City Watch: Board of Sups Roundup
By Darren Girard
The Guardsman
Mayor Ed Lee was grilled by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors during the mayor’s “question time” on Sep. 13, under the looming shadow of the November mayoral race. Held during the board’s regularly scheduled meeting, each supervisor had five minutes to address concerns and previously submitted questions.
The pressing issues of the day included the new central subway project, various building projects and public concerns about the status and stability of Pier 38.
No one was spared during the meeting’s war of words. Supervisor Sean Elsbernd asked everyone to “move away from cliches and one-liners of campaigns.” Supervisor John Avalos requested a more “interactive, substantive, and dynamic exchange,” inferring that Mayor Ed Lee was offering campaign phrases for news outlets. Mayor Lee responded “My answers may not make great blogs,” but then added, “I’m not here to make headlines.”
Lee followed up with a cheerful invitation to a game of ping-pong at Chinatown’s Sunday Streets Ping-Pong Diplomacy Tournament, where intends to engage in a more “dynamic discussion” with Avalos.
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During public comment many Bay View/ Hunter’s Point residents lined up to have their voices heard. The growing sentiment: residents frustrations are mounting over the lack of jobs and overall declining condition of the neighborhood. The two minutes allotted per public member was not sufficient for some to truly express their opinions. One woman even demanded, “give me my three minutes back”!
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Pier 38 business tenants facing eviction within the month asked the board to pressure the San Francisco Port Authority and Fire Marshals into letting them stay.
Earlier this month, the Port issued eviction notices to the roughly 50 businesses over a list of significant safety violations, including electrical, plumbing and fire code violations. The Port deemed the pier “hazardous and unsafe”, placing red tags on the doors of businesses. Tenants contend otherwise, saying that quick and simple repairs could be made to bring the building up to code.
Pier 38 has become a hub for small technology start ups in the last five years. One stakeholder characterized Pier 38 “as a nexus for venture capitalists and entrepreneurs”.
Shutting down Pier 38 will result in job displacement of roughly 200 workers and will constitute a loss of revenue for the city. If Pier 38 is vacated many say that it will sit and continue falling into disrepair like other neighboring piers. Echoing loud in City Hall’s high ceilings, the last words from tenants were, “The city should be working harder to preserve this place”.
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A group of Veterans concerned over the violence plaguing San Francisco requested the Board’s support of a dance off! Hoping to re-introduce people to California’s official boogie the “West Coast Swing” and simultaneously curb the rate of violence within the city, the Veterans proposed a year long dance competition to “promote peace, create jobs, and happiness!”
So why dancing to end violence? The veterans answered, “when you are dancing how can you be shooting?” No word yet from the Board about an endorsement but did offer a smiling “Thank you and happy dancing.”