Transcripts For SFGTV BOS Rules Committee 20240712

Natoli for waiting so patiently for us to hear your nomination. Were going to conduct the hearing from ms. Natoli, if there are any questions, and then ms. Lai, and questions, and each Public Commenter will have two minutes to speak on either or both no, maam niece. We would love to hear your reason for serving in this capacity and experience, etc. Whatever you would like to share with us. Thank you. Really appreciate the opportunity today and appreciate the consideration and i know its been a while and appreciate all the hard work you are doing. I come to the advocacy for safe streets and that is how i got into this as a volunteer and organizer for infrastructure and better improvements to keep san franciscans safe and i served on the Bicycle Coalition and was an elected member there. Unfortunately as we see 30 people were hit and killed each year on the streets and over 500 are seriously injured and we all want that number to go to zero, though, so that is far too many. I have been hit three times in the last five years on the streets. I have been fortunate to get up and walk away and not everyone is. This drives me to do the safe streets advocacy and i have been fortunate to serve as the mayoral area since 2018 and definitely gotten to learn more about the innering workings of a lot of what is going on in the city with general Obligation Bonds and Committee Work and served on other boards such as the sf lgbt experience with oversight, governance and phi fiduciary responsibilities. I have a lot of experience doing compliance work through the day job. But as i stated, i really come as someone who is an advocate who is Community Based and Community Engagement and i want to bring that same spirit and energy into serving in this. I am fully aware this is obviously not an easy time to join anything like this. This is the unprecedented moment with equitable and the significant Budget Constraints and will require more creativity than it ever has to figure out how to support sfmta and support san franciscans in that regard. And to bring to san franciscans and not seeing that quickly enough. And to figure out how to make it work. The advocacy is a complement in this moment. And eager to bike and walk with safety and dignity and do Cost Effective treatments to make that easier. Doesnt cost much to do a slow street or emergency transit lanes or emergency bike lanes. Huge impacts on how to get people around. That is what inspires me every day. I know i come to this and come to it not necessarily knowing every corner of what sfmta does but with the humility to know that and eager to dive into it and learn more about it. With the initial appointment with the mayor. With that, i will keep the remarks short and keep that up. Thank you very much. Colleagues, do you have any question . I do, chair ronen, thanks. First of all, thank you so much for your many years of activism and leadership with the bike o coalition and safe streets as a leader in the city and thanks for stepping up to serve an incredible role on the sfmta board. I had some questions more as a fellow resident and is great to bring perspective as a west side resident to the m. T. A. Board and just wanted to get your thoughts on how to particularly improve Transit Service on the west side which has been underserved compared to the east side of the city. And this is a high priority for me and working on the district formability study right now with the c. T. A. And sfmta and stake holders. And the important work of sfmta. Of course. So i think one of the things that will help improve transportation on the west side is we need to prioritize some of the Capital Improvement projects that have been maybe backlogged and hear a lot about van ness, geery is taking longer and there are other things that are also sitting in there and prioritization and from the m and the n. And things that have been in the q. And we havent necessarily adequately moved up. And the end serves a lot of people and to focus on that area from 138 and serving a lot of san franciscans daily to get from the beach to downtown. And we are doing something that will help with more of the cars join us line and will help essential subway and with the backlogs and to help improve on the west side. Those are areas that we need to continue to make sure are priorities and seems like things are closer and to speak up for residents and in the west side neighbor and five to 38 improvements and are getting delivers in a timely fashion for them. I want to be an advocate for those and make sure that we are not forgetting that because it is easy to be like that doesnt cost that much, doesnt feel like as much of a priority now. And that doesnt work for someone who is a daily rider on one of those lines. Doesnt deserve the same dignity as everyone else. I dont have any other questions and thank you, jane. Do you have any questions . Thank you, chair ronen. And thank you for being here and so great and i cant remember how many months ago it was, but i really enyou and ied the conversation we had around so many issues and i think i have two questions that i didnt get to really cover when you and i met previously. One was partly cloudy and wondering how the city can work to guide muny with a lot of tension between the board of supervisors and sfmta and Mayors Office around budgeting and how you think that we can help to guide and Work Together to deal with the recession harming the Transportation System and what are your thoughts around that . And the activity and related to the pandemic and we still want to have a Transportation System thats deeply impacted and clear stable source of funding and a big part of the conversation around things like ferries and provide that and some of them have been in the back burner and we havent necessarily done anything with them and Vehicle Licensing fees and then senator mark leno worked to provide an opportunity for and never ended up using. At the time it was estimated to raise 73 million i think in the last number i saw. I dont know what that would be today because i dont think its been studied again. I think there are opportunities like that that exist to provide more Stable Funding and we can run muni and lets dedicate and find other sources that arent barriers because this obviously isnt the time for them. Hopefully Going Forward with dedicated streams of funding so we dont have to consider that and have a stable system and paying for itself and with the Long Range Planning and opportunities to look at. And retail and muny can be a partner in the recovery and obviously i dont think rents are where were going to see an improvement right now because we want to be mindful of the tenants that are there. We want to help support them and this is a tough time for them. But in terms of the longer range of support so we are not trying to balance the budget on the backs of the riders and instead making sure that its funded and to come together and find a solution on. And what i have heard and we want stable muny funded and to support riders and we just need to get together and figure out the shared solutions. And i think that we have a lot of people here. Awe i respect your advocacy and capacity and the coalition and support that 100 and i think one death on the street is one too many when it comes to pedestrian cyclists and motorists and whatever and we all know the tension that sometimes happens when changes are being made. And also what that can mean for Community Feedback and therefore judgment on that feedback and a lot of times is misplaced judgment, i think, in terms of people just wanting safe streets but not really understanding exactly how to see that solution. Although the solution is likely a very good one. And i am just wondering how you think that given the diverse ideas around safety with Traffic Safety and everything we encounter and with the city and county of San Francisco and trying to make the streets safer. And how do you see incorporating all the voices on that and i want to make sure that i know that sometimes theres a tendency to misplace peoples fears around safety and traffic and change. And like i said, i supported 100 and know in the community sometimes its difficult to make the changes happen. And with shared solutions and shared values. We have a lot in common in terms of that. So as you are going to be in this role, i definitely support you in this role, how do you see getting around a lot of that tension that i know you have written about and tension that has to be managed and had to be overcome . Of course. That is perfectly reasonable. And is especially when you get online and is easy to forget we are people with a shared love of community and maybe different experiences with how to get around it. And one of the things that i think about a lot and professionally and personally is how to say yes instead of saying no. Changing that frame a little bit to say, all right, lets say we want to put in a light share station. We want to do a summer and need some amount of them here. And what works for everyone. Not just were going to put it here and when you come in and say put it here and take on a couple of Parking Spaces and a large contingency of people who say i wasnt hurt and didnt know anything about this. They have tried to make efforts to see Community Engagement exists in form and where the improvements are going. We have unlimited street space and can only use so much with it. And we need to engage each other to learn and what are the optimal location in the neighborhood. And i know my neighborhood well and i know other neighborhoods and it would be haughty to think i know every neighborhood in the city and in richmond. And so really engaging folks to find out and with what were going to do there. Another aspect and we have too much and limited street space. And trying to do anything with it. And we want to make sure that people can get around a variety of ways. Take a bus and can jump on the bike and walk and drive. Whatever is the chosen way and should be able to each way should be able to get someplace safely and feel like a complete trip to them. And shouldnt be challenging and not that large for that. And its not an optimal treatment and when it comes to where we think about bike lanes and a lot of feedback and what works. And really getting in there to figure out what makes sense for the people who are using this street every day. And the solution to drive less and make it and not antagonistic to drive less and to shift that mindset and hear the concerns and the concern and with what we are going to do. This is the idea that we want. How can we do this in a way that works for as many people as we can and also occasionally being realistic and something we are talking about and there is a lot of parking. Not necessarily a bike route where you exactly want it. And tradeoffs that exist everywhere and when you Start Talking to people and get together with them. And break that down more than when we retreat into the corners and dont think about the holistic needs. Thank you, jane. I just am in strong support of the nomination. I think our strong addition to the board and look forward to working with you and maintain this open line of communication and thank you for the advocacy. And thank you for the answers. And going about making decisions about which lines to cut or restore . I was digging into the ridership numbers and trying to thinking about that. We do have to keep that lens in mind and serve a lot more people. And not bringing lines back and be mind to feel the impacts and might not carry a lot of people. But they serve hillside residents. They have no other connection to it. We have ruled out some programs and with a line cut that dont have as high ridership, but the people who need them need them. There isnt an easy solution. Data needs to be informed by a lot of things besides just like the pure ridership. It is easier for me when they cut back lines here and deliver up the five. And to walk up to the 38. For someone with mobility issues, that is not a realistic as a choice. And i get why we have cut the low ridership lines and listen to people and the feedback about who is truly using them and are hugely important and without that connection and figure out other ways of serving people that are going to meet their needs and figure out how to get the service