>> he has a way about him that brings people in and seeks to involve the people of san francisco. that is what we need. the polarization and san francisco does not benefit the people we are about to help. they need compassion, support, and they need us to work together to build a system o and employment and drug treatment and family building and all of those services that will enable us not to pay so much money on the back end. what you are doing is spectacular. i am humbled to be with you. i am excited the mayor has me this opportunity to work with great people to do this work. believe me, the best is yet to

comment. thank you so much. [applause] >> this is only his third day on the job. thank you for coming out. it is exciting to live in a cityç really believe in changig chrysostom of care with homelessness. -- changing the system of care with homelessness. we admire and respect and are so excited to have them here. it makes our day when we start the day with them. thank you, mayor lee. [applause] >> good morning, everyone. she wanted to introduce people who are above her.

we are never above her, we are with her. [applause] anytime we can have a thousand volunteers and over 300 providers to help us withç helping others who need our help, that is what san francisco is about. yesterday, were you there at city hall? how many people were there at city hall to celebrate 50 years of tony bennett? you saw it on the news. you've heard about him being there. we gave them the proclamation, the key to the city. what i was thinking about all day long was how wonderful our city is. the fact that tony bennett has sung about our city, and i just kept thinking, why do we do this? why did you come out so much?

you'll love this city as much as i do. çpeople of all levels, whether you are working for a great institution or you are working with a different company or you were just a volunteer and someone who cares about somebody else, you do what you can. when we can organize and city government to provide that to opportunity, and whether it is a haircut, how can we provide training, how can we get you some eyeglasses, how can we set you up on e-mail -- q different parts of life we live normally may not be available to everybody, but you are here to make that available. when i think about the otani bennett is singing to, i think

about you. -- when i think about who tony bennett is singing to, i think about you. it is a city of people to know how to do things for other people. that is what makes me so proud to be the mayor of this city. i am willing to sacrifice everything there is to do what is good for the city. i do not care about the politics so much as i care that we can bring more people together under this big tent we call the city of san francisco. triple the effort to help so many other people change their lives, and if we can have a moment and their lives to suggest there is a way out, venues in which we care for them, it isç represented in the way you do things today. çthe way you talk to people. the way you communicate.ç i love these efforts come at these efforts for we can

demonstrate all the humanity we have. people watch us and they think about san francisco and they think that is the place -- you can get lonely in manhattan. when you come to san francisco, it is not law only. bottom of my heart. thank you for coming out and sharing with us your skill sets as we go and do what we're supposed to do to solve the chronic and long-term needs. we enjoy these moments where so many of you as sure your resources, your time, your character and personality. congratulations, thank you to çthe 43rd homeless can act. thank you for being here. -- connect.

thank you for being here. >> we have never given the mayor a t-shirt. i think to date is the day. [applause] they are one of us, right? [applause] i want to close today by thanking -- you see if the people up here, but there are hundreds of people getting things set up. have a wonderful day. we also have a very new committee that will be here today. çthey will be walking around to make sure that you, the volunteers, had everything indeed. if you need something&j, let us know. ok? have a wonderful day. [applause]

commissioner vietor: -- president moran: good afternoon. would you call the rollbacks -- role? >> i believe commissioners vietor and caen will be joining us momentarily. president moran: we have the minutes of january 12 in january 24 in front of us.

any public comment on the minutes? seeing none, all those in favor? the motion carries. mr. secretary, would you call public comment? >> general public comment. members of the public might address the commission on matters that are within the commission's jurisdiction, but not on today's agenda. we have no speaker cards. president moran: i believe you have a couple at the rail. >> sorry. i did not see you. president moran: welcome. >> happy birthday. i do not know the number. i would not dare to say. but from all of us. [applause]

