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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-08-03 Cost of Government Commission MinutesCOST OF GOVERNMENT COMMISSION County of Hawaii MTN11TFC August 3, 2006 — 10:00 a.m. Department of Liquor Control — Conference Room 101 Aupuni Street, Suite 230 Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Commission members Myles Y. Miyasato, Chair present: Wayne T. Joseph, Vice Chair Marilyn L. Nicholson, Commissioner Patricia Provalenko, Commissioner Melvyn K. Sakaguchi, Commissioner Also present: Harry Kubojiri, Deputy Police Chief Katherine A. Garson, Deputy Corporation Counsel Mary E. Crosson, Secretary 1. CALL TO ORDER The Chair called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM JULY 20, 2006 MEETING Motion and Vote: Mr. Joseph moved to accept and file the minutes, Ms. Provalenko seconded the motion, and all members voted aye. 3. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC There were no members of the public present. 4. APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND /OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA There was no addendum or supplemental agenda. 5. PRESENTATION AND QUESTION /ANSWER SESSION BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT Harry Kubojiri introduced himself as the deputy police chief of the Hawaii County Police Department. He handed out copies of the Police Department's August 3, 2006, response to the COGC's letter of April 10, 2006. Deputy Chief Kubojiri explained that unlike the island's nine political districts, the Police Department divided the island into eight districts. Because the central headquarters is in Hilo, the cost of doing business is difficult because they are dealing with over 4,000 square miles of land mass. The Department has 430 authorized, sworn officer positions, of which 390 are presently occupied. In conjunction with the Civil Service Department, there is continuous open recruitment to hire police officers. In their recruitment efforts, they send representatives to job fairs and the like, not only locally and in the state, but also to the mainland. The civilian staff has just over 150 personnel, with over 130 of the positions filled. Like the sworn positions, they are actively recruiting for civilian personnel. Over the years, the Department has gained additional officer positions to serve the community. Yet while the sworn staff grew, the support staff remained constant and therefore heavily burdened. When the civilian staff became overburdened, it eventually trickled down to where the Department's services were affected. Last year they took measures to gain additional civilian positions, and they were allocated by the Council. Deputy Chief Kubojiri apologized for his letterit started out as his own notes but he decided he should put it on paper for the Commission. He went through the questions and responses on his letter. a. Do you have any ideas about what your department can do to save money while not compromising essential services? ♦Converting to digital photography would save them money. Technology has grown in leaps and bounds, but the Department is still using 35 millimeter film and polaroids. One problem with digital photography is that photos can be manipulated; and since their photos have evidentiary value, they need to make sure there are no alterations. Other jurisdictions have been successful with the technology, however, and they are working with the Prosecutor's Office in going through the process to establish the policy. Currently, they spend a tremendous amount on film developing, as they do not have their own lab. They also often use one -hour photo processing because the photos are needed right away. The whole current process is cumbersome and expensive. +Due to the shortage of sworn personnel, increase the compensation for the positions in Patrol and Dispatch, or offer bonuses for work attendance. Deputy Chief Kubojiri explained that the Department informally set a minimum number of officers to work at a given time in each district. Because of the shortage of sworn personnel, whenever an officer calls in sick, gets injured, or is on leave for whatever reason, the minimum staffing falls down. To compensate for this, an officer working the previous shift will work four hours overtime, and an officer on the next shift will come in early and put in four hours of overtime, to compensate for the missing officer. They are below the minimum staffing so frequently that some officers are mandated to work overtime at least every other day. They rotate the overtime days with other officers, yet their turn comes up every other day. 2 He said they have no control over injuries and sick leave. He realizes that money is a short-term incentive, but they really need officers not to call in sick. If they could receive compensation for going one year without calling in sick, the Department would save in overtime, and it would encourage the officers to come to work. Because there is so much overtime, sometimes officers call in sick because they are so burnt out. There are also safety issues for officers working 12- to 16 -hour shifts. The Department feels some sort of incentive may have an effect until they can get up to full strength. Mr. Joseph asked what the base pay is for entry -level police officers and how it rates with other departments. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said he was not sure, but he believes it is in the area of $34,000 to $35,000. He explained that there is one collective bargaining unit, so the pay rate is the same throughout the state. He said that Oahu is also suffering the loss of officers who leave the island to work for mainland police departments. The compensation there is much higher and the work conditions better. Mr. Joseph asked what an equitable entry -level compensation would be. