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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020 07-06 FC Draft Minutes OPEN SESSION MEETING MINUTES Board/Commission Kaua‘i Fire Commission Meeting Date July 6, 2020 Location Microsoft Teams Teleconference Start of Meeting: 2:00 p.m. 2:40 p.m. Present Chair Alfredo Garces Jr. .; Vice Chair Jen Chahanovich; Commissioners: Linda Kaauwai-Iwamoto, Alfred Levinthol and Michael Martinez. Commissioner Nizo joined the meeting after the approval of the meeting minutes. Also present: Board & Commissions Office Staff: Support Clerk Mercedes Omo; Administrator Ellen Ching; Office of the County Attorney: Deputy County Attorney Jenna Tatsey; Kaua‘i Fire Department: Assistant Fire Chief Solomon and Chief’s Secretary Soncy Tamashiro. Excused Commissioner Chad Pacheco Absent SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Call To Order Chair Garces called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. Roll Call to Ascertain Quorum Chair Garces called for a roll call to ascertain quorum. A roll call ensued with five (5) commissioners present to conduct business. Chief’s Announcements Next teleconference meeting – 2:00 p.m. Monday, August 3, 2020. Executive Session to follow. (Subject to change) Public Testimony None Approve or amend the Open Session Minutes of June 1, 2020 Meeting Chair Garces called for a motion and a roll call vote to approve or amend the meeting minutes. Mr. Levinthol moved to approve the minutes as circulated. Mr. Martinez seconded the motion. Motion carried 5:0 by a roll call vote. KFC Open Session Minutes of July 6, 2020 meeting Page 2 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Fire Chief’s Monthly Reports & events that involve KFD Chair Garces mentioned that Fire Chief Goble is in a new hire orientation for the entire day, in his place, is Assistant Chief Kanoho who will be briefing the commission on the chief’s monthly reports. Fire Chief Goble, Assistant Fire Chief Kanoho and members of the Fire Department’s senior staff have been actively meeting to discuss the State’s testing plan for the reopening of the visitor industry on August 1 and putting together a list of concerns KFD has to submit to Governor Ige.  KFD has approval to purchase a new attack pumper and thus far has received one bid.  At the request of the Office of Elderly Affairs, KFD’s prevention bureau staff along with in-district on-duty crews is conducting its community risk reduction fall prevention home presentations on Tuesday’s of each week.  KFD assisted Kaua‘i High School and Waimea High School with Project Graduation.  Last month, KFD had to cancel some of its professional development training classes due to COVID-19.  AC Kanoho, KFD’s prevention bureau staff and members of the Department participated with the County’s Food Distribution in Hanapēpē, Kapa‘a and on the north shore. The event begin distributing food each Saturday beginning August 1, 2020.  KFD is continuing it’s on duty training as an effort to reduce overtime costs.  Structure fire in Hanapēpē.  Certain personnel in KFD is still on a 4-10 work week schedule.  Small brush fire occurred on July 4th but was it quickly extinguished by KFD.  KFD has been uploading information on social media to get the word out to the public on various programs.  Funding was approved via the CARES ACT to cover the cost for the Kē‘ē KFC Open Session Minutes of July 6, 2020 meeting Page 3 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Lifeguard Station through June 2021.  Two drownings were reported, one in the month of May and one in the month of June. Chair Garces and the Commissioners thanked A/C Kanoho and his staff for all of hard work to secure funding from the federal & state government and for spearheading the chain of command ceremony for Fire Chief Steven Goble. A question was raised by Chair Garces on scheduling an informal face-to-face meeting with Fire Chief Steve Goble. Ms. Ching stated that she’ll have staff place the item on the next agenda for discussion. A/C Kanoho noted that he’ll have a better picture as to what the final numbers are for the Department’s FY 2019-2020 budget at the Commission’s next month meeting. Chair Garces asked staff to place the item on the next agenda. Staff acknowledged the Chair’s request and will place the item on the next agenda. With no further updates, Chair Garces moved on to item KFC 2020-05. Mr. Levinthol moved to accept the Chief’s Monthly Reports. Mr. Martinez seconded the motion. The motion carried 6:0 by a roll call vote. KFC 2020-05 Update on the audit that’s being conducted on the Kaua‘i Fire Department to address overtime usage. A/C Kanoho reported that he had to current updates on the audit. Mr. Martinez asked relative to the auditor’s recommendation on reducing overtime how the Department is doing. A/C Kanoho stated that as far as the Department’s scheduled overtime they’re a little over because of training they needed to get done and operationally speaking, they needed to put a few personnel on stand-by to cover shift changes and staff shortages. As for overtime for the rank for rank because of the Department’s conducting on-duty trainings the overtime expenditures for the rank for rank have been relative low, but he won’t know what the exact numbers are until next week. With no further updates, Chair Garces moved on to item KFC 2020-07. KFC Open Session Minutes of July 6, 2020 meeting Page 4 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION KFC 2020-07 Update on the meeting with Playgroup Consultant Leslie Mullens related to the Kaua‘i Fire Department’s five (5) Year Strategic Plan. A/C Kanoho stated that the workshop with Ms. Mullens held last month was a huge success. Ms. Mullens took the results from the survey and was able to come up with the top twelve (12) items where the participants at the workshop were able to review and eventually narrowed it down to seven (7) some of which included training, communication and transparency and how the Department conducts its promotional process. The next workshop dates are tentatively set for the week of August 10th through 14th. Adjournment With no further business to conduct, Chair Garces called for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Vice Chair Chahanovich moved to adjourn. Mr. Levinthol seconded the motion. The motion carried 6:0 by a roll call vote. At 2:40 p.m. the meeting adjourned. Submitted by: __________________________________ Reviewed and Approved by: _________________________________________ Mercedes Omo, Staff Support Clerk Alfredo Garces Jr., Chair ( ) Approved as circulated on ( ) Approved as amended. See minutes of ___________ meeting.