pack. I dont think just looking at pure ridership will solve all of it. And so its a tough position and generally speaking and i like the plans they came up with it. And they tried their hardest to assess where the tradeoffs were. And in general i support what sfmta is going with so far. We need to keep the same open mind throughout this and be receptive to what we are hearing from people and adapt that. And what we have done with the programs and will help me be more successful with it. And bring the lines back and that is a tougher reality to accommodate. Thank you. I appreciate that. And what engagement have you had with tw2250a . I have not had any notable engagement with them. And i am aware and am aware of them and trying to reach out to talk to somebody and havent had the opportunity to sit down with anybody, but in the previous advocacy i have never engaged with them. Are you aware of the most pressing concerns and how to address them . An at this time, no. That is part of why i have been trying to have a conversation with it. And with the Labor Relations side, that is not a side i am knowledgeable on in terms of where i am coming from. Okay. And you havent read any of their advocacy in the press or the m. T. C. And the articles in the newspaper what about the drivers are facing . I mean, i have read some of that, but i dont feel like im as fully informed on that as i would like to be and something that i have been working on. And i know that some of what other Driver Safety is a big concern and we recently so that and i dont want to get too far ahead of myself on that. And what about are you up to date with the current plight of taxing medallion owners and do you have any ideas about how to address that situation . I am up to date on that. I have been reading up on that and i have been at several Board Meetings where the issues have come up. I think its a really, really tough situation and we clearly need more regulations, and dont have the tools to do that since a lot of that is delivered at the state level. And undercuts the ability for the tax drivers. And i feel like that is something to keep advocating at the state level and more ability to have more control to level the Playing Field for them. And they dont have that and cant compete in that environment and sign up for t. N. C. And take really minimal course and not worry about delivering the Single Service and are integral for disabled people in the services. And to me, thats something that we need to advocate for more ability to do more oversight so that we can support our taxi drivers. And kind of connected to that, do you see any roles for t. N. C. S within San Franciscos Transportation System . I think t. N. C. S can have a role and were beginning not beginning, and many people have seen this for a long time, and the data is beginning to show they are not necessarily environmentally sound and dead heading and causing more congestion on the streets. And i dont think they are there to serve the equity of all san franciscans and serve the convenience of those who can afford take them. So if theyre willing to meet those sorts of goals that we want from our Transportation System, then i think they can have a role. If theyre not, then i think that thats why we really need to i am excited to see that we have done a little work with prop b last year to try and tackle them a little bit more. And i dont think that and no work to do and the t. N. C. S and playing by the same rules as so many of the other people providing Mobility Options for people in the options in San Francisco. And i certainly understand people have gravitated to them in many ways. I think we need to look at the real harms with the perceived convenience and said if they are willing to meet there and do that, they can play a role. If theyre not, then its less clear they have a longterm future as a real transportation option for san franciscans. Appreciate that. What actions f any, should m. T. A. Take regards to people who dont pay the fares . I am i dont think that that should be our highest priority. I definitely understand that when were in a fair enforcement system that essentially its just checking for that enforcement and there needs to be an element of that. I have concerns and how to deploy that and frequently radiating from them and near m. T. A. Headquarters. And a lot more fair inspector rs and ride five. And which lines are we doing it on . And who are we getting . I get that we need that as a tool when were having and the Fare Enforcement policy that relies on that to some degree. I dont love the impacts of when i am a rider around who gets pulled off. That people are changing and with the level of clines. I want to look at how we are doing that not just in certain parts of the city and the entire city. And they discussed this as a recent Board Meeting and director tumlin gave good comments on that with why they need some element of that. And if not, it is not my preferred thing. I dont necessarily see it as the most equitable tool. To continue to impoverish and make sure we do it as fairly as possible. That part of how the current fare system works. Okay. I just have a couple more questions as the supervisor of district nine representing the Mission District, i face this question quite a bit myself. I am wondering how you would respond. Which communities of color support the placement with the gentrification and your opinion about that and how to respond to those concerns to be drawn up. And we have been listening to the concerns that comes up and to remember that and what i perceive doesnt always matter in those situations. I need to listen and understand and to understand where the concerns are coming through. Maybe there is a stlugs where we can ameliorate and find a solution that works to people. To still build a Robust Network and to keep that in mind. And figure out what that really means and within the broader system of trying to deliver a bike network, but maybe this situation it doesnt merit that in the particular community. That is an Important Role. This is not about one comprehensive set of needs. If not, then were not doing our job. Thank you. I appreciate your answers to the questions. Thank you. Now if we could hear do you have another question . I just thought of another question. And wondering if you like sfmta and the efforts to engage particularity community of color and the positions and doing a good job and if there are examples of where improvements could be made. I think sometimes i forget the exact name of it and the understanding and transportation to the community. In term of how robust and the community and focus groups to make sure we are not just doing it one way. We are not just doing it at a meeting or writing an email. Efforts like that on the one hand where we are learning and letting better and unfortunately, there are a lot of times where that is not always the case. So there is room or improvement there and starting to see that and the different efforts if that regard and i feel like i have seen more inclusive language with that. And there is no this isnt the time to rest on our laurels with that. And if we started to do better and communicate even more. And so there is always more work to do and especially in making sure that were meeting people where they are at and providing adequate support and two things that stick out to me. And way that improvement these kinds of plans and with the holistic areas and with one west side transit and and august 22 was the date and that is part of the overall plan for light rail to improvement reliability. And improvement efficiency in the tunnel and embarcadero. And because of the construction and with the construction project underway and from that areas and the west side and from the outer park side and to transfer to light rail at best. I heard from a lot of rideers and constituents that is unreasonable and particularly for the case of seniors and people with disabilities. And that is going to be huge challenge to make two transfers and will just drive ridership down even further and lead more people to drive their cars and so i was wondering what your thoughts are about that. Of course. Generally, lie tick plan, but as you highlighted there, we are starting to see some weaknesses and that crop up and better reliability in the tunnel and trying to make our trains overall more reliable. With how people are going to make it and to minimize disruptions and not everybodys experience and with the seniors focus and to keep tweak and i think this is an experiment and are trying to figure out the construction and there are extenuating circumstances to figure out ways and to minimize that as much as possible while making service possible. To see what that looks like and overall and what choice do we have. And highlighted and to do that better and most impacted by this and the data says with the expense of who. And trying to be mindful of that to keep the spirit. If you can start off with interest here and supervisor stefani and mar, i am sharon lai and very happy to be here virtually today. I want to share how excited i am with the stake holders with the partnership and with the city planner and with the applicant and with the community advocate. With walking and biking to have the kids and a daily transit rider. With the Public Transit. And the with the mobility and my familys immigrant experience and my parents didnt know how to drive and we had to rely on Public Transit, and the doctors appointment and the lived experience has left a deep appreciation and student achievement. With multiple unsafe residents and with pedestrians with persistent agenda arenaed equity issues and safety concerns that the most vulnerable. With the stake holders as i have come to depend on partnerships with your respective offices and the community to become more informed as a Decision Maker with the various capacities. And as the agency faces fewer resources and require feedback and innovative solutions. And the personal and professional experiences prepared me for this role. And in closing i wish to thank the Community Leaders to call in if you are on the line and supervisors, thank you for your consideration. I am happy to answer any questions. Supervisors, do you have any questions . Supervisor stefani. Thank you, chair ronen. Thank you, ms. Lai for the introduintr introductory remarks. I think your experience as you just laid out is essential and remarkable that will be very good and the expertise and the lived experience is more important than ever. And the one thing i asked as well is in terms of the recession we are in, what guidance would you give the city and sfmda in terms of the economic recovery needed to get our Transit System back on track. I think it is important that as we really look at transportation as a basic right for the communities that really dont have alternative and arent ablebodied and Public Transit to uplift the voices and make sure the needs are evaluated as we look at the limited pot of resources that we have. With the atrisk communities, it is currently seems like a good idea to move away from fair box recovery. It is the m. T. A. s responsibility to balance their own budget and to be thinking outside the box and working with all of our partners and also at the state and local level to identify new sources to provide this very important, really basic right that our communities rely on. When i think about economic recovery and that is the part of the responsibility that m. T. A. And transit and not forget the rightofway which is very much a part of the conversation for. And a lot of the more recent experience and shared spaces that have been discuss and vibrancy is an important part of the recovery process. And particularly because many of us appreciate the uniqueness of the character and the different neighborhoods and without the vibrancy and businesses and residents have fewer reasons to stay and be vested in our community. I think thats a very big part of the recovery conversation. I have been look lu enough to join in on the transportation recovery working groups and one of the things that i really focus on advocating for is to encourage m. T. A. To leverage the existing c. B. O. S in the neighborhood and the feedback and rely on existing Community Infrastructure that your offices and the nonprofits have already established, particularly those that