HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 1995-05-02 Mayor Robert Yee
Council:
Jack Drago
Joseph A. Fernekes
~lohn R. Penna
Roberta Cerri Teglia
_~!~uI~
City Council
Municipal Services Building
Community Room
May 2, 1995
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL TOWN HALL MEETINGS
DISCUSSION ON CARD ROOM PROPOSAL
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Section 54956 of the Government Code of the State of California, that
the City Council of the City of South San Francisco will hold Special Meetings for discussion on the card room proposal
for the Shearwater site with all meetings beginning at 7:00 p.m. and ending at 8:30 p.m.:
Monday, May 1, 1995, El Camino High School, Cafeteria, 1320 Mission Rd.
Tuesday, May 2, 1995, Alta Loma Middle School, Multi Use Room, 116 Romney Ave.
Wednesday, May 3, 1995, Ponderosa School, Multi Use Room, 295 Ponderosa Rd.
Monday, May 8, 1995, Martin School, Multi Use Room, 35 School Street
Tuesday, May 9, 1995, South San Francisco High School, Cafeteria, 400 B St.
Tuesday, May 23, 1995, Westhorough Junior High, Multi Use Room, 2570 Westborough Blvd.
'City Clerk
City of South San Francisco
Dated: April 26, 1995
CALL TO ORDER:
ROLL CALL:
AGENDA
(Cassette No. 1)
Discussion on the card room proposal for the Shearwater
site.
ACIIQN TAKEN
7:06 p.m. Mayor Yee presiding,
Council Present: Drago, Fernekes, Teglia and Yee.
Council Absent: Penna.
City Manager Wilson introduced himself, welcomed
the audience and introduced members of the staff
who will take part in the presentation: City Attor-
ney Steve Mattas, Assistant City Manager Pat
Martel, Interim Director of Economic & Community
Development Beyer, Police Chief Mark Raffaelli
and Finance Director Brooks.
He stated each of the individuals was responsible for
doing research in other communities' cardrooms,
they went down south and some went into Nevada.
5/2/95
Page 1
_A CI_I QN IAK~N
59
Discussion on the cardroom proposal for the Shearwater
te - Continued.
They reviewed the operations and tried to under-
stand and get caught up with the state of the art for
gaming.
He gave background information on the Shearwater
proposal: Bill Poland, Bay West Group, accom-
panied by representatives from Hollywood Park
came to the City unsolicited with a proposal for the
development of the Shearwater site for retail devel-
opment and a cardroom; the site was formerly occu-
pied by U.S. Steel and about 16 years ago the build-
ings came down and the site was cleared; the City
bought six acres next to the site from the Federal
Government that had been a warehouse which later
burned down; the Shearwater site has approximately
43 acres above water and 110 acres of submerged
land; the City has been approached for two, differ-
ent plans, some involve water others don't; the site
is subject to clean up because of all the heavy metals
which made it heavily contaminated and will cost the
developer $10,000,000 and does not address the
problems in the submerged lands; the proposal is for
400,000 sq. ft. of big box retail, like a Home Depot
or K-Mart, and a few smaller retail uses, a few
restaurants to accommodate the site; the proposal
includes a 100,000 sq. ft. gaming club that will hold
up to 150 card tables; staff will talk about the reve-
nue projects based on the proposal and business plan
the developer submitted to the City; staff extrap-
olated from square footage of the retail; questions
asked at last night's meeting were recorded and will
be answered during the presentation; the question
asked was, well that is nice, but are there other
options - two others were presented for hotels and
residential use with a whole different array some
years ago by an architect; the City does not own the
land, it is in private ownership, only the six acres; it
is the people who own the land who want to con-
struct the project, provided it fits into the regula-
tions, so that is not definitive and is here as present-
ed; the proposal is what the land owner and devel-
oper want to do; the question posed was why Holly-
wood Park entered into a business relationship with
Bay West Group and came forward; another ques-
tion that came up, why are we in such a rush - there
is a perception this is being done at a fast pace; the
parties approached the City no earlier than last
August, so here we are in May and in the middle of
public discussions on the threshold and it will have
to go through many procedures; the City Attorney
will address the legal issues and the Police Chief law
5/2/95
Page 2
$0
~Discussion on the cardroom proposal for the shearwater
te- Continued.
