HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020 FC Approved 03-01 Minutes
COUNTY OF KAUAI
Minutes of Continuous Meeting
OPEN SESSION
Board/Commission Special Fire Commission Continuous Meeting Meeting Dates March 1, 2020
March 2, 2020
March 3, 2020
Location Mo`ikeha Building – Meeting Room 2A/B Start of Meeting: 12:00 p.m. End of Meeting: 8:00 p.m.
Present Chair Alfredo Garces Jr.; Vice Chair Jen Chahanovich; Commissioners Alfred Levinthol, Michael Martinez, Chad Pacheco and
Thomas Nizo. Also present: Board & Commissions Office Staff: Support Clerk Mercedes Omo; Administrator Ellen Ching; Office of
the County Attorney: First Deputy County Attorney Nicholas R. Courson.
Excused Vice Chair Linda Kaauwai-Iwamoto
Absent
SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION
I. CALL TO ORDER THE MARCH 1, 2020 CONTINUOUS MEETING
The Commissioners observed a moment of silence as a gesture of respect for Commissioner
Linda Kaauwai-Iwamoto who is dealing with health issues.
CALL TO ORDER THE MARCH 2, 2020 CONTINOUS MEETING.
CALL TO ORDER THE MARCH 3, 2020 CONTINOUS MEETING.
Chair Garces called the meeting
to order at 12:00 p.m.
Chair Garces called the meeting
back to order at 9:00 a.m. Mr.
Nizo moved to reconvene back
into Executive Session. Mr.
Levinthol seconded. The motion
carried 6:0. At 9:01 a.m. the
Commissioners reconvened back
into Executive Session.
Chair Garces called the meeting
back to order at 1:02 p.m. Mr.
Nizo moved to enter back into
Executive Session. Mr. Pacheco
seconded. The motion carried
Special Open Session
Continuance Meeting Minutes of March 1, 2020 Page 2
6:0. At 1:02 p.m. the
Commissioners convened in
Executive Session.
II. ACSERTAINMENT OF QUORUM
A quorum was ascertain by roll
call with Commissioners
Levinthol, Martinez, Pacheco,
Vice Chair Chahanovich and
Chair Garces present.
III. DISCUSSION AND DECISION-MAKING ON DESIGNATING TWO MEMBERS OF
THE FIRE COMMISSION TO MEET WITH PLAYBOOKGROUP CONSULTANT
LESLIE MULLENS REGARDING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT’S FIVE YEAR
STRATEGIC PLAN.
Ms. Ching informed the Commissioners that the Department hired a to develop a five year
strategic plan for the Kaua‘i Fire Department and that the consultant (Ms. Mullens) had
asked if she could to meet with the Commission outside of a regular scheduled meeting
since the date she was originally wanted to meet with the Commission - the Commission
was not available. She explained that the purpose of the meeting is for the Commission to
provide input as to what they would like to see as a standard of level of service in the
Department. Ms. Ching explained that because the Sunshine Law allows only two (2)
members to discuss board business, the Commission would have to designate two
members to meet with Ms. Mullens on March 23, 2020. Furthermore, because the work to
collect information is very time consuming on Ms. Mullens part, the Fire Department
decided that it would hold its own focus groups, so if any Commissioners wanted attend
those groups they may do so, but in a non-official capacity. Chair Garces thanked
Ms. Ching for the information, then asked the Commissioners to contact Ms. Ching if they
wanted to participate in the discussion. With no further discussion, Chair Garces called for
a motion to designate two (2) members to meet with Ms. Mullens on March 23, 2020.
Vice Chair Chahanovich moved
to designate Commissioners
Iwamoto and Martinez to
represent the Fire Commission at
the meeting with Consultant
Leslie Mullens. Mr. Levinthol
seconded the motion. The
motion carried 6:0.
IV. PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony allowed on any agenda items listed under the public or executi ve session. As noted
below, speaking time will be limited to three minutes.
