(clapping.) sociogood morning, everyone. good morning. good morning. my name is harlan kelly the director of the public utilities commission i'm excited to welcome you here today, it's a diverse group we're going to talk about the issues we're looking and facing the drought. the puc you're in headquarters of the puc it's a if you don't know about the puc we're responsible for water wastewater and power our water system is a vast water system we provide water to 2.6 million yourselves in the bay area not only in the retail but wholesale swill as the a regional issue we talk about the water not only our drinking water see but our

wastewater we have a unique opportunity to look for opportunities to expand our water supply and a lot of is it reconstrict we're looking at ways to take advantage of that. this headquarters represents what the puc is about later today, you'll take a hour of the building and so we treat our wastewater on city i site we recircle it through the urinalysis and the toilets it's a amazing building and you'll look at all the great features we have today so i wanted to first start off with introducing the mayor of san francisco he's an infrastructure mayor he's been promoting investor in san francisco infrastructure and one the great things we're able to do t is fix a lot of our that is my understanding that bring water here we had a lot of leaking that is my understanding our system is over one hundred

years old and with the ability to reinvest in infrastructure that's the 4r5rg9 saving of water are we've experienced at the puc donates my great pleasure to introduce the mayor of san francisco (clapping) >> thank you harlan letting express my appreciation for hosting this beautiful building. i also want to say thank you to you all of you. those are important and serious times. in our state and i suggest to you that this is an emergency that we're in that's why we are could i convening xhvnlt with our great governors request we hold those he meetings on the basis of the state of california we've got to manage this

impending disaster we're experts in disaster preparedness and management i want to thank the governor mark for hosting this recreational meeting >> thank you all how are stakeholders in this to be working and sharing information with each other as an entire region. san francisco while we will do our best we have to work in concert with the north bay arresting and all regions this is not going to go away we've not be lucky like maybe in the world series or something where we can count on someone else's failure to be our success we have to make our own success we're doing our best in san

francisco. since 2007 our san francisco government agencies have reduced water by 20 percent but still that's not enough i've called for on ailed 10 percent because if we are going to have some serious conversations with our businesses before i do that before i indicate to them what we need from them and they are the biggest water yourselves in our city we have to demonstrate our own commitment per diem and having the puc and our compliment department of working together to reduce an additional 10 percent is important so we have the moral foundation but the practicality to begin those discussions with our businesses. not only is water reduction important i think we're at a

cutoff we have to signal behavior real life changes have to happen in order to manage this pending disaster so i'm about making sure our kids grouping just as they've done with education to emphasis the demands for education we want to get all our - our city represent the effort to conserve and collect as much ground water and recycled water where a appropriate to keep the freshwater this is what we have to do an aggressive agenda thanks to the governor's office for leading this effort those conversations have to go more than a regional approach we've

got to have actions that we'll promise the public we're manage a crisis in the making not only do we lead by example and cut waste and water i imagine has much as possible we have to talk to the public about behavorial changes that's the most difficult thing but as a leader in this great city anita and i my wife has talked i talked about how to demonstrate at the home we can say to our kids we're leading by example and be the behavorial change this is a calling of us as government right now those are the challenges of our time this is a very serious thing we're not going to go through a simple agricultural thing that's a strong, strong part of our

economy it's going to challenge our hospitality our hotels one of the greatest parts of our city and get challenged by this and so all of this has to be managed by stewart's experts i'm looking forward to the examples we can have for each other i'm very glad to welcome our state officials and someone i can introduce someone that's been working with us in the city she's began her career from her job and articulating her managerial skills to the local management that's ann she's done a wonderful, wonderful job. ann take it from here (clapping.) good morning it's wonderful to see so many familiar faces there's a number of people from our approval authority around

the region and working so closely together in the bay area. i too want to thank our state officials for hosting this meeting here in san francisco. it's the eight drug - drug drought task force kind of like it the drought task force meeting that's been held. i think the bay area is a very important place to hold such a meeting i also want to thank harry less than kelly for hosting this this room is fantastic i'm in awe of what we've being able to do with 24 green building. nancy ward is someone who we worked closely with over the years when she was at fema and mark stole nancy from fema but luckyly she didn't go too far we

get to work with her still we're worked with cal we say that john doe i didn't talks to my staff on 0 daily basis if issues ranging from reimbursements to the rim fire occupying we've worked closely with cal o s and mark has been in his position since 2012 was appoint by governor jerry brown and serves as the homeland security advisors he comes with us with thirty plus years in the field and responded to so many disasters in california i'm he can't remember but we have this critically close work are,

