Victor Makras, a politically connected real estate broker with a long history of serving on San Francisco city commissions, will not be reappointed to his seat on the Port Commission, possibly over concerns about potential ethics violations tied to the massive Mission Rock development project.
Makras quietly submitted a letter to the mayor’s office indicating he did not wish to be considered for a reappointment. His term on the Port Commission officially ended July 1. He was appointed by then-Mayor Mark Farrell in 2018.
While he was not on the Port Commission for most of its key votes on the Mission Rock project, a mixed-use project just south of Oracle Park being developed by the Giants, Makras was involved in discussions about aspects of the project as a commissioner and participated in a vote that may have violated laws meant to protect against conflicts of interest.
Makras did not respond to requests for comment.
Makras’ conflict comes from his stake in a condominium building at 188 King St., which is near Seawall Lot 337, one boundary of the Mission Rock project.
State ethics laws require commissioners to abstain from any part of the decision-making process on issues that could have material financial impacts on property they own, even informational discussions. The Mission Rock development, which will effectively create an entirely new San Francisco neighborhood, can be expected to raise the values of nearby properties.
Makras formally acknowledged the conflict during the port’s May 26 meeting, when he recused himself from a vote to approve amendments to the project’s infrastructure plan and a memorandum of understanding laying out which city departments would be responsible for each piece of the project’s public infrastructure.
“I have a financial interest in a property located within 1,000 feet of Seawall Lot 337 and must recuse myself from discussing or acting on this agenda item,” Makras told the commission, before temporarily leaving the meeting. He later filed a notice of his recusal to the city’s Ethics Commission.
But on at least two earlier occasions, Makras stayed on to take part in informational discussions and votes related the project led by Port Comission staffers. One, in July 2019, was an update on the project’s first phase. Two months later, in September, Makras, voted along with the rest of the commission to approve the project’s phase-one, $145 million budget and its parks plan.
It is incumbent on commissioners to recuse themselves from discussing or voting on matters where they have a potential conflict of interest. And commissioners, along with a bevy of city employees, are required to complete regular training certifying they’ve familiarized themselves with their responsibilities around conflicts of interest and other matters of state and local ethics laws.
Makras has served on at least five city commissions going back decades. Prior to the Port Commission, Makras had been a member of the city’s Police Commission, Fire Commission, the Employee Retirement System Board and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.
Makras is also a prolific political donor, having contributed many thousands of dollars to candidates and causes spanning San Francisco’s ideological spectrum.
Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa
"conflict" - Google News
July 16, 2020 at 02:47AM
https://ift.tt/3ewJdig
San Francisco port commissioner Makras quietly bows out after possible ethics conflict - San Francisco Chronicle
"conflict" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3bZ36xX
https://ift.tt/3aYn0I8
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "San Francisco port commissioner Makras quietly bows out after possible ethics conflict - San Francisco Chronicle"
Post a Comment