Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0007.01 - Response from Fire CommissionHarry Kim Mayor Wil Okabe Ihmaging Director COUNTY OF HAWAP I Fire Commission 101 Patiahi Street, Suite 9 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Phone: (808) 932-2950 • Fax: (808) 932-2949 Date: September 12, 2018 To: Douglass Shipman Adams, Chair Hawai'i County Charter Commission From: Robert Becker, Chair Hawaii County Fire dommission RE: 2018-2020 HAWAI'I COUNTY CHARTER INPUT Robert Becker. Chair Scott Susrnan, Vice Chair (iregory Henkel, Member Kyle Kcamo, Member Denise Laitinen, Member Donna Paycsko. Member Marcella St. Ambrogio, Member Ralph Yawata, Member Thank you for the opportunity for the Fire Commission to provide input to the 2018-2020 Hawai'i County Charter revision. Per my discussion with Charter Commission Analyst Jon Hendricks, I have attached a red line version of Fire Commission recommendations to the charter, Overall, the recommendations seek to clarify vague language pertaining to the oversight of the Fire Department by the Fire Commission, the Fire Commission position within the hierarchy of the county structure, citizen complaints and report findings, and disciplinary actions taken by the Fire Commission directed at the Fire Chief short of removal. Should you have any questions or if you would like me to attend your October 12, 2018 meeting, I can be reached at 985-7253. RB:jp Attachment Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunhy Provider and Employer. Comm. No. 7.1 Hawaii County Fire Commission Charter Red Line Submission - 9/12118 Section 7-4.1. Organization. There shall be a Hawaii fire department consisting of a fire chief, a deputy fire chief, ki-flife t1 t and the necessary staff. The fire chief shall be the administrative head of the Hawai`i fire department. (2010, Prop. 10, secs. 2 and 3.) Section 7-4.3. Fire Chief. (a) The fire chief shall be appointed by the file commission and may be dtsc_iplhned int° removed by the fire commission at its sole discretion. Any motion for removal of the fire chief must contain a statement of reasons, and the commission shall not vote to remove the fire chief unless the fire chief has been given an opportunity to respond to the statement of reasons at a hearing before the commission.. (b) The fire chief shall have had a minimum of five years of training and experience in fire control, including at least three years of experience in a responsible administrative capacity. (2010, Prop. 10, secs. 2 and 3, and Prop. 15, sec. 3.) Section 7-4.5. Fire Commission. There shall be a fire commission, which shall consist of nine members. One member shall be a resident of each council district. The commission may appoint such staff and engage such consultants as necessary for the performance of its duties. The members shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council in the manner prescribed in Section 13-4. (2010, Prop. 10, secs. 2 and 3.) Section 7-4.6. Powers, Duties and Functions. The fire commission shall: (a) Adopt rules necessary for the conduct of its business and review rules for the administration of the department. (b) Review the annual budget prepared by the fire chief and make recommendations thereon to the mayor, the managing director and the council. (c) Review the department's operations [„-as ee ed to s° F ]f©r the purposes of recommending improvements to the fire chief (d) Evaluate at least annually the performance of the fire chief and submit a report to the mayor, the managing director and the council. (e) Review personnel actions within the department for conformance with the policies under Section 7-4.2 of this charter. (t) Hear complaints of citizens concerning the department or its personnel and, if necessary, ti-e-m-Rielidertielisl report lindirig to the fire chief 1-on-apffet3f44e-e-effec-ti-Ve (g) Submit an annual report to the mayor, managing director and the council on its activities. Except for purposes of inquiry or as otherwise provided in this charter, neither the commission nor its members shall interfere in any way with the ws W tt ^1,--affairs4 ,--affairsi itlawl_ processes and opeliatio V 1 activities of the department. (2010, Prop. 10, secs. 2 and 3.)