it is technical testing, and that is somehow mandated. they had an audit, and a half is certain testing, and that is where we came up with all the physicians we are trying to fill. there are no current lists for these positions, so we are filling them on a temporary basis, and that takes longer because when you cannot fill it with a permanent position, you have to go back in and put in a temporary recommendation. >> one of the reasons why it takes so long to be -- to do testing, whenever you put out a requisition, -- city analysts have to actually weigh each test the same way. otherwise, somebody could file a charge of discrimination, or they find out that something is not right in terms of the way

they were tested. that is one of the reasons why it takes so long. you have a number of people applying for the same job, and each test has to be weighed and scored accordingly the same way. it just takes a long time, so every time you open up a new examination, could be the same people applying, but you have to test as though they were [inaudible] coming in. it takes a long time to test. >> to kind of piggyback on what they are saying, one of the things is that because of the way that they used to develop the list for people to hire off of, the state came down and said no, that it was not sufficient, so they had to go for all the positions across the city, or most of them, so it really adds -- there's a lot of things that have not even been developed. we have these positions for --

gosh, nine, 10 months because we cannot fill until there is a test developed. to develop a test requires several people from several come up with some questions, and then other people to verify those questions. it is really difficult. then, the ones they have actually developed, you have to sit in front of a computer, and then it has to be -- i mean, it has really added a big strain. i have talked to the mayor's office about it, and there really is not anything that can be done. commissioner hechanova: will this address the issue of any backlog that we currently have? when i look at the 13 increase of the fte's, there is the clerical inspectors, but it looks kind of like, and if we are trying to get an expert at

the categories of planchette to get them to permit approval, where are we with this proposed budget? >> we added several plan reviewers in last fiscal year between -- at the beginning of 2010-2011, this current year. we added several of those, so that when we had the, you know, governmental agreements for things like 525 golden gate, and the trans day, that that would not impact the other projects. we have been able to bring people back for those positions. that was reduced during 2008-

2009. that is why you do not see additional physicians. there is some flexibility to move people between project when you are doing plan review. -- that is why you do not see additional positions. >> do we have a backlog now? how long does it take for when the queue up and -- >> there is a standard work load of two to three weeks right now. commissioner hechanova: thank you. commissioner murphy: on the mechanical engineering [inaudible]

is that possible? why can a regular plan check engineer sign-off [inaudible] >> when there is a remodel, there is usually an over-the- counter permit, and we have over the counter mechanical engineers available up there every day, so i do not understand why a bathroom remodels would take that long. but the mechanical engineers -- there are calculations that have to be submitted. title 24 documentation, and the mechanical engineer does check those calculations against what is being proposed, the size of the fan, what is putting out, and it does take a mechanical engineer to do that. commissioner murphy: how many mechanical engineers do you have now? >> we have three currently. commissioner murphy: are there

plans to hire more? >> yes, there are. we have requisitions out right now for mechanical engineers, but unfortunately, there is not a list to hire from, so we are hiring a temporary mechanical engineer. commissioner murphy: just one? >> just one. commissioner murphy: i apologize. maybe i could have been more specific. [inaudible] i apologize if i have caused confusion, but i'm going to insist on more detail, and i will give you a list. personally, i'm not going to vote in favor of this. public comment on the budget?

seeing none. >> i would just like to 0.1 thing out -- -- i would like to point one thing out -- the budget is due on may 22. the mayor's office will in all likelihood put together the budget for us. we have some time to do some negotiations, by that is the reality. i have talked to them about the possibility that it may not be passed, and they outlined the steps they would take. if other departments or other commissions have not passed the budget at the beginning of the process and have passed it during the process, but i just

wanted to make clear what the mayor's office has done on this. commissioner murphy: [inaudible] commissioner walker: i wanted to offer support for your need for more detail on this. it sounds like they are trying to address all the issues we brought up over the last years and prioritize our priorities through the budget. i actually would like to see the budget move forward, but i also want to support your request for more detailed, so i move that we support the budget and move this forward.

