MINUTES

Monday, November 15, 2004

6:00 P.M.

1800 Oakdale Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94124

1.0               Call to Order

Commission President Millard Larkin called the Monday, November 15, 2004 meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. in the Alex L. Pitcher Community Room at 1800 Oakdale Avenue.

The Commissioner Larkin read the Sunshine Ordinance aloud.

1.2               Roll Call

Commissioners Larkin; Brown; Fuentes; Jones; Kennedy; Person; Sampson

Staff Present: John Roddy, Deputy City Attorney; Joseph Tham, Dept. of Real Estate; Toye Moses, Executive Director SECFC; Annette Price, Comm.-Sect;
Ernestine Braxton, Jr. Mgmt. Asst.

            The Commission Secretary read the consent calendar aloud.
           

1.3               Consent Calendar

(a)    RESOLUTION (SECFC-2004-21) Be it resolved that the minutes of the Southeast Community Facility Commission meeting of Thursday, October 27, 2004 be approved as submitted (passed unanimously).

2.0               Public Comment
There was no public comment at this time.

3.0               Communications:
Dir. Moses reported the following correspondence has been sent/received for Commission review: Letters of Invitation to Mayor Gavin Newsom, Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, Marcia Rosen, SFRA, Roy Willis, Scott Madison, and Bayview Common Apartments re: applications.

Comm. Larkin asked that Dr. Sherry Sherman, Hospital Council of Northern & Central California step forward to give background of the Prostate Cancer Program for African-American males.

4.0               PRESENTATIONS:

-             Dr. Sherry Sherman, Project Consultant Coordinator for the African American Health Disparity Project briefly explained the project sponsored by the Hospital Council for the City & County of San Francisco, which is a collaboration of 11 city hospitals to improve the health care of African Americans. The project was launched back in 2001 as a result of community needs assessment event.

Dr. Sherman referenced two previously distributed documents, (1) Project Summary and (2) Health Disparity Project Update, and gave a brief update of the Health Disparity Project. The goal of the program is to eliminate institutional racism, implement citywide hospital/clinic based intervention that addresses major health issues affecting African Americans, and develop/implement medical research and educational programs. Because of the high mortality rate among African Americans for prostate cancer and strokes, it was decided by the Advisory Committee to target both; however the initial project will begin with prostate cancer.

Dr. Sherman reminded that Senate Bill 697 requires all non-profit hospitals in the State of California, in order to keep their non-profit status, must be in assessment every three years and community benefit activities must be based on needs assessment. Dr. Sherman reported it was determined during the needs assessment that there was incredible health disparity among African Americans in the City. Additionally, of all the ethnic groups, African Americans are the only group whose health status has worsened instead of improved.

Dr. Sherman reviewed the primary goals and structure of the project and stated that the CEO’s of the 11 hospitals have committed to spend $1 million toward the treatment/diagnosis of any African American male who tests positive for prostate cancer and dose not meet the impact guideline (200% federal poverty line or $18,000). The Hospital Council will cover men from 200% up to 400%. Further, statistics indicate that men who have a possible PSA (blood test) in the ranges of 10 to 17 do need further diagnostic testing.

Dr. Sherman also reported that a pre-survey conducted prior to the project beginning found that 43% of African Americans feel they are experimented on without consent. Additionally, 9% of hospital personnel feel African Americans are experimented on more than people of other ethnicities without consent. For this reason, an educational campaign dealing with clinical trials for African Americans will be launched and a navigator program will also be initiated to eliminate as many obstacles/barriers of care as possible by involving community-based people as ambassadors and linking them to the hospitals.

Comm. Brown asked once the ambassador process has been completed, will there be a list available to the community? Dr. Sherman responded in the affirmative as well as a training and support system.

Comm. Person asked what kind of outreach is being done for the African American community regarding prostate cancer and diabetes? Dr. Sherman stated in reference to outreach, once the screening project is launched, the program would work with a group known as Vision Youth. Additionally, a movement to train barbers as educators around prostate cancer will occur as well as working with the faith-based community. In terms of diabetes, the American Heart Association has launched a program in the faith community around healthy eating and Kaiser Hospital who is also apart of the African American Health Disparity Project has contributed money to the program.

