Supervisors press departments over retroactive contracts, emergency declarations after several agency items

Board members pressed city agencies on Feb. 2019 about a series of retroactive contract approvals and emergency declarations, prompting briefings from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the Airport, and the Department of Public Health.

Supervisor Peskin repeatedly pressed agencies for clearer timelines and accountability when departments ask the board to ratify actions after the fact. He asked why some contracts and emergency declarations were being brought to the board retroactively rather than for prior approval.

SFPUC: Items 17 and 18 were two emergency‑declaration resolutions from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Item 17 authorized emergency repairs to the Southeast Treatment Plant final effluent force main, with an estimated cost not to exceed approximately $4.9 million; item 18 authorized repairs to ventilation ducts at the Oceanside treatment plant for an estimated cost not to exceed $3.0 million. John Scarpulla of the SFPUC explained the infrastructure was aging and that an unplanned crack required an emergency repair before a larger planned upgrade could be completed. He said the agency invoked emergency procurement provisions to prevent a full pipe break…