2025-07-18 Merit Appeals Board Minutes

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Merit Appeals Board July 18, 2025 MS. GIBO: Right. CHR. CABANAS: Will she still be your assistant? MS. GIBO: No. So, I have a different assistant. I’ll forward that information to Glynis as well, so she has it. CHR. CABANAS: Okay, great. Thanks so much. MS. GIBO: All right. Thank you all. Bye. RECESS: At 10:32 a.m. the Chair called for a recess. RECONVENE: The meeting reconvened at 10:37 a.m. in open session. Meet and Greet Department Of Human Resources Employees CHR. CABANAS: Good morning, Sommer and Staff, of the Department of Human Resources. We have four Board members present. We have one vacancy on the Board, which we’re waiting for the Administration to nominate to the County Council for confirmation. But I’m Gabriella Cabanas, I’m the Chair of the Merit Appeals Board, and I worked for the department for many years. I’m retired almost seven years and trying to give back to the County for a wonderful career that I had. Seated to my immediate left is Ms. Suzi Bond, you can say a little bit about yourself, Suzi. MS. BOND: I have never worked for the County of Hawai ʿ i as an employee, but I have worked with the Hawai ʿ i County Civil Defense since 2008 with recovery and preparedness, and I also run a non-profit theatre company just for fun. I’m currently retired. CHR. CABANAS: And then, next we have Mr. Gilbert Aguinaldo—and this is actually Gilbert’s first meeting today and that’s why we thought—because we have new members, it’s a good time for the Board to meet with all of you and then you can see who we are as well. So, Gilbert. MR. AGUINALDO: Aloha, my name Gilbert Aguinaldo. I’m a resident here in Hawai ʿ i. I was a former Windward Planning Commissioner for our County of Hawai ʿ i for about four—a little over four years, under two Mayors—Mayor Kim and Mayor Roth. And, yeah, it’s good to be back serving again here for our County of Hawai ʿ i. Thank you. CHR. CABANAS: Thank you, Gilbert. And to my far right is Mr. Daniel—we call him “Niel” Thomas. Page 26