and equipment for $9 million, and use it for four years and then toss this out. there could be a couple of scenarios planned out. this may completely go way, or we could have the rank choice boating, from what this is now. if we would approve this extension, how will we deal with this? we can turn off the module but if we tweak the system, how would we be able to manage this if we approve the contracts -- >> we have the existing agreement with the vendor, to provide the choice, and if the

contract is expiring, i don't know if we can continue with redeveloping with the process at the state and federal level, to bring this to the city for us to use this. we can have the contract in place to modify, which would potentially limit the motivation for the vendor to make these changes. >> with regards to the machines that we currently have, they are certified for us to run the election results. if we had to purchase a new system, we would have potentially higher standards that -- than currently exist. >> the current system is the 2002 standard, this was when the

testing requirements took place. i think by the time they announced this -- this takes care of the testing for the voting systems. and now this is the 2005 standard. this system would not pass the testing requirements. we will not purchase our own system back. we would not have the earlier testing cert. the 2007 requirements, this has not gone into testing or even -- we're looking in a situation where this system -- this is certified with the older standards but we have the current agreement with the vendor that will let us make

some changes to the system. >> supervisor? >> i just want to make this very clear. if, the voting is no longer utilized in the voting process and we turn this off with the machines, is there a potential reduction in the contracts in the future? >> there is a $70,000 license fee that we pay, annually, and if rank-choice voting goes away, we would not pay $70,000 for 2012. the other costs are not dependent on this, and so, they identify specifically now.

>> there is the wrong choice component with the dominion? >> we pay up front, to bring this component into the system. >> only dominion is able to work with what we have now. >> the only software license that they have. this was the first vendor in san francisco that ran this by now they do not do rank choice anymore. >> thank you. let's go to the budget analysts report. >> on page 5 of our report, under the first alternative, to extend the existing agreement by two years, the total cost will be $2 million, and similarly under the second alternative, to extend the

agreement by five years. the recommendation is detailed on pages 7 and 8, and the recommendations do not consider the impact of the pending rank choice charter amendment. we recommend that you approve the first alternative, with the recommendations that were made on page 7. to extend the agreement through two years. we consider the approval of the second alternative, with the recommended agreement on page 8 of the report, to extend this by a total of five years to december 10, 2016. we consider this to be a policy decision because these did not provide for the additional

agreement. >> thank you. let's open this item for public comment. and other members of the public who wish to speak on item number 10? public comment is closed. the item has heard public comment and is now before us. >> before coming into the budget committee i was going to request an amendment, for one of these extensions but after hearing this, i feel comfortable presenting the 21-year extensions. i understand the rationale with the equipment having been purchased, to extend this three years but i would like the flexibility of coming back to the budget committee, knowing what will happen so we have all the alternatives open to us. i would like to hear from my colleagues about how they would like to move forward. >> i appreciate these comments.

i do think that your recommendation is a good one. we should exercise this option. given the large investment in the equipment, and depending on what the system looks like in the future, we would like to make certain that we keep this investment, and we're not finding a new system if we don't need to. i don't think it hurts to have this item come back to us once we have a little bit more certainty about the voting, and with the requirements may look like if there are any changes. i would support moving forward with the two years, and this option to go forward and holding off on the decision with the additional three years. >> and is there any additional comment? >> do we have the motion to accept the recommendation, at

least the first recommendation to exercise these options? >> there are several technical amendments that we have made, and they are all listed on page 7 of the report. >> just to articulate what these are, regarding the proposed amendment, to amend the proposed resolutions title, for an amount not to exceed -- and to extend the contract through 2016, to oppose this -- to replace this language for an amount not to exceed -- to extend the term of the contract and it indicates to amend the resolution on page one, at a cost of 2.26, with the exact value of 2.264.

and can we take this without objection? the amendments? and then, just to the city attorney with regards to the city amendments, are these substances? with the items recommended, can we move this forward? we will do so. and are there any other items before us? thank you very much, we are adjourned.

you are so lost. no, i'not, man. dude! i dropped my phone. oh, the road! whoa. yeah. you know what i'm saying. how would you like to save your life from an ugly reckless driving death? don't answer yet, there's more! act now by slowing down and we'll guarantee you complete satisfaction! kids: that's awesome! announcer: in the real world... passenger: whoa, andy, slow down!

