Activities

Salary Commission

By County Charter, the director and the deputy director of personnel serve as ex-officio members of the commission in an advisory capacity.

Mr. Gerald Kita serves as the commission's chairperson, Mr. Barry Mizuno as vice chairperson, and Ms. Roberta Cartwright as secretary.

By County Charter, the commission is assigned the task of establishing the salaries for the mayor, the prosecuting attorney, and county council members.

Activities

Section 13-28(d) of the County Charter provides that the " . . . commission shall review and compensate all county elected officials so that their salaries have a reasonable relationship to the salaries of civil service employees, given due consideration for the duties and responsibilities of the officials."

In FY 1997-1998, the commission deferred taking any action on elected officials' salaries; however, it supported a Charter amendment expanding its authority to set salaries for department heads, deputy department heads, and other positions appointed by the Mayor. The County Council did not pass the proposed Charter amendment.

BUDGET

The department's total operating budget for Fiscal Year 1997-1998 was

Administration and Audit Division

Ms. Merle M. Egusa serves as the head of the department's Administration and Audit Division. Ms. Egusa, a native of the Big Island, began her career with the County of Hawaii in 1966. She has been with the Department of Civil Service since 1970 and has headed the Administration and Audit Division since 1987.

The Administration and Audit Division administers programs to ensure all personnel actions are in accordance with personnel laws, rules, regulations, collective bargaining agreements, executive orders, and applicable federal laws; is responsible for developing policies and procedures on employee relations matters; administers the county's Flexible Spending Plan; and oversees the county's Leave Sharing Program. It also maintains and updates personnel and position files and data.

Flexible Spending Plan. As a cafeteria plan under section 125 of the Internal Revenue Service Code, the County's Flexible Spending Plan allows participants to pay for health insurance premiums and medical and dependent care expenses with pretax dollars. As a result, participants realize both state and federal income tax savings as well as FICA tax savings. The County realizes FICA tax savings. In Plan Year 1997-98, the County saved approximately $139,600 in FICA taxes. During this period, 1,735 employees participated in the plan.

Major tasks accomplished during Fiscal Year 1997-1998 include:

• Developed and implemented procedures on employee personnel files. Implemented project to decentralize the County's official employee personnel files. Completed transfer of the files to 15 departments/agencies.
• Processed 4,181 personnel transactions involving appointments, in-service changes, and separations. This figure represents a 38.9% decrease in transactions from the previous fiscal year.
• Reviewed 369 requests for preliminary determination on contracts for services as part of the review process in the matter of Konno v. County of Hawaii.
• Reviewed and recommended 275 personnel services contracts for appropriate certification for exemption from civil service. This figure represents a 47.9% decrease from the previous fiscal year.
• Provided government service verifications for 212 service and retirement award requests. This figure represents a 19.7% decrease from the previous fiscal year.

Classification and Pay Division

Ms. Joney Y. Nitahara serves as the head of the department's Classification and Pay Division. Ms. Nitahara is a graduate of the University of Hawaii, Manoa, holding a bachelor's degree in education and 5th year professional diploma in education. She joined the department in May, 1987 after working for 11 years in personnel for C. Brewer and Company at Hilo Coast Processing Company and Mauna Kea Agribusiness Co.,Inc.

The division administers a classification and pay system based on merit principles and the principle of equal pay for equal work. In doing so, the division conducts audits of positions or units of positions, develops and maintains class specifications, and evaluates classes of positions for assignment to appropriate salary or wage grades.

Major tasks accomplished during Fiscal Year 1997-1998 include:

• Processed 474 classification actions as follows:

1. Initial allocations - 42
2. Reallocations - 242
3. Position redescription reviews - 116
4. New classes established and assigned to appropriate salary ranges - 12
5. Class specifications amended - 62.

• As required by Chapter 77, Hawaii Revised Statutes, participated in the hearing on appeals filed with the Public Employees Compensation Appeals Board during its review of the White Collar and Blue Collar Compensation Plans.

Ten appeals were filed with the Board on Hawaii County classes of work.

The Board dismissed two appeals and decided to make no changes on the

pricing of the other classes appealed.

• As required by Chapter 77, Hawaii Revised Statutes, concluded its biennial review of the pay range assignments for the Excluded Managerial Compensation Plans of the State and Counties.

No repricing requests were received by Hawaii County.