Comm. Jones asked the timeline for implementation of the action plan and how will communication be developed so that that information is disseminated to the community? Also, who will be involved in that decision-making plan? Dr. Sherman stated there is no timeline shown because the plan began in May 2003, so it’s ongoing. Further, the treatment piece is ready to be offered for prostate cancer and the Council is ready to partner with another organization that services the African American community to begin screening. We are in the process of trying to write grants to get the screening funded. As far as communication, it was decided to place educational ads in the Sun Reporter every two weeks.

Comm. Fuentes was curious as to the percentage of African Americans who acquire prostate cancer and the reason for their susceptibility? Dr. Sherman explained that urologists report that African American men seem to hesitate and/or refuse to be screened more often than white men so that by the time an individual is diagnosed with cancer, it is in its advanced stage. Moreover there is some controversy regarding prostate cancer and the American Urology Medical Association given that there is not yet a way to determine what type of prostate cancer one has. Also, some of it has to do with lifestyle.

Comm. Kennedy voiced concern about the community outreach efforts and asked what the plans are for reaching the mass in the black community. Dr. Sherman stated she welcomes any suggestion. Thus far, the Advisory Committee has come up with advertising in the Sun Reporter as well as the ambassador program, and the faith community. Comm. Kennedy suggested possibly outreach efforts could target the radio music stations.

Comm. Person voiced his interest in working with Dr. Sherman’s committee around clinical trials noting that if African Americans are not apart of those trials, it is detrimental for the black community.

Comm. Brown suggested that Dr. Sherman contact Reverend Sampson in getting the word out through the faith community. She questioned whether it is a fact that people are subject to medical experiment without their knowledge? Dr. Sherman stated by law no one should be experimented on and feels it does not happen; however, she stated she believes that in a clinical trial, it is possible for someone to be experimented on without full consent. She said that they are now in the process of working on a very clear informed consent statement, which will be signed by every hospital.

Comm. Larkin closed questions to the Commission and opened the floor to the community.

Ms. Mohammad asked what the normal value is for PSA’s? Dr. Sherman responded if a person has a PSA of 10 or if it jumps from 2 to 6, they should be tested. Mr. Murray suggested that the medical profession focus on alleviating fears and building trust in the African American community with regard to providing medical care. Dr. Sherman stated everything they are doing is built around trust. Ms. Succo asked what some of the symptoms are of prostate cancer? Dr. Sherman stated baseline for testing African American men is 40, sometimes 35.

Comm. Larkin commented learning that 9% of hospital staff feels African Americans are improperly treated, informed, or being tested without their knowledge causes concern. Regarding outreach, Comm. Larkin offered the Commission’s assistance by providing a means where someone from the Hospital Council could come out to Southeast as well as some of the other facilities and be on site and available to reach their target economic group.

Comm. Larkin asked that Mr. Burns step forward and present.

-             Mr. Burns, referring to minutes of a past Commission meeting, stated the comments made during that meeting by project manager Mr. Gabancho regarding the Bayview Connections Project not being placed out to bid but given to Mitchell Engineering because of Mitchell’s proximity to the project was incorrect.  All contracts are governed either by city, state, or federal law. Additionally, the Bayview Connections Project as well as the 3^rd St. Light Rail Project has federal funding that requires a competitive bid process. The Bayview Connections Project was awarded to the low bidder, Mitchell Engineering at $1.18 million. The second bid went to Ghilotti Brothers at $1.4 million.

Referring to a M.S. Power Point presentation, Mr. Burns gave a brief overview of local subcontractors for the Bayview Connections Project as well as the 3^rd Street Light Rail Project stating that the contractors have well exceeded the percentage for minority contracting. Mr. Burns stated federal laws do not allow any local or geographical preference; therefore MUNI is prohibited from putting into specifications local or geographical preference in terms of hiring contractors. However, MUNI does have specification language that require best efforts on the part of contractors to contract local minority contractors.

Mr. Burns listed the following four ways that an individual can become employed on 3^rd Street Light Rail Project: 1) Community Jobs Program; 2) Contractor Pedestrian Monitor Program (terminated in July 2005; 3) Community Hires Program; and 4) employees of contractors. He then briefly reviewed the breakout for minority participation of employees in the focus areas and contractor/subcontractor hires.  He stated total project cost to date is $192,464,821 of which 50% are DBE’s and 35 are SF contractors.

Mr. Burns concluded by addressing the programs that MUNI has established to assist small contractors and addressed the City Build Program established by the City to connect individuals to an apprenticeship program as part of actual work-study.

Comm. Larkin acknowledged that Mr. Burns has come back with the information as requested by the Commission and it indeed looks a lot better than what it seemed; however, he was curious as to the breakdown of skilled labor vs. supervisory labor.

