commissioner chiu: welcome back to the board of supervisors meeting of september 21, 2010. we are here in part for our special order at 3:30. i will be presenting the commendation today to the blackrock arts foundation, and i'd like to ask of some of the representatives. the president of the board, executive director, the secretary of the board, the vice president of the board, and one of the need artists of the wonderful installation, which i will talk abou last week, i have the honor speaking at a presentation in the southeast corner of my district.

the blackrock arts organization was the organization behind bringing this great project to one of our spaces. they have been pioneering a very exciting new model for public arts in which they partner with neighborhoods and communities and city governments to temporarily placed city art project. the products that are facilitated by it as collaborative one have generated tremendous social but as a patient brought the process of both the installation and participation. since the first installation that they assisted with several years ago, we have now had several major installations in various major public spaces throughout the city, which have been extremely well received from every neighborhood that has been in. most of the neighborhoods have come, what is known internationally known festival, which was born in san francisco 25 years ago. from my perspective and i think many of my colleagues share this perspective, i think we need to

do everything we can to help our city really grow, not just the are cystic -- the artistic community but our city's artistic economy. we need to promote breast core values of activity, community, and activism. i want to thank those of you with the foundation and the community for all you have been doing both for san francisco for the world and for our wonderful public spaces in our city. thank you. [applause] >> it is a real privilege to be able to serve the community with the black rock foundation's work. this is where our roots are, and this is where a lot of our activity happens. although we are expanding worldwide, the burning man organization is world renowned,

and a lot of people do not understand or realize that the black rock arts foundation supports artists all year round, and we have a big presence in san francisco. have you all see in the rocket ship down at pier 14? i highly recommend you go check it out. it is this beautiful retro futuristic looked from the 1920's or 1930's, and flash gordon comes to mind. when we were installing it, an elderly gentleman wearing a service cap -- they were veterans of foreign wars, giggling like schoolchildren, climbing up on to the concrete blocks trying to get photos of each other on the fence, so i offered to take some photos of them, and it was really touching. i was trying to make sure they

got the mall in there, and they said they did not care about them, but just get the rocket. the action was not behind a fence half an hour later and were still taking photographs and having a good time. that is the kind of work that black rock arts foundation is able to bring to a civic setting. it is work that is cutting edge and fun and play ball, and it is not just a guy on a horse with a sword -- fun and playful. i want to thank you for your support as well as the grants for the art -- the department of art environment, who we have a program with. i would like to thank our board members who were introduced, and especially the artist, one of which is representative. if it were not for them, we would not be doing what we're doing. if you have a neighborhood with a park that could use some art, you have a community that once

some art, you know an artist that could use some funding, let us know, and we can help. thank you. [applause] >> part of our mission is to promote civic opportunity end engagement, and thanks to a wonderful city you are helping to run in sentences, you make it truly worthwhile. it is a wonderful opportunity. thank you. [applause] >> item 19. >> madam chair, and 19 has already been called. commissioner chiu: thank you. i appreciate your patience.

this is an item of significant importance to an institution within chinatown in my district, which has been in need of significant and expensive seismic work. i noted to do this, we need some tweaks to the bonds are around transferable rights, and we considered this last week at land use and had passed out a version of legislation unanimously, but over the last few days, a number of representatives of other projects have come to a number of us asking for some consideration of changes, so what i would like to propose at this time, because there's not a complete meeting of the mines, is that we do the following -- that we send the legislation back to land use, but before we do that, we duplicate of your files, both of which will need to be amended based on some of the conversations open -- we duplicate two files.

we need to meet some deadlines that are necessary, so at this time, i would like to make a motion to duplicate the file and to amend these two versions of the file. the first version to have a minor amendment on language that would add information around making payments used to make loans used to finance the preservation and rehabilitation. the second version would be amendments that embody ongoing discussions with some of these owners and developers. if i could make that did look as if an amendment set of motions. -- duplicative and amendments set of motions, and if i could make a motion to send both of these back to land use. the intent is that we will work the issues out over the next few days hopefully and on monday passed out a version that would come back to the board next week so that we do not have to have a hearing here at the board, that we can actually do this business back the land use.