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said dollars is not the only issue. Though mainland jurisdictions have higher salaries, the fringe benefits in Hawaii are a little better through the collective bargaining process. However, most officers just look at the dollars and cents they will be paid. Also, the cost of living here is much higher, so that the dollar is even smaller. The officers weigh this in and for the most part, many of them leave because of the money aspect. They do have some officers who have left and then returned to Hawaii after a few years. In addition, a lot of mainland agencies actively recruit from our state. They want experienced officers rather than recruits, and they compensate those officers at an even higher pay scale because of their experience. It is a tough battle for our state's police departments. Mr. Sakaguchi said that giving officers bonuses for not calling in sick is wrong. It amounts to them not calling in sick so they can qualify for extra pay. If they aren't sick, they shouldn't be calling in sick. He likened the overtime to the prison system's recent abuse of the overtime system. The Department is assuming that some of the officers are faking sickness, and this would be telling them not to fake it and they'll get a bonus. It sends the wrong message. He said if officers are not sick but are calling in sick, the Department should go after them, because they're playing games. He said having this bonus would affect the public's confidence and the credibility of the Department and would result in more harm than cost savings. The Department needs to find another way to fill all the vacancies. He said other departments have a much greater vacancy rate. He said he gets feedback from citizens who go to the police station and see a lot of uniformed, ranking officers doing office work. If the Department is short on officers, they should get these officers back in the field and hire civilians to do the paperwork. He asked if there was a reason why the Department needs so many uniformed, out -of -shape officers working the desks at the station. 3 Deputy Chief Kubojiri indicated he wanted to respond. Regarding the pay incentive as sending the wrong message and the allegations of sick leave abuse, the Department does actively investigate any allegations of sick leave abuse. However, a County employee can call in sick for up to four days without having to get a doctor slip. This makes it tough for the Department to prove that an officer is not sick. Regarding abuse of the overtime system, many of the officers do not want the overtime. They want a better quality of life. The attrition rate with retirements and moving elsewhere challenges the Department and results in a shortage of personnel to service the community. Regarding officers that are out of shape and working at a desk, these are supervisory officers. Each rank or level has specific responsibilities. The supervisory officers are management. They are the decision - makers for the officers who are out in the field and have questions. They screen and approve reports, along with a whole litany of other work. The Department has already taken officers away from their regular assignments and thrown them back into Patrol. At least 75% of the community policing officers were thrown back into Patrol. The Department also consolidated the DARE program with the School Resource Officer program and put the DARE officers back into Patrol. Mr. Sakaguchi said they need to look at whether they are utilizing their manpower resources in the best way. A lot of people go to the police station for license renewals or other business, and they see a lot of officers standing around. So people wonder why the Department talks about shortages when there are a lot of guys in uniform who don't seem to be doing much. The Department should communicate more about how officers are being taken from the desk to the field. Perhaps they need to relook at the whole situation, to see if having officers reviewing reports and making decisions is having them perform the most essential services. From the community's perspective, the more officers they see, the better they feel protected. It is an image problem. Also, when there is a minor car accident, there are several police cars at the scene. One officer is writing, and the others are talking. The community wonders why several officers are needed at such a scene, if the Department does not have enough officers. It is a problem, image -wise. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said he agrees this is not the solution, but they did look at other ideas as well. If a member of the COGC or the community has suggestions on ways to improve the Police Department, they'll take the suggestions. They received a huge amount of complaints when they took officers out of other positions and put them into Patrol. He said his philosophy is that the Department needs to go back to its core value of protecting the community. Residual things can be held in abeyance until the Department comes up to par. Regarding rethinking what is essential and what is not, they have three assistant chiefs. One handles all the districts on the east side in of the island, the other takes care of the west, and one does administration. Not only do they take care of the uniformed patrol services, they also take care of criminal investigations, traffic, licensing, the crime lab, and the finance division. The perception that they are not doing anything is the furthest thing from the truth. That may be the perception, but it is not true. Mr. Sakaguchi said he does not know what the solution is, but is suggesting rethinking how to do operate, and what the mission is. From what he has learned about the various departments, the County is at about 1980 or 1990 in terms of technology. Improving their technology would be another way for the Department to get more out of its manpower. