anything. she has really been the keeper. i want to invite you to say something if you like. >> good afternoon, commissioners. i want to thank you for hearing this item. it is exciting that the community is considering this work. as the largest landowner in san francisco, with the biggest barrier to gardening is access to land. this is been a great boon to agriculture in san francisco. i was taken on a tour of the site by a puc staff person, and it looks like a great site for me as well. since we have had a lot of success in san francisco with community stewardship for public park project, engaging in other communities interested in a

different type of gardening is a great way to increase our public access in san francisco. commissioner vietor: thank you. that was great. there's limited resources in the urban agriculture space, but thank you for keeping that going. any other public comment or commissioner comment? so we have a resolution ready for a vote that has been amended. all those in favor? suppose? motion carries. thank you all. next item please. >> item 16, presentation and discussion to authorize the general manager of the san francisco public utilities commission or his designee to execute on behalf of the city and county of sanford's his co- pilot water efficiency for community garden grant agreements with sfpuc water retail customers for a community garden, urban agriculture, and nonprofit gardens in san francisco for an amount not to exceed $100,000 for fiscal year

2011-2012. >> good afternoon again. general manager for water. one of the things that puc is interested in ideas -- interested in is making sure our goals can be achieved. it is in the pc's interest that one of the cord and jones -- the pc's interest that one of the cornerstones of the project be that those be metered. -- in the pc's interest -- in the puc's interest. installations are not cheap in san francisco. what we are proposing is a pilot program to provide funding to help make sure that meters are installed for community gardens, urban agriculture, and nonprofit gardens in san

francisco. one of the things we found is that some gardens are connected off of an existing meter that has other uses, so we are unable to distinguish the use. additionally, some community gardens and nonprofits simply do not go forward because they have not got the capital to deal with the installation. they can pay for the water, but the meter cost is a hard point. the legislation would set aside $100,000 with an amount not to exceed $10,000 for each award. the awards would not actually be cash for the entity. it would be funding within the puc to install the meters and related service items. there is a program laid out here where we would get applications. and move forward with installing meters as appropriate.

>> do we have the staff employed already? do we have staff employed to do this already. was this part of our budget? >> we have staff that administers various grant programs. this was another simple one that we would just add into that. commissioner moran: the meters that we are installing -- are we creating new customers or new accounts? >> yes, there would be an account for each meter. commissioner moran: if i put a big garden in my back yard and had a separate meter, with that new meter be attached to my water bill? >> or moran, llc. it would be a separate bill for that matter. commissioner moran: would it be the same -- are we doing a new class of customers? >> we are not doing in the class of customers, but we would be able to identify these

particular meters and call out the data. we have not talked about creating a class. more of the billing class. that is something we could do in the future, but that is part of why this is a pilot program to honor the issues as we go forward. >> the wastewater would be different. commissioner moran: that would be very different. and if you got into a curtailment situation or a drought, the customer versus other customers. >> that is a good question. >> i was thinking along the same lines west of the resolution that it did not really address was the pilot was going to determine when some of what we might want it to determine is whether there should be any class of customers considered and whether there is additional water use for these community gardens. i do not know what the set of data is or what analysis is of the pilot, but it feels like the pilot should be analyzed and

presented for some future recommendation. >> yes, we can -- as we report back on exactly how the news is, we do have an irrigation class of customers. it is not aimed at community gardens. golf courses, for example, fall many times into irrigation uses. we could provide a mechanism for those particular issues and any others we honor during the process. >> do we need to do a brief friendly amendment that says, "and will report back to the puc on the efficacy of the pilot" in general? the -- >> we will be reporting back under the pilot included in that. >> so it will be included? ok, great.

