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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022 1-18 FC Draft Meeting Minutes.pdf Board/Commission Kauai Fire Commission Meeting Date January 18, 2022 Location Microsoft Teams Teleconference Meeting Start of Meeting: 2:00 p.m. 2:59 p.m. Present Chair Chad Pacheco; Vice Chair Jen Chahanovich; Commissioners: Linda Kaauwai-Iwamoto, Alfred Levinthol, and Michael Martinez. Also present: Board & Commissions Office Staff: Support Clerk Mercedes Omo; Administrator Ellen Ching; Office of the County Attorney: Deputy County Attorney Jenna Tatsey; Fire Department: Fire Chief Steve Goble, Deputy Fire Chief Michael Gibson, and Chief’s Secretary Soncy Tamashiro. Excused Commissioner Alfredo Garces Jr. Absent SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Call To Order Chair Pacheco called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. but had to call for a recess shortly thereafter to due to connection issues. At 2:11p.m. Chair Pacheco called the meeting back to order. Roll Call Chair Pacheco called for a roll call to ascertain quorum to conduct business. A quorum was established to conduct business. Approval of Agenda Chair Pacheco called for a motion to approve the agenda. Vice Chair Chahanovich moved to approve the meeting agenda as circulated. Mr. Levinthol seconded. The motion carried 5:0 by voice vote. Chair’s Announcement Next schedule teleconference meeting 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Public Testimony None. KFC Open Session Meeting Minutes Of January 18, 2022 Page 2 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Approval of Minutes Chair Pacheco called for a motion to approve or amend the minutes of the December 21, 2021, meeting. Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto moved to approve. Vice Chair Chahanovich seconded. The motion carried 5:0 by voice vote. Chief’s Monthly Bureau Reports for December 2021 a) Internal & External Partnerships/Covid 19 & Resource Updates b) Administrative Bureau/Budget Update & Fire Operations c) Fire Prevention & Training d) Ocean Safety e) Goals and Objectives f) Update on the Kauai Fire Department’s five (5) Year Strategic Plan g) Quarterly update on the progress made regarding the Utilization Study due March 2022. Chief Goble gave a general overview on the current activities/events and as well as the events that occurred throughout the month of December. As reported previously, the Utilization Study has been completed and the findings of that study was shared with the County Council, the Mayor, and the Fire Commission. Fiscal Year 2022/2033 budgetary discussion is in progress. The Department was asked to submit a flat budget which they did but gave themselves room to request for some exceptions based on the Department’s needs. Although there were a few line items that fell outside of the budgetary parameters it would not require the Department to have to go through the budget process again. One item is to expand the ocean safety team by hiring additional part-time staff to cover the peak hours especially during the summer months. KFC Open Session Meeting Minutes Of January 18, 2022 Page 3 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Items within the Department’s ask were new breathing apparatus; apparatus for the new engine that will be replacing Engine 5 in Kalāheo whose lease is about to expire. The lease cost for the new engine will run about $100,000 per year over a seven(7) year span. The Department is also looking at leasing a new battalion chief response vehicle to replace the vehicle that had accrued a lot of mileage during its use and new service vehicles for the mechanic whose work entails them to travel to the different fire stations across the island. Fire and Ocean Safety • KFD’s firecracker permit requests can now be done online; however, it still requires a person to pay the fee in-person. • In December, Chief Goble spent some time with the fire prevention bureau on Maui to get training on their wildland fuel management program. • Community outreach involves multi-media platforms available on KFD’s Facebook. Partnerships • KFD is continuing its efforts to work with the Waimea community in response to the rockslide by keeping the community informed and to make sure that their needs are being met. • Contract negotiations for bargaining Unit 11 has moved on to the arbitration phase. • Fire Captains Blair Yamashita and Nick Cannon were elected to represent Kauai at the recent the Hawai‘i Firefighters Association local elections. • KFD received a Firefighters Grant from FEMA and DHS to enhance the Department’s cancer screening for their line firefighters KFC Open Session Meeting Minutes Of January 18, 2022 Page 4 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION • With the assistance from the County’s housing agency KFD was able to make a request to replace the brush truck in Kalah eo via the Community Development Block Grant. Covid Update • The omicron variant is still dominant. Last week the positivity rate was at 17% significantly higher compared to 2% to 3% reported earlier. • At the time of this report – Kauai’s 7-day average was 164 cases a day, 74.8% of Kauai residents are fully vaccinated. 