HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-09-07 Cost of Government Commission Agenda
COST OF GOVERNMENT COMMISSION
101 Aupuni Street, Suite 325, Hilo, Hawaii 96720
A G E N D A
Thursday, September 7, 2006 10:00 a.m.
Office of the Corporation Counsel - Conference Room
101 Aupuni Street, Suite 325
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
1.CALL TO ORDER
2.APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF AUGUST 17, 2006, MEETING
3.STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
4.APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND/OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA
(if necessary)[NOTE: Addendum requires 2/3 (Roll Call) Vote]
5.DISCUSSION ON FINAL DRAFT OF REPORT AND THE FOLLOWING
RECOMMENDATIONS
a.Finance DepartmentRecommend discontinuing having water bills come with
:
return envelopes enclosed for automatic payment customers
(per 3/16/06 minutes,
pp. 1-2).
b.Finance DepartmentRecommend expediting the sale of County-owned lands and
:
not having them sit on the table so long
(per 3/16/06 minutes, p. 8).
c.Environmental ManagementRecommend further investigation into combining the
:
water and sewer bills into one bill
(per 4/6/06 minutes, p. 14).
d.Environmental ManagementRecommend pursuing water turn-off approval for
:
overdue sewer bills
(per 4/6/06 minutes, p. 14).
e.All departmentsRecommend that all management receive training on legal issues
:
[ This item is related to item l.]
Note:
(per 4/6/06 minutes, p. 15).
f.All departments Recommend creating incentive programs for employees
: (per
4/6/06 minutes, p. 15).
g.Finance (Real Property Tax) and Department of Environmental Management
(Wastewater)RecommendhavingasystemworkedoutbetweenWastewaterand
:
Real Property Tax so that when title is transferred on a property, the new property
ownerisrequiredtoconnecttothesewer,ifitisfeasibleforthatproperty
(per5/4/06
minutes, p. 13).
h.Department of Environmental Management (Wastewater):Recommend exploring
waystofinanciallyassisthomeownerswhocannotaffordtoconnecttothesewerdo
so, possibly through a grant effort or financing
(per 5/4/06 minutes, p. 13).
Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
i.All departmentsRecommend implementing a payroll lag
: (per 5/4/06 minutes, p.
[This item is related to item u.]
Note:
14).
j.Finance (or all departments)Recommend reviewing payroll/leave forms for
:
consolidation into one form [This item is related
Note:
(per 5/4/06 minutes, p. 14).
to item v.]
k.Environmental ManagementRecommend pursuing grants, rather than having a
:
grants manager position [This item is related to
Note:
(per 5/4/06 minutes, p. 14).
item t.]
l.All departmentsRecommend that staff be provided with professional development
:
opportunities so that they can improve government efficiency or operations and
explorenew approaches and new strategies to solve existing problems
(per 5/4/06
[This item is related to item e.]
Note:
minutes, pp. 14-15).
m.Department of Environmental Management (Wastewater)Recommend looking into
:
developing more opportunities in wastewater recycling, primarily for environmental
reasons but also to generate revenue .
(per 5/4/06 minutes, p. 15)
n.Department of Environmental Management (Wastewater)Recommend
:
development of a long-term strategic plan, as the island is growing and is only going
to get bigger. It needs a plan for staffing, facilities, replacements, etc.
(per 5/4/06
minutes, p. 15).
o.Department of Environmental Management (Solid Waste): Recommend that Mike
Dworsky receive clerical assistance
(per 7/6/06 minutes, p. 2).
p.Department of Environmental Management(Solid Waste): Recommend that CDL
truck drivers be separated from the heavy equipment operators, since they work only
at the landfills and should not need CDL licenses
(per 7/6/06 minutes, p. 2).
q.Department of Environmental Management (Solid Waste): Recommend that
contract terms be lengthened to multi-year terms
(per 7/6/06 minutes, p. 2).
r.Department of Environmental Management (Solid Waste)Recommend additional
:
trainers for transfer station attendants to become equipment operators, thus
increasing their ability to multi-function
(per 7/6/06 minutes, p. 3).
s.Department of Environmental Management (Solid Waste)Recommend that
:
employees be subject to random drug testing, which is to include current employees
andnotjustnewhires.(Note:issuemayinvolveunionnegotiations)
(per7/6/06
minutes, p. 3).
t.Department of Environmental ManagementGrant-writing positions are needed
: (per
[Thisitemisrelatedtoitemk.]
Note:
7/6/06minutes,p.5).
u.All departmentsRecommend establishing a two-week or five-day payroll lag
: (per
[This item is related to item i.]
Note:
7/6/06 minutes, p. 7).
2
v.Department of Environmental Management (or all departments)Recommend
:
consolidating personnel forms (e.g., vacation, sick leave, etc.) into one form
(per
[This item is related to item j.]
