available by pre-scheduled appointment only but not for walking, and that is december 23, december 27-30, and the office is closed on december 26 and january 2 to to the holiday, and i will be on vacation december 27 through january 6, and i have also provided you with the schedule. they are taking some time off to deal with minimum staffing days, and then key highlights. we highlighted the mayor signing the health care security ordinance legislation and also our successful small-business saturday. >> can i make a comment? i would like to thank the

director and grace because i saw them delivering bags, so i want to publicly thank you both for going out and doing it. i know you were sick, and you were still out there like a trooper, so good job, guys. >> i agree. but also to commend the north beach merchants for their work in the promotion, and also hayes valley was also very committed. businesses said they had a good day. it was good we received proclamations from the mayor, and supervisor mar presented a proclamation on behalf of the board of supervisors, and we had

that in the bulletin. our new position that we have now come to an agreement, so that position will be posted next week. minimum wage, and just a reminder it is going up to $10.24 starting january 1, and we are working with the office of standards and enforcement to do out reached around the security ordinance, so remind businesses they need to carry forward the balance, and the

office is on a fast boat to get it translated. i have met with them to get this together. with the zoning for the self- service restaurant, due to supervisor mirkarimi's election to sheriff, that piece of legislation, a supervisor wiener is going to be carrying that legislation through its completion. and we expect hearings in january or february of the board of supervisors.

today was a hearing for dog walking legislation. he took all of the recommendations and will be incorporating them. there is some information that could not be passed out today, so it will be heard on january 9. the tax exclusion for those but did not pass up the board of supervisors. the license consolidation, that passed in its first reading 11- 0, and we will be hearing supervisor david june's

legislation -- david chiu's legislation, and just to let you know what the special use district for bowling alleys will go into effect on september 15. i have met with the department of building inspection, so they are very interested in working noon a video together. they are working on giving a hand to businesses during improvements under the valuation threshold. america's cup, we finished a

core business out of reach, and the development plan is going to be completed this week, so as soon as it is done, i will get you a copy of it. i would like to inform you we now have an official working group. director rob black is the co- chair. director mike cohen is also co- chair, and we have 10 cleveland -- ken cleveland and myself on the committee, and the areas we are going to focus on is improving noticing, which goes

into how businesses are filling out applications. so how we are doing without having the mobile food operator pay for reno to saying -- paid for renoticing. we have already started soon drive some legislation allowing for global food around hospitals and universities. those places tend to be located in residential districts, so all mobile phone operator could be there. we are looking at that, -- so

immobile food operator could be there. we are looking at that. there is legislation to bring more specificity of rounds density, and when is a number to mush, so we are working on that. -- when is a number too much, so we are working on that. good we have started to do some brainstorming giving both businesses a sense of security, the mobile food vendor and if the spot is supposed to be a four parking spaces and that they do not agree cop -- do not

creep up, so how do we create specified herriot's for mobile food -- specified places for mobile soon. we will see if they can start administering this prior to legislation, and then to also notify commercial property owners and management companies. we are making some progress. we are working together, and we have a good group of people working on this, and we did have our first meeting on december 12. >> sen. >> the 10th. goolastly, on december 6, we hea

meeting curiosa -- we held a meeting. i am going to go into that a little bit. we have reviewed the license consolidation and the new definitions for restaurants. no one is that excited about that. there was conversation about how they would like the city to do more on more days. >> we are also meeting. parks throughout the year. -- >> throughout the year.

there are a couple of more options we want to explore, and we will talk to the committee before we make final decisions about this, but i think it was a clear indication from the merchants' association but the amount of effort we need in terms of there being involved does not have high interest. i have also provided a copy of the mayor's 17. job plan -- 17 point job plan. i will be providing that information, and when we have our retreat, we will be outlining responsibilities that come from that job plan.

last, i want to let you know the city is updating its economic strategy. it is required to do that every three years. i have been involved in the survey, and we are going to include specific questions, so that will be interesting, and chris has provided for year in the binder of the calendar of next year, so it is in the front pocket. we have our president and vice- president elections in january. wednesday, february 29, is when

we are scheduled for our retreat, and october, do not forget the first monday of october is the meeting day because of the holiday on the second monday, and here is the calendar, and unless there is any questions, that concludes my report. >> i can refill your binders for next month. >> thank you, a director. let's move on to the next item. >> item 10, legislation and policy report. >> nothing new. >> next item. >> item 11, permit a committee report. nothing to report. >> item 12. >> we did not meet.

