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Ethics Commission grants narrow waiver so Joanne Lee can lead Chinatown arts project
Summary
The San Francisco Ethics Commission unanimously approved a narrowly tailored waiver allowing Joanne Lee, deputy director at the San Francisco Arts Commission, to accept the executive director job at the Chinatown Media and Arts Collaborative's Edge on the Square. Staff had recommended denial, but commissioners cited community hardship and the project’s uniqueness.
The San Francisco Ethics Commission on June 9 approved a limited post‑employment waiver permitting Joanne Lee to accept the executive director position with the Chinatown Media and Arts Collaborative (CMAC) to lead the Edge on the Square project.
Chair Lee moved to grant the waiver specifically for Lee’s employment with CMAC; after discussion the commission took a roll‑call vote and approved the motion unanimously. The vote followed an extensive public record of letters and live testimony from community leaders, Arts Commission colleagues, CMAC representatives and elected officials urging the commission to weigh community impact and the singular nature of the CMAC role.
Why it matters: The city’s campaign and governmental conduct code bars officers and employees from taking jobs with entities that entered into a contract with the city in the preceding 12 months if the employee was personally and substantially involved in…
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