Votes at a glance: Board approves emergency contracts, personnel changes, bonds and EIR affirmation; adopts fracking halt resolution

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Jan. 14 adopted a number of ordinances, resolutions and motions during its regular meeting. Key actions included personnel and procurement measures, emergency contract approvals, housing finance resolutions and procedural actions, as well as an affirmation of a contested environmental impact report and a fracking moratorium resolution.

Votes and formal actions taken (selected):

- Item 2 (Ordinance amending annual salary ordinance): The board conducted a roll-call vote to add two Project Manager I positions (Recreation and Park Department) and passed the ordinance on first reading (recorded tally: 11 ayes).

- Item 3 (Resolution establishing the appropriations limit): Adopted (no roll-call details recorded in transcript).

- Item 5 (Resolution to approve emergency contract with Clean Harbors Environmental Services): Adopted; authorizes environmental cleanup and runway regrading work in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 for services performed 07/11/2013 to 09/19/2013.

- Item 6 (Resolution approving emergency procurement for Public Utilities Commission): Adopted; contract amount not to exceed $225,000 for repairs to a fixed gas monitoring system at Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant (11/18/2013–05/18/2014).

- Item 7 (Resolution authorizing retroactive acceptance and expansion of Urban Area Security Initiative grant): Adopted; budget revision for FY2013 of approximately $688,000.

- Item 8 (Ordinance transferring childcare oversight to Office of Early Care and Education): Passed on first reading via consent.

- Item 9 (Resolution amending special tax district): Adopted via consent.

- Item 11 (Motion affirming Planning Commission certification of the Final EIR for the Masonic Center renovation): Affirmed by board motion (mover: President David Chiu; second: Supervisor Mark Farrell); board tabled Items 12 and 13.

- Item 16 (Ordinance extending Fulton Street grocery store special use district effective date): Passed on first reading.

- Item 17 (Resolution authorizing application to California Debt Limit Allocation Committee): Adopted; authorizes issuance of residential mortgage revenue bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $45,000,000 for 227–228 West Point Road.

- Item 24 / AB 85 hearing motion: Motion to schedule a committee‑of‑the‑whole hearing to consider implementing Assembly Bill 85 (health realignment fund options) was approved.

- AB 85 selection: The board adopted a resolution selecting the “savings formula” option required by Assembly Bill 85 for calculating county contributions under health‑care realignment, which the Department of Public Health said will likely reduce the county’s contribution relative to an alternate fixed‑amount option.

- Item 20 (Resolution urging a halt to hydraulic fracturing in California): Adopted as amended; the board voted to support a halt on hydraulic fracturing and to urge the state to pause the practice pending stronger regulations (resolution was amended on the floor to strengthen language and state support for a halt).

How these were decided: Many items were taken “same house, same call” (consent), meaning supervisors moved to adopt a set of non‑controversial items together. Some items (notably Item 2) received a roll‑call vote. The EIR certification required a separate motion and public hearing before the board affirmed the Planning Commission’s action.

Next steps and notes: Some actions (ordinances passed on first reading) will require second‑reading adoption or follow normal enactment timing. The AB 85 selection requires the Department of Public Health to proceed under the chosen formula; the EIR affirmation allows the project sponsor to continue with required permits subject to the conditions of approval. The fracking resolution is a policy statement urging state action rather than a binding citywide ban.