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January 23, 2001

 

SUNSHINE ORDINANCE TASK FORCE

REGULAR MEETING

MINUTES

Tuesday, January 23, 2001

4:00 p.m. City Hall, Room 408

Task Force Members

    Seat 1 Judith Appel Seat 8 Robert Planthold

    Seat 2 Bruce Brugmann Seat 9 Daniel Guillory

    Seat 3 Vince Courtney Seat 10 Paul Hogan, Vice Chair

    Seat 4 Marie-Lorraine Mallare Seat 11 Sue Cauthen

    Seat 5 Tuesday Ray Ex-officio Lillian Hare

    Seat 6 Hilda Bernstein, Chair Ex-officio Vacant

    Seat 7 Ted Kowalczuk

Roll Call

    Absent: Brugmann, Mallare

1. Approval of Minutes of December 19, 2000

    Minutes approved. (Planthold/Ray)

2. Report from Chair

    Chair Hilda Bernstein reported that Jackie Minor will remain as counsel to the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force; requested the Ad Hoc Conflict of Interest Committee to expend their purview to include potential conflicts vis-à-vis members of the Task Force as well as those of our elected representatives; inquiry to be sent to State Attorney General asking whether the appointment of members to the HRC Minority/Women Business Enterprise Advisory Committee was done in accordance with State and Local laws; Planning Commission President to meet with Chair regarding scheduling of public comment; responded to letter from Hillary Gitleman of Planning Department; members who have missed two meetings were sent letters reminding them of the three-missed-meeting rule; requested the Rules Committee to look into extending the three-missed-meetings rule to committees; to meet with Supervisor Gonzalez, Chair of the Rules Committee, in the near future.

    Discussion held regarding requesting opinion from State Attorney General regarding sole assignment of attorney to the Task Force. It was the consensus of the Task Force that further discussion of this item was required.

    Public Comment from Gilbert Criswell regarding the sole source attorney discussion.

3. Report from City Administrator on semi-annual progress of records index

    Jill Lerner, City Administrator’s Office, reported on the second semi-annual report to the Task Force on the progress of the records index. Ms Lerner stated 13 departments’ record retention schedules had been approved by the City Attorney’s Office; as the record retention schedules receive the necessary approvals, they will be posted on the web.

4. Report from Rules Committee

    No report.

5. Report from Complaint Committee

    Chair Judy Appel reported the results of the last Complaint Committee; the request for a hearing from Courtney and Courtney on behalf of Bruce Easley and Maria Zelaya was withdrawn; the William complaint set for hearing.

    Public comment from Gilbert Criswell regarding copies of material not being available to the public at the last meeting.

6. Report of Public Education & Information Committee

    Chair Paul Hogan reported he had met with representatives of the Department of Telecommunications and Information Systems regarding updating the Task Force web page; the Committee had obtained a listing of neighborhood groups from the Planning Department; press releases were now being issued.

7. Hearing of Les Goldner against the Recreation & Park Department

    Les Goldner addressed the Task Force stating he had not received a mailing list he had requested for the San Francisco Marina Harbor Tenants Association from the Recreation and Park Department.

    Mike Morlin, Recreation & Park Department addressed the Task Force stating the request for the mailing list was denied because the Association was requesting home addresses and telephone numbers; the Department is willing to do a mailing if the Association brings in the information they wished mailed; the Department will print mailing labels and mail the information; the Department would be willing to do a mailing with a consent form to be returned stating the Department may release the home addresses and telephone numbers to the Association; the return form could be mailed directly to the Association.

    Jackie Minor, City Attorney’s Office, stated the advice from the City Attorney’s Office is that there is a state statute provision regarding a right to privacy with respect to home addresses and telephone numbers.

    Hilda Bernstein stated there is a larger issue of the use of taxpayer support for property and the issue of privacy-has asked counsel for information on this.

    Public comment from John Jacobson stating in the past Recreation and Park has done mailings on behalf of the Association; there is an element of censorship by the Department; there is no commercial interest by the Association.

    Public comment from Gilbert Criswell regarding the advice on the state statute and Prop G.

