, congratulations. i think it is great that you take over a seat that i sat in. i have always felt that my role was to represent the stakeholders, the small builders, small developers, homeowners, mom and pop's who are trying to get permits. essentially, the people who were writing the checks on a daily basis. i wanted them to get value for their buck. i think to a certain extent, we did help over the last six years, though change is slow, very slow for somebody from the private sector. i have a guy that wants things to happen now. that is not the case for the city.

to be on the commission, it is important to be loyal, to be loyal to people on the staff -- some incredible people. i sort of look at them as extended family. go back all the way to mcauliffe -- mcalester street over here when i first came down for permits. we used to go in and get the permit, and then we would go down to the basement in city hall and have breakfast. i would also like to thank kevin. he was always my silent adviser. never said an awful lot, but what he did say was always well thought out. warren and i always got on very well. always a lot of respect for warrant.

you have done a great job. and frank -- frank was, as i said earlier, he was around when i got here. he had been around for quite a while. he sort of meant toward me a little bit and helped me. i remain very close to frank, and i have great respect for him. i want to welcome the two new commissioners over here. you are welcome, and i'm sure you will do a great job. john on our legal staff -- he has offered me valuable advice over the years, and i appreciate that. my two sisters -- three sisters here -- i really enjoy working with you guys. i think that is all i have to

say. i write a script, and then i lay it down and forget to read it. >> that is the best way. >> so i wish you all the best. thanks. [applause] >> is there any public comment on the item 3? great, seeing none, item four, election ofbic president and vice-presidents -- election of bic president and vice- president. >> typically, what would happen is there would be discussion amongst commissioners, and a motion would be made to nominate someone, and then if it is seconded, you would then vote. usually, the preference would be

if there is multiple motions and seconds, it gets confusing, so usually, it is better to handle them sequentially rather than to have multiple motions setting out there on the table. you would first go through the election of the president, and then that president then could conduct the elections for the vice-president. commissioner mar: so i guess we would open nominations for the president. commissioner walker. commissioner walker: thank you, warren. i have been on this commission for quite a while. i served as president myself and have served under nell, -- mel, reuben, frank -- i think that is

it so far, but it is vital that there is a working relationship between -- especially the president because the president does really carry the commission's communication to the department. i want to just say that since commissioner mar has been vice- president and now took over as president since the new commissioners got appointed, he has done an amazing job of reaching out to other commissioners, to staff, trying to take up the slack in the transition as we became a new commission. in that light, especially since there has not been a president from the appointees of the board of supervisors since i was president many years ago -- so

in the light of and in the spirit of working together and really coming together to move this department forward, i actually nominate warren mar, who is currently vice-president, as president. commissioner mar: thank you. i accept, i guess. that is there a second? >> i second that motion. commissioner lee: and can i speak? i have given this a lot of thought. being president of the commission -- and i have served as president of the commission before -- takes a lot of time and effort. i personally would like to nominate ankus mccarthy --angus mccarthy. i believe we have a lot of work to do in areas that his experience and expertise are

helpful. just as i did a couple of years ago, when i supported commissioner murphy for the presidency, i believe that the contractors seat is the best person to lead the commission at this time still. i will tell you why -- our department is running well. the areas that needed improving our improving, but there is still a lot to do. in my belief, commissioner mccarty as a home builder, contractor, small businessmen, has the most experience in the category of getting permits and inspections for construction projects. i will tell you why we need to continue with that -- because we not only need to make things better for the regular customers -- talking about architects, engineers, contractors -- talking about the everyday folks, homeowners that may only come to the department once in a lifetime.

i want to share an experience with you that i had over the weekend. i think i mentioned it to one or two commissioners about this. saturday, i was at the function, and i was introduced as a building commissioner. sure enough, as usual, people came up to me and started asking questions. i had one couple who live here. they are not architects, engineers, or contractors. they are just professionals living here. they are smart, but they wanted to remodel their kitchen. they asked me a simple question -- "why can we not download a permit application from the website?" i know the answer, but that is not the point. the point is we should be doing things to make it easier for folks like that that want to do the right thing so that we do not have all these other problems out there. we should encourage people to come here to see permits, seek inspections, and i do not think

we have gone far enough to encourage that and get those people working with us, as you may say. commissioner mccarty shared some ideas with me on how we can improve that, make things simpler, make things more understandable, removing that kind of mystery from our department. being a contractor in small business -- he has been in the construction industry for many years now, seeks a law permits from the department -- i think probably more than any of us combined. i think his experience as a commissioner on the immigration rights commission -- he was the president for five years, and that commission has a bigger number of commissioners then this one does with both the mayor and board of supervisor appointees, and he was able to work with them as well as folks in the city government.

