HANC recycling at the Board of Supervisors, February 28, 2011

more testimony yesterday about the Haight Ashbury Recycling Center. Completely copied here in larger font than what’s on SFGov. The SF Weekly also has a new story on this latest meeting

queued up video of the meeting

Very good. madam clerk, please call item two.
>> resolution requesting the recreation and parks department and the

department of the environment collaborate to establish a comprehensive

parks recycling program utilizing the
expertise, volunteer base and facilities of the hanc
recycling center in golden gate park, for the department of the

environment to establish an independent recycling center master plan,

and requesting the recreation and parks department to rescind the

eviction of the hanc recycling center from
golden gate park.
center
>> I want to follow up
from a
well-administered, a thorough
hearing two weeks ago about the
possible eviction, termination
of lease of the haight-ashbury
neighborhood counseling recycle center, following that
particular hearing, we used the
information, which I thought was helpful in constructing a resolution

before us today.
I want to thank supervisor
avalos and mar for the co- sponsors of of the resolution. i do not

plan on this being another in-depth hearing as it
was two weeks ago, but as we
were able to will document from
that particular hearing, it seemed rather hasty and
inconsistent 5 rec and parks department and the part of the
environment and city to move on this termination of lease on the
recycle center by using the premise that the recycling center is a

nonconforming use
for this park — for this part
of golden gate park, and as it
relates to the master plan, yet
not exercise any due diligence
as the city had done elsewhere
in trying to help a resource
like the recycling center moved to a different location.
That lack of due diligence, I
think, proves it was a rash decision in the way that it was
processed by the wreck and park
department, compared to the water recycling plant that is
being proposed by the puc in
golden gate park, which would
also be categorically accepted
as also a nonconforming use, where the city has realized
perhaps there should be alternate locations for that
particular service. In the same would apply, I think for the hit-.

Neighborhood council.
— haight-ashbury neighborhood council. Yet when we search for an
alternative location for the puc water recycling center compared
to the hanc recycling center, it pales in comparison to whatever

efforts are being led for our efforts.
In helping to preserve and sustain an important resource.
That resource, some might argue, is obsolete, because of our blue
been efforts half
approximately 5% of the total
contribution of what our overall
objectives are, city-wide, towards our diversionary rates, as required

by state law.
Of those independent recycling
centers, hit after neighborhood counseling recycling center is
the largest of that recycling center, and their contribution
is not insignificant, but more importantly, quite profound with
regard to the level of tonnage it takes in every year and the

diversity of the recycling that
it is able to help process from many communities, not just communities

which have become the poster child for those who
are looking at an exhibit a to give cause for the removal of
hanc, being that of homeless
people who are distressed, down
and out, who often cause concern to many neighborhoods in the
surrounding area, of that part of our city, as well as other
parts unrelated to the recycling center.
People of middle class and upper means use the recycling center, too.
It would be a mistake for us to
lose this particular service
that has been such a mainstay in our larger environmental goals for

30-plus years and to not
think of a plan to have alternatively already in place.
By the fact of there was no
advanced thinking, before the
rec and park commission moved on
this, shows how intuitive the department and city is not synchronized

with the department of environment. When it was well reported here
that the concept of losing 1,600 tons per year and that is taken
in byhanc, to only be compensated with 27 vending machines that would

be
distributed in areas nearby
grocery stores so that people
could singularly feed bottles
and cans, was not well received in my opinion by the grocery
stores, as we have called and asked them, nor do I think it
was well thought out, if the goal was to mitigate that kind
of distress caused by people who call for the blue bins or
crew tried to resell those goods
that has given rationale to what
moved hanc in the first place.
When wholefoods opened its doors
in the upper haight, and I spoke to the vice President. They are

petrified of the notion
that they would all of a sudden
become the replacement facility. They had no idea this was coming.
That they would be the replacement facility of
multiple vending machines, not what they would not want to be a
host to those vending machines, but that they would be left
alone having to steer an usher
in and around the people traffic
that would be lining up, simply
trying to feed those bottles and cans.
So again, logic did not dictate
the proper reasoning of what the
city wants to do with hanc while
it thinks it is responding to neighborhood concerns.
So the resolution before us
simply tries to provide, I
think, a more methodical step that the city should undertake.
we ask mayor kelly, dept. Of the
environment, rec and parks, real estate, to look at their reasons
and marriage as to why hanc
should stay, and if not, provide that due diligence, which has been

