Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - December 8, 2022
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Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - December 8, 2022
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on Thursday, December 8, 2022, at 6:15 PM UTC. Chair Gordon Maher presided, joined by Vice Chair Catherine Stephanie and Committee Member Myrna Melgar. The committee considered four agenda items: two liquor license transfers, an ordinance on military leave pay for private-sector employees, and a hearing on jail health services. All votes were unanimous.
Public Comments & Testimony
Item 3 – Private Sector Military Leave Pay
- Hanley Chan, Veterans Affairs Commissioner, expressed strong support, noting his own experience as a National Guardsman.
- Courtney Ellington, Veterans Affairs Commissioner and CEO of One Vet One Voice, urged passage, citing significant pay problems for mobilized reservists.
- Francisco De Costa, a veteran, commended the city for stepping up and emphasized the need to support veterans.
Item 4 – Hearing on Jail Health Services
- A District 2 resident supported Supervisor Stephanie’s efforts and raised concerns about city employees with secondary employment at nonprofits.
- Paulina, a District 4 resident, thanked Supervisor Stephanie for the hearing.
- Marie Harabia, a District 1 resident, expressed alarm about “double dipping” and urged enforcement of rules.
- Tanya Tillman, from Mothers Against Drug Addictions and Death, criticized the lack of data on linking incarcerated individuals to services after release and shared her son’s experience.
- Joe Kunzler, a regular caller, stressed the need to address recidivism and thanked the chair for his service.
Discussion Items
Item 1 – Liquor License Transfer – Luke’s Local (580 Green Street)
- Officer Salmondson from the SFPD ABC Liaison unit reported the location is in a high-crime, high-saturation area. Central station had no opposition. The Alcohol License Unit (ALU) recommended approval with a condition to prevent loitering. Ten letters of protest had been received but were unverified.
- Scott Stern, controller of Luke’s Local, described the business as a full-service grocery store (90% food, less than 10% alcohol) with no issues at other locations. He emphasized community convenience.
- Supervisor Stephanie praised the business, noting its positive impact on Union Street.
- Chair Maher noted that Supervisor Peskin (whose district includes the location) supported the transfer.
Item 2 – Liquor License Transfer – South Sea Dipper (270 Columbus Avenue)
- Officer Salmondson reported zero letters of support; the location is in a high-crime, high-saturation area. ALU recommended approval with conditions to monitor loitering and control noise.
- Mark Rennie and Brian Sheehe (Future Bars Group) presented the concept: a rotating cocktail bar in the historic Italian American Bank building, changing themes every 6–12 months, intended to bring positive foot traffic to the Broadway corridor. The business would be adjacent to their existing bar, Devil’s Acre, but operate under a separate license.
Item 3 – Ordinance Amending Police Code – Private Sector Military Leave Pay
- Chair Maher introduced the Military Leave Pay Protection Act, requiring large San Francisco employers (100+ employees) to pay the difference between military and civilian pay for reservists and National Guard members for up to 30 days per calendar year. An estimated 2,000 San Franciscans serve as reservists. Public employees already receive similar protection. Supervisor Maher cited an example: an E-5 sergeant earning $99/day in the military could lose $140/day if their civilian rate is $30/hour.
- Pat Mulligan from the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE) confirmed about 4,300 employers with 100+ employees would be impacted. OLSE planned informational outreach and administrative rulemaking.
- The ordinance had co-sponsors: Supervisors Stephanie, Melgar, Dorsey, Preston, and Walton.
- The committee noted that this would be a first-of-its-kind policy nationally, attracting interest from other jurisdictions.
Item 4 – Hearing on the State of Jail Health Services
- Dr. Hallie Hammer, Director of Ambulatory Care for DPH, presented an overview: approximately 11,000 annual intakes; services at three jails; staffing challenges (high turnover, burnout, vacancies) mitigated through a nurse registry; rollout of EPIC electronic health record with Wi-Fi issues at County Jail 3 causing documentation delays; mortality rates far lower than other California jails; no COVID-19 hospitalizations or deaths among inmates.
- Alyssa Riker, Director of Programs for the Sheriff’s Office, described discharge planning programs targeting pre-trial releases, frequent arrestees, and older adults. Collaboration with community-based organizations, Medi-Cal enrollment, and a new Department of Homelessness assessment initiative starting in January 2023 were highlighted.
