San Francisco Commission on the Environment votes to hold closed interviews for department director, later discloses it forwarded slate to mayor

SAN FRANCISCO — At a special meeting March 7, the San Francisco Commission on the Environment voted to go into closed session to conduct interviews for the city’s Environment Department director and later voted to disclose that it had forwarded a slate of candidates to the mayor for consideration.

The commission cited California Government Code section 54957 and San Francisco Administrative Code section 67.1(b) as the legal authority to meet in closed session for personnel interviews. A motion to hold the closed session was made by Commissioner Wan and seconded by Commissioner Hunter. With Commissioner Bermejo excused, the roll call recorded Ayes from President Ahn, Vice President Wan, Commissioner Hunter, Commissioner Stevenson, Commissioner Sullivan and Commissioner Wald/Wold/Walt; the motion passed.

The body reconvened to open session at 8:54 p.m. to decide whether any discussion from the closed session should be disclosed under San Francisco Administrative Code section 67.12(a). A commissioner moved that the commission disclose that it had forwarded a slate of candidates to the mayor for consideration but not disclose other closed-session deliberations; another commissioner seconded the motion. After confirming there were no remote public commenters, the commission again took a roll-call vote and the motion passed.

No additional details about candidates or discussion topics from the closed session were released at the meeting. The commission’s stated action, as recorded in open session, was the disclosure that a slate had been forwarded to the mayor and an instruction to withhold other closed-session content.

The commission’s action does not name or confirm any candidate. Next procedural steps beyond the disclosure vote were not specified during the meeting, and the commission did not take further personnel actions in open session.

Votes at a glance
- Motion to hold closed session for Environment Department director interviews — Mover: Commissioner Wan; Second: Commissioner Hunter; Outcome: Approved (Ayes: President Ahn; Vice President Wan; Commissioner Hunter; Commissioner Stevenson; Commissioner Sullivan; Commissioner Wald/Wold/Walt; Bermejo excused).
- Motion to disclose limited information from closed session (that a slate was forwarded to the mayor) — Mover: Unidentified commissioner (motion recorded on the transcript without a name); Second: Commissioner Wold; Outcome: Approved (Ayes recorded by roll call; motion passes).