Note:
7/6/06 minutes, p. 7).
w.Department of Environmental ManagementRecommend hiring an additional
:
engineer (or exploring the position and having a long-term plan to fund it, or having
a long-term vision plan)
(per 7/6/06 minutes, p. 7).
x.Department of Environmental ManagementAcquire the Computerized
:
Maintenance Management System
(per 7/6/06 minutes, p. 8).
y.Department of Public Works (Highway Maintenance) Recommend pursuing
:
negotiations with the union to go to a 10-hour, 4-day work schedule for employees
(per 7/20/06 minutes, p. 14).
z.Department of Public Works (Highway Maintenance)Recommend that
:
incorporating or consolidating all the State highways into the County highways
system bepursued
(per 7/20/06 minutes, p. 14).
aa.Department of Public Works (Building Division)Recommend providing them with
:
an adequate travel budget in which certification and training opportunities would be
available to staff
(per 7/20/06 minutes, p. 14).
bb.Department of Public WorksRecommend investigating the creation of a traffic
:
hotline, pursuant to item 4a of the DPWs response
(per 7/20/06 minutes, p. 15).
cc.Police DepartmentRecommend implementation of the 311 County-wide
:
information telephone number
(per 8/3/06 minutes, p. 10).
dd.Police DepartmentRecommend consolidating the Police and Fire Departments
:
Dispatch into one unit
(per 8/3/06 minutes, p. 10).
ee.Police DepartmentRecommend takingthe abandoned/derelict vehicle program out
:
of the Police Department and placing it with the Department of Environmental
Management
(per 8/3/06 minutes, pp. 10-11).
ff.Police DepartmentRecommend that entry-level police officers be compensated at a
:
higher level to help the County recruit and retain officers
(per 8/3/06 minutes, p. 12).
gg.Police DepartmentRecommend the Department go ahead with its Mobile Data
:
Terminal program
(per 8/3/06 minutes, p. 12).
hh.Planning Department (and Department of Public Works, Building Division)
:
Recommendexploringconsolidatingthereviewofbuildingpermits(sotwo
departments are not reviewing the samething)
(per 8/17/06 minutes, p. 8).
ii.Planning DepartmentRecommend that it give high priority to moving forward on
:
thecomputerizationofrecordsandprovidingon-lineservices
(per8/17/06minutes,
p. 10).
3
jj.Pension BoardRecommend (or pass on to the Mayor) studying the number of
:
people that would be most effective to serve on the Pension Board
(per 8/17/06
minutes, pp. 10-11).
kk.Finance Department or appropriate departmentRecommend that the County
:
explore the possibility of leasing County vehicles
(per 8/17/06 minutes, pp. 11-12).
6.DISCUSSION ON THE QUALIFICATIONS OF DEPARTMENT HEADS
(Including Communication No. 2006-72, letter from Katherine A. Garson,
Regarding the Qualifications of Department Heads)
7.DISCUSSION/ACTION ON POLICE COMMISSION RESPONSE TO THE
(Communication No. 2006-68)
COMMISSIONS LETTER DATED APRIL 10, 2006
8.DISCUSSION/ACTION REGARDING PRIORITIZING DEPARTMENTS/
BOARDS/COMMISSIONS OR ISSUES TO ACCOMPLISH THE MANDATE OF
THE COST OF GOVERNMENT COMMISSION
Includes discussion and action on the prioritization of the departments/boards/
commissions to be analyzed, and a timeline for accomplishing the directive. Also
includes discussion of items to be placed on draft list of recommendations to be included
in the Commissions report.
9.DISCUSSION OF ITEMS TO BE PLACED ON NEXT AGENDA
10.STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
11.ANNOUNCEMENTS
The next meeting of the Cost of Government Commission is scheduled for September 21,
2006, at 10:00 a.m., at the conference room at the Hilo Department of Liquor Control,
101AupuniStreet,Suite230,Hilo,Hawaii.
12.ADJOURNMENT
NOTE: If you require an accommodation or auxiliary aid and/or services to participate in this
meeting(i.e.,signlanguageinterpreter,largeprint,etc.)pleasecall961-8304,x104.
NOTICETOLOBBYISTS
Ifyouarealobbyist,youmustregisterwiththeHawaiiCountyClerkwithinfivedaysofbecominga
lobbyist(Article15,Section2-91.3(b),HawaiiCountyCode).
Alobbyistmeansanyindividualengagedforpayorotherconsiderationwhospendsmorethanfivehoursin
anymonthor$275inanysix-monthperiodforthepurposeofattemptingtoinfluencelegislativeoradministrative
action by communicating or urging others to communicate with public officials. (Article 15, Section 2-91.3(a)(6),
Hawaii County Code.)
Registration forms and expenditure report documents are available at the Office of the County Clerk-Council,
25 Aupuni Street, Hilo, Hawaii 96720.
4