absent in the process.
So that is really what is before us, colleagues.
i would be happy to cover to
public comment so that we can go and ahead and process what is on

people’ s minds.
Keep in mind, how we got to this
place, the natural tension that has culminated over the years
between neighborhood and hanc,
is not just on the shoulder of
ofhanc, or competing member
organizations, but it is also a big city hall but did not refer these

tensions. Over the years, it could’ ve
helped steer that unity that one might expect, even when there are

diverging opinions in
neighborhoods that are eclectic and well-known historical for their

civic engagement, like the
operate — upper haight.
I think we are fortunate that
previous administrations, and
not so distant pats, have not use of aerosol and political
capital to obtain a win-win in this. I am hoping that with this
resolution, we can inject some sensibility that you cannot
dismiss, the matter where one’ s
opinion May lie on what hanc
does or does not do for their
particular neighborhood, but you do not on rightly discounted a
contribution of a non-profit, of
a service, somebody who helped elevate our environmental goals over

all as being anachronistic
or absolute, and therefore not as necessary. I do not buy that.
by the lack of a plan that the department of the pirate —

environment, certainly was not able to prosper in lieu of hanc’
s loss and other independent recycling centers them seem to be on the

chopping
block, only shows why these
recycling centers should be stayed, and should be allowed to flourish

in the city.
The city needs to be that referee so that this tension is
not simply shouldered between labor organizations, but also on the

leadership of san francisco.
It is our obligation.
Mr. Chair, I would be more than happy to call their cards before us.

[Applause]
Thank you. [Applause]
I am going to call a few names.
joey came. Calvin whelks.
Michelle welsh. Jerry lastly.
If you could just line up in the middle, I would appreciate it.
>> thank you, supervisors. You pretty much summed it up.
i want to reiterate, this notion
that it is an anachronism, that it is unnecessary.
We have over 1000 people who
have used the recycling center in the last three months, who have

written to the mayor. We have their addresses.
1000 people over a three-month period.
The fact that we give out over
$700,000 a year in buyback to folks in the kids this is a needed

service.
This mythology that has been
voiced by some lame, suburban
columnist in “the chronicle”
attacking a neighborhood organization is absolutely outrageous.
It is bad policy to close the center down. Thank you.
>> neck speaker please.
— next speaker please. >> I will try to be brief.
Scheherazade’ s calvin while. I just want to stress, the fiscal facts.
The pay-per neighborhood council contributed $1.5 million a year to

the city’ s economy.
Directly, it contributes $700,000 of that to the city’ s
economy by diverting these of
cost to the city, of its 1,500
tons a year that it diverts from
the solid-waste stream, $500 a ton.
The fee that is generated for
the city by being a convenience-own buyback center.
We employ 10 people. We pay full health benefits for those 10 people.
It is astounding to me, at this
time and day, 10 greene jobs are
simply waved off as being meaningless.
I have no idea how many grain jobs mayor newsom created.
Certainly, losing 10 would be a substantial impact on the number
of green jobs created.
Also, for the last 20 years,
the haight-ashbury neighborhood council has played an increasingly

important role in the community garden movement in san francisco.
our fiscal sponsorship of
gardens for the environment, our
ability to use recycle and
surpluses to cover the
notorious slope of the city on contracts to guard and the environment

has meant we have
been able to keep their staff
body and soul together as well. It is an important economic benefit to

this city that should not be ignored. Thank you. >> next speaker

please.
>> jerry
lasley, a 30-year resident of the city.
i own eight units.
I use the recycling center very frequently. Those machines you are

proposing will not serve my means. There is no way to get the volume

of cardboard and paper that I used to get into those things.
I probably take 1 ton of paper myself.
you are talking about a community garden to serve maybe 40 people.
Right now, there are 3000 of us using this recycling center.
Thank you, supervisor mirkarimi, for pointing out the rash decisions

that have been made.
They came in through the back door and stabbed us in the back.
There was the public combating.
the one public meeting we had, no one from the other side showed up.
This is really not about community gardens but about one group tried

to get rid of another group.
And for past problems.
These things have not been vetted in the public. They need to be. This

is unfair.
it feels a little soviet union
to read in the paper one lie after the next.
I could not believe the column I had read or the weekend.
This guy says last friday was the last day of the recycling center,

and most people believed it because they have to trust our news media.
these people have been busy convincing my neighbors that if they only

get rid of these
people who come and take their recycling, they will increase their

