tv [untitled] March 17, 2012 8:00am-8:30am PDT
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formal proposal, so that it will be something that will be coming before you, and i am sure you have been reading regarding mobile foods, that they have introduced legislation that prohibits mobile servicfoods frm being 1,500 feet from a public and private elementary school monday through friday from 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. this takes out all of the real estate of sandford cisco, so supervisor wiener -- of san francisco, so supervisor winner has been in discussion, and we
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are working with the state legislative committee and state lobbyists to try to affect some change, because this would have a tremendous impact on the program and we have worked so hard to create, and it is a model designed for our rural and suburban environment, so right now in our permanent program, no food trucks are allowed in the 1500's were a foot radius -- 1500 square foot radius of the public high school monday through friday, and that has
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been too restrictive, so supervisor winner has introduced legislation to scale down a dark and one city block -- supervisor wiener has introduced legislation to scale the track in one block, so i will keep you apprised as we make sure we know the direction. it is either the san francisco is exempt or that there are municipalities but have a robust program are exempt, but the preference is the and we have san francisco exempt from this state legislation because we are a unique urban environment that does not exist anywhere else in the state, so that is something
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offices are actively working on, and oak overview -- a quick overview of what is happening with the retreat, we will be getting agendas and some packet materials of this wednesday and subsequent information will be following through e-mail up until the monday before hand, so with that, i am going to close my report unless there is any questions you may have. >> i have one question. you said to reduce its discount from 8% to 4%. is not just for -- is that just for lbs? >> i have not seen the language, so i think this is for non-lbe.
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>> david said he was going to reduce it, but i did not know to what. >> the legislation you will see in the committee meeting is what was originally introduced, and then at the committee, amendments are made, so he sent me this list that is the proposed amendments. goocommissioner o'brien: i wondr if it is going to be after the retreat of we will have the committees again? >> we are going to do that after the retreat. any other questions? next item. >> item 10, president report.
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but such as want to report we do have a retreat next wednesday -- i just want to report we have retreat next wednesday at 1:00, but the business tax reform roundtable have to do with sand and cisco region with san francisco -- has to do with san francisco. every other city has a gross receipts tax, so the city economist told the round table to see what affects that would have on small business and in the ideas of what would come forth and if there were a change, so we have heard a lot of ideas this evening, and we will be meeting with the controller again, so this is
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something you will see and hear a lot of over the next few months. they want to have this done by april 15, so if anybody is interested, it will be ready via e-mail. i think getting everybody's impact region we are all small- business owners, and this will affect everybody. >> we are working to get a briefing at the retreat and if not there then at the april meeting. >> that is all i have for this evening. >> item 11, vice president report. >> i do not have anything at this time. >> item 12, commissioner
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reports. commissioner riley: as the director mentioned, i attended a workshop with the small business commission, and it was really well-attended. it was almost standing room only, and we have an assemblyman and supervisor david shula -- david shulchu, and it was very informative. prior to this workshop, i was not too clear on the difference between the benefit corporation, but it is pretty clear the differences between them, and there were small-business owners to talk about how they benefit,
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so that is one thing, and i also attended a press conference to allow them to invest in the neighborhood strategy work crew. good -- work group. this is item number 10, to invest in a neighborhood initiative for commercial corridors, so there was a very good reading, and i was off to work on the work group. our first meeting was going to be at 11:00, so i was hoping we'd get them to come to our retreat. i also attended a meeting with the fda advocacy group as well
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as with the fda and the oriental food association, and as mentioned by the public affairs specialist, there is going to be a lot of new food safety laws coming out, so it is important for us through informs small- business owners, and especially the group that imports food from outside of the country, and some of the members of this association mentioned there are so many new laws coming out, it would be important for them to be informed, so one of the ways i suggested is for the fda to send information to us, and we can send it out now along with our newsletter so people can be informed of what is coming up, and all they have to do is give us a paragraph in with a link to
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the new law. >> thank you, commissioner o'riley. commissioner dwight: i just want to report i exchanged a few emails. i was there and chatted about dthe b corps thing. it took awhile to tease out some opportunities that major real impact on him, because he said he was not really enthused about closing the gap, and the more he had to think about it the more it made sense, and it appears they are recommending in it is reduced from 8% to 4%. it is always nice to know that our discussions appear to have
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some impact. commissioner dooley: i attended a meeting of the small independent pet store owners, and i invited someone to meet with them, and that was very excited for those members to realize there are groups supporting small business issues, and it was well- received. the pet stores are becoming new members, so i think it was a good hook croup. commissioner dwight: that reminds me, i went to the meeting at petrero hills, and there were not a lot of people there, but i was there, and the owner of sports baseman, who is very involved, and i learned
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they are not formally organized, and i wondered if it could be organized in the same way because and made available funding options, so i am going to try to help the organization get organized whatever is the right way, but we are meeting this friday to talk about whether there is an opportunity to be set up in a way that could provide other funding methods, because they have really struggled to have any staff, and retail isthmus a major regional retail is a major employer -- and retail is a major employer, and if they could organize themselves not as a typical merchant association, but as an
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economic development force, that would be fantastic, so we will see. they were excited to have some interesting. good >> any other commissioner reports? next item. >> item 13, the general public comment. >> any members of the public wish to speak? seeing none. >> new business. >> seeing none, next item. >> is there a movement to adjourn? >> all in favor? the meeting is adjourned at 8:43 p.m.
