Rules Committee forwards multiple appointments for Golden Gate Bridge board, Transbay JPA and bond oversight panel

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Rules Committee on March 9 voted to forward recommendations to the full Board for several regional appointments, including Supervisor Rafael Mandelman to the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, four recommended directors to the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District and an appointment to the Public Utilities Revenue Bond Oversight Committee.

Clerk Victor Young read Item 1, the motion to appoint Supervisor Rafael Mandelman to the Transbay Joint Powers Authority. Chair Aaron Peskin moved to send the item as a committee report; Supervisor Gordon Mar voted aye and Supervisor Shamann Chan recorded aye, and the motion passed with Mandelman absent.

Under Item 3, the committee considered four seats on the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District. Incumbent Sabrina Hernandez described more than a decade of service on the district and work on committees including rules, building and operations and a newly formed diversity and equity review committee. Director Bert Hill discussed revenue challenges, labor relations and the suicide-deterrent project. Incumbent directors also described ongoing seismic work, pension challenges and the need for institutional knowledge.

Public comment included labor endorsements: John Doherty of IBW Local 6, Rudy Gonzalez of the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council, Kim Cavallone for the San Francisco Labor Council and additional union and community callers urging reappointment of the incumbents. Several callers also praised applicant Francis Gleeson, a retired transit worker and union member, for frontline experience.

Chair Peskin moved to excuse Supervisor Mandelman from Item 3 and to forward a slate of four directors (Sabrina Hernandez, Bert Hill, the incumbent identified in the record as Grosspohl/Groszball, and Mike Theriault) to the full Board with a positive recommendation; the committee voted aye and the motion passed with Mandelman excused.

On Item 4, Lars Camp introduced his background in economics, project management and capital markets and said he would contribute to oversight of water infrastructure financing as a member of the Revenue Bond Oversight Committee. The committee voted to forward Camp’s appointment to the full Board with a positive recommendation, with Mandelman excused.

The committee also took procedural housekeeping on Item 2, briefly rescinding an earlier vote and then re-voting to send Supervisor Catherine Stefani’s reappointment to the Golden Gate Bridge Board with Mandelman excused.

The Rules Committee’s recommendations will next be considered by the full Board of Supervisors. The committee adjourned after completing its agenda.