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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCC 02-09-15 Minutes approvedCOUNTY OF KAUAI Minutes of Meeting OPEN SESSION Board /Committee: I COST CONTROL COMMISSION Meeting Date February 9, 2015 Location Mo'ikeha Building, Liquor Conference Room Start of Meeting: 1:32 p.m. End of Meeting: 2:09 p.m. Present Chair Laurie Yoshida; Vice Chair Glen Takenouchi; Members: Dirk Apao, Jan Hashizume (Entered the meeting at 1:35 p.m.), Joanne Nakashima, Sandi Sterker Also present: Deputy County Attorney Matt Bracken; Boards & Commissions Office Staff: Support Clerk Mercedes Omo; Administrator Paula Morikami Excused Absent SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Call To Order Chair Yoshida called the meeting to order at 1:32 p.m. with five (5) Commissioners present constituting a quorum. Approval of Regular Open Session Minutes of January 12, 2015. Commissioner Sterker moved to approve the Minutes meeting minutes. Vice Chair Takenouchi seconded the motion. Motion carried 5:0 Business Copy of the Notice of Public Hearing on the proposed amendments to Rule CCC 201545 7, Organization and Policy subsections (b) Appointment of Secretary; (c) Election of Chairman, Vice Chairman; (f) Commission Meetings, of the Cost Control Commission Rules of Practice and Procedures, was published in the Garden Island Newspaper on January 30, 2015. Chair Yoshida called for a motion to accept item CCC 2015 -05, for the Vice Chair Takenouchi moved to accept item record. She noted that the public hearing is set for Monday, March 9, CCC 2015 -05, for the record. Commissioner 2015, which is also the Commission's regularly scheduled meeting. Sterker seconded. Motion carried 5:0 Chair Yoshida stated from what she understands the Commission cannot take any action until 30 days after the public hearing which means that the Commission would have to meet in April to approve the amendments to which Ms. Morikami replied yes. Cost Control Commission Regular Open Session February 9, 2015 Page 2 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION CCC 2015 -06 Discussion on future agenda items pursuant to Section 28.04 of the Kauai County Charter, Article XXVII of the Cost Control Commission. Commissioner Sterker suggested that the Commission review the following items at its next meeting: 1) review a complete list of County issued grants that are subsidized; and 2) revisit the County's travel budget in each department. Chair Yoshida noted she believes that most of the grants come from the Office of Economic Development. Commissioner Sterker stated one particular budget item she would like the Commission to look into is the County's funding of the Kauai Humane Society. Chair Yoshida noted because the FY 2016 Budget will not be available until March 15, the earliest the Commission can put the budget on the agenda won't be until the month of April. Ms. Morikami stated perhaps she could provide each Commissioner with a copy of the budget to review prior to the meeting in April. Chair Yoshida stated rather than print copies of the budget perhaps she could email the the link to the County's budget website. That way it would give the Commissioner's ample time to review the budget before they meet in April. Commissioner Sterker questioned whether it would be feasible to combine meetings which she believes would save the County time and money especially if the issue at hand is similar in nature. Chair Yoshida stated as far as she knows the Cost Control Commission has never requested a joint meeting with another Commission but if the situation presents itself it would be okay with her. Cost Control Commission Regular Open Session February 9, 2015 Page 3 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Chair Yoshida asked if the Commission could review the list of grants for the current fiscal year at the next meeting in March, to which Ms. Morikami stated she would contact the County's Grant Program Manager Ann Wooten to ask her to provide a complete list of the County- issued grants, the name of the organization that receives the money, the purpose, the dollar amount, and in which department the grant falls under. Chair Yoshida questioned whether the Commission needs to ask the County's Budget Team if they could do a presentation on FY 2016 budget in April. Commissioner Sterker pointed out Commissioner Hashizume is a certified public accountant and perhaps the Commission could get input from her on what she thinks the Commission should be looking at in terms of budgetary items. Commissioner Hashizume indicated at the last meeting she suggested that the Commission review the County's permitting process because from what she understands the public thinks that the County is at fault for taking too long. Commissioner Sterker commented that the permits get sent out to multiple departments which to her seems inefficient. Commissioner Apao stated what makes things more difficult is the Planning Department and the Building Division is operating out of two different systems; it's like everybody is doing their own thing and not connecting. He stated even the Contractor's Association has tried to address the issue but to date no changes have been made. Another problem he believes is causing the delay is the lack of well- trained personnel to cover the workload when the person with the most knowledge in different areas of the permitting goes on vacation and the work just ends up just sitting there until the person comes back to work. Cost Control Commission Regular Open Session February 9, 2015 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION He stated as everyone knows time is money, especially for people in the private sector who have to face the hardship of waiting for their permits to be processed and yet it's business as usual on how the County processes the permits. Chair Yoshida asked whether the Commission would like to discuss the County's permit process at the next meeting. Deputy County Attorney Bracken stated the County's permit process in itself not within the Cost Control Commission's purview and if the Commission wants to address the issue it will need to phrase it in terms of personnel cost. Chair Yoshida then asked if the Commission could have a discussion on implementing a plan in which the Planning Department and the Public Works Department would share the same system instead of doing things separate. Commissioner Sterker commented that by sharing the same system it would alleviate any unnecessary steps that would otherwise be taken. Commissioner Apao added it would also help both departments track the permits from both sides. Commissioner Hashizume stated another area she believes should be looked at is employees' work productivity. Chair Yoshida explained because each permit application and plans are unique it would be unrealistic to track how many hours an employee spends on reviewing each plan which makes her question how can a recommendation to increase staff work productivity save the County money. Deputy County Attorney Bracken stated the Commission could look at the departments' overall personnel costs and try to reduce costs that way as opposed to evaluating the employees' productivity which is not within the Commission's purview to do so anyway. Cost Control Commission Regular Open Session February 9, 2015 Page 5 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION 2015 Commissioner Nakashima stated perhaps the Commission should review amended. See minutes the budget first to get a clearer picture and if Commissioners had any questions they could ask for a representative from that department to be present at the Commission's next meeting. Ms. Morikami explained that the FY 2016 Budget would not be available until March 15 and on May 15 Mayor Carvalho will be submitting a supplemental budget to the County Council and any changes that had occurred in between will be part of the supplemental budget. Chair Yoshida asked if it was possible for someone from the County's Budget Team to make a budget presentation in April to which Ms. Morikami replied she would make the necessary arrangements. Chair Yoshida asked the Commissioners to bring ideas to the next meeting on a specific topic (s) they would like to discuss for placement on future agendas. Announcements Chair Yoshida announced the next meeting is scheduled for March 9, 2015, at 1:30 p.m. at the Mo'ikeha Building, Liquor Conference Room 3. Adjournment With no further business to discuss, Chair Yoshida called for a motion to Commissioner Sterker moved to adjourn the adjourn the meeting. meeting. Vice Chair Takenouchi seconded. Motion carried 6:0 At 2:09 p.m. the meeting adjourned. Submitted by: Mercedes Omo, Staff Support Clerk (x) Approved as circulated on March 9, 2015 ( ) Approved as amended. See minutes of _ meeting. Reviewed and Approved by: Laurie Yoshida, Chair