potential problems in that area. we have here today somebody who is intimately knowledgeable of this industry but will not have an opportunity or need it to be overly influenced on the side of the entertainment venues. he's a very fair person. we worked with him on many 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.

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