2025-11-17 Salary Commission Public Hearing Minutes

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Salary Commission November 17, 2025 indicator that there’s some internal issues in that department because you wouldn’t have that kind of numbers if it was good. So, I’m saying, before we can give raises—and it seems to be across-the-board—every head will get the same amount of raises without even validating or even performing or showing us some kind of results to the problems that each department have. So, I think it’s—if the departments not doing well, then that department head should not be getting a raise. And in each department, you have your mid-management people who are not subject to the Salary Commissions or even union negotiations. So, they’re the ones—if they’re transferring out it’s because nobody’s representing them and their subordinates will be making more than—via overtime. So, I think it’s not only focusing on the top officials but the mid-management who get no representation. And so, that was one of my—and as I mentioned, of the 695 vacancies in the County—the Police, the Fire, the Parks and Rec., Public Works, Department of Environmental Management, Water Supply—account for 577 vacancies. And of the list of employees that are there that supposed to be filled—who’s to say that that’s the true number because of that number of employees, you have people out on workers’ comp., extended sick leave, military leave, or deployments—so, it’s not a clear picture—so that 577 vacancies become more because the operations are not being covered because there’s nobody. So, all I’m saying is before you even—you must have already—but before you take a vote on it, please consider every department head should be held accountable for their department. They don’t get a blanket raise because everybody else does and because we’re piggy-backing off of the union bargaining agreements—because we’re none—they’re negotiating for wages, better benefits—they’re not negotiating for executive raises. So, this is where I find that the rationale for taking the bargaining unit position on their raises to apply to the officials here, I don’t think it’s fair—and so that. And I submitted, just so you know—I submitted that jurisdiction to show the different counties and the pay that they’re getting. So, I think it’s a lot. I do. And so, I’m just saying, before we even approve it or maybe hold off until you have a full complement of commissioners, so that every district is represented by them—and so, their people can talk to them, so they can come to you—I mean, so you can come to us and say that, “You know what, we can’t all agree”—because District 4, District 6—you have to represent them—and they’re not always going to participate. So, I’m just saying. And before I close— CHR. PAVAO: You’re going to have to wrap it up, and we’ll give you another 30 seconds. MS. OTSUKA: Yeah, okay. So, in closing, my request is simply that the Commission consider aligning all proposed salaries and in future raises, the performance standards that demonstrate efficiency, leadership, service to the public, and fairness to the employees that they manage. So, in doing so, we affirm the County’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and responsible Page 6