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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-03-12 Fire Commission Minutes HAWAII COUNTY FIRE COMMISSION REGULAR SESSION - MINUTES March 12, 2003 Old Post Office Space Keauhou Shopping Center Kailua-Kona, HI CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Commissioner Neil Brazier at 10:00 am. ROLL CALL: PRESENT:ALSO PRESENT: Stephen BowlesCurtis Matsui Neil BrazierDarryl Oliveira Dale FergerstromMartha Rodillas Rudolph HartNoni Sanford Louis KaoiwiRon Sanford Karen MaedoJoe Whitney Laura Ward Terry Wallace ABSENT: Natalie Flattes A quorum was present. STATEMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS None. APPROVAL OF MEETING PROCEEDINGS Commissioner Maedo moved to accept the February 12, 2003, regular & executive session minutes. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Hart a carried. APPROVAL OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS Commissioner Kaoiwi moved to accept communication numbers 03-06 through 03-12. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Bowles and unanimously c 1 CHIEFÓS REPORT Budget: Hearing before the Finance Committee to review the budget will be on March 13; the Chief has been meeting with each Council member briefing them regarding the budget of the HFD. Grants: the next phase of USFA grants application process is forthcoming. Critical equipment has been identified - communication, volunteers, etc. The SCBA Unit evaluation process has been completed. Working on the process of personal protection equipment. Homeland Security grants are coming through the Department of Civil Defense. Working with Pat Arthur and being aggressive. The 2003 CDBG program for the design of the Pahoa (design) fire station has been approved and recommended for funding. Hearings have been set fo May 7. There is land in Pahoa that can be used; would also like to include a landing zone. Adequate space for training and helicopter usage is neces location provides a 5-mile coverage area for people in the lower CIP: bond float hearing held last Friday with the County Council. Commissioner BowlesÓ testimony was appreciated in speaking on behalf of the HFD. There may be a need for more than $2.5 million. The Chief met with Dan Bolto Dudley Akama and reviewed the status of the project. Plans to include a police sub- station. Working with architect Oda McCarty for plan finalization. Promotions & hiring: recruit classes will start next week Monday. Training program moving ahead. Expediting the hiring of dispatchers and mechanics. Operations division: did finalize the SCBA units. Did a submittal of standardization to the committee for standardization. HOVE truck arrived; working on training. Positions to be filled subject to budget approval. Would like to start staffing the unit in July. The vehicle will be parked at the volunteer station until a permanent structure is completed. Volunteers are an essential of the Department. Prevention bureau: continuing with 2 new inspectors. Have been providing training opportunities for them, examples include arson investigation; building construction for fire service, etc. Training division: recruit class start on Monday. Fire Captains are working on training. A modular curriculum is being worked on. Physical fitness is being brought back to the program. Volunteer division: met last night with Puuanahulu to get their program up and running, however there is no vehicle available. When the station was built, there was no knowledge of the station being erected. Working on getting them organized and trained, and will issue personal protection equipment. 2 Fire Auxiliary Services Division: microwave project continues to move forward; assisting the other departments/agencies. Encountering some problems regarding environmental assessment that need to be done. The HFD is staying active with respect to new technology. New projects: working on obtaining a server to network the computers - starting with 5 stations. Also, working on a records management system. Department of Data Systems are very supportive. Captain Curtis Matsui will be doing a presentation on a strategic plan survey to get feedback from the HFC. There will be a recognition awards dinner this Sunday - hope to make this an annual event. EMS Division: 5 EMTÓs took the exam and are waiting for the results. Public Relations: EMS week coming up. Keiki run and fun run com more information to be provided. Several Kona personnel received community awards. Restrooms in Kona were refurbished. Chief Oliveira expressed that he would be against the Fire and Police CommissionÓs merging Î as recommended by the Cost of Government Commission. Commissioner Kaoiwi stated that the HFD Administration and dispatch offices should look at the space next to HPD - across the St. JosephÓs School g Chief Oliveira commented that Central Fire was built in 1938 and is in dire need of a replacement. There is not enough space to put both operations next to HPD. Looking for a favorable site with public visibility and easy access. Captain Curtis Matsui did a brief presentation of their strategic planning process. A ÐSWATÑ (strengths, weaknesses, analysis, and threats) survey was distributed to all Commissioners to complete. The HFC was thanked for the excellent choice of Darryl Oliveira as fire chief. Chief Oliveira has worked very hard. Chief Oliveira has selected a great Deputy Chief. The promotion process, strategic planning, fire alternate funding, is a huge process. Included in this process are core values; mi strategic focuses; financial effectiveness; training; and education. Captain Matsui passed out Ðmagic malasadasÑ and asked the Commis the treat. Consuming the entire malasada must be done Ðone bite at a timeÑ. This is the same concept for the strategic planning process and to tackle the problems and challenges that faces the Fire Department. Each process must be taken Ðone step at a timeÑ. Financial effectiveness is a broad area. Funds are scarce and we need to learn how to utilize the funds most effectively. Data must be gathered, compiled and analyzed. Questions to be asked of ourselves: ÐAre we spending more per capita? Are we spending the same?