building. i wanted to touch on been actively involved in america's cup preparations, which will be great for the city, challenging for the city, for sure. we are always very mindful of the fact that we rely heavily on the general fund. i want to make sure, all of you, that is not just the general fund. my staff has done a great job in pursuing that funding. most of these are funding a new fire boat for the department and the city, with approximately $2 million in fema grant funding equipment. including our self-contained breathing apparatus. we have also received grants for

the [unintelligible] program, which all of your constituents know and appreciate is there for them on how to know and be better prepared for the city in its time of need. we continue to apply for grants as best we can. that concludes the formal part of my presentation and i am happy to answer questions at this time. supervisor chu: thank you, chief. final question for me has to deal with the system that is in need of repair and work and is a very expensive system that does not reach all the way out to the western part of the city. it only goes so far, and once we hit that place in the sunset, we have those underground cistern that run out of water. i want to ask, what is the plan for addressing water needs, if

there is an earthquake and fire is an issue in the area. we do not know what the plan would be, given a situation like that. >> a great question. water supply is the bread and butter of what we do in terms of being able to suppress fires. it is the fires following the earthquake it is the most dangerous for the city. having said that, i am proud to have a city that realizes that fire is a problem in the city. we have many options. there is a lot of redundancy as it relates to fire suppression. we have a low pressure system that sets off the drinking water in the city. we also have the awss, but you

are also right in certain parts of the city, anything west of the court or, we now have that capability. throughout the city we have cisterns with supplies of water under the ground and be used to augment in the event of maine failures. we have approximately 177 cisterns that call for repairing and a growing that system or option, i would set. you are right, that is very much a temporary plant for us. we currently have four in various quarters of the city that carry hoses to do above ground water attacks, if you will.

the portable water supply system is certainly something we would love to grow in terms of having additional resources, particularly out in the more vulnerable area, like the richmond and sunset district. it is proposed that if we were to have a full-blown water supply system, it would cost $8 million, but in the scheme of things it is something that we have fought vigorously for in terms of grant funding and today we have not received any. we do have $250,000 to which we will apply rules to expand the pwss. the failures that we had in the sunset district, we would use the current system in terms of the portable water supply system. we could not include that

we could include that in the eastern language, but we think that is worth considering. just to answer your question right now, there are different options that we would use depending on what challenges we are faced with. but in terms of the expansion of the portable water supply system, we do continue to seek funding. >> and in connection with this project, we have golden gate park and we have lake merced. do we have hookups or the ability to tap into this system if we needed to?

>> in terms of the reservoirs, there is a sunset, which was recently renovated. there is the fourth and seventh district merced reservoir. my understanding is that would require some work with puc to utilize that, as well as lake merced. there would be some piping needed, but that is something the fire department would support. the more redundancies, the more options that we have in terms of water sources, the better off all of us will be. that is a continued discussion with puc. >> we do not have the ability to tap into those systems at the moment. >> for the park we have the ability to perform those tasks.

>> i would love to continue that conversation with you. you're one is a revenue-based solution primary, it looks. is it your two the same? blixt it would be -- >> it would be with the budget office. the guards had not met the goal yet for the second year? >> know, we have not. >> why don't we open this up for public comment. are there members of the public that wish to speak on item 1? >> ♪ don't budget me this way ♪ without your loved i want to stay alive ♪ ♪ i need your help

♪ del the this budget is way ♪ city, my heart is full of love and desire for you ♪ ♪ do the budgets ♪ do the best you can do ♪ you started this fire in my soul and i don't want the budget out of control. -- are of control ♪ ♪ we want to stay alive ♪ don't leave us this way ♪ ♪ city, my heart is full of love and desire for you ♪ ♪ so do the budget the best you can do ♪ ♪ you started this fire in my soul ♪ ♪ and i don't want the budget out-of-control ♪ ♪ why don't you set me free ♪ ♪ make it free ♪ we want to we ♪ want to stay alive

