6. SMALL BUSINESS AND CITY PROCUREMENT PRACTICES: Presentation, discussion and possible action on Small Business and City Procurement Practices.  Presentation by Naomi Kelley, City Purchaser, and Virginia Harmon, Human Rights Commission Director (Discussion/Possible Action Item)

I thought, wow, these are two people that would be key to implementing a green purchasing policy in the City.  I’m going to the meeting and share some of the thoughts and principles that I’ve outlined throughout my www.actlocallysf.org/blog/cliffwaldeck entries.

The presentation by the two department heads went well.  They effectively articulated their policies and positions and concluded by expressing their willingness to work closer with the Small Business Commission.  Although their comments did not specifically address green business development or utilization in the City procurement process, it was a step in the right direction. 

Us advocates like "steps in the right direction", it helps move our goals forward, building momentum.  Nudging, suggesting, opining, garnering further support and always taking the high road is often a slow, sometime frustrating process but, hopefully, one keeps all the key decision makers on board.  Coming out swinging or stepping on peoples toes, well, the decision makers aren’t too keen on those tactics and new ideas are easily kabosh-able if consensus doesn’t evolve amongst the decision makers. 

Back to the Commission meeting, there’s a digital timer at the podium that counts down a speaker’s alloted time from three minutes to zero…BING!…times up!  It always makes me feel like I’m James Bond and I have only three minutes to diffuse the evil device and save the world.

It’s often a trade off for those three minutes, have a prepared text that you read from and, hopefully, look up at the Commission about a third of the time OR speak with no notes, usually stumbling a few times but coming across a lot more heartfelt, maintaining eye contact with all the Commissioners.  This time I chose the latter, heartfelt, extemporaneous comments.  I knew I had way more than three minutes worth of comments to make.  My mind raced as I triaged my thoughts.

Right before I’m about to speak, Mayor Newsom enters the meeting….

Talk about performance anxiety, YIKES!

 ….to be continued

Clifford Waldeck