San Francisco taxicab commission votes to dismiss executive director Machen

By Angela Hokanson, Bay City News Service

June 28, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - The executive director of the San Francisco Taxicab Commission was removed from her position by a 4-2 vote at the commission's Tuesday meeting, according to Tristan Bettencourt, a senior administrative analyst with the commission.

The commission cast its vote to remove Heidi Machen after about three hours of deliberation, Bettencourt said. The discussion around Machen's performance as executive director happened in closed session, and Bettencourt declined to comment on the reasoning behind the decision to oust Machen.

Commissioners Martin Smith, Mary McGuire, Patricia Bresslin, and Michael Kwok voted to remove Machen. Commissioners Paul Gillespie and Min Paek voted not to remove Machen.

The review of Machen's performance was put on the agenda by Smith, the commission president.

Machen has served as the commission's executive director since August of last year. Machen, a former aide of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom when he was a San Francisco Supervisor, was chosen for the executive director post by Newsom from a list of candidates prepared by the taxi commission, Bettencourt said.

The commission's executive director administers the commission, hires the commission staff and develops the commission's programs and procedures, Bettencourt said.

Machen had been working on initiatives such as creating a health care program for taxi drivers and increasing the number of hybrid taxi vehicles in the city, according to Bettencourt.

Newsom said today he was concerned about the process that led to the removal of Machen, according to the mayor's office of communications.

Newsom is consulting with the City Attorney's office and the city's human resources department on the situation, according to the mayor's office.

The commission does have the authority to remove its executive director, the mayor's office reported. The Taxicab Commission was created to make sure taxi service in the city is honest, effective, and fair, according to the commission's Web site.

Copyright © 2006 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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