whether you are in or out of uniform, you are always a representative of this great city. i am so proud to be here on behalf of the commissioners who are here and those who cannot be here. we're here to serve and work with the city. we are here for you. thank you so much for being part of this great department. we're looking forward to meeting you and working with you in the future. [applause] >> thank you, fire commissioner. the chief of the department, joanne hayes-white, would now like to say a few words. [applause] >> good morning, everyone. welcome to our beautiful division of training 21 years

ago, i sat in those seats and was a proud member of the 1978 recruit class. we're here to celebrate your hard work and successful completion of the rigorous 14- week recruit academy. this the first recruit academy we've had in nearly six years. you now have the skills and ability to enter the field on your assignments and provide firefighting and emergency medical services to our community to fulfil our mission. i remember your first day here on may 2, 2011. i spoke about the importance of teamwork, getting to know one another, and working together to build on strengths to help those who might be struggling. teamwork serve you well throughout our careers. your ability to do that and be successful has paid off. the staff at the division of trading has provided you with an excellent foundation -- at the

division of training has provided you with an excellent foundation. each day, you will gain new insights and experiences you will carry with you throughout your career. hopefully someday you will train other firefighters like yourselves today. whether it is responding to restructure fire, medical,, making a presentation to the community, you are now part of the official san francisco fire department family. i am very proud of each and everyone of you. [applause] the profession you have entered is more than just a job. it is a vocation. it is an honorable and noble vocation. there are tremendous rewards and satisfaction that go along with a career in the san francisco fire department. along with this comes great risk

and responsibility. as firefighters and medical service providers, we put our lives on the line daily to carry out a very important mission. this is painfully present in our minds with the tragic loss of firefighters in june, heroes who made the old and sacrifice in fulfilling the mission of the san francisco fire department. i know vince and tony are looking down and giving you the thumbs up today. you are to be commended for the work over the last 14 weeks. you have formed a strong team. the bond will always be with you. each and every member of the class i graduated with is a lifelong friend because of the experience, bond, and teamwork reform here at the division of training many years ago.

i encourage you to continue those relationships as you move into the field. always challenge yourself. be a sponge when it comes to learning and knowledge. ask a lot of questions. treat everyone the same way that you would want every member of your family to be treated each and every day, even when you have been up for hours and hours. always wear the uniform with pride as you are today. nothing is worth doing unless you do it 100% all the time. i am proud of the diverse makeup of our class. it truly reflects the community we are serving. all of you came very well- prepared. you were all emergency medical technicians. this is the first time we have had a class that we made that a requirement. it is great to have real estate

appraisers, people who have worked in construction, personal trainers, people will have worked retail, 911 dispatchers. that is all important. each of you bring something to the team. i am also proud that collectively, there are many languages that you speak in addition to english. we have speakers fluent in spanish, cantonese, italian, french, russian, and vietnamese. all of that is value added for an employee of the san francisco fire department to serve our diverse city. many of you have advanced or bachelor's degrees. with history majors, sociology, i.t., psychology, civil engineering. all that is impressive and important as you build a team and contribute to the san francisco fire department. to the family and friends of our

recruits, thank you very much. it has been a sacrifice for the recruits and family members. it has not been an easy 14 weeks. you will find that there will be missed holidays because they are serving the city. we're so proud to have them. we're thankful to you for your continued support throughout their careers. i will also like to acknowledge the division of training staff. it is challenging and rewarding. it was one of my favorite positions. we're able to impart our knowledge and experience and make our imprint on the new recruits. under the direction of frank costa, they are all to be commended for the work in

building the foundation upon which the class will continue to grow. we have many new faces. we had some tiretirements last month. i could not do my job without a good team of people to work with. i would like to acknowledge each and everyone of you chiefs recommend -- representing the department today. i want to thank the commissioners for your support. we're very proud to work with the commission that challenges us, works with us, and expects us to be our best. we appreciate your presence today. of like to acknowledge local 798. thank you for continuing to advocate for our department, to give the recruits over our class working.

supervisor chiu, i would like technology. -- i would like to acknowledge you. i really appreciate your presence and support of the san francisco fire department. the supervisor was chair of the budget committee. it was not an easy task. we appreciate her diligence in that role and how she understands the importance of continued funding for public safety. last but not least, to mayor lee. he is -- i am proud to be achieved for almost eight years. i am so proud to be working under the direction of mayor lee.

he is a colleague and friend. i am so proud he is with us in good times like promotional ceremonies and graduations and in difficult times like in june with a loss of vincent and tony. thank you so much for being here. i will be back to give you your oath of allegiance to officially welcome you into the department. i look forward to seeing you grow. congratulations. you have our support 100%. all i ask is that you give your 100% each and every day you come to work. [applause] ♪

