The Finance and Economic Development Committee held a day-long budget review for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the Fire Department, Kauai Emergency Management Agency (KEMA), Police Department, and Office of the Prosecuting Attorney. The meeting included public testimony, detailed departmental presentations, and extensive discussion on staffing, equipment, operational challenges, and community safety. No formal votes were taken; instead, council members directed several follow-up requests for data and clarification.
Okay, good morning. I'd like to call back to order the Finance and Economic Development Committee and the fiscal year 2026-2027 departmental budget reviews. Let the record reflect that all members are present on the schedule today. We'll be hearing from fire department fire department, uh emergency managed emergency management agency, police department, and the office of the prosecuting attorney. As we do each morning, we'll take public testimony. Is there anyone in the public wishing to testify? Oh, Bruce. Good morning. Morning. For the record, Bruce Hart. Um Harold, do I get three or six minutes? Three. Three, uh, and then I'll see if anybody else wants to testify. If nobody else wants to testify, you'll get another three. Okay. Okay, so bear with me. Uh I have a point to make, but within the Christian faith, uh, there are certain um standard operating procedures. And one of them is accountability. I'm expected to hold my brothers and my sisters accountable to the word of God. I expect them to hold me accountable. And I don't take offense at that. The word is very explicit about this subject. We're not to take offense. It's a difficult world at times, and there are temptations, and so a brother without really any apparent reason may ask me certain accountability questions. Now, within the budget system, I've sat through enough budget meetings that I think I understand the procedure fairly well. And I think you're doing a good job. And you've kind of got an SOP that you follow. And every department has its goals, uh, its duties, its responsibilities. Uh they have what they want to accomplish for the coming year. Which will reflect how they're going to do. That's your first three minutes. Anyone else in the audience wishing to testify on fire chemo police or office of the prosecuting attorney? You can have your next three minutes. Thank you. And so again, I think that this is the duty and responsibility of elected representatives. I said once sitting here in this chair that I believe that the greatest responsibility, and it would be for me if I was a council member, the greatest responsibility or duty of a council member of any elected representative of the people is to protect their liberties. Without the liberties, we don't have the government that we are so blessed to have. Again, we're not, I don't want this what I'm proposing to be something like I'm going after a department head. I'm not going after anybody. It's the entire office or department, and we're trying to get an idea of whether or not they're accomplishing with the money within budget what we expect them to do, what they've told us they're going to do. And there is some question as to whether there would be accountability in regards to an elected representative. Of course there is. Thank you. Thank you, Bruce. Anyone else in the audience wishing to testify? If not, um we'll get on with our day. Our first department up is fire department. And Chief, we'll enter. We'll let you go over your synopsis first. Well, ask any questions on the synopsis, and then we'll go into low budget.