are of languagebased services because we dont have the time to reinvent the wheel and to be honest, m. T. A. Is not going to do a better job at connecting culturally and sensitively to the neighborhoods as the existing that are already working to advance the interest of their own communities. Great. Thank you for that answer. One last question in terms of transit and rider safety which you mentioned. And paying particular attention to safety and obviously it goes above and beyond and chair ronen asked the question earlier. Driver safety. What ideas do you have around that . And if you have ideas around making Transportation System safer for all that ride it and those who are drivers how can we make it safe for somebody . We are all aware and women as you mention and the area before for a variety of reasons. And for me addressing safety and is a big part of the equity conversation and mention Driver Safety and that is a big part of the work force and have trouble retaining and muni drivers to not put them as a top priority. And with the planning background is very key. And obviously with way that we have decades ago laid out even simple things and the elevator and well beyond the platform and the unsafe conditions and the good lighting is very important for the riders experience. And in and around the bus station. And we have seen success with m. T. A. s ambassador programs and i would love to see that be elevated and have more presence to help with navigation and make raiders feel more safe if an issue arises and in my very personal experience, some of the safety issues that came up during the course of ride being on tran precipitate is really not due to a lack of other people being aware of the situation. Its really the public including myself and riders not really provided the training on education about Public Awareness and really understanding what to do in a situation. And also the aftermath of that. And what do you do and part of the equity and its really not a very easy to navigate process and a good command and is generally well informed and i found it very difficult. To raise awareness and report the situation. And the safety concerns and the first step for m. T. A. And to do comprehensive evaluation. Thank you so much. Chair ronen and thank you, i just had a few questions similar to the questions that i had for ms. Natoli. And wondering what communication you have had and aware of the issues advocates around in their concerns and what to do to address them. And similar to ms. Natoli, i have not been able to have direct communication with the twut60 and love the opportunity to connect with them. Their concerns have been discussed in some of the prior conversations with some of the supervisors and the very basic, general understanding and then successfully renegotiate a contract about a year ago, maybe less than a year ago. And currently it seems like a lot of the messages that i have seen from the leadership is around addressing and providing safety the current pandemic situation and bus Driver Safety around them. To increase the Ambassadorship Program and platforms to navigate and help turn away some of the unsafe or riders that seem like they could become an issue and we dont want to expose the texas drivers and with the Transportation System to further harm and at a higher rate and because they are essential. And is there a particular topic that you feel you would like me and huge support of date and it does concern me that neither of you have reached out or even it sounds like ms. Natoli has reached out, but havent made it a point that its very important to meet with the union. Youre going to hear a lot from management and it is important that you get that worker perspective and hear it from their elected representatives. So i would ask that you reach out. Both supervisor fewer, preston and i have been trying to figure out how to help the situation there in dire straits. Wondering if you have back with them and the elimination of the life savings and is so awful. Just your thoughts on that. That is a very unfortunate and with the issue with the credit union and not sure that the m. T. A. Has the ability to move the needle on that conversation. With the essential workers and there are opportunities to expand on partnerships like that and truly the t. N. C. Situation which none of us i think could have predicted five, 10 years ago and really controlled by state legislate and cant really stop them. To expand on that. With the symbol to gentrify the community and your spots on that. As another, i dont regularly use those modes of transportation and from what i have observed in the neighborhoods. And that to reserve the rightofway for the pedestrian activities. And the micro abilities. And to work closely with the Community Office to truly understand the communitys concerns. I would hope that they would equally and different types of programs to remove the barriers. And equally feel that the point Companies Need to take that lens and also just specifically understand not the same. And if they fwhoshg another neighborhood or city, that doesnt mean it works in the mission or specific neighborhood. And if my colleagues dont have any questions, we can open this up for Public Comment. And again i will repeat before victor gives his instructions that each member of the public will have two minutes to speak and speak about either or both to the m. T. A. Board. Members of the public should call 4156550001. The meeting i. D. Is 1465300679. And then press pound and pound again. If you havent done so, dial star 3 and the system prompt will indicate you have rauzed your hand and may begin your community. We have 29 callers on the line with 13 lined up to speak. Can we have the first caller please . Caller i am calling as an individual not affiliated with any group or organization. I am dialling in to voice support for sharon la toys, the m. T. A. Board. Sharon knows firsthand with the necessity for increased language and infrastructure and how essential it is to expand public transportation. Sharon is a mindful, inclusive and the number of the infrastructure and transportation committee. With the lived experience and public transportation, biking, walking and the children and the technical planning exper cease is the effective policy for sfmta and kindly urge the Committee Appointments and i want to conclude by thanking the chair and Committee Members and offer sincere appreciation to the clerks office. Can we hear from the next caller please . My name is milo and i live in district 8 and calling to support jane natoli and sharon lai and great nominees and to do the homework and the real track record of being invested in transit and being aware of other peoples lived experiences and not just their own and being open minded and considering all the complicated, moving parts that one needs to consider as m. T. A. Commissioner. And now transit intersects with so many other aspects of life in the city. And i think the city will be stronger and better managed at each of these nominees gets confirmed. Thank you so much for the consideration. And i would like to see both of these nominees on the board, too. Thank you. Thank you. Can we have the next caller please . This is sarah lynn adams. I am calling in support of sharon lais appointment to the boards m. T. A. Board and incredible work across a variety of top ins and will bring the insight and leadership and focus on community and equity on board. Economic recovery and covid and beyond and is keenly important for the staff and to go to work and school when they can do that and will be a great addition to the board and thanks for the time and support today. Take care. Thank you. Can we have the next caller please . Hi. This is ruby and i am a San Francisco residents in d5 and native and calling in support of sharon lai. The sfmta commission is incredibly important to insuring that it is equitable, safe and the diverse board is critical in bringing more perspectives to choose Better Outcomes for our community. And understood served as a representative in transit. And i believe more representation is an important step to getting those voices at the table. Sharon is a great fit for sfmta and Community Engagement and if confirmed and i believe the only representative on the current sfmta board. And with the fellow commissioner on the Treasure Island Development Authority and consistently pushing to address equity issues and passionate and takes the role seriously to become inclusive, equitable and thriving neighborhood. And personally an incredible time to understand the proposal and cooperation and transparency and dedicated to the community. And to diversify and working that board and someone who does it and transit is my lifeline and are enhanced and inhibited by transit. And i believe will bring. And make sfmta better. The next caller, please. Good afternoon. I am the director of west bay philippino services and good afternoon supervisor ronen, stefani and mar. And speaking in support of sharon lai for sfmta and appreciate the volunteerism and willingness to understand diverse perspective and always making sure those that are most marginalized are prioritized and the organization at west bay serves predominantly filipino families and are low income and use public transportation. And support the nomination as an immigrant and Asian American immigrant Community Members and will be able to understand and advocate for all the families in the time she is involved. And to go above and beyond and make sure their voices are heard and the voices of all those most vulnerable. And thank you so much. Thank you. Can we have the next caller, please. I am the executive director and a native of pedestrian and the organization with thousands and thousands of youth all over the bay area and with the support for sharon and that girl is responsible and reliable and helpful and has integrity and hopefully she can get on the sfmta board. And london breed in the city yard. And thank you. Can we have the next caller please. The executive director and to the sfmta board of directtors and working with sharon in the day job and with a Property Developer and she understands the importance and environment and now they get around our city. And the background gives her a strong insight into the different means of communities throughout the cities. As the board of directors. And work with jane over the three years and is professional and dedicated and the background in finance is a needed skillset and the sfmta in a time of budget cuts and resource scarcity will mean more than ever. The commitment to social justice is one that i want to speak to as well. I have seen her always ask questions about the project we have advocated more and always thought of in the decisions that are made. And the particular and attention and given to the challenges to the city and also valuable perspectives that the board needs at this point. And right now as we look at the transportation recovery for the city, it is so essential that the sfmta board of directors has the people on it to do the job. And so i strongly urge you to recommend sharon and jane. Thanks for jour time. Thank you. Sorry. Just wanted to note that we currently have 37 callers on the line with 25 people waiting to speak. If you have not already done so, press star 3 to be added to the queue. For those on hold, please continue to wait until the system indicates you have been unmuted. Next caller please. And will be brief and the cochair and as a chairperson of the San Francisco and with the law as a peace and a transgender man. As a transgender person i know that roles matter on the sfmta board. And jane natolis experience and west side representative and riding Public Transition is incredibly important to me and it is my due to make an important addition to the sfmta board and thank you very much for listening. Next caller please. And here to speak on behalf of jane natoli to the sfmta board. The pleasure to work with jane and the personal and professional relationship with her and she has served as a volunteer at the lgbtq center and board of directors. I can speak to the passion for transit and for people. And the ability to balance the needs of many different sort of San Francisco residents. And the different Transportation Needs that people have. And manage the different, sometimes difficult to balance needs and