property value.
So it is greedy and selfish motivation here.
No one got to say anything.
You had a more accountable only
to the mayor, a
a decision that
was made by the mayor.
This whole process spells, smells of something not fair.
So please do something about it.
we do not need to fix something that is not broken. You’ re going to

have to pay money for this other thing which will not work.
>> I am going to call some names before the next speakers.
He lane cigar rock. Michael job.
>>
just a few quick point. You have heard all the arguments.
First, recycling is the way to go.
There is no substitute for it. Those machines will never work.
It has been an incredible biological and social economic resource for

the city for 30 years now.
It is a resource we should never paved over.
There are better alternatives. As a citizen of san francisco, a
parent, whose child benefits
from a local public school, do the right thing. Do with thousands in

the
neighborhood and thousands in this city want you to do. It is the best

opportunity for all of us in san francisco.
Do not just keep it going. Expand its impact.
>> next speaker please.
>> let me thank supervisor at
avalos, mar, elsbernd, and especially mirkarimi for considering this

issue.
Many of the criticisms of this have already been mentioned. The loss

of 10 jobs.
The simple fact that even if it
were at fault of the
proliferation of homeless, its removal would only ruler could the

problem instead of dealing with the source.
I am here to talk to you as a gardener. Although I would love nothing
more than a community garden across the street, there are simply

better locations.
First of all, exposures.
The site only gets one-third direct sunlight.
Would take extensive pruning and tree removal to bring it up to
acceptable level of sun exposure.
Furthermore, the site has been
operating as a recycling center for 30 years.
Trucks and forklifts have been driving through heavy oil and other

pollutants in the soil.
Because of that, the amount of
money, labor, and time, it would
take to run — without the asphalt and remove trees would simply make

this fiscally irresponsible.
On top of all that, what makes it even more ridiculous, there are

numerous other sensible locations for community gardens, as was

mentioned two weeks ago.
There is a spot near mclaren
lodge, as well as a two-acre
field to the west of the recycling center.
If even a small portion of that were allocated for the community
garden, it would leave over 1 acre for field games.
If the rec and parks department
ultimately decides to stay there course, I hope that they will at
the very least postpone these evictions until they can
relocate the recycling center. Thank you for your time.
>> if I have called your name, please come into the middle of the

aisle.
Next speaker.
>> my name is michael job.
I am a member of the haight- ashbury. Thank you for the resolution.
i want to speak on being careful with who you listen to with regard to

the community gardens.
Commissioner mirkarimi, if you
come to the 600 block of schrader street and see with the greening of

the sidewalk has
done there, the department of urban forestry allocated all that.
one year later, the permit was okayed, after it was a done fact.
The same thing is going to
happen, as you heard from the
speaker before, if community gardens is allowed to be put into this

space.
It is not thought of by the ones proposing it.
All I am saying is, be careful review take advice from.
In regards to community gardens and so on. Please keep hanc recycling
center opened.
>> thank you.
Supervisor mar: I — thank you. I am going to read some names.
>> greg gar..
I have worked at the recycling center for 27 years.
I started the native plant nursery. Of course, I support the
proposed resolution. I hope we can get the votes from the full board.
i understand it will not
overturn the rec and parks
commission vote, but it is an opportunity to go in another direction.
When you actually combine the
recycling, native plant nursery, a native plant gardens,
composting, that ecological classes that we have at this
site, the end result is really
the golden gate park because center.
That is what the facility is, and eco center.
The rec and parks department, the department of environment,
and hanc should be partners in sustainability. All stakeholders should

negotiate and find common ground. Thank you.
>> thank you. Next speaker please.
>> kevin bayuk.
member of the hanc recycling
center council.
It is clear this is not about community garden spirit to do the

retrofit at frederick and make it a community garden, you
would have to remove asphalt,
soil testing for chemicals and
tens of thousands of dollars of additional cost, which you would
not have to do any of the other applications approved already by the

commission.
In terms of being fiscally responsible, I would answer questions about

that.
It is also important to
mention, the hanc recycling
center already provide additional services to the agricultural

community. That would be provided by rec
and parks proposed community gardens urban agriculture site such as

the ability to pick up mulch and compost.
Hanc is providing those services at no cost to the city.
it has already been
proposed that they will not be able to use the capital budget that

they have been allocated.
Hanc is able to provide those services today at no cost to the city.

