San Francisco Youth Commission
**Special Youth Budget Town Hall**
Minutes
Monday, April 2, 2012
6:00-8:00pm
City Hall, Room 416
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102

There will be public comment on each item.

 

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

The meeting was not officially called to order, but it commenced around 6:10 p.m.

Commissioners present: Sarah Armstrong, Jonathan Baer, Robin Bonner, Rachel Brodwin, Javonte Holloway, Betty Huey, Leah LaCroix, Lily Marshall-Fricker, Mia Tu Mutch, Rene Ontiveros, Nicholas Persky, Joyce Sun, Huimin “Happy” Yang. Commissioners absent: Angel Carrion, Antonia Huneeus, Hillary Liang, Mia Shackelford. There was quorum. Staff present: Mario Yedidia, Phimy Truong.
 

2. Introduction (Discussion Only)

Chairwoman LaCroix welcomed the youth in the room and gave a brief introduction to the Youth Commission and explained how the Executive Committee planned for this training. Each commissioner then introduced themselves to the youth in the room. Commissioner LaCroix then laid out the outline for the meeting, and encouraged everyone to participate.
 

3. The Budget Process of the City & County of San Francisco (Discussion Only)

A. Budget 101 – Powerpoint Presentation (10 minutes) (Document A)

Commissioners Bonner and LaCroix led everyone through an introductory power point presentation on the City’s budget, the budget process, and how the Youth Commission can play a role with their own budget and policy priorities.

B. Interactive Workshop: Make your own budget! (15 minutes)

Commissioners LaCroix, Bonner, Brodwin, Tu Mutch, and Yang then divided youth in the audience and remaining commissioners into small groups. Commissioners then led the small groups in an interactive workshop on understanding the budget process and creating their own budget.

C. Report back from the interactive workshop (10 minutes)

Commissioners LaCroix, Bonner, Brodwin, Tu Mutch, and Yang, then had youth report back on what they learned and how they distributed the funds to departments in the interactive workshop.
 

4. Youth Commission Policy & Budget Priorities for Fiscal Years 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 (Discussion Only) (Document B)

Chairwoman LaCroix and Commissioner Yang then laid out the format for how commissioners would be sharing their work and priorities in each committee, asking committee chairs to lead in presenting their work to date, and then take feedback and questions from their peers, and youth in attendance. Commissioner Yang also shared that it is important to provide feedback and take committee priorities seriously, as the commission will be adopting the budget and policy priorities as a whole at the next full Youth Commission meeting, and then work on setting up a presentation to the Board of Supervisors.

Youth Employment Committee Chair Armstrong then provided some context to her committee’s work around increasing youth employment opportunities to youth in San Francisco, starting with the Summer Jobs+ initiative, both at a national and local level. Currently, the committee has been working on resolutions to support the initiative, as well as look at how to launch a local Summer Jobs+. Armstrong then went over the committee’s priorities on urging the city to prioritize youth employment when considering negotiations with new businesses coming into the city.

Youth Justice Committee Chair Ontiveros started by introducing his committee’s work on setting priorities around increasing access to the outdoor recreational area at the Juvenile Justice Center, holding a joint hearing with the Police Commission on youth and police interactions, and making recommendations to the San Francisco Police Department, which included increase training on youth development and behavioral, a more widespread distribution of the Know Your Rights pamphlets at schools in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), and for the department to work on renewing their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on how arrests with the SFUSD, on how arrests are made on campus.

Youth City Services Committee Chair Baer then gave an update on the priorities of his committee which includes continuing the free MUNI for youth work and increase housing for transitional aged youth. Commissioner Tu Mutch then added that the committee will also continue to work on 12N – an ordinance which requires LGBTQ youth sensitivity training for city staff, as a priority.

Youth Immigration Committee Chair Yang then updated her committee’s priorities which included increasing employment, stipend, and educational scholarship opportunities to undocumented youth and training for SFUSD counselors to better work with undocumented and immigrant students.