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said he addresses that point further on in his letter. The Chair asked, regarding recruitment, whether the Department ever looked at the military, as there are a lot of service people returning from duty who are already in the rank - and -file structure and trained to follow superiors. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said the Department does work with the armed forces and that members of the Police and Civil Service departments fly to Oahu to be there when troops return from tours. They bring their recruitment posters and fliers, and they talk to the service people, showing them there is a job waiting for them with the Police. The Department does actively pursue them. The Chair asked whether the County getting fleet vehicles would hurt the recruitment. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said that issue had been brought up. Many candidates to become officers like the idea of purchasing and using their own vehicle. It was an incentive for some. On the flip side, the Department looks at what would save the County money in the long run. A task force did an analysis on this and determined it would be a wash —there would not be substantial savings by going with a fleet over subsidized vehicles. In fact, it they go with a maintenance program for the fleet, it will cost the County more. Mr. Sakaguchi said that from the community's perspective, having 200 more marked vehicles gives a sense of security. Having unmarked cars is confusing, and people can't tell if that officer is on duty or not. So though it costs more to go to a fleet, he for one would feel more protected seeing those marked cars. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said he agreed. They also looked at whether having marked vehicles causes a reduction in crime, but throughout the nation, it does not. However, the marked vehicles do give citizens the perception of security. But there are also those people who do not voluntarily comply with the laws, such as wearing their seatbelts. Mr. Sakaguchi said a better solution is to go after full recruitment, with better pay. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said that Police and Civil Service will be televising a recruitment film. Civil Service got the money to hire a professional producer to do the recruitment video, which is to air on television. 5 The Chair mentioned that he took up police science upon going to college years ago. The studies and tests were so difficult that he gave it up and went into carpentry instead. He asked whether the tests were ever redone and if there was more on-the-job training than before. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said the tests are not exactly the same, but they are handled by the Civil Service Department. They are very basic and are purchased. The Department is also trying to establish a stronger relationship with the University of Hawaii at Hilo, so that the teaching will be tied into what the actual work is. They are also embarking on a cadet program and will have officers not only teaching a recruit class for cadets getting out of high school, but they'll also teach at the university. They are trying to make the teaching more standardized and to be what police work is all about. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said that the qualifications to become a police officer are not a person's grades or diploma, like it used to be. Now candidates have to go through a whole battery of testing, including a polygraph examination and a psychological examination. ♦The third idea the Department had on ways to save money while not compromising essential services, is to explore using a 311 non - emergency telephone line for the public. This is in operation in other areas of the country. People in the community who have questions could call this number and get an answer or be directed to the appropriate department. It would benefit the Police Department because although their non - emergency number is in the phone book, people tend to call 911 for non - emergencies and things not even related to the Police Department, because they can remember the three -digit number. This ties up the 911 line and may hinder them from receiving a true emergency call. Mr. Joseph said the County already has an information number, and it would just be changing that number into 311. He mentioned that when he visited Brooklyn recently, he learned that if someone dials 911 for a non - emergency, they spend 24 hours in jail. The 911 calls were overwhelming their system, so New Yorkers got real strict about using it. Mr. Sakaguchi said having the 311 number was a good idea but asked why money would be needed for it, and Deputy Chief Kubojiri said he was not sure of the logistics of how to put it in place. Mr. Sakaguchi said it might be a low -cost venture and he would like to see the County lead the rest of the state in some of the improvements. b. Do you see any way to consolidate services, activities, and functions of a similar nature within your own department as well as with other departments? ♦The first idea was to consolidate the Dispatch Services. There are two dispatch centers which deal with public safety, and they are currently separate. Neither one at the current moment can do the job of the other, as the functions are slightly different. For example, the Fire Department has a supervisor right there who can handle an emergency with medical symptoms. They would like to cross -train all 31 the employees and bring it all into one center. This would be more efficient and provide better services, and there would be a larger pool to do the job. Mr. Sakaguchi asked if Dispatch could be a separate department from the Police, as its function is to receive and redirect calls. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said it did not have to be with the Police and involves public safety. Mr. Joseph asked if there has been dialog between the Police and Fire departments about this, and Deputy Chief Kubojiri said yes and that Chief Oliveira of the Fire Department concurs, as well as the Mayor's Office. Everyone is receptive to the idea, but the logistics of getting it done is something they need to work on. They are hopeful this will be accomplished. +Deputy Chief Kubojiri said the next idea has to do with the Abandoned/ Derelict Vehicle Program. They would like to see this be streamlined and come under the Department of Motor Vehicles or the Department of Environmental Management, like Oahu. The ordinance is written such that a vehicle needs to be marked and determined to have not moved for 24 hours for it to be considered abandoned. Then it gets cited. He said that an abandoned vehicle and derelict vehicle are two different things. A derelict vehicle cannot drive on its own power. An abandoned vehicle may have its plates removed, making it hard to find the last registered owner. When a citation is put on the windshield of an abandoned vehicle, it becomes a derelict vehicle because there are passersby who damage the vehicle and strip it of parts. Then the officer has to go back and make a report of a derelict vehicle. The report is transmitted to the DEM, which contracts out the towing of vehicles. However, a complete report on the vehicle is needed. So the officer dictates a report, it gets typed by the word processing center, and there is about a two -week turnaround time. The report goes to the towing service, which does what it has to do to get someone to pick up the vehicle. So there is a substantial amount of time the car is left on the road. The Department would like to cut this time, get the vehicle off the road sooner, and not have to go through all these layers of government work. Mr. Joseph said he did not totally understand the process, and Deputy Chief Kubojiri said the idea is to take the police out of the process. Mr. Joseph asked who would identify the vehicle as being abandoned or derelict, and Deputy Chief Kubojiri said there is a proposal to make a form available to the public, similar to the one for unruly drivers. The form would include the description of the vehicle, its location and other information, and could be submitted anonymously. What they are trying to do is eliminate the Department's task of writing a report and the time it takes to generate the report. They have not identified all the areas where the forms could be dropped off. The form would have all the essential information that the DEM would need to hook up the vehicle. They would be cutting out the delay of having an officer dictate a report, have it typed by word processing, proofreading it, having the officer sign it, having it go to Records, and then finally shooting it to the DEM. 7 Ms. Nicholson asked why the form needed to be on paper. It would be better to have it computerized so people could download it and submit it that way. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said they would like the form on the web as well, as part of the web site dealing with abandoned vehicles. They are just hoping to take the report writing and delay on the officer's part and eliminate it totally and have the DEM hook up and move the vehicle faster. Ms. Nicholson asked whether officers file reports in paper form or electronically, and Deputy Chief Kubojiri said they are moving in that direction. In January of 2005 they were set up to do the work electronically, but they are not at 100% yet. Certain forms still need a hard paper copy. Mr. Sakaguchi asked how he gets his ideas, whether he goes to conferences or has staff development opportunities to see what other counties are doing. He asked if there was a regular mechanism for keeping up with the outside world and where he gets ideas on improving the Department. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said that their best source of information and ideas comes from their own patrol officers. They are on the street and deal with the issues every day. The Department also has a problem - solving committee with representatives from each division on the island. They meet once a month to identify problems and discuss solutions. ♦The next idea on consolidating services and activities has to do with the records management system. The system they are currently using is different from any other County agency, which is why they want an Information Technology Department. It would save money by implementing one computer system instead of trying to interface with all the different records management systems so that they can "talk" to each other. His Department has had to do its own research about computer systems and do RFP's and send out to get the system. When they get a bid with a vendor, it is just for that system. When the Fire Department needed a system, they went with their needs and their RFP, and they got a different vendor. The entire County should be able to talk to each other electronically. It is spending money to get the interfacing done, and to see if it is even possible. The County needs one Information Technology Department to do all of this. The Police radio system is being converted now from analog to digital. When they built into the system, they wanted enough bandwidth