. -- ms. ellis. so, i'm here because the next time somebody, after african-american ends up in the chronicle, something like that, and we look into it and we find out that it really wasn't all that serious and we've seen white cases like that, i don't want to put in fellow people on record here, but the newspaper been full of people who haven't lost their job from all kind of crazy stuff in this city. so, what are we talking about here? and then finally, the last point is this. as we are talking a african americans about outmigration and telling people san francisco is a place for you to raise your family and trying to ask them to come back and be a part of this community and look at them taking positions in government, you know, you can't ask for the best and the brightest and do this to some of the best and the brightest. >>> that's right. >>> you know, she is held in such high esteem that this hits national papers. this hits the circuit. look what san francisco does. are we that? nah. so, i urge y

we had ms. ellis essentially admit to and plead guilty to a couple of things which, one, two counts of influencing a government decision in which the official has a financial benefit. and also another count of violation of a section which prohibits any city or officer or employee from making a contract in which she has a financial interest. and then there was another one having to do with inappropriate conduct. this committee had gone ahead and prosecuted her for those ethical violations under its powers to do so. and had entered into a stipulation with her giving her, and which she accepted certain putsv, which were the extent of what we could punish her for, for these particular violations. so, in that sense, then, our job was over in regard to ms. ellis. the thought was at the time when we were doing this, and we had none of you all here, nobody was here. the thought when we were doing this, that in regard to these particular violations influencing a government decision, which the official has a fi

we had ms. ellis essentially admit to and plead guilty to a couple of things which, one, two counts of influencing a government decision in which the official has a financial benefit. and also another count of violation of a section

we had ms. ellis essentially admit to and plead guilty to a couple of things which, one, two counts of influencing a government decision in which the official has a financial benefit. and also another count of violation of a section which prohibits any city or officer or employee from making a contract in which she has a financial interest. and then there was another

i will note that we are taking up ms. ellis' matter in agenda item 5. , you'll also have a chance then. please. >>> my name is eric larson. i'm juliet ellis' husband. i feel compelled to be here today to provide a personal point of view regarding juliet. i've known juliet over 20 years and i know her to be honest, above all else, kind and generous. in fact, she's one of the most honest people i know. so, it's been very painful for her personally as well as our family to deal with this ongoing saga. let's be clear. we're not here because of a slight bureaucratic miss step. we're here because certain persons have deliberately orchestrated a series of defaming events designed to smear juliet's good name and reputation. we have endured these trials with the faith that these were challenges that were to be overcome and learned from. so, juliet has mostly suffered in silence. but today juliet's community has stepped forward to say, we've had enough already. we'll not stand aside any more. i want to thank everybody for coming out and supporting juliet. we know

i also have worked with ms. ellis for, you know, a number of years, well before she was on the public utilities commission. and i know that she has been one who has been working diligently to support a lot of working class communities of color that often don't get the attention they need to get in the area, in particular in san francisco where i have jurisdiction. and in terms of my district, she has really been making sure that the public utilities commission can be responsive in ways to the public beyond its mission, ways that really interact with the community, make sure that there is a greater opportunity for the community. she's been working with us on youth development, on employment work force development projects and most recently agricultural project is actually going to make a huge difference in the neighborhood around nutrition and access to food and people's participation in the neighborhood. to me, these are great values that the city hopes for, and to see someone who i think is doing some good work and r

several of the public speakers mentioned that ms. ellis had reported her error to you and to the fppc. she he herself had done it. if so, that's commendable and should be taken into consideration. usually these types of wrongdoing come to you or the fppc from a tip, from a whistle blower. and the wrongdoers who are exposed by whistle blowers instinctively try to ferret out who it is and toize the threat, just a threat. if this case came about through a whistle blower, i would be concerned about am i ellis' return to her position because that would constitute a risk, a threat to the whistle blower if there was one. ~ neutralize thank you. >> no voter action on number 5. so, moving on to number 6, discussion and possible action on the minutes of the commission's meeting of february 24, 2014. ~ on the minutes. i have one change i'd like to disclose. on page 4 of 6, it states that -- i think it's suggesting that i seconded the motion relating to the closed session, and i don't think i did. i thought i recused myself for that item. okay. you ha

and i agree, based upon everything that you've said, that to go ahead and terminate ms. ellis would be sending a terrible message to the city and county of san francisco, particularly to minority individuals who want to be part of public service in san francisco. it would be, it would be miss perceived and it would be underably misperceived. it would be misperceived in the way many of you said. so, in regard to there being some sort of hidden agenda or any sort of racism, van jones had it right. we stepped in it. that's what happened. and i want to withdraw the resolution. [cheering and applauding] >> i think there is no objection from any of the other commissioners. [multiple voices] >> we feel your heart and we thank you. you've proven to be a gentleman of character and honor. >> thank you, reverend brown. ~ i would like to keep the policy discussion on the agenda for the purpose of ensuring that we don't have this kind of thing happen again, that we can all agree that we're not going, in the future, to undermine the commission's authority to settle matters. so, that will re

ms. lee and the lee family and those of the senior and sdabltd folks go through the ellis act illustrate the need for reforming of the ellis act. especially the loophole that exists in the law today. the bill that senator leno put forward will get back to the original act letting landlords get out of the business and not displacing tenants. help to differentiate between the landlords and the specific last year's. the larpdz will have to be landlords for 5 years before going back going out of business. and one going out of business with one property be can't sell and use the ellis act gunning again on another property. this will perhaps take away the ability of aspect larts to harass tenants to vacant by threatening them with an ellis act ventilation. those threats have been commonly used by housing organizations to have resulted in four to five more times in evictions so i fully support this legislation and urge the state lufrz to do the same. thank you (clapping) thank you, thank you mr. michael's we're happy to take any questions >> is the property (inaudible) of this building two fami

station of this lay who worked with my office in 2010 to shut down the ellis act ventilations that of condos who had large garages. last year mslee has become a symbol of this fight we continue to stand with with our tenants. he want to thank the diversity and support who labor and business leaders and our mayor and board of supervisors come together when san franciscans representing all of us coming together we need help from sacramento. i want to thank senator leo this will preserve the ellis act but we have an incredibly unanticipated loophole it's allowed landlord to buy and evict and flip properties. a 5 year requirement is the purpose of ellis act was to allow loans to get into the business that's not what the folks are about i look forward to move forward this forward and january 7th our board of supervisors unanimously supported a resolution that i sponsored along with supervisor campos and mayor ed lee and others to make sure this kind of legislation move forward we need help from sacramento and stand united for our c

ellis act. we're not able to dispose our property it's costly to our lives. most of the times - >> thank you. thank you >> and also being penalized. >> thank you. ms. thank you >> everyone gets the same amount of time. >> it's hard to get - >> many thank you. everyone gets the same amount of time >> the same - >> appreciate it. >> i just wanted to testify we get some testimony about evictions in this ceremony we heard we're in the midget of a eviction epidemic from last week to this week and the ellis act is the driver and if we're in the city and county of san francisco the ellis act itself would be readily by a landslide of the voters and held by the majority vote of the board of supervisors we're talking about relocation should the law exist at all and it shouldn't. and paying relocation to utilize the ah, ah ellis act it should have been passed by the board already >> any additional comment on item number 5. yes. i'm sorry you spoke already >> it's on, on issue. >> each person gets the same amount of time any public comment on item 5 seeing none, public comment is closed. commenting >> thank you. i know that some of the folks we had last week a