President Francee Covington is trying to log on. Vice president kathrin feinstein. Present. Commissioner stephen nakajo. I am present. Commissioner ken cleveland. Present. And there is a lot of feedback at least on my end. A lot of feedback. I am experiencing the same thing commissioner cleveland. I think Everyone Needs to mute mute if you are not speaking. Commissioner rodriguez. Present. And chief of department jeanine nicholson. Muted for me. I am present and if everyone can mute when they are not speaking i think that would help with the feedback. If you are not speaking, just mute. Item 2, general Public Comment members of the public may address the commission for up to 3 minutes on any matter within the commissions jurisdiction that does not appear on the agenda. Speakers shall address the remark to the commission as a whole and not to individual commissioners or to Department Personnel. Commissioners are not to enter into debate or discussion with the speaker. The lack of a response by the commissioners or Department Personnel does not necessarily constitute agreement with or support of statements made during Public Comment. Is there any Public Comment . I will go to the log. Caller two would you like to make Public Comment . Caller two . Caller three would you like to make Public Comment . Caller three . We have no Public Comment. All right then. Public comment shall be closed. Let us move on to the next item. An item 3, approval of the minutes. Discussion and possible action to approve the Meeting Minutes of the regular meeting on august 12, 2020. Is there any Public Comment on the minutes . Let me check. Caller two. Do you have Public Comment . Caller three would you like to make Public Comment . Caller three . Nobody wants to make Public Comment. No Public Comment being heard, is there a motion . So moved to approve. Is there a second . Second. Thank you. Vice president feinstein how do you vote . I vote to approve. A commissioner nakajo . Commissioner nakajo how do you vote . I vote to approve. Thank you. Okay. The motion is unanimous. Item four. Budget overview. Mark corso Deputy Director of finance and planning to provide an overview of the current budget. I will pass the ball to him. Thank you. I dont actually have a full presentation so i was going to give it oral. Okay. Good evening, commissioners. Chief, mark corso in finance and planning to give an update on the budget process in the most unusual year. I dont have a formal presentation per se as i mentioned but i wanted to give an update and answer any questions the commission may have. When i presented at the last Commission Meeting, it was after mayor breed proposed her budget to the board but before our budget hearings at the board. So it was kind of in between. I am happy to report with lastminute negotiations last night and this morning we are essentially done with our process. The citys process is still going on. Not exactly complete yet but i can speak to that in a second. But just to highlight the last couple of weeks we had the initial hearing in front of the boards budget and Appropriations Committee on friday august 14. This was a chance to have the chief give an overview of the department and the budget and highlight some of the changes that were made to our budget both positive and negative. Obviously this was a new process for all of us and as the hearings were conducted virtually. There was no discussion of any of the budget Analyst Recommendations at the first meeting. And after the presentation the chief fielded some questions and we were to reconvene the next thursday the 20th for further budget discussion. During the week leading up to the second hearing as well as the subsequent days after the department worked closely with the boards budget analyst on proposed reductions in advance of the recommendation to the committee and we were providing justification, documentation for our budget as submitted. The initial reduction proposal that we received from the budget analyst was approximately 2. 2 million. It was heavily focused on onetime savings from our fleet and equipment allocation in the budget which was which is an engine truck and couple of command vehicles. Over the next few days leading up to the hearing on the 20th we worked to narrow down the list and we were successful in all aspects except there were a few items, very important equipment items, a ladder truck and the command vehicle, which we werent able to come to an agreement with the budget analyst. We set off to make our case at the committee t a the hearing. The chief did a great job advocating for our department and highlighting the work we still as much as we have done with our fleet plan, we still have quite a ways to go. We highlighted how covid and the budgets reductions t fleet allocation was already reduced in the mayors budget let alone in the board process. The department fought hard to demonstrate our need and priorities and continue to advocate. I think by the end of the hearing, there was recognition from the board and the Committee Members about the needs for the department pertaining to equipment and fleet. But there was still a desire for some additional funding reductions to be made to the Department Given the current Economic Situation as well as some of the boards public priorities. Over the past few days we have been negotiating with the committee and we have come to an agreement on a reduction plan. In total we are looking at a 300,000 reduction in both fiscal years for a total of 600,000 and this is mainly from overtime. But as a result of agreeing to the reduction we were able to secure funding for the truck and command vehicles and that is great news for us. And this reduction we agreed to can be managed by us and will not Impact Services in the budget years. Given the fiscal environment the city finds itself in i would say we were successful this year. The agreement we came to was reported at todays budget and Appropriations Committee meeting earlier this morning where they were wrapping up the budget discussion. The other piece i wanted to mention was the Crisis Response team that was briefly discussed at the last Commission Meeting. This is a joint effort between the departments ems6 program and the department of Public Health. In our budget we talked about a 2 million allocation from the Mayors Office for the Pilot Program with the intention that along the line down the line there would be additional bond money off a Ballot Initiative that would be available if passed to expand this program. So the original allegation was designed and the program at least initially was designated for two teams per day. This came up in the budget discussions at the board level and mainly through the d. P. H. Budget but there was a desire to expand that program to six teams per day which is significantly increasing the scope of the program. A lot of those final talks on budget are still underway but there are positive signs for Additional Resources to support that. We should have an update at the next meeting but this is one of the pieces that the final pieces of deliberation. And all signs are positive for now and we will keep everybody posted on that. With that, our process for our pretty much the regular operating budget is complete and the board process is ongoing. Today was designated to be the last day for Committee Hearings and would be final deliberations at the Committee Level before having the Budget Approved and sent to the full board. Currently todays meeting is still ongoing. They are in recess right now and scheduled to reconvene late they are evening. They are finalizing negotiations for add backs and other budget negotiations. It is an tis pauted it will be forwarded to the