June 7, 2017. Okay, supervisor farrell. Thank you supervisor avalos and supervisor cohen and everyone who is here. I will keep my comment brief. We brought this item before committee and will continue today until the next rules committee, but want to reiterate the purpose behind this. I think everyone shares this here, the parks inside the sit a are some the greatest assets qu provide a high quality of life and as the city grows in terms of population and otherwise and we feel it every day, the parks are used with greater intensity more than ever before. Over the last few years inside of city hall the parks budget has note grown and if we want to maintain had parks and new open space we ptd to develop in San Francisco, we need to make sure spending for the park saz priority and that is what this amendment does. Before i introduce this we had a huge neighborhood process across the city. I want to thank the Parks Alliance for a great partner throughout the process. Neighborhood groups in every district and well continue to make sure the spending reflected here will go through the mayors budget process is a reflection of the priorities in the neighborhood of San Francisco. Ininitiative itself would allocate over the course of 15 years over 350,000,000. [inaudible] and also puts additional measures in place in terms of accountability and making sure rec and park comes forward with Strategic Operational and capical plans subject to a process process as well. Last Community Meetings i want to thank supervisor avalos for his work on this so far, putting amendments around the equity issue. I want your support and other issues around the capital plan last time around. From my perspective, my goal here is to make this as much of a broadly accepted supported measure as possible. Again i want to thank my colleagues that vocosponsored including supervisor cohen, but want to make sure we continue to Work Together and know well continue this item and look forward work wg everyone to make sure this is a broad consensus measure. I want to thank everyone for being here. I know phil [inaudible] to answer questions and know there are people here from Public Comments a elw. Thank you for your leadership on this chapter amendment supervisor farrell. I am supportive more than just in concept. The rec and Park Department has seen a backslined in funding ofern the years and think it is pornts we have that propped up and expand to recover what we lost in terms of funding from the general fund and also to give security for rec and park so there is not as much scrambleing to fill in gaps with outside funding. That is important is we can have a robust Fund Raising Program for the parks. My other issue on fund raising that i hope the amendment can address is often wellier neighborhoods have the greater ability to fund raise for park squz that leaves other parks falling behind. I know rec and park is committed to being as strong as it can be to support parks across the city and the fund raising effort helps move parks to have greater aminities that others. If we look at the controllers report on parks we see some indicators show the parks on the north side hof city have better scores than the southern part. I think the Charter Amendment should create the mechanism to address that and think we are close but not quite there yet. I want to spend the time between this meetjug the next to put meats on the bones to have strong accountability ish measures to assess, where the parks are at and put in modifications to how we deal Capital Expenditures kwr maintenance expenditures. That is something we are all commit today on the board and want to make sure all our neighborhoods are doing as well as they can and well work to provide consensus of amendments that help get to that place. With that, im not sure if the department has any short presentation . We can go right to Public Comment. I have a never of cards and if you can come in the order your name is called, that would be great. Please come forward, you can line up by the windowthe side the room where the windows rrchlt leon welden. Henry [inaudible] sorry if i dont get your name right. [inaudible] matt, ogradey. [inaudible] good morning, matt, ogradey, ceo of San Francisco Park Alliance and i would like it kick off Public Comment chblt the park asilencee deeply involved in the chapter amendment and that is before you this morning through the research we conducted through analysis, through other forms of support through community engagement. I want to acknowledge and thank supervisor farrell for your steadfast leadership in crafting this Charter Amendment, bring tg forward and stewarding it through this process. The parks liness strongly supports this Charter Amendment and the amendments that have been added to this proposed legislation for 4 fundamental reasons, the first is now utsds cuts. The analysis we conducted have shown how in lean years the deapartments budget has been eviscerate jd not up in the good years, this would stop that pattern. The second is it puts into place stidy gradual increase in funding that are sufficiently gradual qu not require cuts to other departments. Third is the robust planning requirements that align the funding. It will build on th e strategic plan. The stricter accountability that goes with that planning will enforce that planning and also provide for greater accountability and engagement by the community. So, we strongly support this Charter Amendment and look forward to it being placed before voters. Thank you. Thank you very much. Good morning kelly nice the board chair for San Francisco Parks Alliance. Approximately 2 years ago the Park Alliance [inaudible] because our parks are central to our quality of life. The measure before you is a important step to increase the funding in a fiscally responsible way. In the past our fund frg the park system is a victim of general fund ebbs and flows. We had as much as 2. 1 percent and [inaudible] this seeks to stabilize that. This measure allows rec and park more certainty athround budget and address the long term needs. The city deserves quality parks [inaudible] i would like to ask everyone in the room who supports this measure to stand up. Thank you. Thank you, next speaker please. Good morning supervisors. My name is dens maus cofeian. I am ovthe equichange but i suck mitted 5 chainss and one question. The most important change is the language proposed on page 2, line 22. Portions of the set aside monies shad be expended for the following function propty action 20 p, pufillsy [inaudible] the Charter Amendment failed to prioritize maintenance thrks most significant need of the department, these numbererize derived from the initial 1975 open space fund and reinforced the purpose the open space fund. When supervisor farrell first proposed the amendment he emphasized the need to fund the maintenance. When he represented it on november 4, it was no longer about maintenance but about the budget and language in the charter was deleted. November 9 we learned the original attention for the chapter amendment when we met with farrell staff and Rachel Martin from the Parks Alliance [inaudible] was to raise enough money to take the department off the general fund and convert to a Enterprise Agency. That decision to convert rpd to a Enterprise Agency must be a upfront public discussion. As a Enterprise Agency the parks are dependent on philanthropy [inaudible] supplementing funding for maintenance and increased acquisition must be the priorities. As it is draft it does chbt serve the people of San Francisco. Please consider the changes. Thank you very much. Next speaker, please. Hello, good afternoon supervisors. My name is christine [inaudible] and i have been a member of the San Francisco [inaudible] since 2011 and we are park partnerwise the with the San Francisco alliance. We know the parks need a stable sourcef revenue so every resident have access to clean, safe and beautiful parks in the city. The San Francisco Lawn Bowling Club wishes the supervieers to note the city of all ages rely on the parks system especially when the average age is 72. We play on the ground every week when we play [inaudible] maintained by the recreation and park system in Golden Gate Park. Our 100 members unanimously support this Charter Amendment and hope the 15 year funding proposed in the initiative is approved because those 72 year old members will be 87 and probably still bowl. If necessary i can do name dropping to let you know johnmic lairen was the founder of the San Francisco bowling club in 1901 and with foresight to building bowling greens he would be proud to know the club is still going strong because of the sustained fund thg park receives. You are all welcome to come out and roll with us. We would love to see you, or as we say it, lawn bowlers do it on the green. I had so much fun this year i became the 2015, lawn bowl of the year. Thank you very much and congratulations. Next speaker please my name is leon welder, im a home owner in dissricate 1 and member the San Francisco parksliance and consider myself a pow er user of park squz rec because i have 2 boys. I am here to speak in support the Charter Amendment and stabilize funding for rpd. We have to solve the ongoing maintenance problemsism everyone loves the [inaudible] new parks and playgrounds are great and excite toog work on. There is nothing sadder or more deplating for a community than arriving at a playground with broken swings [inaudible] we know it is important to think where people will live and how they get around, but we also need to give clean, safe place to play. Thank you. Thank you very much. Before the next speaker ill read a few more cards. Martha aaronfeld. Bill hancock. [inaudible] ron proctor. Dee [inaudible] good morning supervisors. My name is linda derearo and [inaudible] and at our previous meeting and the one preceding that we passed a resolution to request this chapter extends the open space fund to 30 years and i would like to bring that back again for your consideration because again the open space fund is pretty much spoken for and if we extend it now, rec and park can potentially pass Revenue Bonds to acquire space now particularly in district 6 before land is all gone and prices are even higher than they are today. Also, i would like to request that because you have equity language and you mentioned the Park Maintenance standards. I would like to see on page 7, 1118 and 8, 1523 reference made this report will be used to plan the work plan frz the following years because this is really a important document and i would like to read into the record because i have looked at this for 7 years, two historically low performing district scored 82 percent, district 10 compare today the highest [inaudible] this tells me we need a measure in place to change the scores and create priorities so we dont look at this for the next 7 years. Thank you. Good morning supervisors. Lintda light hizeer. I serve as district 11 representative on the Parks Alliance park policy council. Im able to bring to the policy Council Information based around the district where i live. That is a really interesting role to play so im very grateful to supervisor farrell for coming up with this funding mechanism because one of the things the entire city talks about is defered maintenance issues. As a resident of district 11 many of the issues raised previously the equity issue is very important to me too and im happy to know these things are being discussed and priorities can be set in place that underfunded districts and those in the area where the city is growing so quickly and have High Maintenance needs that havent been met for many many years will have a way to be itmized. We also as a working Class Community dont have the access to fulantopy and other things that help the funding needs in the district so we hope in future discussions that will be considered. Thank you. Markety aaron feld and co chair thofe Tennis Coalition och San Francisco. We speak for all Tennis Courts and tennis players in San Francisco and we are highly in support of this because we are also overseeing a potentially 20 million project to renovate the Golden Gate Park tennis sent squr how wonder when we talk to donors the city is supporting and will give this gift and be supported for the future. Thank you. My name isgeny wile and i represent d 6 on prosic. I just want to let you know we very much support this Charter Amendment and appreciate the way supervisor dpairl and the Park Alliance reached out to prosic. It is a very collaborative effort. As you know, d 6 and particularly midmarket is the most open green space part the city. That is where i live and there ask vuch wale no green space. Rec and park is working with department of real estate to aquer parcels and turn them into parks, but as you know, there are few and far between and very very expensive. So, i would urge you to consider extending this chapter amendment which we totally support, but extends from 15 years to 30 years because it will take time and a lot of money to acquire open space for us in midmarket. I so much appreciate including the equity clause because as is repeated over and over, the parks in the areas, the one park we have, [inaudible] is practically unusable because it is taken over by the homeless instead of the young families. Thank you so much for your work to date, this could be tweaked but it is a great step in the right direction. Thank you very much. Cath lane hal inan. Good morning supervisors, my name is bill hancock and a district 5 representative on the policy committee of the San Francisco Parks Alliance and im here as a Property Owner in coal valley and Small Businessman and the father of a daughter who now thankfully in college grew up in San Francisco, attended public and private schools here and made good use the parks in the city as a player on soccer teams. Speaking to the equity issues, i am a resident of the center the city, coal valley, because of our involvement in soccer we found us using parks across the sit a. This benefits aench wn across the city particularly those that have children involved in organized supports we use the parks throughout the city so i support the measure and understand the equity issue and think equity throughout the city benefits everybody. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, next speaker. Good morning supervisor. Ron proctor and a member of the San Francisco Forest Alliance. The refandum must have specific language which respected what r prks d can do with this money. It must clarify what the money will be used for including tree maintenance thmpt balance of flexibility and accountability the San Francisco Forest Alliance [inaudible] inSan Francisco forest alifens doesnt oppose the idea of more funding but lacks specific language. Until the spinges pr spelled out we dont thin the amendment should be brought furlth. The text we are asking is page 8 lane 18 and reads the Operations Plan must include specific fund frg the defer maintenance of all park trees that could be considered haserdize if the maintenance is defered beyond the 7 to twechbl year cycle. Supervisor farrells [inaudible] Park Maintenance but no where is there language to restrict [inaudible] it is free cash to rpd without charter mandate to match the much needed maintenance of trees. The urban forest yurnt is funded through operations and not capital. Tree maintenance belongs to urban forestry. [inaudible] that covers many such things as roofs recollect leaky faucets and playgrounds and by no means will it cover trees [inaudible] is a capital expense and we oppose that. Thank you. Good morning. My name is dee [inaudible] and interim president for San Francisco Forest Alliance and live in district 5. We would like to suggest the following text on page 10, line 2022 and it has to do with environmental and Design Guidelines. This is a change back to the original language which was changed in the current version. Rpd Design Guidelines for facilities, park and open space and renovation shall be adopted by the rpd commission. The reason for this and our judgment is this new addition to the second draft puts the environmental and Design Guidelines into the hands totally of rpd and not in the hands of commission who are tasked with representing our neighborhoods and communities. What happens if [inaudible] call said for more native plants and grass lands and open space squz thus fewer trees that would have to be maintained. We would like that language changed back to what it was originally. Just like to add one other thing and that is speaking to you all as supervisors, tree maintenance isnt a sexy issue for you as supervisors but it is the future of our natural butte butey of the city and environmentally what will sustain us so we hope you consider those changes. Thank you very much. Thank you, next speaker please. Good morning supervisors. My name is jenny lamb and here to express my support for the Charter Amendment and member the parks adsilencee qu long time member of [inaudible] raising 2 children we know how critical access to parkerize and how critical it is to take care of our parks. I also work directly with the chinese residence in chinatown and see People Living in Single Family occupancy hotel room jz how critical [inaudible] i also 79ed to list the importance of equity and im happy that Supervisor John Avalos raised the controllers statistics about the importance of paying attention to addressing the problems in every park. Today i want to exspess my support for the Charter Amendment and look forward to the supervisors support in moving this initiative forward. Thank you very much. Next speaker. Good morning. My name is jackie owe and director of the [inaudible] Parks Alliance. Each and every day i get to spend time with the residence mainly of the soust south east communities to talk about park squz open space and happy this amendment addresses equity because i hear that on a daily basis. Children deserve park squz open space to play and so do citizens. They deserve a place to walk and spend times in their later year jz everyone between from child to senior citizens. Im here to support the Charter Amendment and hope it moves forward. Before the next speaker ill call a few more names. [inaudible] my name is kathleen [inaudible] mb the San Francisco forestliance and resident of district 2. Thank you for prioritizing San Franciscos hard working green resources, which are crucial to Climate Change planning. As a member the Forest Alliance we would like to recommend changes in the text related to unspent set aside funds, page 2, 1 and 13 lines. What we are asking for is rec and park must specify their Spending Priorities for the set aside funds and the controller must provide annually the amount leftover in unspent set aside funds thmpt Library System has the same funding arrangement proposed for rec and park and existing set aside fund for property tax and baseline funding from the general fund, but the library has specified Spending Priorities for the set aside money in the chapter. They must specify use of unspent set aside funds at years end. The controller is required to calculate and public the city money for the library, we would like these same words to be insert into this. The ademm is proposition [inaudible] amendment to chapter provided as example of specificity. Thank you. Good morning. Nancy [inaudible] former member oaf park Rec Advisory Committee for 9 years. Im concerned the voters will not get the maintenance for our parks that is promised to them with this new Charter Amendment unless the requirements to tackle the problems are specified in the legal language. Ric and park states they have 1. 7 billion dollars of maintenance on the books. Not one word of how this back log will be reduced is in the amendment. However, 15 othousand trees in the parks also need regular attention. We need just 6 Million Dollars a year every year to increase the crew of urban forests to keep the trees on maintenance. Does anyone believe rec and park will fund tree maintenance unless they are mandate today do so . Much the upkeep can and should be done through a operational plan, not a capital plan. We had the benefit of 15 Years Experience with a 40 Million Dollar open space fund and can see where improvement is needed. The new measure should ear mark spending to solve the chronic problems. Where heard we shouldnt list priorities for the fund and allow rec and park to have flexibility to spend the money they see fit. Flexibility is a word for unaccountability. The voters should tell rec and park what we want our money to accomplish. Rec and park should have to show what they have done to reduce the goal of 1. 7 billion back log and shouldnt have to wait 5 years for a puformance audit that will not give accounting. I do want money for rec and Park Department, but this Charter Amendment doesnt do anything to fix the problems. Until there is full accountability of the funds by prioritizing how the money will be spent, the measure is not ready for voter approval. Thank you very much. My name is [inaudible] im involved in the friend of gratin playground. Thank you supervisor farrell for bringing this Charter Amendment p. We totally support it. We think it it is important for rpd to get more funding. Such a wealthy city and sad if they were forced into a [inaudible] we do feel it is important that the smains i upkeep is include in the amendment for our playground and many others. That was important and would have been great if that was the case in the past. Accountability of reporting and communication with neighborhood people because there are so many active volunteers like us and other organizations that are such a great source of information for everybody. Thank you. Chairman avalos, sfr videser cohen and farrell. My name is rose mary cameron and as a member the San Francisco Park Alliance board of direct rbs im here to urge you to express your support for our cities park squz their need for increased and dependable maintenance, funding by moving supervideser farrells Charter Amendment forward to the full boferd supervisorsism multiple Public Opinion poll said bear what we know which is the citys park and rec program contribute to the quality of life and the health of all san franciscans. Recently the trust Republic Land published a economic benefits study and it details how our park system generates nearly 1 billion annually. It isnt just the techs that are doing that. While the voters approved park bonds that provide significant infusion of capital dollars for needed improvements the cities Financial Support for ongoing maintenance and operation at the parks hasnt kept with up the long term needs. In fact, San Francisco Park Alliance published still seeking green report documents the rec and Park Department will fall firthser behind on defered maintenance back log jz not be able to keep pace to meet park needs for our growing population. It makes so sense to invest in new facilities without adequately maintaining what we have. Thanks to supervireer farrells leadership that you have a Charter Amendment that increases funding for the parks over the next 15 years. We are pleased and supportive of the amendments that are previously offered and here today to urge you to vote yes to move this baseline funding measure forward to the board. And we commit to helping to support it actively before the board and before the voters when it goes there. Thank you. One more card. [inaudible] rachel norton. [inaudible] someone is knocking at the park and rec door. Somebody is ringing the park and rec bell. Do me a favor, open the space fund door and let them in, let them in. And it is Thomas Jefferson and George Washington too, abraham lincoln, let them in. Thanks phil [inaudible] yaya. I want to also say, the city charm and open space, but there is no place like old camp mather. [applause] okay. I did not write a song for today. That is a tough act to follow. I will go. My name is Rachel Morton and thank you for recognizing on the board of edge squaigz a employee of the Park Alliance and director of policy and communication. I want to articulate our support for this Charter Amendment. It is a long and varrich policy conversation. We are very happy with how it comes out thrmpt are trade offs as there always are in detailed rich policy conversations. I did want to touch on one thing mentionedcall me a poly anna but i do think this amendment will introduce a lot of new account tooblt the department and in addition it pairs that accountability with new resources mpt i think the department is so behind on maintenance and the planning requirements is it hasnt had ample resource squz demonstrated that in our analysis over and over again. I do believe now there are new resources that are slated to come into the department and very clear requirements about the operational planning and Strategic Planning and that planning will have to be drive the budget priorities, we