Something very important to consider.
In terms of money spent, $250,000 to get 45 garden plots.
I am a principal in the valley project here.
We have been able to spend $35,000 and provide gardening opportunities

for over 6000
people and educational opportunities for youth.
Something to think about when
bouncing funds during this time. We need to look at how we are

spending every dollar. Thank you.
>> thank you. Next speaker please.
>> hello, supervisors. I spoke at the last hearing.
spoke at the last hearing
and that that hearing and I talked about the reason that I
use the hanc
recycling center myself.
At the last hearing I overheard one of the opponents saying that these

people could just get other jobs. I have a neighbor with two sons at

home with him.
One has been unemployed for two years.
I do not think that we can cavalierly say that these people can just

get other jobs.
It can be difficult to find jobs
like these with health benefits.
I would like you to support this resolution and save these jobs. Thank

you.
supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. Next speaker, please.
>> my name is jim rhodes.
I am a 35 year resident of weeks height.
I am particularly interested in the part where they set up a
really good recycling operation for golden gate park. we can do that.
We have a lot of experience.
In past years we have talked about doing that but there has never been

follow-through.
If we could do something together, I would look forward to it. Thank

you.
Supervisor mirkarimi: thank you.
Next speaker, please.
>> thank you for your time. Good afternoon.
I managed two properties there and have been there since 1984.
The people against the recycling center do not want to solve the

issues, rather pushing them under the rug.
i know this because I have a government employee and I understand why.

We’ re going to get paid regardless and it is more work that we have

to do on top of the other jobs.
As civil servants it is our
responsibility to properly vet issues.
I do not think that recommend park did so and I think it is

deplorable.
We have beaten to death of the
reasons why hanc should stay and
pointed out all the reasons why beckham park is wrong.
most importantly, in my opinion, the recycling center
provides revenue, jobs, and they are desperate for money.
I do not understand how the unjustified moving to recycle
and center initially to build a community garden that only
serves about 50 to 60 people instead of the thousands in the community

that it currently serves.
There are better locations that recon cards have found themselves.

Thank you very much.
— wreck and park — rec and
park have found themselves. Thank you very much.
supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. I have a few more names.
[Reads names]
>> good afternoon.
I work with after- school youth development program for children in

low-income areas.
I predominant it work with it graders and one of the things I
am teaching them is about global environmental issues. They are

burning about the trash heap in the ocean that is the size of texas.
we discussed why these problems exist.
They have come up with ideas
about lack of education, lack of
access, and lack of incentive for recycling. This center provides

those things.
As greg was saying, this was cycling center is like an eco center.
i come here for my recycling and composting. You can exchange things

within
the community.
I have been able to put together our projects and a costume box.
So, I support the resolution. Thank you.
supervisor mirkarimi: thank you very much. Next speaker, please.
>> thank you for the opening remarks.
I also wanted to tell you about the ecology class that i
attended yesterday about the native plants and native wildlife that

depend on the native plants.
For example, the mission water
slide that was introduced to the
city last year depends on a particular loop. It is the oils and leaves

that
tell the butterflies that it is time to lay your eggs.
later the
larvae will get the signal from the oil in the beef to start eating.
So, it is very necessary for us
to have the native plants for the native wildlife.
Services provided by hanc go beyond recycling with native plants and

the nursery.
I think that it is time for the city to acknowledge the
services provided by hanc.
doing something to highlight the services provided by this

organization. Thank you.
Supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. Next speaker, please.
>> is this usable? No?
My name is
pam, I have lived in
haight for 35 years.
hanc has been an invaluable resource.
Have concluded that the time has
come to terminate 10 employees and close a fully functional service.

The recreational recycling facility.
for no reason other than to push
against the progressive stance, generally.
In the eviction of low- income
folks, beyond that issues should not be confused.
Typically the folks that are
defecating in our entryways and living in our driveways, lying
on our sidewalks, are not those the one — are not the ones working

tirelessly.
As a society we need to provide to the homes more affordable
housing, solving our mental health service issues.
Recyclers are tirelessly collecting bottles and cans.
They need to be separated . So many people are bumping. We have been

at work with
homeless people for least 20 years.
Recyclers are clearly a part of the solution.
The closure of the recycling center will clearly cause
hardship for the people who, for a multitude of reasons, have come to

rely on the meager
redemption funds to supplement their income. i want to conclude by

saying
that in the event an eviction is
available, all of us available
to donate should continue to do just that.
Pumping vending machines full of
bottles and cans, hanc can
hopefully be able to have a recycling center if that is what the city

is demanding.
The pioneer efforts deserve to
be rewarded and not merely
coopted by a handful of loca
vocal nimby.
>> good afternoon, supervisors. i am a resident and owner of coral

st..
I am here to support the
recycling center proposal to rescind the executive order.
i call the san francisco chronicle the san francisco comical because

of the reporting it has been doing.
I wanted to empathize with — empathize with the gentleman who was

looking for a metaphor
earlier.
There is something rotten in the recreation and parks department.

