>> we have a quorum. we shall proceed to item no. 3, approval of the minutes. is there a motion? >> i will move approval. >> moved and seconded. >> seconded. >> second, public comments? on the minutes? all right there

being none, all those in favor, signify by saying aye? >> aye. >> opposed? motion is carried. public comment, item no. 4 on our agenda. mr. decosta >> thank you >> thank you. yes, sir. commissioners, today i want to briefly speak about. >> you wanted to wait until item 5, is that correct? >> no. i have two cards. >> got it. >> i think item 5 i will respond when that time comes. >> okay. >> so thank you for giving me three minutes. so i wanted to speak a little bit about community benefits. so in the past, we have had a lot of

experience -- just one of you all knows a lot about the water system improvement project when it comes to the community benefits. and having said that i won't go into the details of how those community benefits filtered down to san franciscans, because one of the reasons given, it went here, there and everywhere because it was region-wide. but when we talk about the sewer system improvement project, it's in your backyard. meaning, it's meant for san franciscans. so right now some of us in the community have taken the lead to work with

sfpuc management, giving all the detailed information, expressing the pulse of the community to the general manager. who has been kind enough -- i repeat, kind enough, to embrace us. so we are doing things diligently as best as we can. and we know that we are fortunate in san francisco to have what they term "a booming economy." we have 38 cranes up in the air, never mind the congestion on the floor or on the ground. but we have a booming economy. that favors us with the sewer system improvement project. however, the design of the digesters, the design of the real infrastructure takes time. we know that. so what i am

bringing before the commissions is this: we do not have to wait to get some real results from the design and planning in the interim, there is a lot we can do, which we are doing, by the way. and we need to work with the community and preferably in this booming times when others get opportunities, the community in the south is sectored. that is all i'm saying. you want a plan? we have a plan. do you want a plan for workforce development? we have it. some of you all i have sent you the late report, the audit. the city audit on the workforce development. you all need to read it. because this is an opportune

moment. the mayor, the chief of police, maria su from the department of youth, children and familis are all supporting us. what i am saying to you, commissioners, is this: we cannot have a real good project going on in the south sector when it's a war-zone. we need some harmony towards that end we have taken steps to bring about harmony. thank you very much. >> thank you. dr. jackson. welcome doctor. >> good afternoon, commissioners. i need to see a doctor. i have been ill this past week. under "public comment" last time i spoke with you all, i asked that a hearing be held about the art, the funding that should have -- must have come

to bayview-hunters point and i found out that the hearing was not set and i asked for the hearing today and i said if not today -- [ inaudible ] i'm finding out today it's not set up until the fourth tuesday. i'm not satisfied with that. >> the problem is the logistics with the arts commission. >> you know what, sweetheart? it's not just them, but it's you as well, because of the fact that you gave money to puc for them to come to bay view hunters point and that is my concern, when the monies come to the groups in my community, which i asked previously for the name of all the groups and agencies, and that agency has given money to bayview-hunters point, i have never received that information of the groups and we have a lot of new groups

popping up all over the place. we have the ywca and they are coming into my community like liquor stores and they are dividing my community because they are paying people to support the shipyard and that is wrong, completely wrong what is going on with some of your staff here. i am tired of them. i don't need to talk about file a lawsuit, because that will be done and any of you commissioners that wish to, desire to, my attorneys will meet with the community this coming thursday from 6:00 to 8:00 at 1600 oakdale at the southeast facility room and you will be educated. because you see, you are all not going to be able to do the right thick until you hear about things that started in bay view hunters point. i have been living there since

1948 and i know the history of my community. young people from that community are here today and the families and things and we know -- it seems like they try to get rid of us, but i'm not going no place. i'm going to be here. thank you very much. >> thank you. mr. kevin williams, welcome. >> good afternoon, senator torres, members of the commission. my name is kevin williams. i am co-chair of the bay view hunters point arts council and we're an ad hoc committee here to request that our protest of the san francisco art commission's community arts and education bayview program that is financed with puc funds be placed on this commission's agenda for a hearing. i am also a retired senior contract compliance officer for

the city and county of san francisco, human rights commission. i am co-founder of the green lining institute. we have a mutual friend with bob. >> yes we do. >> as a chief investigator for this city, i have investigated front companies and fraud involving hundreds of millions of dollars in capital improvement projects under the local minority and business utilization program, formerly known as chapter 12d of the san francisco administrative code. on october 8th, 2013, we also made a written request for a hearing. without going into the details of our complaint, we allege that the selection process used is unlawful, politically motivated, and patently corrupt. on its face, the

decision-making that resulted in 10 purported bayview organizations given $100,000 without an oral interview, without public comment, and without any public disclosure after award constitutes an outlandish, unethical and criminal misuse of taxpayer funds. we further contend that any failure to immediately investigate and report findings there as to the misuse of these public funds signals a safe haven for such malfeasance and mocks the mission of this commission, where open government is recycled in the dark. at this commission's november meeting we intend to show the selection and award failed to comply with the grant agreement between the city and county of

