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HAWAII COUNTY CHARTER COMMISSIONPage 22 of 51
<br />kind of work but a lot of the actual engineering review and inspection goes on by Public Works right
<br />now.
<br />RAY: George.
<br />MARTIN: Thank you, sir. Russell, you made mention about this Kona operation, and it being
<br />implemented because of necessity, lack of monies and what have you. I commend you folks for doing it
<br />and, if in fact, it is working in the manner in which you’re saying it is, I think this kind of information
<br />should be brought back to wherever it needs to be brought back, and disseminated, so that it can be used
<br />in the Hilo operations, if in fact, we do move forward, and that’s just a comment.
<br />Second comment is I think what was being touched upon by Kevin, if in fact, you need to increase
<br />people to increase efficiency, the public would have no problem with that, as long as they see the
<br />efficient effect of it, so to reduce numbers doesn’t always necessarily mean it’s going to be the efficient
<br />way to do it. As been mentioned, though, as time goes on, people get better at their jobs. May not have
<br />to refill the positions, but let’s not cut to be cutting, okay? Thank you.
<br />RAY: Other comments? Sue, did you have something?
<br />IRVINE: Yes. You folks were talking about having combined these things in Kona, and you didn’t need
<br />a Charter revision, although we do need a Charter revision if we’re really going to do this County wide
<br />because our Planning Department Chapter is so spelled out about what the Planning Department is in
<br />charge of. The Public Works Department has very few things listed that it’s in charge of, and I think
<br />there’s an inconsistency in our Charter. If we could just simplify, I mean we’re going to have to take a
<br />bunch out of Planning anyway, if we do this. Is that correct? Is that your understanding of it? Section 5-
<br />4.2, probably (e), (f), (g), (h) would go.
<br />GOLDSTEIN: There is a reason why the Planning functions are clearly listed, and I think, that also goes
<br />for Finance and Corporation Counsel. These are your agencies that are your line agencies, whereas
<br />things like Public Works and Parks and Recreation are really your staff. They don’t come under the
<br />purview of, or the direct supervision of the Mayor, and essentially, also serve County Council. They are
<br />staff and they are managed by the Managing Director. There is a difference in the overall function for
<br />these three, and that’s why, I think, there is a difference in the description of the functions of the
<br />agencies. So, I’d be real careful about what all we make changes.
<br />IRVINE: I have here the Model County Charter, Revised Edition, from the National Civic League,
<br />which does talk - I mean there is a difference between those two kinds of departments, but it says the
<br />staff departments, Finance, Personnel, Planning and Law, likewise, should be covered by administrative
<br />code, generally. As a general statement, I think we have a lot of stuff in here you folks probably should
<br />have been able to do something like this without us having to redo the County Charter.
<br />RAY: Gary.
<br />YOSHIYAMA: Following up on what Sue is saying, and I guess, the more I hear, the more I’m leaning
<br />towards, and I’m going to ask you to comment on this, something like what the City and County of
<br />Honolulu has, Virginia, that you brought up the last time, was having the Charter enable the Mayor to
<br />reorganize, or organize. However, even under the City and County of Honolulu, the Mayor could not do
<br />that with the Planning Department. It wasn’t called the Planning Department, but they needed a Charter
<br />Amendment to do that, so I guess what I’m asking for comment on is a Charter Amendment which
<br />would allow even the Mayor to make changes within the Planning Department. Something broad rather
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