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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03.24.22. COG Commission. Minutes - Approved COST OF GOVERNMENT COMMISSION c/o Office of the Mayor, 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603  Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720  COST OF GOVERNMENT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES March 24, 2022 INTERACTIVE CONFERENCE TECHNOLOGY (ICT): ZOOMGOV CALL TO ORDER \[2:00 p.m.\] Chair Konowicz called the meeting to order with quorum. ATTENDANCE Present: D9 Michael Konowicz, Chair D1 Neal Herbert, Vice Chair D2 Matthias Kusch D4 Madie Greene D5 Shannon Matson D6 Kenneth Obenski D7 Daniel Malakie III D8 Karie Wakat ----- ----- Vacant: D3 Additional: Robert Command, Deputy Managing Director \[Arrived 2:30 pm\] Dakota Frenz for Malia Kekai, Deputy Corporation Counsel Steven Hunt, Deputy Finance Director \[Present for a portion of the meeting\] Pomai Bartolome, Executive Assistant \[Arrived 2:20 pm\] Jeannie Miskovich, COG Secretary – Officer of the Mayor CALL TO ORDER \[2:00 p.m.\] Chair Konowicz called the meeting to order with quorum. INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS \[2:02\] Steven Hunt, Deputy Director, Department of Finance STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC None \[2:02\] APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM MARCH 10, 2022 Discussion: Comm. Herbert – Seeks an amendment to the minutes on AGENDA ITEM 12 by adding, “Commissioner Neal Herbert will attend County Council Budget meetings and brief the Commission on key takeaways.” Commissioners agree with the amendment. Comm. Kusch moved to approve the March 10, 2022 minutes as amended Comm. Matson Seconded the Motion. Discussion: Comm. Greene did not attend the 3/10/22 meeting and will abstain Roll Call Vote: Ayes: (7) (1) Madie Greene- Abstained \[2:05\] 3/24/2022 Minutes approved as amended \[2:06\] PRESENTATIONS Agenda Items 6(a) 6(a) Presentation and overview of County of Hawai‘i Department of Finance (relating to IT), Steven Hunt, Deputy Finance Director \[“Electronic Payments” - PowerPoint presentation on file\] Discussion / Q&A: Relating to the presentation and specific questions relating to the following: (ehawaii.gov) State on-line solution to universal fees, avoiding procurement on behalf of the County, was implemented as a one stop shop online platform for state and county; prohibitive transaction fees; overlap of agencies to implement different payment types \[IT, Finance, and Department /Division Heads\]- Standardization not a realistic goal as each Department has different software. The interface between Departments using cashiering, budget, Finance and Department of Taxation. Discussion / status update on the new TAT tax collection platform. A separate County TAT / Tax Division was created for Hawai‘i County. This Division will eventually have 3 internal control positions in Collection, Compliance and Enforcement. The counties cooperatively purchased an agreement to select a Vendor- Phase 1 has been implemented in Hawai‘i County. \[3:00\] Regarding revenue generation: Recommendations were requested on best methods for collecting and increasing revenue with lease amount of costs on the back end; centralized cashiering locations vs point of sale transactions (all counties currently using iNOVA system). Requested opinions in identifying a “Gold Standard” system; Finance relies on systems input and feedback from the other counties. Discussion of our current relationships with digital fund transfer methods (PayPal, Venmo). Discussion on quantified theft of cash. This seems to be an issue of the past with additional internal controls in place, although there is time expense associated. Discussion on percentage of each method of payment: ACH, personal check, kiosk payments and cash payments (not available); no centralized cashiering system. DMV delays continue due to staffing challenges. Discussion of staggered license plate renewal (State) and day use fees in parks using payments boxes as collection. \[3:14\] PRESENTATIONS Agenda Items 6(b) 6(b) Presentation and overview of Konno v County of Hawai‘i Decision, Malia Kekai, Deputy Corporation Counsel. Presentation tabled to next meeting – 4/14/2022 \[3:20\] COMMUNICATIONS The Public Notice for the Cost of Government Rules Change Meeting is noticed for April 22, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. Discussion: Shall we keep the date as Noticed and hold a special meeting or amend the Notice and add the Rules Change meeting to a later Agenda? Commissioners agree to hold the Rules Change Meeting as Noticed on April 22, 2022, at 2:00 pm. AGENDA ITEMS 7, 8 and 9 \[3:23\] Chair Konowicz called for discussion on how to best proceed with Agenda Items 7, 8 and 9. Discussion of the process in which to engage with the different Departments, including - Utilizing introduction letters to the various Departments to introduce and request information; Assign subcommittees to tackle key areas of inquiry; work together to define issues and cost savings; work to resolve issues. Dakota Frenz, Deputy Corporation Counsel- shared with the Secretary, who then disbursed, Sunshine Law as it related to Subcommittees (PIG) \[3:30\] AGENDA ITEM 7 – Director of Public Works, Ikaika Rodenhurst is invited and will attend the 4/14/22 meeting. Commissioners should send to Chair Konowicz any specific questions for Director Rodenhurst prior to the meeting. \[3:40\] AGENDA ITEM 8 – Regarding Director Ramzi Mansour’s presentation, Commissioners need to understand the Konno Decision(tabled to next meeting) to move forward, as well as a review of the notes/recording of the recent (3/16/22) meeting of the Ka’u Wastewater Community Meeting. (Bobby Command to request a copy), as well as a briefing on the Hawai‘i Earth Recycling Contract. \[3:45\] AGENDA ITEM 9 – Subject matter covered today in the presentation by Steven Hunt. Next action steps: Invite the IT Director, Scott Uehara and Research and Development Director, Douglass Adams to present at a future COGC Meeting. \[4:09\] AGENDA ITEM 10 – Commission with continue to identify the specific issues and the key people to approach, at which time Bobby Command will set up introductions with Chair Konowicz \[4:13\] AGENDA ITEM 11 – Bobby Command to invite Scott Uehara, Director of Information Technology, to the COGC 4/14/22 Meeting AGENDA ITEM 12 – Department of Water Supply is self-funded and operates on User Fees. Bobby Command will introduce Keith Okamoto, Manager-Chief Engineer, Department of Water Supply, to Comm. Malakie. Comm. Malakie will schedule and conduct a fact-finding mission on behalf of the Commission and report back findings. AGENDA ITEM 13 – PONC –Identified Hamana Ventura / Land – Real Property Manager, Finance Department. Bobby Command will introduce Hamana Ventura to Comm. Konowicz. Comm. Konowicz will schedule and conduct a fact-finding mission on behalf of the Commission and report back findings. AGENDA ITEM 14 – Identified John Andoh, Mass Transit Administrator, as a person to request a presentation from at a later meeting of the COGC. AGENDA ITEM 15 - Bobby Command to provide information on the number of active Boards and Commissions to further discuss ways to optimize. \[4:28\] ITEMS TO BE PLACED ON NEXT AGENDA  Presentation and overview by Ikaika Rodenhurst, Director of Department of Public Works  Presentation and overview by Scott Uehara, Director of Information Technology  Presentation and overview by Douglass Adams, Director, Research and Development  Presentation of the Konno v County of Hawai‘i Decision, Malia Kekai, Deputy Corporation Counsel  A review of the 3/16/2022 Ka‘u Wastewater Community Meeting notes  A review of the Hawai‘i Earth Recycling contract \[4:32\] Comm. Kusch made a motion to adjourn Comm. Wakat Seconded the Motion Discussion: None Ayes: (8) Unanimous Meeting adjourned at 4:32 p.m.