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electronic sounding devices that may go off during the proceedings. and we would ask that you please take any secondary conversations outside in order for the meeting to proceed as efficiently as possible. commissioner, how many minutes a day on public comment? commissioner buell: let's get a raise of hands of how many people think there will testify. not too many. three minutes is fine. how many will say nice things? [laughter] never mind. >> that is not fair. >> ok, three minutes. each person will have three today. please address your comments to the item that is being heard. if you want to speak on general public comment, that is item four and continued down on item 13. last, please address your comments during public comment to the commission in order to allow equal time, neither the commission nor staff will respond to any questions during public comment.
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the commission may ask questions of staff after public comment is closed. with that, we are on item number two, the president's report. commissioner buell: thank you very much. i have an unpleasant responsibility as part of my report, and i have a resolution that we're going to present, and then i am going to ask the general manager to weigh in because i think he has an accompanying officials duty here. let me read this resolution, and that it will become clear what we're up to. whereas the va dario elesando received her law degrees in 1981 and started her career in june 1989 and whereas she has a passion for public-service, as shown in her work not only in the city attorney's office but also as an attorney and the california indian legal services, her lectures in american indian and other
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studies at san francisco state university and her mentoring and supervising of the legal interns on her chin, and whereas she joined the government team in 2002 and has provided her clients, including the recreation and park commission that a department with wise counsel, zealous representation, and tireless support, and whereas she has a deep understanding of the boards of public parks and recreational facilities and a passion for open spaces, and whereas as an avid gardener, intrepid sailor, she has a profound appreciation for the san francisco botanical garden and the striving arboretum and was a key contributor to the planned upgrades to the department's marina. and whereas the recreational park commissioner of the department have been fortunate to have a deputy city attorney with such intelligence, patience, and knowledge, counseling, and advising them for more than 10 years, and whereas virginia will be sorely
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missed. i repeat that, sorely missed, as well her input and expertise on issues now. therefore be it resolved that members of the recreational park commission, on behalf of the employees and citizens of the city of san francisco, do hereby agree fully recognize v irginia's contributions and express great appreciation for her high quality and a passionate work in which -- and wish her success in all their future endeavors. a little applause, thank you. [applause] and we have a little something to present her, but i am going to ask the general manager to please continue. >> thank you, mr. president. it is a great honor to join the commission in this resolution thanking and commending virginia. i have had a very distinct pleasure of being virginia's
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colleague and the city attorney's office and her client. you know, being a good or even a great lawyer, you can have done well in law school, you can be super smart, super analytical, but at the end of the day, a great lawyer is someone who really cares about her client. and i think that is what makes and has made virginia's tenure here so meaningful. just as you articulated so well, mr. president, you know, virginia has a tremendous passion for open space and recreation and has as much institutional history about the goings on in this department as just about anyone. there's one other thing that makes a great lawyer, and that is being kind and nice. those are two of virginia's
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most expert -- must exemplary qualities, her kindness and patience, too, because you needed a great deal of that over the years. you know, you're moving on to another challenging assignment, the department of public health. that might be a rec and park cue, but we know you are only a phone call away and you will continue to help us and a guide us on a couple of matters in which your particularly vested. we're very grateful and appreciative for all your support. in addition to the resolution, we have a little keepsake for you. which is in honor of your wise counsel and your dedicated service on behalf of san francisco's treasured open spaces and recreational amenities.