♪ make it right ♪ >> thank you. are there other members of the public that wish to speak on item number one? are there -- seeing none, thaits closed. are there any other items before us? thank you, we are adjourned. >> i want to thank everyone for

coming. i am the general manager of the recreation department. it is a pleasure to serve as the emcee today and i want to recognize our commission president. joining us all with our other dignitaries. there are a lot of special people gathered around. for those of you who do not know, a little bit of background about this beautiful garden before i turn it over to our mayor. the garden is the oldest japanese american garden in the united states. it is a historical japanese- style garden, originally billed as a village for the 1894 midwinter international exposition. after the exposition, a japanese-american partner along with john mclaren converted the

exhibition into a permanent park. he over saw the building as the teagarden and was the official caretaker from -- until 1925. he requested the people of japan 1000 flooring cherry trees to be imported and other plants and birds and goldfish. his family lived in the garden until 1942. when under executive order 906, he was forced to relocate to an internment camp with thousands of other japanese american families. this barden was renamed the oriental tea garden and it fell into a state of disrepair. in the 1950's, we had moved forward and the rec and park

renamed it the japanese tea garden. the first concessionaire was jack -- who many here had the incredible opportunity to honor. and we're very incredibly pleased to be planning -- planting a cherry tree from the consul general. the cherry blossom tree planting has become a tradition that allows us to reflect on the legacy of exchanges and importance of relations between the united states and japan. this is where families, a century old pract oice of picnicking underneath a tree. we hope many families for more generations will have the opportunity here in this beautiful garden.

my great pleasure to turner with a microphone to our 43rd mayor of san francisco, celebrating diversity and cultural harmony and he has been focused on the economic revitalization of our community. jobs, jobs, jobs. this mayor does not brag about it but he is about parks, parks, parks. it gives me great pleasure to introduce mayor ed lee. [applause] >> thank you. if i may think you and your leadership and the commission. this is a very special place. history but it is cultural and one of the most beautiful places you can ever be proud to visit and also be the honor of. i am proud at our rec and park staff and the public-prey relationships because that is the only way to keep these

beautiful institutions going. we have to have that imagination to get people involved to fund and support it. you have some of the most beautiful things you can see and touch and feel. i am happy to be here and i also want to celebrate because this is a moment, the first time we have been together here as well. at the garden. -- t garden -- tea garden. i want to welcome you here as well. and congratulate all of us for working so closely together and certainly our relationships are valuable. this is one of those reasons why not too many other consular general offices -- it is country

to country and people to people. the council general and staff has offered yet another the supporting symbol of the relationship, the planting of cherry blossom trees throughout our city. we had awe have been celebratine cherry blossom festival. they are very peaceful, a relationship that we keep in mind always and we have done so for over 100 years. since the cherry blossoms are arrived as a gift to washington d.c. while we have gone for many years of that relationship, it is a requirement to know the san

francisco enjoys 55 years of that relationship, many members of the district-city community here today to enjoy that. a member of the chamber of commerce is here to enjoy that as well. we have this relationship with you because we know san francisco's international status does not stop simply at having the offices here. we are out there working on everything from cultural exchanges, student exchanges, constant communication. more and more, examining opportunities to keep livelihood. both of our countries the more trade and communication to face the challenges that are facing us. it is my great pleasure to be

here with you, counsel general, in the very beautiful garden we have here. also to know that it is in good hands with rec and park. at the same time, continue to bless it with our proclamation, our celebration of the u.s.- japan centennial on this wonderful occasion. if i may, i present to you, counsel general, are proclamation at the u.s.-japan cherry blossom centennial here in san francisco. [applause] >> thank you, mr. mayor. we have a few more introductions to mate.

our counsel general has had an experienced international career. i believe bangkok and london and seoul. no doubt san francisco is your favorite assignment. [laughter] it is not often the departments get to work so closely with the council general's office. they have done a great job planning this event with you and your staff. they have had a lot of fun doing it. there is a great report between our offices and our staff. it has been delightful. >> thank you. i did not know that you were such a good mp. i am pleased to be here. at the tea garden. i want to thank mayor lee.

