Board approves Richard Johns appointment to Historic Preservation Commission after split vote

The Board of Supervisors voted 6–5 to approve the mayor’s nomination of Richard Johns to seat 4 of the Historic Preservation Commission, after several supervisors debated whether the seat should be reserved for a professional historian.

Supervisor Avalos spoke against the appointment, arguing that the Charter and the spirit of the commission’s authorizing language require an appointee who meets the Secretary of the Interior’s professional qualifications for history or who has comparable specialized academic work. Avalos said he had reviewed materials and testimony and concluded that Mr. Johns did not meet those standards and therefore opposed confirmation.

Supervisor Campos, who formerly chaired the Rules Committee and heard the nomination, said the Charter language could be read multiple ways and that an argument could be made either for or against the nomination; nonetheless, after listening to testimony from preservationists and experts, Campos said he would vote against the appointment on balance.

Supporters of the nomination, including Supervisor Weiner, said the commission benefits from a diversity of backgrounds and viewpoints and that the board and the mayor reasonably may judge the nominee qualified. Weiner noted the commission’s increasing influence across multiple policy areas and argued that limiting appointments only to academic historians could be counterproductive.

The roll call recorded six votes in favor and five against. Supervisors voting in favor argued the nominee met the city’s threshold for appointment and offered useful professional and community experience; supervisors voting no argued that the seat should be occupied by an individual meeting specialized historical qualifications.

The board also approved a separate reappointment — Carl Haas to seat 6 of the Historic Preservation Commission — by unanimous vote later in the meeting.

Actions and vote: the motion to approve Richard Johns’s appointment (Item 19) passed 6–5 on roll call. The minutes record six ayes and five nos; the board chair announced the motion approved. No amendments to the appointment were made.

Context: Supervisors cited the commission’s expanded role in recent years — encompassing housing, parks and library policy — and debated whether that expansion argues for a narrower professional requirement for the historian slot or a broader set of qualifications to reflect diverse policy issues. Preservationists had testified that seat 4 should be reserved for a Secretary of the Interior‑qualified historian or someone with comparable academic specialization; others argued the nominee’s community leadership and legal experience were valuable.

What’s next: Mr. Johns’s appointment will proceed as confirmed and Mr. Haas’s reappointment to seat 6 was approved later in the meeting. The debate highlighted continuing board disagreements over the balance between professional qualifications and broader community representation on advisory commissions.