projects in north beach. it to work with us on the noodle fest. he can work with children, the police, neighbors. a part of our district is broadway, and he has been great. we have members of our association hornell from broadway, coming to the table, thanks to shell. it is time to move on from these partisan people on the entertainment commission and find someone who knows their stuff but is not going to be beholden to the industry. i cannot of size that more. at this time to move on from that time. thank you. supervisor avalos: next speaker, please? >> good afternoon. i am a member of the small business commission and i'm here to support the application of shell thomas, for several of the

reasons the previous speaker outlined. i know shell. i have watched him work with people. his economic opportunities for youth are extremely important. somebody who has experience in the community, active experience, is also an important consideration as you choose between i believe several very qualified applicants. i wish our commission. i hope that all commissions have as deep a pool of qualified, active people. thank you very much. supervisor avalos: thank you. next speaker, please? >> good afternoon, i'm just here to show support for shell thomas. supervisor avalos: thank you. next speaker? >> good afternoon. i am proud to be here to support

tim benetti. thank you. supervisor avalos: thank you. next speaker? >> i have been in the entertainment industry 12 years, operated several different venues. i am here to give my support to shell thomas, partially for his work with the neighbors associations, truck tried to get the police departments and associations and us all communicating. that is all i have to say. supervisor avalos: thank you very much. next speaker. mr. brown? >> i feel like i'm living here. only three hours until the giants go on. i am supporting mike o'connor. i have known him for a while.

the class of 2000, devyn became the mayor, gonzales has his own law firm. at who do you were about of all of your colleagues? chris kayleigh. michael o'connor, you know what he did? back before chris daly was the supervisor, he was a bartender. michael o'connor taught him, and out chris daly is falling back on the skills. o'connor is fantastic. i have known him for years. six years on small business, o'connor is a great guy. he gets along with everybody, works well with everybody. when i had to throw a bachelor party for my son in law, i

looked up michael o'connor. he is known in every establishment at every level in san francisco. thank you. supervisor avalos: thank you, mr. brown. go, giants. any other member of the public would like to speak on this item. seeing none, public, disclosed. supervisor alioto-pier? supervisor alioto-pier: thank you, supervisor campos. mr. o'connor, regardless of what was set up here, it will not affect the outcome. although we are all very grateful that you help supervisor daly in that regard. i think i have no new water problem than chris has. regina think i have known you probably longer than chris has. but me just say, this is a remarkable group of people.

we always have remarkable groups of people, but very thoughtful, articulate, experienced. if the entire entertainment commission looks much like what we saw today during testimony, we would be a very lucky city in deed. i want to thank mr. o'connor for his service. the work on the small business commission has been truly significant, and i think that experience would play well in a commission like this. the testimony of mr. hahn i thought was really -- i thought that stood alone, and so did mr. thomas and ms. weissman. the work on the civil grand jury, you have probably worked in learned on many things that

most people do not know, which would benefit the commission. but i will be supporting mr. benetti today, for a number of different reasons. aside from the fact that he is truly qualified for this position, his resume is fabulous. but i think mr. benetti and i share a perspective most people do not share. when you sit at the board of supervisors and are in the middle of heated debate and one of your colleagues turns around and looks at you and says, you know, disabled people don't go to golden gate park so we don't have to worry about the issues there which is an honest to god statement, i have to say to myself, we need more people who were about and are concerned with and understand issues of access. when it comes to places of entertainment. i think i as a person of disability and a person who uses a wheelchair, most of my obstacles are places of

entertainment, restaurants that are too pact, night clubs that say you used a chair, you don't dance. how do you know? it has a lot to do with having the same access as everyone else. i think mr. benetti's point of view is very important and one that we cannot get enough of. but he said about having a place that is a little higher so that you can see over the crowd -- that is a really good idea. i go to the american music hall and there is no elevator. and nobody says anything. to me, this is a personal choice. but i believe we need more people who are focused on access issues, involved in city government, and i was really happy to see he had put his name forward.

i will be supporting his candidacy today. supervisor avalos: thank you, supervisor alioto-pier. supervisor mar? supervisor mar: this is a tough decision, but it is so great to see so many applicants. i want to thank terrance alan, for his hard work on the commission, building up the commission since its inception of the past seven years. i appreciate brit hahn's willingness to concern, but i have concerns about industry. i think for legitimacy and stability of the commission, we need independent voices on there. i agree with some of the speakers that said it has to be somebody was outside of the ownership of clubs. i want to say michael o'connor served as a great small business commissioner and i want to see him continue, but i think the diversity he would bring to this

seat is important. but i still feel that that ownership question and independents -- and independents that drives my decision, i think miss weissman and others have been giving good qualifications. mr. benetti, like mr. hahn, gives me some concern because of the connection with club ownership. i want to know more about the music and culture association, as well, or the california music and culture association, to talk about the industry, but i feel the most independent person for me would be shell thomas. is why i think there is the broadest range of support for them. i even like the type of work he has done within the city, from the green businesses to even turning around former liquor stores to be successful

