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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013_0918_Minutes Open_APPROVED COUNTY OF KAUAI Minutes of Meeting OPEN SESSION A roved as circulated 11/19/13 Board/Committee: SALARY COMMISSION Meeting Date September 18, 2013 Location Mo 'ikeha Building, Meeting Room 2A/213 Start of Meeting: 9: 00 a.m. End of Meeting: 10 : 10 a.m. Present Chair Charles King; Vice Chair Michael Machado Members : Robert Crowell; Randy Finlay; Sheri Kunioka-Volz; Jo Ann Shimamoto Also: First Deputy County Attorney Amy Esaki; Boards & Commissions Office Staff: Support Clerk Barbara Davis; Administrator Paula Morikami; Administrative Aide Teresa Tamura. Also present: Director of Finance Steve Hunt; Acting Director of DPS/HR Tom Takatsuki Excused Absent SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Call To Order Chair King called the meeting to order at 9 :00 a.m. with 6 members present Approval of Open Session Minutes of August 26, 2013 Mr. Crowell moved to approve the minutes as Minutes circulated. Ms. Kunioka-Volz seconded the motion. Motion carried 6:0 Business SC 2013-02 Discussion and possible decision-making on amendments to Resolution 2012-3 and on establishing salary caps for the fiscal vear 2014/2015 for Council members and all officers and emplovees included in Section 3-2. 1 of the Kauai County Code (On-going) Chair King suggested going through the Resolution to look at each item such as not raising salaries, assigning reimbursement amounts for car/cell phone, uniform and gun allowance, standard of conduct, and uniform allowance for the Fire Chief. Chair King suggested once the Commission is in agreement on the various Articles in the Resolution that the Commission take a recess to allow Ms. Tamura to type the final Resolution for the Commission to sign today. Attorney Esaki suggested the Commission assign dollar amounts, where applicable, before calling for a motion to approve the Resolution. Salary Commission Open Session September 18, 2013 Page 2 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Chair King pointed out that the Commission had been provided with the amounts for cell phone/car allowance on the other islands and the amount that has been negotiated by the unions for uniform and gun maintenance and standard of conduct. Chair King stated the Commission can do all or none or bits and pieces of each. Car/Cell Phone Allowance: The Council was receiving an allowance, but it has been questioned as to whether this is part of the total compensation; they currently are being reimbursed for car/cell phone expenses. Mr. Hunt said for the current fiscal period he has only received one request for reimbursement for a cell phone bill but understands there may be a mileage reimbursement request coming. The allowance was changed to reimbursement in May. Mr. Finlay asked if the language of the Resolution resolved the issues Mr. Hunt brought up regarding there not being a clear guideline. Mr. Hunt said he has not read the Resolution, but the issue he was having was who is the authorizing authority of that allowance or reimbursement. Reimbursement is more general; they could budget for it and receive upon documentation. The across the board allowance was being done through the budget process, which is not appropriate because the Council essentially sets the budget and could alter that allowance at any given time. If it remains an allowance the Salary Commission is the appropriate body to set and authorize that amount. Mr. Finlay said the primary reason the Commission was addressing the allowances was in response to Mr. Hunt's concerns and suggested Mr. Hunt read through the proposed Resolution. Mr. Crowell asked if there were employees within the County that had Salary Commission Open Session September 18, 2013 Page 3 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION County issued cell phones. Mr. Hunt said Civil Defense, Liquor Control and possibly some at the Fire Department, but none others that he was aware of. Mr. Crowell asked if a solution would be that all Councilmembers get County issued cell phones. Mr. Finlay commented that his company started with company cell phones and found that people had a tendency not to pay attention to the monthly bill. It was far more effective to give people a determined amount per month, which caused the individuals to pay more attention to what plan they are on and to manage the costs better. It also makes the costs more predictable for budgeting purposes, and he strongly recommended the County stay with a compensation package for cell phones. Ms. Kunioka-Volz asked if the gun maintenance/cleaning is contracted out or is it a service that can be performed in-house in the department. Mr. Hunt did not know the answer but Mr. Takatsuki stated it is done individually; they either contract through a local vendor or buy the materials and supplies to do it themselves on an individual basis, and not as a collective group. Mr. Takatsuki said the gun maintenance allowance is for officers to maintain their own gun in addition to purchasing their own ammunition. It is part of the officer's responsibility to maintain their own firearms, whether it is their initial or secondary firearm. Mr. Hunt said an allowance would be less cumbersome and easier to implement rather than a reimbursement where they would have to document everything. With regard to amounts for budgeting purposes, Mr. Hunt said the $500 allowance was not altered for Councilmembers for Fiscal '14. The only difference now is it has to be documented with reimbursed expenses until such time as this body would approve an allowance. Salary Commission Open Session September 18, 2013 Page 4 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Mr. Finlay said if the Commission was to adopt a$500 per month car/cell phone allowance a bunch of paperwork would be solved, and yet the costs would be managed and capped with clear direction as to the authority. Mr. Hunt said it is his understanding that it would take impact on the neat election and not this Fiscal year. Attorney Esaki added that would be for the Councilmembers. Discussion was held as to the differing amounts of the neighboring counties. It was noted that the Mayor does use his own personal vehicle, but his office does have a vehicle which he and other members of his office do use. He has not taken any reimbursement or any allowance for that. Mr. Finlay