capability for the entire County to use the microwave system. It would be County- owned, rather than lease out lines from the phone company. The infrastructure is there and it just needs to be built on. C. Are there any services, activities, and functions not necessary to the efficient conduct of government that could be eliminated? The issue of prohibiting alcohol in all County parks is currently being discussed in the County Council, so he will leave it at that. Deputy Chief Kubojiri combined the next two questions. d. Can privatization help you? If so, in what ways? What would you privatize? e. Can you suggest any modernization projects to streamline operations in lieu of privatization? The only issue that had a significant impact on privatization for the Police Department was the cellblock. They contracted out the cellblock to a security outfit, but it did not work out and the police officers are back working there. There were problems in dealing with unruly prisoners, fingerprinting, and photographing. f. Do you have any other ideas on how you can make your operations more efficient? +Design facilities that are more secure and accessible. The Public Safety Complex has a roofline that is flat and collects water. They have had problems with leaks from day one. The leaks in the indoor firing range destroyed the computers and equipment, so the range cannot be used. The last estimate on repairing the roof was around $1.3 million. If it had been designed with Hilo's weather in mind, this problem would not have happened. All County facilities should take a hard look at the design, as well as the maintenance aspect, when building. It the long run it will save a lot of money. Mr. Sakaguchi said the engineers who approved the building should be gone after, and Deputy Chief Kubojiri said he is not pointing fingers, but all County buildings should have more attention paid to design to avoid these problems. ♦The next area on making operations more efficient has to do with an information technology project with Mobile Data Terminals. They are in the process of getting computers for the officers' vehicles. Currently, if officers want to find out if there's a warrant for a stopped individual, they have to call Dispatch on the radio, and Dispatch needs to go to their computer, change screens, and run the person's name through. There is a pilot program already set up and once they receive the laptops, they will embark on this program. Honolulu already has this in operation, and Maui is looking into it as well. This system will save time and free the dispatchers. Currently, officers have to take the complaint, return to the station, jump on a desktop computer, and write it up. This is wasted time. With the MDT's, they'll be able to write their report right in their vehicle and send it in. ♦The final area Deputy Chief Kubojiri brought up on efficiency is to have a "solutions integrator." He explained that he met with representatives of GTSI Corporation, which deals only with federal, state, and local government offices. They offer a package whereby they would handle all the computer issues and problems that come up, regardless of who manufactured the various parts of the computer system. GTSI would be "the one neck to choke" when there are computer problems. They are competitive as far as the acquisition of equipment for government offices, and having them would significantly shorten the time of the current County procurement process. Everything would fall onto them. They would have their own experts and engineers at the Department's disposal. GTSI representatives also met with the Council and the Finance Department on the M procurement issue, to make sure there is no violation of procurement laws. He believes the Corporation Counsel will be involved in this. Honolulu met with GTSI last year and just last week got the okay to use them. It is hoped they will significantly cut the time and energy of the procurement process which is currently in place. Mr. Sakaguchi asked how GTSI makes it money. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said he only had an introduction to them so far. He knows they have an umbrella contract for all government services within Virginia and that are a $1 billion revenue company. Mr. Sakaguchi said GTSI would be doing the work of the government's procurement office and questioned whether the procurement office works. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said it works, but it is cumbersome. Mr. Sakaguchi asked whether the County really needed a Police Commission. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said that the members are representatives of the community. Mr. Joseph commented that the Police Department has one of the biggest responsibilities on the island and often does not get enough praise for what they do. On the record, he wanted to thank Deputy Chief Kubojiri for dedicating so many years of his life towards public service. Deputy Chief Kubojiri said the job has been good to him and thanked the Commission for its time. He said if anyone wants to address him, he can be reached via the web page and will respond. Deputy Chief Kubojiri left the meeting at 11:15 a.m., and a recess was held from 11:15 a.m. to 11:27 a.m., at which time the Chair called the meeting back to order. The Chair asked for suggestions regarding the Police Department. Motion and Vote: Ms. Nicholson moved to accept the suggestion about the 311 County- wide information telephone number and add it to their list of recommendations. Mr. Joseph seconded the motion. All members voted aye. Motion and Vote: Mr. Joseph moved to add to their recommendations consolidating the Dispatch services for the Police and Fire Departments. Ms. Nicholson seconded the motion. All