manship here's mark (clapping.) i may have caused some disasters in all those years too anyway mr. mayor and all of you thank you very much for taking advantage to deal with this very, very important topic and ann said drug she meant drought she mentioned rim fire california is, you know, truly as the governor said a nation state 38 million i difference people complicated and managing in a crisis like drought this is statewide incorporating all 58 counties and the impacts from that drought to all 18 sectors infrastructure and transportation and education you name it really is a challenge

for all of us and san francisco has done some phenomenal work in this area. some best practices we're going to talk about today and really is a model for an urban environmentalist to be able to demonstrate how taking a crisis like the drought and leveraging the best practices and implementing those in a large way i my say congratulations to the team here not only meeting the governors 20 percent but asking for an additional 10 percent it's a heavy lift but something we need to know this is a marathon not a sprint and in many ways the drought is while it's a crisis situation really to a degree is the new no more in california as we look at

ourselves moving into the future years increasing in the population requirement we need to think about how we are sustaining this very, very critical resource n and san francisco again is one of the places we lead the way. i'm excited to an opportunity to meet with you and we'll talk about what we're doing at the state the governor's actions and the state agency to stay out in in front of this it, it's not a state action ensue a state and local and non-governmental private effort we need to stay out in flown front 0 of this. i thank you very much for hosting today and look forward to talking more as we move forward thank you. brown are we going to do a -

introduction around - >> can i start with two topics and then we can move forward yeah. okay. with that, let us begin and, you know, as i mentioned sort of the objective of today is meeting and the challenges of managing this stating event as you all know, you know, this is the third year of 3 dry years. we've been hoping working with noah in the national weather serves next week we'll have an el nino pattern there's an interpretation of what that means we need to anticipate another dry year or at least plan for it and be prepared for

another dry year. our challenge has been to remain out in front of this evolving event most disasters in california is the disaster occurs we'll respond collectively and we sort of mitigate the crisis and begin the recovery process that's not the case with the drought its at viewing every expanding challenge. its something that it's not going to go away we need to think about it in the context of long term sustainable solutions to change the way we in our society our culture in california deals with this problem and the legislation and the governor are looking at the variety of different solutions that we'll talk about today but

there's some tough decisions to be made and part of it is occur contaminate of water delivers deliveries and even 345ur7bd restrictions in the state of california. to the desegregate that the drought is its everybody's everybody is combangd other places in the state are worse off our central valley agricultural has been hit hard farmers are having problems and we're having a trickle down effect of the economy in an industry that is one of the largest economic murnz in the state of california. so the long term economic impacts in that one sector will have a tremendous impact we're

working hard to provide did balance of dealing with those problems while maintaining public health and safety so we incur that people don't go without drinking water for public health and safety standards there's many places in california that individuals are on wells and wells are running dry and their tied into a system he have a little bit flexibility but tied into a well your options are limited so we're really leveraging that and looking at ground water boycott to some larger term solutions a lot of this has been been in the governors document that outlines the direction and strategy that the governor in the state is moving forward in.

we've had look at of precipitation this year but certainly not enough and one of the greatest threats as a result of drought has been that of wildfire our companies are so dry throughout the state it takes age a spark and with the wind behind it it moves rapidly because of the dryness of the fuel those fires get moved out rapidly we say this come to fruition plus the 80 different fires burning at the same time 18 were major we had to the evidence will then show everycy in the state of california to move up into northern california to support of the fire activity. the governor moved forward increasing the number of

firefighting to put all the state agencies on notice to be responsive with the strategy that is get to the fires fast and keep them small. this year particularly we can't afford the fires getting too far out in front of us and the locally strikes we've been having a lot of lightning that result in, you know, multiple fires happening at the same time. so together fire safety and awareness of the potential for fire is very, very the governor did put in place a emergency proclamation for the state of california and two executive orders one that directs state agencies to, you know, respond with all the

assets that the states has to deal with the emergency and establish the drought task force at the governors level and cleared the way through recollection to the state water control board we'll learn about the kind of clearance that were streamlining the red tape and the streamlining of the situation to get the water where it needs to go and the paramount priority. we've had an active a geement with our community. much kudos to all the local authorities throughout california working very closely in calculation with the state and conversely with our federal partner early on they came together and the white house has been on this president obama has