>> hi, i'm bart may. today we have a speaking event for you as we all the celebrate the placement of the world's largest self-anchored suspension bridge. without any further ado, i'd like to introduce the cal trans director, malcolm dockerty. >> thank you for coming out and helpling us celebrate the momentous occasion. it is my extreme pleasure to be able to introduce our first speaker today, and that is the honorable mayor, gene kwan.

>> good morning. well, we were expecting my friend ed lee. who knows if we see flashing sirens, that will probably be him. this is an amazing event for the bay area's economy. this bridge and this final lane of the final section represents so many things for us in the bay area. it represents an investment in the future of our area, tying oakland and san francisco. this is the kind of infrastructure work that i know president obama is trying to get in the big that will be coming up this week. about 10 kinds of this type of bridge are being built with federal dallas. the tax payers in the bay area have been willing to finance the retro fit of the bridge. this is a component that came from china. it's a real symbol of the global

economy. and it is a complex project. it shows how we're linked together. and thirdly, it's going to be this amazing opportunity for us regular self-defense when the bridge is finished, particularly here on the east side, to ride out here, our bikes, to walk out here across the bridge. to really tie us culturally as well as economically together in the bay area. i want to thank the workers and the cal trans crew that's been working so hard on this project for over a decade now. this has been difficult. i know the last mayor had a little bit of to say about the design. this has gone through three mayors. this is also when this comes back, it will be a critical part of what we're applying for

federal funds. this is part of an overall economic vision, and lastly, we all felt those tremors last week. we have to remember why we're here today. we live in earthquake country. there's so much work that we have to do to retro fit major bridges and roads in the bay area, and so that's why i'm particularly hopeful that we'll have a better outcome this week, next week in congress for the president's bill. we need to retro fit not only this bridge, but a lot of other major structures in the bay area. thank you to the engineering crew. thank you to the iron workers. thank you to international workers in china for building this last section. this is really a great day for the bay area 678. >> thank you, mayor. we could not let today pass without major representation

from the bay area city, since this is a significant link here between the bay cities. i'd like to introduce from the city of san francisco, mohammed nuru. >> good morning, and thank you for having us out here. i'd like to start by first of all expressing mayor lee's regret for not being able to come here. unfortunately, he got stuck at city hall. but with that said, we are very, very happy to be here for this event, and to join our partners. this celebration today marking installation of the 28th piece of the piece of bridge completes the driveway, bringing the rage into san francisco. as we heard from the mayor, it is a very, very important part of the project because it does

connect san francisco. as you know, of 100 million people use this bridge in a year to come to san francisco. but the construction of the bridge itself brings a lot of jobs to the bay area and we're very, very happy about that in support of all the work that our president is doing in washington to bring more of projects of this type. this bridge marks a huge improvement to connecting san francisco, and also connecting treasure island, which is the development that will be -- it's a development that's under way, and will hopefully be a place where everyone can also enjoy and ride their bicycles. next year we'll be celebrating the 75th anniversary of the bay area bridge.

i want to remind everyone to look forward to that celebration. it should be huge. i know there's a number of projects, some lighting of the bridge and all sorts of celebrations. with that said, i'm very happy to be here and san francisco is proud to be part of this project. thank you. >> thank you very much. i'd like to talk about the significance of what's been accomplished here today. it's another major milestone in the construction project that is replacing the san francisco oakland bay bridge. another major step forward in the completion. obviously, it's very important, and as was mentioned earlier about the number of motors that use this bridge, it's 280,000-plus motorists that use this every day and it's an important economic lifeline, and this extraordinary work done today will ensure that this lifeline will be safe for

