San Francisco Youth Commission
Executive Committee
Minutes
Tuesday, September 15, 2010
4:30-6:30pm
City Hall, Room 345

There will be public comment on each item.

1. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 5:23pm.
Commissioners present: Fierro, Benezra, LaCroix. Staff present: Yedidia.

2. Approval of Agenda (Action Item)

Commissioner Fierro moved to approve the agenda, seconded by commissioner LaCroix. The agenda was approved unanimously by acclamation.

3. Public Comment on Items not on Agenda

There was none.

4. Business

A. Accurately Identifying the Unmet Needs of San Francisco’s Youth: Writing Surveys, Developing Community Outreach Plan

Commissioners agreed in the fundamental necessity of creating, conducting and analyzing the results of a survey of San Francisco youth. The conversation went as follows: Given the Youth Commission’s Charter-mandated duty to identify the unmet needs of San Francisco’s young people and accurately represent the interests of said youth to the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor, the commission cannot cavalierly form committees and determine its policy and budget priorities based solely on the interests of individual commissioners. Rather, the Youth Commission must turn to data, demographics, statistics and reports—that is, to already existing sources of information of the commission’s constituency, including the Youth Vote Student Survey, the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the Census and American Community Survey, and various newspaper and think tank reports. So, too, should the Youth Commission develop its own simple survey to use in its work.

The Executive Committee decided on the following project and timeline: the Youth Commission would create and conduct a short, 12-question survey of a few hundred San Francisco Youth. Each of the commission’s three working groups would develop 3 questions and the executive committee would develop another 3. The final Youth Commission would approve the 12-question survey at the meeting of October 4, and the survey would be conducted during the rest of that month. In November, the Executive Committee would—employing said Youth Commission survey and the other resources named above—write a short report on the state of San Francisco’s youth. This report, in turn, will guide the work of the commission for the rest of the year.


B. Establishing Agenda for September 20, 2010 Youth Commission Meeting

The Executive Committee, based on the Charter’s emphasis on the importance of the Youth Commission’s responding to legislation referred, decided to prioritize hearing Supervisor Mar’s proposed ordinance file no. 101096. Commissioners then agreed to hear presentations from the Recreation and Parks department, the Neighborhood Empowerment Network and the California Music and Culture Association’s Campaign for a Violence Free-Halloween.

5. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 6:19pm.

Supplemental documents for agenda items are available for review at City Hall Room 345. Minutes are also available on the Youth Commission Website at www.sfgov.org/youth_commission.

ACCESSIBLE MEETING POLICY

The Youth Commission meeting will be held in City Hall Room 416. The formal address of City Hall is 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA. The closest accessible BART station is the Civic Center Station at the United Nations Plaza and Market Street. Accessible MUNI lines serving this location are: MUNI Metro Lines J-Church, K-Ingleside, L-Taraval, M-Oceanview, N-Judah, and T-Third Street at Van Ness and Civic Center Stations; 9-San Bruno, 19-Polk, 47-VanNess, and 71-Haight Noriega. For information about MUNI accessible services call 923-6142.

The Commission meeting room is wheelchair accessible. Accessible curbside parking spaces have been designated on the corners of McAllister and Polk, and Grove and Polk. There is accessible parking available within the Civic Center Underground Parking Garage at the corner of McAllister and Polk Streets, and within the Performing Arts Parking Garage at Grove and Franklin Streets.

If you require the use of an American sign language interpreter, a sound enhancement system, or a reader during the meeting, calendars and minutes of the meeting in alternative formats; such arrangements can be made by calling Mario Yedidia at (415) 554-6446, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. Late requests will be honored if possible.

Individuals with severe allergies, environmental illness, multiple chemical sensitivity or related disabilities should call our accessibility hotline at (415) 554-8925 to discuss meeting accessibility. In order to assist the City’s efforts to accommodate such people, 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.

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 decisions 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 by mail: Administrator, Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, City Hall Room 224, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102; by phone at (415) 554-7724; by fax at (415) 554-7854; or by e-mail at sotf@sfgov.org.

Citizens interested in obtaining a free copy of the Sunshine Ordinance can request a copy from the Administrator, Sunshine Ordinance Task Force or by printing Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code on the internet, at http://www.sfbos.org/index.aspx?page=4459.

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 device. (Admin. Code § 67A.1).

In order to assist the City’s efforts to accommodate persons with severe allergies, environmental illnesses, 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 accommodate these individuals.