San Francisco Rules Committee advances ordinance to create centralized online database of advisory-body appointments

The San Francisco Rules Committee on Wednesday advanced an ordinance that would require a centralized, publicly accessible online database listing appointments and vacancies for the city's boards, commissions and advisory bodies.

President of the Board Supervisor David Chu, sponsor of the measure, said the ordinance "ensures, for the first time that there is a centralized online database that the public can search" for information about appointments and vacancies and called it a way to make available opportunities to a broader, more diverse set of residents.

Anu Menon, senior gender policy analyst at the Department on the Status of Women, said the department "supports this legislation because it increases transparency and accountability" and described how staff have struggled to compile complete, up-to-date appointment lists under the current process. Menon told the committee that the department had produced a guide titled How to Get That Appointment and argued the database would streamline the charter-mandated analysis of appointments every two years.

Angela Calvillo, the clerk of the board, described the practical challenges the office faces under current state law (the Maddy Local Appointive List Act) and said coordination with appointing departments will be essential. Calvillo and a representative from the city administrator's office discussed hosting and administration options, including using the city's 311/online infrastructure to update vacancies and rosters.

Advocacy groups spoke in favor. Amy Bacharach of the San Francisco Women's Political Committee said the database would "fill gaps" in the existing process and help women and newcomers identify openings; Kimberly Ellis of Emerge California said it would make board information and vacancy counts more accessible; Jessica Trebelwood of the Jewish Community Relations Council said the measure would widen civic access.

Committee members acknowledged the need to coordinate technology and staffing. Supervisor Chu said he would convene meetings with the city administrator's office, Department of Technology and the clerk's office to avoid duplication and to design an efficient platform. The committee moved the item forward with recommendation to the full board.

Next steps: staff agreed to begin cross-office planning on implementation and to report back on responsibilities for hosting, updates and staffing before final enactment.