[Applause]
By reasons for keeping the
recycling center opened, I will not repeat myself.
But it is part of the fabric of the neighborhood for almost 40 years.
And my children have gone their to do community work.
beginning in world revolution.
I was in germany for years ago.
They have recycling centers there that are very comprehensive.
it is the forward way to go all
of the other reasons why,
between given by recycling , I would choose to give it to the
recycling center every time. The last thing that I would like
to say, to close recycling
centers are physically and morally wrong.
Please support this resolution.
That is all I have to say. Thank you.
Supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. Next speaker, please.
>> I am probably preaching to the choir, but we need to see
through the bog of what is going on.
It is not a community garden issue. Everyone here stands up for

community gardens.
What I would like to know is
that — an initial site survey was done? mclaren was the most

feasible? What happened there?
Also, for many of us it is not a recycling issues so much as a buyback

issue.
also, and how do I say this , the
recycling center nursery has
shown line for line that it
meets the master plan for the park.
It has taken steps to do so along the way.
i wanted to point out those issues and bullets and things, looking you

reach in the eye to
say thank you, thank you, thank
you for bringing this out and having more dialogue, which is really

what we need. Thank you. >> thank you. Next speaker, please.
>> my name is lynn stein.
I could not come a couple of years ago because I had one of my rare

attempt jobs.
— attempt jobs
— temp jobs.
Any program that provides any revenue stream should not be
gotten rid of in this economy.
Often when I am not working, I
have my system with my bag and I pick up trash along there.
If you put recycling things in golden gate park, people’ s
behavior in these centralized
areas, it will not be the same .
A lot of people, most people will likely do the right thing, but many

do not.
Trust me.
they leave their recycling in the trash or where they are.
Any incentive to get someone to
find these and recycle them is so important.
Rescue these things. Recycle them. Fund them.
Often I am on the beach and I have discovered bottles that will become

trash and then they will be gone.
The cycle within an hour. Because people have the incentive.
That is all.
Thank you.
Supervisor mirkarimi: next speaker, please.
>> I have lived in the haight for 25 years.
Three issues come to mind on this.
One of them is practical, one is environmentally responsible, the

other is ethical. To me it does not make sense
that at any time, especially
during budget shortfalls, that the city would cut off the
actions of independent in the fishing community organizations that put

money into the coffers
of the city and those efficient work that the system would not
be able to make up for.
all of us agree the community gardens are important.
One does not have to be pitted against the other.
There is no reason why a community garden has to be placed at the

eastern end of the park.
Two weeks ago we saw mets with a
vast majority of community gardens on the eastern half of the city.
I would think that there will be
priorities further west in the park to offset the community gardens in

the western half of the city.
On an ethical basis, rec & park did not do its job.
They did not to be out reach needed to get people together to discuss

this critical issue in that part of the city. I’ ve been asked the

board to
allow scrutiny and examination for the action or lack of action on the

part so-called rec & park.
— on the parts of rec & park. thank you.
Aha supervisor mirkarimi: next speaker, please.
>> why am I advocating for
keeping the native plant
recycling nursery center open.
the recreation and park
commission makes it sound so,
this, and industrial operation in golden gate park.
This is a common sense and laudable effort.
A local effort to think globally have an act locally.
with the other side, you have to pay attention.
voting for their wishes.
I am certainly swayed.
Wanting to make it public comment. Thank you.
Supervisor
mirkarimi: next speaker, please.
>> good afternoon, supervisors.
I was hoping to be last, but thankfully near the end of public

comment.
We have heard no opposition to the resolution.
so, please go ahead, pass the
resolution, and then helped convince her colleagues on the board to

support it. Thank you.
>> good afternoon, supervisors.
When reckoned parts on this on
the community, they created the immediate impression that there
was broad scale support for
deploying hanc — for evicting
hanc from the center.
I started asking around to
people in the neighborhood and everyone that I spoke to
supported keeping hanc firmly in place. We decided that because there

