San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom today swore in Cheryl Brinkman to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors. Photos by Luke Thomas.
By Luke Thomas
September 1, 2010
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom today swore in Cheryl Brinkman to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors during a swearing in ceremony at City Hall.
The former Board President for Livable City, a non-profit organization that promotes mass-transit and bicycle/walking-friendly neighborhoods, was appointed by Newsom to the seven-member Board because she is qualified and capable, Newsom said.
“I don’t know why anyone would want to serve on the MTA, but I don’t think there’s a better choice for someone to serve on the MTA than Cheryl,” Newsom said. “She’s just simply qualified and capable and she deserves this position and she’s going to do a great job and I’m absolutely confidant of that.”
Mayor Gavin Newsom.
In 2008, Brinkman and Livable City teamed up with the Mayor’s office to spearhead the implementation of Sunday Streets, a program that closes off streets to auto traffic in revolving, select neighborhoods to promote safe environments for recreational activities, as well as to promote a sense of community for residents. The highly regarded program is based on a similar program in Bogota, Colombia.
“It was thrilling and a bit intimidating, and a tough interview,” Brinkman told FCJ, referring to the interview process with Newsom Chief of Staff Steve Kawa. “He really has a good command of facts and figures and was not pulling any punches. I knew that my background was more grass roots and advocacy based than the current Board Members, so at each interview step I was thinking that would likely be the last step. I was excited to even be interviewed because it made me think that the Mayor takes the advocacy community seriously, that we have good ideas and bring value to the discussion of what kind of City we all want to continue to see develop.”
Newsom Chief of Staff Steve Kawa.
“I want to add value to the Board with my multi-modal experience, and my commitment to and knowledge of sustainable and livable streets,” Brinkman added. “I learned so much about what we can do with our city streets through my work with Sunday Streets, and I learned how open San Franciscans really are to having a city where all street users feel welcome. Top priorities for me are definitely revenue and increased safety, both on the transit vehicles and on the streets. I’m also really interested in transit priority lanes and streets. Doing more with less can be done if we continue to organize our streets and how they move people. I hear about enforcement and expansion of transit lanes a lot from people in my office at McKesson – so I hope that can continue to be a priority for us.”
In addition to Brinkman’s appointment, Newsom also swore in re-appointees Michael Garcia to the Board of Appeals, John Newlin to the Entertainment Commission, Jordon Shlain, MD, to the Health Service System Board, Todd Mavis to the Human Rights Commission, Rodney Fong to the Port Commission and Aimee Brown to the SFPUC Revenue Bond Overtsight Committee.
Newsom swears in newly appointed and re-appointed commissioners.
Commissioners Chery Brinkman, Aimee Brown, Rodney Fong, Michael Garcia, Todd Mavis, John Newlin and Jordon Shlain.
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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The Hunger Site
September 1, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Bogota?
What a crock. Actually, it’s patterned after the Golden Gate Sunday Park closures. To admit that would give credit to the Progs and highlight the fact that Gavin opposed extending it to Saturday (just in the park).
Last I heard Livable Cities was just two people. One was Tom Radulovich and the other was Susan King. They pair in fundraising (or, did) with the Bicycle Coalition. Gavin appointed the Bike people’s chair (Leah?) to MTA a couple of years back and fired her instantly when she criticized him while on stage with him. If this woman isn’t a total rubber stamp she’ll get the same treatment.
Also, bit of research showed that one of the top funders of Sunday Streets and thus Livable Cities and the Coalition is PG&E. It’s getting harder and harder to tell the good guys from the bad guys.
Go Giants!
h.