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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020 04-20 FC Approved Minutes COUNTY OF KAUAI Minutes of the Fire Commission ’s SPECIAL OPEN SESSION MEETING Board/Commission Kaua‘i Fire Commission – Remote Meeting Meeting Date April 20, 2020 Location Teleconference Start of Meeting: 2:05 p.m. End of Meeting: 2:55 p.m. Present Chair Alfredo Garces Jr.; Vice Chair Jen Chahanovich; Commissioners: Linda Kaauwai-Iwamoto, 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: Deputy County Attorney Jenna Tatsey; Department of Human Resources: Human Resources Manager III Jill Niitani. Excused Absent SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Call To Order The meeting was called to order at 2:05 p.m. by Chair Garces. Roll Call Chair Garces called for a roll to establish who was present at the meeting. Following the roll call, Boards and Commissions Administrator Ellen Ching briefed the Commissioners on the meeting guidelines. Chair’s Announcements Next Regular Monthly Meeting – 2 p.m. Monday, May 4, 2020 at the Mō’ikeha Building, Meeting Room 2A/2B. Executive Session to follow. Subject to change. Approval of Meeting Minutes of April 6, 2020 Chair Garces called for a motion to approve or amend the Open Session meeting minutes of April 6, 2020. Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto moved to approve the minutes as submitted. Mr. Pacheco seconded the motion. A roll call ensued with Commissioners Nizo, Pacheco, Martinez, Levinthol, Kaauwai- Iwamoto, Vice Chair Chahanovich and Chair Garces voting in favor of approving the meeting minutes of April 6, 2020 as submitted. KFC Special Meeting Minutes Of April 20, 2020 Page 2 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Business KFC 2020-10 Discussion and decision-making on setting the salary for newly appointed Acting Fire Chief Solomon Kanoho at the maximum figure of $137,022 established by the Salary Commission in Resolution 2019-1 and to provide him with a County issued take home vehicle. Chair Garces stated that t he next order of business is for the commission to consider setting the salary for Acting Fire Chief Solomon Kanoho at the maximum figure of $137,022. He called on Boards and Commissions Administrator, Ellen Ching to brief the Commissioners on the circumstances surrounding the need to set the salary for Acting Fire Chief Kanoho. Ms. Ching explained that at the last meeting, the Commission voted unanimously to appoint then Acting Assistant Fire Chief So lomon Kanoho to be the new Acting Fire Chief for the Kaua‘i Fire Department and it was also noted that AFC Kanoho would retain his current position salary, however, since the Commission’s last meeting, AFC Kanoho decided that he wanted to forego his Battalion Chief salary and accept the Fire Chief’s salary so he could temporarily assign someone to a higher position to learn and gain more experience Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto asked what happens when Acting Fire Chief Kanoho returns back to his Battalion Chief position would he still retain the Acting Fire Chief’s pay of $137,022 or would he go back to the Battalion Chief’s pay. Ms. Ching called on HR Manager III Jill Niitani to confirm if her account regarding Acting Fire Chief Kanoho request was correct. Ms. Niitani confirmed and explained that whenever someone in a Department is assigned to an acting position role, they get to retain their current position salary and any overtime and benefits the position allows. In regard to Acting Fire Chief Kanoho’s request the reason he wanted to forego his current Battalion Chief salary is because he wants to appoint on another person temporarily to fill his Battalion Chief position while he is the Acting Fire Chief and when the new Fire Chief is ready to come on board he would go back to his Battalion Chief position and get his original pay as if he never left the position. KFC Special Meeting Minutes Of April 20, 2020 Page 3 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto thanked Ms. Niita ni for addressing her question. Mr. Levinthol stated that if there is no further discussion on the matter with Chair Garces permission, he would like to make a motion to accept Act ing Chief Kanoho’s proposal and set his salary at $137,022. Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto seconded. Before Chair Garces could call for the vote, Ms. Ching asked for clarificatio n purposes if the motion could be amended to say effective April 7, 2020 Acting Fire Chief Kanoho will receive the maximum salary of $137,022 and a County issued take home vehicle.” Chair Garces thanked Ms. Ching for clarifying the motion. Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto amended the motion as noted by Ms. Ching. Chair Garces called for a roll call vote. Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto moved to amend wording in the previous motion to say “effective April 7, 2020 Acting Fire Chief Kanoho will receive his maximum salary of $137,022 and a County issued take home vehicle. Mr. Levinthol seconded. A roll call ensued with Commissioners Nizo, Pacheco, Martinez, Levinthol, Kaauwai-Iwamoto, Vice Chair Chahanovich and Chair Garces voting in favor of the motion. The motion carried 7:0. Executive Session KFC 2018-002 Pursuant to Hawai‘i Revised Statutes §92-4 and §92-5 (a) and (2) and (4), the purpose of this Executive Session is for the Commission to discuss the hiring of a new Fire Chief and other related matters where consideration of matters affecting privacy will be involved, and to consult with its attorney on questions and issues pertaining to the Commission’s powers, duties, privileges, immunities and liabilities as they may relate to this ite m. At 2:30 p.m. Ms. Ching began to cite the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes to take the meeting into Executive Session. Chair Garces called for a motion to enter into Executive Session. Mr. Pacheco moved to enter into Executive Session. Mr. Levinthol seconded. A roll call vote ensued with Commissioners Nizo, Pacheco, Martinez, Levinthol, Kaauwai-Iwamoto, Vice Chair Chahanovich and Chair Garces voting in favor of the motion. The motion carried 7:0. At 2:32 p.m. the meeting entered into Executive Session. KFC Special Meeting Minutes Of April 20, 2020 Page 4 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Adjournment At 2:53 p.m. the Commissioners reconvened in Open Session. With no further business to conduct, Chair Garces called for a motion and a second to adjourn the meeting. Ms. Chahanovich moved to adjourn the meeting. Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto seconded. A roll call ensued with Commissioners Nizo, Martinez, Levinthol, Kaauwai-Iwamoto, Chahanovich and Chair Garces voting in favor of the motion. The motion carried 6:0. **File note – Commissioner Pacheco was not on the call at time roll call was being conducted. At 2:55 p.m. the meeting adjourned. Submitted by: __________________________________ Reviewed and Approved by: _________________________________________ Mercedes Omo , Staff Support Clerk Alfredo Garces Jr., Chair (x) Approved as circulated on May 4, 2020 ( ) Approved as amended. See minutes of ___________ meeting.