SAN FRANCISCO  FIRE COMMISSION

Fire Commission Regular Meeting

March 22, 2023, 5:00 p.m.

 

City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 400 n San Francisco n California n 94102

 

 

This meeting will be held in person at the location listed above.  Members of the public may attend the meeting to observe and provide public comment at the physical meeting location listed above or by calling in to the number below.  Instructions for providing remote public comment by phone are below.

 

PUBLIC COMMENT CALL-IN:

1 (415) 655-0001 / MEETING ID: 2492 990 8714

 

Ensure you are in a quiet location.

Speak clearly and turn off background sounds (television, phones, radios)

Wait for the item you would like to address to be called. When prompted, press *3 to be added to the queue.  The system will notify you when you are in line.  Callers will hear silence when waiting for your turn to speak.  Operator will unmute.  When prompted, callers will have the standard three minutes to provide comment.  

 

You may also watch live at www.sfgovtv.org

 

Item No.
1.         ROLL CALL
 

President	Stephen A. Nakajo
Vice President	Armie Morgan
Commissioner	Katherine Feinstein
Commissioner	Marcy Fraser
Commissioner	Paula Collins
Chief of Department	Jeanine Nicholson

 

Ramaytush Ohlone Land Acknowledgement

 

The San Francisco Fire Commission acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula. As the indigenous stewards of this land, and in accordance with their traditions, the Ramaytush Ohlone have never ceded, lost, nor forgotten their responsibilities as the caretakers of this place, as well as for all peoples who reside in their traditional territory. As guests, we recognize that we benefit from living and working on their traditional homeland. We wish to pay our respects by acknowledging the Ancestors, Elders, and Relatives of the Ramaytush Ohlone community and by affirming their sovereign rights as First Peoples.

 

2.         GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
Members of the public may address the Commission for up to three minutes on any matter within the Commission’s jurisdiction that does not appear on the agenda.  Speakers shall address their remarks to the Commission as a whole and not to individual Commissioners or Department personnel.  Commissioners are not to enter into debate or discussion with a 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.

 

3.         APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES [Discussion and possible action]

Discussion and possible action to approve meeting minutes.

 

• Minutes from Regular Meeting on March 8, 2023.

 

4. CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT’S REPORT [Discussion]

REPORT FROM CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT, JEANINE NICHOLSON

Report on current issues, activities, and events within the Department since the Fire Commission meeting on March 8, 2023, including budget, academies, special events, communications, and outreach to other government agencies and the public.

 

REPORT FROM ADMINISTRATION, DEPUTY CHIEF TOM O’CONNOR

Report on the Administrative Divisions, Fleet and Facility status and updates, Finance, Support Services, Homeland Security and an update from Assistant Deputy Chief, Shon Buford of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Division.

 

5.         PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM 6

Public comment on all matters pertaining to Items 6(b) below, including public comment on whether to hold Items 6(b) in closed session.

 

6.         POSSIBLE CLOSED SESSION REGARDING EXISTING LITIGATION

 

1. VOTE ON WHETHER TO CONDUCT ITEMS 6(b) IN CLOSED SESSION [Action]

The Commission may hear Item 6(b) in closed session pursuant to Government Code Section 54957(b) and Administrative Code Section 67.10(b).

 

2. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION. Conference with legal counsel to discuss existing litigation pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(a), (c), (d), and Administrative Code Section 67.10(d)(1) and possible recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for settlement approval or to take other action.  [Action item]

 

Existing Litigation:

Ronnie Jones v. City and County of San Francisco

San Francisco Superior Court Case No. CGC-21-589810

 

7.         REPORT ON ANY ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION [Discussion and possible action] as specified in California Government Code Section 54957.1(a) and San Francisco Administrative Code section 67.12(b).

8.         VOTE TO ELECT WHETHER TO DISCLOSE ANY OR ALL DISCUSSIONS HELD IN CLOSED SESSION, as specified in San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.12(a).   [Action]

 

9.         ADJOURNMENT      

San Francisco Fire Commission

 

NOTICE OF COMMISSION PROCEDURES

 

 

Commission Meeting Schedule and Location

 

The Fire Commission will meet regularly on the 2^nd and 4^th Wednesday of each month at San Francisco City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102. The second Wednesday in Room 416 at 9:00 a.m. and the fourth Wednesday in Room 400 at 5:00 p.m.

