2011-08-23 Fire Commission Minutes - Special Meeting

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Testimony of Curt Oishi: Good Morning. Thank you Commission for letting me share. My name is Curt Oishi, I wasn’t quite prepared for this, this morning but I just wanted to share with all of you just a few things that I thought was important for the next Chief to have. Obviously, I’m a member of the Fire Department for 20 years as a paramedic and driver and I’ve been in the EMS profession for 23 years so that is where my knowledge is coming from. Anyway, you have a hard choice in front of you, you have a list of accomplished candidates so I feel for you guys, but it is a tough decision, but there are two important considerations in choosing the Fire Chief and the first one would be our fire engines, our equipment, in my opinion, that’s probably the most important part of the fire service and aside from grants, I’d like you guys to find out how the new Fire Chief would obtain funding, how they’d go about it and other ideas, other than grants because obviously, this is where we are today. And the second point that I’d like to share with you is that the new Fire Chief should have a solid grasp of EMS being that we are an EMS based or we have the EMS contract and so that person should have at least the highest level of training in the EMS profession. That’s about it, that, those are the important points to me. I have several favorite candidates but I won’t share that. Chairman Taniguchi noted that there being no other public testimony in open session, he would entertain a motion to move into Executive Session. At 9:09 a.m., Commissioner Robinson moved to go into Executive Session to consider the hire and/or evaluation of applicants for the position of Fire Chief, where consideration of matter affecting privacy will be involved, to deliberate or make decisions upon matters that require the consideration of information that must be kept confidential pursuant to a state or federal law, or a court order and a closed session is requested to consult with Corporation Counsel on questions and issues pertaining to the commission’s powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and liabilities. (Pursuant to HRS 92-5(a)(2) and (a)(4) and Hawai‘i County Charter Section 13-20(b)). The motion was seconded by Commissioner Henkel and carried unanimously by voice vote. At 5:14 p.m., Chairman Taniguchi called the Regular Session meeting back to order. RECESS Chairman Taniguchi stated he would entertain a motion to recess this meeting until Thursday, August 25, 2011. th Commissioner Namahoe moved to recess this meeting to Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. at the West Hawai‘i Civic Center, Council Room, Building A, 74-5044 Ane KeohokāloleHighway, Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i 96740. The motion was seconded Commissioner Moku and carried unanimously by voice vote. 3