Comm. No. 25-05.08 From Del H. Otsuka in Opposition of the Proposed Salary Increases and Commenting on the Proposed Findings of Fact

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Clear documentation of this interpretation is essential to transparency and public trust, especially given the magnitude and timing.of the proposed increases. In that regard, I respectfully request clarity as to whether any approved salary adjustments are intended to apply prospectively only, or whether retroactive application has been considered. Section 13-4(h) of the Hawai'i County Charter, "the affirmative vote of a majority of the entire membership to which a board or commission is entitled shall be necessary to make any action valid..." Workforce Pipeline and Recruitment Realities Last month's report submitted by Human Resources reflected 693 vacancies among the 23 Departments listed. Of those 23 departments listed, two operate 24/7/365; Police and Fire. Together they have 267 vacancies. Parks & Recreation, Public Works and Environmental Management departments together have 191, (although not staffed 24/7, they do have on-call staff). Just these five departments account for 472 of the 693 vacancies; 66% of essential public safety and emergency services. Rather than focusing on raises for ALL department heads across the board, the absence of efficiency and performance metrics MUST be an important criteria. Granted, the police and fire have their own recruitment efforts, but what of the other departments? What has and is being done to address these shortages in their departments less than a year in? I would also like to respectfully address the frequently cited assertion that "no one is applying" for County positions. Through conversations with local workforce development organizations that assist residents-including Native Hawaiian individuals-in preparing for and entering the workforce, I have learned of circumstances that suggest the challenge may lie less with applicant availability and more with the structure of recruitment, placement, and retention practices in the County structure.