insurance that covers the liability, we have the authority to authorize their temporary use. it turned out to be very successful. we're able to relieve the pressure valve from some of the transportation backlog to make the event go more smoothly. a very important event for the city. a lot of money and notoriety for the city. our taxi services folks stepped up and that played a small role. it also raises the issue of the use of these permits. it was a reminder that we need to establish some clearer rules so that we are ready to go when any such demand exists. it was great work by the taxi staff on very quick notice to do the verifications. you may have read in the newspaper that we had engaged

with the improve sf initiative. it was to create a new logo for the sfmta for the next 100 years. the contest recently completed, and after review from public input, and a panel of judges, we had a winning logo that was selected at an event last tuesday night. it was a local artist or local graphic arts person who was the winning -- had the winning design. i think we will try to put it up on the screen for you so you can take a look. that was the winner. i do not remember the number, we got more than 40 submissions. we had hundreds of comments that this is what came out as

the winner. we will be working with our internal staff, to implement this in various types of mta presence. this was done at zero cost to the taxpayers. we were able to leverage some of the best creative minds in the city. that is the way this process is supposed to work. i will just mention with regard to the part-time operators, since that has come up a little bit in the public, and it came up today, the part-time operators have worked and worked well and have helped to meet particular part of our service needs that really lends itself to part-time resurfacing. what has happened to -- it has

not kept up with demand or attrition. we were faced with the inability to fill runs. we are trying to bring the budget and on balance at the end of the year, which we have to do, was to bring a part-time operators on board to full time. we did that. we remain fully committed to staffing up part-time operators. we are working between operations and training at revamping and expanding the capacity of our training.

it was a stop-gap measure. it was the fastest, most cost- effective way to close that gap. in the long run, absolutely great value from the part-time operators. we will continue to use them. second to last, i've wanted to acknowledge and welcome our new director of capital programs, vince harris/ vince has a long and distinguished career. he was lured away six or so years ago and we had the good fortune to lure him back. >> [inaudible] >> he comes with requiring no learning curve. we gave him about five minutes of high demand. -- honeymoon.

he brings an understanding of capital programs and product delivery, but he had a couple of different stance on the capital funding and planning side. that is really great value to us, having run the equivalent of rta or mtc. he brings that funding and planning expertise to the agency. that is important to the delivery of capital projects. we're very glad to have him aboard. i do not know if you wanted to come up and say a few words. >> welcome back, mr. harris. >> thank you, chairman. it is a great opportunity to be here. it is an honor and privilege to be back and the capacity, kind of a rare opportunity to get to come back home. i think the director and the sport for this opportunity. -- and the board for this opportunity. it is my job to deliver quality

projects, working collaborative play with all the communities in the city and county of san francisco. >> the opportunity to recognize employees is something that i look forward to a lot. so many of them are doing such good work and they're not that many opportunities to recognize them. when the certificates come across the desk, at reasons we are recognizing them, it is a great thing. one of the certificates came across my desk and get -- my hand was shaking as i had to sign it. it was bittersweet. i want to ask miss johnson if she will step forward. [applause]

we are giving debra special recognition because this is not everyday that something like we have this opportunity. deborah has spent 20 years in the transportation and transit business. she worked at bart, she worked for wmata, which runs the metro ntin d.c. she subsequently became director of administration and accessible services. before i came, it you appointed her to be the interim executive director and ceo of the agency. what you may not know is that

she is also president of the northern california chapter of the conference on minority transportation officials. she is active in the women's transportation seminar. she serves on the california transit association's executive committee. she is on urban habitats board of directors. i know you will recognize how phenomenal diver is for this agency and for the city -- dabber is for this agency and for the city. i met with her very early on. i had a great conversation. from that moment forward, i have had the best of working relationships. in the success i have had i really a tribute to her support and guidance.