diverse San Francisco communities. And the ability to hear different perspectives and how to spe grate systems and policies and the impact on people. And people have spoken to the robust discussion about peoples lived experiences and sfmta and to speak to janes ability to share the experiences and with the policies and that will work for us in San Francisco. And thank the members of the committee and encourage the strong support for jane natoli. Thank you. Next caller please. And primarily get around San Francisco and calling in support of both and sharon la irks appointment. And a strong supporter of janes and experience working with her and the Bicycle Coalition and caltran and experience with the m. T. A. Board and through that network and through the experience and working with jane and make a strong addition to the m. T. A. Board and valuable perspective. She would do a good job of listening to the stakeholders and helping to weigh the concerns with San Franciscos stated position. And please, i encourage you to move these nominations to the full board with a recommendation to support. Thanks. Thank you. Next caller please. Can you hear me now . We can hear you. Please proceed. Great. Thanks. David pill january pal. Several comments. I do not know the nominees personally and enough bicycle advocacy and the neighborhood Small Business and transit advocate and more vacancy and to suggest Steve Cornell and ted low enberg be nominated to the m. T. A. Board and before it and can move to permanently abandon the three jackson 18, 46th avenue and 27 bryant. And muni districts and elsewhere in other routes of the city. And please bear in mind that the appointees could serve for 12 years of the board. And the m. T. A. Board needs to do a much better job of hearing and responding to Public Comment especially constructive and opposing voices. And finally, the final whereas clause on line 18 of both motions has a typo at the beginning and should read serve instead of serves. You may want to make that amendment. Thanks very much. Thank you. Can we have the next caller please . Hello. And my name is im sorry. And the d1 district resident and member of the Pedestrian Safety committee. And to support the m. T. A. Board for jane natoli. And while riding during increment weather and through the Sf Bike Coalition and the personal sounding board and researching in the role on the psac. And the conversation of chain is sent on the other hand seniors, family and transit riders with disabilities. Supervisor ronen touchdown on bike share expansion and is a constant, calm, and insightful presence in Many Committee meetings and the m. T. A. And neighbors and Community Input is being taken for different types of Traffic Safety initiatives and bike share expansion. And with the bike share stations and based on transit and policies and sfmta should be following and jane is a voice of reason and further background skills in working with complex and with the members of the sfmta. Thank you. Thank you. Next caller please. And supervisors, the policy director at the Transit Center calling in today in support of sharon lai and i think that one category of constituents and dont have or have historically been understood represented and currently dont have a voice in the sfmtas process on the sfmta board are people that are reliant on transit and not by choice, not by the whims of how the day close. And the low income and immigrant residents of the city. And will be a strong advocate and to understand directly what impact changes in public processes and in Public Transit are going, and how theyre going to result and be experienced by communities of color. And i cant be remiss to say representation doesnt matter and sfmta who overruled repeatedly the community and the a. P. I. Community and i hope that you can wholeheartedly support sharon lai and the appointment to the sfmta. Thank you very much. Next caller please. Good afternoon, supervisors. I am calling in support of the nomination to the m. T. A. Board. I know jane through the sf Bicycle Coalition and member of both organizations and jane encouraged me to run for the Coalition Board a couple of years ago and has been very supportive and calm person on this and i think the leadership as someone who has herself in the traffic violence and i once had a conversation with jane where she mentioned having been doored on some street. I thought you were doored on howard street. Yes, i was also doored on howard street. I was doored twice and important on the m. T. A. Board we have representatives who have personally felt the impact of the safety changes that we make from the city and something that not upon the current advocacy and i dont think we have had someone who has quite literally bled for it in this way. I strongly urge you to support the nomination. Thank you. Can we have the next caller please . Caller good afternoon. My name is kate black and it is my mon nor to speak in support of sharon lai and the immediate supervisor when she worked as an urban planner starting in 2005 and we go way back and impressed by sharon smart and the work ethic and energy. And expressed an interest in transportation as an essential urban need and the representative need and the Congestion Management Agency which is the regional consortium. And this is typically the responsibility given to a more experienced planner. I gave it to her because of the strong interest and would perform well and she did. And respected by the city council t planning commission, coworkers and members of the community. Since piedmont, sharon has distinguished himself in each step of the veer for the condition and urban planning and Development Experience along with the strong transportation. As a longtime planner, prior to retirement, and now the Historic Preservation commissioner, i know how essential it is for Decision Makers to listen to communicate across all stakeholder groups. And has demonstrated from the current position on the Treasure Island Development Board and the Nonprofit Organization and School Age Children and home life ballot and the Transportation Needs of families and very importantly as a fluent chinese speaker and i think that these with the baked in characteristic can make her a strong leader, collaborative partner and speakers time has elapsed. Thank you. Can we hear from the next caller please. Caller hi. I am kevin burke. I live in the mission and calling to speak in support of both candidates nominations. I appreciate their dedication to bicycle and San Francisco safety and i think they are both strong advocates for transit and will help make San Francisco a cleaner and safer place to live. Thanks very much. Thank you. Can we have the next caller. Hi. Good afternoon. My name is tommy chan and i am a member of the Chinatown Transportation Research and i want to share the organizations for support for sharon lais appoint tonight the sfmta board. And applaud the m. T. A. Initiative to increase the diversity of the board so it more accurately reflects the overall ridership. And i had conversations with sharon commitment and the willingness to listen to the communities. And safe planning and to sfmta will be a huge asset and we look forward to the partnership with m. T. A. And sharon. Thank you. Thank you. Next caller please. Hello. I am Patrick Traver calling in support of jane natoli and i have known jane for several years now and worked in several different xas tis. I am a member of the Pike Coalition and very active in transportation advocacy and i think jane would make a fantastic sfmta board member to represent all of San Francisco and especially those who get around using transit and active transportation in support of our citys goals . Thank you very much and please confirm jane to the board. Thank you. Can we get next caller . Caller i am calling in support of jane natoli and i am a teacher and Sf Bike Coalition member and have had the privilege of knowing jane for several years. Apart from being imminently qualified for this role, jane is an individual of extraordinary integrity, empty and personal kindness. She is a champion of sustainable and safe transportation and will move m. T. A. Toward its vision zero goals as well as net zero carbon emissions. Further more, queer kids in our Public Schools need more role models in our government. Trans representation in our city falls short of where we want it to be and we need to do our part in making sure our government reflects the diversity in our city. [please stand by] she is always looking to see things from other peoples perspective and bringing in other voices and perspectives. I think that demeanor would be a tremendous asset to the s. F. M. T. A. Board. Thank you. Next caller, please. [roll call] thank you, chair ronen and members for this opportunity to speak in support of mayor breeds two nominations. I am the executive director of walk San Francisco. The only pedestrian advocacy organization. We believe San Francisco can be the most walkable city in the United States. In 2014 we passed the goal to end all fails and severe traffic crashes by 2024. We still have 30 people lose their lives and 600 suffer serious injuries because of traffic violence. We are only four years away from vision zero. It is imperative any board member must prioritize the city policy in every decision. As funding is declining, we need Board Members to make hard choices to prioritize the most vulnerable. We believe jane and sharon will put vision zero at the center. Jane has firsthand experience of traffic violence multiple times. This will provide a perspective that is desperately needed. She has worked on campaigns and understands the community of stakeholders voices. I believe this will serve her well as a period member. For sharon, she brings a personal and professional experience. As someone who worked within the city agency and private developer, she knows constraints of City Government and variety of Resources Available from private infrastructure. This is going to be a valuable perspective as we watch the declining s. F. M. T. A. Budget. I ask the rules committee send jane and sharons nomination to the full board of supervisors with a positive recommendation. Thank you. Thank you. Next caller, please. Caller i am nick ro rosario, Program Manager here to voice support for both jane and sharon. For jane, i have had the privilege of being able to work with her on advocacy of safe streets and making sure San Francisco is accessible to everyone for public transportation. Working with sharon lai, she was on the board of directors and her years of working with us and being able to bring different stakeholders and different groups to support our cause in which we educate and screen the community on hepatitis b which is one of the most disproportionately cases which affected the cancer. For sharon being able to bring different Community Members and organizations to help support our mission is important. I believe these two great individuals will be able to bring that diverse experience to m. T. A. To be able to get us out of this pandemic and the challenges we will face afterward. They will provide an innovative experience and idea. That is why we have to make sure we have jane and sharon on the board as well. I thank you for your time. Thank you, members of the rules committee, please confirm their nomination. Thank you. Thank you. Next caller, please. Caller i am a resident of district 10. I am calling in support of jane. We need members now given the current membership on the board and challenges ahead. She has dedicated herself to improving transportation across San Francisco and brings a strong skill set. She is the openly transmember of the board. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Next caller, please. Caller thank you for giving me the chance to share my perspective. I am on the board of the United Democratic club. I want be to express my support for janen jane natoli she is a r of the board of directors of the Bicycle Coalition and the lbgt center and bond oversight committee. Most of all she is dedicated to the most vulnerable neighbors. She has been bringing groceries and prescriptions to elderly neighbors. She bicycles over to the neighbors. She is dedicated and thoughtful advocate and neighbor. She cares so much about everybody in San Francisco, how they get around safely. I hope you will support janes nomination to the m. T. A. Thank you so much. Thank you. Next caller, please. Caller hello. I am speaking here as a transgender mom and public schoolteacher to support jane natoli. I would like to see more lbgtq representatives to support our families. I speak as a parent and schoolteacher. We need youth to look up to these people to support us by coming out in these challenging times. Thank you so much. Have a great day. Just reminder. Call 4156550001. 