any other questions or comments on the resolution? >> move it. >> second. commissioner vietor: ok, any public comment on this item? >> thank you. i would like to wear both of my hats for just a minute and say that it is exciting to hear you guys addressing this issue. it is exciting from a gardening point of view. i was on the panel yesterday that talked about how urban gardens can be productive and use less water than other types of landscaping. i would like to say -- you ask a question about curtailment during drought. i think that this project go forward, as you except proposals from folks who might want to start a community garden, it would be great to see puc encouraging as part of the proposal how you will manage water, how much water you think you will need, how you're going

to work with the land to keep water on site, make the most out of rainwater. i think that the urban agriculture movement in san francisco is savvy about water issues and is interested in not only teaching about gardening, but as dan was saying, in rainwater attachment, in alternate scenarios. and from a tuolome reported you, any of that is great. they can take pressure off the river, but teach people. these are often public spaces that teach people about how to manage water in their own back yard. i think there is a value there. so, yes, in ways that you can build that into the proposal process, i think that would be beneficial and that the community would be receptive to it. i think there are other water benefits to community gardens. i just wanted to mention briefly, one of my favorite things about hayes valley farm is it is a palm culture farm and we do a lot to build the best to try to keep rain water on the land and that relieves some pressure on our combined

sewer/storm water system. there is a giant parking lot at the bottom of hayes valley farm within two biggest that used to be the freeway on and off ramps that used to be a parking lot. i have lived right next door. that is how i got involved since i moved to san francisco, and the parking lot used to flood every time there was a rainstorm. parking lot would have huge puddles, huge floods, and all of that water was coming off of these hills, and all of the states, and i could show you pictures that when it rains now, it is being sunk into the site. i think there are a lot of benefits. thanks again for addressing the issue. i think the community has a challenge of using less water and can show in some ways about how it can use less water. >> thank you. yes, i mean i would like to see part of this pilot. it kind of balance these two resolutions. some work on the real benefit of the community gardens and urban agriculture on water, with the

potential is for saving, keeping and out of the waste stream for rainwater harvesting for all of these things that we have talked about. it seems like fertile ground, so to speak. or some kind of analysis. other comments on the water piece -- on this resolution at this time? hearing none, all those in favor? opposed? motion carries. thank you very much. >> item 17, discussion and possible action authorizing the san francisco public utilities commission general manager to consent to a proposed sublease to that certainly is dated september 12, 1995, by and between the city, as landlord, and san antonio center llc, a california limited liability company as tenants in mountain view, california, transferring a portion of lease rights to mgp ix properties, a delaware

limited liability company. >> good morning. real-estate director. i bring to you again a request by one of our largest tenants, san antonio associates, for you to consent to a sublease for 1.04 acres of land to be used for a park access and a plaza. we have changed the sublease act -- language slightly after meeting with commission according to address his concerns over prevailing wage payment in santa clara county. now, section 24.22 will read that the prevailing wage will be determined according to the rates set in san francisco county. i am available for any questions. >> questions, comments? >> i do have a comment. i want to express my gratitude to the general manager and staff for taking the time to sit with us. i know that the office,

especially your office, is overwhelmed with the volume of responsibilities. i think it -- it is certainly a good step in the right direction, and i look forward to having good conversations. as far as we are concerned, that this case closed. >> thank you. >> are you moving it? >> if it is appropriate, i will. >> any comments from the public on this? >> we have no speaker cards. commissioner vietor: all those in favor? suppose? motion passes. thank you. >> madam president, the next item according to the rules of order would be, as required, discussion and possible action in accordance with rule 6 of the rules of order of the san francisco public utilities commission to nominate and elect officers at the first duly noticed regular meeting after the first day of october. so, if you would care to entertain nominations for officers. commissioner vietor: i would --

i would like to entertain that. i would like commissioner caen to speak. commissioner caen: i certainly would. first of all, we are seeing the end of your brain for now. -- the end of your reign for now. you have done a stupendous job. we really like your leadership. meetings have run stupendously. your input is very thorough, and we appreciate all your hard work. but at this time, i would like to nominate commissioner torres to become vice president of this commission and also, i would like to nominate vice president moran to become president. that is, i guess, a motion for the nomination of the vice president and the president.

