francisco state. dare i say 20 years ago. oh, my gosh, we are getting old. i have always admired her focused work ethic, her integrity, and her talent as a great communicator. i have witnessed firsthand her community organizing, in particular the south of market area, and as a proud filipino american, i have always been proud of her achievements with city hall and her overall talent to lead people and make right decisions, so again, i urge you to support her. thank you. supervisor campos: thank you very much. next speaker please. >> supervisors, my name is francisco da costa. i have known the candidate since she worked for criminal justice.

having said that, supervisors, you do know that the san francisco redevelopment agency is a quasi-state agency, which use supervisors -- your hands are tied when it comes to auditing them and many of their dubious activities that i have participated in when i talk to you about hunters point or whatever. we need -- agnes is ok. she would be a better candidate than having someone else, some clone, but we need somebody to represent the bayview visitation valley. there is a lot from here, and someone must know about the infrastructure, housing element, and so on and so forth. treasure island, with all the activities of tida that

recently came before you all, so we need a candidate that needs to be astute. i love the filipino community, and i have taught for the filipino community, but this is about the housing element. this is about infrastructure. this is about the over $30 billion in the next eight years coming to this community and the experience that a candidate brings. if she is a fast learner, she can catch up, so let her do the right thing for the community, so i support her. thank you. supervisor campos: thank you very much. is there any other member of the public who would like to speak? seeing none, public comment is closed. supervisor alioto-pier. supervisor alioto-pier: thank

you. i just want to commend the mayor on this appointment. i was very excited about it. these larger, bigger, more important commissions have a real impact on san francisco, and i think it is really important that you get people investing in the city, in the beauty of it, the way it runs. we need to make sure we learn from our mistakes, and i think that the redevelopment agency is one of the commissions in particular that we need to pay special attention to. i'm thrilled to be able to support you in this, and your work on the small business commission or department was exceptionally noteworthy, and i just want to congratulate you for the nomination, and i thank the mayor for putting this before us. supervisor, with that, if i may, i would like to make an official motion. supervisor campos: we have a motion to move this forward.

first of all, thank you to the speakers who have come out and spoken about the application, and thank you to miss -- ms. briones ubalde for volunteering to serve the city and county of san francisco. i will be supporting that motion. let me say that what i especially appreciate about this individual is, i think, the history of commitment to community involvement and making sure that the interests of all of san francisco communities are taken into consideration. i think that that commitment has been demonstrated repeatedly and that this is an individual who will reach out to all these communities. with respect to the filipino community, i think that this appointment is a long time coming and is something that should have happened a long time ago. my hope is that it will be a

first step in making sure that that community has even more representation throughout city government, but i think ultimately, why this makes sense is that this is someone who i think will go out of her way to make sure that all views are taken into consideration. if we could take that without objection. thank you. congratulations. if we could now please call -- [applause] item number four. >> motion confirming the reappointment of edwin lee to a five-year term as city administrator under charter section 3.104. supervisor campos: this is a very important item, and if i could ask edwin lee to come before us. good morning, mr. lee.

>> thank you for the opportunity to speak with you about this confirmation. as you noted, i had in your city administrator for the last five years. i'm now in my 21st year of government, and i was pondering what to say today. honestly, i had been thinking about all the years i have spent here in government. just appreciating the fact that we have a great opportunity to work in this wonderful city. it is so diverse and sell dynamic, and -- so diverse and so dynamic, and i do often compare us to oakland and all the other cities that surround us to all the major cities in the country and find that we are so lucky to be in this great city and to be working for it. 21 years ago, when i first started, i did not like the city government at all. in fact, i spent some quality years litigating it.

i was challenged at that time and continue to be challenged by various mayors and members of the board of supervisors to come in and make those changes, and today, i'm proud of the staff i have assembled at the general services administration, proud of the 26,000 people i get to work with to deliver services to san franciscans and the people who visit here as well. there is anything i continue reflecting on that amazes me, -- if there is anything i continue reflected on -- if there is anything i continue reflecting on that amazes me, it is the diversity of our citizens. we need to make sure that we treat them equally and make sure that our cultural competence reverberates are around every single department of the city. that is what makes me proud to be part of this government and to continue doing what i can to contribute to it. with that, i am proud to serve

with you and serve a number of programs. it would take all day to go through all of them, but that is personally how i feel about the time i have had here, my continued efforts to work with the mayor for all of san francisco. thank you. supervisor campos: thank you, mr. ne -- mr. lee. the one thing i would say about this nomination is the fact that it has not been a controversial one or the fact that you do not have a lot of people here who are raising issues with this i think is a testament to you because you do play a very important role in the day-to-day operations of the city and county of san francisco. i think that oftentimes, we hear negative things about a specific