Councilman Penna Arrived at the Meeting at 7:20 p.m.
enforcement; the Interim Director of Economic &
Community Development will address social impli-
cations; another question was what would a facility
of this nature generate and the Assistant City Man-
ager will address the types of revenue from such a
facility; it is not the intention of staff to make moral
judgments but to put all the issues on the table; after
the presentations there will be opportunity for ques-
tions and comments from the public and if staff
cannot answer the questions they will be recorded
and answered at another meeting.
City Attorney Mattas addressed the legal aspects of
gaming: allowed forms of gambling/gaming; a city
may impose more restrictive local regulations on
gaming within that city; an election is required if the
city did not permit gaming clubs before 1/1/84.
Police Chief Raffaelli addressed law enforcement
considerations: calls for service - gaming clubs 200,
Kaiser Hospital 250, Price Club 160, Century 8 76,
Hillsdale Mall 450, Tanforan 2,300, Serramonte
890; activities associated with cardroom casinos -
loan sharking money laundering, prostitution, fol-
low-home robberies, skimming, extortion, organized
crime (Asian gangs), drugs, bookmaking and cheat-
ing; personnel requirements - 6 officers and one
clerical position; controlling factors - through the
Municipal Code - backgrounds, surveillance, IRS
reporting, security by club, cheating and fraud
statute, no subcontracting games, no campaign
contributions, non-transferable gaming license, City
has power to revoke local gaming license; City
financial diversity.
Interim Director of Economic & Community Devel-
opment Beyer addressed the social and economic im-
pacts: social impacts - gambling activity can change
behavior, similar to other activities such as smoking,
eating, drinking or drugs, changed behavior affects
others, an estimated 300,000 compulsive gamblers
in California, industries creating these activities also
provide funds to assist organizations dealing with
addictive behavior; economic impacts - new jobs
1,100-2,000 persons, estimated payroll $24,000,000,
business-to-business purchases $13,000,000, ripple
effect (1.5) in the community $55,500,000.
Assistant City Manager Martel addressed community
revenues and regulatory requirements: card club
operation will generate substantial new revenue -
5/2/95
Page 3
Discussion on the cardroom proposal for the Shearwater
te - Continued.
revenue to City could be $5,090,300-$6,015,806,
sales tax could increase $88,750 + or -, property
tax increment would increase $233,000 through
development of Shearwater and City owned proper-
ty; retail center comprising 4,000 square feet will
contribute additional revenue stream for providing
city services - sales tax potential estimated at
$1,000,000 to $1,600,000, property tax increment
would increase $287,000, combined development
could produce $1,688,750 in new sales tax and
nearly $500,000 in tax increment for furore rede-
velopment activity; minimize reliance on speculative
gaming revenue as a means to balance budget for
on-going city services by establishing a policy that
directs funds to specific purposes - card club desig-
nated fund will be created to budget and account for
all expenditures related to the gaming operation,
administrative oversight activities involving police
and audit/revenue collection, one-time expenditures
for building renovations and improvements, street
repairs, park improvements, property acquisition,
capital outlay projects and equipment, increases or
decreases in gaming revenue do not impact on-going
City services, only one-time expenditures; strong
administrative and auditing controls are necessary to
insure the integrity of financial transactions arising
from card club operations; card club business regu-
lations will be established by ordinance and define
the City's and card club's responsibilities for finan-
cial activities and auditing.
Mr. Manny Madriaga, 23 Sunrise Court, stated the
casino will lead to more bankruptcies and increased
lines in the food give-a-ways. As he said last night,
the issue is not with the police being able to control
the situation for he has a lot of faith in Police Chief
Raffaelli and given time and additional bodies he can
competently handle the problems. The issue is not
with the City Manager for he can accurately admin-
ister the activities, but at what cost are we willing to
accept the casino when it is addictive for people.
