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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0124.000 2002-2004AL KONISHI County Clerk JAY MENDE Deputy County Clerk February 3, 2003 County of Hawai `i Office of the County Clerk 25 Aupuni .Street Hilo. Hawai `i 96720 Telephone: (808) 961-8386 Facsimile: (808) 961-8572 To: Chairman James Y. Arakaki And Council Members From: Erika Yamamoto ,Q,I/� Legislative Assistan Via: Connie Kiriu Legislative Audi or Re: Cost of Government Commission .. CONSTANCE R. KIRIU Legislative Auditor (CORRECTED COM. 124) This is to provide more information about the Hawaii County Charter Commission's intent of establishing the Cost of Government Commission. We reviewed the Charter Commission's minutes and spoke with Charter Commission Chair John Ray and Charter Commission Counsel Chris Yuen to learn the following: The Hawaii Charter Commission members suggested adding the Cost of Government Commission to the County Charter based on an idea that originated from the Maui County Charter, which states: "Section 8-15.1. Declaration of Policy. It is declared to be the policy of the county to promote economy, efficiency and improve service in the transaction of the public business in the legislative and executive branches of the county by: 1. Limiting expenditures to the lowest amount consistent with the efficient performance of essential services, activities and functions. 2. Eliminating duplication and overlapping of services, activities, and functions. 3. Consolidating services, activities and functions of a similar nature. 4. Abolishing services, activities and functions not necessary to the efficient conduct of government. Section 8-15.2. Cost of Government Commission. For the purpose of carrying out the policy set forth herein the mayor with the approval of the council shall biennially appoint a cost of government commission consisting of nine members. Comm. No. File No. R.-CIAW Ref. To: Pir'56"� PG Ref. nate FEB_ 4 2003 Each such commission shall: 1. Prepare and submit to the mayor a request for an appropriation for the operation of the commission 2. Study and investigate the organizations and methods of operations of all departments, commissions, boards, offices and other instrumentality of all branches of the county government and determine what changes, if any, may be desirable to accomplish the policy set forth herein. 3. Be authorized to secure directly from any department, commission, board, office or any other instrumentalities of all branches of the county government or from any individual officer or employee of the county, information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics necessary to carry out its duties 4. Submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the mayor and council not later than eleven (11) months after its appointment. (Amended 1988) Section 8-15.3 Term of Commission. Members of the cost of government commission shall serve for staggered terms of two (2) years, with an initial appointment of four members to serve two (2) year terms and five members to serve one (1) year terms. A member may be reappointed, but shall not serve on the commission for more than a total of four (4) years." The language that eventually was proposed by the Hawai'i County Charter Commission and adopted by the voters reads: "Section 5-2.1. Declaration of Policy. It is declared to be the policy of the county to promote economy, efficiency and improve service in the transaction of the public business in the legislative and executive branches of the county by: 1. Limiting expenditures to the lowest amount consistent with the efficient performance of essential services, activities and functions. 2. Eliminating duplication and overlapping of services, activities, and functions. 3. Consolidating services, activities and functions of a similar nature. 4. Abolishing services, activities and functions not necessary to the efficient conduct of government. Section 5-2.2. Cost of Government Commission. For the purpose of carrying out the policy set forth herein the mayor with the approval of the council shall appoint a cost of government commission consisting of nine members. One member shall be a resident of each council district. The managing director shall be an ex -officio member of the commission. The office of the mayor shall provide administrative and clerical services to the commission. Each commission shall: 1. Prepare and submit to the mayor a request for an appropriation for the operation of the commission. 2. Study and investigate the organizations and methods of operations of all departments, commissions, boards, offices and other instrumentalities of all branches of the county government and determine what changes, if any, may be desireable to accomplish the policy set forth herein. 3. Be authorized to secure directly from any department, commission, board, office or any other instrumentalities of all branches of the county government or from 2 any individual officer or employee of the county, information, suggestions, estimates and statistics necessary to carry out its duties. 4. Submit a report of its findings and recoomendations to the mayor, managing director and council not later than eleven months after its appointment. Section 5-2.3 Term of Commission. The commission members shall be appointed to terms starting one year after the beginning of the term of the mayor, and lasting eleven months."[emphasis added] Noting the major differences, Mr. Ray and Mr. Yuen recall that the Hawaii County Charter language was written to give the new mayor a year to get started, then to appoint a commission. The commission was to complete the work and give a report to the mayor within eleven months so that the recommendations could be incorporated in the next budget. The commission's recommendations could be implemented in the final two years of the mayoral term. The idea was to have a short-term commission meeting more intensively within a shorter period, which would cut down on cost and time. The commission and its members were not meant to exist through the four-year term of a mayor. If you have any questions, please call Erika at Extension 8564. Thank you. 3 AL KONISHI County Clerk JAY MENDE Deputy County Clerk February 3, 2003 County of Hawad `l Office of the County Clerk 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Telephone: (808) 961-8386 Facsimile: (808) 961-8572 To: Chairman James Y. Arakaki And Council Members From: Erika Yamamoto Legislative Assistan Via: Connie Kiriu Legislative Audi or Re: Cost of Government Commission CONSTANCE R. KIRIU Legislative Auditor ( CORRECTED C012-51. 