>> item 13, a resident's report. >> that did not come up. >> item 14, vice president report. >> i did want to report that friday, november -- i am stumped on the date. the second from the last friday of the month there was a very good juror -- tour. we heard a lot about the bad legislation. goothe mayor also attended a holiday tree lighting ceremony on the 28th and on castro, and

we have over 2800 people attend. >> item 15, commissioner reports. >> i just wanted -- my neighborhood spot was the prime sponsor for the american mall business on saturday, and it was very successful. merchants said they definitely were able to enjoy the benefits of having people shop that day, so we felt it was successful. i invited supervisor mar to speak, and i felt about was well-received. i attended the land use hearing last week that supervisor mar was in charge of. i think it was interesting hearing from employees of big

box stores. that was something i was not anticipating, but it was nice to hear their angle on the negatives of big box stores heading into neighborhoods with for wages. i also spoke a little bit about my experiences with a pet store alliances and what they had experienced in terms of working to protect themselves from a big box stores. that is my report. but i also attended and the land use hearing last week. it did present both sides of the issue. it is something that needs to be done carefully as well as the challenges of formula retail working for them.

i would like to say about minimum wage is the highest in the nation, and the health care security ordinance increases to $1.46 per employee and for any business with 100 or more employers anywhere, it is now $2.20 an hour. i am bringing this up to remind everyone our local small- business those with employees over the 20 employees threshold really have a higher bar, and it is difficult to compete with a national retailer when we have

cost approaching 50% higher right outside of our local jurisdiction. i am very proud of these programs, but i really believe we need to recognize the economic impact, and we often hear it is only a few cents here, but if you are a small employer, it could be several hundred thousand -- several hundred dollars a month or seven and thousand a month. now in this economic climate common it is not something to take lightly, and the last stain -- the last thing i would like to say is happy holidays, and i would also like to thank the commissioner who is not here for articulating many

things about the challenges of the small employer the people in other industries do not understand, and i am very inarticulate, but i would like to thank all of you for your help, and i look forward to going forward. >> item 16, general public comment. >> seeing none. >> 17, new business. >> anybody got any new business you want to put on there? seeing none. parks commissioner 18, motion -- >> item 18, a motion to adjourn. >> second. >> the meeting is adjourned at

7:22 p.m. >> welcome to "culturewire." today we are at recology. they are celebrate 20 years of one of the most incredibly unique artist residency programs. we are here to learn more from one of the resident artists. welcome to the show, deborah.

tell us how this program began 20 years ago. >> the program began 20 years ago. our founder was an environmentalist and an activist and an artist in the 1970's. she started these street sweeping campaigns in the city. she started with kids. they had an exhibition at city hall. city officials heard about her efforts and they invited her to this facility. we thought it would coincide with our efforts to get folks to recycle, it is a great educational tool. since then, we have had 95 professional artists come through. >> how has the program changed over the years? how has the program -- what can the public has an artist engage with? >> for the most part, we worked with metal and wood, what you would expect from a program like

ours. over the years, we tried to include artists and all types of mediums. conceptual artists, at installation, photographers, videographers. >> that has really expanded the program out. it is becoming so dynamic right now with your vision of interesting artists in gauging here. why would an artist when to come here? >> mainly, access to the materials. we also give them a lot of support. when they start, it is an empty studio. they go out to the public area and -- we call it the big store. they go out shopping, take the materials that, and get to work. it is kind of like a reprieve, so they can really focus on their body of work. >> when you are talking about recology, do you have the only sculpture garden at the top?

