June 27, 2012 Southeast Community Facility Commission
ADOPTED MINUTES
SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY FACILITY COMMISSION
Wednesday, June 27, 2012, 6:00 PM
1800 Oakdale Avenue, Alex Pitcher Community Room
San Francisco, CA 94124
1.0 CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENT
Commission President Willie B. Kennedy called the Wednesday, June 27, 2012 meeting to order at 6:28 pm and announced the Sunshine Ordinance.
2.0 ROLL CALL AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF SUNSHINE AUDIO RECORDING POLICY
Carla Vaughn, Commission Secretary called roll at 6:29 pm.
Commissioners Present: Willie B. Kennedy / Armina Brown / Brigette R. LeBlanc / Al Norman
Commissioners Absent: Bobbrie Brown
Commissioners Excused: Karen Chung / Theo Ellington
Staff Present: Toye Moses, Executive Director/ Francis Starr, Senior Management Assistant/ Carla Vaughn, Commission Secretary
Carla Vaughn, Commission Secretary announced the Sunshine Ordinance section 67.14C.
3.0 CONSENT CALENDAR
Commission President Willie B. Kennedy read the Consent Calendar.
3.1 PROPOSED ACTION
Commissioner Brigette LeBlanc moved to approve the June 14, 2012 Commission Minutes.
Commissioner Al Norman seconded the motion to approve the June 14, 2012 Commission Minutes.
The minutes of the Southeast Community Facility Commission meeting of Thursday, June 14, 2012 were adopted as submitted.
4.0 PUBLIC COMMENT IS LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES
There was no public comment.
5.0 COMMUNICATION
Carla Vaughn, Commission Secretary announced the following:
Press Release: Mayor Lee Launches U.S. Mayors Open Government Innovation Partnership
Press Release: Mayor Lee Launches ImproveSF Food Justice Challenge For Central Market
Press Release: Mayor Lee Announces San Francisco’s Enrollment In United Nations’ Making Cities Resilient Campaign
Press Release: Mayor Lee Announces Milestone Completion Of New SFPUC Headquarters – North America’s Greenest Urban Office Building
Press Release: Mayor Lee Declares A Soda Free Summer
Press Release: Mayor Lee Announces New Funding For TechSF Initiative To Train S.F. Residents For High Tech Jobs
Press Release: Mayor Lee Announces Major Moscone Convention Center Expansion
Press Release: Mayor Lee & Leader Pelosi Celebrate $10 Million Federal Transportation & Infrastructure Investment In Mission Bay
Press Release: Mayor Lee, SFPD & SF.CITI Announce New Mobile Application For Police In The Field
Press Release: Mayor Lee Nominates Willie Adams To City’s Port Commission
Press Release: Mayor Lee Announces Continued Growth To Central Market
Statement: Mayor Lee’s Statement On Passing Of Sing Tao Daily Columnist Te Yung Gao
5.1 CORRESPONDENCE
Carla Vaughn, Commission Secretary, announced the following correspondence is on-going:
Letter of Invitation to Bevan Dufty, Director, Housing, Opportunity, Partnerships & Engagement.
Letter of Invitation to Harlan Kelly, Public Utilities Commission/Assistant General Manager, Infrastructure.
Letter of Invitation to Juliet Ellis, Public Utilities Commission/Assistant General Manager, External Affairs.
6.0 ANNOUNCEMENTS
Espanola Jackson, community activist, announced a letter had been forwarded to the Commission regarding the Wellness Center. She advised she recently met with Barbara Garcia, Director, Department of Public Health who also received a copy of the letter. Ms. Jackson advised the community is concerned regarding the Health Department staff.
Commission President Willie B. Kennedy announced the next meeting of the Southeast Community Facility Commission will be on Thursday, July 12, 2012.
7.0 ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORTS
Governance Ad-Hoc Committee, (Chair, Commission President Willie B. Kennedy, Co-Chair, Commissioner Brigette R. LeBlanc, Member: Commissioner Al Norman, Community Members: Alma Robinson, Kitty Morgan, Siri Datta S. Khalsa, Alternates: Dr. Harrison Parker, Greg Doxey)
No report.
Joint PUC/SECFC Ad-Hoc Committee, (Chair, Commissioner Theo Ellington, Co-Chair, Commissioner Bobbrie Brown, PUC Representative, and Ex-Officio: Commission President, Willie B. Kennedy)
No report.
Health, Housing and Public Safety Advisory Committee, (Chair, Commissioner Bobbrie Brown, Co-Chair, Commissioner Theo Ellington, Community Members <see Commission Secretary for List> Ex-Officio: Commission President Willie B. Kennedy)
Commission President Willie B. Kennedy provided an update on the Health, Housing and Public Safety Advisory Committee meetings and the planning of the 2012 Health Fair.
The schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, July 25, Thursday, August 9, Wednesday, August 22, Thursday, September 13 and Wednesday, September 26. All Health, Housing and Public Safety Advisory Committee meetings are scheduled for 4pm.