application, but when there are positive things, those things do not necessarily get any airing, so the fact that we are where we are today i think illustrates the kind of job that you are doing. i appreciate the fact that you truly are trying to make sure that government works for all san franciscans and i think you have demonstrated repeatedly that you get it, that you get the importance of making government accessible for all people, irrespective of where you live. there are a number of experiences we have had, and certainly with one of the most vulnerable populations in my district with the day laborers, i know you have been committed to making sure that we do right by that community in a way that also addresses the concerns of the neighboring communities that are impacted, and i know you will continue that commitment. i also appreciate the fact that you had a team that is

representative of the diverse populations of san francisco. i think that is very important, and i know you will continue that commitment, so i want to thank you for that. i do not know why anyone what to do this job for another five years, but if that is their choice, i would be happy to support it. with that, why don't we open it up to public comment? if there is any member of the public who would like to speak on this item, please come forward. >> supervisors, jim lazarus. i had the privilege of working with the board of supervisors back in 1995 on charter reform and crafted the position that end is being nominated to -- that ed has been re-nominated to. this is the type of person we anticipated when we created that

position back in 1995. having the general administration of the city and competent professional management hand overlapping the mayor's administration's -- this is a great reappointment, and i know it is going to go forward unanimously. thank you for letting me speak. >> supervisors, first and foremost, let me say that mr. edwin lee and myself are very good friends, and i have known him for a long time. i have access to him, and if you know me, i say things after studying the issues. never once has mr. edwin lee not stopped and listened to me. having said that, let me explain a little bit about the position.

when willie brown came, they changed the charter. before that, you have the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the city administrator who has power. now you know how that goes. so when you say you wonder why anyone would take that job, it is because someone twisted the wings of the city administrator. having done that, someone like edwin lee knows how to play the game. not only that, he delivers. this man, over the last year- and-a-half has brought a lot of those problems on track, dealing with a monopoly like pg&e. it is not very easy. so i wish him the best.

he is a good friend of mine. i have access to him. i hope he brings a better sense of accountability and transparency, and that is a model, city employees. for those that do not live up to some standards, would just talk the talk but do not walk the walk. supervisor campos: thank you. next speaker please. we have been joined by the executive director of the arts commission. >> good morning. i direct the arts commission, one of the few departments that do not report directly to the city administrator, edwin lee, but does interface with his office on a regular basis to address many of the challenges and issues that we all have to do to do the people's business, and it has been an absolute delight to see the efficiency,

the awareness, the fall through of his office -- the follow- through of his office. he is totally accessible, and i just want to take this time to lend my support to this appointment. thank you very much. supervisor campos: thank you. next speaker. >> good morning. i am a member of the immigrant rights commission. i am here this morning on behalf of angus mccarthy of the commission, to show support to mr. lee's appointment as city administrator. he has shown his honesty, integrity, and leadership, and also has been very that is why we believe he is the right person for this position

for the next five years. thank you. supervisor campos: thank you, commissioner. next speaker please. >> i am the director of the san francisco arts program. i am here to voice my support for edwin lee as city administrator. i can attest to how he is in close of -- inclusive of issues and voice. there was a particular meeting that i can point to in which edwin lee, several other staff members from his office for their. they were talking about day laborers. i remember how conclusive ed lee was about what was mentioned by day laborers, and also of his ideas, it almost crafted the

plan of action that we were making. the community should be pressed in those conversations. we know that he is going to be the right person as the city administrator. supervisor campos: thank you. is there any other member of the public that would like to speak? seeing none, public comment is closed. supervisor alioto-pier? supervisor alioto-pier: i think it is the most important thing to say right now to you, mr. lee, for wanting to continue to want to servserve the city and n francisco. i would be happy to move this forward with recommendations. supervisor campos: without objection. congratulations. [applause] please call item no. 5.

>> item 5. motion approving the mayor's appointment of rodney fong to the planning commission term ending july 1, 2014. supervisor campos: we have the commissioner -- >> would you like me to read item 6, too? >> item 6. motion rejecting the mayor's appointment of rodney fong to the planning commission term ending july 1, 2014. supervisor campos: i would like to ask commissioner fong to come forward before we give you the floor. thank you for reaching out to my office. it has been pretty crazy, so we have not been able to connect, so i want to thank you for

making yourself available, and with that, this is the opportunity to address the rules committee as to why this appointment. >> i will take the opportunity to thank you for all your great work for the city. i appreciate the opportunity, having served on the port commission for the last four and a half years. i find it a little bit ironic that my grandparents were detainee's here, my grand mother was born here in 1989, and now to serve as the port of san francisco, where many of these immigrants came through, that is great. my family grew up as farmers in the delta and took the

sacramento king and queen into the city to deliver their goods. a graduate of the city college, hotel and restaurant college. i am interested in serving on the planning commission for various reasons. as you know, the planning commission catches a lot of things, whether it is housing related, transit related, even marijuana dispensaries. it is sort of a catch all. going back to my family roots, i do not think they would have ever believed that their grandson would have the chance to shape san francisco for the future. certainly in their time, san francisco is not what it is today, and certainly will not be what it is going to be for my kids. the opportunity to shape that is a special one. supervisor campos: thank you, commissioner. i have a number of question but i also want to give supervisor alioto-pier an opportunity.

