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H Kim .r w h~ Dixie Kaetsu 8[I}' "?~b bWaging Dircctnr Mayw IFEC;eYVl9r 11me...~---- 9 HAWAII COUNTY FIRE COMMISSION oO~=3--Ia-q1°~ GO 101 AUpwi Street A323, Hilo. Hawaii 96"20 County Wundl Plvme: %1-8301 eat 23 Fu: %1-8622 March 29, 2005 Testimony for the Finance Committee, Hawaii County Council by Stephen Bowles Dear Council Members, The Hawaii County Fire Commission has a duty to comment on the Fire Department Budget to the Council. As the outgoing Chair of the HFC Budget committee. I am offering the following comments on behalf of the Commission. Attached are a set of graphs and tables, which have been updated since last years budget period. The information we review is based on the HFC adoption of the Strategic Plan as prepared by the Fire Chief. The budget submitted before you for the Fire Department is the approved budget of the Administration. As indicated in the tables and the Real Property Tax revenue graph, the adopted Strategic Plan budget has not been met in the Administration budget before you. We point this out to emphasize the objective the HFC set out to achieve, namely meeting National Standards of Fire and EMS service. Last year we indicated that if the general fund portion of budget for the Fire Department was set for the time being at 11.5°/D of Real Property Tax revenue, we could meet the objectives set forth in the strategic Plan. We have recommended a total budget in the second table which uses projections based on the 11.5% which prevents loosing ground in the Strategic Plan. We have made progress but we aren't there yet as we continue to expand the shortfall. Additionally, the Fire Commission requests that any inclusion of the Lifeguards within the Fire Department must be accompanied with budget transfers. Thank you for the opportunity to present these comments. Comm. No. ~ Z • 27 Ref. To: r~~e~M~/ n": f a'e