as always, for your support. also, creating a park. we are here for the planting. cherry trees are near and dear to the hearts of japanese people. japanese people curate cherry blossoms each year. there are festivals to stick together with family and friends. i am sure most of you have enjoyed the cherry blossom --

the cherry blossom festival the past weekends. we are planting one treat today here and two more. these trees symbolize, are part avail long legacy. also obama these trees -- also, these trees, since 1912, we have donated them. planting these trees all over the united states. thank you again for coming. i hope this tree, the cherry

tree, will further blossom in the years to come. 6 trees we have planted in the square. and nine trees in golden gate park. still more in san francisco. more than 150 years of history of cultural exchange. this is really a great place. i cannot think of a more fitting location to plant a tree. thank you for coming and i hope you will enjoy it. [applause] >> one other short, special ceremony that i want to acknowledge. we're joined by our fire chief.

we are joined by our director of public works. we are joined by our director of the department of the environment. human rights commissioners -- we are joined by the state department. i do nothing we have ever met. we do -- i do not think we have ever met. our human rights commissioner is here. and our school board is here. john from our city administrator's office. also, john from the park's alliance, who has been a great story of this site. -- steward of this site.

we have a number of staff. the chief gardners of this area have played a significant role. and the supervisor is here. why don't you come up here and make a brief presentation? >> i do not want to take any more time, but in recognition of this dedication and your work, we will keep this mutual garden. i would like to present this commendation to the three of you. this is written in japanese. the council general's office extends its deepest respect for

your achievements and contributing to mutual understanding. >> thank you. >> that is not what it says here. [laughter] >> thank you very much. [applause] this is for you. thank you. [applause] >> if you are with me, i wanted to ask for the golden gate park crew is very tight. we have gardners assigned to the concourse area. in the last couple of months, we lost one of our beloved gardner's who loved this place, incredibly special.

i would ask that we take a brief moment of silence for carter. thank you. ok. let's plant the tree, shall we? i will do the heavy lifting. [laughter] >> turnaround and face up. i am sorry. >> good advice. >> 1, 2, 3. mr. mayor, mr. coughlin general, if you could -- mr. counsel general, if you could -- >> yay! [applause]

>> i wanted to make sure that we recognize carol. thank you for your incredible stewardship of the gift shop and teahouse. thank you all for joining us. i encourage you to patrons are beautiful gift shop why you are here. otherwise, enjoy our incredible part. thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you, everybody. there are so many ways that the internet provides real access to real people and resources and that's what we're try to go

accomplish. >> i was interested in technology like video production. it's interesting, you get to create your own work and it reflects what you feel about saying things so it gives perspective on issues. >> we work really hard to develop very in depth content, but if they don't have a venue, they do not have a way to show us, then this work is only staying here inside and nobody knows the brilliance and the amazing work that the students are doing. >> the term has changed over time from a very basic who has a computer and who doesn't have a computer to now who has access to the internet, especially high speed internet, as well as the skills and the knowledge to use those tools effectively. . >> the city is charged with coming up with digital inclusion. the department of telecommunications put together

a 15 member san francisco tech connect task force. we want the digital inclusion program to make sure we address the needs of underserved vulnerable communities, not communities that are already very tech savvy. we are here to provide a, b and c to the seniors. a stands for access. b stands for basic skills and c stands for content. and unless we have all three, the monolingual chinese seniors are never going to be able to use the computer or the internet. >> a lot of the barrier is knowledge. people don't know that these computers are available to them, plus they don't know what is useful. >> there are so many businesses in the bay area that are constantly retiring their computer equipment that's perfectly good for home use. computers and internet access are helping everybody in the community and people who don't have it can come to us to help with that. one of the biggest problems we

see isn't whether people can get computers through programs like ours, but whether they can understand why they need a computer. really the biggest issue we are facing today is helping people understand the value of having a computer. >> immediately they would say can i afford a computer? i don't speak any english. how do i use it. then they will start to learn how to do email or how to go back to chinese newspaper to read all the chinese newspaper. >> a lot of the barrier still is around lack of knowledge or confusion or intimidation and not having people in their peer network who use computers in their lives. >> the important thing i learned from caminos was to improve myself personally. when i first came to caminos, i didn't know anything about computers. the second thing is i have become -- i have made some great achievements as an individual in my family and in things of the world. >> i