San Francisco Government Audit and Oversight Committee Meeting – September 3, 2026
San Francisco Government Audit and Oversight Committee Meeting – September 3, 2026
The Government Audit and Oversight Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on September 3, 2026, to consider an ordinance amending the Airport Surveillance Technology Policy, hold a hearing on preparations for Fleet Week 2026, and approve multiple settlement agreements. The meeting was chaired by Supervisor Stephen Sheryl, with Vice Chair Jackie Fielder and Supervisor Alan Wong present.
Consent Calendar
- Settlement of Lawsuits and Claims (Items 3-19): The committee unanimously approved 17 settlements totaling approximately $19.5 million, covering various lawsuits and unlitigated claims against the city. The settlements were forwarded to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Lewis Lewin, Executive Director, San Francisco Fleet Week: Expressed strong support for Fleet Week, emphasizing its 45-year track record of cooperation with city agencies and its community outreach, including over 40 band concerts and disaster response training programs.
- David Flynn, Public Speaker: Spoke in favor of Fleet Week, highlighting its educational value in allowing civilians to tour naval vessels and meet service members.
Discussion Items
- Item 1: Ordinance 260658 – Amended Airport Surveillance Technology Policy: Deanna Bolich from San Francisco International Airport presented the ordinance, which authorizes the use of security cameras at off-airport remote check-in and baggage handling facilities, such as a pilot program at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square. The cameras record video only, with no live monitoring, and footage is retained for one year unless needed for investigations. Access is limited to trained SFO staff and law enforcement. The committee voted unanimously to forward the ordinance to the full board with a positive recommendation.
- Item 2: Hearing 260801 – Preparing for Fleet Week 2026: The hearing focused on the city's preparedness for Fleet Week, scheduled for October 4–12, 2026, particularly in light of lessons learned from recent large events such as July 4th celebrations and the Outside Lands festival. Key points from presentations:
- DEM Director Mary Ellen Carroll reported that Fleet Week planning includes the use of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) as needed. She noted past peak crowds of 2,000 in 2025 and 7,500 in 2024, and that the event is expected to be smaller due to fewer ships and relocation of the humanitarian village. She emphasized lessons learned from July 4th, including the need for better autonomous vehicle (AV) mitigation, advanced planning, situational awareness, and integrated transportation planning.
- SFMTA Director Julie Kirschbaum outlined transit and traffic plans, including bolstered service on key Muni lines (e.g., F Line with double service, 28 and 49 lines with 30–50% more capacity). She noted that Fleet Week's all-day nature and multiple viewing locations spread out demand. SFMTA is coordinating with AV companies to voluntarily restrict operations on certain streets (e.g., Lombard, Van Ness, Embarcadero) but compliance is voluntary. Parking Control Officers will be deployed at key intersections.
- Fire Department Assistant Deputy Chief Erica Brown described planning for medical resources, water rescue, and coordination with the Coast Guard. She advocated for increased crowd size estimates and noted that additional EMS resources are being added to maintain citywide coverage.
- Police Department Commander Chris DelGandio detailed staffing plans, including mandatory attendance for officers, and joint command posts with real-time communication via Teams. He emphasized lessons learned on traffic enforcement and emergency vehicle access from July 4th.
- Rec Park Director of Policy and Public Affairs Beverly Ng reported that the permittee increased porta-potty availability by 20% (to 64 units at Marina Green, plus 14 scattered) in response to lessons learned from summer events. Five park rangers will patrol.
- Chair Sheryl's Concerns: Chair Sheryl repeatedly expressed concerns about crowd size estimates, noting that past events (e.g., Red Bull, July 4th) had been significantly underestimated. He urged the city to take ownership of crowd size projections rather than relying solely on event organizers. He stated, "The city needs to take accountability for events... crowd size estimates [should not be] put on the heads of the event organizer."
Key Outcomes
- Item 1 (Airport Ordinance): Passed unanimously (3-0) to forward to the full board with a positive recommendation.
- Item 2 (Fleet Week Hearing): Motion to file the hearing passed unanimously (3-0). Chair Sheryl stressed the importance of proactive planning and accountability.
- Items 3-19 (Settlements): Passed unanimously (3-0) to forward to the full board with a positive recommendation.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. This meeting will come to order. Welcome to the September 3rd, 2026 meeting of the Government Audit and Oversight Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. I am Supervisor Stephen Cheryl, Chair of the Committee, joined by Vice Chair Supervisor Jackie Fielder and Supervisor Alan Wong. Supervisor Wong, welcome. We're glad you're here to join us. Committee clerk today is Monique Creighton, and thanks to Eugene Labadia of SFGov TV as well. Madam Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes. Public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, please line up to speak on your right. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. Email them to me, the government audit and oversight committee clerk at M O N IQE dot C R A Y T O N at S F G-O-V dot O R G. If you submit public comment via email, be forward it to the supervisors and also include it as part of the official file. You may also send your written comments via U.S. Postal Service or Office in City Hall. Number one, Dr. Carlton B. Book B. Goodlick Place, Room 244, San Francisco, California 94102. If you have documents you would like to be included as part of the file, please submit them to me before the end of the meeting. Please make sure to silence all cell phones and electronic devices to prevent any interruptions to today's proceedings. Finally, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors' agenda of September 15th, 2026, unless otherwise state it. Thank you. Yes, item number one is an ordinance approving the amended airport surveillance technology policy governing the use of third-party security cameras. Thank you, Madam Clerk. I believe we're joined today by Deanna Bolich from the airport. Please go ahead. Good morning, supervisors. Thank you. The airport is seeking approval to amend the airport's third-party security camera surveillance technology policy to add the use of off-airport remote airline check-in and baggage handling service security camera systems. The cameras are part of a pilot program to expand remote check-in and baggage drop-off at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square, following a successful pilot at our long-term parking garage and rental car center. The program has processed nearly 200,000 bags and has provided added convenience to passengers while reducing roadway and check-in lobby congestion. The contractor operating the service will use security cameras to help monitor the check-in and baggage handling areas. The cameras will record video, but there will be no live video monitoring. Airport staff may review footage when needed, such as when there is an incident. Most cameras will be inside the facility and focused on the check-in and baggage areas. Two cameras will also face the entrance, so they may capture people walking near the entrance. The video is considered sensitive information and will generally be kept for one year unless it is needed for an investigation or litigation. Access will be limited to trained and authorized SFO staff and law enforcement partners. The airport will also require basic security measures, including password protection, encrypted storage, physical security, and audits. Any information that identifies individuals must be removed before footage is used publicly. In summary, the cameras are there to provide an added level of security for passengers and their baggage while keeping access to the footage limited. I'm here with members of our IT and project management team and happy to answer any questions. Thank you, Ms. Bullock. Colleague, any questions? I don't see anyone on the roster. Um Madam Clerk, can we call for public comment? Yes, members of the public who wish to speak on this ordinance should line up now along the sidebar windows.
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