>> [inaudible] [laughter] think you very much. as the knowledge jackson -- esp inola jackson. it is a pleasure to be here today. i have a package for you, mr. courtney. you can make sure the rest of the commissioners have it. this is something that goes back to 1976. also in that packet -- i cannot talk about it now, but i have my budget in there. you can take it off line and give me my budget. i want to thank you. i have been talking with the staff. i would like you to know that everything is going to be working out with the southeast

sewage plant. as you know, i have been one of your persons that has been heavily involved making sure that the sewage plants do not leave san francisco, because i am getting calls from people saying, "we don't want it." we have to have it. it was put there in 1952. i moved into the area in 1948. there will be a lot of discussions. i am glad i will be working with staff. we are coming to a solution. the fact that we are bonded, bayview hunters point and this commission, at the hip -- you cannot slack me off. you're going to have to work with me, and i am going to work with you, to make sure all of us are happy -- not only the commissioners, but the bayview hunters point community. thank you very much. president moran: we look forward to working with you for another 79 years.

[laughter] >> good afternoon. david pilpel. if there is not an answer today, maybe staff can get back to me. the new advanced water meter installation in the city has been continuing to progress. i have seen more pullbox covers replaced. my understanding is that the old covers do not allow the are of -- the rf frequencies to transmit. the new covers are made of some sort of composite. have resource them, such that they are using as much recycled material as possible, and when they become not usable, that they too will be recycled? and what are we doing with the previous covers? are those being ground up for reused concrete? just a question of staff can get back to me.

president moran: we will get back. >> thank you very much. >> good afternoon, president, commissioners. my name is bruce keene. i am president of the russian hill improvement association, and want to thank you for your time this afternoon, and bring to your attention the worsening problem and future promise of francisco reservoir. it dates back to the 1850's and is the focal point of our neighborhood, but has not been used in decades, has fallen into disrepair, and has become a collecting place for trash in the middle of our community. located on the hyde street cable

line, the ongoing deterioration has long been a concern of residents, and has gained the attention of thousands of tourists who pass by every year. physical structure aside, the reservoir property provides views of the bay, out patras, and the golden gate bridge, -- alcatraz, and the golden gate bridge, and are used by high school physical education class is looking for open space. as a favorite place to watch the blue angels and the fourth of july fireworks, the reservoir will surely be popular during the america's cup races. but in its present condition, the reservoir not only reflects poorly on our neighborhood and the city in general, but also presents a public liability. the russian hill improvement association has worked to remove this structure since the property was first designated

surplus in 1958. we do not believe the removal can be put off any longer. we have had many community meetings and are currently working with other neighborhood associations on cost-effective removal of the structure, and improvements that would benefit residents and tourists. to this end, and as trustees of this open space, we look for your support in adoption of the resolution we have drafted and submitted. thank you for your consideration. president moran: thank you. as i am sure you are aware, we cannot consider your resolution today. it needs to be put on the agenda. it is timely, in that we will be discussing today, and at future meetings of land use -- this commission will be considering those issues. your input to us is timely in that regard. >> would be happy to be involved. thank you.

president moran: do we have a public comment? seeing none, commissioners, we have a rich stack of communications for this meeting. and i think there is some of it that i think we will want to revisit at future meetings. the water supply levels of service are one. i think we have a full agenda today. i think if we have issues we want to discuss further, we should probably flag those for future consideration. any thoughts, comments, or questions about the communications? any public comment on any of the items of communication? seeing none, we will move on to other commission business. >> could we talk about the

advance calendar? i wanted to verify the real estate issue. >> we have not finished the report. we have a number of real-estate issues on this meeting. commissioner caen: ok. president moran: anything else? other commission business, we have a resolution honoring ron myers. i would like to make the comment that the endeavor we are currently involved in with the water system improvement program is among the most important things that this commission or the city has done in a long time. we have had some very aggressive budget requirements as well as performance timelines, as part of that. the key to that is making sure there is peace with in the

family, that there is a common vision between the organization and the people we work with as to how we need to do our business. i think the pla we have in place is instrumental in keeping that peace and defining the nature of a healthy relationship. i am delighted we have this in front of us today. as a matter of privilege, i think commissioner courtney would like to say a few words. commissioner courtney: let me start by thanking the members of the laborers' union, probably the most progressive trades union in san francisco. i see business leaders. i see community leaders. i see michael therriot. i see ramon hernandes.