He stated there are the low income whites, the
Asians, the Spanish, the Blacks - in other words
they are the people at the bottom of the food chain
and what the casino will do is perpetuate them at the
bottom of the barrel.
He stated that the San Mateo Times article said that
90% of the people Councilman Fernekes talked with
were in favor, he begs to disagree. Our own survey
out of 25 people we talked to 24 were against and
5/2/95
Page 4
A~_ENDA
Discussion on the cardroom proposal for the Shearwater
.te - Continued.
A~!ON _TAKE~
one was in favor of the cardroom.
He stated 96% of the citizens of S.S.F. he talked to
are against this proposal, only 4% turned neutral
when asked again. He questioned the attempt to
influence the public through the press. That partic-
ular article in the Times devoted 80% to talking
about the casino, the various opinions of the
Couneilmembers are pro or leaning to the casino,
and one associated to Mayor Yee and some unnamed
people are against the casino - in other words, less
than the 10%.
He further would like to direct some comments to
City Attorney Steve Mattas and would like, in his
humble opinion, to say that he works for the City of
S.S.F. though the Council pays him. Why did the
State Legal Counsel say, in his opinion, in San
Mateo City that the City would be excelling its
authority if it approved the cardroom. Should this
City ask for a second legal opinion, obviously there
is disagreement and other lawyers are saying the
opposite. If the law does not apply, is it the idea to
then change it. The Council was elected to repre-
sent us, by that trust to be our role models and to
apply the ordinance of the General Plan so it will be
to our advantage. Therefore the citizens trusted you
and you have done a lot of things to deserve the
trust, up to this point, why in the name of toxic
waste, in the name of the City and why are you now
giving up the trust from your last election.
City Attorney Mattas related: there is a significant
difference between the San Mateo situation and the
S.S.F. situation; in San Mateo there was an ordi-
nance that prohibited gaming and the legislation that
passed was on the ordinance in effect prior to
1/1/84; that was the basis why San Mateo proceeded
without an election; the General Plan and the Mu-
nicipal Code in this City both indicate a requirement
for an election and was adopted in 1985 and is not
the same situation as San Mateo.
Councilman Fernekes related: over the last two
months he spent a lot of time talking to members of
the community and over 90% of those people pre-
ferred to have a cardroom in the City which he had
related at the last meeting; now, when we talked last
night, more people responded but when the article
was written what he said stands.
5/2/95
Page 5
Discussion on the cardroom proposal for the Shearwater
te- Continued.
Ms. Leu Harshbarger, 211 Ross Way, stated she is
a concerned citizen because she happens to be a
Chairperson for the Detention and Jail of San Marco
County and is concerned adopting this gaming here,
as it is going to increase the numbers of inmates in
the County. She did not know how many have been
to the jail lately, but you can see how many of the
inmates of the jail are gamblers, drug addicts, alco-
holics or whatever but does not know the statistics.
Councilwoman Teglia asked what City Ms.
Harshbarger lives in.
Ms. Harshbarger stated she lives in San Bruno, but
she is a Chairperson for the Jail and Detention
Ministry.
Mr. Jake Jones, 12 El Campo, stated he lives in
Buri Buri and he does not go around from meeting
to meeting trying to knock this. He stated these
people haven't lived in this neighborhood, yet his
family came here in 1898 and he has lived here
since 1940. This is his neighborhood, that is what
these meetings are for, and this woman lives in San
Bruno and that is where she should be.
He stated the City has a chance to put a facility in
on the other side of the highway that will not bother
any neighborhood. People will come from the north
and the south to patronize the club or do you want a
bigger club on Grand Avenue. Why sit here and let
San Bruno and Colma make all the money, get some
money for Orange Park that is waiting for money.
We have a lot of areas that need updating and we
should not listen to the outsiders. He stated we
saved the Asians from the Japanese and we cannot
teach them not to gamble. We don't have a problem
with minorities, we never considered anyone being a
majority or a minority, so if we can get the card-
room here it will be good.
He has known Mark Raffaelli for a long time and
Mark told us the good part and he trusts his word,
so don't let the outsiders decide for us.