80.5% initiated their dose, and 27.9% residents have received their booster shot. • KFD is continuing to monitor their staffing levels to make sure that they have alternate staffing. Resources • Graduation ceremony for the new recruitment class is scheduled for May. • KFD is reaching out to potential in-state candidates to transfer hopefully transfer over to KFD. • Open recruitment for a part-time ocean safety officer is on-going. The candidates who were selected did not pass their physical agility test. • The newly hired accountant trainee is in the County’s orientation process. • Procurement for two(2) outboard motors is completed. • The Truck that replaced Truck 1 was put into service on 1/14/2022. • Budget request to procure a new truck to replace Truck 6 and to purchase a new Jet ski was approved. KFC Open Session Meeting Minutes Of January 18, 2022 Page 5 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION • Procurement for an emergency generator for the Kapa’a Fire Station is completed. Administrative Bureau • The December operational and payroll expenditures fell below last year’s expenditures. • Year-to-date overtime expenditures was at $1,091,930.59 slightly lower than last year of $1,137,984.17. • Overall year-to-date expenses was at 38.34% thanks to his staff for being good stewards of the Department’s resources. • Vacant positions include one assistant chief in the administrative bureau, (7) in operation bureau, (1) fire inspector, and (1) full-time ocean safety officer II position. Fire Operations Bureau • There were a total 569 calls for service in December 2020 compared to December 2020 at 513. • No significant fires were reported. • There was a total of six (6) rescue calls involving Air 1 response, north shore roving ski response and station 3 responded to an overturned vehicle in the Hanamā‘ulu River off Hehi Road. Fire Prevention Bureau • There was a total of 588 prevention calls compared to last year of 241 prevention calls. Items of interest under development include media team – Fire Safety Business Inspections, Online Firecracker permits, and Web-based inspection of building permits. KFC Open Session Meeting Minutes Of January 18, 2022 Page 6 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Training Bureau • Third quarter training Keystone objectives included: 87 hours of task performance training, 85 hours of Keystone third quarter training, 110 class hours certification training. Fourth quarter training will include fire apparatus operator skill training. Ocean Safety Bureau • Shark sighting at south shore Po‘ipū beach and at Kekaha beach on the westside of the island. • Seven (7) staff members tested positive for covid-19 and three (3) members are in isolation due to close contact. North shore lifeguard towers had to be closed. • OSC assisted with four (4) major medical calls. • Search for a missing person is being conducted at Hanamā‘ulu Bay. • There was a total of 22 ocean rescues. • The bridge in Hanalei closed due to flooding. • Brown water advisory was put out to the public due to the flooding. Goals and Objectives for the Department • Goal #1 – Develop Standard of Response Coverage for the County’s Fire Department. (G1A) Complete a community risk assessment is on track; (G1B) Complete a resource utilization study Completed; and (G1C) Develop a response/deployment plan to address identified risks is on track. KFC Open Session Meeting Minutes Of January 18, 2022 Page 7 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION • Goal #2 – Develop a Management Policy. G2A Identify and create a working group to review, revise and implement policies and procedures is on track; G2B Identify polices that should be revised and identify gaps in the current policies is on track; and (G2B) Institutionalize policies and procedures through communication of performance expectations and promotional processes. Implement and revise new policies as deemed necessary and include a communication action plan is completed. • Goal #3 – Identify career development pathway for the Kauai Fire Department. (G3A) Work with Human Resource, staff, and labor groups to refine the Department’s promotional processes to aid career growth pathways has been completed. G3B Work with Human Resource, staff, and labor groups to develop a career path to aid in career development for personnel is on track. With nothing further to reports, Chair Pacheco called for a motion to receive the Chief’s Reports. Mr. Levinthol moved to receive the Chief’s Monthly Reports for December 2021. Ms. Kaauwai-Iwamoto seconded. The motion carried 5:0 by voice vote. Business KFC 2022-1 KFC 2022-1 Discussion and decision-making on developing new goals and objectives for Fire Chief Steve Goble to coincide with Fiscal Year 2022/2023. Chair Pacheco called on Administrator Ellen Ching to provide an explanation on purpose of having the item on the agenda. Administrator Ching explained that in preparation for Chief Goble’s next performance evaluation it would help the Commission to at least have an idea as to what the Chief’s new goals and objectives are going to look like, and if there are any questions, concerns, or amendments regarding the Chief’s new goals the Commission can address those concerns at the next meeting. KFC Open Session Meeting Minutes Of January 18, 2022 Page 8 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ACTION Vice Chair Chahanovich commented that she liked the idea of being proactive. Hearing no further discussion, Chair Pacheco called for a motion. Vice Chahanovich moved that Chief Goble submit a draft of his goals and objectives for fiscal year 2022/2023. Mr. Levinthol seconded. Hearing no objections. The motion carried 5:0 by voice vote. Executive Session None needed. Adjournment With no further business to conduct, Chair Pacheco called for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Vice Chair Chahanovich moved. Ms. Kaauwai- Iwamoto seconded. The motion carried 5:0 by voice vote. At 2:59 p.m. the meeting adjourned. Submitted by: __________________________________ Reviewed and Approved by: _________________________________________ Mercedes Omo, Staff Support Clerk Chad Pacheco, Chair ( ) Approved as circulated on ( ) Approved as amended. See minutes of ___________ meeting.