Coming to these meetings again, I sometimes feel a bit like Rip Van Winkle. I last participated in commission meetings in the early 1990s. It may seem quaint now, but back then when we opened the meetings by standing up, placing our hands over our hearts, and pledged allegiance to the flag in the Lurie Room - yes, that Lurie family. This gesture of solidarity of commissioners and the public took 15 seconds.
Out of curiosity, I recently had the notion to research the evolution of the bylaws of the Commission. One statement has remained in the bylaws. "The commission shall hold meetings open to the public and encourage the participation of interested persons." Attending these few meetings, I have seen that each of you is accomplished, intelligent, dedicated, attentive, and wants to support the library and its users. I hope you would assume that the interested persons who attend these meetings share your outlook. There was always a barrier of sorts between the public and the government and the exhortation to encourage participation is the way to lower that barrier.
In the searly 1990s, when I began attending meetings, the bylaws stated no time limit for public comment. By the mid-90s, the commission adopted a 4-minute time limit, which by the end of the decade dropped to three minutes. In March 2024, the commission acted to amend the bylaws. Four present members of the Commission cast votes to do so. The current amended bylaws continue to state that each member of the public can address the commission for up to three minutes.
The bylaws are a legal document vetted by the city attorney's office. Every meeting I've attended, the commission has violated its own bylaws. Bylaws that current commissioners approved. If you cut me off before three minutes have transpired, you are violating your own rules. You must either follow your bylaws or amend them. The public should learn the rationale for limiting public participation. If you amend the bylaws to shorten the time limit, you could also amend the statement about encouraging participation. But I cannot believe that you really want to discourage participation.
The people who stand on this side of the microphone are not the enemies of the library or of the Commission.
Commission President Wolf illegally interrupting [2 minutes have transpired]:
Thank you for your comments.
Everyone here supports the San Francisco Public Library. Thank you.
Any further public comment? Seeing there's no further public comment, public comments closed. I just want to thank everyone for participating so actively today and passionately.
Out of curiosity, I recently had the notion to research the evolution of the bylaws of the Commission. One statement has remained in the bylaws. "The commission shall hold meetings open to the public and encourage the participation of interested persons." Attending these few meetings, I have seen that each of you is accomplished, intelligent, dedicated, attentive, and wants to support the library and its users. I hope you would assume that the interested persons who attend these meetings share your outlook. There was always a barrier of sorts between the public and the government and the exhortation to encourage participation is the way to lower that barrier.
In the searly 1990s, when I began attending meetings, the bylaws stated no time limit for public comment. By the mid-90s, the commission adopted a 4-minute time limit, which by the end of the decade dropped to three minutes. In March 2024, the commission acted to amend the bylaws. Four present members of the Commission cast votes to do so. The current amended bylaws continue to state that each member of the public can address the commission for up to three minutes.
The bylaws are a legal document vetted by the city attorney's office. Every meeting I've attended, the commission has violated its own bylaws. Bylaws that current commissioners approved. If you cut me off before three minutes have transpired, you are violating your own rules. You must either follow your bylaws or amend them. The public should learn the rationale for limiting public participation. If you amend the bylaws to shorten the time limit, you could also amend the statement about encouraging participation. But I cannot believe that you really want to discourage participation.
The people who stand on this side of the microphone are not the enemies of the library or of the Commission.
Commission President Wolf illegally interrupting [2 minutes have transpired]:
Thank you for your comments.
Jason Gibbs
Everyone here supports the San Francisco Public Library. Thank you.
Commissioner Wolf:
Any further public comment? Seeing there's no further public comment, public comments closed. I just want to thank everyone for participating so actively today and passionately.
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