2025-09-26 Merit Appeal Board Minutes

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Merit Appeals Board September 26, 2025 CHR. CABANAS: Okay. So, what I am proposing to my fellow Board members is that we review this—there are certain parts that I think have not changed, but there are parts that need to be updated. And if it’s okay with the Board, maybe we can do—have a motion to have the—to request of the Director to update it for us, especially, like Number 2, “How many employees does the department have?” And overtime requirements—Number 6; the budget—Number 4; and Number 5—the challenges. I’d like to see the challenges be more specific for the department because what Danny did was he just picked up language from the responsibilities of the division. And, to me, that does not give the Salary Commission a better picture of the challenges facing the department. Is budget a challenge? Overtime a challenge? The recruiting, a challenge? Definitely, yes. Be more specific so that they can appreciate what your department, Sommer, is going through. MS. BOND: I would also put in there the whole thing about the updating and changing over the system, ʻcause thatʻs been a giant— CHR. CABANAS: Yes. MS. BOND: —(inaudible) youʻve had to deal with and that’s a heavy lift. CHR. CABANAS: Yes. Absolutely. ʻCause anytime you have a new system—I know myself, Iʻve gone through it—itʻs never perfect. They sell you on it that it sounds really ideal, but when you start testing it, you find out all these bugs or defects. And then, the vendor has to make it how you want it to be, so it will be a smooth transition. And so—yeah, it’s never perfect. And to spell out—like out of 354 scenarios you tested, what percentage—was it 50% with defects? So that they see it and they can appreciate what you folks are going through, and thatʻs the purpose of this. If you give them a very general summary of what you’re going through, they’re not going to get it. And it’s not going to be helpful for your department. So, just give it to them—I don’t mean to say it—“give it”—but you know what I mean. Share it, specifically, so that they will value, “Oh, wow, they’re really going through some hard times over there”—and can appreciate what you folks are going through. Yeah. MS. TOKIHIRO: So, just to clarify your request—we’ll put together—we’ll address what we believe the challenges are for the department and we will submit that to the Board. And then, the Board is going to do a response letter? CHR. CABANAS: Yeah. MS. TOKIHIRO: Okay. So would you, actually, like us to draft a letter on your behalf or just the challenges that we’re facing? CHR. CABANAS: No, you can draft it. In fact, if you want to follow this format— Page 16