Employment Advisory Committee Meetings
EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE
MINUTES
August 5, 2004
Members Present
Commissioner Larry Lee, Commissioner Faye Woo Lee, Rodney Hampton, Jerry Jones, Greg Marutani, Ronnie Rhoe, Judy Starbuck-Sorro, Len Vetrone, Stan Warren, and F. Ross Woodall
Members Absent
Bridgett Brown, Guillermo Romero, and Norma Tecson
Staff Present
Linda Chin, Kabir Hypolite, Mary Gin Starkweather, James Fields, Carmen Smith
Guests
Laurie Gallagher, Harold Greenwood, Harold Hill, John Leatutufu, Robert Johnson, Francisco Da Costa, Coong Ngo (Eason) Wayne Lewis, Marc Jefferson, Vernon Jenkins, Jr., and Ray Martin
Call to Order/ Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 1:45p.m. A quorum was present.
Approval of Agenda
Greg Marutani moved to adopt the agenda. Judy Starbuck-Sorro seconded and the motion was carried unanimously with no discussion.
Approval of Minutes
Judy Starbuck-Sorro noted two corrections to the minutes. F. Ross Woodall moved to adopt the June 3, 2004 minutes. Greg Marutani seconded and the minutes were unanimously adopted carried as amended.
Commissioner’s Report
Commissioner Larry Lee reported on the meeting with Director Virginia Harmon on July 27, 2004 regarding placement of CBO clients on construction projects in San Francisco. Commissioner Faye Woo Lee noted that the meeting was useful and that the CBO representatives were well presented.
Staff Report
Kabir Hypolite notified the committee that HRC staff is preparing a report to the Director comparing selected City agencies’ employment placement program models and that it will be ready within the 10 day limit set by the Director.
Judy Starbuck-Sorro and Rodney Hampton inquired when staff anticipates the Director will be communicating with them regarding her use of staff’s report. Mr. Hypolite indicated that the timeline was not established during the July 27th meeting but that the Director indicated that the proposal would come back to the Committee for discussion and adoption. Commissioner Larry Lee also asked that both Commissioners be kept abreast of the Director’s progress with the report.
New Business
Carmen Smith Contract Compliance Officer I and James Fields Senior Compliance Officer reported on the joint Mayor’s Office of Community Development / Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOCD/MOH) Village construction project. The project was a community center funded by MOCD. Construction began December 2002 and ended December 2003. Contract amount $3,860,000. Total hours reported: 8,655.75. The 30% hiring goal was achieved. All workers except one were local residents. Ms. Smith said the Pacific engineering Builders Inc. did a great job in working with the community as a team.
James Field said the project was completed in two phases. He noted that the MOU contained the HUD 30% residency hiring requirement not Chapter 12B goals.
Greg Marutani requested that HRC reports be presented in a consistent manner so that the Employment Committee can assess success or failure in attaining the project hiring goals. Mr. Fields noted that the funding source requirements determine what hiring criteria are included in the report. However, he said that the work was performed by 100% minorities.
Ms. Starbuck-Sorro asked how the reported contract was completed without such professions as painters, plumbers, masons, workers, and sprinkler fitters. Mr. Fields explained that those professions fell under the $50,000 contractual limitations and that hybrid funding sources create overlapping jurisdictions with different reporting requirements. Mr. Hamption inquired whether the HRC can capture contracts under $50,000 and whether CBOs can get notice of prebids. Ms. Smith said she will be responsible for that.
Mr. Hampton requested that the CBO representative be asked to address the Employment Committee so that they could give their perspective on the hiring goals and dynamics for this project.
Mr. Jones requested that an accurate report be provided to the Employment Committee at its next meeting. Mr. Fields and Ms. Smith promised to provide it.
Old Business
None
Public Comments
Judy Starbuck-Sorro expressed her desire that HRC Contract Compliance Officers attend the Employment Committee meetings so that they can hear the experiences of community members who have been unemployed. She also noted that she has not received a response from CCOI Roel Villarcarlos to inquiries her inquiries regarding Proposition 209. She requested a written response to her inquiries.
Charlie Hill wondered why he has been unable to find employment in his neighborhood after going to several CBOs for assistance, including YCD, Chinatown, Visitacion Valley.
Harold Greenwood complained that he is receiving GA and food stamps. He is a journeyman painter. He charged that none of the contractors over the last several years comply with hiring goals. They employ residents for short periods and do not allow residents to complete projects. He does not favor giving contractors an exemption to City hiring requirements. He inquired whether there are complaint processes to address this problem.
Lauri Gallagher said she has never met a Compliance Officer despite her 18 years in construction. She has been unemployed for a year.
Francisco Da Costa Director of Environmental Justice charged that 85% of contracts go out of the City despite the willingness of residents to work. He warned that this situation can only continue for so long before ‘the sky becomes the limit’. He has worked with the SF Transportation Authority to set aside $2,700,000. $700,000 has been set aside for training. He demanded that SF residents get jobs and that language be incorporated into the contracts so that men and women from the City get jobs. He graded the Commission’s past performance with an ‘F’.
Rodney Hampton from YCD urged the adoption of a strategic plan for enforcement and monitoring of hiring goals. He said employers will not employ African Americans in San Francisco.
Ronnie Rhoe reported on the International Hotel project. He asked the HRC to highlight the project because of community concern about hours and workforce on that project.
Kabir Hypolite read a statement from Vernon Jenkins complaining about his job referral experience regarding C&M Construction Company’s Friendly House construction site. It is a MOH funded project. He charged that Robert Chiang denied that he was referred by Mission Neighborhood Hiring Hall and that another young man threatened to have him arrested if he did not get off the sidewalk. Judy Starbuck-Sorro validated Mr. Jenkin’s work history. Commissioner Lee offered the Committee’s assistance to Mr. Jenkins. Greg Marutani suggested that the matter was properly directed to HRC staff. The matter was referred to staff.
Mary Gin Starkweather directed Harold Greenwood to the City and County website for information about the Division of Labor Standards.
Stan Warren questioned whether the Commissioners are committed to address the issues raised by the members of the community and to follow through with action. Commissioner Lee noted Mr. Warren’s concerns about prevailing wage and noted that HRC does not handle this matter since the Division of Labor Standards does. He promised to continue to speak about the issue. Mr. Hypolite noted that Donna Levitt will present at the September 2, 2004 Employment Committee meeting. Mr. Jones commented that the staff works very hard and is committed carrying out the mission of the HRC. For years there has been a Director’s problem. He opined that until the Director’s problem is solved you will continue to have these HRC problems.
Ms. Starbuck-Sorro warned that unless there is a plan of action in two weeks there will be a hundred people at the next meeting. She fears the issue will be lost in someone’s office.
Announcements
Greg Marutani inquired about the status of the Commission’s activities in light of the Schram court decision. He requested an update regarding the HRC 12D and Employment discrimination programs. Ms. Starkweather notified the Employment Committee members that the Commission will hold a closed session meeting on Friday, August 13, 2004.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 3:55p.m.
Next Meeting
Thursday, September 2, 2004
1:30pm to 3:30pm
25 Van Ness Avenue, 8th Floor
San Francisco, CA. 94102