2026-09-01 - Finance Committee

00:21Aloha. Welcome to the 43rd session for

00:23the Committee on Finance. Today is

00:24September 1st, 2026. It's 10:36 a.m.

00:27Please uh bear with us. We're running a

00:30little bit behind this morning. Calling

00:31this meeting to order. Uh to my left, we

00:35have council members

00:37Kimble, Gimmbo, Viegas. To my right, we

00:39have council members Kagiada, Houston

00:41Kirkowitz.

00:44He's not to my right, but he is in the

00:46building. Mr. Onishi and council member

00:49Enaba and myself. That makes nine

00:51members in favor, Mr. Clerk.

00:54Is there any testimony this morning?

00:58>> Chair, thank you, chair. Sorry about

01:00that. I believe we do have one testifier

01:02in Kona. Scott, if you could lead us

01:05with your testifier, please.

01:09Thank you, Rally. Yeah. This morning we

01:11have Kelly Hudik

01:13in support of resolution 665-26.

01:17Kelly and state your name for the record

01:18and proceed. You have three minutes.

01:22Uh, Kelly Hudick,

01:26please.

01:26>> So,

01:31uh, want to support resolution 66526 in

01:34support of funding to PATH to support

01:36the high bike share program. The H

01:38Highach project will promote

01:39transportation options for Hawaii Island

01:42residents, visitors, and alike to

01:44utilize and encourage a healthy fun way

01:46to get around the island and around town

01:49and support development of appropriate

01:51infrastructure for biking, bicycle

01:53safety, and bicycle ridership on Hawaii

01:55Island. It helps reduce traffic

01:57congestion and improve automobile and

01:59transit times. It also seamlessly

02:01integrates into the Helon bus system. So

02:04riders of the Helon bus can scan a QR

02:06code now and get free ridership on the

02:09high bike share system for unlimited

02:1130-minute rides for 24 hours.

02:14It's an inter intergenerational

02:17bicycling culture in Kyua Kona and Hilo

02:19that normalizes the bicycle for

02:20transportation and recreation. It

02:22stimulates public support for expanding

02:24bicycle infrastructure under the

02:26membership options designed for Hawaii

02:28Island residents in mind. The more you

02:30use the system, the greater value of the

02:32membership fee and the further your

02:34transportation dollars in high bike

02:36membership goes. Hawaii Island is

02:38actually at the forefront and we're

02:40ahead of the curve compared to the rest

02:42of the islands because we have a bike

02:43share system that incorporates into the

02:45mass transit system. We're the only ones

02:47that do this. Aahu is trying to follow

02:50suit with the Bicki system, but this is

02:52an incredible opportunity that any kind

02:55of anyone that rides the free Helon bus

02:57system can also use the bike share

02:59program for free to get around and

03:01supplement the first and last mile with

03:03the transit program.

03:05In addition to the mass transit um

03:09component of the high system, PATH also

03:11utilizes the high for programming for

03:14adults and children. So for instance,

03:17we've used the high bike system to do

03:20safe riding programs for adults. Teach

03:22them how to ride safe in traffic, how to

03:24use the high bike program in order to

03:27encourage people to utilize it and get

03:29out and and have active transportation

03:32options for them in lie of using their

03:35car for everything. We also have a

03:38program that's coming up in Kona on

03:40September 26th where we close down a

03:42portion of Elite Drive and bring out

03:44bikes for kids to ride. We'll also have

03:46the highikes out for adults to ride with

03:49their kids or just to ride on their own

03:52again to let them learn more about using

03:54the system and have bicycling be a more

03:58integrated part of the culture on both

04:00sides of the island. So, thank you.

04:02>> Seconds.

04:02>> Thank you for your support of this

04:04program.

04:05>> Thank you, Kelly. That's it for Kona.

04:08>> Thank you so much, Scott. And chair,

04:09with that, those are all the testifiers

04:11you have here at the beginning of your

04:12meeting.

04:13>> Thank you very much. Okay, Mr. Mr. Cler,

04:15let's go to the first item on the

04:16agenda. Communication 23.41.

04:20>> If anyone would like to testify in

04:21communication 23.41, please speak up

04:24now. This is your last chance.