>> moved that we continue this to committee, seconded by supervisor mirkarimi. as amended. >> madam chair, mr. president, that was without objection. commissioner chiu: the two versions will be sent to land use committee. madam clerk, are there any in memoriams for today? today's meeting will be adjourned in memory of the following individuals -- on behalf dufty of behalf, the late sgt margin anthony lugo, the late mr. william koblets. that concludes our business for today. commissioner chiu: colleagues, we are adjourned for today.

>> welcome to "culture wire." i'm your host meg. for years, free jazz concerts have been providing entertainment in downtown san francisco. people pay local musicians to perform for lunchtime crowds. the goal is not just entertainth. people in plazas are trying to create neighborhoods.

what began as a forum for performers who were paid by passing the hat has become a program that provides wide exposure and more than 500 paid gigs annually for local musicians. from july through september, people in plazas produces almost 300 free performances in the lunchtime hour. the mission of people in plazas generates social congregation. and by having these events, we encourage people to make these plazas everybody's neighborhood. >> recently, the san francisco arts commission was awarded a $ 250,000 grant for the national

endowment for the arts. to establish an arts district in the central market corridor between fifth and 10th street. throughout the yearing the arts commission will partner with people in plazas to activate the sidewalks along this stretch with art installation, opening events, live music, and new arts and antique markets at u.n. plaza. >> this area has been sleighted for many years, at least the past 25 years. i think that this redevelopment project and the n.e.a. grant are very positive signs that we have political will and a lot of momentum to really make the mid market area what it could be, which is a vibrant area where everybody is welcome and it's a place to be in san francisco. >> to get a feel for the future of the central market arts and culture district, be sure to catch out an upcoming concert.

for locations and times, visit peopleinplazas.org. to learn more about the central market revitalization initiative, visit sfartcommission.org. thank you for watching "culture wire." >> thank you. thank you. thank you for being here. >> santa clara graduate. truth be told. i couldn't get into cal and berkeley. it is not all about cal and berkeley. but of course drew is a better baseball player and moved on in his life and i'm stuck in public service which is hardly a place to feel stuck. i'm very enlivened by it, but i'm trying to make public life more entrepreneurial. that's why i'm here. i am here because i admire the work you're doing and i'm frustrated by what we do in

government, it it doesn't necessarily match the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit alive in this room and nom the city and state but across the country and the world. i want to say a few things. we're in san francisco, in one of the most diverse cities and the dirs states and the world's most diverse democracy. people are prospering and living together across the most imaginable difference. why do i say that? birthplace, united nations, why do i bring that up? i do at the end of the day make this strong point, that nothing matters more than our capacity to recruit and retain the best and the brightest minds from around the world. that what makes san francisco, what makes this state, what makes this country special at our best is that quality of imagination. that innovative and entrepreneurial spirit, that ability to retain the best and brightest minds. that's why it is right that

we're in a city that doesn't tolerate its diverseity. we celebrate it each and every day. that human capital, that differentiater. that is alive and well today because you wouldn't be here had it not been for that differentiater. you have a million other cities that you could be doing this first conference, but you chose san francisco, the birthplace of life science and biotechnology, the home of the california stem cell institute, one of the most dynamic cities still in this very difficult economic climate, the -- the home of twitter and companies like wikipedia, sales force.com. four square as he was mentioning. all of these remarkable companies that are now starting to take shape here in san francisco. play fish, the gaming industry really taking off. zinga and the work that mark is

doing and their growth and that potential, all taking shape in this small city that we call home. again, because this is where the talent about that ability to recruit and retain the best and the brightest minds. almost 0-plus percent. not almost, over 40% of the people in the city have bachelor's degrees or greater. not many cities have that concentration of talent. at the end of the gay, the primary function of a mayor is -- to create the conditions so we could create an environment where people like you can come to -- together and do extraordinary things. now, back to my point, i won't take too much of your time, government -- government needs that entrepreneurial spirit now more than ever for -- for obvious reasons. two that are self-evident to all of you. one, we're broke. the soaked, you don't have that