she really knows this agency inside out. she really understands san francisco, at extremely hard- working, i am happy to recognize her for all of that, it is a little bit a bittersweet because we are recognizing her as she moves on to bigger and better things. she is leaving to become the deputy chief operating officer for l.a. metro. back in the day, it might have been a little transit system in a big city. but now the growth of transit in los angeles is a phenomenal. this is a phenomenal opportunity for her and for them. a big loss for us, but great for l.a. we wanted to take this opportunity to recognize her. beforeher to say a few words,i will turn it back to the chair. >> when i got the e-mail, i said

no. [laughter] it turns out i do not have that kind of authority. it has been wonderful working with you. it has been wonderful, a very warm, personable person who represents the agencies so well. colleagues, which to care to say anything at this point? >> no. [laughter] it has been wonderful to work with you. l.a. is so lucky to have you. i wish you all the best. i know you will go on to have a continued amazing career. we will miss you a lot. >> probably the secretary of transportation. director ramos: thank you so much for all of your dedication and hard work. when i first came on to the

board, you were one of the people who impressed me the most. he served as an inspiration for me to really dig in and give your heart and soul. you just wowed me all all around. thank you so much for all of your professionalism and your dedication and your inspiration. best of luck to you. >> members of the board? director heinicke: the most interaction i have had with you were with labor negotiations for you did a fantastic job. of all the things that have impressed me about you, in this era of the new ground rules under the new proposition, as you could go through those very contentious interchanges an

audience of all of that, he kept your poise, but advocating free strenuously for the agency. everyone is still held great respect and admiration for you. i think that is a real testament to your abilities as a person and a leader. you can go through a process and have everyone still love you at the end. if e-mail would have come to me, i would have been upset. but yes, i am very proud of you. you were going to do great things and i wish to the best. >> i would like to congratulate you. i think you have been phenomenal and i wish you all of the best. i am sure we will see many things from you in the years to come. you live all the attributes to do very well. thank you for your leadership.

>> it has been a real pleasure working with the. -- with you. you were the consummate professional. any time i called, you never had a bad day. it was always a pleasure working with you. i want to wish you luck. i expect to hear great things about you. >> [inaudible] [applause] >> first and foremost, i want to thank chairman , members of the board, this is quite an honor.

these years have been truly monumental in reference to my career. as indicated, i have had the opportunity to work did various transportation entities across the country. san francisco is very dynamic and unique. each day is like no other. i can recall one day, every time you turn over a rock, there is another rock. i just have moving them to the side. i want to thank my colleagues. the players may have changed, but we still had that synergy. it is very important that we do that on a daily basis. i would be remiss not to the acknowledge the wonderful staff that we have here at the sfmta. oftentimes, we do not get are

just do. people remember the bad things that happen. i want to acknowledge the hard- working people that are so committed to this city and committed to delivering a viable transportation. i want to thank each and every one of you for the opportunity. i will most definitely be in touch. it is about sustainability. thank you, once again. [applause] >> we can move on to public comment on the directors' report. >> i want to ask a question about the director's report. we did talk about the issue of spare cabs. i think it would be a good idea to look at a protocol for when we can do this again. the u.s. open is not going to be the last big event we have. i appreciate your looking at that. thank you to the taxi community

that brought this to the floor as the u.s. open was going on in conjunction with the bart issue. it speaks to the bigger issue of overall demand. we are doing a study on that right now. there was some concern raised that the folks doing the study had not spoken to the cab companies yet and the dispatch services. i know the interviews are being scheduled now. i assume they will get around to talking to the cab companies. we will make sure that they are talk to as part of the process. >> there are some members of the public who wish to address here. -- you. >> directors, what i want to bring to your attention is when the third street light rail was constructed, $700 million

project, over 85% of the businesses suffered. when the market street light rail was constructed, all the businesses were compensated. i have worked in other ways with the director, and he is one of the few directors -- this is a difficult project. we need to consult and bring the businesses, the small businesses, to the table. with america's cup, it is not fair. vince harris was there when

third street was done, so he knows me pretty well. it is going to be a little bit difficult, because he just arrived, but we have to cater to the small businesses. we have to put our best foot possible. what i like about the director, he has accountability and transparency. you send him an e-mail, and quickly he response to you. that means somebody is, you know, he is on the go. that is what i like about him. i want to thank you again for the two bus shelters. thank you very much. >> good afternoon. i want to welcome the new director.