>> the san francisco cons tri of flowers in golden gate park is now showing a new exhibit that changes the way we see the plants around us. amy stewart's best-selling book, "wicked plants" is the inspiration behind the new exhibit that takes us to the dark side of the plant world. >> i am amy stewart. i am the arthur of "wicked plants," the weeds that killed lincoln's mother and other botanical atrocities. with the screens fly trap, that is kind of where everybody went initially, you mean like that? i kind of thought, well, all it does is eat up bugs. that is not very wicked. so what? by wicked, what i mean is that

they are poisonous, dangerous, deadly or immoral or maybe illegal or offensive or awful in some way. i am in the profession of going around and interviewing botanists, horticulturalists and plant scientists. they all seem to have some little plant tucked away in the corner of a greenhouse that maybe they weren't supposed to have. i got interested in this idea that maybe there was a dark side to plants. >> the white snake root. people who consumed milk or meat from a cow that fed on white snake root faced severe pain. milk sickness, as it was culled, resulted in vomiting, tremors, delirium and death. one of the most famous victims of milk sickness was nancy hangs lincoln.

she died at the age of 34, leaving behind 9-year-old abraham lincoln. he helped build his mother's casket by carving the woodallen petition douche the wooden petition himself. >> we transformed the gallery to and eerie victorian garden. my name is lowe hodges, and i am the director of operations and exhibitions at the conls tore of -- cons tore of flowers. we decided it needed context. so we needed a house or a building. the story behind the couple in the window, you can see his wife has just served him a glass of wine, and he is slumped over the table as the poison takes affect.

a neat little factold dominion about that house is actually built out of three panels from old james bond movie. we wanted people to feel like i am not supposed to be in this room. this is the one that is supposed to be barred off and locked up. >> the ole andersonner -- oleander. this popular shrub is popular in warm climates. it has been implicated in a surprising number of murders and accidental deaths. children are at risk because it takes only a few leaves to kill them. a southern california woman tried to collect on her husband's life insurance by putting the leaves in his food. she is now one of 15 women on california's death rowan the only one who attempted to murder with a plant.

>> people who may haven't been to their cons tore or been to -- do serve tore or their botanical garden, it gives them a reason to come back. you think let's go and look at the pretty flowers. these are pretty flowers, but they are flowers with weird and fascinating stories behind them. that is really fun and really not what people normally think of when they come to a horticultural institution. >> "wicked plants" is now showing at the san francisco conserve tore of flowers. unless next time, get out and play.

>> [roll call] commissioners, the first category on the calendar -- items proposed for continuance. item one, proposed for continuance to november 10, 2011. items 2 a and b proposed for continuance to september 15, 2011. item three, 2011.0523t proposed for continuance to october 20,

2011. item four, kansas 2011. 0533z, zoning map amendments for the washington-broadway special use districts proposed for continuance to october 20, 2011. commissioners, i am not aware of any other item on calendar being proposed for continuance. >> is your microphone on? >> it is, but i was not speaking into it. thank you. commissioner olague: is there any public comment on items proposed for continuance? seeing none, public comment is closed. commissioners? commissioner miguel? commissioner miguel: on the items on the continuance, -- i move the items on the continuance calendar to the dates specified. >> second. >> thank you, the commissioners.

the motion before you is to move continuance of all items on the calendar proposed for continuance to the dates as we have discussed. commissioner antonini: aye. commissioner fong: aye. commissioner moore: aye. commissioner sugaya: aye. commissioner olague: aye. thank you, commissioners. those items have been continued, as discussed. the next calendar is your consent calendar category. the items listed on this category constitute the consent calendar. they are considered to be routine and will be acted upon by a single roll call vote of the commission. there will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of this commission, the public, or staff so request. in that event, the matter will be removed to the calendar and considered as a special item --

separate item at this or a future hearing. again, the items are 5a and b. 5a is a request for conditional use authorization for the expansion of an existing wireless telecommunications facility operated by verizon. the expansion would add six antennas on an existing structure. facilities proposed on a location in one site. it is a preferred location, as it is a public structure. it is within a public zoning district. 5b, same address, consideration of a motion making findings of consistency with the general plan and priority policy for

planning code section 10 1.1. regarding the expansion of an existing facility by adding panels on the existing structure. items 6a and b, request for conditional use authorization for proposed wireless telecommunication facility operated by at&t mobility. facility would include up to a panel for a -- panel antennas mounted on an existing structure and rooftop equipment cabinet. facilities proposed on a location preference one side, which is a public structure and preferred location in a public zoning district. 6b, same address, consideration of a motion making findings of consistency with the general plan and the priority policies

of planning code section one a 1.1 -- 10 1.1 for the installation of the at&t facility consisting of up to eight panel antennas amounted to an existing structure and recover equipment have it. item seven this case 2010.1084c, 730 poultry, request for additional use authorization for a wireless facility operated by at&t mobility -- 730 polk street. the facility is proposed on a location preference of for your side. it is a preferred location. it is an industrial/commercial side in the neighborhood commercial zoning district and 130-e -anvil district. following public comment, which would remove the items from the