Commission President Willie B. Kennedy said the 2011 event was a success and she encouraged everyone to attend the 2012 event.
Economic Development Advisory Committee (Chair, Commissioner Karen Chung, Co-Chair, Commissioner Al Norman, and Ex-Officio: Commission President Willie B. Kennedy)
No report.
Facility Advisory Committee, (Chair, Commissioner Brigette R. LeBlanc, Co-Chair, Commissioner Armina Brown, and Ex-Officio: Commission President Willie B. Kennedy)
Chair, Commissioner Brigette R. LeBlanc advised the Facility Advisory Committee would have their first meeting in August.
Commission President Willie B. Kennedy recognized Espanola Jackson, community member, who announced she had spoken to individuals at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission regarding the digesters.
8.0 PRESENTERS
Commission President Willie B. Kennedy introduced the presenters as follows:
Anne Kronenberg, Executive Director, City And County of San Francisco, Department of Emergency Management
Rob Dudgen, Director, Division of Emergency Services, Department of Emergency Management
Jonathan Bartlett, Operations Specialist, FEMA, Region IX Response
Anne Kronenberg thanked the Commission for the warm response and said her department would be willing to attend the 2012 Health Fair and provide information to the community.
Ms. Kronenberg advised there was a shift in Washington D.C. and under the current administration there was an understanding of what can be done at the local level. The Department of Emergency Management is responsible for the 911 system which fields over a million calls a year. The system has the capacity for over 185 different languages. The system is responsible for emergency medical dispatch, police, fire, Muni, and Parking and Traffic in certain situations.
Ms. Kronenberg emphasized the community must be able to take care of itself for at least 72 hours after a disaster. The web-site 72hours.org is available to help families walk through the process of preparing for a disaster. Important items to have handy are flashlights, extra batteries and food. These items should be kept in one location.
A brochure, “OUR CITY. READY FOR ANYTHING” was provided with a checklist for preparedness.
Rob Dudgen, a former paramedic and Director, Division of Emergency Services shared his perspective regarding community preparedness and some current initiatives. He said the Department of Emergency Management provides coordination between city services in the event of an emergency whether large or small. He stressed the importance of everyone being able to care for themselves because the first 24 hours will be chaotic. He noted this does not mean you are alone, but there is a need to work together as a community. The department partners with various community based organizations for the most effective approach to assist with recovery.
Mr. Dudgen referenced the 72hours.org website which provides top notch information. He advised building your own disaster emergency kit rather than purchasing one. There is an application called SFHEROES that can be downloaded to your smartphone. The application provides a fun way to prepare for emergencies. Staying informed is important. One way to stay informed is with the radio and another is through AlertSF. The AlertSF program is subscription based by access through the web.
The nature of an earthquake is such that the ground is going to move and things are going to break, however, we are not sure what is going to break and under what condition. This is the reason why shelter locations are not published.
Jonathon Bartlett, Operations Specialist, FEMA Region IX, pointed out that FEMA Region IX is in Oakland and 20 miles away from a fault-line. The areas supported are Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii and the rest of the Pacific, including California. The agency consists of 130 people. FEMA moves into action to support local jurisdictions within the state when the President declares a major disaster. When something really goes wrong these various agencies come together as a team. The Operations Specialist role in the team is to provide support with resources, equipment, emergency response teams and hospital surge.
Mr. Barlett suggested taking a gradual approach to compiling an emergency kit.
Commission President Willie B. Kennedy opened the floor to questions from the Commissioners.
Commissioner Brigette R. LeBlanc said it was important to remain calm in a crisis. She asked Mr. Dudgen about impacted areas and housing developments such as the Alice Griffith Apartments and Potrero Hill, etc. Commissioner LeBlanc said it was important for the Department to have a booth at the upcoming 2012 Health Fair. She said she would like to see presentations made at the District 10 schools and she also wanted to know if there was any truth to the idea of there being a “Black Zone” within the city region because there was concern that District 10 would not be one of the first addressed if there was an emergency.
Anne Kronenberg said from a city perspective there was no such zone. Ms. Kronenberg said her department works very closely with the school district and recognizes the importance of doing so. She added the Alex Pitcher Community Room is a potential shelter along with Joseph Lee Recreation Center. The department works closely with the Interfaith Council and the faith-based community. Many churches that provide shelter in the winter are also on that list. She deferred to Jonathan Bartlett, Operations Specialist FEMA.
Jonathan Bartlett addressed the concept of “Black Zones” and said FEMA does not use “Black Zones” to delineate any response areas. The hazard information is analyzed and used to determine the immediate response areas, or areas that are hit the hardest. FEMA supports whatever organizational structure that the locals and the state have put forth. The department’s intent is to keep the resource pipeline open.
Commission President Willie B. Kennedy opened the floor to public comment.
Espanola Jackson, community activist, said District 10 has over 500 toxic sites including the Naval Shipyard. Ms. Jackson expressed concern in knowing the city has not looked at current construction taking place on landfills and the extent of possible damages in the event of earthquakes. Ms. Jackson questioned the reliability of using churches as shelters since many of them are on landfills. She mentioned her concern regarding the rising sea-level and noted many public housing developments would be under water in the event of flooding. She suggested notifying home owners because they do not know they are living on landfills.
