The Honolulu Fire Commission gave Fire Chief Manuel Neves an excellent rating on his annual performance evaluation despite ongoing tensions between the chief and the firefighters union.

Commissioners gave Neves an aggregate score of 4.4 out of 5 on his interaction with the Fire Commission. Neves’ average aggregate scores for leadership qualities and managerial skills were 3.7 and 3.95 out of 5, respectively, which marked an improvement over last year’s evaluation. He was rated satisfactory for personal and professional traits.

In 2014, the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association’s leadership gave Neves a vote of no confidence, the first issued against any Hawaii fire chief in the union’s 51-year history, its president said.

"Between last year and this year, our problems have increased tenfold," said Hawaii Fire Fighters Association President Robert Lee, who was surprised Wednesday by the favorable score.

The 2014 no-confidence vote came because Neves and his deputy and assistant chiefs failed to consult with the union, bypassing its authority on labor-related matters and violating the collective bargaining contract between the union and the city. Major changes in policy and procedure were instituted without consultation of union officials, sometimes violating the existing labor agreement, Lee said last year.

"The thing is we represent 100 percent of the firefighters from captains down," Lee said Wednesday. "He doesn’t communicate directly with us. … We’re confused as to what his position is on the different issues."

In a written response to the criticism, Neves said: "The fire chief’s primary responsibility is to protect the City and County of Honolulu through leadership and management of the department. This is guided by the intent to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Honolulu.

"I am pleased with the Fire Commission’s evaluation and will continue to perform my responsibility to the members of the HFD, their families, and the community."

Fire Commission Chairman Quentin Kawananakoa said in a Honolulu Fire Department news release: "Chief Neves has proven to be very reliable and effective in leading the department. He has shown himself to be highly intelligent and seems to have a firm grasp on what is required of a fire chief in order to be successful."

"We congratulate Chief Neves on his evaluation and thank all the members of the HFD," Mayor Kirk Caldwell said in the same HFD news release.

Neves, who rose through Honolulu Fire Department’s ranks, took command of the department on Feb. 16, 2013.