disconnect there, that is really hindering the process. we felt that it started when they left the building. you know, when they were able to go over and have their own offices away from what was happening at the building department, they were able to set up, you know, their own institution and pretty much dictate their involvement with dbi, which has been subject at this point. maybe there is some way that you guys can think of to get them back in the picture more, get us all back together and on the same page. because we find that a lot of the process issues are with planning. you know, if you could help us with that, we would appreciate it.

thank you. >> is there any further public comment? item eight, commissioner question -- them and may i make one more? -- >> may i make one more? i would like to make a couple of comments. i just came off a couple of years -- a couple of terms as president, and they went with many suggestions from our stakeholders, homeowners, contractors, whatever. some of our staff with some ideas to make moves for the department. the answer was always yes, but it never happened. getting some cash shares,

training them. we were really short on cash years for about a year and people to collect money, just take the checks. we did not get that done. instead of it cannot be done, let's ask why not? why can it not be done? the director called me first before he decided to resign, and he popped out two or three names for replacements. and one of them was director day, and he got the position, and it was supposed to be very temporary. we were supposed to do a nationwide search to find a new director at the time. we did not have much discussion about it because at the time,

the department was going on -- under tremendous pressure financially. we were in the middle of a layoff, and the last thing i wanted to do as president was asked the commission to spend another $100,000 to do a search. so i really worked hard to try to make you succeed. i wanted you to succeed. nobody wanted you to succeed more than i did. i really got frustrated. i am glad now that i am not present any more. -- i am not president anymore. i have noticed in the past week or so that there is some communication with your name assigned to it. you are having an executive meeting, and at least we know about it. i never got any of that stuff

when i was president. i quite honestly felt very frustrated. there are some incredible people that work in the department who really wanted to help, wanted to step up to the plate, and i did not particularly think that they got the opportunity to do it. morale for the last two years has been pathetic. i made some suggestions early on that we would have coffee once a month or something. we did have that, and we had the coffee and donuts, and i assume that the director was going to give her troops and a little pep talk, but that did not happen. i went to these breakfasts. commissioner will was there at a couple of the meetings, and i was not even introduced when i got to these meetings. the director and her deputy sat over in the corner and did not

talk to anybody. i just think that is off the wall. so i do not like airing of a dirty laundry, but somebody has to step up and say it. i sat down with commissioner romero at it -- for an hour-and- a-half a meeting with you, and i left after one hour, and it was obvious that this was regarded personnel, that you were not very well informed. commissioner romero was very well informed. i am not. i do not understand if at all. basically, what i'm saying here is the department has been taken hostage for a couple of years. we got a new president. i just hope that he is treated with a little bit more respect than i was, director. i hope you can do that. the director does not have too

much respect for the commission. i can guarantee you that. most directors do not want seven bosses, as they call us. we are not bosses. we're just overseers. but our role in the will of the president for the next year is to find out what the needs of the department are and help you with the needs of the department. i just hope that you can work with commissioner romero -- or president. commissioner walker: i just want to again thank president murphy for serving. it is a challenge to serve as commission president. i think that this department, as evidenced by the financial state

we are in and how we are actually hiring back, how we have tried to respond to some of the ongoing issues, and the fact that it does take a long time. i have served as president, and i know even with agreement on everything, and with leadership doing what they can, it is oftentimes like pushing water uphill. it has taken us 10 years to get our i.t. system going through three or four directors. the same amount of time to do what seems obvious, preparing for earthquakes and doing what we can as a department. i get your frustration. i think that in hindsight we should look to the great successes that we have had. i think that it is probably very difficult for a department head to work with the commission.

i think most building departments do not. i think that the issue of morale in our department has been there since i have been on the commission. the people that work for our department work hard. they believe in our city. they love our city. they look to us to help support our director in running the department, and i hope that we can continue to do that. because i think we are going in the right direction, and i think it is frustrating for everybody that we have gone through this economic challenge that we have over the last couple of years, but i would remind commissioners that we actually are in the black, that we have done this painfully, because we had to lay off a lot of our folks. i actually, even as we may disagree on issues, i think that this is a commission that actually works together probably