much confidence -- the second, you don't have much confidence to solve your problems. we're better off taking inspiration from you and the private sector and trying to inject it into government as we know it. my friend tim o'reilly came to me a couple of years ago and said, he started talking about the notion that -- of government as it -- as a vending machine. and that -- you basically pay yore taxes then offproscribed list of products and services, you basically pull the lever and that product or service is dispensed. that's it. that's rather one dimensional. the at some point to have you our consumers, the taxpayers, the shareholders to design government in your interest, individually and collective is limitless. that's really what -- what i am looking -- looking forward to in terms of the work that you're doing.

not just for your own interests but -- not just for your private interests but for the public good. that's why a year and a half ago, with tim and others, we came together and we put together an open data strategy for city government. we took a bunch of information and put it together and said, it is yours. this is your government, this is your information, now go at it. now figure out something to do with this information. something we could never have imagined and my gosh, got forbid would take us a year or two to go through a procurement process. you'll have to do an r.f.i. an r.f.q., r.f.p., lowest responsive bidder. then go through a process and where it goes through hearings and the county board makes their way to the mayor's office and by the time you get it out there, we run out of money and nothing happens.

you on the other hand have taken information and in realtime put applications now that exist days, in some cases hours after we put the data, you had days weeks and months and the cost to the taxpayers is zero. let me give you specific examples. we have an application showcase. if you go to s.f. data.org, you'll get the data we put up. we're barely getting started, we only have 150 data, we're getting started and tomorrow coincidentally, i'm going to acquire with the ordinance, diane executive order and codify with an ordinance to make san francisco government responsible for putting up thousands of data from every city department. be it the department of environment, be it the department of public works, be it the police department and the fire department, et cetera to do

the following. we put muni information up, company out of nowhere comes together and calls roots and takes information that exists so you could go on your p.d.a. and instead of worrying about whether we're on time with the public transit, you could find ow in realtime exactly when the bus will arrive. you got mothers that came together, because -- they actually -- are working more collaboratively to celebrate a lot of work that has been done to our play grounds in san francisco and they put together a mom map application, which uses the g.p. snfment your hand and can tell you where a play ground or park is within your area. you have got crime mapping that is being done now so if you you want to make sure you come to san francisco and you're nervous and you read about the tragedy with the tourist and you're not confident, you're going to stay at a hotel, you're not sure if

the tenderloin is the right place, you could go on this crime mapping,.com, application, and you could get all of the latest realtime crime mapping data. well ahead of anything that the city itself produces. we -- we're doing this for literally dozens and dozens of applications. how about this? how many of you, i imagine, everyone, some of you may never have had this indignity. not waking up in time when those street sweepers are outside. it is as government purposely does this to you. you're working hate and it is 5 a.m. they do the street sweeping. why not 7:00 our 8:00 or 9:00. it is always that hour or two before and you don't want to wake up. now we have an application. we were going to spend 30,000 to put this together, it would have taken us months to go through that procurement process.

and folks came can up like that for no cost. now we have an application that will tell you and warn you when those street sweepers are coming so you don't get outrageous tickets. these are the kind of things that are very practical that make a big difference in your lives. very soon incidentally, you're going to be able to go. this is the first city in america that has congestion parking meter prying, where you have an inventory of all of the on-street parking spaces and you're going to determine the availability of parking in realtime on your p.d.a., so you don't have to circle around the corner 20, 30 times. called s.f. park. again, three dimensional, this is the future of government. real transparency. real accountability. you designing government in your image. i think this is a extraordinary thing. i think this conference is extraordinary. i think you'll laak back and remember this day, five 10 years from now when you can't get in