Ñ The management team will meet in April to continue the strategic planning process. 3 Captain Matsui stated that a public education and public relations sub committee has been formulated to conduct an external survey. We need to find out what the public thinks about the Fire Department. Positive and negative feedback is important as well as improvements needed, etc. A public survey will be distributed to 1,000 people. The ÐSWATÑ will help the focus of the strategic planning process. The leadership training that was provided was excellent. Captain Matsui asked all Commissioners to complete the survey and to turn it in at the next HFC meeting. He asked the HFC to look at the survey from a consumerÓs point of view. Captain Matsui explained the survey form and how to complete the form. The evaluation information will be gathered and the information will be compiled. The HFD wants to get the HFC involved in the strategic planning process. The distribution of the survey to the public will be done by distributing it to several Mart and Costco have agreed to distribute the survey to their employees, complete the survey, and return it to the HFD. There will not be any telephone surveys done. Captain Matsui stated that there has been some problem solving committees formed. Through strong decisive leadership, the process can be expedited. There are regional differences to be considered. 500 surveys will be distributed on the West Side of the island and 500 surveys will be distributed for the East Side. T cross section of the publicÓs view. A suggestion was made for i newspaper for those interested persons. Captain Matsui stated that there are about 15-17 members of the administration that participate in the strategic planning process. This process is never finished and is an on-going process. The power of communication should never be under estimated. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Evaluation of Fire Chief Î A summary of everyoneÓs evaluation was distributed to each commissioner. A letter will be done to the Mayor who will ChiefÓs evaluation process. The HFC is very pleased with Chief OliveiraÓs job. COMMITTEE REPORTS Budget & Finance (Bowles/Hart) Commissioner Bowles stated that a real property evaluation is being done. Office Management and Staffing (Fergerstrom/Wallace) none Rules and Policies (Kaoiwi/Flattes) none Public Relations (Ward) Commissioner Ward sated that the Sayre foundationÓs dinner is on April 12 at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. More inform forthcoming. HFC members are encouraged to attend. 4 NEW BUSINESS Review of Salary Commission Presentation re Fire AdministratorÓs salary Î Commissioner Brazier sent letter to Salary Commission (SC) Chair Sanborn. The SCÓs next meeting is next week Friday. The SC is in agreement to raise the Fire ChiefÓs salary. The SC may feel that they possibly raised the police chiefÓs salary too high and are afraid to make the same mistake. The SC agrees that the Fire Chief does a good job. The SC was impressed by the chiefÓs prog Commissioner Maedo stated that Mike BenÓs point was well taken. There needs to be framework for the pay raises. The police went about the business the old way. Attendance at the SC meetings is important. Enough information has been provided. Consistent presence at the SC meetings is critical. The Chiefs will be interviewed. It was decided years ago that they would all be paid the same because they are all very important. Representation from the HFD is important. A process needs to be created and followed. Each Fire Commissioner can co members. Commissioner Brazier stated that he spoke to a Salary Commissioner and the SC is taking flack for giving the police chief a high raise. Commissioner Maedo stated that the HFC needs to be patient. The SC will meet in April @ 1:30 p.m. Î Civil Service conference room. Ron Sanford spoke in support of the Fire Chief and positively about the HFC. Letter to Karen Maedo from Cost of Government Commission (COG) Î The recommendation of COG has not been received well by the HFC. Th recommending merging the HPC & HFC together. The COGÓs decision justified. The COG has problems with member attendance at meetings. The COG is confused and has contradicted themselves. Their recommendation is not complete. Combining both commissions to form a Ðpublic safety commissionÑ is not a good idea. Commissioner Brazier will do a letter to the Mayor Further review of revised Strategic Plan Î none needed; still on-going. MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION It was moved by Commissioner Maedo that the Fire Commission go into executive session pursuant to Section 92-5(2), HawaiÒi Revised Statutes and Section 13-20(b), HawaiÒi County Charter. The motion was seconded by Commissioner unanimously carried. The regular session ended at 11:19 am and went into executive session. 5 Executive session ended at 11:43 am and regular session continued on. ACTION ON EXECUTIVE SESSION MATTER NONE PUBLIC STATEMENTS None. ANNOUNCEMENTS The next meeting is to be held on Wednesday, April 9, 2003, at 10:00 a.m. at the Liquor Control Conference Room, Hilo Lagoon Centre, 101 Aupuni Street, Hilo, Hawaii. Set agenda for April 9, 2003 meeting Î Salary Commission present ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 11:44 a.m. SUBMITTED BY: __________________________ MARTHA A. RODILLAS Secretary B&C:Fire Commission:Regular Session Minutes 3-12-03, 2003 LSA/mr 6