Commissioner Brodwin then urged members of the public to ask questions, provide feedback and comment. Commissioner Bonner then encouraged youth in the public to speak from the heart and share what issues they feel is important for the Youth Commission to prioritize.

General Public Comment (Discussion Only)

Adrienne Sevilla, a Larkin Street Youth Services Youth Advisory Board member, came forth and asked clarifying questions on how the commission plans on supporting transitional aged youth with housing.

Commissioners Baer, Tu Mutch, and LaCroix explained that the transitional aged youth population has been a priority of their committee since the beginning. Currently, the committee has been focused on wide spread and quality housing for TAY, and has been meeting with different service providers to understand the services TAY have been receiving. Commissioner Tu Mutch then invited the Larkin Street Youth Services Youth Advisory Board to attend future Youth City Services committee meeting to continue to provide insight and feedback on TAY needs.

Ramon Gomez, a participant of Mo’ Magic, shared that free MUNI for youth is a priority for him and his friends as well. Mr. Gomez then spoke about his personal experiences with relying on MUNI to access the city, their schools, and after school programs.

Rico, a member of the Youth Employment Coalition, asked how the commission plans on increasing outreach to youth in high risk environments and urged commissioners to focus on employment opportunities for youth who need it most. He also invited commissioners on the Youth Justice Committee to attend a youth forum which will take place on April 4th, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. at 850 Bryant St..

Commissioner Armstrong explained that the youth employment committee has been working hard on seeing a local implementation of Summer Jobs+ and will definitely be focused on increasing employment opportunities for youth with the highest need.

Mr. Yedidia shared that the youth justice committee members have been in communication with Liz Jackson about the youth forum on April 4, 2012.

Maliyah Ponce, a youth participant of Mo’Magic, asked how the Youth Commission currently conducts outreach and spread the word about the work of the commission. Ms. Ponce explained that she had never heard of the commission before and would like for outreach to be more widespread to all youth in SF.

Commissioners Bonner and Tu Mutch explained that the commission has an outreach plan, and has been meeting with different community based organizations and youth service providers. Commissioners thanked Ms. Ponce for her comment and welcomed any future feedback and suggestions on how commissioners can better outreach to other youth.

Kris – a youth participant of Mo’Magic, asked commissioners to share how they joined the commission.

Commissioners LaCroix and Brodwin explained the application process and how the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors appoints a youth commissioner to the body. Ms. LaCroix then urged youth in attendance to apply. The deadline for the application is Friday, April 13, 2012. Commissioner Brodwin also urged youth who are not available to make the year long commitment, but were still interested in working on youth issues, to look into joining a future issues-based committee, which are open to all youth.



 

5. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:19 pm.

Any materials distributed to the members of the Youth Commission within 72 hours of the meeting or after the agenda packet has been delivered to the members are available for inspection—along with minutes of previous Youth Commission meetings and all supplementary information—at the Youth Commission office during regular office hours (9am to 6pm, Monday—Friday). The Youth Commission office is located at:
City Hall, Room 345
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 554-6446, Fax: (415) 554-6140
Email: youthcom@sfgov.org
www.sfgov.org/yc

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 THE SUNSHINE ORDINANCE TASK FORCE, please contact:
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) 554‐5784
E‐mail: sotf@sfgov.org
Copies of the Sunshine Ordinance can be obtained from the Clerk of the Sunshine Ordinance
Task Force, at the San Francisco Public Library, and on the City’s website at
http://www.sfgov.org.

The ringing and use of cell phones, pagers, and similar sound‐producing electronic devices are prohibited at this meeting. The Chair may order the removal from the meeting room of any person responsible for the ringing or use of a cell phone, pager, or other similar sound‐producing electronic device.

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.

To obtain a disability‐related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, to participate in the meeting, please contact Mario Yedidia, Youth Commission Director [phone: 415-554 6254; email: mario.yedidia@sfgov.org] at least 48 hours before the meeting, except for Monday meetings, for which the deadline is 4:00 p.m. the previous Friday.