better than most in the city. so i would actually like to commend our staff, our leadership and commission for being willing to work together like we do. in spite of our differences. so thank you. commissioner murphy: one more comment. on one situation out there where there was a squabble going on between a couple of neighbors on a project, the chief was out there, saying everything was ok. all it needed was a signature from our director. she would not back up her troops. in the meantime, it cost these people over $1 million. >> that is not before us here commissioner -- that is not before us here, commissioner. commissioner murphy: that is

additional comments. >> i just want to say even though i am happy to serve as vice president this year, i am still the new kid on the block. i have been very appreciative, actually, of the staff and my fellow commissioners, who kind of update me on what has been going on. and i have been involved in some other city parties, and what i have noticed is sometimes we do not hear from a lot of the people that come in and get taken care of. i understand, just like when the inspectors have to go out, and then they tell a contractor he did not do it right or we have to hear from the property owner. yes, they did it without a permit but did not know they needed one. some of the stuff we heard this morning. i feel like part of our

position here is to act as that bridge to the community, but to also work with the staff and help them when we did things like that. i have been tipped i think every single meeting on this commission now, and the people i see in our public comments have been a lot of the same people, which is good, but at the same time, i know there are a lot of other people are getting their permits fold, doing the job, getting it passed, and everything is fine, so they do not have any need to come here. this is something that i am kind of conscious of, too. when i'm out there as a homeowner or landlord, i tell people to do it with permits, get it signed off on, do it right, and you will not have any problems. that is what i am kind of learning. i wanted to say that i am not only appreciative of the director, but also of the

inspectors that are out there. nobody wants somebody walking through their house or their property saying that this trap was not done right. but at the same time, it is a thankless job, but that is why we have codes. that is why we have to do it. >> thank you. >> item 8, commissioner questions and matters. 8a is increase the staff. commissioners may make inquiries to staff regarding various documents, policies, practices and procedures which are of interest to the commission. commissioner walker: could we maybe get a follow-up to our department working with the health department on the update from our hearing that we had?

and also, i did not know it is appropriate for our commission at this point, but the concept of adaptive reuse of some of these buildings and how it is we can, as a department, either through education or discussion about codes -- like the issue we heard in the abatement hearing where people are living in buildings that were previously office or previously indiana. maybe we could engage in some conversations with some of the group's going on to recommend code changes or process changes to the department. or code advisory. maybe -- i do not know if we want to have it as an agenda

item, but maybe get the department involved in those discussions. >> i can get your information on what we can and cannot do. >> that is perfect. that would be great. them a great. thank you. i have a question for steve. i know that in the past, i have asked about the gray water in dealing with where we could move forward on more green technology and would love to work with the department to help promote the clarity on which department will move forward on the green side, especially in the plumbing. >> we have been working with the health department and puc as well trying to get notification out to a bunch of different

organizations on how it is being performed, what is being done, what is being looked at. there are some projects where certain requirements from puc are different, and they are coming to us after the fact or starting the process and not coming to us and finding out after. so we are trying to clarify that. certain business owners and contractors so they know exactly what to look for and how to install these types of systems. again, i spoke to you earlier. i would love to sit down and have a conversation of how in the process and where we are at and with the apartments are planning to build. >> i know there is the move towards and green roofs and the category where sandbags would be needed in the category of where as a result of the roof drains and all that, that basically

will provide problems for the system. those are one of many things that we could really -- >> those are situations we have dealt with in the past. we have always had it in the code that clarification to explain to certain agencies or contractors as well like that -- these issues are coming forward, and yes, this is still a requirement. yes, this is a requirement for san francisco. we have combined systems to explain exactly how that needs to be done. just getting the word out and having him speak to the plumbing department is very helpful to a lot of different agencies in selling these types of systems. >> so with the new type of project and the pre-plan review, would it require that there be some category that the permit review process would allow for that to happen? >> working with the director, we have already spoken about types and have the --

>> we cannot discuss -- we can agendize. >> i will talk to you, but that is the category that i just wanted to ask. and that is there any public comment on item 8a? ok, item 8b, future meeting agendas or items. the next regularly scheduled meeting is on may 20. litigation is on the 17. is there any other input from the commissioner?

any public comment on item 8b? item nine, review and approval of the minutes of the special meeting of october 7, 2010. for all in favor? item 10, review and approval of the minutes of the regular meeting of november 17, 2010. the move to approve. >> any public comment? >> item 11, adjournment. >> move to adjourn. them all in favor? >> all in favor? >> aye. >> meeting is adjourned.