fully insend the Park Alliance to hold the department accountable and work clously on the development of the operational plans and how those plans translate into budget priortaz mptd i think they will do that and want to do that and think this can aser a new era of much smarter and effective park policy. Thank you very much. Any other members the public who would like to comment on item 2 . Seeing none we close Public Comment. Thank you to everyone who came out to speak on this measure and to rec and Park Department and Park Alliance and the other members that are working on this for quite some time now. Look forward to the the continuing discussions and want to thank my colleagues and co sponsors. With that would like to make a motion to continue the item to january 14, rules committee. Okay. Of course. Supervisor farrell, could you gichb that date one more time . January 14. Like to make a motion we continue this iletm to the next meeting of january 14. Before we vote on that i would like to hear from the sit a attorney about what our timeline is for Charter Amendments and what type of room do we voov to discuss this in rules committee before the board of supervise irs . Deputy City Attorney john gibner. The last regular Board Meeting to submit a Charter Amendment other than the one late charter measure or bond is february 23. If this was a late measure for the june election you could submit it march 1. What that means is if you continue the item today to january 14 and make amendments at that meeting you have to continue the measure for another rules Committee Meeting as required and that would be january 28 meeting as long as the schedule stays the same in the new years. You could send the item out on january 28. If you do it as a Committee Report it goes to the first meeting and if not it goes to february 16. Every Charter Amendment as you know has to sit for a week at the full board before it can be voted on, which means you send it out of committee january 28, the board could vote on it by february 23. The bottom line of all thoseidates is if the Committee Makes amendments, the best thing is to make those amendments on january 14 so you can move it on schedule. Thank you. Very good. We have a motion before us and that is seconded by supervisor cohen and well take that without objection. Well hear this chapter amendment again on january 14. In the mean time my office will work closely with supervisor farrells office and other colleagues and stakeholders to make our final amendments. Thank you. We will do athere is one minute break here as we set up. Supervisor farrell will be replaced by okay we are back for todays main event. Mr. Clerk, please call our next item item number three consider appointing 14 numbers august 20 august 31, 2016 to the canada state Legalization Task force. There are 40 applicants colleagues, today before us are appointments, 15 members to the cannabis Legalization Task force. Early this year as we recall either legislation to create this task force so that San Francisco can get ahead of the curve when it comes to the strong potential that as of next november, the use of cannabis will be be legal in california. If that happens to be a significant change for state and will place before us a number of significant issues in terms of landuse and zoning in terms of health and Public Safety and so forth. Its important for us to be thinking about these issues ahead of time. My concern is if we do not go through this process legalization will occur and we will have fire drill after the fact to get it together and come up with a smart local regulations and so, the legislation requires the appointment of a task force, 50 members that we appoint, and in seven additional members who are representatives of departments nonvoting members. So that this Group Starting in january, to go to a process of vetting the state proposals, taking a look at what the local issues are likely to be and then making recommendations to the board of supervisors about legislation to try to address those issues. We structure this task force so it is not limited to the Cannabis Community about but includes a broader Business Community and our Neighborhood Associations, city departments and School Districts. And so forth. Organized labor. To make sure that were getting a broadbased look as though that when these recommendations come out they will come from a very Diverse Group of stakeholders and will have that much more behind them. So, im excited over here to do with quite a few very good applicants. I will also say what i always say when it about once a year sit in the number of the rules committee, that never requested to be on this committee because you have to make choices among very very good people, and that is certainly the case here. Its hard to do that where you have numerous people applying for the same seat. People are really good and you have to choose one good person over a good people and thats always incredibly hard but i know will fully vet the candidates today and make some good recommendations to the full board of supervisors. Mr. Chairman, i appreciate the opportunity. Very good. Thank you. This is good via jigsaw puzzle today, but i am here, as part of my work, to put the pieces together with my colleagues. So when we go to our First Applicant and that will be eric pearson. 2 min. Per person. To present yourself. Yes. To the staff and supervisors think is much for being on the forefront of the cannabis regulation. Two other candidates think of are volunteering to be on this important body. The many qualified candidates and hope for the opportunity to work on the task force would each of you. My name is eric pierce and im the founder of spark one of San Franciscos largest dispensary operators. On the client proceeds ninethird. I feel them bestspark has been ruggedized by many leaders as a model dispensary having hosted tors for elected officials one person others were adjusted in creating an understanding cannabis policy. As a man whos worked in the industry for 70 years by diversitys commitment to helping regulations of benefit everyone can do generally write as a california will vote the legalization of cannabis in november of this coming year. This task force is opportunity great sound policy. Knowing these issues i believe all uniquely qualified for the customers with valuable insight with emerging and established best practice as well as the intersection of these practices current and proposed regulars. The past 17 years within a leader in the community and served on the San Francisco dist. Atty. s medical marijuana Advisory Group as well as appointed to the San Francisco working group. As well as the Founding Group of the National Cannabis industry association, which works to basically provide guidance to congress on in fomenting laws around the country. I encourage you to reach out to me anytime you wish to discuss the issues in more detail. Thanks for your support and attention to this most important matter. So, actually, each person, you will have the opportunity to receive questions from us as well. So, you are the first one going so youre setting the stage for everyone. We might not have questions for every candidate coming for but since youre the first person ill ask the first question and hope youll be ready to talk about it. What you see is the primary goal of the task force, and what you see your contribution being . Absolute get adequate understanding of existing planning code how it relates to dispensaries as well as cultivation get we navigated administratively the cultivation process in the city. So, i do pretty good understanding with the code works. What needs to happen to my thing this process involves where the task force needs to basically, a lot of operational things that needed done but as far as zoning and regulating the grading more points of access my think thats part of the priority of the task force. So, what we need to do is take a look at colorado, washington and oregon. We need to look at the number of medical or 1a users and also look at number Recreational Marijuana users and look at that factor in colorado. We need to determine how many cannabis users will have in San Francisco many stores thats going to take to distribute that cannabis once its legal. We need to take a look at the state law which is currently set at 600 feet for sensitive uses so that reduces it from 1000 feet which is currently in San Francisco. Thats another sensitive use such as [inaudible] personas. We need to create views on that and we need to look at the number of dispensaries we need based on the number of users and whether that [inaudible] something i worked on in the last two weeks was rashly amend the Legalization Initiative is currently final nail. To allow local jurisdictions to change that 600 feet if they so choose. What that does it allows us to grandfathering existing dispensaries that within 600 feet. We have already permitted these in San Francisco. It allows us to change that 600 foot wall if we so choose to. So, number of users, green zone at 600 feet, green zone need a change from 600 feet. Then, how do we find the number of dispensaries and where do they fit within this existingwith the new proposed green zone and clustering to create as much access without having to much concentration in one given area. I think the zoning is the largest issue. Then as a myriad of other operational issues that stem awfully back from the legislation that was passed in 2006. Because we have not even looked at medical candidates regulation operationally since we passed in 2006. Okay. Sounds like an easy task. It can be really easy. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions . Will go onto the next applicant. Let me get my notes here. Amanda riemann. Not attending. Michael barber. Hello, supervisors. My name is michaelim a fourthgeneration native san franciscan. Ive lived here all my life born and raised in sale in San Francisco. Ive done everything medical marijuana for the past 20 years ranging from bicycle delivery to president of the board of spark. Currently, i work at Bernal Heights dispensary. I also do a support group for apothecary am doing that for about four years now. I think i am most qualified for seat number 18, doug policy in cannabis. Ive been in the Substance Abuse counseling since 1999. I have currently 17 people that i take care of on a weekly basis. San francisco is like my hometown some very proud of it will be honored to serve on this committee. I did serve on the Marijuana Oversight Committee until its unsetting a couple years ago. I served under supervisors duffy, campos, and chris daly. They pointed me to that task force, and i would like the opportunity like yesterday to get all the advisors assistance and him make this short and sweet but if you have any questions of me . Thank you. Just a big softball question is what you see is the main task and what would your contribution be . I also agree with eric on every thing he said. Expansion of the green zone is pertinent to everything coming into full force and working great. I also would like, earlier talk about budgetary issues with the parks and recreation. With the money raised from the cannabis we can learn from colorado could have an abundance of tax money we can uses tax money for parks or streets or school. For so many things. Grades. Thank you. Okay, next up is jesse stout. Good morning supervised. Thanks for having me. My name is jesse stout. I live and work here in San Francisco. As a lawyer with greenwich Corporate Counsel we do business law for cannabis companies. So, help canadas companies to get started in San Francisco and california as well as comply really with our state and local regulations. Im applying proceeds nine, 11, 12, 14 and 18. I got started in the medical Cannabis Movement 13 years ago in 2002 because i made a friend who is suffering from multiple sclerosis and had extremely painful muscle spasms. Throughout her body and her doctor had advised her to you medical marijuana or where i was living at the time that was illegal. So, rather than have her face incarceration, we were able to pass a medical marijuana law. I became a Community Organizer connecting patients with legislators and learned the patient focused up into my drug policy work. Develop the skill to mitigate with diverse stakeholders including patients and the media and lawenforcement and medical professionals. I was in law school in california i served as a legal intern to visibly committee on Public Safety. In 2012 including drafting the state Committee Policy analysis for 80 2312 are medical marijuana that theyll get since law school i worked as a policy director as Legal Services for[inaudible] where i learned a long tube medical milk marijuana and communicate with formerly incarcerated people and to work closely with people and bring people from people different backgrounds and now as an attorney with greenberg counsel, michaels for serving on this task force include addressing the venues and permitting issue with the green zone distances, and also to make medical marijuana taxation and eventually cannabis taxation warfare both for patients and users. Thanks. Right on the belt. Thank you. The softball question. What you see the primary goal and what would your contributions being . Speak of having my contributions would include being able to help that force to mitigate with the public about our work of cannabis legalization policy. As well as helping that has force to address the legal regulatory issues having to do with conflict of laws between state and local government as well as state and federal government to bring a special focus on the issues that been so thorny for San Francisco and states that already legalize cannabis including venues permitting so that we are able to decluster or just clustering as we increase the number of cannabis businesses in the city as well as to make canadas taxation warfare as we bring in more taxes from adult users we ought to be able to lower taxes for serious ill parishes use marijuana as a medicine. Finally, to address the public aspects of legalization. I think would be preferable not to have large cannabis billboards clustering around the airports and large signs outside of businesses, but instead to carefully and thoughtfully regulate how the cannabis industry faces the public including how we do or do not allow smoking in public as opposed to noninvasive methods of consumption like eating vaporizing camera cannabis. Thank you. Thank you do we get up to bring up support witnesses or no . Adobe Public Comment afterward and supporters can speak at that point. Bt thank you. Next up is Michael Caruso. Good morning, everyone can supervisors and staff. My name is Michael Caruso. Applying proceeds number nine and 22 the cannabis passports. Im a 26yearold i live in separate cisco for about 2. 5 years now. Ive enacted in the cannabis industry for over five years did i graduate from the University Michigan with a degree in American Culture would have focused on the progression of cannabis in our society. In 2011 i was given the opportunity to build a dispensary is a 20 min. Old i was asked not only assumptions collected by performing essential functions of a community reason. Navigating a board and city concerns as well as working group rapidly changing legal climate. In 2012 by dispensary one of Readers Choice for dispensaries from the trip trulya few months later began working as a in 2013 i made the move to california when id probably start working as manager for the San Francisco spot. Over the years sir you said 2013 move to San Francisco . Yes. Right. Over the years have become a resource from a coburg employees but for the thousands of members i interact with the weekly based it i worked abridgingmost recently i inquired over 10,000 solely for my team from various cannabis entities. With a Good Opportunity in your attention today is the removal to Work Together to bring the cannabis industry to a safe and prosperous future here in semper cisco. Thank you. Anything else to add . Thats it. Thank you. Next up is brent sub my name is brent selby. I live in district 8. Other primarily in district 10 and i am here applying proceeds nine, 11, and 12. But in a cannabis activist for over 30 years. Traveling around the country advocating for new legalization as well as working locally. I have a deepseated understanding of cannabis culture and its impact as more than just a commodity. Way more. After moving to San Francisco in 1991, i became in the rehabilitation industry running legalization homes and reentry homes for a churchbased organization mostly in mission district. I have an appreciation for those who choose to use cannabis responsibly and i think important thing is the distinction between the sponsor will use an responsible use of anything. Having experience and the rehab industry, i also have important understanding of the distinction between organizational deliver it like crack and heroin like that are ruining our neighbors and cannabis and want to emphasize its influence as a plant able to grown by anyone. The mother with just about every aspect of this industry having worked in San Francisco developing storefronts, both existing and startups. I worked mostly gardens, dispensing and not dispensing gardens. Ive been growing cannabis myself for over 30 years. Im wellversed in the different types of extraction and edible making processes that will be writing things about. Having been rated seven times by the police myself my own gardens were found compliant with the rules i think of unique understanding and how to do with lawenforcement encounters incorporating those into reasonable rules and regulations that we working on. Im a father of two children, 14 and 17 years old. Keep going i daughters going off to college and my son goes to school at academy and excels her. One of the reasons im really think is important thing is because, as kids are growing up, oftentimes weve had unfavorable lawenforcement encounters that change the rest of our lives. I look forward to my son and my daughter not having to face those impacts if ever they choose to use cannabis. I know that often time, and San Francisco we can change the course of our youth so easily so im very interested in trying to work for some reasonable easy to understand regulations for lawenforcement as well as the people of our city. Thank you very much. No other questions. Appreciate your time. When you hear the bell, such as a guideline to know your 2 min. Of bible comes to Public Comment, would hold you to the twominute mark. So, next up will be nicholas smile. If you could say your name better than me, please. Its nicholas smith. Better than most. My name is nicholasi am the cofounder and head of operations of flow cannabis here in San Francisco which is the firstever farm to table all organic cannabis model. Before that, i worked with spark here in San Francisco for around five years. Was the third higher there on the retail team. As director of Community Outreach. I am also president of the San Francisco chapter of americans for safe access. Through my five years to my six years of working in cannabis. San francisco, both built and implemented standard operating practices that are exceptional and National Models for businesses all across the country. We have an opportunity here in San Francisco to build a cannabis industry that really supplies middleclass jobs that are not currently of able here in San Francisco. If we take Aggressive Movement towards that and actually embrace entrepreneurs here that want to build businesses just because theyre cannabis we should let them do that. In addition, i just want to say ugly applicants here are great. I would love to work with all them get i worked with many of them in the past and would love the opportunity. So theres any other questions. Do you have any thoughts about what your contribution would be . I bring an exceptional understanding of the business of cannabis. It operated several different dispensaries. Wharton edibles. I worked in any fashion. I currently run a business that is both tech and cannabis, so i have that understanding as well. I think i also understand policy having worked with americans for safe access for the years that i worked with them. And having been involved in statewide legislation including eb266 and 12 3 to which jesse referenced earlier. Having a unique set of skills like that just dont really exist out there with other people. I also am extremely familiar with cannabis unlikeon a connoisseur level. So, either wide variety of skills involving cannabis that are pretty unique. What do you see in terms of Lessons Learned from states like washington, colorado, dc . I think we need to ensure our Small Businesses have a place to exist. We need to make sure that you dont need to be a giant corporation to operate in cannabis. We need to make sure both small farmers, small cultivators, small dispensary operators, mom and pop stores come and compete right alongside with anyone who wants towho is more capital than others. I think its important that we build competitive marketplace here in San Francisco and really embrace what were all about here and build a new industry thats like unlike anything else weve seen. I think we can take away from colorado the lack of quality for medicine. We can, you know, we can see how we would do it differently here. We can really expand our local beach and create a model which we already did for the medical system. So, continuing on that would be a best possible avenue. Thank you. Supervisor cohen supervisor avalos, one has to specifically if you can give us details as to your advocacy work that you highlighted in your comments. . I worked with americans for safe access president of the chapter we done found raising and outreach all the dispensaries. We been involved in any legislative issues that have come up. Be outreach to the dispensary, without statewide or in the bay area . Justin San Francisco. With the San Francisco chapter. Comedy dispensaries we have here in San Francisco . 