Petrelis Files

Brava, SF Health Czarina Barbara Garcia!

The most beautiful faces in San Francisco this week are the ones that appeared during the historical first airing of a health commission meeting on March 18, on SF GovTV, which you can watch here.

Yes, after years of pushing from the Sunshine Posse and myself, the director of the Department of Public Health Barbara Garcia, pictured, decided it was time to televise meetings, and make them available on-demand on any computer. This means thousands of people who can't make the bi-monthly meetings but want to keep tabs on the commissioners can do so at their convenience.

You might think every member of the Board of Supervisors and their staffs, would have advocated for expanded government transparency and urged DPH to make full use of the City TV and media channels, to better inform and engage the public and folks who use DPH facilities. Oh, there is also the matter of following the DPH budget, which is the largest piece of the City's budget pie, and the implementation of Obamacare, more reasons our Supes should have been leaders on this.

Alas, none of the Supervisors and for some odd reason, considering they could pick up the Sunshine Bloc vote in their tight fight for state assembly, neither David Campos nor David Chiu made a peep for televising the commission's hearings.

Previous posts on DPH and SF GovTV are here and here and here and here and here.

Today I'm gleefully singing the praises of Barbara because she delivered on getting SF GovTV cameras and lights from City Hall to cross Grove Street and set up in health department's third floor auditorium. Muchas gracias, Barbara.

Let the sun shine in!