businesses. there is tremendous experience, and a range of experience that i think could bring tremendous qualities to the entertainment commission and help with stability, but to them sick, and provide that legitimate voice. -- stability, legitimacy, and provide that legitimate voice. supervisor avalos: thank you. the key to all the applicants. i know they cannot all be here. thank you for missing your name. -- thank you for submitting your name. we also want to thank outgoing commissioner terrance alan for his leadership and service. i think what i am looking for in terms of the entertainment commission is independence, but i also think it is putting that issue in context. i know there are probably some

colleagues on the board of supervisors who have a difference of opinion with me on this issue. i have worked with a number of these individuals. i have seen commissioner o'connor, and i think that makes sense. but mr. thomas' presentation was impressive, as was mr. hahn. this supervisor has a different take on some of the issues around entertainment. i believe the industry has to be responsible. i believe the industry has to be held more accountable, and that has not happened to the extent that is needed. but i also worry about the anti-entertainment center that that is coming out of local government at times, and that worries me. i think that a member of the atomic commission should not be persuaded by the industry -- of the entertainment commission should not be persuaded by the

industry, but it cuts both ways. that have to be independent. not that any of these individuals would not be, but based on the presentation and experience i see, i think that tim benetti is the better choice and i will be supporting tim today. any other college questions or comments? can we have a motion? do we want a roll call? ok, we take that without objection. thank you, congratulations. madam clerk, any other business before the committee? >> no, mr. chair. supervisor avalos: thank you. meeting adjourned.

commissioner fong: good afternoon. calling this meeting to order. >> [roll call] item two, approval of minutes for the september 28, 2010 meeting. commissioner fong: all those in favor? suppose? ok. >> item 3, public comment on the executive session. commissioner>> i move to reconvn session. >> second. commissioner fong: all those in favor? >> i move that we disclose the agreement with the ferry building partners in the amount of $46,230, and i also knew that we do not disclose anything else

discussed in executive session. >> second. commissioner fong: discussion on that? all those in favor? >> please be advised that the use of cell phones, pagers, and similar electronic sound- producing devices are prohibited at this meeting. the and priced that the chair may order the removal from the meeting room of persons responsible for the ringing or use of a cell phone, pager, or other similar sound-producing electronic device. the advice that a member of the public has up to three minutes to make heard of public comments on each agenda item unless the port commission adopts a shorter time on any item. executive director's report. >> good afternoon. i see a lot of friends and colleagues here today, still undecided -- delighted to see that. i have a very short report but one of the most important ones, and i want to start by talking about fleet week. i'm sure all of you have heard that it was a tremendous

success. the ford has had all kinds of feedback leading again into today for tenants and participants and the maritime community as a whole that were completely thrilled. as you know, the mayor appointed general michael my it to be the new committee chair, and he has just been outstanding. he is rather unassuming in person, but let me tell you, in the military community, he is quite the rock star, and it does not hurt to have george shultz also being part of this community. as a result, we have been able to welcome this year nine vessels as compared to one to three the last several years. i do not know if you saw in the paper, but i was present when the mayor was making his remarks, and he was nodding the fact that there were nine ships

this year, and senator feinstein reminded him that when she was mayor, there were 13, so we have something to shoot for next year. she has given us the challenge, and hopefully, everyone is up to it. general myatt and the committee were supported by a tremendous number of people. they are to be commended, and we would very much like to have them here at a future commission meeting so we can give them the accolades do to them as volunteers. today was just a little too tight. they are still putting fleet week to bed. i do not know if you happen to see any of the clippings, but the amount of press on fleet week was exceptional, and the photographs coming in are just amazing, particularly of all of the people that turned out at the shoreline. as if you probably know, thanks to the san francisco fire department, the fireboat led the way. we had the uss curtis, the mcm

pioneer, the mcm chief, teh hmcf white horse -- those are her majesty's canadian service, in case you were wondering. we also had the uss mincon island, and she departed today looking absolutely brilliant. there was a huge number of people who came to the waterfront to visit the ship as well as to interact with all the military personnel that were here. we have not just the navy but the canadian services as well as the coast guard men and women. and the marine corps. as i said, it was an amazing turn now. all the marinas and yacht clubs along the bay were completely sold out. there was a terrific collection of vessels out along the bay. most of the tugboats that i

could see, a plethora of sailboats, hijackers -- you name it, people showed up. -- kayakers, you name it, people showed up. of course, we could not have made it possible without the dedication of some tremendous city and port staff. the city staff was led by marc cohen and matthew godot -- martha cohen and matthew godot. as you may know, this past thursday, when the uss macon island was here, part of the commitment to fleet week was to get all of us first responders

together aboard the ship, and we have all of the major generals -- general hon from the navy, admiral brown from the u.s. coast guard mason brown. we had a general from the marine corps as well as their deputies. we had region 94 -- 9 for fema. we have the heads of departments of emergency services at the state and local level, and it was an incredible gathering of people who speak one language, which is disaster response. so that was really terrific. then, the st. francis yacht club hosted all of the military brass for the freight the ships, which they did as a donation, so it has been an outpouring of enthusiasm. the reviews are incredible. lastly, i would say that thanks