was a complete lack of community
process on this, we would call a
meeting ourselves. In the hall of flowers be called for people from

the broad
community, including those that
were opposed to hanc.
in three days 90 people showed up for the meeting.
Not a single person supported
evicting hanc.
Not one person. We invited everyone. We urge people did these come.
we asked for rec & park to come and argue their side. They did not do

it. This false impression has been
created and that the broad community is supporting hanc in
supporting is a falsehood.
You can look in this room right now.
Not one single person appear
before you who is opposed to the resolution. Not even one person even

showed up here today.
I ask you to please pass this
resolution on to the full board
of supervisors and to urge your colleagues to support it.
It makes eminent sense.
it does give the opportunity for
people opposed to this to come forward with true solutions for

relocation.
It is a very measured resolution. Not one that is totally on one side,

but it takes into consideration this point of view. Thank you.
supervisor mirkarimi: next speaker, please.
>> good afternoon.
I would just like to say that
nationwide, people are trying to go green. Recycle.
In our neighborhood we have a fight over where you can sit and
lie in our neighborhood. There is a lot of difficulty
when you have people coming and purchasing their homes in a

neighborhood where they do not
understand things and try to force their opinions on the neighborhood.
but, we have sit lie laws in this city now. Residents that are not

supposed
to sit are still allowed to do
so on ashbury and cole, the place where they tried to be implement the

law.
i would like you to realize that recycling and things are not done by

everyone.
The small bit that is done is a big help.
We need the recycling center. We need the native plants.
I appreciate your time and energy. Thank you.
>> supervisors. Thank you for this hearing.
I am going to talk about some inconvenient troops.
Everyone else has testified as
to the giving and generous quality of the community in the recycling

center.
it was identified clearly that
we need to not hold public
processes on November 30, just three days before the December 2

hearing.
rpd has not had an outside recycling program for years.
After months and months of lots of us criticizing them for that
process, they just announced one
week ago that they would do a broad pilot program in gold gate park,

but there were skeptical about whether it would work.
that they would spend $3,000 on each garbage can.
It sounds like a very fiscally responsible decision.
Rpd did not attend the meeting when they could have heard a lot of

comments.
Finally, they announced that the recycling center has non- conforming

use.
What about the rest of the
southeast corner of golden gate park?
It has an apartment house,
laundromat, other stores , where
my wife purchaser bicycle, and a host of other things.
They did not do anything about that.
Basically it is the private 49′
er stadium.
Which was privately controlled by private interest.
The final and inconvenient truth
is that the hanc recycling
center actually serves the community without taking from
the community, as other private
interests have done for so long.
I would urge you to support this excellent resolution. Thank you.
supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. Next speaker, please.
>> I have lived in 7 cisco since
1970 and used hanc many times for recycling.
Especially cardboard.
I have also taken several classes at the garden for the environment.
we have the machines at bell
market on 24th street in the past.
It was an interesting experience. They were always broken.
You had to stand there for a long time to make 20 cents.
and there was no cardboard recycling.
I am very to appointed in an “to
san francisco chronicle” for the
lack of balance reporting on this issue.
I would ask you to support the proposal.
Supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. Next speaker, please.
>> I do not know if this is on. Can you hear me?
By name is beatrice laws — my name is beatrice laws.
We have lived in bp haight for
45 — we have lived in haight for 45 years.
i was disappointed in what appeared to be the overwhelming
favorite of the struggle — for this resolution.
There are only four super burt — supervisors who have heard this.
i am here to plead with each of you to try to talk your colleagues

into supporting this resolution. I think that it will be
essential for giving more time for this to be resolved.
thank you, supervisor, for what
you are doing to try to help and resolve this issue.
I hope that the rest of the board will understand just how important

this is to the city. Thank you so much.
>> good afternoon, supervisors.
I have the privilege of being the husband of the last witness.
We have observed
events in the
haight and participated in the
life of this neighborhood the entire time we have lived there.
We have been a cycling at the center since the beginning.
I find this entire situation
reminds me of something that charles walton had occasion to say.
That is how much effort it
takes simply not to slide backwards.
To wonder that we can claim to
make any progress at all.
all of this difficulty would not have occurred if there had been
a full hearing on the issue
before rec & park had it.
As was developed during the
testimony and from what we heard
in evidence, had they taken proper proceedings cure the
community and their many
reasons why the center should be allowed to stay.
I share my wife’ s concern.
That perhaps your colleagues misunderstand the situation.
Misrepresentations in the newspaper.
i am urging you, in the event that anyone seems to be
wavering, to plead with them to
watch the last proceedings on television.
There can be no other result in
support of this resolution if
they are fully informed of the pack. thank you.
Supervisor
mirkarimi: thank you.
Next speaker, please.
>> thank you again, supervisor, for another wonderful resolution the

