HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0671.008 2004-2006 Mtv o• N
Harry Kim r~''y~ ~ William Takaba
Mayor Direcor
:;~h,~ : ' ~ Nancy E. Crawford
Deputy Director
County of Hawaii
Finance Department
25 Aupuni Stree[, Room 118 Hilo, Hawaii 96720
(808)961-8234 Fax (808)961-8248
March 28, 2006
Honorable Stacy Higa, Chairperson and
Members of the County Council
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Re: Bill 214 (Draft 3) Amending Ord. No. 05-86 appropriating General Fund
Balance
Draft 3 of the referenced bill removes funding for several requested items in the
Finance Department budget. The following information is provided to clarify the
reasons for our requests.
Finance Admin & Budget (010.121.5121.02) - $100,000
Bill 214, as submitted, included a request for $100,000 for Finance OCE to pay
for environmental assessments (EA's) of County vacant land. The County is
now required to obtain an environmental assessment prior to sale of vacant
land. We are currently negotiating a contract for such work for five TMK's in the
Pa'auilo area. One additional property in that area and all of the property in the
Kapulena will also require EA's. Because this is a time consuming process, we
would like to contract the work this fiscal year, so the balance of properties can
be sold next fiscal year.
Finance Property Management (010.121.5129.01, 5129.02, 5129.10) - $31,000
Bill 214, as submitted, also included funding for a Property Manager and
Property Management Clerk, as well as equipment and operations costs.
Ordinance 05-85 created the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural
Resources Preservation Fund and Commission under the Department of
Finance. The department is responsible for supporting the Commission with
clerical staff and for providing staff to manage lands acquired and to minimize
use of outside agents. Additionally, activity related to easements,
Comm No. '~•8
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Hawat'! County is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Rf~{, UGte
Bill 214 (Draft 3)
March 28, 2006
Page 2
encroachments, acquisition and disposal of other County properties has grown
to the point that it cannot be properly managed with existing personnel. The
department proposes to establish a Property Management Division to comply
with Ordinance 05-85 and to carry out activities that are currently pertormed by
several different members of the department.
The Finance Department has been incurring expenses for the Public Access,
Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission since they
began meeting in November 2005. Expenditures to-date exceed $3,800. No
funds were included in the current budget due to the timing of the ordinance
creating the commission. Additionally, Corporation Counsel has been
generously diverting staff resources from regular duties in order to provide
support services to the commission.
Resolution 286-06, creating the two Property Management positions, passed
Finance Committee on March 21, 2006. The department is ready to begin
recruitment for the positions as soon as they are created. There is an existing
list of applicants for the Clerk III position and we anticipate filling it in April.
Furniture and equipment will need to be ordered as soon as possible.
Based on the importance and urgency of the referenced budget items, we
request the Council restore the funding as originally included in Bill No. 214.
Please feel free to contact Nancy Crawford or me if you would like additional
information. Thank you.
SinE@rely,
~
Bill Takaba
Director of Finance
cc: Nancy Crawford