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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012_0327_Minutes Open_APPROVED COUNTY OF KAUAI Minutes of Meeting OPEN SESSION Approved as circulated 4/24/12 Board/Committee: CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION Meeting Date March 27, 2012 Location Mo`ikeha Building, Liquor Control Commission, Meeting Room Start of Meeting: 3:00 p.m. End of Meeting: 4:19 p.m. 3 Present Chair Roy Morita; Vice-Chair Gilbert Maerina. Members: Cathy Adams; Lani Aranio; Ryan de la Pena; John Low Also: Deputy County Attorney Justin Kollar; Director of Personnel Malcolm Fernandez; Boards & Commissions Office Staff: Support Clerk Barbara Davis; Administrator Paula Morikami; Administrative Aide Teresa Tamura; HR Task Force Members: John Isobe and Janine Rapozo Excused Absent SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Call To Order Chair Morita called the meeting to order at 3:00 m. with 6 members present Approval of Open Session Minutes of February 28, 2012 Ms. Aranio moved to approve the minutes as Minutes circulated. Mr. de la Pena seconded the motion. Motion carried 6:0 Communication CSC 2012-14 Communication received 3/14/12 from the 5th Circuit Court in the matter of Eric Rita vs. Civil Service Commission of the county of Kaua'i and County of Kaua'i; Civil No. 12-1-0086 JRV compelling production of records and transmittal of same Mr. de la Pena moved to receive the communication. Ms. Aranio seconded the motion. Motion carried 6:0 Ms. Adams moved to take CSC 2012-16 out of order as they await the arrival of Mr. Isobe and Ms. Rapozo. Mr. de la Pena seconded the motion. Motion carried 6:0 Director's CAC 2012-16 Report a. Weekly port Ending February 19, 2012 b. Weekly Report Ending February 26, 2012 c. Weekly Report Ending March 4, 2012 d. Weekly Report Ending March 11 2012 Civil Service Commission Open Session March 27, 2012 Page 2 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Mr. Fernandez clarified from the March 4 report that the listing "reviewed resumes and quotes for solicitation for internal investigator for a misconduct complaint"was for an outside investigator to conduct an investigation for DPS. Mr. Fernandez explained that a PSO applicant was a Police Service Officer. Ms. Aranio moved to receive the Director's Report. Ms. Adams seconded the motion. Motion carried 6:0 A brief recess was called at 3:05 p.m. The meetin was called back to order at 3:09 p.m. Business CSC 2012-15 Letter dated 3/7/12 from the Human Resources Taskforce to the Civil Service Commission providing a copy of the communication to the Kaua'i County Council with an update on centralizing personnel functions and services John Isobe introduced himself as one of the members of the Taskforce along with Janine Rapozo. The Taskforce wanted to update the Commission because they did endorse the Cost Control Commission's recommendation that a Taskforce be formed to look at expanding the functions of the Personnel Department into a full-fledged Human Resources Department. The Cost Control Commission also recommended that the Taskforce look into how they could minimize any duplication of effort by people who were doing personnel functions and ensure that a greater level of training would be provided to employees of the County of Kaua'i. Other members of the Taskforce include Karen Matsumoto, a former member of the Personnel Department, Kris Nakamura and Marc Guyot. Mr. Isobe stated the Taskforce would make a formal presentation to the County Council in April along with the Personnel Department as part of the budget presentation. Civil Service Commission Open Session March 27, 2012 Page 3 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Ms. Aranio thanked the Taskforce for all the work they had done and for putting together such a comprehensive report. In identifying the positions that will fall under Human Resources, did the Taskforce take the positions identified as closer to doing 100%personnel functions to move to HR.? Mr. Isobe said initially they looked at all the positions that had personnel related functions in their duties and specifically targeted those who had a majority of personnel related duties. The Taskforce then conducted desk audits of all of the people that were affected and came up with recommendations on what positions should be transferred to the Personnel Department. One of the things found as part of the desk audit was some of the position descriptions and the actual work being performed were not necessarily the same. So some of the recommendations that are being made are based on the work that is actually performed by the individual positions and not just reflective of the position descriptions themselves. If the transition does occur, the new expanded personnel functions would also have to entail a review of the individual departments to see how adjustments need to be made within individual departments. Ms. Adams noted that the committee had lost 3 members and there was more work to be done at a later point. Ms. Adams asked if they had thought about who they would add to that committee so they could continue to evaluate the functioning of the department once it is all put together. Mr. Isobe said the committee did not lose any members, although Karen and he had retired, they were continuing to volunteer their time to the Taskforce and hope the work would be completed no later than the end of April at which point they plan to provide a formal report. A part of