• Conducted classification review of all positions in the Department of Parks and Recreation, Elderly Actvities Division, Coordinated Services Section. Implemented reorganization establishing the North Hilo district and dividing the Kohala district into North and South Kohala.
• Conducted review of Council Reporter positions. Established new Council Services Assistant series.
• Conducted maintenance review of the Clerk and Clerk-Typist classes and of the positions allocated to the classes of work. Established one clerical series by abolishing Clerk classes and amending and retitling the Clerk-Typist classes. Processed appropriate position classification actions.
• Established classes of work to implement reorganization of Department of Parks and Recreation's tree trimming crew.
• Conducted maintenance review of all classes of work that include positions that handle, possess, or carry firearms.
• Conducted maintenance review of classes in the following series:

• Real Property Appraisers
• Mechanical Engineers
• Police Officers
• Data Processing Systems Analyst
• Computer Operators

Fiscal Year 1998-1999 projects include:

• Implement reorganization of the Department of Finance, Real Property Division.
• Implement reorganization of Mass Transportation Agency.
• Conduct maintenance review of Parks Maintenance Supervisor classes in the Department of Parks and Recreation, Parks Maintenance Division.
• Continue classification review of positions in the Department of Parks and Recreation, Elderly Activities Division.
• Conduct classification review of positions in the Department of Research and Development.
• Participate in the biennial review of the pay range assignments of classes for White Collar and Blue Collar Compensation Plans of the State and Counties, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 77, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Labor and Employee Relations

Mr. Ronald K. Takahashi serves as the head of the department's Labor and Employee Relations Division. He assumed the duties of the position in September l992. Mr. Takahashi joined the Department of Civil Service in April l988 as a Personnel Management Specialist II. He was formerly an employee of the Department of Public Works where he served as a Personnel Assistant for four years. Prior to his County employment, Mr. Takahashi worked under the Federal Personnel System with the Farmers Home Administration for five years.

The Labor and Employee Relations Division advises and assists the director on matters relating to public employee collective bargaining and provides staff services to the director who sits as the Mayor's representative at the bargaining table. It is responsible for hearing all Step III appeals of the grievance process and for recommending appropriate dispositions of these grievances to the director.

The division also provides advisory services to line agencies on labor-management matters, including the administration and interpretation of collective bargaining agreements.

Major tasks accomplished during FY 1997-1998 include:

• Provided staff services to the deputy director in the negotiation of a new two-year contract for bargaining unit ll.
• Participated in the negotiations for new two-year contracts for bargaining unit l2.
• Provided staff services to the director for the negotiations of new two-year contracts for bargaining units 1, 2, 3, 4, and l3 (not funded by State Legislature)..
• Heard and recommended dispositions on 21 Step III grievances (see accompanying chart).
• On an ongoing basis, updated Personnel, Labor Relations, and Excluded Employee Adjustment manuals.

Negotiations of new contracts for bargaining units 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, l2,

and 13, will take place in the new fiscal year.

*Insert graphs "Subject Matter of Grievances Filed," "Step 3 Grievances

Heard," "Arbitration Requests Received," and "Arbitration Decisions

Rendered FY 97-98."

 Personnel Development and Training Division

The position which heads this division is vacant and has been unfilled

because of the County's hiring freeze. The division's activities have

been dispersed to other staff in the department but primarily to Mr.

Ronald Takahashi, head of the Labor and Employee Relations Division.

The Personnel Development and Training Division administers training

programs designed to increase employees' fitness for County services.

During Fiscal Year 1997-1998, 587 employees participated in the various

The division also administers the County's incentive and service awards

system and coordinates the County's participation in the Community

College's Cooperative Vocational Education (CVE) Program. A total of l8

students participated in the CVE program in l997-1998.

The Division is finalizing arrangements for the implementation of new

training programs in FY 1997-1998 in the areas of contract

administration, supervisory development, and communication.

Recruitment and Examination Division

Ms. Gabriella M. Cabanas serves as the head of the department's

Recruitment and Examination Division. Ms. Cabanas has a wealth of

experience in recruitment activities and employment-related counseling,

having worked in various professional capacities for 23+ years with the

State Department of Labor, State Department of Personnel Services, and

with the County of Hawaii, Departments of Public Works and Civil

Service. She is a member of the Hawaii Island Portuguese Chamber of

Commerce, serves as Chairperson of the Hilo Community School for Adults'

Advisory Council, and also serves on the Hawaii Community College

Business Education Advisory Council and the School-To-Work Governance

Committee for the Hilo Complex. She graduated with honors from the

University of Hawaii and St. Joseph High School.

The Recruitment and Examination Division administers the recruitment and

examination program for the County of Hawaii to fill all civil service

positions. The program is conducted in conformance with federal, state,

and local laws.

While the County of Hawaii continues to have a hiring freeze,

recruitments were conducted to fill designated positions which the

administration gave approval to fill on a permanent or temporary basis.

In Fiscal Year 1997-1998, 7,532 applications were received in response to

119 recruitment announcements to fill County civil service positions.

Fifty-five (55) County examinations were developed and administered.

Major tasks accomplished during Fiscal Year 1997-1998 include the

following:

Expansion of the applicant management tracking software system

for the Recruitment & Examination Division. Streamlined process

to reduce paperwork for departments and agencies.

Continuation of Violence in the Workplace training for new

employees.

Conducted recruitment talks for various community organizations

and schools on the Island of Hawaii, including the University of

Hawaii.

Participated in various job fairs on the Island of Hawaii.

Administered five written examinations for the state and other

county jurisdictions to Big Island residents.

Fiscal Year 1998-1999 projects include:

Conversion of all recruitments and applicant data into the

applicant management tracking software system.

Continue the coordination of Violence in the Workplace training