146 5300679 and press pound and pound. Star three to speak. System will indicate you have raised your hand. Wait until you are unmuted to begin comments. At this time we have 10 caller this is line to speak. Next caller, please. Caller i am calling in to support jane natoli to the m. T. A. Board. I know jane through shared activism through transit issues and friend. I support here. She is well qualified and competent and long standing advocate to make San Francisco more affordable for all of us. As a fellow member of the querooer community she walks the walk. I have seen her bicycle as exclusive forms of transportation. She would be the first transgender member and lone representative from th from theq community to make our transit more accessible. This city cant afford to have an under staffed transportation board. I urge you to fill the current vacancies with jane and sharon so the city is prepared to tackle the Public Health crisis. Thank you. Next caller. Caller i live in the mission and i am calling in support of jane natoli. I was a member of the Bike Coalition and she did a great job being on the board. She looks at everyones perspective. I urge you to make a positive recommendation for her nomination. Thank you. Next caller, please. Caller good afternoon. I am Dale Alexander represent the richmond tra richmond trans. I am calling to support jane. She will do the work to approve access to urban transportation and to improve access to families throughout San Francisco. Thank you. Next caller. Caller hello. I am a resident of excel see or calling to appoint the mayors appointment to the s. F. M. T. A. I am enthusiastic about janena tollly. She has a great awareness of the individual streets. She doesnt live here and wasnt paid for it. This was long before she was nominated. She really cares about safety for all san franciscans. I have every confidence she will uphold the transit first policy and vision zero program. I urge you to approve her nomination with positive recommendation. I also approve sharon lai. I feel that we need more engagement with large parts of our city community. Between her personal and professional experience i am sure she will effectively uphold the transit first policy. I urge you to approve sharon lais nomination with a positive recommendation. Next caller. Caller i am a soma resident. First generation asian immigrants. I get around by walking and biking and taking muni. I support both nominees and especially jane natoli to the San Francisco board of supervisors with a positive recommendation. We can use someone with sharons wealth of experience and background and perspective on how transit has been in other countries. They do it better than we do. As for jane natoli. She really walks the walk or bikes the bike. For her the idea of those versions is not abstract. It is something that she has lived and bled and will take seriously as a board member. I strongly urge you to advance both nominees with positive recommendations to the board of supervisors. Thank you very much. Next caller, please. Caller good afternoon everybody. Jordan here district 6 resident and transgender woman and former commissioner. While i think there should be more transcommissioners, jane nato li is not the one. Oppose her. She does not ride muni daily. That is something we need to do. If you road on a daily basis you would see so many equity issues that cant be covered in a few minutes. I have also looked at her statements around fare increase and she would support it. We rejected christina for that. Also, transgender people are economically disadvantaged. The fare increases are bad for us. Especially black and brown transgender people are victims of police and Public Safety mechanisms. When it comes to Fare Enforcement and her job being adjacent to policing, it is very concerning. I would be very nervous to have someone who thinks twitter is actually a valid form of Public Outreach and very much doesnt engage communities. I am encouraging you to oppose her nomination because she will not serve the transcommunity and the city as a whole. I am upset the Mayors Office of Transgender Initiative was pushing for her when they dont push other candidates that question the mayor. Please reject jane natoli. Thank you. Next caller, please. Caller thank you. I am a delegate for the California Democratic party and board member of the United Democratic club and lbgt democratic club. I am speaking in support of jane natoli. She is well qualified with job experience and personal experience. As an lbgt woman, i acknowledge there are visible gaps in representation for women and trans women at every level. Electing them is aness temperature to correcting the imbalances and biases in the greater system and society. Representation equates to distribution of resources and funding. It is often overlooked communities are not represented. When women and people from minority communities are asking from positions of power there is a drastic impact on the marginalization of these communities. It is a key factor how children and these populations grow up. By obtaining equal representation it is a long term challenge we must work deliberately and strategically to achieve. Please support jane natoli for s. F. M. T. A. Board afternoon bringing that representation to this body. Thank you. Next caller, please. Caller i am stacy. I live in pat tarot hill. I am calling to support jane and sharon. What i have read about sharon she sounds like an excellent candidate. I do know jane. I have gotten to know her through her work with San Francisco Bike Coalition and people protected. Jane bikes, takes transit, loves this city and wants it to work for everyone. That is really everyone. I have no idea what the earlier caller was referring to because she speaks to a wide variety of Community Members and rides muni when ever she is not on a bike. She is intelligent, thoughtful and ready to work. I dont observ own a car. My city is not safe enough for my teens to join me. They travel by muni. My family and all san franciscans need safe streets and for muni to be reliable and affordable. I believe the board will be in a better position to tackle the challenges ahead with these women at the table. I hope that you will give them highest recommendation, approve them and get them on the board as soon as possible. Thank you. Thank you. Next caller, please. Caller hi. I am calling to support jane natoli for the s. F. M. T. A. Board. I recently met jane. I have gone back through the history that she is going to be a positive force for the s. F. M. T. A. And for helping people to ride bikes and walking is to make the city healthier. She is a calm voice ever of rea. Thank you very much. Next caller, please. Caller good afternoon. I am matt. One of the organizers with the people protected bike lane. I have known jane for many years now. I describe her as the model San Francisco citizen. I have every belief she will be accessible to the new citizens she meets through this role as she has been over the last years i have gotten to know her. The thing to say about jane is she shows up. The other thing that is relevant to this conversation jane is a two time victim of car violence herself. That is superimportant to bring the board as we reprioritize streets and be safe for people to walk, bike and take transit. I encourage you to support janes nomination today. Finally, i am just learning about sharon through this process. One thing i will say. I engage with the board a lot. We are missing the perspective of the parent with young children. Things like broken elevators, delayed castro station elevator affects our family. For parents with small children to understand that as they use transit or bikes to get around that is relevant and i am excitedtor sharons recommendation on the board. Thank you very much. Next caller, please. Caller i am isabel. D5 resident. Calling to appoint janes appointment to the board. She is an avid transit rider and if not riding m. T. A. She is biking. She has a keen awareness of the challenges. The dedication has led her to being a board member for the Bike Coalition. Her professional experience, i believe, will lend even more insight into the Current Issues facing the s. F. M. T. A. She investigating financial crimes and so she i think will be valuable at a time when multiple departments are implications in the corruption scandal. He ability to see many sides of issue understand when tough decisions need to be made. I recommend her to be one of the strongest candidates for the s. F. M. T. A. Board. I hope you send her forward. Thank you. Next caller, please. Caller this is martin calling from the lower haight. I support jane and sharon for the s. F. M. T. A. Board. We have two strong intelligent women to become the newest members of the board. We need more representation. On a personal note, the nominations of the two are really personal to me because as part of the lbgt q community, i want more folks understanding our concerns on the board. As immigrant seeing live experience coming to this country and navigating the Transit Systems that are lacking in the United States especially in large cities that depend on transit and seeing how she is using personal experience to guide her in the Decision Making throughout her career. Those are inspiring to me personally. I would like to say as somebody who is a muni rider. I have never owned a car. It is really great to see folks with that experience coming to the board. In the case of natoli, i love bike advocacy. I would love to see more safe streets for more bike trips. The city streets are dangerous. Jane has been in traffic violence where other folks have died on the streets. I do think that janes nomination will bring that perspective that is so deeply needed on the board. It is not just nice to have it is a life situation. Please move forward to both recommendations and do what is right for San Francisco. Thank you. If you have not already done so press star 3 to speak. If you are on hold continue to wait until you are unmuted. We have three callers to speak. Next speaker, please. Caller hello. I am flo kelly. I live in district nine. I volunteer with the coalition on homelessness. I want be to address both candidates. I hope that you see folks who live in their vehicles as our unsheltered neighbors. They are our neighbors who need to be able to park safely without having to constantly move and become separated from the community. M. T. A. s policy of not towing vehicles during covid has worked well. Many Community Organizations recommend to continue no poverty towing when the city opens up. Towing a home on wheels ends by one more person or family being unsheltered. If you are appointed to the m. T. A. Board i hope you will be an advocate for unharnessed neighbors. Thank you unhoused neighbors. Thank you. I am Margaret Bonner in favor of jane natoli. We need this board at full strength. Janes perspective would be valuable for the s. F. M. T. A. Board. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Next caller, please. Caller good afternoon. I am mike and i am the district 2 representative to the citizens advisory council. I support both jane and sharon. We are fortunate to have qualified individuals. Speaking in terms of identity i would like to say as lbgtq, asian and to have two representing communities and have histories of deep service in the community. Jane has the support and a letter from the lbgt democratic club. Please forward these to the full board with a positive recommendation. Thank you very much. Next caller, please. Caller madam chair, that completes the queue. Thank you so much. I want to appreciate everyone who came out to give Public Comment. Given one Public Commenter, i want to ask both ms. Natoli and ms. Lai about fare increases. If you remember this board did not reappoint mr. Rubki because of that issue. It is important to me to not increase fares. You cant wait until muni is free. But during this crisis, it is essential to me that as we are getting through the crisis and recovering from it that fares are not increased. I just want to hear your thoughts on that question from both of you. I should have asked that question to you the first time around. I am glad it was brought up in Public Comment. I am happy to talk about that. I support not having those fare increases. I have been on record of saying that elsewhere. I feel like in other interviews and comments. I understand why the board did what it did in terms of the board. I think one thing to consider as well as the board was following the recommendations written in 2009 about how they are thinking about that. Obviously, we need to reconsider that. I totally understand the board of supervisors position. This is the wrong time for fare increases. We should be using every other tool before we get there. I get why s. F. M. T. A. Was between a rock and hard place. Lets remove that and make that not a problem any more. Lets revise how we think about fare increases. I get where that rationale may have been attractive 10 years ago. It doesnt make sense now. Lets move forward to figure out how to stabilize m. T. A. Without doing that on the backs of our most vulnerable riders. A couple months ago you werent clear. Now you will not increase fares during the recovery or pandemic . I would like to look at weighs to avoid doing that in the future. I dont want to increase them now or Going Forward. I dont think there are better ways to support muni. I have heard that loud and clear. That is what we need to do. This is so important for us. You will not increase them . I know you dont want to. You are committing not to do so . I would vote against the increase. That is not the tool we need at this time. Thank you. Ms. Lai. I support not increasing fares. It was very, i think, challenging timing for m. T. A. To make that decision when there is unanimous voice from the board of supervisors representing the respective communities strongly stating the opposition. That is very important for commissioners and Board Directors to listen closely and be aligned with the overall trust. As i said earlier, i think moving away from fare box recovery is something m. T. A. Needs to take a very close look at especially during these times. I think there were some good discussions and thought around increasing fare subsidy programs throughout the fare conversation. I think it is beyond holding fares static. We need to continue to explore ways to actually further help out most vulnerable communities as we go from recovery. I have recognized depression with sudden unemployment rates. I definitely also make the commitment to not support fare increases but also to continue to work on ways to expand the support for our communities. Thank you. I appreciate that. I would be happy to turn it over to my colleagues for closing comments. I wanted to say that i had a chance to speak with both of you offline. Granted it was probably about three months ago but with ms. Lai it was more recently. I was impressed with you, ms. Lai, and i am happy to support your nomination. I will be honest, ms. Natoli when we met three months ago i didnt feel the breadth of experience was there. That is the difference of three months. I was impressed with what i feel has you have done a lot of studying and growth, in my opinion, over the last three months. I am inclined to support your nomination as well. What i would say is that i did receive a letter from the club and the save the mission who have two groups that oppose your nomination. I have not talked to them directly. I hope to have time to do so before your nomination comes up at the full board just to understand where they are coming from. It is hard to tell from a letter. It is much easier to talk oneonone. Maybe you will have a chance to have those conversations, too. As of today, i can tell that my colleagues support your nomination. I am prepared to go along with that today with the one caveat i will check in with those two groups this week. If i have additional questions is it okay to reach out to you and talk to you during this . Of course, you have my contact information. Feel free to reach out. Thank you so much. With that do either of my colleagues have comments or want to make Closing Remarks or motions . I dont have any additional questions or remarks other than to say i am pleased to be able to support these two phenomenal candidates for the s. F. M. T. A. Board. I would like to move these forward to the full board with positive recommendation and eliminate the word reject in the motion and have that move forward to the full board. Is it next week . I dont think these are Committee Reports . No. Move forward with positive recommendation striking the rejecting language. Roll call vote. On the motion to amend to strike reject and recommend to the full board on that motion. Supervisor stefani. Aye. Supervisor mar. Aye. Chair ronen. Aye. The motion passes without objection. Thank you so much for being with us today and your willingness to serve. We really appreciate it. Are there any other items before us today . That completes the agenda for today. Thank you. Have a good day, everyone. Goodbye. You are watching coping with covid19. Todays special guest. Hi. You are watching coping with covid19. In this first portion of the twopart inter vii am talking to the general manager of the San Francisco recreation and Parks Department and state park commissioner talking about social we were surprised how popular they became. It was totive. We expanded to include Lafayette Park an and and alamo square. That is great. That is fantastic. Now, as restrictions are lifted i understand summer camps are now allowed. How is the structure changed to make sure everybody remains safe from the virus . We are thrilled to be able to provide camps at all given the virus. We worked really hard to be able to provide a fun and safe environment. Camps look different but they still offer kids the same opportunities for friendships, creative, learn new skills and in order to prevent the spread of covid19 we are following the Health Orders, temperature screening and enhance screening. Pods of no more than 12 kids. Kids and staff Stay Together in the same cohort for leach of the three week camp sessions. This is different than the past where kids and counselors can jump from week to week. We are doing things differently. Honestly, for kids to get out of the house, to see each other, to see their friends and run around, play some sports, which they are allowed to do in their own pods. It couldnt be more important. We are grateful for the health department. No bigger champion than our mayor. Tennis and golf are allowed. What about soccer and basketball . I am laughing. There is tennis and government and soccer and basketball and baseball and volleyball and flyfishing and bike riding. You know, San Francisco we are blessed to have an amazing parks system to do about anything. We had to respond. They have now reopened with modifications to slow the spread or protect against the spread of the virus. In both cases people need to get social distancing. They should have masks on them if they are in a crowd on the court or at the golf course. They are to refrain from sharing equipment. People playing tennis should play with their own balls. No spectators unless it is a parent or guardian of a minor that is playing. Tennis really right now all that is permitted is singles. You can play doubles if you are from the same household. Golf the modification includes reservations online, six feet apart. Bringing your own golf bag and some modifications to the pin and cup to make it easier to retrieve your own ball. Basketball and soccer are not open to the public. For kids in camp this summer they can play outside within their own pods. For recreational sports, these are high touch activities with a lot of physical contact. We talked to our Public Health colleagues almost every day. We are certainly advocating to the extent it can be done safely to allow people to fully enjoy our park system and participate in all sports and activities they are accustomed to doing. We have a way to go and we need to be patient. There is so much to do in the park system. We are hopeful that people will be able to get back to team sports. I hope so, too. How have you been keeping residents informed how the restrictions have been updated and changed . I never. When i took this job we were going to be in the sign production business. We probably printed and distributed over 2000 signs throughout our park system. They keep changing as the Health Guidance changes. We use social media, electronic newsletters, stories in the press, outreach workers to make people aware of various Health Orders and how they affect park usage. Rangers and volunteers are made up of police and fire and neighborhood Emergency Response volunteers. They have done a wonderful job of trying to encourage and remind people that we are in the middle of an outbreak and we need to be safe. San francisco, i think, overall has done a great job in managing the crisis. Unlike many cities, the parks are mostly open. We had to close a few park features like small playgrounds and basketball courts. Glen canyon is open. Many cities they throw up hands and close down parks. It is our responsibility to use parkings safely and wisely. It is our job to make sure people have information they need. Thank you, mr. Ginsburg. That is it for our first interview. The second portion we will talk about the 150th anniversary and how parks are essential. You have been watching coping with covid19. Thanks for watching. You are watching coping with covid 19. Todays special guest is phil ginsburg. Hi. You are watching coping with covid19. Welcome to the second portion of interview with phil ginsburg, general manager of San Francisco recreation and parks and california state park commissioner. In the final portion we will talk about Golden Gate Parks 150th anniversary celebrations and how parks have been really important during in pandemic. Welcome back. Thank you. It is a pleasure to be here. Talk about Golden Gate Park there is a newell come center as part of the 150th celebrations. Can you talk about the new center and how th the pandemic changed the plans. Let me start with 150th and dive into the Welcome Center and i will talk about the bison. April 4th was to the day Golden Gate Parks 150th birthday, april 4, 1870, the state legislature created the park. It took decades for it to look what it looks like now. The park will nerv never be fin. I am biased but perhaps the greatest park in america for the last century and a half. It is the centennial of the park and around the San Francisco modern history for the last 150 years the keeper of San Francisco collective stories. It is here and i it is not the only pandemic. It was around for 1918, the aids crisis and throughout the history. It is supporting us. We had big plans. On april 4th we intended to welcome 150,000 people to the park for 150 different programmed activities in every corner of the park including the big observation wheel that is 150 feet tall. Then covid hit and we had to change plans. I remember when we had to grapple with the Decision Just before the shelterinplace. We had to cancel the celebration on april 4th that we have been planning for a couple years. What we have done. It was a nobrainer, in hindsight. What we have done is take the celebration online. Golden gate park 150. Com, we have all kinds of information about the park. Concerts that happened in the park online, we have materials for kids. We have Virtual Tours of the park. A little surprise depending when this quits. We will have a bison cam to allow you to see the bison live as they roam in the paddock. There are all kinds of wonderful materials. Two books have been written about the park. A Childrens Book and a book about the history. It is a great website. We are doing what we can. The park has played a Important Role in the pandemic. We opened the Welcome Center where the Tennis Center will open later this summer. It is amazing. There are gifts and there is information. There will be tours from the Welcome Center. You can buy this app from the Golden Gate Park Welcome Center. It is a way to create some socially Distance Community and honoring the sessqua centennial. One thing was the bison house. We