Board adopts 10‑year capital plan, approves grant and multiple measures amid dissent over street resurfacing funding

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on April 7 adopted the city's 10‑year capital expenditure plan for fiscal years 2010 through 2019 and approved a series of related ordinances and resolutions, including a resolution authorizing the Recreation and Park Department to accept a $157,000 Habitat Conservation Fund grant for the Glen Canyon Restoration Project.

Supervisor John Ellsberg said he would not support the capital plan because it lacks clarity about long‑term funding for street resurfacing. "I want some more security as to how we're going to take care of street resurfacing in the future," he told the board during debate, and said the plan "doesn't meet what I think is necessary to approve it." Ellsberg voted against the measure.

The board adopted the capital plan by roll call vote, 8 ayes to 3 noes. The meeting record shows supervisors Maxwell, Mercarimi, Avalos, Campos, Chu, Dufty and Marr voting in favor; Supervisors Elliot O'Pier, Daley and Ellsberg recorded no votes on the measure. The board also approved on the consent calendar several items by roll call and moved forward first readings and other measures across multiple departments.

Why it matters: the capital plan is the city's multi‑year roadmap for large public projects and borrowing. Dissent from a sitting supervisor over a major maintenance program such as street resurfacing signals a potential area for follow‑up debate or changes as the plan moves toward implementation.

Key facts and immediate actions

- The board adopted the 10‑year capital plan, FY2010–2019 (roll call: 8 ayes, 3 noes). - The board adopted a resolution authorizing the Recreation and Park Department to accept a state Habitat Conservation Fund grant of $157,000 for the Glen Canyon Restoration Project; that resolution passed after an amendment circulated by Supervisor Dufty and was adopted by roll call (11 ayes reported at adoption). - Several items were passed on the consent agenda and by "same house, same call" introductions, including first‑reading ordinances and revenue items involving the Department of Elections and the San Francisco Employees Retirement System.

Quotes

"So I would offer this as an amendment to this resolution," Supervisor Dufty said when raising technical changes to the Recreation and Park Department grant resolution; the amendment was seconded and adopted before the full resolution passed.

"I want some more security as to how we're going to take care of street resurfacing in the future," Supervisor Ellsberg said in explaining his opposition to the capital plan.

Additional context and background

- Item 7 (resolution): authorized the Recreation and Park Department to accept and expand a Habitat Conservation Fund grant administered by the state for the Glen Canyon Restoration Project, in the amount of $157,000. - Item 8 (resolution): adopted the city's 10‑year capital expenditure plan for fiscal years 2010 through 2019; Supervisor Ellsberg explained his "no" vote citing insufficient detail on surfacing and dedicated revenue for streets. - Item 9 (ordinance): amended the annual salary ordinance to reflect staffing changes at the San Francisco Employees Retirement System; passed on first reading. - Item 10 (ordinance): appropriated approximately $4.2 million of revenue and general fund reserve for the Department of Elections; Supervisor Avalos noted the city received a $247,161 reimbursement check from City College for a prior election. - Items 11–14: a resolution approving revenue bonds for Westmont College, a resolution responding to the civil grand jury on kindergarten admissions, planning code amendments for the inclusionary affordable housing program, and a zoning map amendment on Shields Street were moved forward, many by "same house, same call." - The board also adopted a set of resolutions on the adoption‑without‑committee calendar (items 25–34) and an imperative proclamation recognizing Redmond Kernan Day.

Votes at a glance (items recorded in the meeting transcript)

- Consent agenda (items 1–6): adopted by roll call (final recorded: 11 ayes). (motion/outcome: approved) - Item 7: Resolution accepting $157,000 state Habitat Conservation Fund grant for Glen Canyon Restoration Project; amendment by Supervisor Dufty adopted; resolution adopted by roll call (11 ayes). (motion/outcome: approved) - Item 8: Resolution adopting the 10‑year capital expenditure plan, FY2010–2019; roll call: 8 ayes, 3 noes; outcome: adopted. (motion/outcome: approved) - Item 9: Ordinance amending salary ordinance (San Francisco Employees Retirement System); passed in first reading. (motion/outcome: ordinance introduced/passed first reading) - Item 10: Ordinance appropriating ~ $4.2M for Department of Elections; passed on first reading; includes note that City College reimbursed the city $247,161 for a prior election. (motion/outcome: ordinance introduced/passed first reading) - Item 11: Resolution authorizing issuance and sale of revenue bonds by California Municipal Finance Authority for Westmont College (noted in transcript as adopted). (motion/outcome: approved) - Item 12: Resolution responding to civil grand jury report on kindergarten admissions (adopted). (motion/outcome: approved) - Items 13–14: Planning code and zoning map amendments; recorded as passed in first reading. (motion/outcome: ordinance(s) introduced/passed first reading)