to sydney and michael, we were presented by admiral hunt of the navy this tremendous plaque, so things are looking really good for fleet week. if you add that on to the great work of the san francisco giants and all the cruise ships we had in court last week, it has been a tremendous time for our waterfront, and the port could not be more pleased and gratified by the support of all of our partners. with your support, i would very much like to get the general and his team as well as several of the other members i just named to come back and be properly acknowledged, hopefully on the meeting on the 26. the second item is -- maybe i'm little less enthusiastic about -- where did you go? there you are. which is that our friend and colleague, paul thayer, who has served for quite some time now, has decided to retire from

public service after a long and illustrious career. call has been the executive officer of the commission since 1999. if you think about that, that really has been the era for the port of development and rehabilitation of all the waterfront, so nothing has been done could have been done without all support. as you probably know, the state lands commission has the very difficult job of interpreting what is exactly the public trust, what it means for the state as a whole, and how it can best be applied to san francisco. i have to commend you and your entire team and being willing to work with us, being able to think creatively. in the time i have been here, and i have to say i think you were one of our first partners that really understood the crossroads that the ford was at in terms of its future, and you step right up to help us, and i'm really grateful for that. it means a lot to me personally,

and i hope you will counted among your many accolades and legacies that you are leaving for all of us. hall is the only person i know that kind referred to himself as a bureaucrat. for the rest of us, that is a four-letter word we do not really appreciate, but he says it with such love and endearment. he has had a long tenure in public service. paul always had a great perspective of the role of the legislature in defining and administering the public trust and brought that to all of the activities heated, specifically on behalf of the port of san francisco, so with respect to the pork, some of the project he has been involved with include the ferry building and the downtown ferry terminal. pierre 3032, bryan st. pierre,

which was -- pier 3032. pier 70, which will mean all that it could for future generations, and could never have accomplished all of that without you. just in case he had any spare time left, he was very much of golf in the oil exploration off the coast of santa barbara, which we greatly appreciate. and one that i really like, which is the recovery of money from the city of l.a. that belong to the port of l.a., so that is a very important piece of case law that we rely on every now and then, so we appreciate your stewardship in that. so i'm happy for you, very sad for the rest of us. thank you for your friendship, your leadership, your

creativity, and most of all, your dedication to public service. >> it is my honor to present you with this flat. really moving forward in all the future projects and laying groundwork and foundation for that, so i thank you and the commission finds you. it reads, "with gratitude and friendship, from the port of san francisco, october 2010." [applause] [laughter]

>> i'm happy to report this is the first time that paul has had to come to a port commission meeting. i told you how good he is that what he does. >> paul, brad benson, port staff, special projects manager. i want to say what a great honor it has been to work with you. i had the good fortune to start working at the port with monique and noreen ambrose, who was such an expert, and it was through her tutelage and your amazing patience and the patience of your staff that i came to

appreciate all of the common law principles that really guide the port in our day-to-day activities. it is really a very rich history of law. i think we are really serving the public in some extremely important ways. i just want to apologize that we are always coming to you seeking special treatment because that seems to be what we do in san francisco. i think you brought to the job a very strong environmental ethic. i know that had to be the case, and i did have a chance to work one of byron's reelection campaigns, and i know what a great guy he is. i know is that reputation and the reputation you have built at the commission, it was really with your concurrence that we were able to get through some of the things monique spoke about.

this most recent bill is going to mean so much, so you were firm and fair and always listened to us patiently, regardless of the crazy ideas that we were bringing your way, and i just want to thank you so much. [applause] i do have one card. >> [inaudible] >> [laughter] >> i hope you will forgive me if i turn my back on you and i just fall directly. -- by address paul directly. i am an attorney, and i have worked on most if not all of the projects in one way or another that monique just mentioned. that includes the ferry building, pier 1, and the rest.

as some of you may know, in a prior incarnation, i was the executive director of dcdc, and i thought i knew something about the public trust. well, i still think i know something about the public trust, and i will say at times, paul and i have disagreed about the scope of the public trust. but i will say this -- in all the times that any of us have ever worked with you, never have we had a speck of doubt about your integrity and commitment to the public, and i want to salute you today for that publicly and privately and thank you for all the good work you have done on all these projects. you have given us a waterfront i think we can be truly proud of. thank you. [applause] >> thank you.

i'm also going to ask permission to address my comments to paul. fall is also -- paul is also a dvdv -- dcdc commissioner. they have spoken a lot about the quality that fall brings to the job of pragmatism and listening and also an open mind and trying hard to reach across the table and try to understand the other person's point of view, despite some of the differences with what the trust means. they also have to grapple with difficult decisions about how to use entitlements. as we have said often, there is lots of good reasons that we have not even heard yet for filling the day, but it is a challenge, and you met it with grace and ch