members voted aye. Motion: Ms. Provalenko moved to add to their recommendations taking the abandoned /derelict vehicle program out of the Police Department and placing it with the Department of Environmental Management. Mr. Sakaguchi seconded the motion. Discussion: Mr. Joseph said he has trouble with this recommendation, as it did not seem that Deputy Chief Kubojiri totally had the solution on this. He does not feel he could support the motion at this point, because he is unclear on what the next steps would be. 10 Ms. Provalenko said it is being looked into, and it would be good to avoid the unnecessary double steps that are taken now. The abandoned vehicles become derelict because they are destroyed. Ms. Nicholson said it seemed funny to have the citizens make the reports on the abandoned vehicles and questioned whether it should be the DEM's job to check the vehicle identification numbers. Someone needs to verify the information in the reports, and it does not seem like it should be the DEM's job. She empathizes with Deputy Chief Kubojiri's frustration on the delays, but the idea is not fully conceptualized, so she would not feel comfortable making it a recommendation on their list. Mr. Sakaguchi said he likes the idea. He feels the Police should only have to deal with safety and security issues. He feels the handling of these vehicles should be taken away from the Police. Who it should go to and how to do it would be for the Council and Mayor to decide. Ms. Nicholson questioned what would be gained if the program were just stuck into another department, and Mr. Sakaguchi said it would make the Police Department more efficient so it could use its resources to provide public safety. It currently has to handle things that are not in its domain. Ms. Nicholson said she is not sure that placing the program into the DEM would be handling it more efficiently, and Mr. Sakaguchi said that is not our responsibility—it is the responsibility of the Mayor and Council to make sure the government works. Mr. Joseph said it is a Police problem, because it is against the law to abandon a vehicle, and that is why they receive citations. If the responsible party is identified, he /she will have to pay a fine. It is a law enforcement problem. The Police may not want to deal with it, but it falls within their realm. Mr. Sakaguchi said other locales must do it differently. Police are asked to arrest a crazy person, yet the care of that person is with another agency. The Police could still issue the citations. Perhaps when people buy vehicles they should have to pay something for disposal of the vehicle at the end. Ms. Nicholson said she would support a motion to make a recommendation that the system of dealing with abandoned and derelict vehicles be streamlined. She does not want to support just passing the responsibility onto another department. The Chair said he would support the motion. He agrees that the process takes too long. Deputy Chief Kubojiri's letter says the process is done by Oahu's environmental management department, which must have already addressed all of this. He called for a vote. Vote: Voting in favor of the motion were Ms. Provalenko, Mr. Sakaguchi, and the Chair. Voting against the motion were Mr. Joseph and Ms. Nicholson. The motion passed. Mr. Sakaguchi asked if he could comment. In hearing the past testimonies, clearly many departments are being asked to do many different things, and the level of support they have for such a wide range of duties is sometimes minimal. He feels there needs to be an effort to re- examine the government and study what functions are assigned to each department, for possible 11 transfer to another department. The Police have the most important and the worst job, and it would help them if they were able to sharpen their focus. He received a copy of the County's annual budget, and in analyzing how many employees there are and the functions of each department, he did not realize the County was so complicated. There is a problem with the structure of the government. The Chair asked if there were any further discussion regarding the Police Department. Motion: Mr. Joseph moved to recommend that entry -level police officers be compensated at a higher level than they currently are, so that the County can recruit and retain officers. He said his motion is to recommend that the entry pay of entry -level police officers be increased. Mr. Sakaguchi seconded the motion. Discussion: Ms. Provalenko asked what type of increase Mr. Joseph proposed, and he said he just wanted the Commission to recommend an increase. Ms. Nicholson said the increase could not just be on the entry pay—it would have to happen all the way up, and Mr. Joseph agreed. He said he just saw the motion as a way of supporting the Department in general. Mr. Sakaguchi said Deputy Chief Kubojiri made a good case. If all the positions are not filled, it hits the County in overtime pay. Ms. Nicholson said SHOPO would be delighted to hear their recommendation. Since the police are all in one union, the pay increase would be state -wide. Essentially, the recommendation is that the pay rates for the police be increased state -wide. Vote: All members voted in support of the motion. Motion and Vote: Mr. Joseph moved that they support and recommend that the Police Department go ahead with their Mobile Data Terminal program. Mr. Sakaguchi seconded the motion, and all members voted aye. Ms. Nicholson said that Deputy Chief Kubojiri had two County -wide recommendations, which the Commission should hold onto in some way, for review later. The first was the creation of a County -wide Information Technology Department, and the second was about ensuring better building design and maintenance. Mr. Joseph said before