>> it is based on work that was done many years ago in new york. it is the only kind of structured, artist program. weit is beautiful. a lot of the plants you see were pulled out of the garbage, and we use our compost to transplant them. the pathway is lined with rubble from the earthquake from the freeways we tour about 5000 people a year to our facility, adults and children. we talk about recycling and conservation. they can meet the artists. >> fantastic. let's go meet some of your current artists. here we are with lauren. can you tell us how long have been here so far and what you're working on? >> we started our residency on june 1, so we came into the studio then and spent most of

the first couple weeks just digging around in the trash. i am continuing my body of work, kind of making these hand- embroidered objects from our day-to-day life. >> can you describe some of the things you have been making here? this is amazing. >> i think i started a lot of my work about the qualities of light is in the weight. i have been thinking a lot about things floating through the air. it is also very windy down here. there is a piece of sheet music up there that i have embroidered third. there is a pamphlet about hearing dea -- nearing death. this is a dead rabbit. this is what i am working on now. this is a greeting card that i found, making it embroidered. it is for a very special friend. >> while we were looking at

this, i glanced down and this is amazing, and it is on top of a book, it is ridiculous and amazing. >> i am interested in the serendipity of these still life compositions. when he got to the garbage and to see the arrangement of objects that is completely spontaneous. it is probably one of the least thought of compositions. people are getting rid of this stuff. it holds no real value to them, because they're disposing of it. >> we're here in another recology studio with abel. what attracted you to apply for this special program? >> who would not want to come to the dump? but is the first question. for me, being in a situation that you're not comfortable in has always been the best. >> what materials were you immediately attracted to when you started and so what was available here? >> there are a lot of books.

that is one of the thing that hits me the most. books are good for understanding, language, and art in general. also being a graphic designer, going straight to the magazines and seeing all this printed material being discarded has also been part of my work. of course, always wood or any kind of plastic form or anything like that. >> job mr. some of the pieces you have made while you have been here. -- taught me through some of the pieces you have made while you have been here. >> the first thing that attracted me to this was the printed surface. it was actually a poster. it was a silk screen watercolor, about 8 feet long. in terms of the flatwork, i work with a lot of cloddish. so being able to cut into it come at into it, removed parts, it is part of the process of negotiating the final form. >> how do you jump from the two dimensional work that you create

to the three-dimensional? maybe going back from the 3f to 2d. >> everything is in the process of becoming. things are never said or settled. the sculptures are being made while i am doing the collages, and vice versa. it becomes a part of something else. there's always this figuring out of where things belong or where they could parapets something else. at the end goal is to possibly see one of these collage plans be built out and create a structure that reflects back into the flat work. >> thank you so much for allowing "culturewire" to visit this amazing facility and to learn more about the artists in residence program. is there anything you like our viewers to know? >> we have art exhibitions every four months, and a win by the public to come out. everybody is welcome to come

out. we have food. sometimes we have gains and bands. it is great time. from june to september, we accept applications from bay area artists. we encouraged artists from all mediums to apply. we want as many artists from the bay area out here so they can have the same experience. >> how many artists to do your host here? >> 6 artist a year, and we receive about 108 applications. very competitive. >> but everyone should be encouraged to apply. thank you again for hosting us. >> thank you for including us in "culturewire." ♪

supervisor avalos: good morning, and welcome to the city operations and neighborhood services committee. my name is supervisor mar avalos, the chair. i am joined by supervisor elsbernd. we will be joined shortly by supervisor mar. the committee clerk is ms. gail johnson. >> all persons attending this meeting are requested to turn off all cell phones and pagers. if you submit copies of materials to the members of the committee, please submit an extra copy to the file. if you wish to hand in speaker cards, please put them in the container by the rail