consent calendar, these madams -- these matters are in your hands. commissioner olague: is their public comment on the items proposed for consent? if so, the items are proposed at this time -- do you want to speak to this item? well, then, you should come to the microphone and let us know that. >> she did raise her hand before. commissioner olague: i know that. i asked people who have a comment to please come up to the microphone. that is fine. do not feel nervous, ma'am. it is probably your first time. it is normal to feel nervous. ok. which item would that be? we will pull it from the calendar. polk street? ok. we will discuss it as a regular

item. >> [inaudible] commissioner olague: ok, if you raise your hand, i will do this, and we will make sure you know to come to the microphone. is there any additional public comment on any of these items? seeing none, public comment is closed. >> we are pulling items seven from the consent calendar, and you will consider it at the beginning of the regular calendar? ok, thank you. commissioner antonini: maneuver to proves -- a move to approve items 5a adn b and 6 a and b. >> thank you. commissioner antonini: aye. commissioner fong: aye. commissioner moore: aye. commissioner sugaya: aye. commissioner miguel: aye. commissioner olague: aye. >> thank you, commissioners. those items have been approved

as you have directed. we are now at commissioner questions and matters. item eight is consideration of draft minutes from your last meetings of august 4, 2011. following public, and any modifications you may have proposed, we do ask that you approve the draft minutes. commissioner olague: is there any public comment on the draft minutes? seeing none, public comment is closed. commissioner miguel. commissioner miguel: i move adoption of the minutes of august 11 -- august 4 and august 11. >> second. commissioner moore: i have a, for the next item. >> commissioners, thank you. on the motion for approval of the drachmas for august 4 and august 11. commissioner antonini: aye. commissioner fong: aye. commissioner moore: aye. commissioner sugaya: aye. commissioner miguel: aye. commissioner olague: aye.

thank you, commissioners. are there any other commission matters? commissioner moore: i just wanted to bring to the commission's attention magazines of the september issue of "scientific american." title better cities. i strongly recommend that you acquire this magazine and read it. it is not as much about policy, but generally reflections on the city. commissioner antonini: find you. i would like to ask that we adjourn tonight meeting or today's memory -- today's meeting in memory of a couple of individuals who died in our absence. first is john casper. -- don casper.

he was a longtime civil service commissioner, an attorney, a leader in the community columbus day celebrations and active in san francisco politics and tragically was hit by a hit-and- run driver of the russian river on his nightly run that he would take four years and years -- and unfortunately, the individual involved has not been apprehended. there is a reward fund. the second individual was a 22- year old gentleman who was working to we want jobs in an unusual way to support his wife and two children. he would work at night in a restaurant and state of during the night because he would work as a baker in the morning. he was taking a break between his two jobs, and he was shot and killed because he was mistaken to be a member of a

gang, which he was not, as far as we know. fortunately, there has been a reward fund set output wells fargo bank. i think the restaurant will also have an event in his honor. but i think this is totally unacceptable, this kind of behavior in our city or anywhere. hopefully, there will be a reward fund set up in this instance as well because this is a way to stop this, if somebody comes forward and arrests are made. anyway, those are the two individuals i would like to adjourn the meeting in ottawa. commissioner olague: -- >> at the indoor during the break, if you could be sure to give me the spelling of that name -- at the end or during the break, if you could be sure to give me the spelling of that name. commissioner olague: i wanted to include ini -- in that eric casada passed away during the

break. he was a very valuable community of the -- very valuable member of the mission community. he has been sick for a number of years, but he leaves behind a wife. >> thank you. commissioner miguel: over the break, i ended up talking to more people than i thought i would on a break. i had a meeting with the port regarding their involvement in eight washington and see wall lot 41. i had an interesting conversation with dan on the veterans affairs medical center

out at 42nd and comment -- and clement. there was an excellent meeting that i helped share -- chair regarding the market street redesign that is coming up. i met with some people regarding the recreation and open space element of the general plan, particularly in regards to golden gate park. i have met with a number of people on cpmc as well as the budget analyst on their work with the department. i was updated as to the safeway redesign proposed out at ocean beach as well as a couple of

meetings regarding an item that is on our calendar today. commissioner olague: i just wanted to finish my comments. he leaves behind a wife, daughter, and quite a legacy in the mission. he led a lot of mission advocates an activist and really fought hard for everyone across the border or boundary of residence. latino families, lgbtq communities, and he was a valuable member of the district and community, so it is quite a loss. an irreplaceable loss, really. commissioner sugaya. commissioner sugaya: i would like to echo commissioner olague's sentiments. i was not a personal friend of his, but the only time i think i really saw him