- Supervisor Stephanie questioned: the sheriff’s staffing shortage (192 deputies short); the impact on programming (e.g., AA/NA meetings, RSVP anger management program operating at limited capacity); mandatory overtime for nurses; secondary employment among jail health staff; and the need for better data on treatment referrals and waitlists.
- Supervisor Melgar inquired about EPIC implementation, staff training, and data-sharing with nonprofit partners.
- Dr. Hammer and Tanya Mara (Director of Jail Behavioral Health) outlined efforts to address burnout, including a workplace violence prevention policy, peer support programs, complex care meetings, and support groups for African American staff and women.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1 (Luke’s Local liquor license): Unanimous vote (3–0) to prepare a resolution finding that the license serves public convenience or necessity and send it to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation.
- Item 2 (South Sea Dipper liquor license): Unanimous vote (3–0) to prepare a similar resolution and forward it with a positive recommendation.
- Item 3 (Private Sector Military Leave Pay ordinance): Unanimous vote (3–0) to send the ordinance to the full Board of Supervisors as a committee report for consideration at its December 12, 2022 meeting.
- Item 4 (Hearing on Jail Health Services): Unanimous vote (3–0) to file the hearing. Supervisor Stephanie requested follow-up information: data on mandatory overtime, minimum staffing gaps, secondary employment among jail health leadership, impact of sheriff’s shortages on programming, and tracking of post-release service linkages and waitlists.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. The meeting will come to order. Welcome to the Thursday, December 8th, 2022 meeting of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee. I'm Supervisor Gordon Maher, the chair of this committee, and I'm joined by Vice Chair Catherine Stephanie, Committee Member Myrna Malgar. And thank you to John Carroll as this committee's clerk today. And I'd also like to thank Colina Mendoza at SFGov TV for staffing this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Board of Supervisors and its committees are convening hybrid meetings that allow in-person attendance and public comment while still providing remote access and public comment via telephone. The board recognizes that equitable public equitable public access is essential, and we will be taking public comment as follows. First, public comment will be taken on each item on today's agenda. Those attending in the chamber in person will be allowed to speak first, and then we will hear from those who are waiting on a telephonic public comment call in line. For those watching on cable channel 26, 2878 or 99, as well as sfgovtv.org. The public comment call in nine uh call in line is now streaming across your screen. The phone number is 415 6550001. When you're prompted, enter the meeting ID for today's meeting. Today's meeting ID is 2494 808 2920. Then press the pound symbol two times. When you are connected, you will hear the meeting discussions, but you will be muted and in listening mode. When your item of interest comes up on our agenda and public comment is called, those joining us in person should line up to speak along the curtain wall. And those on the telephone line should dial star three to be added to the speaker line. If you are on your telephone, please remember to turn down your television, your computer, your streaming device, whatever you may be using to access today's proceedings. As I said uh previously, we will take public comment from those who are attending in person first, and then we will go to the public comment telephone line. Alternatively, you may submit your public comment in writing in either of the following two ways. You may send your written comments to my email address. I'm the public safety and neighborhood services committee clerk. My email address is J-O-H-N, period. C A R R O L L at SFGO V dot org. Or you can send your written comments via U.S. Post to our office in City Hall. City Hall's address is one Dr. Carlton B. Goodlit Place. And the clerk's office within that is room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. If you submit your public comment in writing, I will forward it to all the members of the committee and I will include your comments in the file on which you are commenting. And of course, all of this contact information can be consulted on the front page of any agenda for this committee if you need to consult it elsewhere. And Mr. Chair, finally, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda of January 10th, 2023, unless otherwise stated. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Can you please call item number one? Agenda item number one is a hearing to consider that the transfer of a type 21 off-sale general beer, wine, and distilled spirits liquor license to Luke's Local Incorporated, doing business as Luke's local, located at 580 Green, will serve the public convenience or necessity of the city and county of San Francisco. Members of the public who wish to find public comment on this item should call 415-655-0001. And the meeting ID for today's meeting is 2494-808-2920. Press the pound symbol twice and then press star followed by three, Mr. Chair. Thank you. And welcome Officer Salmondson from the SAPD ABC Liaison unit to present on this item.
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