not to discredit your need for detail. commissioner murphy: second on this? >> second. >> we have a motion and a second. to put the budget forward but to request more detailed. >> i actually agree because i do remember in past budgets, i think even before you were here, commissioner murphy, which even the training budgets have had a list of every single person that was going to trainings. it is interesting how i think in those days people felt it was too much information coming forward, but it was definitely link fear -- definitely a lengthier document. our river some years ago voting against a budget, and the fear that i had was the economy would

go sour because all indications showed that it would. this was when the commissioner was the director, and we did have a very bad here that year, and a lot of what was being showed to us in that budget was not correct. i was not confident in voting for that, but in this instance, in a little bit more worried. i know you want to have a special meeting, but the budget is due by the 22nd. i think it is already going to be a done deal and will go to the board of supervisors by that point, so we will not be able to actually have any poll in it after this week. >> we have the ability to make changes. we have to submit a budget, but

we have the ability to make changes of through -- i have negotiated in the past to do it in the beginning of may. to the extent that you do not want to put a certain amount of money into training, and you have the ability -- i have the ability to go back to the mayor's office and say the commission does not want to put this amount of money into training, and therefore, we need to have them make changes to the budget. but the charter and admen code require that we submit something to them on the 22nd -- the charter and admin code. i apologize if is not to the level that you wanted. commissioner murphy: thank you. >> ok, we have a motion on the

floor. we will take a roll call vote. commissioner murphy: no. commissioner hechanova: no. commissioner clinch: no. commissioner mar: yes. commissioner romero: [inaudible] commissioner walker: yes. >> the vote is 3-3, and we need a vote of 5 to put forward the budget, so the motion fails. [inaudible] ok. at the end, on part of future agendas, we can discuss about having a special meeting or what we are going to do. commissioner murphy: ok. >> is there any public comment

on this item? all right, item 6, election of the bic president and vice- president. we will take nominees for president first and then the vice president. commissioner murphy: commissioner lee is not present today, and i feel all seven commissioners should be present if we are going to have an election. i would like to continue this to our march meeting. >> i would just like to remind everyone that we have done that twice in the past when we have not had seven commissioners present, but we would have to take a vote. for a continuance. commissioner walker: i want to

just thank you, president murphy, for taking on the leadership of the commission as you have, the challenge and, i appreciate that you have been there, so i just wanted to say that, and then, i'm happy to differ -- happy to defer. i agree with that. commissioner murphy: thank you, commissioner walker. coming from you, that means a lot. [laughter] that is that a form of a motion -- >> is that a form of a motion? >> i, too, have a belief that all seven should be here, for both a combination of not only votes, but also, the voice that should be expressed by all seven commissioners. i am in support of the

continuance. >> ok, though -- okay, so, can i take it that commissioner walker is making a motion for the continuance and commissioner hechanova commissioner walker: -- walker that is fine -- commissioner has genoa -- commissioner hechanova -- commissioner walker: that is fine. >> all those in favor? all those opposed? we will continue item six. item seven is review and approval of the minutes of the special meeting of november 29, 2010. >> move to approve. >> second. >> all those in favor?

the minutes are approved. we are now on any public comment on items 7. item eight, commissioner questions and matters. 8a is increase staff. commissioner walker: thank you. i would love to have a gin diced -- agendized an update from the mayor's office of the follow-up on the committee -- they made a notice that they were forming a committee, so if we could get the update from -- i guess it was the city administrator's office, now the mayor, on that, including the action they are taking on tax for recommendations. and i would love to see on the agenda may be a recommendation

about how to speed up getting reports, doing what was recommended about maybe there are certain things we could have as a separate over-the- counter issue. i think that is its for now, for me. commissioner murphy: i talked to ann a little bit about a couple of weeks back. there were volunteers, and i would like if we could identify these volunteers and maybe give them a certificate of appreciation for their volunteer time. again, as i looked at that and

read through it, one of the things i noticed was again, the absence of the homeowners and property owners. i still say, and i am always harping about this, but i do not think that we are represented as well as they could have been. anyway, i thank the people who stepped up, not people who are getting paid. the volunteers. suggestion. and we could put that on the agenda and kick that around at the next meeting. >> and you would want this to be from the bic, not from the department? commissioner murphy: that is right. >> my only question would be that somebody identify those volunteers. i would hate to be responsible for leaving anyone commissioner murphy: out murphy maybe commission -- i would hate to be