Discussion vs. decision

- Discussion: Supervisor Ellsberg pressed for clearer, dedicated funding for street resurfacing and explained his dissent at length during the capital plan debate. - Decision: The board voted to adopt the capital plan and approved or introduced the other items listed above; the Glen Canyon grant resolution was amended and adopted.

Speakers (attributed in this article)

- Supervisor Ross Dufty, Supervisor (moved an amendment to the Glen Canyon grant resolution) - Supervisor John Ellsberg, Supervisor (opposed the capital plan; quote above) - Supervisor Gavin Dufty, Supervisor (appeared in roll calls in transcript) - Madam Clerk (called roll and read items)

Authorities

- {"type":"grant","name":"Habitat Conservation Fund (state)","citation":"not specified","referenced_by":["capital-plan-and-consent-adopted"]} - {"type":"policy","name":"City 10‑year capital expenditure plan, FY2010–2019","citation":"not specified","referenced_by":["capital-plan-and-consent-adopted"]} - {"type":"ordinance","name":"Annual Salary Ordinance FY 2008/2009 (amendment for SFERS positions)","citation":"not specified","referenced_by":["capital-plan-and-consent-adopted"]} - {"type":"statute","name":"California Environmental Quality Act","citation":"CEQA","referenced_by":["capital-plan-and-consent-adopted"]}

Discussion_decision

{"discussion_points":["Supervisor Ellsberg said the capital plan lacks clarity on funding for street resurfacing and would not support adoption without more certainty","A technical amendment to the Recreation and Park Department grant resolution was offered by Supervisor Dufty and seconded by Supervisor Ellsberg"],"directions":["Recreation and Park Department to accept and expand $157,000 state Habitat Conservation Fund grant for Glen Canyon Restoration Project, with certification language adjusted per amendment"],"decisions":["Adopt 10‑year capital expenditure plan FY2010–2019 (8 ayes, 3 noes)","Adopt resolution authorizing acceptance of the Glen Canyon Restoration Project grant (11 ayes)","Approve consent agenda items 1–6 (11 ayes)"]}

Clarifying_details

[{"category":"grant","detail":"Glen Canyon Restoration Project Habitat Conservation Fund grant","value":157000,"units":"USD","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Madam Clerk"},{"category":"election reimbursement","detail":"City College payment for February election","value":247161,"units":"USD","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Supervisor Avalos"},{"category":"vote_tally","detail":"Capital plan vote tally","value":"8 yes, 3 no","source_speaker":"Madam Clerk"}]

Proper_names

[{"name":"Glen Canyon Restoration Project","type":"program"},{"name":"Recreation and Park Department","type":"agency"},{"name":"San Francisco Employees Retirement System","type":"agency"},{"name":"Westmont College","type":"school"},{"name":"California Municipal Finance Authority","type":"organization"}]

Provenance

{"transcript_segments":[{"block_id":"block_152.075","local_start":0,"local_end":204,"evidence_excerpt":"Item 7, resolution authorizing the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department to accept and expand a Habitat Conservation Fund grama administered by the state in the amount of $157,000 for the Glen Canyon Restoration Project. Supervisor Dufty.","reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"block_270.845","local_start":0,"local_end":326,"evidence_excerpt":"Thank you, President Hsu. This year, for the first time, I will not be supporting this resolution... I want some more security as to how we're going to take care of street resurfacing in the future. This capital plan doesn't meet what I think is necessary to approve it. So this year, I'll be dissenting on the capital plan, but look forward to future discussions on this plan as we move forward.","reason_code":"topicfinish"}]}

searchable_tags["capital plan","public finance","parks","grants","elections","planning"]