Bored of Supervisors - 5/13/08

Constant Readers,

Today's Board of Supervisor's meeting is over and here's what happened:

1. Stop, Or I'll Say "Stop" Again!

Remember the Ordinance requiring all public meetings in City Hall to be recorded by audio or video? 'Member how Mistermayor vetoed it? Well the Board voted 8-3 to override that veto today. Supervisor McGoldrick changed his vote to allow for the override. (He voted against the ordinance initially, on April 15.)

All of which would be a lot more interesting if the vote actually resulted in more recorded City Hall meetings. Yawn.

2. Come On, Maaaaan...

Owners of medical cannabis dispensaries got another extension of time in which to obtain a final permit from the City. The new deadline is January 21, 2009. Reportedly, the reason only one dispensary has a final permit is because of the confusing and glacially-paced machinations of the City and its agencies. Supervisor Elsbernd wasn't buying it and voted "no."

Which may seriously impact his ability to score 420.

3. Peaker Plants

The vote on whether to move forward with the construction of three peaker plants in Potrero Hill was continued for one week to allow Mistermayor to "aggressively" pursue a resolution of the issues raised by opponents of the plan. But only after an amusing exchange between Supervisor Daly and a sweet gal from the Mayor's office (charged with the unenviable task of defending the continuance) named Cristine Soto-DeBerry. It went something like:

Daly: What will be aggressively pursued this week that hasn't been pursued in the past year?

Soto-DeBerry: Blah blah blah....Mayor is committed to resolution...blah...

Daly: Does this mean that the Mayor did not aggressively pursue a resolution before?

Soto-DeBerry: Blah blah blah....new technologies...blah...

Daly: Does the Mayor think there will be a technological breakthrough in the next seven days?

Soto-DeBerry: Blah blah blah....Mayor is committed to resolution...blah...

Supervisor Daly wasn't buying it and voted "no."

Which may seriously impact his reputation as an optimist.   

4. Roll Call for Introductions

A number of initiatives were introduced today, so I won't detail them all here. (I can email them upon request.) But here's what is noteworthy: it seems like recently McGoldrick unearthed a file in his office labeled "Stuff To Do Before I Am Termed Out Of Office," handed the stack of bescribbled cocktail napkins and envelopes to his staff and said, "Make it work!" Today, (in addition to two ordinances) he announced plans to introduce Charter Amendments that will:

a. make half of the members of the MTA Board of Directors (who are currently all appointed by the Mayor) be appointed by the Board of Supes;

b. prevent City employees from serving on City Boards and Commissions (what did Bill Lee and Michael Cohen ever do to Jake?);

c. eliminate the Charter requirement that the City employ a minimum number of police officers (section 4.127 of the Charter says: "The police force of the City and County shall at all times consist of not fewer than 1,971 full duty sworn officers");

d. limit City elections to even-numbered years (yeah, this is about the billionth time he has tried to pass this damn amendment); and

e.  win the award for "Most Unabashedly Pissy Proposed Charter Amendment of 2008" for his plans to introduce an amendment that would double the number of signatures required to recall a Supervisor. Really, Jake? You beat the recall effort in your district. Show some sportsmanship.

QUOTE OF THE MEETING:

"I think even McDonald's offers benefits."

-Who else? Supervisor McGoldrick in the course of an excessively long and mind-numbing discussion of the pay and benefits for City Hall cafe workers who, pursuant to a new contract, will be part of a job skills training program run by Juma Ventures. I'm sure next week we'll see a Charter amendment requiring all teenagers serving prepackaged food in City Hall to have health insurance...

--Melissa

Comments

[L'Italiana]

...and of course, let's not forget to mention that the Supes were serenaded by Walter during public comment today. This time he got his accompaniment just right so he ended with quite the flare.

[Greg]

this line in today's chron was funny for its political tone deafness:

""I just want the Board of Supervisors to be more intimately involved in how Muni runs. ""

Given that the Mayor and allied interests are administering a beat down of biblical proportions on these guys, you think there might have been a better way to put this.

I don't know that the idea is particularly great or not (and need to read the actual text of the thing) but it IS weird we can vote for like, everything else, but not the people who run MUNI.

Of course, given the candidates we have and the endless "rainbows and unicorns" initiatives we have on the ballot, that may not be a bad thing...