Ms. Laurie Masetti, 256 Oakcrest Ave., stated she
has resided in S.S.F. all of her life and wants to go
on record as being very much in favor of a card-
room in S.S.F. This is a definite "win win" situa-
tion for this City. She sees that people will have the
opportunity for jobs. She sees that hazardous waste
5/2/95
Page 6
Discussion on the cardroom proposal for the Shearwater
te - Continued.
will be cleaned up without cost to the City. She
sees a lot of positives and the economic base will
increase.
She stated she sat on a Board and struggled with the
heartaches and difficulty of having to cut programs,
which is happening to the School Board also. She
sees this as a definite win and is strongly in favor of
it from what she has read. The location couldn't be
better, it's far from schools and the local residents.
She stated that regarding Mr. Madriaga's comments
about the Asians and Hispanies, she thinks he is
selling them short. She feels people from all ethnic
backgrounds need to show control with alcohol and
other vices and she does not think the Council
should even concern themselves with different ethnic
backgrounds. People are people and those who like
to gamble will and those of us that love to shop will
shop.
Mr. Lee Strieb stated he worked as a research ana-
lyst with the Hotels and Restaurant Union that rep-
resents tens of thousands of food and hospitality
employees in gaming clubs and race tracks around
Northern California. They also have hundreds of
members in South San Francisco who work in hotels
in San Francisco. He stated the Union was in sup-
port of the proposal for the Shearwater site and urge
the Council and the residents to support his project.
The main reason for the support is they believe this
will create quality jobs, union jobs and is an im-
portant economic project for the City. The Union
has had extensive conversations with Hollywood
Park in recent years and they will not oppose
unionism, which the Union believes will lead to
decent paying jobs, good working conditions and
protection for the good jobs.
The Union feels reasonably confident about the
revenue benefits and tax revenues to the City. He
stated that regarding the security concerns, staff is
doing a good job of trying to make sure it is a quali-
ty project. So, the Union looks forward to working
with the City and are in support of the project.
Ms. Karyl Matsumoto, 1 Appian Way, #712-6,
stated she is Japanese and Asian. She does not
consider herself on the bottom of the food chain.
She is inclined to support the casino and thinks it
5/2/95
Page 7
__Discussion on the cardroom proposal for the Shearwater
itc - Continued.
will be a "win win" situation and help the Conven-
tion Center. She encouraged the Council to put
something in tho budget for non-profit agencies that
are at risk in funding. She is on the Cultural Arts
Commission and the Council could hold Hollywood
Park responsible to set aside, say $50,000 or more,
for non-profit agencies in this community.
Councilwoman Teglia related that Hollywood Park
in their annual budget sets aside money for dona-
tions to non-profit agencies in the community.
Ms. Sue Peruzzi, 346 Alta Mesa Dr., questioned:
how many of the Serramonte crimes were acts of
violence, because shop lifting is different; how much
is this going to cost the City for the audits and
background checks; has anyone done anything to
address the concerns of a card parlor with the Gate-
way people; who paid for the trips to investigate
gambling operations by staff and Council.
City Manager Wilson responded: all trips were at
the City's expense; on the issue of the Gateway, we
have not yet had a conversation with Gateway, but
there will be a meeting with the Chamber of Com-
merce on the 17th with a presentation on the pro-
posal; all costs for services will be coming from the
revenue collected through the casino, which was
what the Assistant City Manager was trying to ex-
plain - where we are trying to divert specific money
to pay for services first and it is the balance of the
money where the Council has the discretion.
Police Chief Raffaelli stated, as far as the calls for
service and violence in Serramonte, he did not have
a police print out but, based on what we know in
dealing with Kaiser and the other places there are a
number of violent cases of assaults, robberies and
carjackings. In the casinos there are no calls on
carjacks, assaults nor robberies, that is why we said
it is consistent and not more serious than the other
statistics.
Councilwoman Teglia stated the question was asked
who paid for the trips and she needed to clarify that,
because it was at the insistence of the Council the
City pay. She stated the Council went in the morn-
ing and came back in the afternoon and it was not a
junket. It was important to us for our staff to also
go down without Hollywood Park knowing they
were coming so they could not wine and dine us and
5/2/95
Page 8
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN
._.Discussion on the cardroom proposal for the Shearwater
itc- Continued.
get us in bed.
