supervisor kim: we do have ann lazarus with us today. you have already been before this committee. you were nominated to the port commission. if you could briefly introduce yourself to the rules committee and talk a little bit about some of the work you have to do on the board of appeals. >> thank you. i appreciate you having me here this afternoon. i do want to make it clear that i have never lived anywhere else or voted anywhere else. i have had the privilege of serving on the city's port commission for the last eight years. i am honored and awed to a been offered another opportunity to continue to serve my native city. i am very much looking forward to moving on to the board of appeals. while i could speak about some

of the issues before the porch and the city, i cannot do so about issues that might be coming to the board of appeals. instead, i will make a few statements about how i plan to approach my service on that commission if you decide to recommend them. i will tell you that i plan to do my homework. i know that these are very serious matters, they are considered quasi-judicial. i will not go into any meeting not prepared to be conversant with the issues. another aspect of that is becoming familiar with both sides of the issue. it would be my intent to give equal weight to the sites represented there. i would not approach any of these cases with previously determined agenda, it would read the materials, would listen to what they have to say. i would not have any new

hampshire bias towards any particular applicants -- i would not have any in eigate bias tows any particular applicant. i believe in collaboration. i consider myself a collaborative person. i will look forward to working with my colleagues to seek if we could work out compromises, the proverbial win-win situation so we could move things forward and not have to give a yay or nay to a particular side. i asked for your support. i would be honored to serve on the city's board of appeals. supervisor kim: we do have some -- supervisor campos: thank you for

your interest in continuing to serve the city and county of san francisco. thank you for the opportunity to meet with you prior to the hearing. i do not know that people fully understand the importance of the board of appeals. if you look at the level of responsibility that is given to that entity, it plays a very important role and -- there is this positive action that takes place on some very important issues. it is taking into account happen -- it is taken into account concerns from the community. if you can talk a little bit about your willingness,

ability, as you are hearing these individual cases, where there might be implications that go beyond the impact of the individuals involved. your ability and willingness to make sure those concerns are taken into account in your deliberations. >> certainly. i would try to look where appropriate at any of those cases -- cases in a larger context. you cannot just look at what is happening between two individuals, to adjacent properties, but you need to look at the wider world. i have an interest in public policy. i would have some of those policy issues in the back of my mind. they're not likely to be black and white, just confined to that particular situation. supervisor campos: i think that is very important.

another issue that you mentioned and one that i was wondering if you could expand upon, there are times you have parties, for a range of reasons, may not have a level of understanding how the process works, it may not have the means to have the level of representation that is needed, a man not speak the language, the level of sophistication in terms of the proceedings may not be on par of that of the other party, and making sure that all that is taken into account to to guarantee that everyone has gone to have a fair shot in presenting their case. i am wondering if you can expand

on that. >> right. it is incumbent upon the members of the commission to try to elicit the information that would be necessary to make a fully informed decision. i'd been made aware of the fact that in the experts take communications are not allowed and it is limiting in terms of doing that part of the homer. it would need to happen within the context of the hearing -- part of the homework. we need to happen within the context of that hearing. we need to make sure we have all the facts and all the evidence that is available carry -- that is available. supervisor kim: you talked about your background. are there specific experiences or work experience is that you how that would make to a good candidate to serve on this board? >> i do feel that my service to the city, i efforts for the city

in other capacities and i've lived and worked in san francisco all of my life. i have had an exposure to a wide range of issues over many decades. i have had a chance to consider and work with a lot of different organizations, constituencies, and is that exposure to a number of different issue exco -- different issues. by think that particular skill sets -- i think that particular skill sets i would bring to bear in my role as the commissioner. supervisor kim: have you attended a meeting at the board of appeals? >> no, i've not. supervisor kim: have you been able to observe it in other capacities? >> i have known former

commissioners and had the opportunity to meet with the executive director and become familiar with some of the rules and regulations and other aspects. supervisor kim: thank you so much. we will open up for public comment on this item. >> good afternoon. i work for the port commission and wanted to share with you my strong recommendation for ann lazarus's appointment to this commission. everything she described is not something that she has projected. it is something that she has done.

it really has been an honor as a member of the staff to work under her leadership because in her eight years, a lot of what has happened along the waterfront and where it is going has really happened under her watch. to address your question about community participation she has given us great leadership to kraft process these specific to educating the public, uses along the waterfront, and extensive public processes for major development projects that reach well beyond the geographic balance of the particulars that many of the nearby constituents bring to the port commission's attention. in that process, has really serve to educate the public at

large. my strong recommendation for her appointment. thank you. supervisor kim: thank you. any other public comment? if you would like to speak on this item, please stand. >> good afternoon. i am speaking to you as an individual, but also as a port employees. i have that be wonderful experience of working with the commissioner over the last eight years. i'd been at the port for more years than i would want to count. i have seen number of commissioners come and go, but none have shown the integrity and hard work and honesty that commissioner ann lazarus has shown. i support her confirmation to the appeals commission. thank you. supervisor kim: public comment on this item is now closed.