04:27Hearing and seeing none, communication

04:2823.41, report of fund transfers

04:31authorized June 16 through 30, 2026 and

04:34July 1 through 15, 2026 from controller

04:37John Arbles, dated August 3, 2026. Chair

04:40>> motion to close file communication

04:4223.41.

04:44Motion by council member Houston,

04:46seconded by council member Kumba. Any

04:48discussion on communication 23.41.

04:50Council member Eustace.

04:51>> Thank you chair. Uh just a question for

04:53housing please.

04:57Okay. So uh just for the record. Oh,

05:00okay. Mr. Sherma.

05:02>> Hey, good morning. Royce Sherroma,

05:04Office of Housing.

05:05>> Thank you, Mr. Sherma. Just looking for

05:07some clarity on

05:09the transfer of funds 90,000

05:14on the Wilder transitional housing

05:15facility renovation improvements. It it

05:17reads as additional funds are needed to

05:19award the pending construction contract.

05:22Why would funds be needed to award the

05:24pending contract?

05:26>> Yeah. So, this one here we had awarded

05:29initially to for the Wilder Road um home

05:35which is owned by the county and

05:38apparently needed additional funds

05:40because there were uh something that was

05:43uncovered um during the demolition.

05:48Um initially this project is to uh uh

05:53provide uh accessible bath bathroom and

05:56kitchen in addition to the uh sewer uh

06:01sewer to septic tank conversion and

06:04during the demolition of of the uh

06:07interior uh something was uncovered so

06:10they needed additional funds to address

06:11it

06:12>> to increase that threshold in the

06:14contract itself then.

06:16>> I'm sorry. So the contract hasn't been

06:18awarded yet then?

06:19>> It has been awarded. I think that's what

06:22was written. I'm not sure how um the

06:24information you were provided.

06:26>> It reads construction contract.

06:29So something was discovered that you

06:32then need to increase the contract

06:34amount.

06:35>> Yes.

06:36>> Okay. Okay. Okay. Thanks for the

06:38clarification. Thanks chair.

06:40>> Thank you.

06:43>> Any further discussion on communication

06:4523.41? 41

06:48Miss Parks and Rec here.

06:51Yes, Charmaine. Thank you.

06:55Uh my question while you're coming up is

06:58regarding the fairly large transfer

07:02from a number of

07:04parks and recreation maintenance salary

07:07and wages

07:09account to a number of

07:13other portions. already was maintenance

07:15just over budget or what happened there

07:18because I know that's that's a pretty

07:19heavy need in our community as far as

07:20maintenance.

07:22>> Good morning, Charmaine Felipe, business

07:23manager for parks and recreation. Uh

07:26thank you for the question. So, um at

07:28the time, parks and recreation uh parks

07:31maintenance had a lot of vacancies that

07:33we were filling. Uh so we were able to

07:36use those funds to cover the end of the

07:39year expenses for the rest of the

07:41division while we were trying to fill

07:43the positions in park maintenance.

07:46>> Okay. And then the the biggest transfers

07:48in two were admin salary and wages uh

07:52two times. Yeah. For 120,000 and 96,000

07:57separately but same account from same

08:00account to same account.

08:02>> Correct. So at towards the beginning of

08:05the year, we inherited the veterinarian

08:08and the vette positions that were not in

08:10our budget. Uh so we needed to cover it

08:15at the end of the year.

08:17>> That's in the admin section.

08:18>> Yes.

08:18>> Okay. Thank you very much.

08:20>> You're welcome.

08:22>> Okay. See no further discussion. Motion

08:23is on the floor to close file on

08:25communication 23.41. All in favor?

08:28>> Any opposed?

08:30>> Mr. Clerk, you have nine members in

08:31favor. Next item, please.

08:34>> If anyone would like to testify on

08:35communication 24.39,

08:37please speak up now.

08:41>> Hearing and seeing none, communication

08:4324.39, report of change orders

08:45authorized May 1-5, 2026 from finance

08:48director Diane Nakagawa, dated August

08:5112, 2026. Transmitting the above report

08:53pursuant to section 2-12.3 of the Hawaii

08:56County Code.

08:58>> Chair motion to close final

08:59communication 24.39.

