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Board approves towing contract, retirement and capital measures; votes at a glance from March 15 meeting
Summary
The Board of Supervisors voted March 15 on a package of contracts, ordinances and resolutions that included approval of a multi‑year towing and vehicle‑storage contract, a retirement compensation ordinance, financing for a new animal shelter and the first‑reading approval of a sole‑source electronic health record contract.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on March 15 took a series of votes spanning procurement, pensions, capital financing and state advocacy.
Towing, storage contract and MTA administrative fee: The board approved a resolution to authorize a contract with TEGSCO (doing business as AutoReturn San Francisco) for towing, storage and disposal of abandoned and illegally parked vehicles for an amount not to exceed $65,400,000 through March 31, 2021, with options to extend. The item was the subject of extended procedural discussion about sequencing with a Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) administrative fee change; supervisors delayed action until after the MTA voted to lower its administrative fee for towing. SFMTA staff stated the MTA board reduced the administrative fee from $2.61 to $1.72 for the first tow, with an additional reduced amount available for qualifying low‑income residents, and approved a 48‑hour storage‑fee waiver for eligible low‑income people. Supervisor Wiener said the city should reimburse the MTA for the revenue impact and introduced a supplemental appropriation estimated at roughly $3.5 million to cover the change.
Pensions and retirement compensation (Item 9): The board passed an ordinance redefining "final compensation" for retirement benefits under the San Francisco Employees' Retirement System, including compensation earnable in the judges' retirement system. The ordinance passed by roll call with nine ayes and one no (Supervisor Peskin in dissent).
Animal shelter financing (Item 10): Supervisors unanimously adopted a resolution amending the city's 10‑year capital expenditure plan through 2025 to provide for financing of an animal care and control shelter using certificates of participation or other indebtedness consistent with the general fund debt program.
Tanforan lease (Item 11): A resolution authorizing the MTA to execute a lease for approximately 7.3 acres at 30 Tanforan Avenue in South San Francisco for a bus operator training course was continued to the April 5 meeting at the request of a supervisor.
Electronic health record (Item 12): The board voted on an ordinance to suspend Administrative Code section 21.1 (competitive solicitation requirement) and select the Regents of the University of California as the preferred contractor for an electronic health record system for the Department of Public Health; the ordinance passed on first reading with nine ayes and two noes (Supervisors Cohen and Kim dissenting).
Tax‑exempt financing (Item 13): A resolution authorizing tax‑exempt obligations by the California Statewide Communities Development Authority in an amount not to exceed $16 million for the California College of the Arts passed unanimously.
Grants and awards (Items 14–15): The board adopted resolutions authorizing acceptance of federal and regional grants (including a $750,000 Department of Justice award for a domestic violence pilot and a $535,000 Alameda County Waste Management Authority award for regional water conservation) by unanimous vote.
Appointments and hearings (Item 16 and new business): The board confirmed appointments to the Assessment Appeals Board and several supervisors introduced new business including draft language on the transportation sustainability fee, a resolution urging the state to adopt SB 1286 on law‑enforcement transparency, a municipal fiber‑optic network hearing request, a sea‑level‑rise hearing, and an ordinance clarifying treatment of pipeline housing projects under an upcoming charter amendment.
Animal‑fighting dogs and other proclamations (Items 20, 21, 24): The board unanimously adopted a resolution supporting state legislation to remove an outdated California law that requires certain dogs seized in animal‑fighting convictions to be condemned (item 20), enacted a proclamation marking the 1916 Easter Rising centenary (item 21) and recognized Problem Gambling Awareness Month (item 24).
Several items were continued: the MTA homelessness emergency request (item 22) and a separate alcohol license resolution (item 23) were continued one week to March 22, while the Tanforan lease (item 11) was continued to April 5.