Councilman Penna asked the Police Chief's
observations on Hollywood Park's operation in
terms of security dealing with disruptive or cheating
patrons.
Police Chief Raffaelli stated in the realm of cheating
they have a surveillance camera and the individual
who works the surveillance writes the reports and
goes to Court. In the security area there is a hold-
ing cell, if they are disruptive they may give them a
cab home and others they arrest and hold until the
police arrive. They run a straight club and they
have photos of people in the security area and escort
the people out before other problems occur. He
stated Hollywood Park is up front in working with
the police and if the police are there they take con-
trol and escort them out. He stated this is law en-
forcement, it is discretionary for the situation at the
time and the security people will testify in Court.
Mr. Alex Agiusti, Director of Security Hollywood
Park, stated his background is law enforcement and
had gone into work as a private contractor and
accepted the job. He stated his security people have
a reputation in the community and the word in the
community is, if you go to the Inglewood Casino
and get caught you will be prosecuted. He stated
his people had trained with the City Attorney and
District Attorney's staff and use surveillance and
have a Court liaison. He stated his security force
consists of 97 people which is larger than most
police forces with undercover people and investiga-
tors who prosecute. He stated they handle incidents
like the police but use citizen arrests and write
reports.
Mr. Bill Poland stated he is the developer and owner
of Bay West Group that intends to purchase and
develop the Shearwater property and wanted to
clarify comments made by staff. He has been in-
volved since 1972 in S.S.F. in CC&F, developed 40
buildings over a seven year period and still has a lot
of good friends in this City.
He stated the most important thing about this indus-
try and where we are trying to take it has been
developed over the last hundred years he learned in
his association with Hollywood Park and they are a
public corporation. He stated a public corporation is
5/2/95
Page 9
,_Discussion on the cardroom proposal for the Shearwater
~te - Continued.
forced to divulge anything, so any resident or staff
member can review any of the records, it is an open
book and fool proof. He stated Hollywood Park is
the owner of Harrah's and the public corporations
have gone a long way since Bugsy Siegel.
Ms. Clair D'Amico, 136 San Felipe, stated that Bay
Meadows is a very different project than this. Bay
Meadows is in a residential neighborhood. This
project is out and away from the residents, however,
if the City was going to put this down by the munic-
ipal center she would be up here with a rope to
stretch the Council out. She stated she is neither for
nor against the cardroom. She did not think she
would have time to sit down and play cards. She
can see negative and positive.
She felt it was nasty to pick on an ethnic group
because she knows Irish people who gamble, she is
married to an Italian and the last time he gambled
was when he married her 40 years ago. She said
quit picking on the poor Asians for they have no
more problems than we have.
Ms. Barbara Schonig, 786 Alta Loma, questioned
who owns the toxic site.
City Manager Wilson stated the land owner does.
Ms. Schonig stated she liked what the Police Chief
said but her major concern is the additional amount
of work for the police officers, which no one can
answer except the Police Chief for you must walk a
mile in their shoes to know what that means.
She stated that many years ago a former City Coun-
cil said to the people we are not going to have this
in our community and we are not going to allow it -
that was Serramonte Shopping Center, and the City
lost a lot of money because they sat on their duff.
We don't know what the "famous leaders" of this
State are going to say - we want more money, for
they hold cities hostage. She does not know wheth-
er she is pro or con, but likes the pro more and
wants to make sure there are enough police officers.
She wants to make sure that everybody who works
in the cardroom has a complete background check
and see that this is not blown out of proportion.
Ms. Maria D'Alessandro, 773 Baden Ave., stated
there has been a lot of comments in regard to why
5/2/95
Page 10
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN
Discussion on the card room proposal for the Shearwater
itc - Continued.
we want a cardroom or not, and some things that
concern groups being affected more by compulsive
gambling than others. Her opinion is that any gen-
der is not immune from gambling if they chose to
do so. She is speaking against the cardroom. Her
opinion is, whether the cardroom is located at the
Shearwater or somewhere else it will impact the
town. A gentleman said why not get some benefits,
why let only Colma and Daly City approve the
cardrooms. All of these revenues are not going to
be of the same size, maybe less and we will still
have the same expense of $550,000 a year to have
police. So, what are we getting from this, less reve-
nues and more expense.