to have brought forward.
you brought one forward about how the commission disappointed.
I hope that it will be introduced again.
There is no public process in the department.
Rec & park watch — if you
watched rec & park on line, you hear this complaint over and
over and over and over and over. We are tired of it. Be what some

democracy.
Parks are important to us.
I totally support the hanc has done.
I do not have a cycling.
I did not expect to have it for many years as I am in government

housing.
I use this was cycling. It is a great community.
Why would to break up a great, functioning community that makes money

for the city?
Please, this resolution is a great idea.
I hope that it is passed on.
you should not have to talk any of the board into this. It should

slide right through.
The next process is going to be challenging.
Please, thank you very much.
Supervisor mirkarimi: thank you.
Next speaker, please.
>> hello, supervisors. i own one home to block hanc
from the center.
— two blocks from the hanc center.
I want to say two briefings.
The first, I hope the department of the environment will become
aware that putting out of vending machines cannot substitute for

neighborhood environmental centers.
Two, dumpsters are packed full of recyclable materials.
Mostly it is filling up plastic bags intentionally being thrown
away by rec & park workers.
scavengers that come out for redemption serve the city’ s best

interest.
I hope that a way to be figured
out to incorporate these
scavengers into the report — recycling program.
Please go with the resolution.
supervisor mirkarimi: next speaker. If there is any other public

comment, please come up after this speaker.
>> I think the neighborhood organizations should have the goal of

serving the neighborhood.
The recycling center opened
during a time when the environment was at issue.
The issue has never been more
important than helping. The recycling center has taught
our community how to recycle. It is an icon of our neighborhood.
I cannot think of any issues that are as important as protecting our

environment.
We should not do anything to discourage protecting the environment.
The recycling center meets that meet.
I encourage you to continue the
good work that the city does to improve our environment.
The recycling center is just one tool that helps us do that.
keep the recycling center. Thank you.
Supervisor
mirkarimi: next speaker. This will be the last public comment on

less anyone wants to follow suit.
>> I support the resolution.
I have used hanc and other recycling facilities as well.
By 5 that hanc — I find that
hanc is the most organized.
The vending machine on fourth street is completely closed
because it has been abused.
I would like to support the resolution and I hope that it passes.

Thank you.
Supervisor mirkarimi: seeing
that there is no further, but —
public comment, I guess we will close public comment.
supervisor avalos: thank you.
I would like to support everyone
who came out to support the resolution. Did I say revolution?
I did not hear anyone who opposed the resolution.
i hope that this is a done deal.
I appreciate the folks coming
out to support this resolution.
Or they believe that their voice does not matter.
Supervisor, any comments?
Supervisor
mar: I think that the target has to be the mayor.
That has been identified.
The testimony from the last
couple of hearings have shown me
what an incredible — not just
recycling center, but a human
place that recycles people, as staff brought up the last time.
other speakers brought out how
it is a serve the people type program that allows people to be
educated to build a stronger community and protect the environment as

well. Understanding of local
importance of hanc and the
recycling center, as well as the person who brought up the ecology

class, really helping to
make sure that our community is hole in many ways.
Thank you for targeting the people that need to overturn
this horrible decision, continuing to organize and build the movement.
i will probably support this and
I hope that my colleagues to his well. Thank you.
— as well. Thank you. [Applause]
Supervisor avalos: Madam Clerk,
can we have it roll-call vote?
>> this is to send it to the board with recommendation?
supervisor avalos: motion to the full board with recommendation.
>> on that motion —
supervisor avalos: I was
checking the agenda to see if this was the committee report.
>> it does not say that.
Supervisor avalos: very good. Go ahead.
>> on the motion, supervisor mar?
Aye.
Elsebernd? No.
Avalos? Ay.E e.
there are two ayes and one no.
Supervisor avalos: 80 that it passes.
That was our last item — thank you, then it passes. That was our last

item?
>> there is no other business before the committee.
Supervisor avalos: than we are adjourned.