San Francisco supervisors probe mayoral use of undated resignation letters for some appointees

SAN FRANCISCO — The Government Audit & Oversight Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors held a special hearing Oct. 11 to examine the mayor’s practice of soliciting undated resignation letters from some commission appointees and whether the practice undermines charter protections.

Supervisor Dean Preston, chair of the committee, opened the hearing by saying reporting and records produced in response to letters of inquiry show the mayor’s office had obtained undated resignation letters from ‘‘many’’ sitting commissioners and that the practice ‘‘is fundamentally inconsistent with city law and specifically our city charter.’’ The city attorney issued a public memorandum, Preston said, ‘‘finding that the use of undated resignation letters for appointees is inconsistent with the charter.’’

The committee called as its principal witnesses Sean Ellsburn, identified in the hearing as the mayor’s chief of staff, and Police Commissioner Carter Overstone, who rescinded an offered resignation he had been asked to sign. Ellsburn told the committee that…