commission, the Commission voted against making funding cuts to the agencies the Department is currently funding.  Dr. Murase explained that in order to meet the Mayor’s directive, a reduction in staffing was necessary.  Dr. Murase stated that the department’s senior policy analyst position.  Discussion followed.

 

Dr. Murase introduced the Mayor’s Budget Analyst Rebekeh Krell to provide insight into how other departments where dealing with budget cuts.  Ms. Krell explained that budget instructions were given to each department head to make budget cuts while protecting direct services.  Each department had a threshold to meet.  Ms. Krell explained that many departments are facing major cuts and major layoffs.  The Mayor’s office is looking for creative decisions and recommendations for the next fiscal year as the budget deficit is expected to grow beyond the current estimate of $250 million.    

 

Commissioners discussed possibilities in meeting the Mayor’s directive without losing a staff person since the Department on the Status of Women is one of the smaller departments within the city.  Dr. Murase explained that the majority of the Department’s funds go to agencies providing direct services, where only a very small percentage goes to the Department’s administration.  In order to meet the Mayor’s directive, she was required to make a layoff.  Commissioners asked that they be fully informed of budget reductions to the Department. 

 

III.       PUBLIC COMMENT

Beverly Upton, Executive Director of the Domestic Violence Consortium, expressed appreciation on behalf of the agencies for the Commission’s process through these difficult times.    

 

IV.       ADJOURN

Motion to adjourn meeting.

m/s/c (Marks/Keehn/Unanimous).

Meeting adjourned at 3:50 pm.

 

American Sign Language interpreters and a Sound Amplification System provided upon request with 48-hour advance notice to

415-252-2570. Translation into languages other than English is also available with 48-hour notice. Limited accessible street parking available.  Accessible MUNI Metro station in the Van Ness Station and lines are J, K, L, M and N.  Accessible MUNI Lines are the 6, 7, 9, 42, 47, 49, and 71 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 obtain a disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, to participate in the meeting, please contact the Department on the Status of Women at least two business days before the meeting at 415-252-2570 (Voice) or 415-252-2550 (TTD).  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.

 

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)

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, City Hall, Room 244, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102-4689, phone: 415-554-7724, fax: 415-554-7854.  Copies of the Sunshine Ordinance can also be obtained from the San Francisco Public Library and on the City’s website at www.sfgov.org.

 

Lobbyist Registration and Reporting Requirements

Individuals and entities that influence or attempt to influence local legislative or administrative action may be required by the San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance [SF Campaign & Governmental Conduct Code § 2.100] to register and report lobbying activity.  For more information about the Lobbyist Ordinance, please contact the San Francisco Ethics Commission at 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 220, San Francisco, CA  94102; phone: 415-252-3100, fax: 415-252-3112; web site: sfgov.org/ethics.