that report will probably be a recommendation that if Personnel is expanded to a fully functioning HR Department, and with the addition of the new ersonnel, they would then be able to do the internal reviews that are Civil Service Commission Open Session March 27, 2012 Page 4 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION required to look at the adjustment needed within the County and the various departments. Ms. Adams asked how they would know if they succeeded? The Commission has supported the whole concept of the HR Department and wants it to succeed, but how would they know? Mr. Isobe said the success of this transition will be predicated on the leadership and management within the Personnel Department. Secondly the Taskforce is hopeful that the Civil Service Commission would ensure the success of the transition and the implementation of the program because this body oversees the Personnel Department. We hope the Civil Service Commission will take ownership of the recommendations made by the Taskforce and put"teeth" to the recommendations to ensure that the management of the Personnel Department will be held accountable to meet those milestones and ensure the transition goes forward smoothly. The Taskforce has no authority because it is merely a recommending body. The authority in terms of the success rests with the Civil Service Commission. Mr. Low asked if there will be modifications to the original recommendations such as training which might be better handled by an individual department because of the specialized knowledge that is needed. Is there room for modification as they try things? Mr. Isobe said the entire system that is being recommended is a work in progress. The departments who have staff focusing on highly specialized training, such as police and fire, will remain in those specific departments. The more generic trainings for sexual harassment,workplace violence and safety, which are currently done within some of departments, are areas in which the Taskforce is looking at beefing up within the Personnel De artment. Civil Service Commission Open Session March 27, 2012 Page 5 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Mr. Maerina asked if there was a prioritization for positions to be created or is it based on the needs of Personnel now? Will the Taskforce try to phase in each position or will that fall within the hands of the Personnel Department. Mr. Isobe said they have a proposed organizational structure and it is based on what the Taskforce believes to be the major functions that need to be performed once they have expanded into the HR functions. The Taskforce tried to recommend people that are currently working within the County to be slotted into some of these positions or at least give them the opportunity to apply for these positions. The Taskforce is only a recommending body and has no control over how it ultimately will be done. Chair Morita asked who would be responsible for this new process. Mr. Isobe said the implementation of the new functions would ultimately be by the Personnel Department. It will be critical that the Civil Service Commission understand the recommendations and based on the budget, the Taskforce would be happy to come back to the Commission with the final recommendations. The first quarter of the fiscal year, July through October, has been identified as the transition period where employees would begin to shift and move. There is concern as to how the Taskforce can ensure that the service level to all of the agencies within the County improve because we are shifting people from various departments into Personnel and some of those departments are concerned they may lose the level of service they are currently providing. Ms. Rapozo has given her assurance to these departments that the service level should at least be comparable, if not better, and will be the acid test which will measure the success of what is being recommended. It will be imperative that the Civil Service Commission hold the Department accountable and ensure that the level of Civil Service Commission Open Session March 27, 2012 Page 6 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION service is improved. Chair Morita asked that the Taskforce return with a final report once the recommendations and budget have gone before the County Council. Mr. Isobe said the Commission would also receive a copy of the final written re ort. Executive Mr. de la Pena moved to go into Executive Session Session at 3:33 p.m. Ms. Adams seconded the motion. Motion carried 6:0 Attorney Kollar read the Hawai'i Revised Statutes provision as outlined on the agenda to take the Commission into Executive Session for consideration of ES-18, ES-16: CSC 2012-11, ES-17: CSC 2012-13, ES-19: CSC 2012-17 and ES-20: CSC 2012-18 as listed. Return to Open The meeting resumed in Open Session at 4:18 p.m. Session Ratify Commission actions taken in Executive Session for items: o ES-18, ES-19 and ES-20 Ms. Adams moved to ratify the Commission's action taken in Executive Session. Mr. de la Pena seconded the motion. Motion carried 6:0 Announcements Next Meeting: Tuesday, April 24, 2012—3:00 p.m. Adjournment Mr. de la Pena moved to adjourn the meeting at 4:19 p.m. Ms. Adams seconded the motion. Motion carried 6:0 Submitted by: Reviewed and Approved by: Civil Service Commission Open Session March 27, 2012 Page 7 Barbara Davis, Staff Support Clerk Roy Morita, Chair ( ) Approved as is. O Approved with amendments. See minutes of meeting.