Department of Parks and Recreation

PERSONNEL SERVICES OFFICE

The department's authorized position count as of June 30, 2004:
-Regular Employees ........................................................ 839
-Temporary Employees .................................................... 23.63
-Personal Services Contract Hires.....................................244.04
-Total ...........................................................................1,108.29

-Summer College Student Employment Program ..............368
-Summer Program Hires ..................................................509
Total Summer Hires .........................................................877

PERSONNEL TRANSACTIONS

Personnel Transactions	FY02	FY03	FY04
New Hires	176	37	27
Separations	43	60	55
Promotions/Reallocation Requests	16	47	24
Disciplinary Actions Reviewed	06	97	114
Grievances - Step 1, 2, 3 & 4	31	32	30

TRAINING

The department continues to effectively utilize enhanced multi-media for all of its training requirements.  Computer training remains a high priority.  As technology contiues to advance, so does training requirements.  The department continues to acquire computers for the field staff as may be allowed by the budget.  When City training is not available, outside resources, such as the State and private organizations, are utilized.

The biennial training on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) was conducted pursuant to applicable policies, collective bargaining agreements, and ordiances.  Over seven hundred permanent personnela nd over one thousand Personal Services Contract employees received this training.  Minor problems still remain with the conversion of the training database from a DOS to Windows operating system, but are being rectified as they occur with coordinated efforts from the department of Information Technology.

There was a significant increase in the number of courses in the technical/specialized, and safety categories. Subsequently training hours increased significantly.  The quality of training continues to improve.

SAFETY

One-hundred and twenty-one scheduled, unscheduled, and requested safety inspections were conducted on Parks Maintenance and Recreation Services facilities throughout Districts I, II, III, IV, and V; Horticulture Services, Botanical Garden, Maintenance Support Services, and Recreation Support Services facilities.  Final insections were conducted for the installation of new buildings, pool complexes, play courts, ball fields, skate parks, and composite play structures.  Digital pictures are now incorporated into the results of safety inspections.  Semi-annual Department Safety Committee meetings were conducted.  Safety training sessions were conducted to instruct employees on safety inspection techniques.  HIOSH survey/information from OSHA 300 logs as required by State of Hawaii were completed.  Coordination was continued to develop a new Emergency/Crisis Management Plan for the department.  Training was conducted for division and district secretaries on the new OSHA recordingkeeping regulation.

Civil Defense

The department is a member of the Local Emergency Planning Committee and the Project Impact Committee.  Quarterly meetings for these two committees were attended.  Department staff attended a Statewide Hurricane Exercise.  Division and District Disaster and Emergency Response Plans were updated.  Tropical Storms and Hurricanes were tracked on the internet and information disseminated.  Information on high winds, high surf, and flash flood warnings were also disseminated.  Initial and refresher Shelter Operations and Damage Assessment training was conducted by the American Red Cross and Oahu Civil Defense Agency respectively for DPR staff.

Drug Testing

The department had an average of 72 employees with Commercial Driver's License (CDL).  These employees are subject to a Federally mandated Random Alcohol and Drug Testing Program.  Administering the program involves coordinating appointments for random testing, coordinating with a Substance Abuse Professional for individuals testing positive, scheduled return to work drug testing, and conducting follow-up testing.  New CDL drivers are scheduled for pre-employment drug testing and then placed in a separate pool for random drug and/or alcohol testing.

Driver Training

Due to the rollover of 15-passenger vans as identified in national studies and statistics, a new annual Van Driver Training Program was developed and implemented.  The program is a requirement for any non-CDL license driver that drives a 15-passenger van.  The program consists of four hours of classroom instruction, one hour of driving evaluation and instruction.  It also reduces the number of passengers from 15 to 7.  The new program replaces our old Van Certification program, and is an addition to our current annual Driver Improvement Program and Defensive Driver Program.

                                                                   DRIVER  TRAINING

                                                                  DRIVER EVALUATION

                                                       2004 MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

For additional information on the department's Personnel Services activities, please call (808) 692-5309 or send FAX to (808) 692-5131.