were down to five and we can handle 10. Before april 4th, a couple weeks before we had five baby bison from a ranch in northern california. One of them you can see on the cam has a tag in her ear with the number 150. In fact, she had had in both ears while the other four only have one tag. She has tags in both ears and the number 150. Her name is sesqui. She is the official bison of Golden Gate Park 150th birthday. Lets talk about how important outside spaces have been. Has the pandemic changed how we think about the parks . What are the plans moving forward . It is a great moment for parks and open space nationally and in San Francisco. It is really clear during this Health Emergency that parks are not just knives to have. They are must haves. They are part of the most critical infrastructure. So important as places of refuge in difficult times. Parks have the one place we have been allowed to be in during the strictest portions of our shelterinplace order. They are critical to the physical and mental wellbeing. Neighborhood parks are where people can, you know, escape to find time in nature. They are places where people can exercise and strengthen immune system by boosting mental and physical health. Parks are resilient, as i mentioned earlier. This is not only a parks only disaster. Moving from covid into some of the period of civil unrest that we are experiencing, our parks have been there for people to express themselves and to express sadness and anger and frustration and challenge the status quo. Parks are individual and collective memories. As we move forward and, hopefully, we continue along a healthy trajectory, we are going to continue to open up more park features and we are going to continue natural areas to be here for all in San Francisco. In fact, the one bit of good news that we have had during this crazy time. It looks like in november San Francisco will be able to vote for the 2020 health and recovery bond which if passed would devote additional 240 million to parks projects all over the city to serve our most vulnerable communities. I think we all realize just how important parks are and, you know, that is for people like me that is it. I want to thank you and your team for taking care of our parks. They are such a valuable resource. Thank you for coming on the show, mr. Ginsburg. I appreciate the time you have given us. Chris, thank you. Big shout out to the rec and park staff who are heroes. They have provided emergency child care, kept our parks open, restrooms open, facilitated use of parks for Food Distribution and testing, they have kept people safe. The staff have been heroes and they deserve our collective respect and admiration. I totally agree. That is it for this episode. We wil will be back shortly. You are watching coping with covid19. Thanks for watching. Coping with covid19. Todays special guest. I am chris manners, you are watching coping with covid19. My guest is the director of economic and Work Force Development here to talk about the programs the city has in place during this crisis to help Small Businesses and vulnerable and disconnected residents. Welcome to the show. Thank you for having me. It is a pleasure to be here, chris. Start by talking about gift to sf. It provides many of the resources we are talking about. Could you tell us a little bit about the focus of gift to us. Then we will talk about specific programs. I very much appreciate the question. For anyone who is watching right now, so much of the work that has been accomplished to serve most vulnerable is because of very generous donations to the give to sf covid19 response and recovery fund. Over 28 million has been fund raised to support areas as important as Housing Stabilization for vulnerable communities, Food Security programs which has been a big issue not only in San Francisco but up and down california and of course across the nation. Very much thinking about workers and family members who may not have been access to state and federal programs the same way that others who are impacted have and do. That was to make sure families and workers were supported with woulrelief. Small Business Community to make sure they have access to loan was and grants. We are excited how diverse we have been able to do this. We have been able to roll these out to ensure that our communities are supported by our city together with all of us with city funds and philanthropic dollars to help realize them on behalf of the communitys needs. That is great. Now, many of our Small Businesses dont have large payrolls. They are unable to qualify for the federal ppp loans. Does the city have active programs available for Small Businesses to help with ongoing expenses such as rent while they are still closed . Certainly. One of the programs we launched in partnership and because of the ability of the give to sf loan fund presented us with was for loans and grants to do that. We knew in the beginning that it was not easy for smaller businesses not connected or those who were to get an answer around relief provided through ppp. We have seen success of the program. We knew it was important at the time to also have the San Francisco hardship mcwas Emergency Loan Program be launched and designed to support businesses who needed resources the most. We have committed 15. 5 million in ongoing covid19 Small Business Financial Relief. We have awarded grants and loans to over 400 Small Businesses thus far. We wanted to make sure that we were equitable about that approach always guidings work through Racial Equity lens. One of the most important pieces is ensuring every district would be represented and also more equitable work and places where we were doing that work would be supported through these efforts. In the first phase 1 million to 128 Small Businesses and 29 different neighborhoods with up to 10,000 in funds to support those who were experiencing loss. We set aside a minimum of 2 million for low and moderate income owners to ensure they were supported with relief efforts. Neighborhood goes like lower filmore, bayview, castro and excelsior. Longterm businesses have given to the city and we want to give bamto them as well. Then because we were looking for additional funding sources, we took dollars that we had with existing partners already with our partners to do Small Business work and help convert to support Women Entrepreneurs around San Francisco and very specific neighborhoods for mini grants to serve immediate needs. Every little dollar helped. One of the programs that just become available. Right to recover. I am glad you are asking about right to recover. We know that it is extremely valuable right now as we look to incentivize Community Members disproportionately impacted by covid19 by economic hardship, spaces to work in because they need to provide for families, having access to the Economic Relief or wages that you count on to protect yourself, stabilize your families, support your families and children or parents or extended family. That is a huge disincentive if you believe you may not have access to quarantine to do what we want you to do. If you are sick to get tested. If you test positive to quarantine and stay home. So that you can get better and not infect anyone else. That comes at a cost. You are not going to work, not making wages. For so many low income workers that is not acceptable. This is to provide relief based on the individual to give minimum wage for that period of time. When they walked into the testing site they knew if i test positive is there a program to help me, we could say yes . That was important to mayor breed, extremely important to supervisor ronen and they worked together to make 2 million available to support these individuals. Together with the department of Public Health we have a holistic system to fill the gaps that may exist to encourage people to get tested to do the right thing. Wear a mask, social distancing, not going places when they are sick and doing our part to make sure they were incentivized. Not having sick pay with the virus would be really stressful. Iit is important for undocumented. We know the lat inx is more than 50 of the positive cases and may not have access to sick leave or Financial Hardship to do the right thing and to quarantine with financial reli relief. As we start another new releaf program. Africanamerican Small Business Revolving Loan fund. How will that fund work . Well, i am very, very proud. This fund. I do have to give a shout out to our invest in Neighborhoods Team who worked day and night with the africanamerican chamber of commerce and main street launch to support the zero percent interest loan up to 50 thousand dollars. We have been striving to be specific and target communities of color and africanamerican Small Business Entrepreneur Community. It is so much more difficult for this community to access resources and it was important to do something in this moment that is reflective of a movement we know has been emotion for such a long time. For us to do something real, provide Financial Relief for the community in this ka this way ar them specifically. We are very proud to get this up and running. We look forward to applications being live so people from the africanamerican and black business communities to get relief. Flexible terms. Forgiveness up to 50,000 for those loans which can make a huge difference fought only for relief when you think about rent for a Small Business but also in terms of longterm recovery and being smart about the moment. There are businesses with the ability to be open, even a little bit. It is a stress on them. There are others that dont have the ability to do this at all. Where is their relief . They wait for us to do our collective part to ensure we can reopen. These dollars, very specifically for the black Entrepreneur Community are important for longterm viability success. That is good for them, the diversity of the city we hold dear and we need to be proud of. Do we have active programs for disconnected or underserved communities . Absolutely. As i was mentioning just simply about the right to recover program. When people go to the mission hub at 701 alabama within the Mission District to serve the community, they are providing Food Security, access to resources. What they have done is extraordinary in terms of partnering with the city with relief efforts to help pay and maintain Food Distribution for families. Thing are important like the latin x to do so many dishes with one item masa. Access to rise, cereals, milk, butter, fresh foods and vegetables. That is across the city in the entirety in those areas of need. To ensure those programs are made available for our most vulnerable communities. Seniors or families who desperately need that help. Finally, is there a website specifically designed to provide access and information about these resources . One of the easiest things to do, people have a general question and to want dont have access to the internet call 311. Reach out. We have been working closely to ensure the members and staff have the information they need to get what you need. As you call in. Most specifically for workers, employers, nonprofits to go to our website oewd. Org and click on covid19 which is a large button on the site. You will find a full list of information specifically designed for you as employer, as worker and nonprofit so that you know where to go for resources. Also, our phone number 5546134 for the small acciden small bus. The incredible staff are administering those lines. If they dont answer they will get back to you so you can talk to a real person in multiple languages. Also email sfosbasfgov. Org. Again, visit the website oewd. Org and you can find that. In terms of workforce 415 7014817. Someone will get back to you if they dont pick up immediately to answer your questions if you are a worker. Then to donate. Give to sf. Org. All of that information is to find to the website if you need resources or you need an understanding how we are phasing reopening or updated information, please visit us. We will get back to you. We look forward to serving you and the community to get through this very, very challenging time. That is great information. Thank you so much for coming on the show. I really appreciate the time you have given us today. It is a pleasure, chris. Thank you for helping get information out to our communities. People are aware