She stated last night it was mentioned when the
Price Club came in town the revenues were great
and then we had Costco and other places opened and
we don't get the same revenues we used to get. Her
opinion is, regardless of the moral factor, she does
not see the benefits of S.S.F. having a cardroom,
but regardless of how all of us feel it is something
that the people of S.S.F. will be affected by and
should decide this issue on a ballot. Also, Mr.
Poland said Hollywood Park is a public corporation
and by State law she does not think a public corpo-
ration can own a gaming casino.
City Attorney Mattas stated public corporations
cannot currently operate the casino, Hollywood Park
can own the building and conduct the services and
contract with a private company.
Ms. D'Alessandro questioned who is the public
corporation Hollywood Park is contracting.
City Attorney Mattas stated Pacific Management,
they are not a corporation.
Ms. D'Alessandro questioned if it is the same entity.
City Attorney Mattas replied at present we don't
know who is going to operate the casino.
Mr. Carl Ito, President of Hollywood Park, stated
his firm has been a public corporation for 55 years
with SEC reporting of financials and with auditing
statements as compared to the other clubs in the
area. There are 250 clubs, but of those only Holly-
wood Park is involved in cardrooms and the only
one with auditing and financial reporting in
5/2/95
Page 11
.....Discussion on the card room proposal for the Shearwater
itc - Continued.
Inglewood and will do it here. Their operator in
lnglewood is PCM with Don Clausman and Ed
Leverman running the casino and they take on the
security and they run the casino. Hollywood Park
handles all of the support services until the State
changes the law to allow public corporations to own
and operate cardrooms.
Mr. Dell'Angela stated, you don't say who is going
to operate this casino.
Mr. Ito replied, because there are no formalized
plans, they are still negotiating and that is up to Bill
Poland and they will assist him in the negotiating,
because they are a public corporation and going into
the entertainment business in Atlantic City. The
operators chosen will be high quality and will have
background checks by the State and City.
He stated that currently the operations of the Park
management entail the casino floor, surveillance,
cashiers, casino management and the food and bev-
erage for Hollywood Park.
Councilman Penna stated, so, the cashier box and
the dealers and the tables are all of the management.
Mr. Ito stated Pacific Casino Management, but it is
important to know that the ordinance that the mu-
nicipalities endorse, the State and local ordinances
that are developed, PCM follows those regulations
and they enforce the same audit procedures.
Councilman Penna asked what happens to the people
currently in the cardrooms in this City.
Mr. Ito did not know if he was talking out of school
but they are currently involved with the Pascos to
make them a partner in this, for it is not a good
business to come in here as a corporate giant and
take a small business if it is not public. We are in
negotiations with the Pascos to wrap them into the
project and they are viable community members and
have been in this business for a time. We hope they
will bring something to the table, if not the lawyers
can get it together.
Councilman Fernekes made comments about the
previous night's meeting: there is a misconception,
when he went to Hollywood Park and asked, tell me
how gaming takes place - are you gambling with the
5/2/95
Page 12
Discussion on the card room proposal for the Shearwater
itc - Continued.
house, how the money goes to the city, how it is
achieved, how it is collected; this was done to give
him a better perspective; this was the first time he
set foot in a cardroom, other than in Las Vegas.
Mr. Ire stated, in California cardrooms the reason it
is legal is because they are games of skill, not games
of chance. The players are not playing against the
house, the house is not losing to the players. There
is a seat rental or a per hand fee or the like and the
person is playing against other people. There is
only at risk gambling in Nevada to win or lose
against the house.