been out here himself so see the impact of the event and they've been forthcoming with resources they e very rapidly i want to appreciate their effort our our emergency operation centers the state and regions we're holding weekly calls with our operation areas to be able to get that input that feeding that information of what's happening on the ground to act very rapidly to and i judge trial those become greater a challenges and particularly the ones running out of water they're a heavy loss. the governor was working with the legislation schematic and moving forward with emergency drought legislation it includes over $21 million in rental and housing assistance through the

housing development. much of that is already been looked to individuals and families that have been disbecause of the drought and $15 million of drinking water fund to the control board and $25 million in emergency food avoidance it's been put out to various counties throughout the state were water sxheefrm is our number one concern and fire mitigation we're continuing to move forward as the month going on and hoping that this will bring differences. that's an overview i want to i'm going to turn it over to >> we're going to take a quick 2 minute break and i know the mayor and others have to run off to.

the restrooms are here if you need a quick >> just a few steps away from union square is a quiet corner stone of san francisco's our community to the meridian gallery has a 20-year history of supporting visual arts. experimental music concert, and also readings. >> give us this day our daily bread at least three times a day. and lead us not into temptation to often on weekdays. [laughter] >> meridians' stands apart from

the commercial galleries around union square, and it is because of their core mission, to increase social, philosophical, and spiritual change my isolated individuals and communities. >> it gives a statement, the idea that a significant art of any kind, in any discipline, creates change. >> it is philosophy that attracted david linger to mount a show at meridian. >> you want to feel like your work this summer that it can do some good. i felt like at meridian, it could do some good. we did not even talk about price until the day before the show. of course, meridian needs to support itself and support the community. but that was not the first consideration, so that made me very happy. >> his work is printed porcelain. he transfers images onto and spoils the surface a fragile shes of clay.

each one, only one-tenth of an inch thick. >> it took about two years to get it down. i would say i lose 30% of the pieces that i made. something happens to them. they cracked, the break during the process. it is very complex. they fall apart. but it is worth it to me. there are photographs i took 1 hours 99 the former soviet union. these are blown up to a gigantic images. they lose resolution. i do not mind that, because my images are about the images, but they're also about the idea, which is why there is text all over the entire surface. >> marie in moved into the mansion on powell street just five years ago. its galleries are housed in one of the very rare single family residences around union square. for the 100th anniversary of the mansion, meridian hosted a series of special events, including a world premiere reading by lawrence

ferlinghetti. >> the birth of an american corporate fascism, the next to last free states radio, the next-to-last independent newspaper raising hell, the next-to-last independent bookstore with a mind of its own, the next to last leftie looking for obama nirvana. [laughter] the first day of the wall street occupation set forth upon this continent a new revolutionary nation. [applause] >> in addition to its own programming as -- of artist talks, meridian has been a downtown host for san francisco states well-known port trees center. recent luminaries have included david meltzer, steve dixon, and

jack hirsch man. >> you can black as out of the press, blog and arrest us, tear gas, mace, and shoot us, as we know very well, you will, but this time we're not turning back. we know you are finished. desperate, near the end. hysterical in your flabbergastlyness. amen. >> after the readings, the crowd headed to a reception upstairs by wandering through the other gallery rooms in the historic home. the third floor is not usually reserved for just parties, however. it is the stage for live performances. ♪

under the guidance of musical curators, these three, meridian has maintained a strong commitment to new music, compositions that are innovative, experimental, and sometimes challenging. sound art is an artistic and event that usually receives short shrift from most galleries because san francisco is musicians have responded by showing strong support for the programming. ♪ looking into meridian's future, she says she wants to keep doing the same thing that she has been doing since 1989. to enlighten and disturbed. >> i really believe that all the arts have a serious function and that it helps us find out

who we are in a much wider sense than we were before we experienced that work of art. ♪ >> so what brought you out here for the bike ride today? >> i grew up in san francisco but i have been living in new york. i wanted to see what san francisco is doing with infrastructure. >> cities are where people are living these days. the bay area is doing a lot with construction and the way to change the world starts here. >> we are about to take a bike ride. we have 30 cyclist. i'm really excited to hit the road and see what the city has in

store. >> i definitely recommend it to people. it's a fun afternoon and you learn so many things. >> this is so much fun. i go to parts of the city that i don't come to. this will make the city a more susta for

tuesday, august 26, 2014, is now called to order. roll call please. thank you mr. haney. complauf u ms. maufas. dr. murase. ms. norton. ms. wynns. president fewer. ms. jones mr. caan. thank you >> please join me in the pledge of allegiance. and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all >> thank you i'd like to welcome our new interim student elizabeth jones elizabeth do you want to say