Comm. Person asked with regard to the procurement selection process of Mitchell, does MUNI look at whether the company has a past history of minority hire? Regarding Marinship and Abbett, do any of those companies have a history of working with minority people? Mr. Burns responded MUNI does evaluate the bid based upon the subcontractors that are included in a company’s proposal and Mitchell has met those goals in every way. Both Marinship and Omega Pacific are minority contractors. In terms of skills and percentages of African Americans vs. other ethnicities in different skilled areas, Mr. Burns stated he would provide a breakdown of trade and race.

Comm. Brown thanked Mr. Burns for the detail that he brought to the Commission.

Comm. Kennedy commended Ms. Vaughns and staff for coming out to the meeting.

5.0               Change of Commission’s Regular Meeting Day
After lengthy discussion, the Commission took the following hand vote:
MOTION: Upon motion by Comm. Larkin to change the regularly scheduled meeting date from the 4^th Wednesday of the month to the 4^th Thursday of the month, motion was rejected for lack of the following vote: Brown, Kennedy, Jones, Larkin (4); Person, Fuentes, Sampson (3).

6.0               Facility Committee Report (10/28/04)
Comm. Kennedy highlighted the 10/28/04 Facility Committee meeting. Up for discussion were two issues: 1) Approval of Decorative Plant Lease contract and 2) CCSF College /Southeast Campus & Unified School District/Subtenant Issues. Comm. Kennedy stated after lengthy discussion, the Committee made the following recommendation:

(1) Recommend to the full Commission the approval of the lease contract for the Decorative Plant lease and to move forward on the rent credit issue.

Comm. Kennedy reported that Mr. Stephen Harmon, Chief Administrative Officer CCSF made the following proposition: City College of San Francisco would like to recommend a lease extension through June 30, 2005 be given to SFUSD subtenant on a probationary basis and thereafter be given three single year extensions by mutual agreement, which would include the full Commission. Additionally, any bills incurred as a result of damage to the facility by the subtenant should be directed through the college to the subtenant for payment.

(2) Recommend to the full Commission the approval of the probationary period through June 2005 with three single year extensions thereafter.

MOTION: Moved by Kennedy, seconded by Jones to accept Facility Committee Recommendations. Motion passed by hand vote to unanimously accept recommendations as presented (7-0).

7.0               DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Dir. Moses reported that included in Commission folders is his written report as suggested by the President, which included the following: Community room issues, posting of agenda, electric gate issues, DPW work orders issues, lease approval for Decorative, Childcare issues, budget issues for FY2005/06.

MOTION: Moved by Kennedy, seconded by Brown to accept the Director’s Report. Motion passed by hand vote to unanimously accept report as presented (7-0).

Referring to a memo received from Dr. Moses regarding a meeting that Comm. Larkin and Dr. Moses had which addressed the proper guiding principle in operating the Commission under the Sunshine Ordinance, Comm. Larkin stated he wanted to clarify the meeting. After a lengthy discussion among the Commission, it was decided that the Director’s Report and posting of minutes would remain unchanged; however, draft minutes and referenced material would be made available to the community at each Commission meeting.

8.0               New Business by Commissioners
Election of Officers: Moved by Jones, seconded by Sampson that the Election of Officers for President and Vice President will be held on January 13^th, 2005. Motion passed unanimously to hold the Election of Officers on January 13^th, 2005 (7-0).

9.0                 Old & Ongoing Business:
There was no old & ongoing business presented at this meeting.

10.0                 Introduction of New Business by Commissioners:
Comm. Brown suggested that a follow-up invitation be sent to Dr. Sherry Sherman within the next four months to request an update on the prostate cancer project, results from their clinical trials, as well as their outreach progress.

Comm. Larkin also commented that henceforth, New Business by Commissioners should only be on the agenda once.

11.0               Public Comment
Mr. Samuel Murray, SFPUC stated he was in receipt of the letter of invitation from the Commission and announced that he would bring someone out from PUC to discuss the issue of a safety evacuation plan if something were to occur at a future Commission meeting.

Comm. Larkin thanked Mr. Murray and announced that Mr. Murray is the newly appointed liaison from the PUC.

12.0                 Announcements:
There were no announcements at this meeting.
 

13.0                 Adjournment

Comm. Larkin adjourned the SECF Commission meeting at 8:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,


         _____________________

Commission Secretary