san francisco and the arts commission. we intend to show the selection and award failed to comply with the sunshine ordinance, with respect to disclosure. we intend to show that the selection award failed to comply with the city charter, as to the requisite requirements for composition of the selection panelists relative to its purpose. we intend to show that the selection and award violates clear prohibitions contained in the grant agreement, precluding the use of stereotypes and discrimination against women and minorities, who enthusiastically submitted proposals and response to the rfp solicitation. we come to you first to seek an administrative remedy. however, we have retained counsel. we must rather be here than in a court of competent jurisdiction. in any event if the right thing is not done, we'll find a way

to get a judge to do it. we appreciate your time and attention and look forward to this matter being heard at its earliest opportunity, not four weeks into november. it signals to us that at least the arts commission is not taking us very seriously. i can assure you as sure as i can tell you there is a city street named after my father and an historic landmark named after my mother that i will not rest until justice is done. thank you. >> will you be going before the arts commission november 12th then as well? >> no. >> why not? >> because the first stop is here. we need guidance from the funding source. you always follow the money. >> okay. >> so you are concerned about the process, which the arts commission was in charge of the process? >> that is correct. >> and so i agree that your

first stop should be with them, but since you are here, we're going to bring them here and so when we contacted them, the earliest time that we were able to get a commitment was the second meeting in november. so that is how that happened, the date. but we will go back to the arts commission and see if we can move it up earlier. but i would encourage you to reach out to the arts commission and we have forwarded this letter to them. >> well, i thank you, general manager harlan kelly. i appreciate that, but i have reached out. i have asked for public disclosure. i have asked for the emails of those staff and other people that were tied with the selection. they refused to even give me the notices that they received via emails. >> they are supposed to if you filed a freedom of information act requirement. >> it's due immediately after award.

award was september 9th. they failed to submit the public disclosure as to the notification of those organizations purportedly from the bayview that received $10,000. i find that troubling and so should you. >> thank you >> thank you. >> did you have a comment? >> no, only that we need to agendize it. >> yes. that is why i moved on. >> i know. >> so good to have you with us. angela armstrong. bob would have been very proud of you, kevin. >> thank you. >> commissioners, mr. torres, mr. harlan kelly, i am angela armstrong with the hunters point cultural center and i want to take everybody back to 1968, the city built space at 100 circle for bayview-hunters

point for the cultural center. city planning is having a survey done on historical sites and people in san francisco african-americans and we have problems with the city planning department how they were asking us about our story. so we attended a meeting and we have attended meetings with mr. kelly's staff at our churches and we have met with the commissioners at the water department. no one ever mentioned the funding was going through the art commission. and we could have alleviated a lot of the headache and pain and the disappointment that dr. jackson is feeling is just unbearable that she was not given a little head's up on where the money was going from 1968 until the present, the

hunters point art gallery and cultural center has been active in bayview-hunters point. we have never received any funding and we are self-sustaining, but in the course of that, we support the salvation army and supported the ywca and the salvation army got a grant. we went into their business and said this is who we are and this is what we can do for you and we introduced them to our community. and they can come up with a pilot art program and get funded from the puc and haven't been in bayview-hunters point less than two years? and we're talking about a big agency. the salvation army don't need no money from a pilot program. we have concerns about the puc and what do you define as a "pilot art program?" we have

some successful young people who have come out of the bayview hunter art gallery and choreographers with stevie wonder and you met the young man who was in the x factor, mr. george david stern and david stern took him to las vegas and the young man is doing good. we don't get any support. the last person called somebody to sit me down -- the last person that should have got some funding to allocate some funding was the art commission. they have never funded any art groups in hunters point. never. what is the problem? thank you very much . >> more communications item no. 5 any comments? mr. decosta, you requested to be on item 5.

>> i received a letter linked to the comments last time -- maybe during public comment. i don't recall. so i have stated many times that both dr. espinola jackson and myself represent the first people. so right by sunol, pleasanton, that belongs to the ohlone and when there is an occasion to say something meaningful, i do so. now i am not god. however, i know for a fact that where the

dam is on calaveras -- geologists have a term called "maximum credible earthquake." each one of you all commissioners have this report, my report. i am not a geologist, but i have studied earthquakes for 35 years and i have been in earthquake-prone areas and in 1989, when we had an earthquake over here in san francisco, i took it upon myself to go to the tenderloin and do operations there.

three weeks later for the red cross to come. so i don't want to come here and fault the commissioners. i don't want to come here and fault the general manager, but what i want to bring to your attention, if there any projects for the puc, we have to hold them accountable and ask for the empirical data so from the inception to-date we know that they did the right thing. because guess what? nobody is saying it the way i'm saying because tomorrow if something happens at calaveras, guess what? they will be blaming you commissioners and the only person who has spoken to you and looked at you straight in the eye about the calaveras dam and i have a document here that i can back up the facts with a