Oscar James, community member, asked if the community would be like New Orleans if a tragedy happened.
Jonathan Bartlett said New Orleans was a terrible tragedy that no one ever wants to see again. The most important thing to come out of the tragedy is that Congress mandated FEMA to change. That is part of the reason why FEMA is able to speak with Ms. Kronenberg’s office and the community directly. As far as resources and actions, if there is a major disaster FEMA no longer waits for a call or a request for food, water or shelter.
Oscar James asked if the sewage treatment plant would affect the community if there was a big earthquake.
Anne Kronenberg said she did not believe it would but she would need to get more facts. She noted Mayor Lee traveled to New Orleans on three separate occasions after Katrina. She believes this is why he is so committed to emergency preparedness, response and recovery. It is about the relationships built before an emergency and getting to know your neighbors in the community. It is not just about waiting for FEMA to come. The community needs to be resilient. FEMA has created the National Disaster Recovery Framework.
In closing, Oscar James thanked the Commission Secretary, Carla Vaughn for keeping the community informed.
Carol Tatum, community member, said during the 1989 earthquake her community gathered outside and came together as neighbors. She said she is unaware of what the resources are within her community and the neighborhood has changed.
Anne Kronenberg urged Ms. Tatum to sign up for AlertSF because after an emergency that is where you will be able to find out where the shelters and resources are.
Jonathan Bartlett suggested joining NERT (Neighborhood Emergency Response Team). Upcoming classes can be found through sfgov.org (Department of Emergency Management) website.
George Sacco, community member, expressed concern regarding the non-availability of military personnel due to the closing of the Presidio and various other military facilities. He wanted to know if the closings had affected the ability to plan for disasters.
Rob Dudgen said the military pull out in the Bay Area impacted every county and a tremendous safety net that was inherent to the Bay Area. Since then much thought has gone into preparation. The San Francisco Fire Department has more heavy and medium rescue capability than any urban fire department in the United States. There are two full heavy rescue squads as well as 18 truck companies on duty in San Francisco every day. The NERT teams are trained in light rescue.
Al Yates commented regarding the ability or lack thereof for organizations to communicate in the event of a disaster.
Anne Kronenberg responded the federal government is aware of the situation and has earmarked $100 million dollars for public safety.
Commissioner Brigette R. LeBlanc requested the name of the application created to assist in disaster training.
Rob Dudgen provided the application name “San Francisco Heroes”.
Commission President Willie B. Kennedy thanked the presenters for their participation and invited them to attend the 2012 Health Fair and provide more information for the public.
9.0 PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Commission President Willie B. Kennedy led a discussion regarding the Project Area Committee (PAC) and the relevancy of the work. Contributing to the discussion were community members Oscar James, Espanola Jackson along with Commissioners Al Norman and Brigette R. LeBlanc.
9.1 UPDATE ON THE 9910 STATIONARY ENGINEER INTERN PROGRAM
Commissioner Brigette R. LeBlanc advised she would provide a report in the future after meeting with Tommy Moala, AGM Wastewater and Catherine Curtis, Workforce Development.
10.0 STAFF/DIRECTOR REPORT
Director Moses reported on the current activities and operations of the Southeast Community Facility Commission and the services provided to the community.
Francis Starr, Senior Management Assistant, provided an update on the 2012 Resource Directory.
Carla Vaughn, Commission Secretary announced the following future presenter:
July, 12, 2012, Mohammed Nuru, Executive Director, Department of Public Works
Topic: General overview of goals for the Southeast Community
On-Going: Letters of invitation are being reissued to individuals and organizations that were unable to act upon a previous invite from the Southeast Community Facility Commission.
11.0 SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC UTILITES COMMISSION STAFF REPORT & UPDATES
Sam Murray, Southeast Community Outreach Director/Communications thanked the Commission for the get well card he received and said he was happy to return to work.
12.0 ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION
Commissioner Al Norman moved to delay a motion to collaborate/partner with the Bayview Hunters Point Citizen Advisory Committee until more Commissioners were available to discuss the matter. His motion was seconded by Commissioner Armina Brown and carried.
13.0 NEW BUSINESS REQUESTS for Future Agenda Items. (Discussion)
Letter of invitation to Bevan Dufty, Director, Housing, Opportunity and Engagement (HOPE) to address the issue of homeless services for individuals that are homeless.
Letter of invitation to Harlan Kelly, Assistant General Manager, Infrastructure to provide an update/overview of the Water Plant for residents of the Southeast Sector.
Letter of invitation to Juliet Ellis to address and update the Commission on current and future tenants at the SECFC.
14.0 PUBLIC COMMENT
Commission President Willie B. Kennedy advised she would not be available at the next meeting.
15.0 ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:05 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
___________________
Carla Vaughn
Southeast Community Facility
Commission Secretary