i see a lot of folks who worked to make is probably the biggest, most effective utilities district in the country. i am excited to be here today, but i have to confess that this idea did not come from either my desk or my office. it did not come from our organization. this idea came from the public utilities commission management team. they recognize, as do we, that there is a tone in this administration that reflects not just labor solidarity, which to here as often talk about, but city solidarity, engaging in a way that is in the best interest of the city as a whole. we are not afraid of that as a labor organization. we know that what is good for the city of san francisco and what is good for the community is good for the men and women we represent. i think it is an honor not just

-- it is an honor for me to be here, representing our union, representing wonderful community leaders. i see a brother in the room. people who live in the community and our members of our organization, but also other labor organizations. because public utility stretches far and wide. we go all the way up. there are a lot of other local labor organizations that are impacted by this work. i want to commend not just my colleagues, but also the general manager, the assistant general managers, and all the general managers for working seamlessly with our organization, and taking time out of their day to recognize that people like ron myers are people we should promote. if we do not promote those folks, nobody will recognize those efforts. those are the people that fail every single time to promote themselves, because they are promoting the interest of the

community and workers we represent. i would like to take a personal privilege. i would like them -- and am honored to introduce my brother, roscoe david, and to ask our vice-president and regional manager to step up to the front and say a few things about ron. [applause] >> mr. chairman, commissioners -- a privilege and honor to be here today with you, as you recognize a true hero and champion within the laborers' union. i would like to say as an organization, we thank you for the opportunity to participate in the pla on this project, and for the opportunity it allowed us in the building trades to show how we can put our differences to the curb and show we deliver a project for the taxpayers and city of san

francisco that is on time, on budget, efficient, done right, and will deliver quality water to the city for decades, if not longer to come. ron has been -- we have been friends for pretty close to 20 years. for the last 10, he has been part of my staff. i do not look at my staff as my staff. i look at my staff as arm-in- arm, locked in battle, victories together, defeat together. the work we do, we do together. what makes ron myers unique is that he has never forgotten where he came from. he was a tunnel labor. he is a laborer's labor. you see all the orange shirts in this room today. what ron remembers is critically important. as a labor leader in any union,

but especially ours, the day we forget that the most important part of our union is the members, we are in trouble. ron has never forgotten that, and never will. the brothers and sisters in this room paris but to r -- pay respect to ron myers and the honor done to our union. he has never forgotten they are the most important part. about half the room is full of people who are here because ron is retiring and they are happy about it. the other half are here because they are not happy he is going. for those of you who are happy he might not be around as much, we have worked out an arrangement so that on these tunnel project, dealing with the sfpuc, working with our contractors, who the laborers' union understand the risk and capital they put out every day to make sure that we did project safely and on time,-- bid

projects safely and on time -- ron will be working for the next 12 months with us as a consultant. he is retiring and slowing down a little bit. but this project as an organization, with ramon's leadership -- we found it too critical to leave a vacuum there when it comes to finishing this project. i am torn by the fact that he is leaving -- happy he is still going to be around on a part- time basis, and deeply proud that as an organization that the staff of the sfpuc, who has been phenomenal to deal with in this project -- we deal with agencies not only all over california, but all over the country. as commissioners overseeing the operation of this body, you should know that your staff as phenomenal work. the work they are doing is done professionally, in an absolute

manner that makes it easy to work with. we are going to be here. the labor is going to be here. ramon is going to be here. we are going to help this project proceed through district council, to make sure this continues on time, on budget, and that our brothers and sisters from all the trades, particularly laborers, continue to be treated with respect they deserve for the work they do. thank you very much. [applause] commissioner courtney: if it is ok with my fellow commissioners, i will ask my brother ron myers to step to the front. i will also ask ramon and those who work with this organization and are proud of this organization to stand up here in front with brother myers