28. Perfect. When you get advocacy and outreach, what committees did you connect with . So, we had towe opened in soma inspired. We had an entire neighborhood that was pretty blatant at the time. So, we work closely with everyone in that neighborhood times great with the Business Owners, with everyone around to integrate a better environment for people and taking do think you have been successful . Was that a better neighborhood . For sure. When we per started i had to step over people to get from the parking lot to the dispensary. That back alley was an openair drug market that was unlit and completely unregulated. Is the alley that now . Yes. The alley is lit now. Theres no drug activityi guess the building is being built right by weather has been a building built back there and another one coming in. So its definitely very much a dispensary in every neighborhood theyve opened that positive impact. And spock was definitely spot is relatively new, right . Buddy dan. Thats relatively new. Five years. Okay. Thank you, no further questions ive another question. Im not as anyone elses question but when we go to Recreational Use of marijuana, we are going to see a whole another level of potency, i would expect. How do you see that change . Or usually a poignancy that has a different effect that different than what the medical purposes have been so far for cannabis. What kind of changes do you think thats going to present speed . What you think the differences can be the stores that sell cannabis . I think potency will creep up but probably wont evoke much higher than where its at now. I think the biggest animals weve wrestled with the edibles and determining what have to do that on a statewide level as well. So determining what inadequate doses. Colorado has 100 mg and 10 mg dose. Thats a little low but we have a base here in San Francisco thats a load that more experience. So trying to develop something thats a little more suited to them. We can look at sales data from dispensaries that all these people that are playing for this task force have worked at and no wet potencies are most in demand, when customers are most looking for. I think its all in how its presented on a sales point of view could if youre completely educating the consumer about what youre doing , it makes it a lot easier for the patient to have a positive experience. So, transitioning back into the recreational and sort of getting the Standard Operating Procedures as part of something that we implement here is important. Thank you. No other questions . We will go on to our next applicants. That will be chase chambers. Good morning, supervisors. My name is chase chambers and running proceeds nine, 10, 11, 12, working, 16, and 17. I then an operator in the medical cannabis dispensary for over four years. As an active member of the of exhibit a commitment to my community, neighbors and city in every decision ive made in local business or Community Group that ive worked with. Over the years, ive worked closely with numerous event cannabis groups Good Businesses and employees from the over 35 professional fourtime cannabis industry workers. With over a decade of experience in Retail Management in the cannabis industry i know i have a firm grasp on the challenges of labor, land use, finance most important, safety and education that comes with the sale and use of cannabis. I appreciate your consideration my application to work with this Diverse Group of Community Members on regulating adult use of cannabis here in San Francisco. Thank you. Any questions i asked former applicants, do you want to respond to . Yes. I think i want to i think when use and access and Financial Advice and assistance is key to adult use and expansion of the industry here in San Francisco. In california at large. So, i also want to emphasize that education on proper cannabis use. I think its pivotal to the implementation of these regulations, and i think we have a responsibility to our communities to do so. What do you see right now currently providing medical cannabis. What gaps or knowledge you have about providing Recreational Use and access to cannabis . Idc thats going to change your work . Ive seen a big shift over the last five years and i know that edible have come up and concentrates and the regulation and the r responsible use of over the last five years weve seen a significant shift. The responsibility of manufacturing and selling those actual items to the general public and the medical marijuana industry. I think as it pertains to Recreational Use, i dont perceive that changing very much. I think that over the years you have seen people start to titrate those dosages. I think manufacturers see that they have a morethere being more responsible by offering something with more direction, more education, lower dosages, and education when they actually purchase those products could so, i really feel like we can welcome the adult use community in the same way that we work with the medical marijuana community. That, i believe that they will not come in looking for anything different. I think that both Recreational Use and medical users sometimes theres a very fine line between the two. I think i believe we will we need to focus on the labor, the people thatll be working in this industry. How can that support them and make them successful, that they are fairly treated and fairly paid. That they are ready to do the work that will be necessary to regulate both medical use as a continues and also with Recreational Use. Grades. Thank you. That was mr. Chambers. Ryan hudson, please. I dont have a notes whether ryan hudson is going to be here. Mr. Hudson. Okay, will go on to wayne justin. Please come forward. Good morning, supervise. Thank you for this opportunity to address you on this very important issue. As the other 2 min. Of about 25 years together wouldve done. Medical cannabis in our city. I was diagnosed hivpositive in 1988 of course my attention turned to something other than the drugs i was taking took my problems. I soon learned ofand when dennis moved to 1444 market st. , i moved with him. We really, group of people did some wonderful things at that time. Of course, during that time opposition to 15 was passed. A great thing that we moved on to look at medical cannabis throughout the world we realize was started here in San Francisco. Now, to move on, i presently served as a National Director of the american medical marijuana association. An organization started in 1999 by toddsteve covey, and rosenthal. Jack herrera to address the issues we had a particular time. In the interim, between my responsibilities now and what we did there, in 1999, i opened a dispensary at 350 divisadero. That operated through the year 2007 and 20 week. During that time, i was able to organize an Advisory Task force that met here at city hall with the supervisors and with representatives of our various departments. We were fortunate to passand i just list all 12 of the resolutions this morning i can but the two important once the century resolution and one, the state card program that was initiated back in the year 2000 that we developed. I served with Pamela Harris when she was a district atty. I hope to open a dispensary in West Hollywood and i am in regular conference with members of that community down there. In addition, i worked with supervisor paulof the la city council to open a dispensary in venice. I am fortunate to bring that kind of experience to our city right now because we need to get a lot of things done. A question and answer. I heard people talk about the green zone. I think thats obvious. We have to look at that. As far as potency is concerned, its important our medicine is tested. Thats very important. Something else id like to see good if i drink i can go to a sports bar enjoying my other friends watching a sports game. There is nowhere, as a person who uses cannabis, can i go in our city and join friends and enjoy ourselves. Not all the dispensaries are able to operate allowing the use of cannabis. We need to do something about that. I believe that with this committee and with the energy that our board of supervisors has right now in our community, theres time to do. Thank you very much. Questions . Next person is sarah payan. Thank you. My name is sarah i am get him a 20 year resident of San Francisco. I can or right before the first big tech boom. Prior to being in the cannabis industry, which ive been it for over three years, i was Operations Manager for nonprofit for civil rights in San Francisco bay area. And i earned assets network. When i was 47 i was diagnosed with stage iii colon cancer and got my first card. After cancer, i decided to work in the industry. My First Experience with a dispensary was really unsatisfactory, so when the apothecary opened was open up to what the possibilities could be for helping Cancer Patients like myself with nausea, eating, pain, etc. So, after three years i am a patient consultant. I is whether head up the Education Department in conjunction with the apothecary we have put together a program called medbus. Patients supplementary medicine every other week to help with her needs. I speak on a National Level this. I was honored to speak of the patients at a conference about the importance of education for the industry and for patients. And, as of two days ago, i was actually the we were awarded the apothecary and myself, 10 awards for excellent and history, thats dispensary in california. So, i feel like him very well qualified to help. I am running for seats nine, 11, and 12. I feel that somebody whos worked in nonprofits experience coalition building, working on committees, and as an educator, i would be an excellent gobetween between members of the committee then maybe not as wellversed in cannabis and also normalization with patients. We have patients from all walks of life. Can this use help everybody. As fires answering questions, shot victim or would you like to ask if you would like to pick whats most pertinent to respond to. Would you see the changes in industry and how it affects San Francisco . What role would you play importing around that . Absolute. Education is target the empowerment helps the patients get we need to work toward having all the dispensary a very well educated patients and consultants behind their bars. We need to make sure that when we have visitors coming in would not made any stance with cannabis they understand what dosages. Not only would this keep people safe, but also that help save the citys resources. If you have somebody that are really strong up in her hotel room and called onto the front of st. I think im dead and i need an ambulance, much money does that cost the city to actually have some sort of response. What kind of education towards people who are working in the policewoman, fire department, any of our services what they actually know what its emergency and when its not. I also feel like, like i said i can bridge the gap between the members of the task force could i also feel like medical patients cannot be forgotten as we go into recreational adult use as we call it. We need to make sure it remains affordable because of this im at sony patients were very ill on fixed incomes are having a very difficult time to be able to get the medicine they need and it would be worse if we charge more tax. That is it. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Next up is kevin read. Good morning, supervise. Kevin read. Pres. And founder of the green crocs Delivery Service and medical edibles. I have been operating the dispensary for 11 years here in the city. I been living in the city for 20 years. I think i would bring a overwhelming amount of experience to this task force. I served on the medical Cannabis Task force prior to this task force and i look forward to offering my time and assistance on this one if selected. Thank you very much. In terms of our questions and 81 to respond to clicks green zone quacks and changes in industry quick i believe the green zone definitely needs to be expanded. I think it was a couple different districts that were automatically outed out of the green zone just for fear of too many coming into their districts. I believe the second level clause in our law currently is just something that should not be there. I think theres a lot more green zone space if we just tweak to what we have. I think that edibles, the packaging of edibles in the dosage of edibles is very important to address. I think any questions like yours am a potency, are very important. Too much potency for some people is too much, people with cancer need very high potent products in order to combat cancer. So, its important not to look at that in one light, but to look at it in every light. We offered as a medicine. One question i have not asked, what do you see as driving the politics behind the discussion on the green zone what do you think is part of the legal discussion . I think currently the discussion should resolve around the issue with legalization we are going to have a huge influx of new customers coming into our dispensers. I think the landuse around those dispensaries is going to be impacted severely. So, we do need more dispensaries in the city in order to handle legalization without a negative impact on neighborhoods. Thats interesting statement. How manyi think theres 28 already existing in San Francisco. So, what is the Tipping Point . The green cross currently serves 50,000 patients. So you mean out of 50,000, frankly, its not that many but we do if i was to double that amount im sorry cohead if i was to double that amount which i believe legal Recreational Use will do it would have a heavy impact on my neighbor. What neighborhood is that . In the excelsior district. Ive heard from your neighbors. So my question again is, what is the right . Thats what this policy is gimme a policymaking body so want to know your policy chops . I wonder how you solve the problem . What things im listening too many folks in the interview, a key indicator of success his past success. I need people to come here and demonstrate to me they been successful, not that they just got into town or they been in the business for 20 years or they themselves are a user. That does not impress me. I want to know from a policy perspective how we are going to professionalize the fastestgrowing industry, 82. 7 billion industry. It can be a difficult task. I think that the applicants you have before you today are going to have a really hard time doing it, but i think big of a lot of intelligent people here. A lot of intelligent people in the city to support them. I think it can be done. I dont think one person has the answer. Theres a lot of self interest i agree with you i think theres a lot of selfinterest thats what john do you doubt the solve. When you say i think it can be done, i need more. I need to know him and i think it be done in heres the reason why. There are four points your three points on how it can be done. This is what ive done in my own business or this is what ive seen in the industry. What is it . Exact. Were talking up here and iq people cope to come down into the roots and into the grass, if you will and get out of the stratosphere. I want to know exactly what were talking about. I want to know i want to know every speaker to walk away from this microphone and im able to take a Little Something away. Youre taking notes and im listening. I have to make a decision zone looking for Something Real to help me make that decision something i do believe israel is opening up those two districts of green zone, two districts that have a multitude of green zone that are not near our schools. I dont believe the answer is putting dispensaries close or dispose. The law prohibits that. We know thats not the answer. But only the second level, i believe you have an entire financial district of Tall Buildings that you can open up and be on any level. We the ground level clause in our current law. Of groundlevel clause by dispensaries to be on the ground level. Correct. Disabled people and handy and to get people to go up in an elevator is no reason we cant have secondlevel or above ground level facilities. Again, those two districts of this entire city that were completely cut out, including the south of market district in the bayview district, that could be opened back up with a multitude of green zone areas that would address this very problem. Lets talk about that since you brought up the bayview district. It would be a teachable moment for everyone in the gym and as you and i represent the bayview district. Why do you think the Bayview Community has been resistance to accepting entry into the green zone . Supervisor maxwells supervisor maxwell is a long the supervised. But the reasoning for that cause what she had the power plants, the sewage plant. She didnt want the pot plants. Get supervisor cohen i know youre working very hard to improve your district improving your district would be opening up Community Source like mine that would help to improve your district, bring more people into your district. I mean, its said that your people in your district have to go to all the way to the other side of town to get their medicine and it will be sad for them to have to go to the other side of town the people in the southeast are cousins and to go to the other side of town for everything. Because we dont have a Grocery Store because we dont have highperforming schools. So, that argument with me is flat. I believe you need more schools we need a lot more than access to a dispensary. To enable some of the social justice and challenges that were dealing with. I dont have any other questions supervisor avalos did we should continue on is a word mr. Reid has the green cross in thedistrict and hes actually there is a green cross is a Good Neighbor and that part of the excelsior and stands out from the other dispensaries there. I would make sure definitely good to know. Im not picking on you. I dont take it that way as well. Im using that as an example because were to be here for hours on everyone that scott, for this microphone bring their that offagain. So far ive not heard anything its impressive to me. I want concrete and solid plans. I want you to convince me he was a people for this position. Mr. Wiener i think weve had some really interesting candidates come up so far done some really impressive things. So, i would perspective on it and agrees Everyone Needs to articulate their work as clearly as possible. Thank you. I would say the neck speaker to read is not going to be here. Okay to read is not here so well go on toi dont see anyone standing up an lp penelope devries. I am pennock penelope tabriz. Im very excited to have the opportunity to serve San Francisco on the Cannabis Task force. Ive applied to fill vacancy number nine. I was raised in northern california. Moved here in San Francisco at age 18. Both my children here and my three grandchildren have been born and raised here. Ivan investment in this community. The city is my home for 50 years. During that time, i dont and managed three businesses. Iona managed to restaurants and a medical cannabis clinic providing support to physicians, lawyers, haitians, collectives and dispensaries. Currently, i managed to apartment buildings and then spent San Francisco work two days a week in a cannabis business Attorneys Office. I served for the last year and a half as a secretary of the brownie Democratic Club of San Francisco we have lots of discussions about expanding the green zone. The kind of Business Model that we are interested in in San Francisco, and all of california. So, i thank you for asking those questions. I think that one of the big things that all Patients Want to know, is where their marijuana comes from. Is it outdoor grown . How much pesticides it has, etc. Because these are things that are of concern for us. Im a grade of finger and a problem solver. Using these skills with the knowledge gained from working closely with cannabis doctors, lawyers, patients and activist, makes me an ideal candidate for the past task force challenges. I appreciate your consideration for this. One of the things that i noticed there were having discussions about interims of answering your questions, that, after legalization, there will be a lot of businesses such as massage parlors who want to integrate canadas oil, for instance, into the massage parlors. The be a lot of businesses that may not be restricted any longer by offering cannabis additions to their products. Coffee shops, for instance. If not selling liquor, can it provide any kind of cannabis drinks . Those are some considerations that we all have to make on the Cannabis Task force to open that up. As well as opening up the green zone so that districts haveall districts have access. One thing i will say about the bayview, for instance, not having or any other place, not perhaps having as many businesses as other districts, is that the cannabis clubs that ive known, the function, they go into the neighborhoods to talk to the other purveyors. To talk to the hotel owners. To get the Community Behind them. A lot of them provide services that would otherwise not be provided. Security on a dicey street for instance. There are lots of cannabis businesses who are interested in owning other businesses as well. So, the expansion could very well be and there could be conditional use permits, whereby you can own a cannabis dispensary if you provide some other kinds of services. But, a lot of the dispensaries at the moment in San Francisco provide massage, acupuncture, street security, just to name three. Theyre very generous. Theyre good to their workers. They are really good to the public. They provide a lot of knowledge to people. You can walk in there and never having used cannabis before and you will get plenty of information and support for what your goal is. One of the things im concerned about if you remember there was a prohibition on how call. In this country to make alcohol illegal and then they created an underground culture. The market. Then the government said okay, were doing this rocket were going to legalize it. So, thats kind of what im seeing with the Cannabis Community. So now its legalize. We can continue to stick with the Bayview Community. I get somebody liquor store. If we do not supervisor maxwells wisdom, who knows how many cannabis dispensaries that we would have popping up,. The plant is cheap. Certainly few years ago it was. Over across flow, you know. So, for me, one of the things im concerned about is, i do want to say and over over proliferation of the dispensaries all around the city popping up as if they are like Liquor Stores. In my opinion, the Liquor Stores in particular, have poison the community and have been parts of the destruction of the social fabric. So im not doing a whole bunch of cannabis clubs to come in to complement the already elements of addiction and abuse. I do recognize that medicinal purposes of cannabis, and have respect but one of the things when people say its a drug or excuse me, not a drug, as a medication, i really cannot push back and am looking maybe someone can educate me here todayabout how we go to a pharmacy for dispensers of any kind of other drugs, but we will yet we would go to what i consider equivalent of a liquor store. Again, my education and understanding of the Cannabis Community and industry is growing. Its evolving. I dont profess to know a lot about the industry however, i know intimately the challenges that workingclass neighborhoods are dealing with. I know intimately with communities of color are struggling with. I know intimately that asking american latinos have been charged and disproportional rate for possession of medical marijuana, but yet having trouble breaking into this industry because of access, lack of access. Im struggling because im not seeing the level of diversity that i need to see in order for it to put together a commission that needs to represent the entire body of the San Francisco community. So, i certainly appreciate your interest and respect your business and the use of this this a tough climate to be in business. I know its tough, so i dont want you to take my remarks again, personally. No. I think youre challenges are very valid and one comment i would make immediately is that every one of those Liquor Stores had to apply for a liquor license. Somebody stamped at that and said okay, you can open that. The same with the dispensaries. Every single one of the dispensaries have to come in front of the board of permit appeals to get their business permits and get permission. They can just open without the community having some kind of input. So, i would think that the legalization it would not be a rubber stamp. Not everybody can just open up their homes and say im running a Cannabis Store here in a friends living room now. They have to be permitted. It has tosomebody has to approve this permits. So, that would be one of the considerations. What is it that permits a process going to be any different . Is a good be much engine fantastic. Now youre talking now youre talking. Im glad youre talking off the page. I want to know what people are thing when its politically correct. If you want to come in my neighborhood you tell me why should come into my neighborhood. Exactly what your obligations which your background and how are you going to contribute to my community. Thank you. Im done. You are leaving . No. Just joking. Thank you very much. Next up is benjamin mentone. Im not sure benjamin is here. I do not get a confirmation. He is. Good afternoon. My name is Benjamin Manson i live in San Francisco for 12 e. Of in the medical cannabis industry for about eight years now. Today im applying for seats nine, 11, 12, and 22. Its my interest to serve on the board to represent the concerns of the Retail Cannabis workers in the end. The people actually sign the marijuana to the people could also, to take part in the conversation in relationship to testing the vegetables, flowers and concentrates because concentrates its very kind of gray area as to the safety and the cleverness of the process. It needs there needs the rules for this from this committee as to how we want to set standards for testing as far as parts per million for butane, ever allowed butane process. That would be my main concern. Thank you for your time today. If you have any questions. Its very important that we keep the distinction between Liquor Stores and cannabis. Dispensaries because both like, when you go into a cannabis dispensary, you are in a lump it when you go into a alcohol store, there is a constant flow of people. When you look at recreational legalization, you need to consider the customer flow and the impact its going to have on the neighborhood that they already exist and it is why you need to look at expanding the area. On this task force, adding its very important to consider the people that are at the lowest level of this cannabis industry that will impact their lives when you say consider the people on the lowest level, what is the main . Of that but the hourly wage workers working at the dispensaries. That as this recreational legalization happens is going to become more more like a starbucks employee and less and less like a pharmacy worker. So, i want to preserve the integrity of those workers i appreciate you educating me on that. Abuts do have those fancy cups talus [inaudible]. Yes. Its very important to also keep this medical wing and not got our medical system do we have in San Francisco or in the state levi for patients rights or allowing access to people that want to smoke and have fun. Working at the window, uca know people that are directly impacted by this and i need to have this system is currently in place available to them so they dont have to stay behind kids looking to get dad as high as they can. Thank you. Next up, im not sure if this person is you. Sarah schrader. Good morning. Thanks for having me my name is Sarah Schrader and applying for seats nine, 11, 12 and 13. Mineta of San Francisco. The graduate of Thurgood Marshall in the graduate of city college. Im a mother of two ages five and eight. Formally on medical cannabis passports. A working group that created it. 20th 2000 was a Motor Vehicle as always left me with a diagnosis that can be lifelong. Turnover 34 prescriptions for my condition and none of them have given me the quality of life that cannabis has been so officially gone off all prescriptions due to this. Ive been involved as an activist in 2002 after witnessing my first rate. I expected the medicine to be gone from the dispensaries but what i did not expect with the service be taken from the community. Hot food for children support groups for patients, it was really at that point it became an advocate for medical cannabis. My diverse work in volunteer work can help bring about balance perspective to this task force. I know what its like to be a neighbor of a dispensary as i used to live next door to one. I understand the needs of mentally and physically disabled patients that used to be inhome caregiver. I understand the hurdles the patients face with housing, cbs, employment and is a peer counselor at for eight years i did education augusta with california the dispensaries got to know the majority of dispensaries here in San Francisco even before regulation process happen. I participate in for california lobby days, three congressional lobby days, the last five years for my learn to think outside the box is illegal assistant for an aggressive cannabis defense attorney. My goal is to create some policies that reflect our new state bills. We have 17 different permits available at the state and what is that going to look out for us here. I also recognize within the Initiative Come up with a lot of work to do see what regulation for legalization looks for. I think we should learn from places like washington, where they made the most out of every patient by instituting dui laws could i would make sure our system does not criminalize more patience and benefit the city of San Francisco. Great. Thank you much. Either quick question at sarah, question. Does the state of california require people to have a performance bond in order to work in this industry . The majority of dispensaries have some kind of insurance dispensary but not required of any bonds being required. Ive read through the 60 pages state bills and i dont remember recall anything mentioning that at this time how much Insurance Companies required to carry . Out of those apartment at the time. Honestly, im not knowledgeable at that and more for Patient Advocates perspective. Thank you. Can respond to your question related to the bayview and aspects in general . 