he could support these, he would like more information from other departments on what they think. Rather than put it in a motion, they could question the various departments as they come before the Commission in the next couple of months and get their input and ideas. The Chair said they could do that. Ms. Nicholson said another issue they wanted to ask the departments about was going to the four -day work week, though at this point it was not relevant for the Police. The other issue was about splitting the County into two counties. The Chair said that could be one of the questions asked at the next presentation. Ms. Nicholson said other issues to bring up with other departments is the creation of an Information Technology Department. There is also the issue Deputy Chief Kubojiri brought up 12 about how County facilities are designed, and how they need to be more secure, accessible, energy efficient, and easier to maintain. It is not clear who to talk to about this— perhaps the Finance Department. Mr. Sakaguchi asked if they should subsume that issue, as he feels the bigger issue is whether the County should continue to build, or instead lease. Mr. Sakaguchi said he wanted to comment. He was impressed by Deputy Chief Kubojiri because he brought up how difficult things are with the County departments having different computer systems. The County should spend money right now on expediting its computerization, and should also put some aside for staff development. The Chair said that if there was nothing further on the Police Department, they would move on to the next agenda item. 6. DISCUSSION /ACTION ON OFFICE OF THE CORPORATION COUNSEL RESPONSE TO THE COMMISSION'S LETTER DATED APRIL 10, 2006 Motion and Vote: Mr. Joseph moved to accept and file the response, and Mr. Sakaguchi seconded the motion. There being no discussion, all members voted aye. 7. DISCUSSION /ACTION ON TRANSIT AGENCY RESPONSE TO THE COMMISSION'S LETTER DATED APRIL 10, 2006 Motion and Vote: Mr. Joseph moved to accept and file the response, and Ms. Provalenko seconded the Motion. There being no discussion, all members voted aye. Ms. Garson asked, when it was time to write the report, how they would refer to the letters that were just accepted and filed. It was agreed to say that the COGC sent a request, received a response, and have no recommendation for these departments. If there is a recommendation or issue on a department's response, a motion will be made and it will be discussed at this present meeting. 8. DISCUSSION /ACTION ON DEPARTMENT OF LIQUOR CONTROL RESPONSE TO THE COMMISSION'S LETTER DATED APRIL 10, 2006 Motion: Ms. Nicholson moved to file the response, and Mr. Sakaguchi seconded the motion. Discussion: Mr. Sakaguchi asked why this Department was needed, and it was explained that it is a regulatory agency and regulates the laws about alcohol consumption, as well as doing permitting and enforcement. Mr. Sakaguchi questioned whether a department was necessary to regulate liquor consumption. He said they seem to side with the owners all the time. He felt the Police Department should handle violations. Mr. Joseph said he did not agree with burdening the Police with such a large thing as liquor control. 13 Mr. Sakaguchi said the functions which do not presuppose any violence could be handled as civil matters. Otherwise, there's a double layer of enforcement. The Chair said that in order to open a liquor establishment, you need to go to the Liquor Control Department, and Mr. Sakaguchi said you also have to go to the Department of Health to sell food and asked why a license was needed to serve liquor. Ms. Nicholson asked whether Mr. Sakaguchi was making a motion. He said he was just discussing the response and raising the issue of whether the Liquor Control Department was needed. Vote: The Chair called for a vote. All members voted in support of the motion. 9. DISCUSSION /ACTION ON DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL SERVICE RESPONSE TO THE COMMISSION'S LETTER DATED APRIL 10, 2006 Ms. Nicholson said that the responses in items 9 and 10 were mostly about information technology issues, computer systems, and software. Ms. Provalenko mentioned that the COGC wanted to talk to the Civil Service Department anyway. Motion and Vote: Ms. Nicholson moved to keep Communication No. 2006 -44 on the agenda until they meet with Civil Service and resolve these issues. Mr. Joseph seconded the motion, and all members voted aye. 10. DISCUSSION /ACTION ON OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY RESPONSE TO THE COMMISSION'S LETTER DATED APRIL 10, 2006 Motion: Ms. Nicholson said it appeared to be more on information technology issues, which they will want to support County -wide. She moved to file the response, Mr. Joseph seconded the motion, and all members voted aye. 11. DISCUSSION /ACTION ON BOARD OF ETHICS RESPONSE TO THE COMMISSION'S LETTER DATED APRIL 10, 2006 Motion: Ms. Nicholson moved to file the response, and Ms. Provalenko seconded the motion. Discussion: Mr. Sakaguchi stated that he wanted on the record that he feels this is another governmental body whose existence can be questioned. Mr. Joseph said that the Board of Ethics is comprised of volunteers and serves a good purpose. He said he will abstain from this item, as he sits on the Board of Ethics. Mr. Sakaguchi said the government needs to be reexamined to throw out functions that are historical and have no relevance now. It needs to be restructured and reorganized, and 14 council people and mayors will find it difficult to do that on their own. The COGC can do them the favor of saying they should consider this. Mr. Joseph said he agrees that there may be a benefit in doing this, but they should know the function of each organization very well and not do it haphazardly. He said it is good to question things, but the Board of Ethics is important, and the Chair agreed that it is an important Board. Vote: The Chair called for a vote. All members voted aye except Mr. Joseph, who abstained for the record. 