Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2002 13:32:00 -0800

From: Ben_Leung@ci.sf.ca.us

Subject: RE: Sewer Collapse

Jory,

Please see my separate email response to David.

Pretty powerful statements in your email. Just so you know, I am not suaded by

affluent lobbyist. I am a public servant and will serve on their behalf, both

the vocal and the non-vocal, both the rich and the poor. Personally, I am very

sympathetic to the faceless and silent majority of people of San Francisco.

I will do my best in resolving this matter...hopefully to the satisfaction of

the Islais Creek commuity.

Ben

ben,

with all due respect, judging from your response to my initial query (and

the process it suggests you believe is reasonable), and your interaction

with dave the last few days - i do not believe MUNI is serious about taking

responsibility for the destruction of the muwekme ohlone pocket park and

for making right the damage that has ben done (to the extent possible.)

if MUNI is in fact serious, then i would suggest that you need to reassess

how you are going to approach this entire process.

i personally will be taking a look at what other avenues (board of

supervisors - both current and looking to the next election, legal options,

escalating press coverage, mayor's office, etc.) might be pursued in order

to affect a change of attitude (and more importantly) response going forward.

while it is quite possible that our efforts will turn out to be quixotic

when compared to the size and power of a bureaucracy such as MUNI, i have

some hope that the general frustration that islais creek area businesses

and residents are feeling in response to a seemingly structural disregard

for local efforts/input/needs in planning and development (especially as

opposed to other traditionally more affluent and politically active areas

of the city) will result in a surprisingly vociferous response and thus

real headache for a number of city agencies that (such as MUNI) that fail

to accommodate the community that they purport to serve.

it is quite possible that you are personally interested in restoring the

park, but i am afraid that the actions taken by MUNI haven't really done

anything to dispel the sense of a faceless, uncaring and ultimately

unresponsive pseudo-corporate development agency with little regard for its

impact on the quality of life of sf residents.