i think commissioner mccarty would be worthy of being president, and i nominate commissioner mccarty. >> i do not want to stop other discussion, but i want to have a point of information from council -- should we take one nomination at a time, or what will be the best process? >> it is up to the acting president. we may be headed toward having competing motions on the floor, in which case, the first motion that received a second takes precedent. that would be the first one that you would vote on, but you can have competing motions with seconds on the floor to consider if you, as acting president, want to proceed in that direction. commissioner mar: why don't we

just vote on the first motion, since it has been seconded, so we can move that out of the way, and then proceed with the second motion? with that the appropriate? >> it would. you would need to take public comment. >> can i, before we go into voting, except the position? >> you could, but it is not necessarily a second of the motion that was made by commissioner lee. >> i would like to second. >> we are now going to call for public comment. there are two motions on the board that had a first and second, but we need to proceed with the first motion. the first is for nominating commissioner warren mar as president. ready to take a roll-call vote

-- i'm sorry, public comment. sari, just to clarify, the public can comment on both nominations. >> thank you. good morning, commissioners. luke o'brien, coalition for responsible growth. i will start by saying first of all the i think either candidate will do a good job. as you know, i have been here many times, and i have found commissioner mar to be quite fair, reasonable, and confident and intelligent with the matter at hand. i will walk out of here comfortable with the level of candidate we have going for this position, and i think either one will do a good job. however, the decision has to be made as to who will carry the

flag, so somebody has to take it, but i am comfortable that we have got two candidates. i know warren pretty well because he lives nearby, and i see walking down the street, and we bump into each other, and we are able to say hello and be cordial. i know that whatever happens today, that will continue to be the case. commissioner murphy got some kudos for the work that he has done during his tenure on the commission, and perhaps, particularly during his tenure as president, and i think he gets credited more than anybody -- probably fairly so -- to whatever degree, i do not know, but to a fair degree gets credited for most of the work that was done in improving operations at thedbi and on the top floor. i happen to believe in my heart of hearts that the reason why he was able to do that is because he is in the trenches and knows the trials and tribulations that

an average joe who walks in has to go through to get a permit. i am a believer in the guide that is in the trenches, the hands-on guy. i have an in-built adversity to a person who is totally hands- off. knowing mel personally and professionally, that has never been the case. he has to be hands-on, and i think that is why he was able to do a good job. i believe that is probably going to weigh in favor of commissioner mccarty's ability to lead at this point in time, to continue on whatmel -- webisodes -- what mel has started.

he knows what it is to stick up two by fours on a framing site and the trials and tribulations to deal with inspectors, getting signed off on that, getting in to try to pull a pyramid, what of the trials and tribulations that go on. it is hands-on. he does it on a daily basis. he understands in and out, and that gives an edge to someone who is going to oversee the commission. that is why i have to give my support to commissioner mccarty, and i wish you all the best of luck. thank you. >> good morning, commissioners. i would like to lend my support to commissioner mar, and i will tell you why it is so important to have commissioner mar as your leader. it has to do with experience and continuity. i go to many commission meetings, and i am impressed

with the complexity of work that comes before each of the commissions and each of the president's. indeed, there is a communication that is necessary with staff. i am sure that commissioner mccarty will be extremely effective in carrying forward about the work of mr. murphy, but i think that can happen simultaneously with the leadership of commissioner mar because of the years that he has served here and the necessity to have that type of background under his belt. it is not something you just walk in, sit down, and start doing an agenda. there's a lot that goes in behind-the-scenes. i want to support somebody who has been part of the process, created new processes that are improved, and is totally familiar with staff. you cannot sit up there without getting to know just about everybody in the department, so i think that years of experience are absolutely

critical in this transition time, and i think all of the arguments, all of the public comment that has come before this commission is resident in mr. mar's background and thinking. so there is no disrespect to anyone that is here, other than the fact that we have a valuable asset in the form of a prior commissioner who is willing to serve in this capacity. thank you, and i look forward to each of these commissioners advancing building in the city. thank you. >> structural engineer and president of the san francisco coalition for responsible growth. commissioners, i know you do not need to be reminded that the budget and the entire income of dbi and most of planning rely solely on permit fees.

the apartment building inspection cannot use the general funds for financial help. only permits. as a structural engineer, i happen to be what i consider to be the right barometer of economic activity for san francisco, and i can tell you the san francisco is poised for tremendous growth. there is a great deal of activity in the city. thankfully so. there have been some very painful years. fortunately, developers, project sponsors feel confident about the course of action in the city, and they feel confident about our new mayor and our new board of supervisors. it is essential that we help people with the permitting process. for that, i think thatangus mccarthy -- i'd think that angus

is ideally positioned to be able to care that effort, ensure that the fifth floor, where 93% of permits are issued at the fifth floor, where the project sponsor has the obligation to go through architectural, mechanical, and pay for those fees on the floor in case he changes his mind. that is a tremendous improvement. it is a great help not only to the department, but to the city of san francisco. we need to be able to help and accommodate to the person that writes the checks, the guy that is starting a business, to the guy that is remodeling. that is the individual that we need to help. angus mccarthy would be ideal to pursue that goal. thank you. >> good morning, commissioners.

