Rules Committee recommends nine for Sunshine Ordinance Task Force; one applicant faces public opposition

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Rules Committee on April 18 voted to forward a slate of nominees to the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, recommending incumbents and new appointees to fill nine seats for terms ending April 27, 2024.

The committee called for reappointments including Dean Schmidt (seat 1), Lila LaHood (seat 2), Laura Stein (seat 6), Matthew Yankee (seat 7) and Chris Hyland (seat 8), and recommended Lori Neighbors for seat 9 and Tal Jones Hill for seat 10. The clerk noted the task force has nine seats and eight applicants present; seat 5 still awaits a League of Women Voters nomination. The committee moved to forward the listed candidates and a roll-call vote recorded unanimous recorded "Aye" votes by Supervisors Chan, Vice Chair Mandelmann and Chair Peskin.

The item included a contested remark from public commenter Patrick Monette Shaw, who urged the committee to reappoint several incumbents and grant Mr. Hill a residency waiver, but also to oppose David Pilpel's reappointment. Shaw said Pilpel had been "disruptive" on several bodies and cited past opposition; Pilpel, in his remarks, acknowledged that he had "seen the letter in opposition" but asked to be judged on his qualifications.

Tal Jones Hill framed his application around technology and transparency experience, saying he had helped build tools used by local governments: "Yes, I did help create Granicus," he told the committee, and described experience modernizing public-agency systems. Supervisors praised the task force's work and moved the slate to the full Board with a recommendation.

The committee's recommendation will be transmitted to the full Board for consideration; the clerk said items acted upon by Rules typically appear on the Board agenda April 26.