12. DISCUSSION /ACTION ON PENSION BOARD RESPONSE TO THE COMMISSION'S LETTER DATED APRIL 10, 2006 Motion and Vote: Ms. Nicholson noted that this response actually had items to discuss and moved to defer discussion to the next meeting. Ms. Provalenko seconded the motion, and all members voted aye. 13. DISCUSSION /ACTION ON COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES RESPONSE TO THE COMMISSION'S LETTER DATED APRIL 10, 2006 Motion and Vote: Ms. Nicholson moved to file Communication 2006 -56, Mr. Joseph seconded the motion, and all members voted aye. 14. DISCUSSION /ACTION ON COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN RESPONSE TO THE COMMISSION'S LETTER DATED APRIL 10, 2006 Motion and Vote: Ms. Nicholson moved to file this response, Mr. Joseph seconded, and all members voted aye. 15. DISCUSSION /ACTION ON VETERANS ADVISORY COMMITTEE RESPONSE TO THE COMMISSION'S LETTER DATED APRIL 10, 2006 Motion and Vote: Ms. Nicholson moved to file this response, Mr. Joseph seconded, and all members voted aye. 16. DISCUSSION /ACTION ON TAX BOARD OF REVIEW OR REAL PROPERTY TAX DIVISION RESPONSE TO THE COMMISSION'S LETTER DATED APRIL 10, 2006 Motion and Vote: Ms. Nicholson moved to file this response, Mr. Joseph seconded, and all members voted aye. 15 17. DISCUSSION /ACTION ON HAWAII COUNTY BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE RESPONSE TO THE COMMISSION'S LETTER DATED APRIL 10, 2006 Motion and Vote: Mr. Joseph moved to file this response, Ms. Provalenko seconded, and all members voted aye. 18. DISCUSSION ON LIST OF COUNTY -OWNED VEHICLES Motion and Vote: Mr. Sakaguchi moved to defer this item, as he is having difficulty in getting information on this issue. He feels the County has too many vehicles, but cannot find the number of employees. He is looking through the budget. Mr. Joseph seconded the motion, and all members voted aye. 19. DISCUSSION /ACTION REGARDING PRIORITIZING DEPARTMENTS/ BOARDS /COMMISSIONS OR ISSUES TO ACCOMPLISH THE MANDATE OF THE COST OF GOVERNMENT COMMISSION Ms. Garson said this item is also to discuss a timeline for accomplishing the COGC's directive. She explained that the mandate of the Charter is that they submit the report of their findings and recommendations not later than eleven months after appointment. The Charter is a little vague on what constitutes appointment, but since most of the commissioners were confirmed and sworn in on February 15, 2006, she is using that date. This would make January 15, 2007, the due date for the report. They have left on their list of priorities the Planning Department, Data Systems, Civil Service, and Research & Development. They should decide what people they want to talk to so she can arrange for them to appear, and they should try to do two per meeting. Chris Yuen has been pre- confirmed to appear at the next meeting, but a back -up is needed. Ms. Provalenko asked whether it would be possible to do Civil Service with the Planning Department at the next meeting. Ms. Nicholson said that as they have several issues to discuss with Civil Service, they should try to do an easier department with Planning, such as Research & Development. Mr. Sakaguchi asked whether he could send his questions to the COGC's secretary and have somebody else ask them, if he is not able to come to a meeting. Ms. Garson said this was discussed at an earlier meeting, and the Office of Information Practices said it could become a type of serial communication. The Chair said that he will not be available for the meetings on October 19 and on November 2, 2006. Ms. Nicholson and Mr. Joseph said they can attend all the rest of the meetings. Ms. Provalenko said she will not be able to attend on December 21, 2006. 16 The Chair suggested they go over the questions and recommendations in September, as a review. If they can solidify some of the recommendations prior to the holidays, then they will have accomplished something. The others agreed. The commissioners discussed who they wanted to appear on the August 17, 2006, agenda in addition to the Planning Department. Mr. Joseph suggested Civil Service as a back -up, and Ms. Nicholson suggested Research and Development. The Chair said to set the September 7, 2006, meeting aside to evaluate their recommendations, and then they could go back to the departments. The Chair said that on September 21, 2006, they could have the Civil Service Department appear, and possibly another department. They could hear Data Systems on October 5, 2006, and then Research & Development on October 19, 2006. Ms. Nicholson said they could also hear another speaker on October 19, 2006, from the Planning Department or Data Systems. 20. DISCUSSION OF ITEMS TO BE PLACED ON THE NEXT AGENDA The Chair noted they already covered this in discussing priorities. Ms. Garson said she could add a generic discussion on the final draft, so that if there is time they can jump into what they were planning to discuss on September 7, 2006. 21. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC No members of the public were present. 22. ANNOUNCEMENTS The Chair announced the next meeting: August 17, 2006, at 10:00 a.m., at the conference room at the Hilo Department of Liquor Control at 101 Aupum Street, Suite 230, Hilo, Hawaii. 23. ADJOURNMENT Motion and Vote: Mr. Joseph moved to adjourn, Ms. Provalenko seconded the motion, and all members voted aye. The meeting adjourned at 12:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted: Mary E. GYosson Secretary 17