thank you. >> i have 2 job titles. i'm manager of the tour program as well as i am the historyian of city hall. this building is multifaceted to say the very least it's a municipal building that operates the city and county of san francisco. this building was a dream that became a reality of a man by the name of james junior elected mayor of san francisco in 1912.

he didn't have a city hall because it was destroyed in the earth wake of 1906. construction began in april of 1913. in december 1915, the building was complete. it opened it's doors in january 1916. >> it's a wonderful experience to come to a building built like this. the building is built as a palace. not for a king or queen. it's built for all people. this building is beautiful art. those are architecture at the time when city hall was built, san francisco had an enormous french population. therefore building a palace in

the art tradition is not unusual. >> jimmie was an incredible individual he knew that san francisco had to regain it's place in the world. he decided to have the tallest dome built in the united states. it's now stands 307 feet 6 inches from the ground 40 feet taller than the united states capital. >> you could spend days going around the building and finding something new. the embellishment, the carvings, it represents commerce, navigation, all of the things that san francisco is famous for. >> the wood you see in the

board of supervisor's chambers is oak and all hand carved on site. interesting thing about the oak is there isn't anymore in the entire world. the floors in china was cleard and never replanted. if you look up at the seceiling you would believe that's hand kof carved out of wood and it is a cast plaster sealing and the only spanish design in an arts building. there are no records about how many people worked on this building. the workman who worked on this building did not all speak the same language. and what happened was the person

working next to the other person respected a skill a skill that was so wonderful that we have this masterpiece to show the world today.

>> welcome to "culture wire." today we're headed to smpling f. camera works, a premiere venue for artists working in photographer, video, and digital media. the latest exhibition lists

clearness as a set of political alliances and possibilities that it is behind the sphere of dominant gay and lesbian culture. the curator fills us in on the process of creating this thoughtful exhibition. and what she would like you to take away from it. >> i co-cureated with danny, a chicago-based writer and curator. the conceptual framework is what it means to be clear and radical for our generation. clearness as a set of political alliances and possibilities, not necessarily related to institutions of gender and swam formativity. danny and i wanted the show to feel funky and to have a really tangible quality to it.

so part of that was incorporated handmade objects and installations and beautifully printed photographs and videos. there is also a lot of opportunities to participate and to take postcards or to get the photo taken or sit within a tent made out of afghan blankets to watch videos. the exhibition is organized in three distinct galleries. in gallery one, which is the gallery designated to clear activism, there is an installation by the oakland-based collaboration and it's called "unleashed power." it's all focused on one protest that happened in chicago in 1991 with the activist organization act up, which was protesting the inadequate health care for people living in aids, and specifically it focuses on an act of police

violence that occurred at that protest. the thing that is really interesting for me about that piece is that it brings us back 20 years to what clear activism looked like at the height of the aids crisis. gallery two features work that is related to intentionally communities that exist both within cities, also in rural spaces, and transient communities as well. the return features a no madic clear tribe, the people who join this tribe are often in various states of transition themselves, whether it's leaving behind previous gender assignments or corporate jobs or a life within cities. a lot of the work featured in the exhibition and a lot of the installations are handmade objects. there is a lot of do-it-yourself aesthetic and

that handmade do-it-yourself feeling is something that mimics the idea and the reality of the alternative world making that we're trying to represent here as far as the self-sufficient community goes. gallery three features work that relates to the ideas of self-determinenism, alternative world making and utopia. visits can still participate in this -- visitors can still participate in this project. during the opening, we invite visitors to come in and try on these costumes, pose in front of the backdrop. he was really inspired by comic books that he read as growing up and thinks of this space as a post-apocalyptic monster portrait gallery where people

can remain genderless once they put on the costumes. we think it's important that this be happening in san francisco, which is considered an ekpe center of the queer actual cure. the majority of the queer cultural events happen in june which has been designated as the pride month. which to me translates as the period of time in which people can be in clear arts and culture. in september, it's hashingening back to that and proving that this is something that is scon significantly happening all the time. what danny and i hope visitors take away from this exhibition is to observe the diversity within the designation of queer within the designation of queer in terms of race, in terms of