your government is hard at work on your behalf to get you what you need during a dynamic and challenging time. That is it for this episode. We will be back with more information shortly. This is coping with covid19. I am chris manners, thanks for watching on sfgovtv. Coping with covid19 with chris manning. Hi. Im chris manners, and youre watching coping with covid19. My guest today is tanya peterson. Shes the director of the San Francisco zoo on sloat boulevard, and shes here today to talk about how the zoos managing during the pandemic and how theyre reopening. Tanya, thank you for being here. Thank you for having me. Im really pleased to hear that the zoo has reopened again. Thats great news. Can you tell us what changes youve made to make visitors to the zoo feel comfortable and safe when theyre there. I understand now you have to make reservations, and theres only a limited Number Available each day. We were making changes before shelter in place. Fortunately, because we work with animals, and we have a vet hospital onsite, we have the safe coverings before the shelter in place. While we were closed, we made some internal and external changes. The first one, i guess, would be online reservations. You now need to make reservations to visit the zoo, just like your favorite dinner restaurant. That is an effort to slow down congestion. Try to keep everything smooth, and we can control the number of families coming in over the course of time. Thats great. What about the indoor exhibits and the playground. Are those off limits now . Well, theyre not off limits, but the playground, we had we had started Child Care Program for essential workers even when we were closed, and the playground is used exclusively by our Child Care Programs. So if you can think of the zoo, 100 acres, about a good third of it right now is reserved for child care, so what we do is we have the weve got the children in their safe pods. Theyre with each other for three weeks. Theyre in a controlled environment, and in the morning, one pod has the playground, we disinfect, and in the afternoon, another pod comes. All indoor spaces were closed before the shelter in place. The one thing im asked most frequently about is the train. We have a 100yearold train, and as soon as we can disinfect that, well get that open, because thats the number one question i guess, when is the train reopening. Is there a map how youre supposed to walk around the zoo . Yes. In certain areas, we created a oneway path. We try to make it fun. Theyre generally in the shape of bear paws and colored you know, follow the blue bear paws, follow the red bear paws but weve tried to make it fun. When children have not been out for three months, they were climbing anything and everything. We didnt anticipate that, so we put coverings open water fountains, statue signs. Kids had been cooped up, so they went crazy the first few days. More control in place. That sounds great. How did the zoos residents respond to a lack of visitors. Did you observe any behavioral differences . Absolutely. We have some shy residents, gorillas and orangs. We have a male orangutan, he would blow me kisses. The rhinos, they would come out when i would feed them. How does it feel to have the zoo open again to the general public, even if its a limited fashion . It feels fantastic. Im a mother, and i know its been hard on kids. To be able to open safely outdoors were one of the few zoos on an ocean, so youve got the coastal air coming through. We see families or selfascribed pods coming through. Its been great for our staff and for our visitors. Its been heart warming, all the true experiences the first few days. Clearly. You have a lot of mouths to feed. How did you cope with the pandemic so far . Were you able to get some financial assistance, and how can viewers contribute if theyd like to . Well, thank you. We received some help, but we burned through that quickly, and we received some financial donations. We burned through a lot of our funding, and we were really feeling it. All of the people who supported us and hung in there, i thank you. You can join as a member. Its a tax deduction. David attenborough said it best. If the zoo becomes extinction, we all do. In the wild, poachers are getting the best of the wild anima animals, but i think with the help of the zoo and the community, we can save the animals. Where can i go if i want to donate . You can go to sfzoo. Org. You can join, become a member or make a donation. It takes about 30,000 a day to feed all of our 2,000 animals, so you can pick how you want to help. Well, i appreciate you coming onto the show today, miss peterson. Thank you. The animals and i thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Youve been watching coping with covid19. For sfgovtv, im chris manners. Thanks for watching. This is a huge catalyst for change. It will be over 530,000 gross square feet plus two levels of basement. Now the departments are across so many locations it is hard for them to Work Together and collaborate and hard for the customers to figure out the different locations and hours of operation. One of the main drivers is a one stopper mitt center for permit center. Special events. We are a one stop shop for those three things. This has many different uses throughout if years. In 1940s it was cocacola and the flagship as part of the construction project we are retaining the clock tower. The permit center is little working closely with the Digital Services team on how can we modernize and move away from the paper we use right now to move to a more digital world. The Digital Services team was created in 2017. It is 2. 5 years. Our job is to make it possible to get things done with the city online. One of the reasons permitting is so difficult in this city and county is really about the scale. We have 58 Different Department in the city and 18 of them involve permitting. We are expecting the residents to understand how the departments are structured to navigate through the permitting processes. It is difficult and we have heard that from many people we interviewed. Our goal is you dont have to know the department. You are dealing with the city. Now if you are trying to get construction or special events permit you might go to 13 locations to get the permit. Here we are taking 13 locations into one floor of one location which is a huge improvement for the customer and staff trying to Work Together to make it easy to comply with the rules. There are more than 300 permitting processes in the city. There is a huge to do list that we are possessing digital. The first project is allowing people to apply online for the a. D. U. It is an accessory dwelling unit, away for people to add extra living space to their home, to convert a garage or add something to the back of the house. It is a very complicated permit. You have to speak to Different Departments to get it approved. We are trying to consolidate to one easy to due process. Some of the next ones are windows and roofing. Those are high volume permits. They are simple to issue. Another one is restaurant permitting. While the overall volume is lower it is long and complicated business process. People struggle to open restaurants because the permitting process is hard to navigate. The city is going to roll out a digital curing system one that is being tested. When people arrive they canshay what they are here to. It helps them workout which cue they neat to be in. If they rant to run anker rapid she can do that. We say you are next in line make sure you are back ready for your appointment. We want it allinone location across the many departments involved. It is clear where customers go to play. On june 5, 2019 the ceremony was held to celebrate the placement of the last beam on top of the structures. Six months later construction is complete. We will be moving next summer. The flu building the new building will be building. It was designed with light in mind. Employees will appreciate these amenities. Solar panels on the roof, electric vehicle chargers in the basement levels, benefiting from gray watery use and secured bicycle parking for 300 bicycles. When you are on the higher floors of thing yo of the buildt catch the tip of the Golden Gate Bridge on a clear day and good view of soma. It is so exciting for the team. It is a fiscal manifestation what we are trying to do. It is allowing the Different Departments to come together to issue permits to the residents. We hope people can digitally come to one website for permits. We are trying to make it digital so when they come into the center they have a highquality interaction with experts to guide then rather than filling iin forms. They will have good conversations with our staff. [ ]versations with our staff. I really believe that art should be available to people for free, and it should be part of our world, you shouldnt just be something in museums, and i love that the people can just go there and it is there for everyone. [ ] i would say i am a multidimensional artist. I came out of painting, but have also really enjoyed tactile properties of artwork and tile work. I always have an interest in public art. I really believe that art should be available to people for free, and it should be part of our world. You shouldnt just be something in museums. I love that people can just go there, and it is there for everyone. Public art is art with a job to do. It is a place where the architecture meets the public. Where the artist takes the meaning of the site, and gives a voice to its. We commission culture, murals, mosaics, black pieces, cut to mental, different types of material. It is not just downtown, or the big sculptures you see, we are in the neighborhood. Those are some of the most beloved kinds of projects that really give our libraries and Recreation Centers a sense of uniqueness, and being specific to that neighborhood. Colette test on a number of those projects for its. One of my favorites is the oceanview library, as well as several parks, and the steps. Mosaics are created with tile that is either broken or cut in some way, and rearranged to make a pattern. You need to use a tool, nippers, as they are called, to actually shape the tiles of it so you can get them to fit incorrectly. I glued them to mash, and then they are taken, now usually installed by someone who is not to me, and they put cement on the wall, and they pick up the mash with the tiles attached to it, and they stick it to the wall, and then they groped it afterwards. [ ] we had never really seen artwork done on a stairway of the kinds that we were thinking of because our idea was very just barely pictorial, and to have a picture broken up like that, we were not sure if it would visually work. So we just took paper that size and drew what our idea was, and cut it into strips, and took it down there and taped it to the steps, and stepped back and looked around, and walked up and down and figured out how it would really work visually. [ ] my theme was chinese heights because i find them very beautiful. And also because mosaic is such a heavy, dens, static medium, and i always like to try and incorporate movement into its, and i work with the theme of water a lot, with wind, with clouds, just because i like movements and lightness, so i liked the contrast of making kites out of very heavy, hard material. So one side is a dragon kite, and then there are several different kites in the sky with the clouds, and a little girl below flying it. [ ] there are pieces that are particularly meaningful to me. During the time that we were working on it, my son was a disaffected, unhappy high school student. There was a day where i was on the way to take them to school, and he was looking glum, as usual, and so halfway to school, i turned around and said, how about if i tell the school you are sick and you come make tiles with us, so there is a tile that he made to. It is a little bird. The relationship with a work of art is something that develops over time, and if you have memories connected with a place from when you are a child, and you come back and you see it again with the eyes of an adult, it is a different thing, and is just part of what makes the city an exciting place. [ ] chair borden Municipal Transportation Agency commission. [indiscernible]. Please call the roll. [roll call] director you have a quorum. Item four communications. Chair borden due coth