generations to come. as we speak behind me, you can see that the final deck section is being listed into place. all 28 deck sessions will be in place and this is a massive step toward the completion of this engineering icon bridge. it closes the gap between the s.a.s. and the skyway, which we are standing on. it will give us a clearer picture of what the skyway will look like and the opening of the bridge late in 2013. we've been work at this. the department of transportation as well as the contractor and many workers and the subcontractors. we've been work on this for 21 months. on february 3 of 2010, the first deck section was put into place. and i want to thank all of cal tran's workers, whose efforts over that period of time has led to this point as well as the contractor and the subcontractors for all the continued great work.

the engineers and construction crews will be working night and day to livet all those 28 deck sections into place for this world class bridge and they deserve a lot of recognition and our sincere thank you. i'd also like to give a specific thank you in recognition to american bridge and floor enterprise, the main contractor on this project and to all the employees who have made this achievement possible, and we'll hear from the project manager of that endeavor a little bit later. i want to thank the oversight committee. we'll hear next from steve hemmingger. but i'd also like to thank mr. rinehart, who was not able to be here today. i want to thank the residents for their patience and support on this important project. i'll close with message to all the driving public.

we ask you to drive safely and move over when it's safe to do so. at this time, i'd like to introduce, as mentioned before, the executive drecktor of the bay area toll authority, >> good morning, everybody. we broke ground on this project, or broke water, i don't know what the right phrase is for a bridge, in the year 2000. today is a big step toward completion of the project. i think it's important to mark milestones, especially when a project lasts this long.

but the only milestone that really matters, as mayor kwan says, is when we can move traffic from that bridge on to this one. that seismic safety imperative has always been uppermost in our mind. and it continues to be with the reminders that we've seen with recent seismic activity just over the last few weeks. mayor kwan, i want to assure you we are going to open this bridge when you are still mayor. as for mayor lee, i guess we'll find out in a few weeks. we are going to open it as quickly as possible. we certainly hope by late 2013, or sooner if possible, and let me conclude, if i could, because we'd be introducing brian peterson next, the project manager, that i sure hope now that we've got all the steel in place, we can really put the pedal to the metal.

congratulations to all the workers who have gotten us this far and let's get the last stretch done now. thank you. >> before i introduce our last important speaker, i want to close my comments on a safety note and acknowledge other partners that are here, the california highway patrol. i do know that seward is here for the california highway patrol and i want to extend my appreciation to them. at this time, i would like to introduce our last speaker, the project manager for this great project. brian peterson.

>> good morning, everyone. it is a very exciting day. i appreciate the attendance we have here. it's a great day here. it's a beautiful day. we've got a lot of this evenings ahead of us here. today is one of many great days for the project and american bridge floor marks the erection of a last piece of bridge stack. and the final major piece of the fabricated steel for the project. today's piece will allow us to start the cable work in the months to come. so you'll see a dynamic change again in the bridge. we are proud of the fabrication that has been provided by dpmc and we thank them for all of their efforts. we're also very fortunate to have an experienced work force

here on the project that can accomplish great feats like you see going on behind us. without their skill, without their effort, this wouldn't be possible. milestones like today are only achieved through the spirit of cooperation, communication, and coordination. and for that, american bridge floor appreciates the team work of everybody that is here today and some special ones that couldn't be here as well. finally, i express our gratitude for the support from cal trans, the california transportation commission, and all of the elected officials that have supported this project, and like steve said, we look forward to continuing the work on this project to drive forward to a possible opening to traffic and seismic safety. the paramount that's left for the joint venture to complete.

i thank everybody for attending and i hope you enjoy the day. >> thank you all again for coming out to mark this momentous occasion. now i'm going to turn it over to bart for logistics. >> at this point, that concludes the speaking part of the day. and i know that some of you are going to remain on the deck with us and do your live -- we're going to go ahead and adjourn the speakers. brian, if you want to go ahead and allow them to take a peek at the segment, it looks like it's moving pretty well, actually.