May 5, 2023
Contact: Michael Canning (415) 252-3100
Chair Yvonne Lee called the Meeting to order at 10:10 a.m. With Commissioners Theis Finlev, Michael Romano, and Argemira Flórez Feng participating, a quorum was present.
Under Item 2, provided the opportunity for general public comment on matters not appearing on the Agenda but within the Ethics Commission’s subject matter jurisdiction.
Under its Consent Calendar, provided the opportunity for public comment on all consent calendar items and voted (3-1) to adopt a motion by Commissioner Finlev and seconded by Flórez Feng to approve the following Consent items that required action by the Commission, with Commissioner Romano in the dissent:
- Item 3, Draft Minutes for April 14, 2023, Regular Meeting,
- Item 5, Draft Statement of Incompatible Activities (SIA) for the Sheriff’s Department Oversight Board (SDOB) and Office of the Inspector General (OIG),
- Item 7, Proposed Stipulation, Decision and Order In the Matter of Yakuh Askew,
- Item 8, Proposed Stipulation, Decision and Order In the Matter of Victor Makras, and
- Item 9, Proposed Stipulation, Decision and Order In the Matter of Celine Kennelly.
Item 4, Acting Executive Director’s report dated May 1, 2023 and Item 6, Draft report on San Francisco’s Public Campaign Financing Program: November 8, 2022 Election were informational and required no action by the Commission.
The Commission then took up Agenda Item 10(a) and provided the opportunity for public comment on all matters pertaining to the proposed closed session. Under Item 10(b), the Commission unanimously (4-0) approved a motion by Commissioner Finlev and seconded by Commissioner Romano to proceed into closed session regarding the public employee appointment of the Executive Director.
The Commission moved into closed session at 10:35 am.
After reconvening in open session at 1:34 pm, the Commission unanimously (4-0) approved a motion by Commissioner Finlev and seconded by Commissioner Romano to not disclose matters discussed in closed session.
Under Item 11, discussed Preliminary Matters In the Matter of Paul Allen Taylor, Case No. 20-243 and voted unanimously (4-0) to adopt a motion by Commission Romano and seconded by Commissioner Flórez Feng, to appoint Commissioner Finlev to preside over preliminary matters and to adopt specific processes and deadlines concerning preliminary matters.
Under Item 12, discussed Proposed Stipulation, Decision and Order In the Matter of Michael Colbruno, and unanimously (4-0) adopted a motion by Commissioner Finlev and seconded by Commissioner Flórez Feng to approve the proposed stipulation.
Under Item 13, discussed Proposed Stipulation, Decision and Order In the Matter of Bearstar Strategies and unanimously (3-0) adopted a motion by Chair Lee and seconded by Commissioner Flórez Feng to approve the proposed stipulation. Commissioner Romano was excused from voting on this matter by a unanimous vote of the Commission.
Under Item 14, provided the opportunity to discuss items for future meetings.
Under Item 15, provided additional opportunity for general public comment on matters not appearing on the agenda.
Under Item 16, adjourned the meeting at 2:25 pm.
Draft Minutes for the May 5, 2023, Regular Meeting will be available upon their completion and will be included on the Agenda for the Commission’s next Regular Meeting, which will be made available on the Commission’s website at sfethics.org.
Meeting agendas and materials are available at https://sfethics.org/ethics/category/agendas.
For further information, please contact the Ethics Commission at ethics.commission@sfgov.org or (415) 252-3100.
SFGovTV provides a continuous archive of selected Commission, council and board meetings that allows viewers to watch those meetings online in full at the viewer’s convenience. Video, audio, and closed-captioning archives of Ethics Commission meetings may be accessed here.