emma is there a second? commissioner moran: -- >> is there a second? commissioner moran: do i have to accept, or can i just second? i appreciate the honor and the attitude and the support. >> and the opportunity to decline. i would with great pleasure accept the nomination. commissioner vietor: any public comment? >> i just wanted to take the opportunity at the end of president vietor's term as president to just reference both the items we talked about today, which crossed all the various enterprises and issues -- had a workshop, discussed matters, and i think it speaks well on the food issue, which is something that is very important to you, to all of us, and the tenor in which this commission, the staff, and the public interact, really is -- and i

have used the word before -- unique and different from other commissions. there are, i think, a lot of commissions in the city that are not dysfunctional, are not as concerned -- that are not as functional, are not as concerned with all the things in the purview, and this commission always has been, and the five of you in particular have during your tenure and will continue to and whether you are here and what your successors to will always store the responsibility of this agency, which i take very seriously and i know that you all do. and i'm sure that commissioners moran and torres will do a fine job leading in the future, as they have, and i just wanted to recognize commissioner vietor's service as president. commissioner vietor: thank you. i appreciate that, and i have very much appreciated the opportunity to serve, and i am sort of mixed about it. i very much appreciate it, and

your story really ready to hand over the gavel with my full life. a month ago, i just went back to full-time work, so it has been a lot for me, so i appreciate the help. >> thank you for all your help. >> thank you., i would like to thank you for remaining obviously very true your passions and your personal issues and values and at the same time, being a good steward of the commission and its attention to jobs 1 and being open to our comments and recommendations to the commission as well. thank you very much for your service. i welcome working with the two nominees. commissioner vietor: thank you so much. any other comments at this time? do we vote? i guess we vote. all those in favor? o post -- opposed? congratulations. [applause]

>> we do not have time to prepare for the inauguration? [laughter] >> as president moran's first duty, i believe he has a presentation to make to a past president vietor. commissioner moran: i just want to add my comments to those already expressed. a commission to return to is quite different in many ways to the commission that a lot. one of them -- one of the more common ways in which it has changed is it is a much greener organization. that is a tremendous achievement. there is nothing more difficult with large organizations then do fundamentally change culture, and that has happened over a fairly short period of time. it is about 10 of 12 years, but that is pretty short for a big organization. lots of people were involved in that. staff and commission, and you

have been a leader in that all along. when your at the department of the environment, the and my middle commission and here as chair, you have been one of the people responsible for that, and i think you could take a tremendous amount of satisfaction in that as we have a tremendous amount of gratitude for that. i am very pleased to relieve you of your gavel. on the other hand, i look forward to your continued leadership in these areas in driving this to be better than we otherwise might be. commissioner vietor: thank you. commissioner moran: i also have two gifts for you. one is the traditional double so you can, as you deal with the rest of your life, bring authority into that. [laughter] commissioner vietor: i did not get rid of it after all. commissioner moran: this is actually a higher grade one. and then, on a more personal note, over the years, i have spent a lot of time hiking and

taking pictures. one of the pictures i just love a lot is of the approach to the bridge over la punta falls in the height of run off season when everything is very wet, and it came out as a very nice picture. i thought i would present that to you as a personal token of thanks for your continued work here with us. commissioner vietor: oh, thank you so much. [applause] thank you. this is beautiful. commissioner moran: now, i suppose i have business to do. >> there is one remaining set of business. that would be closed session. if you could entertain public comment on any item listed in the closed session. commissioner moran: is there any public comment? >> we had a speaker cards. commissioner moran: seeing none. >> the next item would be to assert the attorney/client privilege to move in a closed

session. if you allow me to read the two items. 21, threat to public services or facilities, consultation with agency chief of security to conference with legal counsel in anticipated lethal -- litigation as defendant. if you could entertain a motion and to invoke the privilege. commissioner moran: do i hear a motion? >> so move. >> second. commissioner moran: discussion? public comment? all those in favor? opposed? the motion carries. we will now go into closed session.