San Francisco Youth Commission
Minutes to Meeting of Monday, February 1, 2010
5:30-8:00pm
City Hall, Room 416
There will be public comment on each item.
1. Call to Order
Chair Quesada called the meeting to order at 5:40pm.
Commissioners present: Deng, Marshall-Fricker, Liang, J. Chan, Jones, Carlson, A. Chan, Hirano, Vasquez, Williams, Guerra, Quintero, Davidson, LaCroix, Ellington, Quesada.
Commissioners absent: None.
2. Approval of Agenda (Action Item)
Commissioner Marshall-Fricker moved to approve the agenda, seconded by Ellington. The agenda was approved unanimously by acclamation.
3. Approval of Minutes (Action Item)
Commissioner Liang moved to approve the minutes of the meeting of January 4, 2009, seconded by Marshall-Fricker. The minutes were approved unanimously by acclamation.
4. Public Comment on Items not on Agenda
Ace Washington, a self-described historian, videographer, journalist and longtime Western Addition activist, talked about both his own accomplishments and his desire to involve young people in politics and journalism in San Francisco City government. He requested to be put on agenda for the Commission’s subsequent meeting.
5. Staff Report
The staff announced that the Board of Supervisors’ Budget & Finance Committee would be hearing the preliminary budget of the Recreation and Park Department (RPD) for fiscal year 2010-2011 this Wednesday, February 3, and that the Select City and School District Committee would be holding a hearing regarding better coordination between RPD and the SFUSD. Commissioners were invited to come give public comment on these items based on the resolutions previously passed by the Commission.
The staff also announced that the School District task force on Restorative Justice, which the Youth Commission voted in support of creating, would begin meeting the next Wednesday evening (i.e., February 2, 2010).
6. New Business
A. Discussion and Possible Action: A Presentation on HOPE SF’s Youth Leadership Academy (Kaila Price, Maurita Dunphy, Mayor’s Office of Housing) Documents A, B
Ms. Price explained the conceptual genesis, the funding sources and overall vision of HOPE SF, which is a massive public-private partnership to redevelop San Francisco’s most distressed public housing sites and convert them into mixed-income communities.
Ms. Dunphy explained that the Mayor’s Office of Housing had secured funding for a Youth Leadership Academy, which would provide young people living in the first four housing developments slated for renovation with training in urban planning and give them access to being a part of re-envisioning of their communities.
Both Ms. Dunphy and Ms. Price asked the Youth Commission to help them try to recruit said young people. Ms. Price also offered to take as many Youth Commissioners as possible on a tour of the HOPE SF sites.
Commissioners Jones, LaCroix, Ellington and Quesada asked clarifying questions.
Public Comment: Zack Dellé, a senior at Balboa High School, asked a clarifying question.
D. Discussion and Possible Action: Referred Legislation from the Board of Supervisors File No. 091443 [Ordinance Prohibiting Smoking in Enclosed Areas, Certain Unenclosed Areas, and Sports Stadiums] Document E
Ordinance amending Articles 19F and 19G of the San Francisco Health Code by amending Sections 1009.20, 1009.21, 1009.22, 1009.23, 1009.25, and 1009.81, adding Sections 1009.26,1009.27, 1009.29, 1009.30, 1009.31, and 1009.32, and repealing Section 1009.24, to update findings and prohibit smoking in: 1) business establishments and bars regardless of whether owner-operated, 2) common areas of multi-unit housing complexes, 3) tourist lodging facilities,4) tobacco shops, 5) charity bingo games, 6) unenclosed dining areas of restaurants, 7) service waiting areas, 8) areas outside entrances, exits and operable windows and vents of all buildings except at the curb of the nearest street, sidewalk or alley, 9) farmers markets, and 10) vehicles owned by the City and County of San Francisco; establishing obligations for property owners and managers to prevent smoking in prohibited areas; adding administrative procedures and penalties; deleting criminal penalties; adding provisions for cost recovery and liens; and making conforming changes in the Health Code.
Commissioner Deng gave an overview of the ordinance, which seeks to ban smoking in a number of private areas—including owner-operated bars, stadiums, near windows—where numerous people gather. Lin-Shao Chin, legislative aide to Supervisor Mar, answered questions from commissioners Jones, Ellington, Guerra, Liang and Vasquez.
Public Comment: Zack Dellé.
Commissioner Carlson motioned to support the proposed ordinance, seconded by Deng. The motion was approved unanimously by acclamation.
