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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-09-27 (draft) Cost of Government Commission minutes COST OF GOVERNMENT COMMISSION c/o Office of the Mayor, 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 COST OF GOVERNMENT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES (DRAFT) SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 HAWAI‘I COUNTY BUILDING, PUNA CONFERENCE ROOM – HILO 25 AUPUNI STREET, SUITE 1501, HILO, HAWAI‘I CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Jones called the meeting to order at 9:03 a.m. ATTENDANCE Present: Jenipher A. Jones, Chairperson Margarita “Dayday” L. Hopkins, Vice-Chairperson Lenard Allen, Commissioner Barbara Ann Bongo Arthurs, Commissioner David A. Buehler, Commissioner Gregory Dale Larson, Commissioner Harry Lee McIntosh III, Commissioner Genevieve Puanani Woo, Commissioner Excused: Ross E. Birch, Commissioner ____ Also present: Dennis Kauka, Jr., Executive Assistant Aide – Office of the Mayor Angelic (Malia) Hall, Deputy Corporation Counsel Roy Takemoto, Executive Assistant to the Mayor (partial attendance) STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC (none) APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Allen motioned to approve the August 30, 2018 minutes as amended with the following edits. Commissioner Hopkins seconded.: pg. 2, “Discussion of Communications with Departments for Subcommittee nd Work”, 2 paragraph, last sentence to – “Commissioner Arthurs noted that the Commission may not necessarily respond to ‘all’” pg. 4, change to $47.50 per month Motion approved by voice vote – 8 ayes, 1 absent PRESENTATION FROM EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE MAYOR This item on the agenda was withdrawn. Upon his arrival at the meeting, Roy Takemoto advised that he is present to offer support from the Mayor’s office and determine whether the framework the Commission is working with is operable. Cost of Government Commission September 27, 2018 meeting minutes DISCUSSION OF RESPONSE TO COMMUNCATION FROM CHARTER COMMISSION The Commission agreed to accept the response letter as drafted by Chairperson Jones dated September 26, 2018, with the following insertion: “In addition, we recommend that Departments who receive recommendations from this Commission provide a written, formal response to the Mayor’s office and County Council detailing progress and/or issues with said recommendations within six months of the report date.” SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS Culture and Recreation The Subcommittee has not yet received a response from the golf course on a suggested fee schedule. The Commission may need to consider developing its own recommendation for rate changes. The idea on whether a municipal golf course would be more profitable in Kona but determined that there is less maintenance in Hilo and would have to compete with the resort courses on the West Hawai’i side of the island. An inquiry was made on if the County Council needs to improve all fee increases. Corporation Counsel indicated that most do. The Subcommittee reported that the golf course has 13 groundskeepers and it was described as pristine. By contrast, the zoo has 1. The Subcommittee is interested in figuring out a way to possibly level the playing field over the 2 large recreational areas. The Subcommittee indicates their findings that the zoo is largely dependent on the “Friends of the Zoo”, a nonprofit established to promote the zoo and assist with its needs. The “Friends” provide almost everything, including cages, equipment, food and volunteers. A suggestion is if the Friends organization can take over the zoo from the County in a contract form. The Subcommittee describes the current zoo condition as poor. Health, Education and Welfare The Subcommittee intends to meet with the Housing Administrator and Executive from the County Aging office to gather information and will report on their discussions. Public Safety & Miscellaneous The Subcommittee inquired on issues with the County building division and its permitting process. 2 Cost of Government Commission September 27, 2018 meeting minutes Roy Takemoto from the Mayor’s office advised that they are on track for April 2019 to allow applicants to submit totally online, including plan reviews and have the ability to “shop” concurrently to all reviewers at the same time with their comments. Part of the problem identified is that plan reviewers would make comments on a building plan and an architect does not respond to each, which has wasted time. The intent now would be to have everyone on track whether response were received or not. The insertion of a proposed resubmittal fee will also discourage inadequate submittals. A Subcommittee member remarked that he was told by an anonymous source that the County police department looked at savings funds by using a County owned fleets instead of officers’ private vehicles. Mr. Takemoto said a report was conducted on this comparison, which has positives or negatives but concluded the private may actually be savings. A request was made for the report and staff will look to obtaining and providing to the Subcommittee. It was determined that this Subcommittee can include planning and zoning matters. Sanitation and Waste Removal Subcommittee Member Hopkins sent an initial email was sent to Peter Boucher, identified as the former superintendent of Sewer & Sewage Disposal program of the Wastewater Division at Hawai’i County, to identify potential opportunities to either increase revenue or cut costs within that area. It was specifically noted that the operating budget appears to indicate that the Solid Waste program received only a State grant. The Subcommittee requested Mr. Boucher provide his perspective on how the program is set up, corresponding administrative policies and procedures in implementations, and current conditions and constraints. Members of the Subcommittee felt that Mr. Boucher may have a particularly valuable insight compared to members of the current Department of Environmental Management administration. Subcommittee Member Woo mentioned consideration that the County charges no fee for dumping. She said that in some municipalities, a fee is charged on the utility for residents. Commissioner Allen noted that the concern, in Puna at least, would be that if a fee were enacted, a likely consequence would be illegal roadside dumping. Questions would include how a fee rate would be structured. For example, would this be by vehicle? Comments were also made by Commissioners on how best to implement any added revenues needed for environmental management services. What should be considered is “user based”; for example, should money be collected from people who contribute to trash more or widely spread in the form of increasing property taxes. 3 Cost of Government Commission September 27, 2018 meeting minutes ANNOUNCEMENTS (none) ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:05 a.m. 4