124 ) This is to provide more information about the Hawaii County Charter Commission's intent of establishing the Cost of Government Commission. We reviewed the Charter Commission's minutes and spoke with Charter Commission Chair John Ray and Charter Commission Counsel Chris Yuen to learn the following: The Hawaii Charter Commission members suggested adding the Cost of Government Commission to the County Charter based on an idea that originated from the Maui County Charter, which states: "Section 8-15.1. Declaration of Policy. It is declared to be the policy of the county to promote economy, efficiency and improve service in the transaction of the public business in the legislative and executive branches of the county by: 1. Limiting expenditures to the lowest amount consistent with the efficient performance of essential services, activities and functions. 2. Eliminating duplication and overlapping of services, activities, and functions. 3. Consolidating services, activities and functions of a similar nature. 4. Abolishing services, activities and functions not necessary to the efficient conduct of government. Section 8-15.2. Cost of Government Commission. For the purpose of carrying out the policy set forth herein the mayor with the approval of the council shall biennially appoint a cost of government commission consisting of nine members. comm. Ic! File Ref. To: . In t. %t-, FEB 4 200 Each such commission shall: 1. Prepare and submit to the mayor a request for an appropriation for the operation of the commission 2. Study and investigate the organizations and methods of operations of all departments, commissions, boards, offices and other instrumentality of all branches of the county government and determine what changes, if any, may be desirable to accomplish the policy set forth herein. 3. Be authorized to secure directly from any department, commission, board, office or any other instrumentalities of all branches of the county government or from any individual officer or employee of the county, information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics necessary to carry out its duties 4. Submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the mayor and council not later than eleven (11) months after its appointment. (Amended 1988) Section 8-15.3 Terra of Commission. Members of the cost of government commission shall serve for staggered terms of two (2) years, with an initial appointment of four members to serve two (2) year terms and five members to serve one (1) year terms. A member may be reappointed, but shall not serve on the commission for more than a total of four (4) years." The language that eventually was proposed by the Hawaii County Charter Commission and adopted by the voters reads: "Section 5-2.1. Declaration of Policy. It is declared to be the policy of the county to promote economy, efficiency and improve service in the transaction of the public business in the legislative and executive branches of the county by: 1. Limiting expenditures to the lowest amount consistent with the efficient performance of essential services, activities and functions. 2. Eliminating duplication and overlapping of services, activities, and functions. 3. Consolidating services, activities and functions of a similar nature. 4. Abolishing services, activities and functions not necessary to the efficient conduct of government. Section 5-2.2. Cost of Government Commission. For the purpose of carrying out the policy set forth herein the mayor with the approval of the council shall appoint a cost of government commission consisting of nine members. One member shall be a resident of each council district. The managing director shall be an ex -officio member of the commission. The office of the mayor shall provide administrative and clerical services to the commission. Each commission shall: 1. Prepare and submit to the mayor a request for an appropriation for the operation of the commission. 2. Study and investigate the organizations and methods of operations of all departments, commissions, boards, offices and other instrumentalities of all branches of the county government and determine what changes, if any, may be desireable to accomplish the policy set forth herein. 3. Be authorized to secure directly from any department, commission, board, office or any other instrumentalities of all branches of the county government or from 2 any individual officer or employee of the county, information, suggestions, estimates and statistics necessary to carry out its duties. 4. Submit a report of its findings and recoomendations to the mayor, managing director and council not later than eleven months after its appointment. Section 5-2.3 Term of Commission. The commission members shall be appointed to terms starting one year after the beizinninR of the term of the mayor, and lasting eleven months."[emphasis added] Noting the major differences, Mr. Ray and Mr. Yuen recall that the Nawai'i County Charter language was written to give the new mayor a year to get started, then to appoint a commission. The commission was to complete the work and give a report to the mayor within eleven months so that the recommendations could be incorporated in the next budget. The commission's recommendations could be implemented in the final two years of the mayoral term. The idea was to have a short-term commission meeting more intensively within a shorter period, which would cut down on cost and time. The commission and its members were not meant to exist through the four-year term of a mayor. If you have any questions, please call Erika at Extension 8564. Thank you. 3