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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-04-11 Fire Commission Regular MinutesHAWAII FIRE COMMISSION REGULAR SESSION MINUTES APRIL 11, 2018 WEST HAWAII CIVIC CENTER CALL TO ORDER Chair Becker called the meeting to order at 9:02 a.m. ROLL CALL Present: Robert Becker, Chair Scott Susman, Vice Chair Denise Laitinen, Member Donna Payesko, Member Bobby St. Ambrogio, Member Ralph Yawata, Member (A quorum was present.) Also Present: Darren Rosario, Fire Chief Gantry Andrade, Assistant Chief Lance Uchida, Assistant Chief Jessica Yeh, Deputy Corporation Counsel Josie Pelayo, Secretary APPROVAL OF AGENDA Vice Chair Susman motioned to approve the agenda. Commissioner Yawata seconded, and it carried unanimously. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS (None.) APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 14, 2018 Commissioner Laitinen motioned to approve the minutes. Vice Chair Susman seconded, and it carried unanimously. FIRE CHIEF'S REPORT Chief Rosario introduced newly appointed Assistant Chief Lance Uchida of Support Services who replaced retired AC Honda. Chief Rosario highlighted items on his written report: • Budget and Finance ✓ 2017-18: They expect to end the year with a 1 % balance. They are waiting for reimbursements for grants that they had to pay up front. ✓ 2018-19 Budget: Their 3% reduction was reinstituted. He is asking to continue with the line item for apparatus replacement which is a two-year process. They want to replace engines in Kona and Laupahoehoe. Both are past the recommended age for frontline use. Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes April 11, 2018 Page 2 Alternative Funding and Grants ✓ 2017 AFG grant for HazMat equipment: Application denied. ✓ 2016 CDBG grant for Pahala Wildland Pumper: Training completed, leaking roof repaired. ✓ 2018 State Highways grant was awarded for child protective seats and powered extrication tools for HOVE, Pahala, and Honoka`a. ✓ 2019 State Highways grant application was submitted for additional portable extrication tools. Human Resources Division ✓ Internal Recruitment within the Department: A new Chief Mechanic was hired. Jesse Ebersole was promoted to BC of Support Services EMS Bureau. Recruitment for numerous positions continues. ✓ Internal Recruitment within the County: The Human Resources Program Specialist position is still vacant. ✓ Open Competitive Recruitment: Recruitment for Fire Fighter Recruit and Water Safety Officers is progressing. Emergency Operations Division ✓ Operations: 16 personnel will attend a training summit at Mauna Lani Bay. ✓ Special Operations, Ocean Safety: The Sayre Foundation donated two Polaris Rangers to Ocean Safety from the Karakin Foundation which will be assigned to Hapuna and Isaac Hale beaches. Awaiting MOA with DLNR to increase lifeguard staffing at Hapuna Beach. Support Services Division ✓ Training: Audits are being conducted for all 16 FFRs who are working to qualify to be assigned as EMTs. 15 recruits received their State EMT license. ✓ Volunteer Training: The captain's meeting will be held on May 19 at 10:00 a.m. in Volcano. ✓ EMS Bureau: They are looking at going back to the gasoline engine instead of diesel to save money. Gas costs about two-thirds of diesel. They want to bring in more manufacturers for competitive bidding. ✓ Prevention Bureau: Their Arson K9 helped with an apartment fire on Oahu. ✓ Auxiliary Services: The MSA replacement project went live in April. They will convert to First Net which opens more bandwidth and has more data availability. New Projects/Business: The Collated HPD/HFD Dispatch Center is a CIP that Mayor Kim wants completed before his term ends. They are looking at building a new HPP station on the same property. The Central Station project is still on hold while the County looks for a new consultant. That project has been replaced with a new roof for Pahala. However, roofing has gone so bad, that the station needs to be replaced. Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes April 11, 2018 Page 3 Other Departmental Activities: This is National Telecommunications Week for dispatchers. They will celebrate with a luncheon. Several dispatchers have 10-15 service. 2018 Program of Work Update: Item 111.4, Attendance at training conferences with state and federal partners was not approved by the County's Expenditure Review Committee. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Review draft of the commission's annual report for 2017: Vice Chair Susman motioned to accept the report. Commissioner Payesko seconded, and it carried unanimously. NEW BUSINESS Discussion and deliberation on Commissioner Susman's request for access to the Fire Department's internal departmental memos on behalf of the commission: Vice Susman stated that he is requesting digital access to Fire Department memos so he can gather information. Commissioner Laitinen stated that this was brought up a while ago, and she personally doesn't want any more memos. Commissioner Susman gave a video presentation of numerous memos he obtained. He is not able to access these memos on his home computer. Chief Rosario stated that this was discussed previously, and the commission did not agree to receive the memos. He questioned how the memos were obtained. Vice Chair Susman stated that he is just asking to see memos. The commission should put out a memo to the firemen that it's okay to speak to the commissioners. Deputy Corporation Counsel Yeh stated that this is not a UIPA matter. She asked if they wanted to meet in executive session to consult with her and ask her questions. Chair Becker stated that he does want to meet in executive session. EXECUTIVE SESSION RE: COMMISSIONER SUSMAN'S REQUEST FOR MEMOS Commissioner St. Ambrogio motioned to meet in executive session to consult with corporation counsel on questions and issues pertaining to its powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and liabilities. Commissioner Laitinen seconded, and it carried unanimously. Executive session convened at 11:16 a.m. Open session reconvened at 12:05 p.m. Vice Chair Susman stated that after having discussed his request for Fire Department memos, he has decided to withdraw his request. Hawaii Fire Commission Regular Session Minutes April 11, 2018 Page 4 CHAIR'S REPORT ON MATTERS OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION Update on commission vacancies: Chair Becker stated that he anticipates two new commissioners soon and would like them to go through an orientation. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Becker announced that the commission's next monthly meeting will be held on May 9, 2018, at 9:00 a.m. in the Aupuni Center Conference, 101 Pauahi St., Hilo, Hawaii. ADJOURNMENT Vice Chair Susman motioned to adjourn. Commissioner Laitinen seconded, and it carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 12:10 p.m. SUBMITTED BY: JOSIE PELAYO, SECRETARY APPROVED BY: ROBERT BECKER, CHAIR