02 worst and middle school it is very tempting. As a liquor store and good vibrations right across the street. This one checkpoint when you go to those stores. To get to the counter they idu do. When the going to a dispensary theres at least three checkpoints. Having to current person with the person agreed to at the door, your membership person make a person is a collective member and as a person you meet at the counter. So as far as regulation, youths and symptoms go this a lot easier for me to access Illegal Drugs than legal ones because they do not have a regulatory system. Thank you very much for the comments. Thank you. We are going to to 12 30 pm and i would take a 15 min. Break. Then will come back. The royal year is getting tax. So, next person is paul anthony camille. Hello. My name is paul kimmel larry. Im applying for seat number nine. At 19 Years Experience as a medical cannabis indoor cultivator in San Francisco california. I am also a caretaker for my wife, who is a twotime cancer survivor in remission and a father of a 12yearold boy 25yearold young lady. Im currently an active participant in compliance with ordinance for San Francisco city certified medical cannabis growth. Im currently registered as a medical cannabis greenhouse which San Francisco in a nonresidential zone. I strongly believe the medical cannabis should be transitioned out of the residential zones and into commercial and industrial zones. Being a 41yearold native San Francisco, ive seen firsthand how and why it is crucial to have ordinance to benefit the community and safety. Most importantly, it provides safe medicine to medical Cannabis Patients in all walks of life. Thank you very much for your time. Thank you. You have any other questions . Something about the green zone. A little bit about my shoulders industrial areas, which uca some of the discussion thats going to be around the green zone in San Francisco and the task force may be taking that up the cracks definitely more space as a recreational. Im more for in the growing area and going to ordinance and everything to see disease understaffed in this department has lack of direction. So, i work with the health department, fire department, trying to resolve these things and apply an ordinance and make a better Safer Community like i said, ive seen firsthand what happens in the residential zones. Its too clustered. It gets too big. Its a little out of control. It needs to be jane. I want to be a part of it. I feel i qualified with my years of experience. Just not experience a good experience. I am proactive. Im not responsive grower. Thank you. What about the state laws that are coming before us that go before voter approval for growers. What is the range of options that are being put forward for how growers will be treated . How do you think that would affect San Francisco in terms of growing whether we would see it happening, and being supplied by growers outside the city or see a huge increase in growers here, and how would that be manage . That depends on the zoning and the Building Department inspections. The people of the community how they feel, how many dispensaries should be allowed as well as growers and how much space and symptoms. San franciscos kind of small so we have a lot of vertical space we can take advantage of that with changes. I think that would accommodate a lot of things and resolve a lot of problems. Keep everything here in San Francisco where it started. At least set the bar where it starts and continued to set the bar higher for other states as well. As the years progress. Okay, thank you. Peter maxwell. Thank you for your time. My name is peter mashup i spent 5. 5 years in the cannabis industry. I spent 3. 5 years at the apothecary in San Francisco. The manager there for the past year and a half. My User Experience and practice some a lot about the industry. I think we understand all about patient needs and concerns. The supply chain of cannabis and demand of that supply and how to best operate and maintain a successful dispenser good especially pride myself as an educated ive composed a couple different lectures and classes for the apothecary with the intent of educating that i myself dated a educating our staff numbers, members, the numbers but the medical efficacy of cannabis and the use of cannabis in general. I received a degree in Political Science with a minor in sociology from San Francisco state university. So i think i understand the importance of measured research, analysis, thoughtful decisionmaking and weighing of different perspectives of stakeholders in order to make policy recommendations not proper policy. Im applying proceeds nine and 22. I understand nine is especially contended right now. I think especially qualified for seat number 22. As a young member of the cannabis industry, i understand that with the inevitability of legalization, we are going to see huge boom in young people especially people of my generation, joining the industry nothing interest in the industry that think a great ambassador for them as having made a career for myself in the industry that you were going to see them enter the industry from operators, employers, employees cultivators, consumers. So, i think they use my generation especially is going to be a huge stakeholder in the years to come. Thank you. Thank you very much. Anything else to add . I think having us people said today i think its very important that in this ongoing process, we speak to the communities in San Francisco and all stakeholders involved. I know theres a lot of people who, a lot of Committee Members are not hostile but apprehensive about the cannabis coming into the neighborhood. I think like i said this can be a lot of young people using cannabis and i think we need to make proper regulations and educate people and make sure everyone is aware of the limitations of cannabis and also some of the conceptions misconceptions that are propagated over the last several generation. I think proper education, regulation, and weighing of stakeholders perspectives is the most important roles here. Thank you. I appreciate your response or from thati did ask a specific question but just giving my experience with my district, there has been a lot of people who are very very apprehensive. In fact, we had a dispensary that was looking to set up shop in my district, and where there was nothing barring it legally from takingmoving in in district 11, there was such opposition to the Planning Commission did not approve. That is something that is very very real. When neighbors and residents feel about marijuana, which could vary from different points of view in terms of what the hi might be like to ideas people have or misconceptions or conceptions they have about crime increasing order people selling on the streets. What do you see as a way to make cannabis more respectable in San Francisco . Would you see as the Major Barriers for that . I agree agrees to the concerned with the concerns of neighbors and Community Assessment i like to speak to the fact that the crime and the impact that cannabis dispensaries have on neighborhoods. Theres been a number of studies done in los angeles in the last decade that is shown that cannabis dispensaries and their influence, the fact that their eyes on the neighborhood, the bodyguards and security cameras, have strict regulations from door to counter, that they often improve areas and then decrease crime in the areas that they reside. That being said, though, i think especially in San Francisco, we such a demand especially demand for operators to come in and start their own businesses we have to have a pragmatic measured thoughtful way of going out those licenses and permits making sure not offending anyone associations Political Parties or anything. I think the crime thing is one of those old misconceptions where there are so many safety nets and regulations and safeguards in place already to we have notthose numbers have not been sussed out. I would agree on. Weve also had the phenomenon of some dispensaries responding to this apprehension about what misconception about, rising crime. Go overboard in terms of security. So, ive had a lot of residence contact me about overzealous Security Officers outside of medical cannabis dispensaries and feel very frightened or intimidated or cannot even go to the local store because they feel like theyre going to get harassed by Security Officers. I think some of that needs the security is going to be important but i think its another connection with community thats important as well. A relationship. Absolutely. I think its the job of this task force to really think about the regulations and what security and front of house saturday measures are. I know in place like los angeles, if security guards are known to legal weapons on them. San francisco thats our problem but these are all things that are in this giant gray area that has not been regulated as fully as it should happen until now. So lets think about security should be considered in relationships between the dispensaries in the community rather than very lazy about it with overpowering weapons and bullying people who intimidate the residence yes. I think that somebody owners and operators of the apothecary have taken to our. We been opendoor policy but its very uncommon for dispensaries. We want to be open to our community. You want to speak to our neighborhood. We also members come by and bring their dogs to the front of the house we give the dogs. Treats the never honestly find that quite charming. Its little touches like that and sincerity like that that i think can really propel this industry passed these misconceptions about safety and illegal distribution and things like that. Thank you. What time do we have . We can probably do one more before we take a 15 min. Break. Im sorry. That was mr. Maxwell. Michael nolan. Is mr. Nolan here . Good morning. Thank you supervisors that native. I would figure other colleagues here working with a different legislator straight different opportunities for if you could put the microphone closer to you . Absolutely. It would have taken to separate cisco to simple model dispensary. I got the permit in early 2004. Since then we work diligently [inaudible]. Weve strived how to work on bettering the city at large that we supported gardens, academy of science, helped build parks, by working with the plant sculptures about. In the part. We planted trees in the city. When we first opened we were dispensed. There only five employees. Since that time weve created numerous businesses also some related to cannabis and out employ more than 75 employees was which are San Francisco residents are minimum wages averaging 150 per hour and vacation and dental. Im proud to say we have sponsors of united players gone back by that, since we taken guns out the sugar we also collected anonymous data on pages and the chronic illness and how to use cannabis for leakage and working with twa to create [inaudible] weve had numerous politicians to our operation. Ive also purchased multiple commercial properties in which weve created businesses and jobs the residence of San Francisco as well as Model Properties to be sold to increase the value of neighborhoods. Have you been chosen to sit on the board will continue in our efforts and make San Francisco were the greatest cities in the nation. I look forward to leading by example. Thank you much for most generous time. And happy holidays to all. Id also like to say waterless charities a lot of our other colleagues were individuals that brought those to my attention and we all are very likeminded making sure we do the best. Thank you. Anything else to add based on previous commerce stations . The two yes, the metacognitive. One of the questions supervisor cohen had mentioned was how do we know how to more dispensaries to open and how should those be done. One of the things that patty said, its very similar to a special use permit. If you make sure that the people are the good actors they come into these communities are helping to give back to the mayor better place, if you borrow someones car to bring about cleanly with a full tank of gas. Thats about methanol. Thats a good option. Another way or possibly, take a look at the dispensaries now and get information from the patients that are coming in which committees they exist. The redo some kind of a poll to find out what are the users going to be what theyre going to need those different communities. Sorry. One more note here that i took why was waiting. I also believe that its important as a group we bring bring some ideas to come up with the best possible solution it i do agree with patty, as well for special use permits to make sure we dont have bad actors. I think its good we get back to the committee. I also feel it similar to a bartender. If you go into a bar and youre intoxicated they continue to serve you and theres a liability based upon that bartender. Its placed upon that barton. I think it is to be the same thing about cannabis dispensed. If you see people come in and acting irrationally i think integration about Good Neighbor policy. So were not just eating people cannabis trying to be profiteers. Whether not having any ability to make sure that doing the right decision for any consumer. Just the liability part people coming in. I think the responsibility mr. Know, you talk about liability. I know your Business Owner. Are you required to carry any type of insurance . Yes how much is it . Weave a 2 million policy is that the Industry Standard or is that on the highend . Intern understands. I think the averages around 1 million. I have another question. I dont know if this is a legitimate question. I dont know the answer. In the state of california, are people required people are people denied a license to get into the business . Are they denied a license or favor misdemeanor or arrest for possession . Misdemeanor, no. Some counties are not allowed. You could be refused or denied for a permit. Is it a statewide agency that is granting these licenses be . The new legislation, yes it would be a statewide regulatory process and new licensing. Which everyone will have to do even the current cities it was that dispensaries now they will have to still go through the state permitting process, so i believe it would be in the best interest of the people whove been around in operating and longevity and doing a great job would start there and work on extension. How long is the process when you apply for a license . In San Francisco . Intemperance is going on a statewide level could speak up in separate cisco the process now without six months. When i first started it was very evolutionary and they do not have all the seats in play so although were able to get a business license operating legitimate under the laws of what had passed in generally first 1997. They had a special use permit that you had to reapply and go through another process and it took about two, 2. 5 years. Thank you. Okay. Anything else to add . Discreetly appreciate your time. Happy holidays and look forward to making this decision with you guys. Thank you. We will take 15 min. Of a break and returning back at 12 50 pm. We are back to the rules committee. According to our list of candidates for the task force appeared sharon golden is nice. Seeing sharon not appear, james asher . Is that microphone . There we go. Hello. Im james asher. Im applying for seats nine and 13. At least two years in the cannabis industry and also owner of a Small Business. My case a small cannabis business. I was born and raised here in San Francisco at the San Francisco event center. Were my father was the abbot for many years until he passed away from aggressive cancer a little over a year ago in attempting to treat him with accurate and safe medicine, i was led to some frustration, not only in the constructing the stigmas that still remain in terms of efficacy of cannabis, but also in creating access for people like my father. I created an Online Platform that allows for patients to learn about and purchase cannabis in the comfort and safety of their own home. Theres a delivery aspect to our business that we feel benefits a large swath of San Francisco. Many demographics. Its low impact in terms of building use permits, in terms of how member associations, and employees a number of people. So, im open to provide a little biti dont purport to be a politician by any means, but to provide some perspective against the sort of moneyed interests that are undoubtedly going to be at play here in this coming art. Era. As i said i was born and raised on a buddhist buddhist commune and i spent 25 years in a theater and film world. Experience collaborating in creating consensus and hope to bring that spirit to this board. I just want to say, in one of the questions brought up, in terms of the mistakes the colorado and washington mightve made, im hoping that whatever kinds of policies we enact, the more inclusive of the smaller entrepreneurs like myself to our hoping and praying to become out of the shadowy gray area legally and into the light of Cannabis Initiative i think that something may be we in San Francisco can lead the charge on. Whereas places like colorado and washington seem to have only contributed to that black market. Thank you. Thank you. Anything else you want to add . Thats it. Thank you. Next up is hondo dick hollowell. Out xander good afternoon supervisors. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak in front of this was committed. My name is outlander. I have 9 Years Experience in the industry. I am a City Employee the city and county of San Francisco. I will also be graduating from sam Frisco Fire Department neighborhood Emergency Response team. I am here today to speak on my qualifications for vacant seat number nine and number 22, the youth seat for the task force. Regards mike obligations for seat number nine, i lived up in humboldt county for nine years. There i worked on several different grow operations for medical cooperatives for those who cannot grow themselves. I have volunteered and worked with nonprofit medical organizations , and work in every facet of the industry from germinating seeds to processing the plant at the end of harvest. My goals for being on this task force will evolve. Since we are unsure of what piece of legislation or initiative will actually come through, our goals will evolve as we come closer to unite as one 96, which is the deadline for the petitions to be submitted to the elections official. I am also a residence in district 11. I live fairly close to tree med dispensary and also to cookies, two of the most popular clubs in San Francisco. The negative affects there had been palpable. I walk to and from parts every day. I walk past those dispensaries and what weve touched on earlier concerning the security guards, i find their presence to be deplorable. We do thank you. In my opinion they do not actually [inaudible] walking by them using him chatting on their cell phones, smoking or hitting on any woman passing by. I think that moving forward we should not be able to live on the model set forth by the medical industry,. It behooves this industry to collaborate by different departments such as department of Public Health, department of public works. So that we can actually see which areas have traffic and what we can do to augment the negative effects that come with dispensaries. Thank you. You mentioned tree med. He said cookies because i thought it was just organics i thought was Mission Organics next to tree med . I think its switched hands. Its now advertising is cookies. I did not know that. Im a little nervous seeking new for you right now because my expense is not one of my favorite ive received a ba in Political Science. Right now it worked that part of elections in services. Im acutely aware of the intricacies of our government, what is needed to have this rollout be successful in acutely aware of the initiative process. Thank you for your time. The tango. Any questions, colleagues because we will go on for next applicants. Actually skipped over by accident stuart rhodes. Mr. Rhodes . Hello, supervised. My name is stuart rose. I been residing in cultivating medical cannabis in the bayview for 15 years. I love it and i never want to leave it. I also hold a cultivation seat on the medical task force. I operate a small Electrical Safety and efficiency consultant practice servicing clients in San Francisco and oakland. Bottom line here offer you 15 years of local experience in the trenches of this cause turned industry. My passion for science, safety, and Good Business and Good Government will get you to the best possible outcomes to this body. With 10 state Ballot Initiatives outcomes are difficult to predict. Amendments filed only use number seven expanded enormously on the previous language including strengthening requirements to keep cannabis away from you than changing the deadline for businesses receiving priority licensing of november 12015 through september 1, 2016. Given us the opportunity to be proactive. Because the initiative allows for Cannabis Consumption into regulatory categories of retailer and micro business, the finest cultivation of less than 10,000 ft. 2, also allowing manufacturing, retail, and delivery we certainly risibles nothing like weve got right now. Notably, not allowing alcohol consumption. I would like to take a minute to speak with her about it the important differences between alcohol and cannabis. But, San Francisco they want to create new cannabis specific when use categories or even reduce distancing. Supervisor avalos, you can call me super. No doubt. I believe you commissioned or invited the Planning Commission to produce the report in 2013 about how the green zone could be expanded. You can glance at that report and that would disproportionately affect the bayview. Youre welcome to go over just a guideline. Its an economical way to time thank you. I think particularly sensitive to the very difficult dynamic in the bayview. Under economic spoke seats. I think are potential problems associated identification of annies in the area. I think theyre gossipy