The Commission voted to support the proposed ordinance by the following roll call vote: Ayes—Deng, Liang, J. Chan, Jones, Carlson, A. Chan, Hirano, Vasquez, Guerra, Quintero, Davidson, LaCroix, Ellington, Quesada; No’s—Marshall-Fricker, Williams.
A. Discussion and Possible Action: Presentation on Health Care Reform and School-Based Health Centers (Shirley Duong and others from the Balboa Teen Health Center) Document C
Shirley Duong, Zack Dellé and Wade, all of whom are students at Balboa High School and members of the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) of the Balboa Teen Health Center, explained their position on the necessity of federal funding for school-based health centers.
They asked the Youth Commission to send letters of support to local, state and federal elected officials that encourage these representatives to pressure the House of Representatives and Senate leadership to include support for school-based health centers in any national healthcare reform legislation.
Commissioner Marshall-Fricker motioned to support the effort of the YAB, seconded by commissioner Jones. The motion was approved unanimously by acclamation.
B. Discussion and Possible Action: Resolution Concerning Muni Fare Increases and a Youth Lifeline Fast Pass (Commissioners LaCroix, Liang) Document D
Commissioner Liang introduced the resolution and read it into the public record. LaCroix and Liang then emphasized the two main thrusts of the resolution: (1) that the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) not raise the price of the Youth, Senior and Disabled fast pass to $30 a month (as the MTA has proposed doing beginning April 1, 2010 in order to close its $16.9 million shortfall for the current fiscal year) and (2) that the MTA create and implement a new, discounted fast pass (to be sold at half the price of the regular Youth fast pass fare) for low-income youth who qualify for free and reduced lunch beginning in the fall of 2010.
After some discussion, Commissioner LaCroix explained the urgency of the situation: given that the MTA would be considering its mid-year reduction strategies shortly (February 16), she encouraged the Youth Commission to consider suspending its rules of order and voting on the resolution at its first reading. Commissioner Guerra motioned to suspend the rules and vote on the resolution at its first reading, seconded by commissioner Marshall-Fricker. This motion was approved unanimously by acclamation.
Commissioner Hirano motioned to amend the resolution by moving the whereas clause beginning on page 2 line 17 to below the whereas clause beginning on page 2 line 20. This motion was seconded by commissioner Liang and passed unanimously by acclamation.
Commissioner Guerra motioned to support the amended resolution, seconded by commissioner Marshall-Fricker. The commission voted to support the resolution by the following roll call vote: Ayes—Deng, Marshall-Fricker, Liang, J. Chan, Jones, Carlson, A. Chan, Hirano, Vasquez, Williams, Guerra, Quintero, Davidson, LaCroix, Ellington, Quesada. No’s—none.
C. Discussion and Possible Action: Referred Legislation from the Board of Supervisors File No. 091433 [Charter Amendment Reducing Employer Retirement Benefit Costs] Document F
(Supervisor Sean Elsbernd; Aides Olivia Scanlon, Alex Volberding, Aides to Supervisor Elsbernd; Robert Haaland, SEIU Local 1021)
Supervisor Elsbernd introduced his proposed Charter amendment by explaining what a pension is—i.e., an arrangement made by employers to provide retired employees with income after they have stopped working—and providing some background on the growing magnitude of the City’s pension debts (which the Controller estimates will total some $650 million a year by fiscal year 2013-2014).
Supervisor Elsbernd argued that his proposed Charter amendment was a very modest proposal that would not affect a single current City employee. In general, the Charter amendment would do two things: (1) create a set-aside fund dedicated to paying the City’s pension debts, and (2) require all new city employees hired from July 1, 2010 onward to contribute 7.5% of their salaries to their pensions and set their pension based on their pay for the final three years of their career (as opposed to the final year).
In the absence of SEIU Political Director Robert Haaland, Supervisor Elsbernd “put on the hat of his opponent”—i.e., the labor unions who have advocated against the proposed Charter amendment—and explained that the labor unions believe that the amendment would create serious morale problems for current City employees (though, again, the Charter amendment would not affect any current City employees).
Commissioners Liang, Quesada, Marshall-Fricker, Jones and Deng made comments and asked questions.
Commissioner Marshall-Fricker motioned to support the proposed Charter amendment, seconded by commissioner Hirano. This motion passed by the following roll call vote: Ayes—Deng, Marshall-Fricker, Liang, J. Chan, Jones, Carlson, A. Chan, Hirano, Vasquez, Williams, Guerra, Quintero, Davidson, LaCroix, Quesada; No’s—Ellington.