the conference. when they can't just use north but south, but the other masconi we'll be building because hundreds of thousands of people are trying to descend in the region to take advantage of the extraordinary moment in time and that moment has you will create as you build again that quality of imagination and move your ideas forward. i just wanted to be here and -- as that local government representative saying please don't forget about us. transparency, accountability, efficiency, and real-time information, in the hands of the people that determine it the most, the taxpayers themselves. government not as a vending machine, but government as something all together different. it is -- it is -- it is your mind, it is in your imagination now, and i'm just here to encourage you to unleash it. let you know that san francisco

wants to continue to play a role, front and centre and this state, california, needs to do exactly the same. at a time of fiscal crisis and a crisis again of confidence, we can't afford to do anything less. drew, thank you for your wisdom. thank you for organizing this. your friends. thank you guys for ull a of the great work you're doing. >> good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us. it is my pleasure to be here with our regional fta administrator and our commissioner from san francisco who sits on the metropolitan transportation commission. we have a new development in terms of the muni metro system,

one of which is the beginning of the card installation system. we have nine stations that will be receiving newgate's. and we will be adding another 19 disabled fare gates. what we are attempting to do here is replace the infrastructure that has well tapped is useful life in terms of our fair gates, and we are cobbling that at the same time with a nuclear program, which you all should be aware of and which is the regional smart card that will be used throughout the area for public transit trips in the region. the new ticket vending machines -- we have purchased 40 of those ticket vending machines. customers should be able to go to any metro station and purchase tickets that can be used on all of the systems in the metro region. they are multi-lingual machines. they speak in english as well as

spanish and chinese, so we are very excited to be here today. again, 30 years worth of work that these dates have done it, and they have done all that they can carry in over 700,000 people, and these new dates will hopefully be here in the next 25 or 30 years serving as public transportation services here in the city, getting to and from their loved ones, getting to their job, getting to education, so we do not look at these gates as just being steel and rubber and labels. we look at them as an instrument to help people achieve their dreams, and today is an important day. we expect to have the total system outfitted by the end of october. we would not be here if it were not from the parks department, with federal stimulus dollars that came to us from the fda. the project had been sitting on the shelf for quite some time

here at the agency, and we were fortunately able to fast for this project through our partnership with the mtc and the clipper program, through federal stimulus dollars that were presented to us by president obama's economic recovery program. it was clearly a partnership that got us here today, and it is i guess a signal of future unveilings we will be doing over the next couple of months over the -- with other projects that will be coming to fruition. we started this work a few years ago as it related to the clipper card. we started work as it relates to the trolley buses being rehabilitated. we have a host of projects that we are implementing at this time to get our system in a good state of repair, and today is just one of them. with that, i would like to turn it over to our regional administrator -- regional fta. >> i am especially pleased to join you here today and celebrate this wonderful partnership.

this project has been forwarded with $11 million of federal stimulus dollars, and that is only one portion of the upward of $70 million in stimulus money that came to the mta here. we're very pleased to be here today. i would analogize this project almost to that of fine wine. nothing before its time. we have been involved with translink program. we are almost there. not only did the recovery money provide and create and retain jobs across the country, it provided that additional infrastructure funding to get us over the hump. again, we are pleased to join with you today, and congratulations to both of our partners. thank you very much.

>> here it is -- this is the clipper card, so everybody, have a good look at that. i think it is a very handsome looking card. you will see the logo on all the cards, on all the machines. you just put the cards down, and you are on your way to wherever your going -- wherever you are going, and given the -- how shall i say it -- the particular special environment of the bay area, the fact that we can all get around with the same card is a wonderful thing, and mtc is delighted -- believe me, i have been there a long time. it is a great delight and a real treat to be able to have this happen today, so i hope everybody will have a chance to

use the cards and enjoy it. thank you very much, and i'm delighted to be here. >> clearly, there is a group of folks we have to recognize here. we would not be here today if it was not for the folks in the trenches with ft thec s andfmta and federal transit administration -- those are the folks that really brought this to fruition. they have a lot more hard work to do, as when you bring on any complicated technology like this. it does have its growing pains, and we will experience those, but you have a commitment from the mtc and mta that we will try to make this is painless as possible. i think it is a great day to have these new fare gauges, just another indication of how the mta is reinventing capital dollars to make sure the system is reliable and