Budget & Finance Committee forwards nine items to full Board, including park grants and advertising contract amendments

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Budget & Finance Committee voted June 9 to send nine items to the full Board with positive recommendations, including state park grants for two parks, amendments to two SFMTA advertising contracts that reduce minimum guaranteed payments during the pandemic, a Department of Public Health grant, a 10‑year extension for the Treasurer’s lockbox system, a $15,000 greening donation, a $6 million philanthropic grant for restorative justice, and the release of $2.3 million in bond funds for a floating fireboat station.

The items matter because they combine capital investments, pandemic‑era revenue adjustments for transit advertising, and new or expanded program funding that will reach the full Board on June 15. Chair Matt Haney opened the remote meeting and directed each presentation; several items required retroactive approvals because grant performance periods began before legislation was finalized.

Rec & Park asked the committee to recommend that the Board authorize acceptance and expenditure of a California State Parks Community Revitalization grant in the range described by staff for the India Basin Shoreline Park playground project. Toni Moran said, “I am requesting the budget and finance committee recommend that the Board of Supervisors authorize the Rec and Park Department to apply for, accept, and expend a California State Parks grant in the amount of $5,768,000 to support the construction of a new playground at India Basin Shoreline Park,” and explained the grant contract would include a 30‑year maintenance requirement and a performance period that begins 07/01/2020.

Moran also presented an amended resolution for the Buchanan Street Mall renewal project that clarifies the action is an amendment to an existing agreement with the Trust for Public Land to accept additional funds (Trust for Public Land is proposing to gift up to $8,000,000, including up to $5,800,000 in State Parks grant funds). City counsel read non‑substantive language changes to the short and long titles to reflect that the resolution amends an existing grant rather than creates a new one; the committee approved the amendments and forwarded the item.

Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital/DPH requested retroactive authority to accept and expend $925,000 from the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation for a Transforming Mental and Behavioral Health Fund program running 10/01/2020–08/31/2022. Jenna Balinski said DPH received the MOU on 02/02/2021 and therefore needs retroactive authorization because the program’s start date precedes the department’s receipt of the MOU.

Two SFMTA advertising contract amendments (Intersection Media and Clear Channel Outdoor) drew the most extended discussion. Gail Stein, who manages SFMTA’s advertising contracts, described dramatic declines in advertising revenue during the pandemic and presented negotiated temporary reductions to the minimum annual guarantees (MAGs) and changes to revenue‑share terms intended to keep contractors and their maintenance workforces employed. For Intersection Media the amendments reduce FY21 guaranteed payments to about $250,000 and set a $1,000,000 guaranteed amount for FY22 with a 65% revenue share; for Clear Channel the temporary terms include lower guaranteed payments and a reduction in the percentage share (from roughly 55% to 50% for the pandemic period). Severn Campbell of the Budget Legislative Analyst’s office flagged the combined reductions shown in BLA tables (several millions in lost MAG payments across the terms) and characterized approval as a policy decision because of the revenue implication for SFMTA. Public callers from Teamsters representing shelter‑maintenance workers urged support so employees remain on payroll; Ramiro Gonzales testified that Clear Channel “has kept us working and continues to keep working throughout the pandemic.” The committee approved forwarding both contract amendments with positive recommendations.

Treasurer’s Office staff requested a sole‑source ninth amendment to extend the Wausau Financial Systems lockbox and license/support contract for 10 years and increase the amount by roughly $4.1–$4.2 million (bringing the total not to exceed roughly $11.1 million). Amanda Freed said the system is used to process and archive more than $5 billion annually and that the office proposes extension because implementing a replacement would be costly and carry operational risk. The committee forwarded the amendment.

Public Works presented a $15,000 gift from the Ocean Avenue Association to support tree plantings, sidewalk landscaping and three years of watering and maintenance assistance; Public Works showed before‑and‑after photos and the committee forwarded the acceptance.

The District Attorney’s office requested retroactive acceptance and expansion of a $6 million grant from the Crankstart Foundation to establish a San Francisco Healing Justice Initiative that adds grant‑funded positions in the DA’s office and funds a Public Defender attorney position for 01/01/2021–12/31/2023. Demaris Evans said over half of the funds would be reinvested in community partners through a competitive solicitation and described the initiative as victim‑centered restorative justice programming; the committee sent the ordinance to the Board with a positive recommendation.

Public Works also requested release of $2.3 million in previously reserved 2010 Earthquake Safety and Emergency Response bond funds to partially fund construction of a floating fireboat station at Pier 22½ (project budget $49.5 million); the BLA recommended approval and the committee voted to release the funds and file the hearing.

All items approved in committee were sent to the full Board with positive recommendations and are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda on June 15, 2021. Several items required retroactive approval because grant performance or program start dates preceded the Board filings.