moved to approve a$500 allowance under Article 4 to cover car/cell phone allowance for the Mayor and for all Councilmembers. Mr. Machado seconded the Mr. Hunt stated there is no historical data on mileage or cell phone usage motion. because until May this was an allowance. Ms. Kunioka-Volz asked if it was fair that the Mayor and the Councilmembers receive the same allowance since Councilmembers are part-time positions. Mr. Finlay pointed out that the Mayor also has access to a County vehicle. Mr. Hunt confirmed that the County is still studying the usage of County vehicles to identify those that are the least fuel efficient, oldest, most repairs required, and to cease the use of those vehicles. Once the usage is down those that are used very infrequently can be identified to be pooled together with other departments for sharing. The County is also studying a more effective use of the leased vehicles. Motion carried 6:0 Article 5 covering Uniform and Gun Allowance for the Police Chief and the Deputy Police Chief. Chair King noted the report shows the amount that has been bargained for by the Union and understood that is also what they have Salary Commission Open Session September 18, 2013 Page 5 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION been receiving. Mr. Takatsuki confirmed that the Chief and Deputy Chief have been receiving the gun and uniform allowance, but they have not been receiving the Standard of Conduct although the Bargaining Unit 12 employees have been receiving both the gun/uniform allowance and the Standard of Conduct. It was noted the amounts listed are annual amounts. The Standard of Conduct is a differential the employees receive because they are accountable for on-call duty 24 hours a day. Mr. Crowell asked if the amount of pay differs between a rookie and a captain. Mr. Takatsuki said there are two separate rates; one for PO (Police Officer) 8 and below, and a different rate for PO 9 and above. Questioned about the bargaining unit rates, Mr. Hunt said they have completed the SHOPO arbitrations which is a six year agreement, but the first two years have passed (Fiscal '12 and '13) so contractually what is remaining is Fiscal '14 through Fiscal '17. Unless there is a breach of contract or the contract is renegotiated prior to the end, the amounts listed are the negotiated amounts. Mr. Finlay pointed out the current language of the Resolution does not establish a rate, but just ties it to whatever the collective bargaining rates are. Chair King suggested the Commission might want to indicate the rate as for PO 9 and above when making a motion regarding the Standard of Conduct; or state as the highest negotiated amount. Ms. Shimamoto clarified that there was no ending for the Resolution to which Attorney Esaki agreed there was no ending, but should it be amended or repealed in the future it would no longer be a controlling document. Mr. Takatsuki did not know if the Police Chief and Deputy Chief were receiving the Standard of Conduct as of July 2013. Mr. Crowell asked if there would be a retroactive amount allotted to them if they were not currently receiving the allowance, or does the Commission indicate that upon the passage of the Salary Commission Open Session September 18, 2013 Page 6 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Resolution they receive the allowance from that date forward? Chair King pointed out it is based on the Fiscal year. It was confirmed they receive the gun and uniform allowance but not the Standard of Conduct. Upon the passing of this Resolution, Mr. Crowell asked if the Mayor receives the allowance immediately, but the Councilmembers had to wait. Attorney Esaki said according to the Charter the Mayor will receive it immediately, but the Councilmembers will have to wait until the next election term. Ms. Morikami said `by immediately' it would be the next Fiscal Year since we are already in the current Fiscal Year 2013/2014. Chair King then asked if the Chief and Deputy Chiefs would be getting their allowances now. Mr. Finlay summarized that the only changes to the Draft Resolution would be to insert the $500 two times in Article 4 and to add the word `senior' in front of police officers in Article 6. Chair King questioned if an effective date needed to be included to clarify everything. Ms. Morikami reminded the Commission that it usually passes Resolutions for the next Fiscal Year and the Council requested this be done by December so it can be included in the budget process; this Resolution would be for the Fiscal Year starting July 1, 2014. Chair King verified that up until that point everyone would submit mileage for reimbursement to which Mr. Hunt stated that was correct. The allowances going to the Chief and Deputy Chief will continue by Executive Order to cover FY '14. Ms. Morikami advised the Commission there were 3 Resolutions that are all still current. If the Commission would like to amend any of those 3 to reflect what they have decided today that is an option. Mr. Finlay thought Resolution 2013-1 should stand alone. Mr. Finlay moved to approve, as outlined in the Draft Resolution 2013-1, Article 5, Article 6 as amended to include `for the most senior police Salary Commission Open Session September 18, 2013 Page 7 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION officers' and Article 7. Mr. Crowell seconded the motion. Motion carried 6:0 Chair King asked the County Attorney if there would be any reason to incorporate the previous 3 Resolutions into Resolution 2013-1. County Attorney Esaki said they would have to repeal the previous Resolutions because they did not have an end date, and then issue one Resolution that incorporates all of the terms. Chair King clarified that the 2013-1 Resolution indicates the previous salaries remain in effect, and only adds a few additional terms to the Resolution. Meeting recessed at 9:47 a.m.to allow the inclusion of the Commission's motions to be inserted into Resolution 2013-1. Meeting was called back to order at 10:04 a.m. Mr. Crowell moved to accept Resolution 2013-1 as written for Fiscal Year 2014/2015. Mr. Finlay seconded the motion. Motion carried 6:0 Adjournment Mr. Machado moved to adjourn the meeting at 10:10 a.m. Ms. Shimamoto seconded the motion. Motion carried 6:0 Submitted by: Reviewed and Approved by: Barbara Davis, Support Clerk Charles King, Chair O Approved as is. ( ) Approved with amendments. See minutes of meeting.