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HomeMy WebLinkAbout021312_CCC_Minutes_Approved COUNTY OF KAUAI Minutes of Meeting OPEN SESSION Board/Committee: COST CONTROL COMMISSION Meeting Date I February 13, 2012 Location Mo'ikeha Building—Meeting Room 2A/B Start of Meeting: 1:31 p.m. End of Meeting: 2:06 p.m. Present Chair Dirk Apao; Members: Sandi Sterker; Arryl Kaneshiro; and Glen Takenouchi Also Deputy County Attorney Amy Esaki; Board& Commissions Office Staff. Support Clerk Mercedes Youn; Administrator Paula Morikami Excused Lawrence Chaffin Jr. and Laurie Yoshida Absent SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Call To Order Prior to the meeting being called to order Deputy County Clerk Jade Chair Apao called the meeting to order at 1:31 Tanigawa gave the Oath of Office to members Arryl Kaneshiro and Sandi p.m. Sterker. Approval of Regular Open Session Minutes of January 9, 2012. Ms. Sterker moved to approve the minutes as Minutes circulated. Mr. Takenouchi seconded the motion. Motion carried 4:0 Communications CCC 2012-02 Communication dated 01/11/12 from Council Chair Jay Furfaro, to the Cost Control Commission regarding the Fourth Quarter Report relating to vacancies, new hires, reallocations, and promotions provided by the Department of Personnel Services. Ms. Sterker moved to receive the communication. Mr. Takenouchi seconded the motion. Motion carried 4:0 Ms. Sterker voiced her concern that the information the Commission received from Chair Furfaro was out dated and requested that the Commission be provided with updated information relating to the vacancies, new hires, reallocations, and promotions as of January 1, 2012. She indicated that this information would help the Commission to make the necessary recommendations to reduce the cost of County government while maintaining a reasonable level of service. Chair Apao agreed and felt that it would also be a useful to have a re resentative from the Department of Personnel Services present at the Cost Control Commission Open Session February 13, 2012 Page 2 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION March 12, 2012 meeting to answer questions pertaining to the report. Mr. Kaneshiro indicated that the report should be summarized to make it easier for the Commission to understand. Paula Morikami indicated that she would send a memo to the Department of Personnel Services requesting that they provide the information to the Commission and for a representative be present at the next meeting in March. Business CCC 2011-08 Review and discussion of the County's real property tax exemptions and rate setting procedures. (On-going) (h) Communication dated 12/14/11 from Director of Finance Wallace G. Rezentes Jr., to Chair Sterker requesting additional time to update the list of exemptions to include the purpose and intent behind each property tax exemption and the date of enactment. (Deferred to 03/12/12) Staff indicated that they would send a reminder to the Director of Finance and remind him of the Commission's request. Mr. Kaneshiro noted that the Tax Commission Report indicated that over the years a shift in the tax burden, with respect to who should pay, has affected the various categories of taxable real property. He suggested that the County eliminate all tax exemption categories and have the County's Tax Division implement a new tax program. Ms. Sterker agreed and felt that the Commission should look at each tax exemption to determine whether the various tax exemptions should be Cost Control Commission Open Session February 13, 2012 Page 3 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION maintained or eliminated. By eliminating the tax exemptions that have little or no impact on the County would diminish the work load of the Tax Assessment Division tremendously. Chair Apao suggested having an advisory committee that would consist of a different cross section of people within the community whose purpose is to conduct a systemic review of the County's real property tax system's classes. Ms. Sterker asked whether the sub-committee consist of members of the Cost Control Commission. Ms. Esaki stated that generally the creation of a sub-committee would consist of 3 members of the Commission designated by the Chair. The sub-committee would be tasked to do the research and then report back to the Commission as a whole. Ms. Esaki suggested that the Commission hold a workshop meeting. Ms. Morikami indicated that based on Mr. Kalapa's suggestion to eliminate all tax exemptions, the Commission should first consider the 501c tax exemptions as a starting point. Chair Apao made reference to Mr. Kalapa's report and suggested that the Commission hold a workshop meeting, in addition to its regular scheduled meeting on March 12, for the purpose of having a general discussion on the various property tax exemptions and how the members want to proceed on this issue. The workshop meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. in the Liquor Conference Room 3. Cost Control Commission Open Session February 13, 2012 Page 4 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Announcements Next meeting—Monday, March 12, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. at the Mo'ikeha Buildin , Liquor Conference Room 3. Adjournment Mr. Takenouchi moved to adjourn the meeting at 2:06 p.m. Ms. Sterker seconded the motion. Motion carried 4:0 Submitted by: Reviewed and Approved by: Mercedes Youn, Staff Support Clerk Dirk Apao, Chair (X) Approved as circulated on March 12, 2012. ( ) Approved as amended. See minutes of meeting.