>> i have to say that i have known her for a little while. senior resident been nominated for its, and i think -- seeing a resident being nominated for it. i think we would be honored as a city to have you back. i would make a motion to forward this with recommendation to the full board. supervisor kim: we would amend the motion to approve the mayor's appointment. >> ok, there we go. approving the mayor's appointment of ann lazarus. supervisor kim: we do have a

motion to approve the mayor's appointment. and a motion to refer this item as a committee report so we can hear it next tuesday, july 24. i believe we have a second from supervisor campos. thank you to your service for the city on the port commission. i know it was a lot of work. i know it was a very exciting time, and continues to be. citing for the waterfront. your previous -- continues to be a very exciting time for the waterfront. i support your nomination as well. supervisor campos: i want to thank the commissioner for her willingness to continue to serve. supervisor support your kim: wen

and a second. >> motion approving/rejecting the mayor's appointment of frank fung. supervisor kim: he is currently serving on the board of appeals. it is the same format as ann lazarus. >> i am here to ask for your it is the same format as ann lazarus. >> i am here to ask for your conf discussed earlier, the board here is a wide variety of cases. the majority of cases happen to be from the planning and building. my background as an architect and planner alliance itself to resolu the broader mission of the appeals that pits neighbor

against neighbor is quite diverse. what we're really looking for is how we do what is fair, how we do what is looking at the law, at the charter, but also looking at the equity that is involved. that is extremely important for the commission that is called the court of last resort. prior to any potential litigation. what we bring to it is a willingness to listen, the willingness to hear all sides of it, to be able to make a rational and fair decision. supervisor kim: thank you. any questions? we will open up for public comment.

public comment is now closed. colleagues? supervisor campos: thank you -- i am reading my agenda and correctly. thank you for coming forward. i am pretty familiar with how the commissioner approaches the job. it is one of those things, in this kind of setting, you may not always agree with everything that is decided. it is really about making sure that we have someone who was going to take the time to prepare for the hearing, have an open mind, and give every party an opportunity to make their case. with that, i make a motion approving the mayor's appointment of frank fung to the board of appeals.

supervisor farrell: i am happy to second that motion. it was great to meet the other day for the first time. i know of your long history and your stellar reputation. i look forward to working with you. supervisor kim: kailasa be supporting this motion. it is great when you have -- i will also be supporting this motion. when you do not get any questions, it is a good sign. rather than we are not interested in your appointment. i have appreciated working with you since i was a member of the school board. given your work with our minority contractors. i appreciate your perspective and and candor and your consistency and your work in the city. i am happy to support this motion and we can do that

without opposition. do we have a motion to refer this as a committee? >> i am looking at the agenda. supervisor kim: it will be heard on tuesday, july 31. we can do this without opposition. thank you. can you please call item number 4? >> motion approving/rejecting the mayor's appointment of cabinet -- kevin cheng to the board of appeals for the term ending july 1, 2016. supervisor kim: we received notice yesterday afternoon that the mayor has withdrawn this appointment. colleagues, can we entertain a motion to continue this motion to the call of the chair? we do need to open up for public comment on this.

two minutes. >> good afternoon. i am a san francisco resident. i am pleased to hear that this appointment has been withdrawn by the mayor's office. i think he received considerable information. it would be a very inappropriate to have someone with his record to be on the board of appeals. i hope that his appointment is not some time resurrected. supervisor kim: public comment is now closed. supervisor campos: in light of the fact that the appointment has been withdrawn, i did not

want to comment about this nomination. i do want to say that i hope as the mayor moves forward with the appointment to fill this vacancy, we do think about making sure that we have as diverse a board of appeals as possible. given the very important role that this body plays in deciding some very important matters that come before the city, i think having a body that is fully representative of all the communities in san francisco would be helpful. right now, there is no african- american member on the board of appeals. i think that is one of the considerations i hope the mayor takes into account as they move forward with the recommendations. chairperson kim: thank you. seeing no further movement, we