corresponding benefits can i think the matter balance. If were allowed 600 foot percent require which would be supported by the recent charles file federal with the District Court decision in defense of the alliance against medical marijuana, i think we should not worry as much as we used to about letters from federal government. To landlord could i think in places 700 feet from certain sensitive uses might be such a bad idea and would give release it were also to consider corresponding the proportional intensification in industrial areas. If that were to happen, i think that local higher loss summer you had been a fan of in the past might work out very well for neighborhoods that need economic opportunities. So, im not really advocating for anything in particular here because things have been controversial in the past. I want to be sensitive to. Vallejo filed my application a week ago. I have a lot of great relationships in San Francisco. In the medical Cannabis Society and outside of it. I want to be as respectful as possible at this time at the gate consensusbuilding is going to be incredibly important on this body. I might be totally honor to participate if you like my help so, part of the work is going to be interacting with a lot of government agencies. Thatll also be represented on the task force. What is your experience working in a similar way in the city . , San Francisco task force we had meetings with the District Attorneys Office and sf pd. Department of building inspection. Planning. I had interactions with some of these agencies since. We actually had a series of very amenable interactions with the Police Commission received an extraordinary level of support from a couple people in particular. I spoke as the chairman of the Cultivation Committee at those hearings and we are very proud to achieve a result of getting 7 pounds of wrongful use medicine returns. Ive also did some work in berkeley. I worked with supervisor Chris Mortensen and other counselors to change the language of measure t which was passed. The processes are little slow over there. I wish thered been more benefit from that, we did and we symbolically achieve a result. I have a question. With your bayview business. The location this relocation of your bayview business . Electoral consultant is run out of my residence. Okay. Cultivating inhouse peacocks . In. I would not cultivate in a residential it. Yesterday that the major violation of the. I misunderstood to present it i thought you said you were in cultivation we you said you were in consultation . I also do that. I cultivate in association with safe San Francisco. And i spoke with yoyo about that. When im try to figure out is, your businesswhat is an bayview . Cultivation . For i dont processing understand what you mean clicks do you own a business . Yes. Amir williams during the Police Station thats my question it so the business of that youre running out of his run out of your house . Electrical consulting which is entirely different electrical subject i cannot understand what youre saying. Its the microphone. Its not you. Thank you. Thank you. I think we got that clear. Will go to the next candidates. That would be shona bush and our good afternoon chairman avalos supervisor had supervisor wiener. Im shonawomen serving the city with really implementing handson engineering with Public Policy regarding cannabis for the last 10 years. I think today i want to keep my statement short and sweet and a little bit futuristic. Im awaiting a title in summary from the attorney general for the mc lr x urges California First open source statewide ballot initiative, andonline with over 1000 different advocate statewide participating then, of course, circulated through some of our very wellversed cannabis attorneys, a few of whom have signed on as well. I think it was very important that the attorneys who signed on are the attorneys that are currently in our courtrooms in california and so they been much know the nuts and bolts of initiative would work. One of the things that i bring to the table and consistency is representation of poor people, workingclass people, and im a proudiv endorsement of just cannabis policy with me today. I see a lot of old friends here today and many businessmen that i worked with in the past and theres a lot of new friends here today to make as well which is encouraging over the years that weve been through. Being sort of one of the early advocates to work with supervisor daly and Compassionate Care for our city, i intend to continue to do that and im looking forward to serving any seat you would see available. So thats it uncomfortable with as well. I can fire rocket this point. Im open to any questions just if you could talk about what your experience with such bodies and what your contributions would be based on that experience . I want to build a medical cannabis passports with supervisor campos. Was challenging at times but i think that the contributions are brought, aside from diversity, was how will this work on the ground. How would this policy actually play out and what will the locations of it the. I feel that i have a really good sense of figuring out how it will play out on the street level. I also have a rather good experience in working with neighborhood groups. I was on some of the teams for some of the most controversial and difficult permits that went through the planning department, so i know the diplomacy outside of our diverse community. Thank you. I know the perspective on supercritical and a lot of them deliberations we make as public bodies was your contribution in terms of the output of the task force to medical Cannabis Task force on based on that representation . I think based on that based on that representation we got a unanimous vote for Compassionate Care. What does that mean . Compassionate care . Compassionate care is medicine for people that cannot afford market rate medical cannabis. In a sense is a code word in our community, compassion meaning, free medicine. That is something that i worked with supervisor mark carini. Get a nonbinding resolution to that effect in our city and one of the benefits that i think i brought to the table was having all of my fellow colleagues on the task force finally come to an agreement that resolution should be nonbinding. You we did that again one more time over when we were working with darren start, with the report that you commissioned. It was really great to work with erin start and we did gain the support of the Planning Commission to have the Compassionate Care. Part of the permitting process. What does that mean for the next phase of how the industry will change as a result of the likely passage of new eligibility for marijuana in california . I think we can you look at some of the adult use taxes and earmarked those taxes to care for folks who are in hospice care, you know, a lot of families are having a rough time affording medication for seriously ill individuals. Once you get sick, it takes an economic toll on families, so i think that when were looking forward in futuristic to what we can do in the city, i think we need to be diversity that says, we are going to earmark adult use taxes specifically for our citizens and our city and our residents that need that supports and can have equity and say see faxes. Just looking a application that says you are also an owner and operator . This is one of the things that you are one of the siege are applying for an Owner Operator of a medical cannabis seed. That is a 10 no. I have been an operator in the past. Per century dispenser that i focus on my efforts into billy doing Compassionate Care programs and peer support, so i would not consider myself an owner of a dispensary. But you have been in the past . I have been in the past. In your remarks you referenced earlier the body that you served on. What was the name of it . The medical cannabis passports. How did you serve on the body . I hope both terms for three years. To iphoto for years . Yes. Is that body store on or been dissolved . It sunset. It was only set up for three years in the working group prior to that we gathered from was two years so really, i feel like theyll serve like five years. Him and to be very frank and has to very frank question. You certainly have a reputation and the reputation is on collaborative and i wanted to get an opportunity to address it publicly so that i can understand if you could were debunked in pursuit of it thats fine but the word is that youre on collaborative and difficult to work with. Now, minute that they also say about women. I take that with a grain of salt. But thats when presenting it to you now to it. Thank you for the opportunity to allow me to that concern. I think often when people bring people together they become the target i wenton a group of working on a task force so i feel that, diplomacy is necessary. I feel that often people who represent people that dont have equal standing, and deserve equal standing and when you demand to be equal is often your call on collaborative. Im okay with it. Most okay with the state ballot am working on being called inclusive state ballot come in at the parker state out. Im very secure in my diplomacy and my kindness to people. Like i said, i often sit in the hot seat to become a firework. Im okay. Betake her. I appreciate the honesty in your and. I thank you for taking with me. Thank you. Next up is wyatt lynn. Mr. Lynn . Okay. Actually not attempted truly brunettes. Troy. Okay. Michelle aldrich. Good afternoon, supervisors. Chairman avalos, supervisor ken cohen supervisor wiener my name is Michelle Aldrich, i worked in the Legalization Movement for 43 years trying to like guys that want to work on the First Initiative in california which was the first time marijuana was over on the ballot in 1972. I been on the board of california normal for over 35 years. I have draft proposition 215. I got a Lifetime Achievement award from high times. Ive worked on the campus working groups. I was on a medical Marijuana Task force. I was on the drug abuse Advisory Board for the city and county of San Francisco. I was president of aids Prevention Action Network in hopes in the city. The purpose of the task force is to help us work on what happens when we do legalize marijuana in california. The bunch of initiatives that have been filed, but most of them will not need about because of money. So, what we have to do is research the ones that look like theyre going to make the ballot and see how our city rules that are already in effect will play out under this and let alone the new medical marijuana regulation that the state has just past. We need to work on planning and the green zone. We need to work on banking. 280 is in effect and its hard to do banking in the marijuana business. Also, one of the things that was in the original bill, there should be a dispensary in every neighborhood and every district. That isnt so so maybe we can change some of that. Any questions . Thank you speeches could you go a little bit further into the banking issue in what ways you see that im not sure we can do anything about it. Until the irs and the feds do something. Because in colorado and washington and in or gone all been blocked. Its their its there, also. The board of equalization wants to try to do something about it and i dont know if they can. So, its if so will jump on it here. Any other questions . That 43 years working in addressee capacity. What the hell do you want to sign onto this . Ive been part of everything. I want to be part of this, too. This is been my life. Im trying to legalize marijuana. People should not go to jail for it. They should be put in treatment programs when they dont need it. Have you done a work or partnerships with the Drug Policy Alliance . Yes. My husband was on the working group before it became the Drug Policy Alliance, widow still be working group. Do you live in the city . 43 years same apartment. Rent control. Thank you. Hopefully it will stay that way. Really more Affordable Housing in the city. I dont have any questions. Thank you for yourthanks for leading the charge thank you. Someone has to. I married my first phd in marijuana. We met the First National pot conference in washington dc so its been my total life where did you grow up . How does this become your life . I was born in chicago and moved to that was the time i was nine. I have found the first aye program when i was 11 for teenagers about called friends. And i majored in nursing and they took me out because i was dating a baptist sky. So, at this point i helped found the clinic and the National Free clinic counsel because i believed in healthcare for everyone. With that, ive worked in washington dc and the National Coordinator drug education doing literature and consumer evaluation. We worked on community policing. We worked on the Ark Linkletter book. What we found is all the pamphlets and stuff that were coming out and the films were all scare tactics. We needed to bring reeducate everyone so i worked on educating. I was in charge of education forback in 72. What is that . We sold a Rolling Papers and all copies went to legalize marijuana. So, could not omit a career out of this i mean a life out of this but you also ive also spent 10 years immediate. 10 years as a stockbroker and eight years as an International Meeting planner when i wasnt working on legalization. Set a high bar. Thank you. I dont have any other questions. No other questions. What are the memory of cheech and chongs first albums. I papers inside of them i think. Next, well go to the next candidate. Nick lonza is not here i dont think. Just in case . Sabrina maitland. Good afternoon, supervisors. I aspire to be that woman right there. My name is sabrina maitland. I to my native san franciscan. Its not honored to be in the room with him and did my prying applying to seats 12, 95 in criminal justice, Political Science government psychology and my paralegal degree as well. Im dedicated to being active in my community and having the impact. Im hr director for Hospitality Company here in San Francisco. Im in a position of leadership which has a membership of 2000 women. Im on the Advisory Board of the academy of hospitality towards him and Food Services for San Francisco in five School District in the curriculum advisor for the sf i program and a recipient classroom training and a bonus for Episcopal Services which also is a hospitality and food program. I work with the office of Workforce Development and developing their hospitality initiative. As the hr manager, im experienced in context negotiation, conflict resolution, reviewing legislative processes, and making difficult decisions every day for the benefit of my company and for my employees regardless of my personal feelings. As an hr manager, also bring a perspective of the employee and employer. That is something that is incredibly important to me. In addition to zoning, housing, potency, public use, banking, tourism by safety considerations, we also to consider the relationship of the employee and the employer and what that is going to mean. I dont have all the answers. What i do have is the ability to research, tough conversations, to Community Outreach, to take into consideration other point of use and i do believe thats going to be one of our most important jobs of being on the task force. To consider everybodys opinion and everybodys view and not just our own. Just the seed we are representing. Thank you. Anything else to add they would like to say . Michael, is to have my goal is to wellrounded inclusive dialogue including local national and International Policy research and most important the community of San Francisco. Overall, i think that as a task force we do represent the seats were assigned and appointed to, but we must be openminded to others opinions. As been alluded to hear the Committee Members that i can be happy with the passage of the slots were most of us in this room will, we need to be very considerate to those other opinions and take them seriously. How do you see your work in the nighttime industry, entertainment. I think youre qualified for that seat . I was a restaurant manager here in San Francisco and up in a nightclub and restaurant manager in boston as well. Some familiar with that nightlife scene. Ive been lucky enough to work on also the two joint knight transportation the other 9to5 and thats also where i look at my employees specifically if there challenges of getting to and from work. And our citizens challenges of getting to and from their nightlife considerations. Thank you. If theres no other questions, we will go on to our next applicant, janet griggs. Good afternoon, supervisors. Name is janet griggs. Im applying for the seats, 13, 14, and 15. I dont have any experience in the cannabis industry. Ive experience in business. I am in the last three years and ive been exposed to retailing in San Francisco and in those three years, we have notice the significant difference in how retailers do with their customers. I think this could be one of the issues thats going to come up with a task force. Because many of our products that we sell are being delivered by organizations such as jordache, caviar, post mates. We have customers who order through. I think that is can be one of the issues that you have to be addressing. My experience in the city has been to be president of sponsor of the farmers market. I was president for six years on the board for nine total. That was an organization of very diverse interests. What it did teach me is how to build consensus and i think it also emphasizes how important it is to look at Small Businesses from a sustainable point of view. Sustainability, not just in raising food but sustainability economically. My experience with currently is on sf travel. Executive committee. Im treasurer of sf travel. In appreciation for the towards him issues and i would like to continue to apply that experience on this task force. Thank you very much. Longfellow elementary school. Thats right. M amick has lived in her district for over 100 years. We just got around around 100 years ago. People from european descent. We were the only German Family im in pacifica now thank you for letting me know. Supervisor cohen did i hear you correctly run a catering business because the two yes whirring your district. Yes, i know. It also said you know food . I like it it onsite. I think its refreshing that you not in the industry and they are interested but your visit experience i think will translate in a pretty profound way. So the policies your lookout will have the viewed through a business lens. One of the things i think we have to recognize is that once theres recreational legalization of cannabis, its going to affect all different areas of hospitality. My brother also owns a ranch in colorado and he is been approached by a number of people to hold their weddings on the ranch in colorado because thats where they conserve cannabis. As a caterer, im thinking how am i going to address that when it comes to pass and i like to be involved thank you for that point supervisor cohen. The point is not that all members be affiliated with the cannabis industry. Thats a very importantthat is the strongest recommendation the widest support come out of it. So, thank you. I mention one other thing that i think is important is that i think this has forces going to be challenged with respect to communicating to the public at large. That requires educating people because it is a difference between perception and reality. I think thats one of the things that were going to focus on, is how to educate the public, and separate feelings from fax. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next up we have duncan ley. Good afternoon, supervise. I am applying for seats 13, 14, 16, 17 and 19. Where aussies a thing unqualified to be a valuable member of this task was. So based on my connections to neighborhoods, Small Business and other committees throughout San Francisco. This is always been raptly changing city with many complex issues that affect us all in a largescale. And when that knows this town knows its all about neighborhoods from the bayview to the presidio. Ive owned and operated nine establishments arson restaurants in five districts across San Francisco. Anything from sports bar and grill to gain nightclub. In a time adult many expenses and personal connections so they qualify me for the top source proven the ability to find consensus and get real results. Good chairman of the district merchant association. A member of several labor groups across the city and because of the Committee Involvement in local knowledge was asked recently to join the Northern District police Advisory Board which opposites very diverse jockey. In addition to the founding of our owner of alliance which for the first time organized voices to represent bars big and small across San Francisco, a soap cochaired california music and cultural association. We promote the interests of music across the stupid is on board of st. Francis foundation. We support the partnership which is amazing tenement community to increase the health and wellness the residence that. I believe everyone can win with the proper regulation of Recreational Cannabis in sf. Open up many of her duties for all residents, welding jobs, while protecting the integrity of our city. Thank you very much. Colleagues, any comments or questions . Okay. Thank you. Next up david waugh. Thank you for having me here. Thank you for organizing all this and everyone in the room for sharing their time, energy, skills and perspective my name is david applying for seat number 13. The resident sample discovery. A patron for your and been in the industry for over a year now. Im the ceo of cofounder of medicolegal technology for the cannabis industry. Were building a seat to sell platform. Were unique perspective on working with vendors to my farmers, dispensaries, doctors and patients. We been able to help streamline operations. We been integrated process for compliance. What we bring to the table is organization. At the state level were able to great the California Cannabis Delivery Association brings that group to segmented to meet with legislators and help identify the challenges ahead with delivery. At the local level, we created events for networking as well as hosting the task force to get everyone prepared. We believe we can bring stakeholders from within the industry and outside the industry to help highlight the challenges that we face, and hopefully provide some solutions. Thank you. Thank you very much. Supervisor wiener can you clarify that the business you run could you clarify that again . Beat up business called meadow. We build technology for the cannabis industry. So, its a seat to sale platform we are working. We start with delivery in Building Technology to streamline patient compliance and operations and moving up the supply chain. So youre working with other businesses as well . Yes. To apply for seat 13 only come up it sounds like you may be qualified for other seeds as well. I believe the only one is number nine, also but i only play for 13. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, tilton finnie. Kelton finnie good afternoon, supervisors. Landis tilton finnie. Im a Structural Engineer in my data. Ive owned my own Engineering Firm since 2011 and as a Small Business owner running for seat number 13 and 14. Im running because im excited about the prospect of legal adult Recreational Use. The opportunity it presents for San Francisco and i want to be a part of making that a success. When i look at the list of applicants i see a lot of really experienced and talented people. But the majority of applicants are already involved in a cannabis business with years of experience advocating for legalization and access. Clearly, the existing cannabis industry is well represented as it should be, but of someone who is not employed in this industry i think my candidacy would provide balance this task force. With legal adult use we can expect a flood of proposals for new cannabis related businesses. To serve and expand markets. Our present a real challenge because even within the context of the limited medical marijuana business, bc Community Opposition to cannabis related businesses every day. If we are not successful in bringing all stakeholders, including those in opposition, then the number of my cannabis businesses will be restricted to black market will continue to thrive, and San Francisco will miss great opportunities. It people outside the Cannabis Community perceive this task force staffed with insiders than the passports as well as the recognitions he makes will lose credibility. As an outsider, my position on this task force would help to combat that perception and lend credibility. In addition, as an engineer i work every day the building and planning codes and im wellversed in local land use politics, which we fundamental to the work of this passports. I strive to be fairminded and build consensus and i think that approach will be key to integrating this use into the task force policy recommendations. I think i could make a positive contribution to the task force and i hope they will support my candidacy. Thank you. Thank you very much. Have you looked at what you see as some of the Biggest Challenges youre facing and how you might be able to use your talents to move things along . Sure. Clearly for my presentation i see the landuse issue as being the main hurdle. We are sitting in a room full of people that are supporting this, but there are a lot of people out in the community who dont support it, and its going to be very important that their voices are heard and that their concerns are addressed and integrated into our recommendations. So, i think a big part of this is really going to be the Community Outreach part of it. To take in those dissenting concerns and find a way to create opportunities to expand this industry, and at the same time, adjust the concerns of people in the community who do have uneasiness around this issue. I think that weve heard a lot of that, and some of the people already in clearly some of the questioning from supervisor cohen mirrors some of those concerns that we see in the Community Every day. So, we have a lot of challenges before us but i think there are challenges that were going to have to address and i think the solutions are by and large going to be landuse type solutions. So, i think that my background and my spirits in that area lends itself well to that. Thank you. Supervisor cohen tilton finnie have we met before . Probably. I was on the alice port. I was cochair for a number of years your name sounds familiar to me. Its good to see you. Now you chair the Landuse Committee and i serve on the Landuse Committee for the last five years i been on the board of supervisors. He really piqued my interest by zeroing in on the landuse issue. I agree with you, that this is like most San Francisco fights, lately, is related to the landuse, how we determine who is going to get what and how much. I was wondering if you could just expand a little bit more, from your perspective, or an engineer by trainingabout how you perceive some the landuse fights to be . He made some brother comes out neighborhoods. Im wondering if another level. Maybe this am challenges may be the existing code, for example. I just wanted to tease out a few more of your ideas if you have any . I think we may very well end up recommending changes to the planning code, new policies, but thats the easy part in my mind. The hard part am really, bringing in the dissenters out in the community because we couldnt, for example expand the greens of the week of a more opportunities for cannabis to be cited throughout the city but , if you dont do the outreach and the education and the community you are not going to get buyin from those people and it doesnt matter what the planning code says but what is allowed. Its not going to happen. We see that every day with our neighborhood planning policies. It gives a tremendous amount of control or input or influence to the community, and you have to work with it in that context. So, my experience in doing this, i deal with this every day. Ideal with the outreach and communication with people in the neighborhood and trying to promote projects that im working on an community buyin as a key part of it. You have to build consensus. You have to be open to people. Because, if people perceive that its already a done deal, they just shut down. Youre never going to get them onboard. This issue. Is true. Will you be applying for a residency waiver if appointed to this body would you be applying for residency waiver wu . To live in semper cisco . I live in San Francisco. Then you will not be applying . No i dont know why that came up. I live in semper cisco 30 years now. B2 it came up thank you been much thank you. Well go to the next candidate who will be alex aquino. I actually am bumping up on a deadline. I have to be out the door by 4 30 pm. So, i think we got enough time for Public Comment. We also Public Comment as well. People can be economical with their time. My name were going to be reducing questions, so i think the people that come later are also had a chance to hear other peoples responses and some of the things that weve asked about and can incorporate that into their testimony would be great. Mr. Aquino i will keep it short, supervisors. My name is alex aquino. Mineta burn concern and dedicated resident. I live in district 5. Applied for seat 13, 14, and 19. I started and ran multiple businesses for the last 20 years since i was 18 years old base issues including nightlife and entertainment. All of which i should mention, but all noncannabis related. I also oversee operations for small International Fashion business with five started away, europe, tokyo and am proud to call eight street San Francisco location is our main headquarters for operations. Im a board member for the Haight Asbury Merchants Association and active member of the local neighborhood council. I believe im very concerned with the Current Events and issues within the neighborhood both on the streets and amongst the small Business Community. I believe in the cannabis legalization will have a huge effect on the haight asberry which includes the neighborhood merchants and many tourist the pertinent dishonorably haight street comes to mind for any terrorist anything about cannabis in San Francisco. The reason why im seeking the seat of this task force, i believe, i feel as a smallBusiness Owner for 20 years, and a native residence and a family man, and active member for Community Groups, great representative for multitude of people. I will bring a unique to view that will be needed in order to create regulations for the wide range of people that live in our city thank you very much. Aggie also that . No. B danko. Thank you. Next up is mr. Hell be back. Okay. I thought i saw him early. Brian wallace . I am brian wallace. Im representing seats 14, 16 and 17. These seats represent the Small Businesses and Neighborhood Associations. Currently, i serve on the middlesex association the Central Police Advisory Board as well as among the board for grades cathedral. I act as ambassador to the community through these organizations. Im able to communicate with Neighborhood Associations throughout the city. I was first recommended to apply to this task force by duncan live. Weve served on the same Community Police Advisory Board for over three years with capt. Greg mackay printed the captain was so enthusiastic that i joined the task force he wrote me a letter of recommendation. I worked extensively with David Goldman and [inaudible] to learn about the industry, to get a better understanding of its interaction with the neighborhood. By working with them i was able to understand its very important to have a communication between the neighborhood and that cannabis industry. I will be an asset to this password to other boards i serve on requires the same amount of work and a similar level of involvement as well as im the voice for very dense and influential section of San Francisco. As evidenced by my letter of recommendation from a longtime mentor him and objective listener as well as unable to implement solution im hoping to about the cannabis industry and how it interacts with Small Businesses and neighborhoods throughout San Francisco. Today, i ask you for your endorsement for neighborhood and Small Business , brian wallace. Brian was, thank you for your enthusiasm that you bring to the chamber. Can you tell me what do you do for them . Im an accountant do you want for yourself or business for yourself . Pretty much. I work with a small group of people we go around to clients. I need to make sure youre speaking into the microphone. You saidwas your mentor incidents. B2 in civics. With chocolate some of the other challenges the barriers to entering into this industry. I like to get your perspective on what that may be . Why are there not more people . Why the number people getting into this industry . How do you come to understand the barriers that prevent people from i dont think they weight they can say in this industry. Whether it be on the consumption side where the sales side him and him not coming from either. Im coming from i neighborhood my constituents. I was asked to be heard. I represent that area, so in representingi move on. On the task force talk to me a little bit about what you plan to bring. The neighborhood representative is like a generic thing. And he went to be will make us and amongst the other people in the neighborhood. I didnt hear anything the ground to to the neighborhood. Organization or maybe perhaps a cause or something that grounds you to represent a person or particular neighborhood or constituency . What im looking to get by joining the task forces double homogenous voice. She is city and county of San Francisco you mentioned you were a teacher . Yes. What kind of subject do you teach . Health educator. I teach in a local high school . San francisco and teach ethical studies and empowerment. Im curious, when you are talking about not necessarily ethnic studies, but political empowerment, does the topic of legalizations of cannabis come up with the young people . Yes, we do talk about it in terms of indigenous rights and crops and criminalization; right . And white privilege, basically, systems of privilege. What comes up, how is that communities of color were still in a war on drugs and people are still going to jail for this, but yet we have folks making millions and billions on this earlier. Earlier in the hearing, i dont know if you were in the audience, but i asked some questions that kind of are related to the statements that you made about the history of marijuana, who has been persecuted and who has benefiting . Id love to hear your ideas about what are some of the barriers that are keeping the communities of color from getting involved in this 2. 7 billion dollar industry . Right. So the fact is the criminal record. The licensing fees being able to get the business license, if you have like back taxes you cant even apply for a business license and trust me, i know being a Business Owner i had to get through this first and we dont have a lot of Financial Empowerment in the communities and we lack that financial competedion and how can you expect them to compete in the industry with the taxing and business licensing and even the cannabis licensing is extremely expensive and retail as well. I feel the cannabis industry is very much a monopoly and rent out the retails to each other and give each other the licenses and its just like a game. Absolutely, its interesting that you bring that up. How do you think you will fare . If you are just that one lone voice on the committee of about 14 or 20 i think its 22. 22 people and you have this unique perspective . How do you communicate that . How will you be able to work with other people . Well, well, you do have to compromise to get what you want, but some stuff that makes sense and some stuff that doesnt make sense and i will always push the need to decolonize the industry and the need to make sure you are being representative of the folks who lost their lives and lost whole communities because of that and bringing in that perspective is very, very important. If folks want to argue with me because i advocate for certain things, let them bother themselves, im here to get money for the folks. I can appreciate your perspective from an historical geopolitical economic lens that you are bringing here, not only that, you have convinced me that you are grounded in a community that would be normally excluded. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. . Supervisor avalos. Thank you, appreciate you applying. Okay. Thank you. All right. Okay. Next up, tom maca roy. Good afternoon, supervisors im applying for seats 16 and 17. I have been a Small Business owner for six years with an architect and Design Office in the mission. As an architect [prags ]ing in San Francisco for 13 years i have become familiar with the unique neighborhoods and built context of the city. I have supported my clients by representing their projects to neighbors, addressed concerns on both sides and found Workable Solutions through education and compromise. I recognize that San Francisco is constantly evolving and changing and i see it through the lens every day and believe cannabis can be a positive change as demonstrated by other cities and states. I have been a resident of dubose triangle for 12 years and a member of the Neighborhood Association Land Use Committee for six years. On that committee i have met with project sponsors of several large developments, along upper Market Street where where we are successfully mediated among local residents and developerspt we carefully considered the architectural design, inclusry Affordable Housing and new businesses at the streetlevel and how the project aspects would impact the neighborhood . I believe that the cannabis industry will be dealing with a lot of the same issues and feedback from the local communities. Specifically i am interested in the new industry being introduced to our city, and tremendous change that were about to encounter. Im aware of the final boon this has created in other states where legalization has taken place. Questions i have how to best allocate fund and put this money towards schools, education and the environment and other ideals important to our City Residents . I believe everyone should have access to the industry and key locations throughout the city. How do we tailor the relationship of this industry to the unique aspects of the neighborhoods to help it fit in . How do we fold these businesses into our existing urban fabric in both physical form and businessrelated ways . Does it work with existing zoning and neighborhood design codes . If not, can we make modifications to bring cannabis . These are questions among many that the task force will take on. Thank you. Tom, in your statement you just read you believe that everyone should have access. Correct. Mary, who just spoke right before you im sorry, daisy, daisy ozimmade a statement that people dont have access. How do you breakdown that barrier of access . Well, i believe as other people have mentioned education is a big part of this task force. And changing peoples minds about cannabis does had a mean you are going to churchs . Does that mean you are going into the high schools . Does it mean you are going youth groups . Who do we target [stpheurs ] what is education really look like . Yes, education is a great thing, but making it real for me. Sure, approach each of these neighborhoods that may have neighborhood groups and ask them to hold a public forum, where we have particular members who can educate and inform the community, get their feedback, poll the citizens and hear their concerns and try to address those thank you, no further questions. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Next up nikolas lemos. Okay, laura thomas. Good afternoon, first of all i want to say thank you for developing this cannabis state Legalization Task force and gives San Francisco and opportunity to model what we think a city can do in a Legal Marijuana environment . Im laura tomas the deputy state director for Drug Policy Alliance, where i have worked for eight years and i head up our Public Health and harmreduction work in the state of california for dpa and my background is in Public Health. I work for the department of Public Health here in San Francisco for six years. And i have a masters in Public Health. I have lived in San Francisco for 27 years and im currently a resident of district 10. And i appreciate that this gives San Francisco a chance to model what Legal Marijuana economy can look like in ways that benefit all of our communities . And i really appreciate supervisor cohens remarks and questions how we do that. I think that we know that the war on drugs has been primarily a war on communities of color and people of color. If we do not figure out how to end marijuana prohibition in ways that repair some of the damage that we have done to those communities, you know, i question whether its worth doing . The war on drugs and marijuana prohibition has created significant human rights and civil rights damages and harms. It has harmed communitis, families and individuals. This is an opportunity for us to move forward in a different model. And specifically, i think, we can figure out how to ensure that we dont have restrictions for people with criminal justice histories, potentially creating preferences for people, who have criminal justice histories related to the war on drugs. Following up on local hiretype of requirements for the industry, ensuring that we are investing the revenue in jobtraining. There are many roles in a Legal Marijuana economy. Ill stop there. That is not your time to end. Its just a guideline to work with. If you have other things to add . Sure. So there are many roles in the Legal Marijuana economy including growing, producing, retail, as well as other types of businesses. There are a lot of opportunities there and we can be doing the kind of job training to ensure that people have not only the skills, but the ability to get through some of the barriers that previous speakers have noticed. However, california chooses to legalize marijuana, there will very likely be revenue coming to the counties, as well as to the state and being thoughtful about where we direct that revenue and how we invest it will also give us an opportunity to address some of the harms, preventing any potential health harms and ensuring that we are reaching the communities that have been hardest hit by the war on drugs. So ill stop there, if you have questions. Thank you very much. I have been looking forward to hearing your remarks. Thank you for speaking to a lot of issues that are articulated earlier in the hearing. I think that you have del demonstrated a good understanding philosophically, but also, i know that you have done the work on the ground and i just want to thank you for understanding the Public Health impacts, as well as how there have laws in this country and have had an adverse effect on different ethnic communities and taken it a step not only beyond recognizing it. I think i was a little concerned with some of the things i have heard. There is a desire to move into the neighborhood and not connect and truly understand and get grounded in the community, but obviously an insatiable desire to come in and extract resources for ones individual gains. I feel based on your presentation and what you have articulated and presented that is not how you are coming to this. You are coming to the table with a true desire to have a policy discussion and continue to work within the policy frame work, so San Francisco can be a model. Just like San Francisco has been a model on many different arenas. But there is still this is unchartered territory and to be thoughtful and mindful of understanding where marijuana has been from an historical perspective, and where it is going, particularly in San Francisco . So i really dont have any questions. I think you nailed it in your presentation. You said things that i was looking to hear. Should you be voted on to the task force, i fear that you might be in the minority of your perpective, but i do know through your work that you have done with the Drug Policy Alliance, that you are strong and that you are committed, and unstoppable. I just wanted to take a moment to uplift you, and good luck. Thank you. Im pretty good at holding my own in meetings. Thank you. Great. Thank you, ms. Thomas and lets go on to mr. Alan. Supervisors, thank you, my name is Terrance Alan and thank you so much for taking such a long day in contemplating this very difficult and challenging process that San Francisco must go through in order to be ready for what will legalization look like in an urban environment . We have heard model i would use the word template. We have an opportunity to template for an urban seting what cannabis might look like, but we have a lot of work to be done. When i first went around to the board of supervisors members two years ago, when supervisor avalos proposed and passed legislation out in the excelsior, i realized that the Cannabis Community that i had been part of in the 80s and early 90s and medical dispensary that gave their money back in the forms of service back on market and church. I left because my next passion was entertainment, and my entertainment passion was likely my cannabis passion keeping Community Alive and spend the 20 years in my Entertainment Experience and to use for the betterment of the people a process that we have in front of us and i would would like to bring that experience to this task. I think we heard a lot of what i would say social justice, reparations and accessibility of this new industry to a part of our population that has been on the side of incarceration incentivized and if were going to be a leader in this to look for ways to incentivize that ownership. I would like to see that we have past reparations for those crimes. I would like to see in those future opportunities that it be available first and especially to those that were harmed. Neighborhood issues go to education. Education goes to daybyday, stepbystep outreach as we did with nightlife in the beginning, which was a wayhated part of San Franciscos climate. And it took going to every neighborhood meeting, going to the churches, making allies, beginning to educate, talking to children, going to the youth commission, it was a very long process. For me it was a 20year process of advocacy before we now have what is known as the Entertainment Commission functioning well in San Francisco. And so with all of that experience, i should remind you i was the founding president of the commission and led the public Gathering Force which was under the latenight coalition. Once i retireds a twoterm Entertainment Commission i founded cmaq and have either been secretary, chair or treasurer of that organization the whole time and we have been instrumental in helping the city and helping the supervisors keep an eye on the Entertainment Industry as it evolves. So i bring that experience and knowledge to this task. And i think its a unique set of experiences and its the reason why i put my hat in the ring. I would like this task force to have available to it every possible advantage in moving this issue forward fairly, and with a unified voice as possible in San Francisco. I think i can help do that. I know, i have tell you i have been interested in hearing your presence as well. I know you morenenttainin the entertainment space. Yes. And to hear how you would blend your experience in nightlife and entertainment and you have been quite a champion in that space, how that will compliment the work that you want to do, that you have just laid out in your presentation about rap ration reparation and equity. I wont tell the long story. I will tell the short one. I was a target of Police Enforcement and regular Police Enforcement because what i was doing throwing fundraisers for aids organizations in my large warehouse home was seens a nuisance. So the Police Department under the law at this time had to come and shut me down. I then formed a group and followed through to do what one of the captains said, dont get mad at the police, change the rule yes. We enforce the rule and if society is ready to change the rules, change them. So i bring that fundamental understanding that we cant this is more than a fight about throwing rocks at city hall and getting into arguments with our opponents. This is about finding commonality and changing the rules in a way that we can agree to change them. Its going to be incremental. We are not going to get the cannabis world that were going to see at the turn of this century, in the next five years in San Francisco. But we can lay the groundwork if we lay it on those important principles. In humboldt county two years ago, i was invited to help them start the process of forming an organization to write the very first cultivation ordinance ever in california. It is built on sustainability, water conservation, land use practices, conversion of cpz land to agricultural use. It was built on seeing cannabis as agricultural and not drugs and im proud to say after two years within a couple more meetings that ordinance will be voted on and passed. So i understand direct political action. We have to apply those principles now, because the cannabis industry has done a great job of serving its patients. So we dont hear about that as a problem. So there has not been a voice in city hall and we need to replace that with the voice of what is going to be coming down the road. Thank you. Thank you. Supervisor avalos, i dont know if you have any other questions, but we can continue. Im done. Thank you, mr. Alan. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, supervisors. . Next up james araby, i dont think he is here according to my notes, but just in case. Hello, im not jim araby, im amber bauer the director for the western states council. Can we have you come during Public Comment . Because i cant have other people speak i really apologize, but no. Public comment, yes. Okay. Eliot beckelman. Hello im applying for labor chair no. 20. Im an attorney who engages in cannabis regulation and criminal defense. I think im a good fit for lest the only labor chair on the task force. I have been heartened by the words of ms. Thomas talking about training and access and heart ened by terrance heartened you wont heartened by daisy ozims testimony . I was heartened by daisy, i heard daisy speak once before. Okay, just checking. She is applying for the youth we talked about it and its really encourage, but she is talking about because this is an opportunity you from the macro sense of a social justice opportunity. But its also micro, because the cannabis economy will serve as a counterbalance in my opinion to the tech economy, which is limited to a certain strata and how you get to it is through jobs. This is going to be good jobs that are going to be here and how to do you get good jobs new give the opportunity for people that dont normally are access to the workplace. In local 2, in terms of building a hotel, you have to hire a certain percentage of san franciscans and you have to hire a certain percentage of san franciscans from certain communities and these employment agencies. This can be done here. It doesnt interfere with federal law. We can put down these type of guidelines if you are going to have cannabis businesses you have to have certain types of hiring. You are concerned about the bayview in terms of dispensaries, there is other types of work to be done. There is manufacturing and there is transportation, there is warehousing and there is testing. It doesnt necessarily have to be dispensaries. There is marketing. There is marketing, as well as other secondary work that can happen. That is what ms. Thomas was talking about training. That i dont know if we can necessarily legislate, but we can encourage that. Because were going to be allowing people that dont have normal access, who havent had access to the workplace, young people, people with records and if you look at the guy from facebook, trying to discharge a number of narcoticsrelated charges and we can get behind that. So people who are in the underground economy now can come out of the cold, start getting paychecks with deductions being covered by workers compensation. The other thing is a labor piece pact that is no in the initiative, but to make that meaning union access to the workplace. A peace pact means that the unions can engage in strike so the union can have access there and that often raises the level of compensation. And another thing, i think its important is the issue of the workers being employees as opposed to independent con tractors because its the employee relationship where all of these laws and regularsations and benefits come in and that is through enforcement. What is happening in medical and Retail Marijuana is enforcement away from the cops to state regulatory agencies and here you have the olsc and state Labor Commission and i sent the last years working as overseeing the inspectors going into the workplace and enforcing wage and hour law and when you have wage and hour law being enforced you can determine who is an employee and who is an independent contractor . An opportunity for good paying jobs and possibly union jobs and its a wonderful opportunity for us to control this green rush that is coming in. You know, my kids were raised in the mission and i met and they have left the city, but a lot of their friends and we have worked with them, is to try to get good jobs here. So different nonprofit agencies that my family and i have worked with, we try to do the training and try to get good jobs whether its a union job or related and there are a lot of kids still in the cry that will have access to potentially good jobs if we do it right. Thank you. I dont have any questions, supervisor avalos. Thank you, mr. Beck elman, are you currently involved in the union . I represent the labor side. Im not with the union. My concern, that i do recognize that the chair was narrowly written for one union, you snow i think i bring that and more. For hre i was there an attorney, i was an organization and worker [speaker not understood] Municipal Attorneys Association was public defenders,s District Attorney and City Attorneys and i have worked with unions throughout my entire life and, in fact in my pact is two people from local 2 have lent support. Its a very nice letter from julie su as well. So we work with unions all the time that. Has been my background. That is why i went to law school essentially. Right now im not with the unions. Thank you. Last person we have before us today Spencer Williams since spencer couldnt be here today and he is on his honeymoon, i can read a statement on his behalf or save it for Public Comment, if you prefer. Lets save it for Public Comment. Can we take a quick recess before we go to Public Comments . I just need about five minutes and ill check with my staff. Five minutes, okay . Im on a short timeline myself, but i do have to take a quick dash. Okay we are back and ready for Public Comment. Thank you for the brief moment to gather my thoughts and talk with my staff. So Public Comment is now open. And i have a few cards and if first you come in the order your name is called by card, and then anyone else who hasnt filled out a card can come in behind. So first up is trevor martin. Amber actually, lets go first to people representing other people, who were to speak. Amber was here ufcw and others here will be the first people to speak, since you are speaking on behalf of actual candidates. And then well go on to the cards, okay. Thank you. Amber bauer, district director for uscw here on behalf of jim araby. He will no longer be applying for if that set and wed like to separate jan garcia in her application for this commission. Thank you. And your application actually just came in after the deadline. It did. Im Jennifer Garcia with ufcw in San Francisco and the application was in late. My local just recently got the Cannabis Division assigned to it and there was some internal miscommunication on timing and that is why the application was in late. So as i have been with unionrep with local 648 working for the local for two years and we represent over4,000 members that live and work here in San Francisco. Were the only union that does have retail workers that we represent here in San Francisco. Also before working as union member i have ten years as a member and working here in retail and San Francisco also. As a union member, before i became an employee of the union, and a representative of my coworkers, i was very active in union organization, back in the day was rise up, and we worked in partnership and supported cpa and Young Workers united with other San Francisco civic league ordinance and things like that. So i have been a very active, vocal union member for many years here in San Francisco. And i have had the fortune to actually be representing my coworkers in the last two years, and again that is what were looking for is to represent future workers and to be part of the process to ensure that there are Good Businesses with Good Community standards and worker standards, too. Thank you very much. Are there other unions that could be involved representing workers, and cannabis facilities . Yes, actually, the state law is written it just says union the language that is in there it does not necessarily mean the ufcw and any union is free to organize and this is how the state law is written. Ufcw has a history of having a Cannabis Division and having retail workers and not just ufcw not just retail, but we have agricultural, cultivation, distribution, chemical, were many facets of where this industry right now with medinal medicinal and its not just one union that can represent the workers. Thank you very much. With your seats and because your application has come late, and we couldnt actually put you on this calendar, what we could do, perhaps, if we choose to is to continue this seat and keep it vacant and then have next rules committee is to go through the process of you are presenting as a candidate and then having the vote at the full board after that. But since we didnt have your application in before todays date, we cant make a decision on your candidacy. I appreciate that and i appreciate if you can take the time and give us the opportunity to look at the application. And again, we represent the workers over 4,000 now, that live and work in San Francisco. And as a union rep, i think that is really important. But as a union member, activist, i think its really necessary for the future workers to have a seat at the table also. Great. Thank you. Thank you very much. I agree with that. Okay. Other applicants or people speaking on behalf of other applicants . My name is ross gordon with Legal Research and you been asked to speak on Spencer Williams who was currently married and on his honeymoon. What seat is mr. Williams applying for . Seat 22. If you have questions for him, i will pass them around. My name is Spencer William and apologize that i could not be here in person and graduated from Stanford Law School and practice business and corporate law. While at San Franciscoed i researched state, federal and International Drug regulation and policies wrote a white paper on drug reform in the United States. Through my research i gained detailed understanding of current laws in the United States and around the world as wall well as policy rationals. As business and corporate attorney i represent numerous entrepreneurs and businesses and i have represented students and parent s around the bay area. These experiences have prepared me to work with businesses and Community Leaders as a member of Cannabis Task force to build consensus among stakeholders and community. I care deeply about seeing this task force succeed. Its a key social issue facing our city and country. If its to be successful its critical that we develop policies for i safe and wellfunctioning with market. San francisco has an Incredible Opportunity to work on developing policies in advance of statewide legalization. The framework has the potential to be a model for other city as round the state and around the country. I would be honored to serve as a member of the task force, thank you for your time and consideration. Thank you very much. If could call in the order of the name of your card and if you are able to line up by the windows. And if not, you may perhaps have a disability and line up here at the front, that is fine as well. At the very front here where there is a Disability Access sign. Okay, so trevor martin, amber bauer. Jen garsy silvia johnson, holly burt, Michael Aldridge, shay gillmor, steven pika. Gilbert canado. Welcome. Good afternoon supervisor cohen and avalos, thanks for hearing me my name is Trevon Martin and i have worked in the industry hemp and cannabis industry since 2003 and currently work in the medical Marijuana Industries a sales rep and run a gallery located in lower haight, part of the upper Playground Company and helped to produce the celebration of city hall installed in the north light court with over 100 pieces of original art in city hall. Im here to support the candidacy of Michael Caruso and i have been incredible impressed by him i think we can all agree there is an incredible wide spectrum of professionalism within the industry and i have found mike to be at the very top of the list. I believe mike was incredibly strong passion for the community atlarge and highlevel of integrity combined with natural leadership abilities makes him a prime candidate for seat on the sf Marijuana Task force. Thank you. Thank you very much. Hello, im sylvia johnson. [speaker not understood] Health Issues always count on our actions [ inaudible ] it is not a very good act, its what causes you to have illnesses. And actions that have to be done [ inaudible ] always made to where people go to drugs and stuff, this is why we have drug problems here in the world and that category where we need [ inaudible ] in our area of San Francisco, put aa College Degrees and exercised in our Police Department. This is where our Police Department has problems not realizing that we are examples of health problems. And we need somebody who can put on this maam, thank you next up, please come forward. Hi, my name is holly burt. Hello supervisors. Im the Community Liaison at the green cross, so i work very closely with kevin, one the applicants for the cannabis state Legalization Task force. The green class is the First Permanent Delivery Service in San Francisco. We also have a dispensary as well in the excelsior district. I believe that kevin would be an invaluable asset to the task force. He brings a great deal of knowledge, and experience that i think would be so needed on the board. In addition, as the Community Liaison, i have had the opportunity to attend many meetings on behalf of the green cross and through kevins leadership we built exceptional relationships with the community attendingmeetings in various associations throughout the excelsior district. As a matter of fact in the last meeting i attended, they said that they were really impressed, that we have lived up to all of the promises that we made when we entered the neighborhood. We have adopted the block, both at our Delivery Service, and our dispensary location. Kevin has been instrumental in making sure that we have these amazing relationships. Where we can work with the community and respond to their concerns and educate them on medical cannabis and it its benefits. In addition, we employee over 50 employees that provide them with a living wage in San Francisco. Many of them are from San Francisco. They come from a diverse array of backgrounds. In addition, i just think the green cross has been such a grease addition great addition to the community and i hope you consider kevin reeds appointment to the task force. Also a shout out to michele aldridge, as well as paul and many other great candidates that you have before you. Thank you. Thank you very much. I really appreciate your work with the neighbors of the excelsior. Its been great to see. Next up. Good afternoon, supervisors my name is Michael Aldridge im the husband of michele, aldridge who is an applicant. It occurs to me this is a very San Francisco moment and i know no other city that would spend the day simply figuring out how to put together a really intelligent task force to work with a coming issue that isnt on us yet, but coming down the road. So i congratulate you on future planning. My wife is qualified for seats 11 and 12. First because she is a patient. She cured her stage iii a lung cancer with cannabis oil in 2012. Since then, she has spent many hours on the telephone with people who have cancer from all over the world and want to know her story. She is very detailoriented and maybe the only applicant, perhaps except for laura thomas who has gone through all of the proposed legislation at the statelevel already. She is familiar with the Parker Initiative and with several of the other initiatives that have been proposed. She is very familiar with the legislation just passed at the statelevel, and incoming bills that will be introduced. So she has prepared herself to be a very good person to comment on these legal and legislative issues. She served on most if not all of the task forces that her Marijuana Reform that existed in state going way back to 1972. So i very much oh, she has also letters of endorsement, from representatives of three very important groups in the bay area. Her background makes her precisely fit the qualifications for seats 11 and 12. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next speaker, please. Good afternoon, supervisors. My name is shay gillmor and im speaking on behalf and in support of application of tom mcelroy for seats 16 and 17 on the cannabis state legalization to affect. Im an attorney here in town and work inhouse at the Mutual Insurance company and have known tom for over eight years. And have really been impressed by his level of dedication and commitments to the projects that he invests himself in. As a specific example, he has been a member of the board of directors of the lesbian and gay chorus and i served alongside him and watched him work with the dubose triangle Neighborhood Association where he serves on the land use community. He is an architect. He is a muse musician and friend and someone who would serve with distinction and would be a gift to the projects that the city is undertaking and has my support and i hope the board of supervisors as well. Thank you very much. Thank you, next speaker please. Im a resident of district 8 and im a neighbor of toms. We have lived there together for six years and we are also neighbors and Business Owners down the street, where my other studio is steps away from his architecture firm. Toms profession as an architect gives him valuable skills germane to this task force. His projects require him to balance the needs of his clients against an array of building codes, zoning ordinances and neighborhood concerns. He determine what is possible and creates a detailed plan down to the studs, that meets the needs of all stakeholders in a way that adds value. Tom will serve this task force by his interest of the greatest social Justice Movements of our time. Tom can see the opportunities that will be opened through legalization and wants to ensure that benefits are shared broadly. Tom knows this major shift will affect us all and wants to contribute to developing policy recommendations that addresses zoning, licensing, policing, tenant rights and taxation. Progressive policies that arise from listening to Community Members, merchants, industry professionals, policymakers and Law Enforcement officials. I would like to thank my representative supervisor wiener and the board for having the foresight to create this task force. A complex task lays ahead for its members and tom has the intelligence, experience and impartiality that role demands. He has my support and i hope he has yours as well. Thank you. Thank you, before the next speaker, i will call a few more cards. [ reading speakers names ] hi, my name is gilbert and im a disabled veteran. I would like to throw my endorsement towards daisy and shona, because they are one of the strong voices that listens to and advocates for the poor and the disenfranchised. The legislation that comes out of the government can be deadly at times. Let me give you an example. I have been calling nancy pelosi, Diane Feinstein and boxer, complaining about their phone. They dont answer their phone. They ignored me for that long period of time, until presently after iraq and afghanistan wars you have veterans coming back and they are dying the a rate of 2025 a day. That is more than the terrorists are killing. Anyway, the point is bad legislation, what is the problem . The veterans administration. It took 60 years for veterans with agent orange to get any benefits those veterans are dying on the streets right now and now the head trauma victims they are using nonscientific tests to deny thousands and thousands of veterans, 7,000 veterans every year are dying because of neglect from the United States government and veterans administration. So much about veterans administration. I want shona to represent us because she is one of the solitary voices that is not a yesperson and she goes to bat for us. I can count on her to represent me and disenfranchised poor people. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next speaker, please i just wanted to say i met niklas lemos that i believe is the chief forensic toxicologist at meetings. He is a really engaging guy. I know personally i think he would be a spectacular candidate. I imagine he had a very good reason for not being here today. I think he is passionate about this and i hope you dont discount the fact he couldnt make it. Thank you very much. Yes, his credibles go credentials go on for pages and are impeccable. Next speak, please. Im here too testify on jessie stouts application. During this time jessie conducted policy strategis with persistence and professionalism and, in fact in the 2015 year sponsored and followed about 137 bills and had a victoris in 7 of the bills under jessie stouts leadership. Appointing him to a seat on the San Francisco cannabis state Legalization Task force will only further the groups agenda by adding both his grit and initiative. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next speaker, please. Hi. My name is amanda. And im also here today to recommend jesse stout for the San Francisco state Legalization Task force. Having had the privilege to work with jesse, Legal Services for prisoners with children, where he was our policy director for several years, our organization enjoyed our period of greatest legislative success under his leadership. This was owing to both his expertise as policy analyst and effective leader and organizer. Mr. Stout brought to our organization experience, ranging from analyzing criminal justice legislation at the california assembly, Public Safety committee. From his roles as a public defender, and as a criminal defendant in cannabisrelated law and as a long time activist devoted to cannabis reform and we believe he would greatly benefit from the california state Legalization Task force if you were to be appointed. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next speaker. Good afternoon. My name is nathan. I am actually a late applicant for seat 21. I believe i had turned in my application on time, but it turned out yesterday i found i turned it into the wrong location and i resubmitted my application yesterday. So im in the same boat as someone earlier asking for a continuance on seat 21 so some time may be given to my qualifications. I wrote my thesis at uc berkeley on hypothetical cannabis industry in 2007. I have an extremely deep academic and Scientific Understanding of the manufacturing and distribution processes that are associated with the cannabis industry and i believe that i can lend a very academic insight to how this industry can be legitimized for the city of San Francisco and state of california once its legalized. Thank you. Thank you very much. I have a few more cards before the next speaker. Shona gochenaur has been a strong voice of principle who doesnt back down and didnt compromise in what she believes is right and good for those that are the least represented among us. And i think daisy ozim, also would be very valuable as a representative of communities that have been negatively impacted by cannabis prohibition and so those are the two i think would be the best choice. Thank you. Hi. I am shona. And i was sitting here today waiting for someone to move me. Waiting to feel like okay, things are still going to move forward no matter what. And that is why i like to throw my support behind daisy ozim, for the health and policy seat. I saw somebody who is actually out there educating. I saw someone who is speaking to some of the key issues facing our communities, such as monopolis, such as underrepresentation, and looking at a really very, very white, very male situation here. And i was also very impressed by kilton finey, and i really, really would like to throw my support behind every woman that came up here and qualified for their seats including Michele Aldrich and the lady from the laborer labor union, im sorry im not getting your name. I would like to see diversity and strong women voices. Thank you very much, i think there is agreement on the committee about that. Next speaker, please hi, im denise and i would like to thank you for taking time for our community. I have been a tv producer and host of civil rights tv shows. So this is my sanity to do the show at my own expense. We heard from a lot of good candidates today. For the legalization board, and am very impressed by a lot of the women and men that appeared before you. I have been a part of the patient for compassion and use policy for about a decade. And probably more. I was an advocate for it before i even knew what it was. Im supporting Shona Gochenaur. She is also a patient for compassionate use policy. She fought for my civil rights and my cousin, who is dying, and he had no food and no medicine and he had cannabis was the only thing he had to help him in his pain. He passed away about a yearago. So she was there for him and she was there for me, too. I couldnt have managed it without her. She is wellversed in cannabis legalization issues. We need a courageous fighter to preserve our right our civil right to our herb and that is why i support her. She is a fighter and she isnt very popular with moneyed interests always or for whatever reason it is i cant really say. But that can make one unpopular with powerful people and im impressed with daisy ozim, as well. I think she is spoton with the issues. I was floored by her actually, in a good way. I do appreciate you listening again, and thank you very much. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Supervisors, my name is john stone, a resident of the bayview. I am natively from San Francisco and i have been a Cannabis Patient for five years. During the time i participated in several groups including access of love and black and Brown Justice policy. Just cannabis policy, rather. And independencely as independently as well and i would like to put my support behind both ms. Ozim, and ms. Gochenaur and think they would both bring diversity as well needed voices. We dont many of which you dont get to hear everyday. I have in the past five years that i have known shona, if not more, seeing her work a great deal in our community with such people that often are unable to or do not have the means to speak for their own behalf in certain ways about cannabis and about their need for cannabis as opposed to need for their industry. I believe that the Compassionate Health act would be furthered by her being there and by ms. Ozim, being there as well. Thank you. Thank you next speaker. Good afternoon, supervisors. My name is dan manila and im here to support my personal friend who had given me everything that i can because i am a patient, medical Cannabis Patient, but i do support her her name is ms. Shona. And all these years that i have been through i have going through a lot of doctors and Everything Else for my health issue, but for me, i recommend shona. For being a member of task force. Thank you. Thank you very much. Hi. My name is leslie day and im here on behalf of Michael Caruso about his seat 9 and 22. I have known mike for about two years and worked with him with the Sparta Organization and i known him to be very enthusiastic and forforthright and really standup guy. I know he can offer Something Really good for you guys. Also, i want to put a good word in for Sarah Schrader, an amazing woman who has done a lot for the rights of patients and eric pearson, who i have known for years and know him to be a groundbreaking hard worker in this industry and doing everything that he can to make this work for everybody in a compassionate and caring way, the spark organization has they go out of their way for their patients and offer so Many Services for their patients and i think they are one of the best organizations around and i think you would be library to have eric, michael and sarah on your to affect. Thank you. Have a good day. Thank you, that is all right with me. Next speaker, please. Hi, supervisors, my name is john martinelli. Im a veteran. Im also disabled. I was born with my disability. Im here in support of Shona Gochenaur for one of the seats she is applying for. I have known her over ten years, and have in that time had my needs medic ideally always seemed to be met and im a poor person and the one great thing is ive gotten better and healthier because of my access to cannabis. And im able to be in service in the community in a more productive person in the community. Because of people like Shona Gochenaur. And i also was moved listening to ms. Daisy ozim, and so i also support her as a candidate for one of the seats. Thank you for your considerations. Thank you very much. Any other member of the public who would like to comment . Please come forward. My name is mike and i am a Cannabis Patient and to support the women who applied for the seat to show diversity on the task force. Thank you. Thank you, very much, if there are into other members of the public i will close Public Comment [ gavel ] Public Comment is now closed. And these seats are live befores us. Its a very here is where the jigsaw happens. First of all, thank you everyone for applying and for sitting here all day today because of your interest to serve on the Legalization Task force. Your commitment to this issue shows, and there is so many very, very qualified people its really hard to really make a decision especially because we have so many seats and different people lining up per seats. But i just want to say if you are not going to get selected doesnt mean you were considered very highly in this process. There are are just very much people who are very qualified here and its very tough to sort through it all. So just to throw a few names out of people that i felt i could support. Mr. Stout, mr. Pearson. Ms. Aldrich. Mr. Stout for very different seats. So mr. Pearson, mrs. Aldrich. Miss payan. Mr. Ballesteros. Fugatefor 16, 17, laurthomas for 18. Terrance alan for 19. The labor seat, i see as something that we might be able to continue, given shortage of people, but some very, very qualified people who can apply for that. I really like ms. Schrader for 21 and also would like very much consider mr. Lemos as well and for 22, i would really want to back ms. Ozim, for that seat. So that pretty much goes through all the different you names and seats. A lot of names i didnt say numbers for, because they could apply at different places. Maybe we can start the conversation with those names. Thank you, supervisor avalos for leading us through this long hearing. To all of the members that came and supported their candidate, i appreciate your communitis y comments and public pents and also recognizing those folks. This is going to be the first here in San Francisco and the reason why im taking this extra seriously is because it was brought up a little bit in the discussion today about we have an opportunity not only to be a pioneer, but to be a model or template to other cities and municipalities across the entire country and that is something that i take very seriously. Not only am i looking that people meet the basic requirements, but when you have a long list of folk im looking for the best of best and looking for those who are bright and talented and can prove to employee that they are grounded and some kind of community. Or advocacy group. Im looking for people that are already doing the work and not coming to this as an opportunity to possibly make some money, to gain some notoriety or personal gain and make connections. I wanted to let supervisor avalos know i think we share some names. Since sitting on the rules committee, i have been very open and honest and transparent about what i look for. Im looking for diversity, not only in ethnic diversity, but gender and sexual orientation, in class. Im looking for access people who have access to power and those who do not. I think that is an invaluable element that often is left off the table. Im looking for people who have a diverse perspective in thought, and a creative way to approach the solving of this problem. As we as policymakers come together to work on various issues all the time and there are times that we dont see eyetoeye, but were able to Work Together. Im also looking for a level of professionalism and open and honesty. So im going to suggest names, supervisor. I agree were agreement when it comes to Erich Pearson and jesse stout. I also am interested in supporting Michael Noland and Michele Aldrich, kelton finey left a profound impression on me, John Ballesteros. Daisy ozim, laura thomas, Terrance Alan and eliot beckelman, i thought also nailed it from a legal perspective. And i believe that he demonstrated his commitment to labor in his work track record. So i have flexibility if you would like to assign daisy ozim i think you said seat no. 22. 22. 22. I can support that. And i believe you suggested lar laura thomas for seat 18. And Terrance Alan for 19. Yes, John Ballesteros. Or 15. Correct. I believe we dont have agreement for seat 13, kelton finey is who i would be interested in sitting in the seat. Right. I have mr. 13 and 14 are business seats. I had mr. Rhoades for either one of those seats. I could also support karnilo wic z and even consider hua. Which seat is this . 13 and 14. Kelton finey i believe supervisor wiener is going to be weighing in on this, not now, mr. Wiener. As along as i get to weighin before the two of you make your decisions. Thank you. As a potential tiebreaker. Why dont we let our colleagues who authored the legislation go next. Sure. Do you have michele. Yes. Do you have Michael Noland . What is he numbered . He listed 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, so perhaps 10 . 10 might work. What else . You have Erich Pearson, i do. Well start there. Before supervisor wiener goes, 9 i have stout, 10 i have pearson and 11 i have aldrich and then that is what i i think we had agreement on that. Lets hear what mr. Wiener has to say. Thank you, mr. Chair, i appreciate the opportunity. So im going to do im just go by seat also and for some of them i have multiple, who i would want to consider. For seat no. 9 worked in the cannabis industry, some of the names that really stood out for me was sara payan and i dont know if im mispronouncing that. I would like to see someone from the michael knollin i thought was i am impressive. So those are the name for for seat 10, pearson makes sense. For seat 11, sara payan has applied and Michael Nolin and chase chambers applied for the seat and is eligible and also apothecareum person. Then Stewart Rhoades. Jesse stout, i thought was very impressive and also sahara schrader, nike nolin, Stewart Rhoades and chambers and ryan housing hudson. Duncan would be a good addition for that seat. Also alex i thought was impressive and also kelton finey and david hua. For seat 14 experience working on behalf of the Business Community, i like sabrina and david hua, as well as keltin finney. And then jacob cross i thought was also very improcessive and janet griggs. I would support John Ballesteros for no. 15. For the two Neighborhood Associations seats i want to support tom mcelroy and barbara fugate. I also was impressed by brian wallace. For seat 18, i would support laura thomas and also support jesse stout and seat 19, Terrance Alan. For seat 20, i like mr. Beckelman a lot and was imyou pressed. I was prepared for jim araby and would support Jennifer Garcia from ufcw and should continue seat 20. In terms of representing cannabis workers and organizing and ufcw is doing that. For 21 Public Policy expert, i think jesse stouted could be a good addition there and i would support daisy ozim, for the youth seat, no. 22. Those are my thoughts. Well, we have a lot of names in common, and since the names are fairly interchangeable, i think were pretty close. Supervisor avalos, i want to interject something here. I would like to see more diversity and im uncomfortable taking the opportunity to fill the vaguecy in its entirety largely because i think we have to do more outreach and as you know when you are working in many minority communities it takes a little more handholding and i would like to be able to go back out and see if we can find some folks that are not in the network, if will you . Kind of not as connected as this Community Seems to be . Thank you. Actually, im not of that mind because we have so many names that are here, i think of those names we have the ability to appoint a pretty diverse task force that has all of the diversity that you talked about in terms of women, people of color, queer folk, people who are of lowincome communities and people with a wide range of political backgrounds. I think that is possible with who we have here. It seems like the seat that has the most questions is the one that both supervisor wiener talked about was the labor seat, which i think kind of ample time to actually get that settled. But i think every other seat is potentially has a strong person to fill representing wide diversity. I even think it would be good mr. Hua, who is asian, i believe, would be good on the committee as well and gives us a fairly decent range of people. What i see on my list potentially for women is really strong and women of color here. That is correct. One thing that i am concerned about is just Language Access in particular. We didnt ask the question if people speak different languages or not . But there is certainly in the southeast and in your district, language english is as a second language for a lot of people. We didnt ask the question and i would like to reserve something open to mitigate the barriers. Supervisor wiener. Im very sensitive to the importance of having a diverse task force and support that. A i agree with supervisor avalos that we have a pretty strong crosssection of the community. Its not perfect; its never perfect. I will say this process and this task force has not been in any way a secret. This process has been going on for a long time and i think we passed this legislation earlier this year, either the spring i think it was in the spring, maybe early summer and there has been i know a lot of discussion in the community about it, a fair amount of outreach. And were also i dont have an issue if there are a couple of seats that are ask. That is what im asking for. I want to make sure that this task force can in january really constitute itself and start its work, which is timesensitive and if we have too many seats vacant, we have disruption in the process with a lot of new members coming on. So the labor seats likes like we may continue. Although we have a very strong latina candidate. But those are my thoughts on the subject. You were okay with the labor seat, seat 20 . With that being continued . And supervisor cohen, you were saying a couple of seats . Yes yes could you make a proposal for the seats that you would like to see continued . I was thinking possibly let me ask a question to the deputy City Attorney. How many seats are available . Its just one person we can appoint to seat 22 . I think its just one person is that correct . Yes, you are asking whether you can appoint an alternate . No, but that is a good question. Forever each of numbered seats you get one appointee, 14 total ms. Schrader or mr. Lemos and mr. Stout being there. Mr. Stout is actually really good i have worked with him on some policy measures before. So i actually dont see where there could possibly unless seat 17 could represent a Neighborhood Organization . We could leave that open . That is possible. I thought we had a couple good candidates for neighborhood groups tom mcelrey and you barbara fugate. The three candidates that i had indicated are very diverse, we have a woman and lgbt and we actually have geographic diversity. You said geographic diversity as well . From the southern part of the city, from the central and then going north into middle polk. I appreciate the southern part of the city being represented here by ms. Fugate. In our district we have had a huge compilation of different attitudes about cannabis and having a seat from district 11 makes a lot of comfort for me. I would like to sea see that given the green zone issues that the district has had. What if we continue two seats . Continue seats say 13 and seat 20 . Seat 13 is owner of a Small Business. Is that right . Owner of a something business in Small Business in San Francisco and seat 20 is labor seat. Those will continue to leave open. Here is what i thought might work for seat 9 stout, seat 10, pearson. Seat 11. Im sorry, can you start over again . For seat 9 is jesse stout. For seat 10, pearson. Seat 11, Michelle Aldrich and 12 i have payan. Seat 13 i suggested leaving open. Payan for 12 . For 12, yes. I think that works for what she has applied for. Yes, payan for 12. For 14 mr. Rhoades. 14 is a Small Business seat as well. For 15 is ballesteros. 16 fugate. 17 mcelroy. 18 thomas. 19 alan. 20 is continued. Im sorry, 18 . 18 is laura thomas. 19 is Terrance Alan. 20 is going to be continued. 21 i have either schrader, a women or mr. Lemos and 22 i have ozim. I think those are pretty much a lot of names that you were familiar with, and these are actually pretty diverse in terms of ethnic diversity, women, men, sexual orientation, neighborhoods, policy orientation, to me, i think its pretty good. We have a couple of seats left to fill the blanks on. Supervisor avalos i would make the motion that we accept the names . Can we just take a minute to absorb that . Im fine with that. If we take a couple of minutes. Thank you for that and just a few names that are not on there that i want to note. One is Michael Nolin, who i think would be a good addition and one it duncan lye, i would like to see appointed. One is Kelton Finney was not on the list you read and it seems like we all expressed i thought we liked her and then david hua. I guess i have been thinking appointing duncan lye ley and Kelton Finney to 14. These are my thoughts there were just a few people that i thought would really add to the task force not on your list and understanding there are many more qualified candidates than there are seats. Okay. Yes there are more qualified candidates than there are seats. I mentioned mine. Im not sure if supervisor cohen you were making a motion on that . I agree there are names that supervisor wiener spoke of that are important to me Kelton Finney is important to me and mike nolins appointment is important to me. I think there was one more im flexible with duncan ley i dont have strong feelings other either way. I feel on the Small Business owner seat we have multiple candidates that we all said we have liked and we can continue is an option. Tell me the full list again . Nolin, hua, ley and finney. Out of that list, i vote for nolin. For what seat . That is the Business Owner seat. . Okay. For 13 or for 14 . I think its seat 14. I think he applied for both 13 and 14. Who are you speaking of . Nolin . Yes, 9, 10, 11, 12 13 and 14. How about duncan ley . And Kelton Finney . I can support kelton fin inouye in seat 13. X im not in agreement with that, but we can take a vote. I thought we were continuing that and i was support ing mr. Rhoades. Why dont we continue 13 and 14, since they are linked . I was thinking about that continuing 13, 14, and 20. Okay. Again, if you wrote down what i thought, i think outside of those seats i think we might have agreement on the appointments. So what you are proposing is stout for 9, pearson for 10. Aldrich for 11. Payan for 12. Continuing 13 and 14. Ballesteros 15, fugate for 16, mcelroy 17, thomas 18, continue 10, ozim for 22 that is it. Did you get that, mr. Clerk . I did i would like to make that a motion. I think its a reasonable accommodation, understanding that this is also there are so many really good and qualified people that i could create a task force of 40 people, but that with not be very functional. So im willing to support that motion. Okay. So can we take that without objection, colleagues . Yes. Need a second . Mr. Chair, if i could check on the residency requirements really quick . Okay. I think mr. Nolin requires a residency waiver. I thought nolin was for 13 or 14 that were not hearing today yes, thank you, mr. You chair. Okay were almost filling out the jigsaw puzzle. So we can take that motion without objection. And to summarize again for people who statute 9 pearson 10, aldrich 11, payan for 12, 13 and 14 are going to get continued. Ballesteros 15 fugate 15 mcelroy 17, thomas for 18, alan 19, 20 is being continued. Schrader for 21 and ozim for 22. Mr. Chair, were in receipt of your office forwarding this to the board as a Committee Report. That is true. Were forwarding together with the Committee Report and colleagues can we take this motion without objection . Without objection. Okay. [ gavel ] thank you again everyone. [ applause ] mr. Clerk any other all rights before you . No more items, mr. Chair. Were adjourned thank you. Itmrights before you . 16 00 16 as a society weve basically failed big portion of our population if you think about the basics of food, shelter safety a lot of people dont have any of those im mr. Cookie cant speak for all the things but i know say, i have ideas how we can address the food issue. Open the door and walk through that dont just stand looking out. As they grew up in in a how would that had access to good food and our parent cooked this is how you feed yours this is not happening in our country this is a huge pleasure im david one of the cofounder so about four year ago we worked with the serviced and got to know the kid one of the things we figured out was that they didnt know how to cook. I heard about the Cooking School through the Larkin Academy a. Their noting no way to feed themselves so theyre eating a lot of fast food and i usually eat whatever safeway is near my home a lot of hot food i was excited that i was eating lunch enough instead of what and eat. As i was inviting them over teaching them basic ways to fix good food they were so existed. Particle learning the skills and the food they were really go it it turned into the is Charity Foundation i ran into my friend we were talking about this this do you want to run this Charity Foundations and she said, yes. Im a cofound and executive director for the cooking project our best classes participation for 10 students are monday theyre really fun their chief driven classes we have a different guest around the city theyre our stand alone colas we had a series or series still city of Attorneys Office style of classes our final are night life diners. Santa barbara shall comes in and helps us show us things and this is one the owners they help us to socialize and ive been here about a year. We want to be sure to serve as many as we can. The San Francisco Cooking School is an amazing amazing partner. It is doing that in that space really elevates the space for the kids special for the chief that make it easy for them to come and it really makes the experience pretty special. Im sutro sue set im a chief 2, 3, 4 San Francisco. Thats what those classes afford me the opportunity it breakdown the barriers and is this is not scary this is our choice about you many times this is a feel good what it is that you give them is an opportunity you have to make it seem like its there for them for the taking show them it is their and they can do that. Hi, im antonio the chief in San Francisco. The majority of kids at that age in order to get them into food they need to see something simple and the evidence will show and easy to produce i want to make sure that people can do it with a bowl and spoon and burner and one pan. I like is the receipts that are simple and not feel like its a burden to make foods the cohesives show something eased. I go for vera toilet so someone cant do it or its way out of their range we only use 6 ingredients i can afford 6 ingredient what good is showing you them something they cant use but the sovereignties what are you going to do more me youre not successful. We made a vegetable stirfry indicators hed ginger and onion that is really affordable how to balance it was easy to make the food we present i loved it if i having had access to a kitchen id cook more. Some of us have never had a kitchen not taught how to cookie wasnt taught how to cook. I have a great appreciation for programs that teach kids food and cooking it is one of the healthiest positive things you can communicate to people that are very young. The more programs like the cooking project in general that can have a positive impact how our kids eat is really, really important i believe that everybody should venting to utilize the kitchen and meet other kids their age to identify theyre not alone and their ways in which to pick yours up and move forward that. It is really important to me the opportunity exists and so i do everything in my power to keep it that. Well have our new headquarters in the heart of the tenderloin at taylor and kushlg at the end of this summer 2014 were really excited. A lot of the of the conditions in San Francisco they have in the rest of the country so our goal to 257bd or expand out of the San Francisco in los angeles and then after that who know. Wed never want to tell people want to do or eat only provide the skills and the tools in case thats something people are 2rrd in doing. You cant buy a box of psyche you have to put them in the right vein and direction with the right kids with a right place address time those kids dont have this you have to instill they can do it theyre good enough now to finding out figure out and find the future figure out and find the future for [train whistle blowing] global warming. [whistle blows] some say irreversible consequences are 30 years away. 30 years . That wont affect me. [brakes screech] good afternoon. Welcome to the Vision Zero Committee of the Transportation Authority board to our special meeting for thursday, december 10th. In the afternoon, my name is supervisor jane kim and im the chair of the committee. And may we take roll call, please. Item 1, roll call. Commissioner farrell. Present. Farrell present, commissioner kim . Here. Kim you