you want to address it, or do you want me to you? >> we should get through this quickly. >> we are no longer going to have a formal subcommittees to work on the particular issues, so we need to dispense -- disband. now we need to take a formal action to dissolve the subcommittee. >> can we get a motion to dissolve the subcommittee? >> i make a motion to dissolve the subcommittee. >> second. >> any objections? seeing none, the motion carries. >>-9, directors report. good >> i have the small business assistance client

totals. i did not have it for you last month, but we were down in october by 15%, but in november we are over 3%. are holiday schedules being, due to agreements over the union, there are these furlough holidays and a minimum staffing days, so the treasurer's office is closing our side that we are house in, so we will be 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.

>> just a few steps away from union square is a quiet corner stone of san francisco's our community to the meridian gallery has a 20-year history of supporting visual arts. experimental music concert, and also readings. >> give us this day our daily bread at least three times a day. and lead us not into temptation to often on weekdays. [laughter] >> meridians' stands apart from the commercial galleries around union square, and it is because of their core mission, to increase social, philosophical, and spiritual change my isolated individuals and communities. >> it gives a statement, the idea that a significant art of any kind, in any discipline, creates change. >> it is philosophy that attracted david linger to mount

a show at meridian. >> you want to feel like your work this summer that it can do some good. i felt like at meridian, it could do some good. we did not even talk about price until the day before the show. of course, meridian needs to support itself and support the community. but that was not the first consideration, so that made me very happy. >> his work is printed porcelain. he transfers images onto and spoils the surface a fragile shes of clay. each one, only one-tenth of an inch thick. >> it took about two years to get it down. i would say i lose 30% of the pieces that i made. something happens to them. they cracked, the break during the process. it is very complex. they fall apart. but it is worth it to me. there are photographs i took 1 hours 99 the former soviet union. these are blown up to a gigantic images.

they lose resolution. i do not mind that, because my images are about the images, but they're also about the idea, which is why there is text all over the entire surface. >> marie in moved into the mansion on powell street just five years ago. its galleries are housed in one of the very rare single family residences around union square. for the 100th anniversary of the mansion, meridian hosted a series of special events, including a world premiere reading by lawrence ferlinghetti. >> the birth of an american corporate fascism, the next to last free states radio, the next-to-last independent newspaper raising hell, the next-to-last independent bookstore with a mind of its own, the next to last leftie

looking for obama nirvana. [laughter] the first day of the wall street occupation set forth upon this continent a new revolutionary nation. [applause] >> in addition to its own programming as -- of artist talks, meridian has been a downtown host for san francisco states well-known port trees center. recent luminaries have included david meltzer, steve dixon, and jack hirsch man. >> you can black as out of the press, blog and arrest us, tear gas, mace, and shoot us, as we know very well, you will, but this time we're not turning back. we know you are finished. desperate, near the end. hysterical in your

flabbergastlyness. amen. >> after the readings, the crowd headed to a reception upstairs by wandering through the other gallery rooms in the historic home. the third floor is not usually reserved for just parties, however. it is the stage for live performances. ♪ under the guidance of musical curators, these three, meridian has maintained a strong commitment to new music, compositions that are innovative, experimental, and sometimes challenging. sound art is an artistic and event that usually receives short shrift from most galleries because san francisco is musicians have responded by showing strong support for the programming.

♪ looking into meridian's future, she says she wants to keep doing the same thing that she has been doing since 1989. to enlighten and disturbed. >> i really believe that all the arts have a serious function and that it helps us find out who we are in a much wider sense than we were before we experienced that work of art. ♪