    Public comment from Courtney Clarkson stating the only information the Association receives is from the Association; would urge the mailing list be provided to Mr. Goldner.

    The following order of determination was adopted: (Appel/Planthold)

    Brugmann, Mallare absent)

      Without making a determination regarding the privacy issues implicated by this complaint, the Sunshine Ordinance task Force orders:

      (1) Recreation and Park Department will supply a list of names and berth numbers within 72 hours, and will do so in a timely manner upon an "Immediate Disclosure Request" at any time in the future.

      (2) Recreation and Park Department will mail a consent form, drafted by the San Francisco Marina Harbor Tenants Association with a return envelope to the Association.

      (3) Recreation and Park Department will continue to send any mailings upon request in the future.

11. Public Comment

    Gilbert Criswell addressed the Task Force regarding the privacy issue.

8. Hearing of Kevin Williams against the Human Rights Commission

    Kevin Williams addressed the Task Force stating the Human Rights Commission failed to respond in a timely manner to a request for documents; was served with a letter with an invoice for payment of $593.80 for the cost of reproducing copies of records; all records were not released; requesting relief from the cost of reproducing the records; any senior manager would be able to have the records at no cost; HRC is requesting payment for records or look at records on vacation and/or comp time; HRC did not make good faith effort to provide requested documents.

    Cathy Barnes, City Attorney’s Office, representing the HRC, stated the issue is not that Mr. Williams cannot have the records; the issue is that he must pay for the records or look at the records at the HRC office during the time he is not working for the HRC; Mr. Williams may see records on his own time during business hours; HRC made good faith effort to provide requested documents.

    Discussion held among the Task Force regarding paying/not paying for the records; possibility of waiving the fee; question of whether the Task Force has jurisdiction to make judgment whether or not someone uses their own time or part of their work program or employer time to look at documents-could be a labor issue; why not just give the person the records; this person is an employee; flexibility is a great value.

    Cathy Barnes stated if the policy is waived for paying the fees for one person, should then be waived for others.

    Member Tuesday Ray left the meeting at this time.

    Task Force Member Appel stated possibly the Task Force could help broker a solution so Mr. Williams could be provided the documents; confused by the $600 fee; would urge resolution of matter where Mr. Williams is not forced to use his personal time; feel the HRC is not operating in good faith; HRC could lend documents to Mr. Williams to flag the ones he would like copied.

    Chair Bernstein stated HRC does not have a good reputation; seems this is an opportunity to turn this around; what is logic of charging Mr. Williams; perhaps HRC could lend him the documents to review what he wants.

    Task Force Member Courtney stated Task Force should be direct and firm in the Order of Determination; Task Force has the authorization to deal with complaints on a case-by-case basis; this would not bind us with respect to another complaint.

    Task Member Planthold stated it looked like there were two options-Mr. Williams to pay the full fee, or take his own time to scrutinize the documents and select the pages he wants to have copied.

    Task Member Guillory stated his main concern is whether or not the Task Force will set a precedent if an exception is made.

    Cathy Barnes stated the HRC feels it has fulfilled its obligation under the Sunshine Ordinance; HRC is complying with the statutes as set forth and are responding as they do to other requests.

    Jackie Minor, City Attorney’s Office, stated the ordinance does not have any provision that suggests lending copies of documents to send home.

    Under public comment, Gilbert Criswell spoke regarding not being more receptive to Mr. Williams’ request.

    Motion adopted directing the Human Rights Commission to loan to Mr. Williams, by January 24, 2001, the documents requested by Mr. Williams; Mr. Williams to indicate which of the documents he wants to have copied; and Mr. Williams to pay only for those copies that are indicated by Mr. Williams he wants to receive after he looks at the documents. (Courtney, Kowalczuk) (Planthold no) (Brugmann, Mallare, Ray absent)

9. Order of Determination dated October 26, 2000, Complaint of Davis/Reno, representing Local 21, AFL-CIO, against the Human Rights Commission.

    This item continued to the next regular meeting.

10. Report of Administrator

    This item continued to the next regular meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.

Submitted by Donna L. Hall, Administrator

Last updated: 8/18/2009 1:57:05 PM