San Francisco Youth Commission/Student Advisory Council Hearing Minutes
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
4:00-6:00pm
Board of Supervisors’ John L. Taylor Hearing Room
City Hall, Room 263
There will be public comment on each item.
1. Call to Order
Chair LaCroix called the meeting to order at 4:08
The Chair proceeded to invite Supervisor David Chiu, President of the Board of Supervisors, to address the Youth Commission and thirteen members of the public who were present.. President Chiu thanked the Youth Commission for its work as such, the commission’s work on transportation in particular, and its championing of discounted youth fast passes for qualified low-income youth. As with the fast pass championed by the Youth Commission, MUNI has had difficulties distributing the Clipper Card—an issue on which President Chiu sponsored a hearing at the Board of Supervisors. The president concluded by once again commending the Youth Commission for its work on transportation issues, remarking that young people probably constitute the largest portion of MUNI’s ridership.
Chair LaCroix thanked President Chiu for his comments. She also thanked school district staff Kevin Truitt, Associate Superintendant, and Chris Armentrout, Liaison to the City & County of San Francisco; Chair LaCroix finally thanked Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) staff Lulu Feliciano and Gina Zagotta for their upcoming present regarding Clipper, as well as MTA staff person Diana Hammons, for the help she provided the Youth Commission in preparation for the hearing.
No formal roll call was taken.
Commissioners present: Liang, Sun, Perez, Hirano, Beaulac, Nauer, Yang, Benezra, Herzstein, Kaminsky, Chan, LaCroix
Commissioner tardy: Fierro (arrived 4:18pm).
Commissioners absent: Zukerman, Marshall-Fricker, Hewitt, Lin
Staff present: Jay, Yedidia.
Student Advisory Council Staff present: Judson Steele.
2. Approval of Agenda (Action Item)
The agenda was not officially approved.
3. New Business (Discussion and Possible Action)
A. Hearing to consider issues affecting San Francisco’s youth population, the Municipal Transportation Agency’s Municipal Railway (MUNI), and the San Francisco Unified School District; specifically:
i. Update and next steps regarding the Youth Lifeline Fast Pass (see documents A, B)
Chair LaCroix walked her colleagues on the Youth Commission and the assembled members of the public through a Powerpoint presentation entitled “A Brief the Youth Lifeline Fast Pass.”
This presentation explained that in the Spring of 2010, as the price of a Youth MUNI fast pass increased and the Youth Commission reflected on the high proportion of both MUNI riders and low-income young people in the San Francisco Unified School District, the Youth Commission developed a policy proposal to create a discounted fast pass for youth analogous to the Lifeline fast pass available to adults who to 200% of poverty. Eventually, the Board of Supervisors adopted this resolution, and in March and April, respectively, the Board of Education and Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors agreed to implement this program.
Despite work by MTA and school district staff on this issue—and consistent checking-in by Youth Commission members and staff—the fast pass has not been distributed. Chair LaCroix concluded with some broad recommendations regarding how the Youth Lifeline could be distributed in a way that would be most convenient and accessible for low-income public school students (including allowing students to allow to pay for it with cash and offering the pass for sale at individual school sites).
Subsequently, Mr. Chris Armentrout, the school district Superintendent’s Liaison to the City & County of San Francisco, briefed the Youth Commission on the school district’s work towards creating a distribution plan for the Youth Lifeline. (Mr. Armentrout began with a digression, noting that as a former veteran teacher at Burton High School with great respect for youth voice and participation in government, he was happy to be appearing before the Youth Commission.)
Mr. Armentrout explained that the main hurdle to distributing the Youth Lifeline fast pass has been the need to finalize the legal agreement—known technically as the “Memorandum of Understanding” (MoU)—between the MTA and school district that outlines the program. He apologized for the lengthiness of the process and noted that it is next to impossible to move speedily in creating new programs between such immense bureaucratic entities as the school district and the City & County of San Francisco. Mr. Armentrout noted that school district staff had signed off on the MoU yesterday and he expected the MTA’s City Attorney to approve the MoU later in the week.
Mr. Armentrout went on to explain that the Youth Lifeline fast pass would involve at least $100,000 a month in administration costs. He explained that the school district was still formulating a distribution process, and that a full-time position would need to be created to process the passes.
At minimum—and this would require an exceedingly aggressive approach on the part of the district—passes could be available to students in February, 20100. More reasonably, Mr. Armentrout explained, the Youth Lifeline will probably be in the hands of students starting in March.
Mr. Armentrout continued by frankly acknowledging that it is exceedingly doubtful that the Youth Lifeline fast pass will be available for sale on a school-site-by-school-site basis. Making the fast pass accessible to students at each school site will almost certainly be
Mr. Kevin Truitt, Associate Superintendant, then spoke to the Youth Commission and explained the school district’s preliminary thoughts on the issue.
Public Comment:
Matthias Mormino, Homeless Families Coalition, spoke against a $2 administrative fee being considered by the school district.
Supervisor David Campos’s aide Sheila Chung-Hagen thanked the Youth Commission for their work and offered her office’s assistance on this issue.
Connie Rubiano, citizen of the City of San Francisco, suggested that perhaps Parent Teacher Association’s could be in drawn in to help distribute the pass.
Edgar Carrera from the coalition on homelessness spoke; thanked the Youth Commission for their work; he’s been at the COH for 16 years and respects the work of the Youth Commission; what the Superintendant said is true—a lot of families don’t have access to computers and credit cards.
Jesrel Anderson, a junior at Balboa, thanked the Youth Commission for their work.
Antwon Barker from CHALK thanked the Youth Commission for its work.
Donaji Lona from POWER and MORE Public Transportation said that given the significant administrative costs, perhaps the City and school district should consider MORE’s proposal that the City offer free fast passes to all youth.
Commissioners Hirano, Benezra, LaCroix and Nauer asked questions.
Chair LaCroix thanked Mr. Truitt, Mr. Armentrout and the public for all of their input on this issue.
ii. Update and Next Steps regarding the sale of Clipper cards to youth (see document C)
Ms. Lulu Feliciano began by thanking the Youth Commission for inviting her to provide said presentation. She then walked the Youth Commission through a Powerpoint presentation describing the volume of youth who use MUNI and MUNI’s efforts to date to distribute Clipper cards to youth.
Commissioners Yang, LaCroix, Chan, Liang, Hirano and Benezra asked clarifying questions.
There was no official action taken.
4. Adjournment
Chair LaCroix called the meeting adjourned at 6:01pm.
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 250. 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.