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Stephen K. Yamaahiro ~ Richard Wutdenun Mayor Cerpomelon Cervel ~~O~~M~~ (~uun#g of ~ttfuttii OFFICE OF THE CORPORATION COUNSEL l0l Aupuni Street, Suite 325 • Hilo, Hnwi'i 96720.262 • (808) %1-8151 • fa: 1808) %I.8622 RECE'JVED 'r May 6, 1997 n"~.-..._.___ g~,_______^ , Count The Honorable Aaron S. Y Chung r Chairperson, Hawaii County Council Finance Committee 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 RE: Bill No. 83. Dear Chairperson Chung and Members of the Finance Committee: The Office of the Corporation Counsel supports the passage of this amendment to the Hawaii County Code. 1. Purpose: Given the County's stagnant economy and reduced revenue stream, this proposed amendment grants the Corporation Counsel and Prosecuting Attorney the flexibility to award merit raises and determine the amount and size of those raises. Currently, salaries and raises are locked into a system of grades and steps, which generally follows the Civil Service System. Sea Exhibit "1," attached hereto. Salaries and especially raises must be planned according to the respective department's budget. Because of the financial condition of the County, if the department's budget is cut, the department can not find the money to fund a salary increase or raise according to the Pay Grade and steps. If the department can save money, but not enough to meet the funds required for a Pay Grade and step movement upwards, then the money has to go to some other account or expenditure. 2. How this Proposed Amendment Would Work: If adopted by the Council and signed by the Mayor, this amendment would allow the appointing authorities more flexibility in setting salaries and wages. First, the department no longer has to save enough money to fund a particular Pay Grade and step movement for the individual deputy. If the department is able to save some money on a regular basis, but not enough to fund a Pay Grade movement, under this amendment it can st~ award a ~.OOr 0 3 ~,u_; i. pr@580t8CL ~ L