board in late september and signed off by the mayor on october 1. So with that, i am happy to open up to any questions you may have. All right commissioners. Commissioner commissioner rodriguez. I dont hear commissioner rodriguez. I think hes on mute. I am not hearing anybody. Commissioner can you hear me . Yes yes, we can hear you. [inaudible comment] i dont know what that is. Im sorry. You were cutting out a little bit. Can you repeat the question please . Commissioner could you explain to me what the Crisis Response team is . Absolutely. So i will let chief give a little more detail but in short it is kind of a joint operation from the department of Public Health and the Fire Department to kind of expand the citys resources for Mental Health and behavior health. Part of the overarching Mental Health sf program and do you want to add more details on that chief . I sure can. Good evening, commissioners, Vice President feinstein, assistant deputy chief ems yes. The Crisis Response team is under the division of ems with chief payne who is the ems section chief leading this particular effort. This is a joint project with dph where we will be sort of similar to what we are already doing with ems6 but instead of at ems captain and ems6 captain with a Behavioral Health rider from street medicine with d. P. H. And this will be two d. P. H. Personnel. Behavioral Health Clinician as well as a peer support person. Thaw will be able to go on essentially going to be adjusting the calls that are for the Behavioral Health crises of the patients on the streets and those are called and coming in through usually the Police Department and usually those kinds of calls for well being checks Mental Health issues. And those are the kinds of calls we will be starting to address. With that type of a team being able to go in a van, they will be able to assess and then if necessary transport patients to alternative destinations to get more of the specific treatment that they need. Rather than kind of a Law Enforcement approach this is much more of a Behavioral Health approach. That is what we are starting off with probably one 24 7 team as far as ems is concerned as well as trying to ramp that up with Additional Support and additional vehicles as the program goes. Glad to hear that. Thank you. No problem. I believe commissioner nakajo has a question or comment. Commissioner thank you very much Vice President feinstein. Director corso good news. Yes. Commissioner yourself and the chief and the managers have done a hell of a job. I hear scenarios that were complete and were done, that is very good news and that in turn is agreeing in terms of reductions to the tune of did you say 600,000 over two years . Correct, sir. Commissioner thats an astonishing accomplishment given the scenario that is occurring currently with the city and county in terms of all departments. I also wanted to remark to the chief of the department in terms of the narration of being able to maintain our did you say engine and the truck . Yes. Commissioner and i think that, again it is remarkable and the other day i was on the phone for 10 hours at the city departments budget hearings to the general public. 10 hours. 10 hours of trying to get in Public Comment but 10 hours of listening and folks throughout the city and county of San Francisco asking for restoration of dollars to the various programs and a lot of folks talking about the Sheriffs Department and the Police Department. I think that it is remarkable that the city and county understand and recognize the credibility of the work with the ems6 to move from two teams a day, is that what i am hearing, to six teams per day. Correct. Commissioner that is a major major accomplishment as well as an uncrease and chief tong, you will have to do quick training and to implement that and the questioning and timing to implement six teams per day between the city and county . Yes commissioner. The initial implementation is aiming for the end of november for the first unit. Hopefully increase the second unit by the end of february and then in the i think by the end of fiscal year to ramp up to the six and this is dependent on additional funding from the other legislative measures. Commissioner this is in partnership with the department of Public Health chief tom . Correct yes. Commissioner again our colleagues within the Fire Commission this is a great accomplishment and it shows me that the city and county understand and see the effectiveness of what we bring as the San FranciscoFire Department. I think it holds true with all the things that was done from suppression to prevention to ems and the state of cooperation as you will, with the evidence of the city and county. I have no other questions Vice President feinstein. I wanted to congratulate director corso on the accomplishment. Thank you commissioner nakajo. I think everybody on the commission would agree with you and your comments. That really is a remarkable accomplishment given the circumstances were in as a city and county. So congratulations to the whole team that worked on this. Really be proud. Be proud. Anybody else have comments on this . Okay. Well check for Public Comment. One moment. Call one would you like to make Public Comment . Hello . Okay. Line two, would you like to make Public Comment . No comment thank you. There is no Public Comment. All right. Thank you madam secretary. Public comment is closed. We will go to the next agenda item number and that is chief of departments report. Report from chief of department on Current Issues activities and events within the Department Since the Fire Commission meeting on august 12 2020, including budget academies special Events Communications and outreach to other Government Agencies and the public. And report from Administration Deputy chief jose velo on the Administrative Division fleet and facility status and update finance and support services and training within the department. I believe you are muted, chief. Good evening, everyone Vice President feinstein, sister and chief nicholson. As you heard from director corso it was a team effort for this budget with the board of supervisors and i am really pleased with the outcome, so thank you for your kudos but it was definitely a team effort. The main thing with the budget is i did not wan it to have any Operational Impact whatsoever, so and we did actually meet that. While we still need more rigs, more trucks more engines and all that, we didnt get the truck and the engine and the command vehicles cut. And that is great during this horrific financial time for us. In terms of the Crisis Response team in the budget to commissioner rodriguez were going to have to hire some people for this and this is i have been talking about ems6 jumping up and down about Community Medicine since i began as chief because of the effectiveness and really just the impact and humanity and effectiveness. And finally everyone else in the City Government has seen its specially during cog vid. Everybody wanted ems6 on their team. And so this really did take off. I believe the police have over 21000 behavioral calls and so we will be responding to many, many of them and mutual aid. I know chief velo will speak about mutual aid and the fires going on around us and the companies that we have deployed and really proud of everyone. We did and we did an immediate needs and saved a lot of peoples homes. As of now we still have crews out fighting at two different fires, but chief velo will definitely update you on that report. We did have a member whose home burned down and a retired member whose home burned down. Fortunately the member the current member rented his home but still so we have been working with him to try to find sites and