COUncilwoman Teglia stated what has not been
addressed is the proliferation of cardrooms. She
questioned what happens to the revenues with this
proliferation, and that is the reason to pursue this
proposal because the corporation is traded on the
Stock Exchange. She stated with the negative side,
the criminal side, the police have to be diligent that
is the bottom line. She stated the Council was
looking at someone who is well capitalized, has a
good financial background and can survive the down
sides if anyone survives. We are conservative, we
look at things with substance and this was one of the
things Hollywood Park brought to the table.
She spoke of the jobs created: in Inglewood there
are 13 hundred caused by the cardrooms; there may
be 1,100 jobs which is not insignificant for they are
entry level positions; she asked for a list of the kinds
of jobs that will be offered - there are secretaries,
dealers, floor persons for the 300 employees in the
cage, there are 88 employees in the Controller's
Office, payroll clerks and cashiers in supporting
positions in addition to the retail shops; etc.
Councilman Penna questioned if children under 21
would be allowed to work in the facility.
Mr. Ito stated they have a very strict age policy, no
one under 21 can work the floor or be in the casino.
They have four restaurants and if a parent comes in
with a child they can have a meal there if escorted
and on the promenade they are allowed. Cardrooms
are not conducive to minors, it is not like Las Vegas
- they don't encourage children. They have 1,850
full time employees and it is good business to hire
from the community. The jobs Councilwoman
Teglia read generate about $90,000,000 in
5/2/95
Page 13
AGENDA ACTION TAK_EN
. piscussion on the card room proposal for the Shearwater
itc- Continued.
Inglewood with taxes and benefits of dental, health
and vision. The average wage is a little over $8.00
an hour and that does not include the tips, and most
of tho jobs pay a high national average. They do
hire people under 21 for the restaurants or the food
service, but not on the floor.
Mr. Joe Valcazar, 721 Spruce Avenue, stated he did
not plan to speak on the issue but he wanted to
comment on what someone said. The meeting to-
night and last night and the four, remaining were
publicized for public meetings - that means anyone
can go to the meetings. He stated speaker No. 3
said people coming to all of the meetings is unfair,
for he plans to attend each meeting not to disrupt
but to find how other neighborhoods feel on the
issue.
Ms. Maria D'Alessandro, 773 Baden Ave., asked if
these are union jobs and, if they are not, do we per-
ceive a problem with the local unions.
Mr. Lee Strieb stated it is up to the employees to
decide on the union and we have been bargaining
with Hollywood Park and these will be union jobs.
Vice Mayor Drago stated these meetings are sched-
uled to make residents aware of the same knowledge
Council has and basically that it is best for the com-
munity at large, and he would appreciate those who
don't want to get up and speak to call his home and
give their views. He was sure that with his neigh-
bors here tonight they could get a frank discussion.
Mayor Yee stated again he thinks most people know
where he stands on this issue but when he sees the
sign "believe in yourself and do the right thing", he
will.
Councilwoman Teglia stated a number of people
addressed that this might victimize minorities, yet
she finds just the opposite. In Inglewood they are
offering jobs to minorities and English as a second
language.
Mr. Madriaga apologized to this group if he did
anything to provoke them. His intent was to stimu-
late a discussion, because if anyone challenges the
general thinking something can come out of it. He
did not imply that the Asians are at the bottom of
the food chain, some are at the top, but the thing he
5/2/95
Page 14
.Discussion on the card room proposal for the Shearwater
itc - Continued.
ADJOURNMENT:
77.
wanted to emphasize was to leave it up to the peo-
ple. If you by majority want to go with this pro-
posal then he will still try his best to bring out the
other side of the story.
City Manager Wilson stated at the prior meeting
staff had given Council a report that is available at
the libraries, at City Hall and in his Office.
M/S Penna/Teglia - To adjourn the meeting.
Carried by unanimous voice vote.
Time of adjournment was 9:07 p.m.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
Barbara A. Battaya, City
City of South San Francisco
APPROVED.
Robert Yee, ~ayor
City of South 3an Francisco
· he entries of this Council meeting show the action taken by the City Council to dispose of an item. Oral communica-
tions, arguments and comments are recorded on tape. The tape and documents related to the items are on file in the
Office of the City Clerk and are available for inspection, review and copying.
5/2/95
Page 15