responsible for leaving anyone out. commissioner murphy: maybe commissioner walker could help us with that. commissioner walker: i would be happy to. commissioner clinch: talking about the disaster recovery unit brings to mind something i have been curious about. they are plans to bring in help from private engineers to a man of the inspection, and that sort of thing, and i'd just curious if there is a plan in place. >> yes, we have a plan in place. we have the program where private engineers will be part of, but we also have a mutual aid with other cities and counties were qualified inspectors. >> this is a nationwide mutual aid society for inspectors. we went to louisiana. we went to new york. it is a mutual aid for

inspectors and for people in this industry. >> can i follow up on that? maybe we can have a presentation. there's also training available for air staff -- i have been to one as a first responder. when you are looking and tagging buildings, it might be something that we just talked about here as an agenda item, with the department is going to do in case of the emergency. family to the party perhaps on the issue, and i am a little bit reluctant to have a louisiana engineer inspecting a home in san francisco. i'm sure it has been talk through, but i would just like to hear more. >> and commissioner walker, if you could let me know, i'd try to find out if commissioner hechanova would like to take the

training you took, and i cannot find who offers it. >> you need to contact lawrence cornfield. i'm on a state committee, i can get you the information. >>, i know commissioner hechanova had mentioned he wanted to do that. is there any public comment on the increase in staff? seeing none -- commissioner murphy: maybe we need to have a little discussion with our attorney regarding the special meeting to hear the budget again in a week's time, work with the mayor's office. is that ok to do that? >> yes. the commission can hold a special meeting to take up the budget again. i mean, if they were closed session items, they would have

to qualify under whatever the requisite subject matter was. commissioner murphy: so we wait until we hear back from the mayor's office for the board of supervisors? commissioner mar: can we get an update about what is happening with that joint meeting with planning? just to put some dates on the calendar. commissioner murphy: i will try to get a date for that, hopefully in the next couple of months. >> yes, it usually takes us a while to get a joint meeting with planning. >> they have to meet when they do not have a planning meeting. >> but my question is -- will i hear from you as to when we are going to have a special meeting regarding the budget?

at some point, we do have to -- at some point, does the commission have to move the budget? that it does not seem to, but if you want to read about the budget, it makes sense that we would do it before the 22nd. it is after, it is already too late. commissioner murphy: that is also a suggestion. i have no problem with that. >> the 22nd is a tuesday. >> and monday is a holiday. commissioner murphy: so it could be done on tuesday. i will not be here. i'm out of town next week. >> and if we do not have frank, which we may not have, then we only have 5 people. >> can i ask a question? is the likelihood that they will use the budget that we have or

just come up with their own? i just want to know -- that of past practice has been a will take the suggestions of the department, but the mayor can make changes to the budget. >> and he can anyway, whether we support it -- >> yes, he can. >> he might do some other stuff. just pointing it out. >> i think we are done. commissioner murphy: we will hear back. >> ok. so i will hear from you or whatever or try to make a date or whatever. ok. all right, any public comment on item number b, if there is any public left? item nine, adjournment -- >> i have one more question. could you update the schedule of

the subcommittees? >> we probably will after we vote for president and vice president, the next meeting we will vote for the said committee. there really are not any changes on the subcommittee, accept one woman may not have gone through with being on a board due to the process of going through a waiver. >> all right. thank you. >> director? bamut is it possible to get a list of questions from the commission that they would like answered for the next budget presentation so that staff does know what they want presented to them and what they do not want presented to them, so we can kind of be on the same wavelength? commissioner murphy: i'll have a list of questions for you this afternoon. >> can i ask the other commissioners, if you have any questions, to get them to me by friday. commissioner murphy: i would like the other commissioners to

weigh in on this as well if they have questions. >> you can e-mail it to me, and i can put them together in case there is duplication, and i can put them all together and give them to the director. ok. can we have a motion for adjournment? move to adjourn? all those in favor? we are now adjourned.