2006-12-07 Cost of Government Commission Minutes

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6. DISCUSSION /ACTION ON ITEMS TO ADD TO FINAL REPORT BASED ON PRESENTATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Mr. Sakaguchi asked how they should handle the issue about grant - writing support, as what Ms. Testa said and what other departments said are different. Ms. Nicholson said they had held off making a recommendation on the grant- writing issue because they needed to hear what R &D's role was, which has now been clarified. Grant writing goes back to the individual departments rather than to R &D. She saw no recommendations to add to their list from the presentation today. Ms. Provalenko agreed. The Chair said that if there were no objection, he wanted to complete the old business, agenda items 8 through 10, before going on to item 7, which was new business. 8. DISCUSSION ON INCLUDING IN FINAL DRAFT OF REPORT THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS: Department of Environmental Management: Recommend hiring an additional engineer (or exploring the position and having a long -term plan to fund it, or having a long -term vision plan). Motion and Vote: Ms. Nicholson moved to recommend that the Department of Environmental Management define the job duties to justify hiring an additional engineer. Ms. Provalenko seconded the motion. There was no discussion. Voting aye on the motion were Ms. Nicholson, Ms. Provalenko, Mr. Sakaguchi, and the Chair. Mr. Joseph voted against the motion. b. Department of Environmental Management: Acquire the Computerized Maintenance Management System. Motion: Ms. Nicholson said there needed to be a computerized maintenance management system for all departments and County equipment. She moved that they recommend that there needs to be such a system for all County equipment. Ms. Provalenko seconded the motion. Discussion: Mr. Joseph asked for the system to be explained. Ms. Nicholson said that from what she remembered, DEM did not have a system in place to remind them of when a vehicle or equipment needed servicing, and this resulted in equipment breakdown. They needed a system which told them when to replace various parts of equipment. Mr. Joseph said there should be maintenance logs like most people have for their cars, and Mr. Sakaguchi said that it needs to be computerized so that someone does not have to write things down. The computer system would be a reminder system. He said it is a good recommendation and could apply to copiers, computers, and everything.