ARRUCE committee advances appointments to advisory boards, including Reentry Council and Sunshine Task Force

The ARRUCE committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Oct. 2 advanced a package of appointments to city advisory bodies, approving candidates for the Commission on Aging Advisory Council, the SRO Task Force, the Reentry Council, the Central Market/Tenderloin Citizens Advisory Committee, three Assessment Appeals boards and the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force. All votes were taken by voice or without objection; no roll calls were conducted.

Committee Chair Supervisor Norman Yee opened the meeting and described the agenda. The clerk noted housekeeping rules and announced that items acted on at the committee will appear on the Oct. 21 Board of Supervisors agenda. Item 1 was a motion to appoint Supervisor London Breed to the Committee on City Workforce Alignment for an indefinite term; the committee approved the motion after no members of the public spoke.

On Item 2 the committee considered reappointing Katherine Russo to the Commission on Aging Advisory Council (term ending 03/31/2016). Katherine Russo told the panel she has served on the advisory council since 2003, described monthly meetings and regular visits to agencies serving older adults, and said she represents senior concerns at state meetings. Supervisor David Campos moved to reappoint her, Supervisor Katie Tang voiced support and the motion passed without objection.

Item 3 filled a seat on the SRO Task Force. Applicant Raul Fernandez (identified in remarks as Raul Fernandez Berrios Abel), coordinator of the SRO Families United Collaborative, summarized two decades of community service assisting families in single-room-occupancy housing and homeless households. Supervisor Campos moved to advance Fernandez’s appointment with a positive recommendation; the committee approved the motion.

The committee then considered Item 4, four appointments to the Reentry Council (terms ending 06/01/2016). Six applicants spoke in favor of their candidacies, including Jesse Taylor (executive director, Smart Reentry Technology Initiative), William DeArmond, Joseph Calderon (an incumbent and reentry council member), Dominique Rosa Leslie (who described experience working on transgender and multicultural reentry issues), Kimberly Courtney (reentry coordinator, 5 Keys Charter School) and Ernest Kirkwood (chair of a reentry subcommittee). Public commenters including Steve Goode (Executive Director, 5 Keys) and Janetta Johnson (program director, TGI Justice Project) endorsed specific candidates. Supervisor Campos recommended continuity by reappointing Joseph Calderon and Ernest Kirkwood and also proposed Dominique Rosa Leslie and Kimberly Courtney for the remaining seats; Supervisor Tang supported the nominations. The committee voted to advance Joseph Calderon (seat 1), Dominique Rosa Leslie (seat 2), Ernest Kirkwood (seat 3) and Kimberly Courtney (seat 4).

Item 5 addressed two seats on the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Central Market Street and Tenderloin area. Applicants described neighborhood work on homelessness, youth services and community benefits agreements. Public endorsers urged appointments that reflect life experience as well as professional qualifications. Supervisor Campos nominated John Bogacchi for seat 4 and Rob Gittin for seat 8; Supervisor Tang backed the nominations and the committee approved both appointments.

Items 6–8 (Assessment Appeals Boards numbers 1–3) were taken together. Candidates with appraisal and real-estate backgrounds — Diane Robinson, Richard Lee, Josef (Josef/Josef Tabaslov/Tabaslov) Tabaslov, Edward Campania (Campania/Campania) and Anne Farell — described relevant experience. Supervisor Tang recommended Diane Robinson and Richard Lee for Board 1, Josef Tabaslov and Edward Campania for Board 2, and Anne Farell for Board 3; the committee advanced those nominations.

On Item 9, nominations for the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, applicants Fiona Hintz/Hines and Bruce Wolf addressed transparency and records-access issues. Several public speakers — including a representative of the League of Women Voters and other community advocates — urged Bruce Wolf’s reappointment for his institutional knowledge and technology expertise. Supervisor Campos supported moving both Pixie Chopra (whose nomination requires a residential waiver) and Bruce Wolf forward; Supervisor Tang favored Fiona Hines for one seat. The committee advanced Pixie Chopra (with the waiver requirement noted) and Fiona Hines for the other seat, and the motion to forward the nominations passed without objection.

The clerk closed the meeting after the committee completed its business and Chair Yee adjourned the session. All actions reported to the full Board will appear on the Oct. 21 agenda.

Votes at a glance (committee recommendation / outcome at ARRUCE meeting): - Item 1 — Appoint Supervisor London Breed to Committee on City Workforce Alignment (indefinite term): approved (no objection). - Item 2 — Reappoint Katherine Russo to Commission on Aging Advisory Council (term ending 03/31/2016): approved (no objection). - Item 3 — Appoint Raul Fernandez to SRO Task Force (term ending 12/31/2015): approved (no objection). - Item 4 — Reentry Council appointments (four seats, terms ending 06/01/2016): Joseph Calderon (seat 1), Dominique Rosa Leslie (seat 2), Ernest Kirkwood (seat 3), Kimberly Courtney (seat 4): all approved (no objection). - Item 5 — Citizens Advisory Committee (Central Market/Tenderloin) appointments: John Bogacchi (seat 4), Rob Gittin (seat 8): approved (no objection). - Items 6–8 — Assessment Appeals Boards 1–3 appointments: Diane Robinson and Richard Lee (Board 1), Josef Tabaslov and Edward Campania (Board 2), Anne Farell (Board 3): approved (no objection). - Item 9 — Sunshine Ordinance Task Force appointments: Pixie Chopra (seat requiring residential waiver) and Fiona Hines (seat 11): approved to move forward (no objection).

What’s next: Committee recommendations will be forwarded to the full Board of Supervisors and are scheduled to appear on the Oct. 21 Board agenda. The meeting record and transcripts will be posted online by SFGTV staff mentioned during opening remarks.