SAN FRANCISCO

PLANNING COMMISSION

PLANNING DIRECTOR SEARCH SUBCOMMITTEE

 

Meeting Minutes

 

Commission Chambers - Room 400

City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

Thursday, August 19, 2004

12:30 PM

 

COMMISSIONERS PRESENT:   Sue Lee, Michael Antonini, Kevin Hughes (as alternate for

                                                Shelly Bradford-Bell

 

THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT SUE LEE AT 12:35 p.m.

                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

A.                                 REGULAR CALENDAR

 

1. Discussion and adoption of regular meeting schedule for the subcommittee.  Recommended action:  adoption of regular meeting schedule.

 

            SPEAKERS:

            Marilyn Amini

            -           Spoke in support of a regular meeting schedule open to the public

            Joe O’Donaghue

            -           Supports a regular meeting schedule

            Ernestine Weiss

1. An open regular schedule is good.  This is important.  Let’s get started.

            ACTION:           To meet every Thursday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

            AYES               S. Lee, Antonini, and Hughes

 

            2.         Discussion and possible action to develop selection criteria, a job description, and a job announcement for the position of Planning Director.  Discussion and possible action to determine recruitment efforts, including locations for publishing the job description.

SPEAKER(S):

John Schlesinger, AIA

1. There are many organizations like the American Planning Association, that can assist you in this search.
2. These organizations have recruiters that perhaps can give names, and can provide objective analysis of candidates.
3. In addition, as far as some qualifications, one item that is very important is that you determine that candidates have experience in setting strategic plans for the Planning Department, including a vision that may not have been discussed in San Francisco, that may not has aligned necessarily with things like the Better Neighborhoods Plan or the Eastern Neighborhood Plan
4. Also, you should consider looking at the quality of the candidates experience in working with a diverse, and often conflicting points of view that we find in the City.  And find out what kind of contingencies the candidates may have worked with in the municipality that they come from.
5. Lastly, as part of the evaluation of the candidates it will be important to evaluate the candidate’s in personal management skill/style.

Joe O’Donaghue – Residential Builders

1. As we go to the nation for the search, we have to look at the composition of the City.  We need to look at a candidate of color, that reflects the diversity of the City, rather than the lilly white operation.
2. There is an exodus of black professional workers from this City in this administration.
3. We need to get from the Mayors Office a set of the problems he saw.  Why Gerald Green could not re-apply for this position.  If he meets the qualifications of whatever criteria you have, therefore, why not give it to him?
4. Is the Director terminated for political reasons? Is he being terminated for objective malfunction in the office?  We need to know that. 

Margie O’Driscoll, AIA San Francisco

1. There are three areas that the AIA would want you to consider going forth with this work.  1) Look for a new candidate.  It is important to consider someone with strong leadership skills, demonstrated accomplishments in leading an agenda of creative beneficial urban improvement planning strategies; 2) Management.  There is an incredible need of professionalism among staff; and 3) Politics.  The new candidate is going to need to have a profound ability in compromise on issues, not principals.  This is a very important distinction to make--never to compromise in best practices in policies.  It is also very important that the new candidate supports every member of the Commission as well as the Mayor.

Ernestine Weiss

1. This is one the most important positions in the Government of the City and County of San Francisco.
2. We need someone who is innovative, creative, and who keeps politics out.
3. People should be hired on their qualifications.

Jeremy Nelson – Transportation for Livable City

1. We would like to ask you to look broadly a three things: 1) a forward-looking vision; 2) progressive values; and 3) someone with international experience, both professional and time spend living abroad.

Marilyn Amini

1. The most important thing to think about for the individual that is going to be selected is to find out from the community what kind of person they want to fill the job as a director.

                   There has been a disconnect between planning and the community.  As a result, there is a lack of trust.

 

B.                              PUBLIC COMMENT

 

At this time, members of the public may address the Planning Director Search Subcommittee on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Subcommittee. Each member of the public may address the Commission for up to three minutes.

 

SPEAKER(S):

             Marilyn Amini

              RE:  various comments about the selection process

            Tom McDonna

            RE: comments about the position and the process

            Ernestine Weiss

            RE:  importance of an open and speedy process

            Jeremy Nelson, TLC

            RE:  the importance of this position to the city in line with future needs of the city.

 

Adjournment:  1:35 p.m.

 

THESE MINUTES WERE PROPOSED FOR ADOPTION AT THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNIGN COMMISSION ON THURSDAY, March 2, 2006.

 

SPEAKERS:    None

ACTION:        Approved

AYES:             S. Lee, Antonini, Hughes