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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-05-17 FC Approved Open Session Meeting Minutes-DA COUNTY OF KAUAI Minutes of Meeting OPEN SESSION Board/Committee: Kaua‘i Fire Commission Meeting Date September 5, 2017 Location Mo`ikeha Building – Meeting Room 2A/B Start of Meeting: 2:03 p.m. End of Meeting: 2:55 p.m. Present Chair Michael Martinez; Vice-Chair Thomas Nizo; Commissioners: Linda Kaauwai-Iwamoto; Alfred Levinthol; Alfredo Garces Jr. and Chad Pacheco Also present: Board & Commissions Office Staff: Support Clerk Mercedes Omo; Office of the County Attorney: Deputy County Attorney Teresa Tumbaga; Fire Department: Fire Chief Robert Westerman; Deputy Fire Chief Kilipaki Vaughan; and Chief’s Secretary Eve Domingcil. Special Guest: Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr. (Left at 2:15 p.m.). Excused Commissioner Clifton Jimmy Miranda Absent SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Call To Order Prior to the meeting being called to order, Administrative Assistant to the County Clerk Eddie Topenio gave the Oath of Office to new Commissioner Alfred Levinthol. Chair Martinez called the meeting to order at 2:03 p.m. with six (6) Commissioners present constituting a quorum. Mayoral Proclamation After the meeting was called to order, Chair Martinez announced that Mayor Carvalho will be proclaiming October 8 – 14, 2017 as Fire Prevention Week. Mayor Carvalho proclaimed October 8 – 14, 2017 as Fire Prevention Week. He stated that the campaign message “Every Second Counts” should serve as a reminder why every household must have an escape plan for their home – marking two exits from each room and a path outside from each exit, why each member of a household should practice their fire drill twice a year - once at night and once during the day, why parents should teach their children how to escape on their own in case they cannot help them, why it’s important to make sure that the number of the homeowner’s home is clearly marked and easy for the fire department to find, why you should close doors behind you as you leave – this may slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire, and lastly, once outside, stay outside and never go back inside a burning building. Approval of Minutes Chair Martinez called for any comments or corrections to the minutes of the regular open session meeting of August 7, 2017. Hearing none, he called for a motion to approve the minutes as circulated. Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto moved to approve the meeting minutes of August 7, 2017 as circulated. Mr. Pacheco seconded the Kaua‘i Fire Commission Regular Open Session Meeting Minutes of September 5, 2017 Page 2 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION motion. The motion carried 6:0. Chief’s Monthly Reports for the month of July Fire Chief Westerman gave a summary of his monthly reports, highlighting the following: 1. Hawai‘i State Fire Council Fourth Quarter Meeting was held in July on the island of Maui. The next meeting is scheduled for some time next week at the Kaua‘i Fire Department Headquarters. The meeting is open to the Commissioners if they want to attend. 2. KFD received two (2) complimentary correspondences; one from Kaua‘i Hospice and one from a very appreciative visitor. 3. KFD conducted 180 hours of detailed training sessions relating to CPR, driver, recruit essentials, recruit skills and recruit FGS, FGO and ICS trainings. 4. Prevention Bureau – two (2) fire investigations were done, which reflects the same number from last year, and there were no complaint investigations conducted. 5. KFD assisted with the Annual Fourth of July Fireworks Display. 6. State Drowning Prevention Conference was held on O‘ahu. 7. Jr. Lifeguard championships was held at Kalapakī Beach. 8. State Jr. Lifeguard championships was at Ala Moana Beach on O‘ahu. 9. Roving Jet Ski Patrol is up and running and seems to be doing well. There is one Jet Ski stationed at each district. 10. During the month of July, there was a total of 17.4 daily flight hours; 5.3 hours for search and rescue operations and 7.1 hours responding to fire alarms. Normally, the Department would run about 6 to 12 hours per month. KFD has completed its third- party evaluation for Air1 and it was a good report. 11. As of July 31, 2017, 8.33% of the Fire Department’s original $31,629,948.00 budget has been expended, which includes non-payroll, payroll and other collective Kaua‘i Fire Commission Regular Open Session Meeting Minutes of September 5, 2017 Page 3 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION bargaining. In short, the budget is on track and there was nothing significant to report. In regard to his budget reports, Chair Martinez asked Fire Chief Westerman if it was possible to work with him on revising the format to make it easier to read and understand so that if any of the Commissioners had questions, they could expeditiously reference that particular section of the budget to which Fire Chief Westerman replied he would work with him. With no further questions or comments on the Chief’s monthly reports, Chair Martinez called for a motion to receive the reports. Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto moved to receive the Chief’s monthly reports. Mr. Pacheco seconded the motion. The motion carried 6:0. KFC 2017-02 Report from the Permitted Interaction Group (PIG) on the criteria for the Fire Chief’s new job description which will be instrumental in the recruiting and hiring of a new Fire Chief in the future. (On-going) Mr. Garces passed out copies of the PIG’s (Permitted Interaction Group’s) final draft proposal for the Fire Chief’s new job description. He reported that, as much as possible, they wanted to make the new job description consistent with the language in the Charter, including all Federal, State and County laws. In addition, they took the other department heads’ job descriptions and utilized some of the contents within the framework. As a result, they were able to break it down into the following five (5) categories: 1) Essential Duties and Responsibilities; 2) Minimum qualifications; 3) Desirable knowledge; 4) Desirable skills; and 5) Other desirable qualifications. Mr. Garces especially thanked Ms. Teresa Tumbaga and Human Resources Director Janine Rapozo for their professionalism, expertise and patience in helping draft the document, then asked the Commissioners to take the report home to review and be prepared to ask questions at the Commission’s next meeting in October. Vice Chair Nizo asked Ms. Tumbaga to explain why the Commissioners cannot discuss the recommendations that were presented by Mr. Garces to which Ms. Tumbaga explained that per the Sunshine Law, the first meeting is to establish the PIG, the second meeting is for the PIG to present its recommendations to the Commission, and the third meeting is for the Kaua‘i Fire Commission Regular Open Session Meeting Minutes of September 5, 2017 Page 4 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Commission to deliberate and make a decision. Chair Martinez thanked Mr. Garces for a very good report and Ms. Tumbaga for clarifying what the Sunshine Law requirements were as it relates to the PIG. He added that it’s been a long time coming and he’s glad that the PIG was finally able to complete the Fire Chief’s new job description. He asked that each Commissioner take the draft home for review and be prepared to discuss the recommendations for possible approval at the Commission’s next meeting in October. Announcements Chair Martinez announced that the next Fire Commission meeting is set for Monday, October 9, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. at the Mo’ikeha Building, Meeting Room 2A/2B. Executive Session At 2:36 p.m. Chair Martinez read the following Hawai‘i Revised Statutes to bring the meeting into Executive Session. Pursuant to Hawai‘i Revised Statutes §92-4 and §92-5 (a) and (4), the purpose of this Executive Session is to discuss the County of Kaua‘i Discipline Policy for Department Heads that can be removed by the County Boards and Commissions. This consultation involves consideration of powers, duties, privileges, immunities and/or liabilities of the Kaua‘i Fire Commission as they may relate to this agenda item. Mr. Pacheco moved to take the meeting into Executive Session. Mr. Levinthol seconded the motion. The motion carried 6:0. At 2:37 p.m. the Commissioners entered into Executive Session. Return to Open Session to ratify the actions taken in Executive Session At 2:54 p.m. the Commissioners reconvened in Open Session to ratify the actions taken in Executive Session. Vice Chair Nizo moved to ratify the actions taken in Executive Session. Mr. Pacheco seconded the motion. The motion carried 6:0. ES KFC 2017-04: Motion carried 6:0 to accept the County of Kaua‘i Policy dated August 22, 2017 regarding the discipline of Department Heads subject to removal by the Boards and Commissions. Kaua‘i Fire Commission Regular Open Session Meeting Minutes of September 5, 2017 Page 5 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Adjournment With no other business to conduct, Chair Martinez called for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Vice Chair Nizo moved to adjourn. Mr. Levinthol seconded the motion. The motion carried 6:0. At 2:55 p.m. the meeting adjourned. Submitted by: __________________________________ Reviewed and Approved by: _________________________________________ Mercedes Omo, Staff Support Clerk Michael Martinez, Chair (x) Approved as circulated on November 6, 2017 ( ) Approved as amended. See minutes of ___________ meeting.