board member for the san francisco coalition of responsible growth. i have no commissioner mar for the time you have been in the commission. i appreciate the time you have put in, but i have also known commissioner mccarty for quite some time, back to when we sat together on the advisory body to the redevelopment agency. this commission is about building, and that is where commissioner mccarty has really got experience. he has done so many projects. he understands coats. he understands permitting. he understands how the system works. on the south of market project committee, he was someone who would listen to everybody that was out there. he would not try to bully and pushed his way around. he was very reasonable and understood what people were thinking.

again, i appreciate commissioner mar for being on the commission, but i think for with the commission's stance for, i really would support commissioner mccarty to be the president. while on that, i would like to congratulate our new commissioners. welcome, and we look forward to keep seeing you. so thank you. >> i am a member of the coalition for responsible growth. as well as small property owners of san francisco and the apartment association. commissioner mar has been very helpful in the past on projects -- i represent a lot of small owners who are in pretty deep trouble. commissioner mar has been very flexible and supportive in the

past, but i find that the items that talked about commissioner mccarty is compelling because we really need flexibility out there and knowledge on the commission, and i know commissioner mar has this as well, but we really need this out there. property owners are in real trouble, some of them. therefore, with due respect, i wish to commend commissioner mark. thank you for all your help. thank you. -- i wish to commend commissioner mar. thank you for all your help. >> chairman of the san francisco

coalition for responsible growth. president, commissioners, director, i would like to first of all congratulate the new commissioners. we look forward to many commission meetings with you as you go forward. as the previous speakers were talking, i thought back to a previous life, and i looked back to the moment when you had a few candidates to bring to the board and agree on one. i always had a very simple formula in the selection process, and it was really three things -- can do, will do, and how fit. as i go through each of them as the previous speakers were talking, i look at the can do, and i can see where each candidate has strengths.

however, i came out on the side of commissioner mccarty because of -- commissioner mccarthy because of the stronger demonstrated elements to do with the commission needs, as has been talked about by previous speakers. how fit is all about motivation, and i can see where each candidate would bring strong motivation for why they would be good at the job. however, i see from commissioner mccarthy the demonstrated aspect on a previous commission where he really served with distinction, so from my view, i give you the not under that category. then, it is all about how you work together. commissioner mccarthy has a strong, gregarious personality, and his level of consensus- making previous demonstrated

positions -- so under three categories, my tics go to commissioner mccarthy. i would like to leave just one little phrase, and it is from the gaelic. commissioner, say little, but say it well. thank you. commissioner mar: other public comments on this matter? >> seeing none, the first motion is to be left commissioner mar for president. the roll-call vote. but commissioner mar: yes. commissioner clinch: know. commissioner lee: no. commissioner melgar: yes. commissioner mccarthy: no. commissioner mccray: no. commissioner walker: yes.

>> motion fails for-3 --4-3. next, we consider the next motion to nominate commissioner angus mccarthy for president. we have a roll-call vote carried commissioner mar: -- roll-call vote. commissioner mar: no. commissioner clinch: yes. commissioner lee: yes. commissioner melgar: yes. commissioner mccarthy: yes. commissioner mccray: yes. commissioner walker: no. >> motion carries 5-2. commissioner mar: i would like to congratulate commissioner mccarthy and look forward to working with him. >> thank you. president now mccarthy, you can

do the nomination for vice- president. commissioner mccarthy: thank you. i will make my comments after we take care of the next appointment. i would like to open up for commissioner's comments on nominations. commissioner lee: i would like to make a nomination. i would like to nominate warren mar four vice-president. >> second. commissioner mar: i would like to decline. i would like to make a nomination. commissioner lee: anybody want to hear my reasons? [laughter] >> i think you have to convince the guy next to you. commissioner mccarthy: the commission would like to hear your reasons as to why. commissioner lee: mar commissioner -- commissioner mar has some great ideas, and i think you have all heard he is very passionate.

we need more of that. as i learned over the weekend, there is still a lot of people that do know -- do not know what dbi handles. i feel a lot of increase for city government, and i will tell you -- a lot of people still mistake what dbi does for other departments, and i refer to a lot of calls. my counterpart over at the dbi knows that. commissioner mar had some very strong ideas, very passionate about the department and the commissioners can do some outreach and educate the public and get them more engaged in working with us. i like that passion. i like those ideas, and i would like to support commissioner

mar on those efforts, and i would like to see him complete them and get them done. commissioner mccarthy: if i may, i would like to make some comments. obviously, we do not have a history of working together, but i did have the opportunity to have lunch with him, and we shared a lot of our values. the one that resonates with me, obviously, we are both from immigrant backgrounds, and he told me the story of his background, and how you progress and how the family progress and how it came out over the years and how it turned out to be such a great family. we share those values. there's a lot of conversation today about us