HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0451.002 2002-2004 •.r w y
~~J- .s
Harry Kim - ~ Darryl J. Oliveira
MaYOr Fire Chief
a,;i-d1,d':+s Desmond K. Wery
Depury Fire Chief
~uurttp of ~abnai`i
FIRE DEPARTMENT
25 Aupuni Street • Sui[e 103 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 ~
(808)961-8297 • Fax (808)961-8296 s
L7 -n
n ~ ~r
February 3, 2004 z ~ ~ -
~
r 3 -
- ~
Mr. James Y. Arakaki ~ ~
Chairman and Presiding Officer ~ w
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, HI 96720
Deaz Councilman Arakaki,
RE: BILLS 208 AND 216
I would like to express my regrets and inform you that we may not be able to
provide a department representative for the scheduled County Council meeting on
Wednesday, February 4, 2004. I am currently attending an Executive Planning training
course at the National Fire Academy in Maryland, and both the Deputy Fire Chief and
our Auxiliary Services Officer are directly involved with the coordination of numerous
internal recruitments as well as the selection of new hires. I realize that two issues on the
agenda pertain to our department; however, I believe that these same issues were
discussed in a recent Finance Committee hearing.
I am confident that the members of the Council understand and support the
proposed changes to the County Code regarding the establishment and ratification or
recognition of our Volunteer Fire Stations. The primazy goal of the proposed changes are
to change the existing language to reflect the proper context and titles of the direction and
oversight of the volunteer program, specifically changing the position of authority to the
Fire Chief rather than Fire Department Chief Engineer (a position that does not exist),
and the recognition and ratification of the currently existing and active volunteer stations.
The second issue or item on the agenda that pertains to the Fire Department is
related to a Capital Improvement Project that would involve the testing of a previously
installed water supply and hydrant system in the Kaumana City Subdivision and the
possibility of placing this system in service to provide a fire protection water supply.
Since the Finance Committee hearing on this issue, both the Fire Department and Water
Supply Departments have been working with Council Member Tulang and the
~Ptl COG
ya
Gomm. No. .r~.2 <
Ref. Tot PceseetW 1
Ref. Dgte
Mr. James Y. Arakaki
Page 2
February 3, 2004
Legislative Auditor's office to establish the ground work for this project. A tentative
plan has been proposed that will include a partnership between the two departments and
the system owner as well as the owner of a nearby water supply source to conduct a
preliminary test of the system.
Although I can truly appreciate the significance of our active participation and
presence, I hope that this information maybe useful. Again, I apologize for our absence
and assure the Council that this type of situation will be a rarity.
Sin ely,
C~~
DARK L OLIVEIRA
Fire Chief
DO:Ik