i want to let you know that more than anybody else in the cab industry, i welcome your presence because you're predecessor, i had to file some ethics complaints against. i am hoping you will get to know that. transit system that the cab's operate. -- the paratransit system that the cab's operate. i would appreciate if you would get yourself a debit card. mark is a great guy. i hope he will also report some of your experiences so we have an idea of an independent person who has not been so entranced with the cab industry -- entrenched with the cab industry. the use of this. cabs, there may be some issues that have to be resolved.

that was a pilot program to show that if we use cabs during peak times, it that is the only necessary time to use them. i think you can use that as your starting point for why increased use of cabs during peak times is the best way to go in this city. this city is different than york. in closing, i came here to say goodbye to debra johnson. she was one of the first people i met under the new regime. she treated me with a huge amount of respect. i want to say that i hope she enjoys los angeles. i spent four years there. maybe she can get the metro system to go to the l.a. memorial coliseum, where she will learn how to be a trojan span. chairman nolan: next speaker,

please. >> good afternoon. welcome to the new director on this board. goodbye to debra johnson. but left to her -- good luck to her. coming to the issue about the cabs, look at this and other way. pride week in san francisco, half a million people. we had a lick very comfortably. -- we handled it very comfortably. the u.s. open was going on at 40,000 people, there was hardly a need for 100 cabs. the rest of the cabs were all over the city working very well. this cup is not a big deal.

fleet week, half a million people in this town. who says we need more calves? sh me the reasons. -- more cabs? show me their reasons. we do not need more cabs. the people they're telling you, they have financial interests. it is not in the interest of the drivers. there will not be half a million people in the world cup. that is not the kind of -- even the final of the baseball, we handle it very comfortably. there is no need for more cabs. chairman nolan: next speaker. >> good afternoon, directors.

my comments are brief. i want to thank very much this agency for setting an excellent precedent of allowing us to put out our spirit -- spare cabs. it was a confluence of different events that happened. even our own statistics, we were not able to meet the demand this weekend. the gay pride parade is next weekend. if we take the time to look at those weekends and those events, we will have to maximize service, i would hope that we can do this in the future. i want to say how affective this was to be able to put out cabs, have drivers go to work and meet the service demand. i hope this is something we can continue to do. i have not had too much interaction with ms. johnson. i would just like to say, as much as the taxi world is very

difficult, she has always been a professional. i wish her the best of luck going to los angeles. thank you. >> good afternoon. the people do not get it. your pr is a little bit strange. if you would like to change your image, and you have to make muni -- we have a team in order to --

safety is not the only problem. you can use a sound. when i was young, i heard it. i came here 25 years already. only one song, a million tourists. i look at -- they are using manpower to catch up.

in china, you can hire 10 firefighters in china. they did the same job. they never complain about the benefits or anything like here. chairman nolan: thank you. ok. the next item is the citizens' advisory council report. i do not see mr. murphy. public comment, i believe. good afternoon. >> i did send an internal memo to the board. >> we have a number of speakers who wish to address the board. he was not first. >> i did send a memo expressing

some of my concerns and i want to affirm one thing. one thing that is very symptomatic of the poor operations of mta, there is a bus stop that does not have announced destinations and arrivals. you have not installed a system that announces the arrival of muni buses. it is symptomatic of the flawed operations of mta. the other symptoms are buses that do not arrive on time. even if you installed the most ideal transit effectiveness project, it would all bread down if they did not arrive on time. -- break down if they did not arrive on time. would i would like to see is a

public disclosure of the internal operations on an annual basis. there is an internal operational audit that is done every year. i would like to see it public. i think it is very important that it should be stated in lucid terms. this is a very important saying. in respect to the upcoming mta budget, i suggest that the project be halted and reexamined. i do not see any marked improvement in service delivery as a result of this project today. it should be scrutinized. you could save money doing it. thank you. chairman nolan: next speaker, please. >> good afternoon. i guess you all know that this

article came out about the conditions of the municipal railway equipment. i have made arrangements to the director about the hostile working environment. no one seems to get to me about that. no one seems to get to me about that. this story has reached the 400 plus in the house of representatives, and the 100 senators we have representing the constituency of the united states of america. want to meet with me to talk about this. my thing is, we have to do something about this. and then we have to rectify the issue