LIHU‘E — Following a year of state furloughs, the Kaua‘i County Council approved, with a few exceptions, two-day-per-month furloughs of county employees during the fiscal year beginning July 1.
The measure will also affect white-collar personnel.
Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr. voluntarily took a 9.23-percent cut in his salary to match what county employees will loose with the furloughs.
Now it’s the appointed officials’ turn to see their salaries shrink.
Carvalho said May 17 in a written statement that he would be asking all of his appointed department heads to reduce their salaries accordingly, and to include their appointees in the pay cuts.
County spokeswoman Mary Daubert confirmed Tuesday that all department heads appointed by Carvalho will have their salaries reduced by 9.23 percent.
Carvalho has no appointing authority over council members or the county prosecuting attorney, who are elected officials, but he “encouraged” them to follow his lead and reduce their salaries.
The legislative body has already announced last month that it would follow Carvalho’s example, and have taken a pay cut.
Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho could not be reached for comment before press time.
The Civil Service Commission (county personnel director), the Fire Commission, the Police Commission, the Liquor Control Commission and the Planning Commission appoint their respective department heads.
The mayor has asked each of the these commissions to move to reduce the salary of the respective department heads.
The Liquor Control Commission voted Thursday to reduce Director Eric Honma’s salary, to be consistent with other departments.
The Civil Service Commission, which holds the appointing authority for the personnel director, approved Tuesday a salary reduction for county Department of Personnel Services Director Malcolm Fernandez. The decision, however, was not unanimous.
“I’m still in the middle on that one,” said Commissioner Suzanne Aguiar. “Our directors are our leaders. We don’t want to lose them. So, you get what you pay for.”
The Planning Commission has looked into reducing Planning Director Ian Costa’s salary, but deferred the decision until their meeting June 22.
The Fire Commission and the Police Commission also deferred decisions, but won’t have to wrangle with the issue anymore.
Carvalho has since reconsidered his position, and on June 4 told those commissions he is withdrawing his request that KPD Chief Darryl Perry and KFD Chief Robert Westerman have their salaries reduced.
Carvalho requested the reconsideration after finding out other counties in Hawai‘i were not reducing their police or fire chiefs’ salaries.
In about six months the matter of furloughs will be revisited by council members. In case furloughs are lifted, the salaries of department heads may go back to the original scale.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@kauaipubco.com.
