2023-02-23 Fire Commission Minutes

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Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes February 23, 2023 Page 7 address these issues to make the department better. Chair Kosaki told Chief Todd he hopes he doesn't take anything they say as an attack, that is not their intention. They're just bringing up things to help him do better, as far as running the department operationally. Chief Todd stated it doesn't bother him and he understands the point that Commissioner Magsalin was trying to make. She's saying does each commissioner get the opportunity to just go wherever they want before clearing it with the chair. As far as Sunshine Law, that doesn't apply, it's when three or more get together and start having meetings. If it's just one commissioner reaching out to the chair requesting to address something at the meeting, that could be something that the Fire Commission can establish as a structure, that's the choice the commission would take. The Commission should also decide if any commissioner can bring up any subject that they want. Chief Todd asked DCC Wong if he was correct. DCC Wong stated that's pretty accurate, except where for example Commissioner Mattos goes to Chair Kosaki then the next day he goes to Commissioner Luke, then to another Commissioner, it then becomes serial communications outside of an open meeting. She feels the commissioners are aware of that and that isn't an issue here. Chair Kosaki stated they don't discuss things privately amongst each other because they don't want to have any inclination of Sunshine Law violations. Commissioner Henkel stated this is his seventh year of being on the Fire Commission. He was on two different commissions, under three different chiefs and it's the first time that he's served on the commission with firefighters. He really appreciates the knowledge they bring, which provides him with an understanding he didn't have before. Commissioner Mattos stated he was not trying to tell the chief what to do. He's just bringing to his attention, what he hears in his district. Maybe a lot of it is negative and maybe he should give him so positive feedback. Some firefighters did say they think the chief is doing a good job as far as being an administrator, but there were other things that they brought up that he won't bring up in open session. As instructed by Corporation Counsel, they as commissioners cannot go into the stations and ask personnel about the chief or the deputy, but if it's brought up to him from the outside, he feels he should address it with the chief. Chair Kosaki stated as commissioners, they need to conduct an evaluation of the chief on an annual basis. They bring things up and have the chief respond and it's all a part of the evaluation that all commissioners need to be aware of. Commissioner Mattos stated any commissioner could do the same thing. They can go to the fire station to see how things are going. Vice Chair Wolf stated they should be doing that.