Supervisors confirm Mel Murphy to Port Commission amid objections over permits and campaign activity

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 7-4 on a roll call to confirm the mayor's appointment of Mel Murphy to the Port Commission on March 26, 2013.

Supervisor John Avalos, who led opposition to the appointment, said he had "great pause about wanting to support Mel Murphy," citing a string of permit-related incidents and a Chronicle report he said showed irregularities. Avalos described complaints to the Department of Building Inspection alleging demolition without permits in 2004 and later work begun without proper permits, and said he was concerned about "the appearance" of special consideration in permit handling and about Murphy's fundraising for candidates and independent expenditures.

Supporters said Murphy has contributed to the city in other ways. Supervisor Farrell called Murphy "a leader within our community" and said he had done "a lot" for young people and local organizations. Supervisor Cohen said that in the Rules Committee hearing she had seen no legal standing to the reported allegations and attested to Murphy's character based on personal experience.

Why it matters: The Port Commission has regulatory and land-use responsibilities that affect waterfront development, neighborhoods and port operations. Several supervisors said the allegations raised questions about whether an appointee to that body should face unresolved public concerns about permits and campaign activity.

Board action and vote: The appointment was item 13 on the agenda: "A motion confirming the mayor's appointment of Mel Murphy, term ending 05/01/2016, to the Port Commission." The roll call recorded votes as follows: Tang, aye; Weiner, aye; Yi, aye; Avalos, no; Breed, aye; Campos, no; Chu, no; Cohen, aye; Farrell, aye; Kim, aye; Mar, no. The motion carried with seven ayes and four nos; the board clerk announced "The motion is approved."

Discussion vs. decision: Supervisors who opposed the appointment urged the mayor to submit another nominee and said the board should be a backstop against conflicts of interest or appearance-of impropriety. Supporters said Murphy has performed community service, particularly with youth programs, and that allegations raised in media reports were not proven legal violations at the time of the hearing. The board did not direct further investigation as part of the vote; the item was a confirmation vote and the appointment was approved.

Key quotes from the meeting: "I have great pause about wanting to support Mel Murphy," Supervisor Avalos said, citing permit complaints and fundraising ties. "Given the clouds of allegations, we should not support the appointment that is in front of us today," another supervisor said during debate, while other supervisors attested to Murphy's community work and character.

What the record shows (clarifying details): Avalos cited a 2004 complaint to the Department of Building Inspection alleging partial demolition without a permit and later permitting activity; he also referenced a December (most recent year) project that he said began without proper permits and a Chronicle story reporting differences between reported and actual construction costs. Specific addresses and years were mentioned during remarks; the board vote was the formal action taken at the meeting.

Next steps / follow-up: The confirmation is final per the board vote recorded at this meeting. No additional, board-directed investigation or referral regarding the cited permit or campaign finance allegations was recorded on the floor as part of the confirmation vote.

Ending: The appointment was decided on the record; supervisors who opposed it emphasized appearance-of impropriety and urged future nominations to avoid similar concerns, while supporters said Murphy's community contributions merited confirmation.