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Rules Committee forwards Sunshine Task Force reappointment, defers second seat after ethics concerns and public dispute
Summary
The Rules Committee recommended reappointing Marjorie Ann Williams to the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force and deferred action on a second seat after public testimony raised questions about experience and an Ethics Commission finding related to applicant Doug Comstock; committee agreed to revisit the deferred seat at the call of the chair.
Supervisor Tom Ammiano opened the Rules Committee meeting and introduced Item 3, appointments to the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, saying there were two seats and three applicants. Doug Comstock outlined decades of involvement with the Sunshine Ordinance and described his leadership of the task force and role in drafting amendments. James Kneber (corrected from an earlier mispronunciation) and Marjorie Ann Williams each described their qualifications and interest in reappointment.
Multiple public commenters urged continuity through the task force's pending amendment process. Alan Grossman and Erica Craven supported reappointing Comstock and Williams, stressing Comstock’s knowledge of Proposition G and the mechanics of Sunshine enforcement. A member of the public, identifying himself as H. Brown, leveled a personal attack alleging political payback tied to Supervisor Aaron Peskin; the remarks prompted supervisors to call for more civil discourse.
During deliberation supervisors noted competing priorities: continuity for an ongoing amendment process versus fresh membership and questions about prior conduct. Supervisor Ellsburn said he recalled an Ethics Commission finding related to Comstock’s failure to disclose lobbying activity and said that fact weighed against an immediate reappointment. After discussion the committee voted to forward Marjorie Ann Williams to the full board with a recommendation and to defer action on Seat 6 (the Comstock seat) to the call of the chair, with supervisors indicating April as a likely reconsideration date or until additional applicants or experience can be documented.
The committee recorded the tension between the value of institutional knowledge for completing amendments and the desire to bring new participants into the task force; it also flagged an outstanding ethics concern previously adjudicated by the Ethics Commission. The clerk will transmit the committee recommendation for Williams and note the deferral on the record.
The committee’s action: Williams recommended to the full board; Seat 6 deferred for later consideration.