can call this to the item of -- the attention of the chair. please call item no. 5. >> the appointment of -- a motion confirming the appointment of william adams to the port commission, a term ending may 1st, 2014. >> good afternoon, supervisors kim, farrell, and campos. i also want to thank you today for my iow families, the community, and a labor union. i would not be standing here without them today. i have been thinking a lot about this position, going on the san francisco port commission, the great challenges ahead for the port, but also the opportunities. i feel that my 34 years of experience with ofiow has prepared -- with the iow has

prepared me for this position with the port. it is not just my knowledge of the port or with shipping, but also, my commitment and desire to give back to this community. i had an opportunity to meet with supervisors kim, farrell, and gabbros, and i heard were you told me about -- and campos, and i heard what you told me about where you feel the direction of the port needs to go and where you felt we could improve. one of the things i feel i can bring to the port is an independent point of view. you have to listen to all issues, all sides, and wait it out before making a decision. -- weigh it out before making a decision. you have to be accessible to the public.

you have to hear the good, bad, and the ugly. you always have to have a door that is open. one of the things i feel that weibring as a member of the iow is the involvement in the community and being able to interface with our community and letting them know that the port is a friend, not a foreign place. it is right here in this city and every citizen of san francisco, the port belongs to them and there's something for everyone. i also believe that as a commissioner, i want to bring more port of maritime to san francisco. there might be another ferry service. i would like to see as double the cruise ship capacity. but i also know these will be some tough decisions. it will take true leadership and unfortunately, when leaders make tough decisions, there will be some who are unhappy with the

decisions you make. i believe i would like to have the supervisors more involved on the port commission. i would like to report to them. i would like to get there in sight. i would like them to get behind the issues that we are doing with the community. and i would like to bring youngsters down to the court -- to the port and i want for young people to understand that the port is the economic engine of our community. i believe that local hiring is an issue with all of the construction and jobs that are going down in our port. and i would like to close the bridge for better cooperation in the city cannot labor, and all the other people involved to make it happen. one of the things that i think i would like to talk about is when the america's cup almost fell apart in the port, i stepped in

with the voice of reason and i told our union that we needed to get back to the table with the port and oracle, and we need to make it a win/win situation. i believe in that perspective. and i also believe that as a port we have a business. i oversee the finances. that is very important. i intend to overt -- to look over the finances of the port to see how we can cause the budget and what is feasible. that is some of what i would by to say as i ask you to consider my nomination. -- of what i would like to say as i ask you to consider my nomination. chairperson kim: supervisor campos. supervisor campos: i know we have a number of people here at the hearing to speak on your behalf. and i can definitely understand why. i appreciated our conversation

prior to this meeting and i was very impressed with the caliber of this nomination. i am wondering if you can speak a little bit about something that i know we talked about, and it is very important to me. i do feel the port of san francisco is one of the most valuable assets we have at this city. i also believe that in some way, there is a disconnection between the port and residents of certain communities. there is a disconnect between those neighborhoods and san francisco. the port is not necessarily something that people know much about or think about much.

we wanted to make sure that we included a -- an event that could include more interaction between the port and all of our neighborhoods and communities. the thing i always find striking with respect to the port is that when people come and visit san francisco, the tourists, they do spend a lot of time on the waterfront. i wonder if you could speak to that. >> i know the conversation we had yesterday with regard to that. one of my goals as a commissioner would be to try to bridge that gap and be an ambassador and reach out. i come from labor. i come from working class

community and environment. i am understand the port -- i understand the court is supposed to take those on the lower income and -- and i said earlier, that this is a place for people should be able to come to see opportunities that are there. i have also told supervisor kim that i would be more than willing to come and reach out. i believe in a hands-on approach. i am working class. i am community oriented. and i clearly understand. i'm very supportive of that. >> i think that could be very useful on that commission. something else that is important to me, given that you are a steward of a very important asset, is independent spirit and

that means not only from the mayor, not only from the board of supervisors, and quite frankly, independence in the way that you provide oversight from -- oversight of this very important agency. that often means asking tough questions that may not be popular. oftentimes, that means going against the grain, if you will. i wonder if you could talk about the issue of independence and how you see that in terms of your approach to this world. >> i know that i am not beholden to the mayor or the board of supervisors. i have mine own voice. i have to make tough decisions, but that is what you do in leadership. harry truman said, the hardest thing you have to do is tell a friend know.

there will be times i have to tell my friends know. but i will do the right thing. and as i told you and the rest of the supervisors, not looking to better myself politically. i have 34 years at the iow and that is where i want to retire. i will be honest. i will be fair. and if i have to stand alone, so be it. chairperson kim: it is great to see not just a distant sixth nominee, but one that lives on rica on help. -- recon -- pecan helill.