 

Commission Office

 

The Fire Commission Office is located at 698 Second Street, Room 220, San Francisco, CA 94107. The Fire Commission telephone number is (415) 558-3451; the fax number is (415) 558-3413. The web address is http://sf-fire.org/fire-commission-home.  Office hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

 

Remote Public Participation

 

Remote public participation is available upon request for individuals who cannot attend in person due to disability.  Making a request to participate remotely no later than 2 hours prior to the start of the meeting helps ensure availability of the meeting link.  Sign Language Interpretation is also available upon request.

 

Language Access

 

Per the Language Access Ordinance (Chapter 91 of the San Francisco Administrative Code), Chinese, Spanish and or Filipino (Tagalog) interpreters will be available upon requests. Meeting Minutes may be translated, if requested, after they have been adopted by the Commission.  Assistance in additional languages may be honored whenever possible. To request assistance with these services please contact the Commission Secretary at (415) 558-3451, or fire.commission@sfgov.org at least 48 hours in advance of the hearing.  Late requests will be honored if possible.

 

Information on Disability Access

 

The hearing rooms in City Hall are wheelchair accessible.  The closest accessible BART station is the Civic Center Station at United Nations Plaza and Market Street. Accessible MUNI lines serving this location are: #42 Downtown Loop, and #71 Haight/Noriega and the F Line to Market and Van Ness and the Metro Stations at Van Ness and Market and at Civic Center. For information about MUNI accessible services call (415) 923-6142. There is accessible curbside parking adjacent to City Hall on Grove Street and Van Ness Avenue and in the vicinity of the Veterans Building at 401 Van Ness Avenue adjacent to Davies Hall and the War Memorial Complex.  For more information about MUNI accessible services, call (415) 701-4485.

 

To obtain a disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, to participate in the meeting, please contact the Commission Secretary at least two business days before the meeting at (415) 558-3451 to make arrangements.  Late requests will be honored, if possible.

 

To assist the City’s efforts to accommodate persons with severe allergies, environmental illnesses, multiple chemical sensitivity or related disabilities, attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various chemical-based products. Please help the city to accommodate these individuals.

 

Policy on use of Cell Phones, Pagers, and Similar Sound-Producing Electronic Devices at and During Public Meetings

 

The ringing and use of cell phones, pagers and similar sound-producing electronic devices are prohibited at Fire Commission meetings. Please be advised that the Chair may order the removal from the meeting room of any person(s) responsible for the ringing or use of a cell phone, pager, or other similar sound-producing electronic device.

 

Documents for Public Inspection

 

Documents referred to in this agenda, if not otherwise exempt from disclosure, are available for public inspection and copying at the Fire Commission Office.  If any materials related to an item on this agenda are distributed to the Fire Commission after distribution of the agenda packet, those materials, if not otherwise exempt from disclosure, are also available for public inspection at the Fire Commission Office, 698 Second Street, room 220, San Francisco, during normal office hours.

 

Know Your Rights under the Sunshine Ordinance

(Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code)

 

Government's duty is to serve the public, reaching its decisions in full view of the public. Commissions, boards, councils and other agencies of the City and County exist to conduct the people’s business. This ordinance assures that deliberations are conducted before the people and that City operations are open to the people’s review.  For more information on your rights under the sunshine ordinance or to report a violation of the ordinance, contact the sunshine ordinance task force. You may contact the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force Administrator, as follows: Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, City Hall, Room 244, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102-4689, Phone: (415) 554-7724, Fax: (415) 554-5784, E-mail: sotf@sfgov.org. Copies of the Sunshine Ordinance can be obtained from the Clerk of the Sunshine Task Force, the San Francisco Public Library and on the City’s Web site at http://www.sfgov.org.

 

San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance

 

Individuals and entities that influence or attempt to influence local policy or administrative action may be required by the San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance (San Francisco Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code sections 2.100 – 2.160) to register and report lobbying activity. For more information about the Lobbyist Ordinance, please contact the Ethics Commission at 30 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 3900, San Francisco, CA 94102, telephone (415) 581-2300, fax (415) 581-2317 and Web site: http://www.sfgov.org/ethics/.