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>> well, i have to tell you, i am the one who is grateful. i have been very fortunate to serve you. and a good job making me pretty much speechless. you managed to go pretty far -- i managed to go pretty far in my career, but you did not go back far enough. in high school, i interned for the national park service. when i grew up, i wanted to be a park ranger. when this assignment of and the, i practically beg for it. is unfortunate. probably one of the longer- serving deputies. tenure in our job rotates. that has been the office policy. it is a good policy. it keeps you fresh. it also keeps looking forward in some ways. i cannot have been more grateful. i work with very passionate
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people. i have devised probably dozens of department heads in the last 23 years that i have been here. >> hopes to slow that rate down a little bit. >> yes. across the board in the department. and many commissions. like i said, every day i looked forward to coming to work, regardless of whatever the issues we were facing, because i work with an incredible team of park advocates over the years, people who have shared my passion for recreation and open space. and people every day in your department who give everything they have to creating and protecting the open space for the city. it has been interesting, some of the political issues before long time i did homeless. they followed me into the parks. but the dog issues are quite a challenge. i feel really proud of the staff, some of whom have been here as long as i have. on some of these projects -- one
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of the first projects i worked on, looking back, i looked back to francesca, who will degrade job. we talk every day. so we're transitioning well. with the marina. working on the marine a loan application was one of my first project. certainly the 2008 bond, it has been gratifying to see that project move forward after sort of the fallout from the previous bond. the concourse, where first started, the garage was a concept. and and not well-financed concept. so we have moved on from that. i also cover the museums and the rebuild of the dm. i look at the concourse and the last project, the fountains. the congress has really come to life. and a soft spot for the japanese tea gardens. we would come to san francisco for a visit to the japanese tea
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garden and move on and with my father. and the zoo. just so you know, i am taking a little piece of you with me. i will keep a project for the foreseeable future. i have to really commend your staff on the work on the park, a fabulous work product with out the door yesterday to u.s. fish and wildlife. i have to abolish -- acknowledge lisa wan'g's work. a lot of people were behind-the- scenes. thank you very much. i will miss you. i will not be far. the department of public health certainly has its own challenges to the i am dealing with some of every kind of complicated issues. but thank you very much. commissioner buell: thank you very much. [applause]
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the only other item i have, and commissioner levitan is not here yet, but it is her birthday. we will just kind of wish her a happy birthday when she comes in. >> is there anyone who would like to make public comment on this item? seeing none, public, disclosed. item number three, general managers' report. >> thank you, commissioners. sadly, i need to start with the difficult announcement. we received word on monday morning that carter church, a partner who was before the commission last september to receive the recognition award, passed away on friday evening, march 9, after a long illness. carter began his employment with rec and park in 2005. and he quickly began making a huge impression on co-workers and supervisors. he first worked in the mission. and then transfer to section two point golden gate park, where he was responsible entry led to the
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shakespeare garden and for one- third of the japanese tea garden. while working for the department, carter pursued part -- additional i get to the credentials on his own time, elevating his own skills and those around him by affording what he learned. while he was before the commission last september, his supervisor, james mccormick, said "every gardener is a painter of the landscape. some people like chaos and color. others prefer a sharp line, symmetrical animals, the clutter, while more desire order and let the. carter's character and eye or a fourth, patience, and strategy. his personal style price sensitivity and intelligence to his crew. he made everyone wanted to come to work because he was never just a co-worker but a friend as well." in august 2011, food and wine magazine named the shakespeare garden is one of the nation's
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top picnic spots, and honor that is a direct result of carter's hard work and a passion. i have had the great pleasure of getting to know him a little bit. i learned a great deal from him and a truly enjoyed his warmth and support and camaraderie. and he will be sorely missed. and i would ask, commissioner, if you could a jury in his honor. commissioner buell: absolutely. >> aren't more happy stuff. summer camp registration begins this saturday at 10:00 a.m. our summer camp program has become truly one of the most popular and most talked-about summer programs in the city. registration can occur both online and will be happening at 12 neighborhood sites around the city. this is our biggest season of the year, and we're offering the year, and we're offering more than 60 camps to families
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