2023-07-11 Salary Commission Minutes

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Salary Commission July 11, 2023 MS. FRENZ: I don't even know if this is Hawaii County, to be honest. MS. NAKAMA: It's Hawaii County, yeah. MS. FRENZ: Yeah, it doesn't say, so I'm not sure. CHR. PAVAO: I think it's years ago, when Harry Kim was mayor the previous term. MS. FRENZ: Yeah. The high new salary is not currently what the mayor is getting. So, I'm not too sure. MS. NAKAMA: So, I think we need to look at what was discussed in the past, so we know what the current information isTeresa Nakama. CHR. PAVAO: Yeah. I would recommend everybody go to the boards and commissions Hawai`i County boards and commissions website. You can review all the previous minutes and communications and decisions that the previous salary commissions have made. Yeah. You can do the same for Maui and—I've looked at the City and County of Honolulu's salary commission minutes as well. Interesting process. They did a lot of due diligence when they before they made their decision. MS. NAKAMA: Well, ITeresa Nakama, memberI was just wondering if we're doing our due diligence looking at past information—coming about what is current information and where we want to go. And does the mayor know that, in the future, our budget will cover the salaries, `cause I don't know what our budget. It's so thick and convoluted—it's hard to follow. MS. FRENZ: This is DCC Cody. So, I can't tell everyone on this Commission nor is it my ku/eana to how to do your job. I doI will say that I expect and/or I think when you were all appointed, there was an expectation that the necessary homework and due diligence would be done by each and every one of you, respectful lyright. And that includes seeing what our—your predecessors and prior salary commissioners did, in fact, do the last time—at a bare minimum—if not, previous ones. What worked for them. What didn't work. What do you like. What you want to do differently. But I personally expect each and every one of you to have already reviewed that prior to coming to our first meeting, so we could always have a fruitful discussion, right. I mean, we don't want to talk about something that you have to you should have reviewed when you should have already done it, and now we got to continue it. Just to make sure we—good use of time. `Cause your time is all equally valuable, right. You're volunteers here. So, I appreciate all the time that you are giving and if Chair Pavao has already reviewed that, I appreciate that because that'll provide you the guidance to say, "I want to do this" or "I want to see that"—and that's all a part of this conversation. So, yes, that is expected, Commissioner Nakama—and very helpful as well. Page 26