400-page document that is if you have time to read it. thank you very much. >> thank you for your letter, mr. decosta and we have read it. any other public comment on "communications?" and now we move to "other commission business." the election our new officers. i will call upon mr. moran to make the first. >> thank you, mr. president, it would be my pleasure to place into nomination anne caen. >> is there a second? >> second. >> >> any discussion? did you want to make a candidate discussion? >> i thank you for the second. >> all those in favor, signify by saying aye? aye. >> any nays? there being none,

congratulations madame vice president. >> thank you. >> the chair will entertain motions for president of the commission. mr. moran. >> it would be my pleasure to nominate the current vice president courtney to be our president for the next year. >> second? >> second. >> any discussion? all those in favor, signify by saying aye? >> aye. >> opposed? there being none, congratulations, mr. president, you can take over now. [ laughter ] [ applause ] >> mr. president, commissioner caen. >> i would like to make some comments about your outgoing president. you know, it's really been quite a thrill to work under

art torres. he has a certain style about him, a wonderful management style, laced with humor, and it's been an honor and i thank you for your service, art. >> thank you very much, ann, it's been a pleasure serving in this capacity with you as well. any other comments from the commissioners? seeing none, call for public comment? dr. jackson. >> good afternoon again. i want to say congratulations to the vice president and the president. you know i have been working with the vice president for many years, and she has compassion for the community. >> here here. >> she listens and a lot of things that the staff was trying to push through a number of years ago did not happen. i want to thank you, sweetheart, for all the help you have given my community and president courtney, i want to say congratulations to you,

because i know you that you have helped, as much as you could. you have stated between you and i and my community and i'm looking to do greater work for you and doing the thing that your knowledge can give you and all of you need to know about my community. i call bayview-hunters point espinola jackson's community. that sewage plant is in my backyard and been there for 50 years and some of you are babies up there and don't know what has been going on in this community. i don't forget anything. i know everything that has been said and i have witnesses in the back of me that they start talking i say that was a wednesday at 3:00. i have my grand baby with me and i don't forget anything. being 80 years of age, i don't know how much longer i will be

here and you will lose all of this information. won't be able to get it. get on it, baby, right away, because we need help, really need help in the southeast, especially zip code 94124. i don't talk about the southeast, zip code 94124. >> thank you doctor for your thoughtful comments. any other public comment? francisco? >> commissioners i want to thank you mr. art torres for your leadership. as the vice president stated we are privileged and it's a blessing that you bring the experience from the assembly to city hall and you have paid your dues not only in san

francisco, but throughout the state. so i personally appreciate that experience that you have brought to san francisco. i want to congratulate the new president and union man and whatever is happening with bart, this, that and the other, we need sound representation from anyone in authority who can change the policies in the union and you are poised now during the time of the sewer system improvement project and all of the projects to do the right thing, getting our young people both men and woman good jobs so there is some sort of upward mobility that we talk about, but do little about it.

commissioner anson moran, you have a lot of experience having been a general manager and having seen it all, and it's always a pleasure to see you ask the right questions and throw the curveball. my strengths are infrastructure. i did that for a long time and when i came to the bayview, my monitoring of the 3rd street light rail, the power plants,

have allowed me to share my experience with thousands of people. i take my job seriously and from time to time, i send my blogs to y'all, so you y'all know how i feel about it. i look forward to working with this commission, so that you do it the right thing and with the general manager, too. thank you very much. >> thank you, mr. decosta. if there is no objection, a moment of personal privilege. i often times talk about the community workforce that we represent. we talk about jobs and the workers who benefit from what happens here at the public utilities commission >> i want to echo the comments made. i think san francisco was lucky to have president art torres to serve on this commission and when i learned that i would serve on this commission by

then mayor newsom, i was floored by the caliber of these public servants and it was a pleasure to serve alongside you, president torres. i am a union man, not a company man, but it's impressive in terms of the caliber who work here from general manager harlan kelly, on down and i have enjoyed getting to know each one of you. i think we have a most talented group of upper managers and talented workforce. it's an honor for me to work here. i will call the next item, the general manager's report. >> thank you. so the next item -- i'm sorry. yes, okay, i thought you wanted me to say something else. okay, congratulations. i just wanted to say a few

words about art, if i may? art, it's just been a pleasure working with you. this was my first year. i had some big shoes to fill. and it was just an honor for you to help bring me along and support me through this first year. we have gone through a lot of things together from the hetch hetchy ballot initiative, where we were concerned about getting the true facts out there. to recent decision about the rim fire and how to look at ways that we can deal with that major problem that happened on our watershed. so it has just been a great pleasure working with you and i wanted to say thank you for everything. it's been an honor. >> same here. >> also looking forward to continuing to work with you, president and whatever we can do to really help you in your