Abatement Appeals Board elects Commissioner Tam president; Commissioner Epler named vice president

The Abatement Appeals Board elected Commissioner Tam as its president and Commissioner Epler as vice president during a brief, procedural meeting.

After nominations and a procedural explanation from the board’s legal advisor, the panel held a roll-call vote on an initial nomination of Commissioner Summer for president; the motion failed when Summer and two other commissioners recorded “no” votes. In a subsequent vote, Commissioner Tam drew five affirmative votes and was declared president. Commissioner Epler was then elected vice president in a unanimous vote.

The nominations round included multiple proposals: one speaker nominated Commissioner Summer for president and Commissioner Epler for vice president; Commissioner Beto nominated Commissioner Tam for president; Commissioner McCarthy offered alternative pairings. The board followed its stated procedure of voting on nominees in the order the nominations were received.

Votes at a glance: the president’s election passed 5–1; the vice-president election was unanimous. The board also voted earlier in the meeting to renew findings authorizing remote meetings under state law and approved minutes from a prior meeting.

Unidentified Speaker (land acknowledgment) opened the meeting with a land acknowledgment, saying, "The Abatement Appeals Board acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Rheinmetus Ohlone, who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula." The board confirmed a quorum before moving to business.

The meeting included procedural clarification from the board’s legal advisor about nomination and voting order and whether seconds were required. After votes concluded, a Deputy City Attorney offered congratulations, and the chair announced the results and the new officers.

The board adjourned at approximately 9:25 a.m.; staff noted the Building Inspection Commission meeting was scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.