After Commissioner Ellington’s protestations against the Commission’s taking of a position on this issue—he argued that the proposed Charter amendment was too complicated for most of the youth commissioners to understand, and moreover that it was largely unrelated to youth—Commissioner Jones moved to rescind the previous vote, seconded by Liang. This motion failed by the following vote: Ayes—Deng, Liang, J. Chan, Jones, A. Chan, Hirano, Williams, Quintero, Davidson, Ellington, Quesada; No’s—Marshall-Fricker, Carlson, Vasquez, Guerra.
Chair Quesada motioned to include in the Youth Commission’s memo (i.e., to include the permanent file that will accompany the Commission’s position on the referred legislation) a suggestion that the Charter amendment be amended in that it also “Make an attempt to create parity or equity amongst all City employees with respect to retirement age”—because currently public safety employees are generally granted retirement with a full pension earlier than other City employees. This motion was seconded by commissioner LaCroix, and it failed by the following roll call vote: Ayes—Deng, Marshall-Fricker, Liang, Williams, LaCroix, Quesada; No’s—J. Chan, Jones, Carlson, Hirano, Vasquez, Guerra, Quintero, Davidson, Ellington.
F. Discussion and Possible Action: Presentation on the Chinese Community Health Resource Center’s (CCHRC) Online Anti-Bullying Campaign (Joyce Chen)
Joyce Chen discussed CCHRC as an institution and explained the commission’s previous collaboration with CCHRC on the “Art of Mind” project, which was a creative, arts-based health-focused needs assessment of San Francisco youth produced in 2008-2009. She presented a new possible project on which CCHRC and the Youth Commission could collaborate: the construction of a website and awareness campaign concerning the problem of teenage bullying.
Commissioner Quesada moved to support the CCHRC’s anti-bullying project, seconded by commissioner Marshall-Fricker. The motion was approved unanimously by acclamation.
7. Old Business
A. Discussion and Possible Action: Update on Resolution Urging Every City Department to Support YouthWorks Interns, passed by the Youth Commission on December 21, 2009 (Commissioner Guerra)
Commissioner Guerra reminded the commission about this resolution (passed by the Youth Commission in December of 2009) which calls on all City departments to contribute a modest amount to housing YouthWorks interns in their offices. She also explained that she met with Supervisor Avalos and that he has expressed his interest in carrying the resolution.
B. 2nd Reading: Resolution Urging the Board of Education to Expand the Number of Pathways and Academies in the SFUSD in conjunction with coordinated school-to-career efforts with City College and the City and County of San Francisco (Commissioner Guerra) Document H
Commissioner Guerra reintroduced her resolution, which calls on the SFUSD, City College and the City’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development to coordinate their efforts and build a robust school-to-career pipeline for native San Franciscans.
Commissioner LaCroix motioned to support the resolution, seconded by commissioner Carlson. This motion was approved unanimously by acclamation.
A. Discussion and Possible Action: Referred Legislation from the Board of Supervisors File No. 100054 [Ordinance Concerning Workforce Development—Public Service Document G
Academies] (Jeremy Pollock, Aide to Supervisor Mirkarimi)
Ordinance amending the San Francisco Administrative Code by adding Sections 30.30 through 30.35, to establish public safety and public health training programs for San Francisco Unified School District high school students.
Peter Lauterborn, Youth Commission staff, explained that this proposed ordinance sponsored by Supervisor Mirkarimi seeks to create and implement a modest portion of Commissioner Guerra’s resolution which was just passed the Commission in the previous item. Peter also explained that Supervisor Mirkarimi has been in close communication with the Youth Commission as he develops and amends this proposed ordinance.
Commissioner Carlson motioned to support the proposed ordinance, seconded by commissioner Ellington. This motion was approved unanimously by acclamation.
8. Announcements (This includes Community Events)
Nayad Abrahamian and Julia Sabory explained a community mapping process.
Monica Guerra explained that she would be resigning the Youth Commission for personal reasons.
Felix Deng announced that Project Homeless Connect wants young people to help plan their events and that any interested parties could contact him.
Commissioners Carlson and Hirano announced that the Youth Justice forum would occur Wednesday, February 3 at 9am at SF State University—the conference is entitled “Know Justice,” and is a collaborative effort between the Commission, the Center for Young Women’s Development and United Playaz.
9. Adjournment
Chair Quesada adjourned the meeting at 9:09pm.
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 decision in full public. Commissions, boards, councils and other agencies of the City and County exist to conduct the people’s business. The 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.sfgov.org/bdsupvrs/sunshine.htm