ok. thank you. probably the first question that comes up for me -- as you know, the board of supervisors confirm your appointment to the port commission in june 2010. so a recent appointment to the commission. it is not typical that someone gets appointed to a commission and then a few months later, their name comes forward for a different commission. i am trying to understand why the change and why not simply remain on the port commission, which as you know, in your experience, including serving as the president of that commission, it is an important commission that plays an important role in the life of the city. >> it is unique timing.

i wanted to have the opportunity to serve on both. i grew up on the san francisco waterfront. i feel my experience from the port commission would carry over naturally into the planning department citywide. i am interested in seeing all things grow in severance cisco, whether it is housing, at transit, job creation. it is by coincidence the opportunity came up just after i was confirmed for a second term with the port. i think it is a matter of timing and opportunity. supervisor campos: the reason i ask, i am impressed with a presentation and i am inclined to vote for the appointment, but connected to that is we have a lot of things happening at the port of san francisco, an itch yoissue certainly in the forefrt

is the america's cup. it is something that the mayor has indicated is a priority for them. many of us are excited about the prospect. given the importance of that, why not remain on the port commission? >> good question. i am hopeful that we can get the america's cup, but as you know, some of the larger items that occur on property end up before the planning commission, or in conjunction with. it is possible some of the larger developments, appears 70, other developments, will be studied by the planning commission. the planning commission did review seawall lot 351. i think they are less disconnected than one might

think, but i understand your point. it is very difficult to walk away from the port of san francisco, which in my experience, over the last four years has really started to blossom. supervisor campos: my concern is there is something to be said about continuity. you are someone who has provided a great service on that commission. you currently serves as the president of the commission. i do have that concern of lack of continuity, especially as the port of san francisco embarks on this very significant project. >> you bring up a good point. by two other colleagues have combined 22 years of experience on the port. there is some continuity on the port commission. i think the potential people

coming on board have an understanding of the importance of the america's cup and see that the exploratorium is billed out a way that it was intended. supervisor campos: a lot of these commissions come down to finding the right fit. clearly, you are a talented individual. if you could say a bit about your background around planning issues and why that would make this a good fit. >> my background is in real- estate development. most recently, i had done work with the fisherman's wharf with the planning department to create the fisherman's wharf public realm plant. it was a community driven process. working with the planning department along with

stakeholders and merchants, senior groups in the areak, to get to some -- area, to get to some fare level ground. that plan was approved a year ago and is working its way through the planning department for implementation. we are looking for capital dollars to execute it. the difficult thing is getting all of fisherman's wharf to agree. sometimes in these gray areas of san francisco, we have well entrenched histories there. i take great pride in leading the group and different folks, letting them express their been -- opinions and concerns move forward. with my background in real estate, community service, understanding the port, how the different agencies operate, i feel i would be a good fit for the planning commission. supervisor campos: have you attended planning commission meetings, have you appeared before them? >> yes, but i have not sat

through an entire one because they are so long. supervisor campos: i think you are not alone in that. a lot of the projects that come before the commission, a lot of time is devoted to considering additions to existing homes, residential neighborhoods, you have a conditional use requests. part of that requires some knowledge, familiarity of residential guidelines. i wonder if you could say a little bit about your experience? >> i have sort of grown up building and constructing, renovating buildings in san francisco, los angeles as well. my background of architecture in construction is probably greater than most. i think you bring up an interesting perspective about

the diverse san francisco, listening to different folks. the system we have now where there is a discretionary review process requires just that, discretion. it does a case by case scenario. supervisor campos: how about your knowledge, experience with the general planning code, ceqa? >> i have some familiarity with that working with the port, ceqa, environmental stuff. i am familiar with the better streets plan, very familiar of the bike plan, supporter of that. i follow the proposed changes in transit. all of those things, i think, come together into the puzzle that i think needs to be put together. you emphasize too much on one item, it does not work.

if you neglect any one of those aspects, it does not work. all of them need to be put together for the city to be successful. supervisor campos: just a couple more questions. something that all public officials have to deal with is the issue of conflict of interest laws with respect to planning items, items that come before the planning commission. there is an assumption that anything within a 500 feet radius where you might have a personal financial interest in any property, you would be precluded from being involved in those decisions. i wonder if you could talk about how that would apply to you and know whathe level of your holdit could create an issue, if you were to be on the planning commission. >> as you know, we always take

part in the ethics training. i take it seriously, as i am sure you do. as you point out, there is a provision that does not allow you to participate in any vote if you are a property owner within 500 feet. you must recused yourself. with the port commission, that has come up. i have obviously always done that. if questionable, i have erred on the side of conservative. i respect that. i believe it is an important role, as well as the gifts rule. as far as my personal relationship, there probably would be less than two handfuls of occasions, properties in which that would take place. supervisor campos: