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Southeast
Community Facility Commission
M I N U T E S
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2001
7:00 P.M.
1800 Oakdale Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94124
I. Call to Order:
Commission President Millard Larkin called the Wednesday, November 28, 2001 meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Alex L. Pitcher Community Room at 1800 Oakdale Ave.
III. Roll Call:
Present: Commissioner Bobbrie Brown
Commissioner Heidi Hardin
Commission Millard Larkin II
Commissioner Malik Looper
Commissioner Enola Maxwell
Commissioner Atiliai Tofaeono
Excused: Commissioner Kim Nguyen
Staff Present: Robert Bryan, Dep. City Attorney; Toye Moses, Executive Director;
Kathy Basconcillo, SECF Commission Secretary
IV. Approval of Minutes:
Commissioner Looper and Commissioner Brown seconded to accept the minutes of Thursday, November 8, 2001. Motion passed.
Commissioner Larkin thanked those present for coming out to meet the new General Manager of the SFPUC, Patricia Martel and the staff that will address the topic of: "Upgrading the (City's 50-yr. old water treatment) digesters and a few related concerns. Then he introduced pubic officials SF Board of Supervisors Sophie Maxwell and Mark Leno, SFFD Chief Mario Trevino (whose staff would present on fire and home safety) and Civil Service Commissioner Linda Richardson.
V. Public Comment: Since all the public comment was related to either a) the digesters and related treatment plant concerns (odor, plant location,), or b) a recent force main rupture at Islais Creek, Commissioner Larkin asked that questions and comments related to these issues be taken after the presentation.
VI. Communications: The Executive Director reported that was no correspondence has been received or sent since the last Commission meeting.
VII. Director's Report:
a) The Commission's website is up-to-date and current for agendas and minutes;
b) FY2002-03 budget requests for Southeast Community Facility-Clean Water Program has been completed and submitted to PUC/WPC (Administration) for incorporation to the WPC budget request and the EPMills-General Fund budget request has been submitted directly to the SFPUC;
Commissioner Brown moved and Commissioner Tofaeono seconded to accept the Director's Report. Motion passed
VIII. Committee Report:
Commissioner Looper reported that the Committee attempted and completed three objectives at today's meeting: a) a timeline was outlined for the presenting a Community Relations Plan to the full Commission, b) the process for developing this Plan was determined; and c) a Committee meeting schedule was planned according to the committee members calendars. Commission will be kept abreast.
Commissioner Brown moved and Commissioner Maxwell seconded to accept the Committee report. Motion passed.
IX. Presentation: Commissioner Larkin introduced the new General Manager for the
SFPUC, Ms. Patricia Martel to the Commission and the Community attending this evenings meeting. Ms. Martel thanked the Commission for the invitation and the reception preceding tonight's meeting. Ms Martel stated that she was: impressed about what she has learned already about the PUC and several of its relationships with other City bureaus; excited about establishing close working relationships with the Community and those willing to work with the PUC; anxious to begin a policy of openness and sharing information to make appropriate, insightful decisions.
After several questions regarding the force main incident at Islais Creek, Ms. Martel introduced Mr. Bill Keaney, Manager of the (SFPUC's) Bureau of Water Pollution Control. Mr. Keaney both reported the Islais Creek incident and explained the need
to upgrade/replace the digesters currently in use at the Water Pollution Plant.
Regarding the Islais Creek incident: On Monday, Nov. 25 there was a reported sewer line rupture in the vicinity of the MUNI restoration of Islais Creek Sanctuary. Water Pollution Control was notified and a crew was immediately dispatched. Initial investigation determined there was damage to a force main under the area where MUNI is laying new conduit and the "garden" over the break area had to be removed. Crews had to divert flow into Islais Creek by 6 p.m. that same day.
Everyone (WPC emergency crews, MUNI, contractor personnel) involved with the incident understood this to be Public Emergency, and conducted themselves amiably and professionally. The residents and public that witnessed it were grateful for the immediate response and expressed appreciation for the difficult and arduous task of (temporarily) repairing the force main late into the evening and continuing into the next day. The permanent repairs (with steel clamps inside the pipe) were just installed yesterday (Tues. Nov. 27).
To the question of responsibility, Mr. Keaney responded that although the site is a MUNI project and MUNI's contractor may have ruptured the pipe, PUC must maintain and repair the water/sewer pipes. An immediate report was made to the Regional Water Quality Control Board as required and a detailed follow-up report must be made within 10 days of the incident. Any penalties/fines will be assessed to the PUC who has primary responsibility.
Public comment, questions and answers led the discussion into the need to update the City's entire 50+-yr. old water/sewer system, beginning with replacing the existing digesters located at the Southeast Water Pollution Treatment Plant (Phelps and Jerrold site). Several aspects (location, type - style/model/shape) and advantages (reduce odor problem, elimination of proximity to residences, improved seismic reliability and operations) were also explained, questioned and discussed.
Several audience members expressed concern for: a) continuing the location and operation of the water treatment plant in the Southeast Sector, b) complained of the odor and continued exposure to health risks, c) took issue with as-yet-to-be-investigated possibilities and promises to relocate the some, most or all of the treatment plant operations outside of this neighborhood. Ms. Martel informed the audience that not to replace/upgrade the digesters could compromise the reliability of the water treatment system's integrity.
Commissioner Larkin completed discussion by stating that this Community is very serious about its concerns with the continued location and operation of the treatment plant (including digesters) in the Southeast Sector; however they were willing to work with anyone that was willing work with them. He then thanked PUC General Manager Patricia Martel, WPC Manager Bill Keaney and the staff that accompanied them for the presentation, and invited them back anytime they wished to share and work with the Southeast Community.
X. Presentation: Commissioner Larkin introduced San Francisco's Fire Dept. new Chief hailing from Seattle, Mario Trevino. Chief Trevino thanked the Commission for the invitation, stated that he was looking forward to his tenure as Fire Chief and introduced his accompanying staff: Area 9 Battalion Chief Bill Serafini and Community Relations Officer Lt. Juarez.
Lt. Juarez showed a brief (time-lapsed) video on how long it takes for a combustible fire to fill a space with smoke, discussed developing a family/residents "escape plan" in case a fire breaks out in the home; need to provide/install and annually check smoke detectors; and explained: some common fire hazards in the home; how to use fire extinguishers; and what to do/call and how to react in case of fire.
He explained that during the holiday season, Christmas trees in offices/businesses must be tagged as fire retardant (residential trees won't be checked) and how to keep a tree in water. After announcing that Saturday, December 8 was Open House at the Fire Department, he thanked the Commission for the invitation and stated the (Fire) Dept. would be glad to come out regularly to speak to schools and groups regarding fire safety.
XI. Introduction of New Business:
Commissioner Larkin requested to put "Election of Commissioners Officers" on the December 13 agenda.
XII. Announcements:
The San Francisco Community Power Cooperative would like to be calendared on the next agenda to introduce themselves as a Community Cooperative.
XIII. Adjournment:
Commissioner Brown moved and Commissioner Looper seconded to adjourn the SECFCommission meeting at 9:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted: _________________________
(Commission Secretary)