There was no public testimony
Special Open Session
Continuance Meeting Minutes of March 1, 2020 Page 3
V. EXECUTIVE SESSION (Closed to the public)
The following agenda item will be reviewed in executive session pursuant to: HRS 92 -
5(a), subsections (2), and (4) to consider the hiring of a new Fire Chief where consideration
of matters affecting privacy will be involved; provided that if the individual concerned
requests an open meeting, an open meeting shall be held; and to consult with the
commission’s attorney on questions and issues pertaining to the commission’s powers, duties,
privileges, immunities, and liabilities as it may relate to this agenda item.
a. Interview of candidates for the positon of Fire Chief, Kaua‘i Fire Department
At 12:08 p.m. Ms. Ching cited
the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes to
take the meeting into Executive
Session.
Mr. Nizo moved to enter into
Executive Session. Mr. Pacheco
seconded the motion. The
motion carried 6:0. At 12:09
p.m. the Commissioners entered
into Executive Session.
VI. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION TO ANNOUNCE OF INTENTION TO CONTINUE
MEETING TO MARCH 2ND, 2020, MARCH 3RD 2020, AND POSSIBLY MARCH 6TH,
2020, TO COMPLETE INTERVIEWS.
At 5:29 p.m. the Commissioners reconvened in Open Session. Chair Garces called to recess
the meeting for 9:00 a.m. on Monday, March 2, 2020.
At 4:36 p.m. the Commissioners reconvened in Open Session. Chair Garces called to rec ess
the meeting for 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.
At 7:39 p.m. the Commissioners reconvened in Open Session. Chair Garces called for a
motion to ratify the actions taken in Executive Session.
Mr. Nizo moved to ratify the
actions taken in Executive
Session. Mr. Pacheco seconded
the motion. The motion carried
6:0.
Motion No. 1.
Motion carried 7:0 to select top
three candidates, but if the top
first candidate is unable to meet
the requirements of the
conditional job offer, the
conditional job offer would go to
the 2nd top candidate and so
forth. Mr. Martinez seconded
the motion. The motion carried
6:0.
Motion No.2
Motion carried 6:0 to have
Human Resource conduct a
background check, a basic
physical test and a drug test.
Special Open Session
Continuance Meeting Minutes of March 1, 2020 Page 4
Motion No. 3
Motion failed 0:0 votes to set the
salary amount at $107,022 and
withhold the reminder $37,000
upon the completion of the
candidate’s six month
performance evaluation, and if
favorable, the new Fire Chief
would receive the remainder.
Motion No. 4
Motion carried 6:0 to set the new
Fire Chief’s salary at maximum
amount of $137,022.
Motion No 5.
Motion carried 6:0 to provide the
new Fire Chief with uniform
allowance and a take-home
vehicle allowance.
Motion No. 6
Motion carried 6:0 to designate
Chair Garces to be the point of
contact where he would the
ability to work with HR Manager
III Jill Niitani to select a start
date and a timeline to respond to
the conditional job offer and
other related matters.
Special Open Session
Continuance Meeting Minutes of March 1, 2020 Page 5
Submitted by: __________________________________ Reviewed and Approved by: _________________________________________
Mercedes Omo , Staff Support Clerk Alfredo Garces Jr., Chair
(x) Approved as circulated on April 6, 2020
( ) Approved as amended. See minutes of ___________ meeting.
Motion No. 7
Motion carried 6:0 to give top
candidate a conditional job offer,
but if he’s unable to fulfill the
requirements of the offer, the
offer would go to the 2nd top
candidate, but if he is unable to
fulfill the offer, the offer would
go to 3rd top candidate.
Motion No. No. 8
Motion carried 6:0 to eliminate
the bottom four (4) candidates
from the hiring process.
VII. ADJOURNMENT
With no further business to conduct, Chair Garces called for a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Mr. Nizo moved to adjourn the
meeting. Mr. Pacheco seconded.
The motion carried 6:0. At 7:40
p.m. the continuous meeting of
March 1, 2020 adjourned.