09:01Second. We have a motion by council

09:03member Hustus and a second by council

09:05member oni. Council member Hust.

09:08>> Thanks chair. Just just to note that you

09:10know in communication 2341 we talked

09:13about the Wilder transitional 90,000.

09:16Just for the record here the the purpose

09:18on 2439 is rather vague. So just for the

09:22record please identify a little bit more

09:25need. There are some other examples

09:26about the purpose there. I mean it just

09:28says to increase funds. So rather lack

09:30clarity there. Um and then if I have a

09:34question for

09:37parks and wreck please.

09:48Thanks Miss Felipe. Just a question on

09:51contracts regarding the Aukin Civic

09:54Auditorium renovation.

09:56It mentions that the flooring and

09:58bleacher replacements are packaged into

10:00a separate construction scope. So, an

10:02entirely separate project. They've been

10:04separated out and moved somewhere else

10:05and going out to bid separately.

10:09>> Um,

10:11yes. Uh, they changed the scope of the

10:14type of flooring that they want

10:17installed

10:18>> uh and how they want to address the

10:22bleachers.

10:25But it so they're they're it's still

10:28included in this contract then then the

10:30flooring and bleacher replacement.

10:32>> Yes.

10:34>> Okay. But it it says it's packaged into

10:36a separate construction scope. So still

10:38under the same contract with uh

10:40>> for design

10:41>> for design. Okay.

10:44Okay.

10:49Okay. But it it see but it seems that so

10:51this was additional geotech

10:52investigation hazmat assessments for

10:56132,000

10:58but the design piece for flooring

10:59bleacher. We're yet to see that sort of

11:01cost come forward.

11:03>> Yes.

11:04>> Okay. But that will still be part of the

11:05same contract with Yamasato.

11:07>> Yes.

11:08>> Okay. Okay. Thank you.

11:09>> You're welcome.

11:11And then one other question for

11:18uh looks like office of housing actually

11:19on this one. Mr. Shommer, I think you're

11:22still with us, right?

11:24>> Yes, I'm here.

11:25>> Okay, thank you. on

11:28there was a contract for the affordable

11:30housing subdivision inco

11:34the

11:38this was a prep for a public meeting

11:41that's all it was additional work public

11:43meeting 26,000

11:48>> I'm yeah that's for the that's that's

11:50basically the community development

11:52division however um I would assume Yeah,

11:56it is for additional work because a

11:58there was a consultant that was doing

12:01the public meeting for the environmental

12:03portion of the of the this development

12:06project, the planning stage.

12:09>> Uh but it was revolving around a

12:11publicformational meeting. So them as a

12:14consultant pulling together a community

12:16meeting, being in that space, holding

12:17that space.

12:19>> Yeah, correct. Okay. Whatever expenses

12:21that were associated with this public

12:23meeting.

12:24>> Okay. Thank you. Thanks sir. Thank you

12:27council member.

12:29>> Thank you chair.

12:32You can please come up again. I just

12:34have one question for that civic

12:36auditori.

12:41So my question is prior to this

12:43administration coming you know uh I

12:46guess being elected wasn't the previous

12:49administration

12:50had this work already been done the

12:52scope of renovating the civic auditorium

12:58>> it was worked on and recently with the

13:00change in administration uh they want to

13:03address the current flooring issues

13:06differently they don't want to put the

13:08same type of flooring back in because um

13:12it's not working for our environment. Uh

13:14they looked at a different type of

13:16flooring that would work better for our

13:18environment.

13:19>> Okay. So my question would be then with

13:22the previous administration when they

13:24went out to get the consulting they had

13:27their own plan, right? And we the county

13:30paid for that. Correct?

13:32>> I'm assuming. Yes.

13:33>> Yeah. And then now we're paying again to

13:36change some of the scope of the work.

13:40Right? Because they believe the

13:41investment will be a better solution in

13:45the long term.

13:46>> Okay. Now my last question is so within

13:49whoever was doing all this

13:52like getting the quotes or getting the

13:54you know they keep informing a

13:56consultant about having this pro this

13:59project done.

14:01>> They left or they what what happened?

14:05I think um the newer technology was

14:09brought

14:11uh

14:13to the administration

14:15um that it would be a better fit for the

14:18facility and what the uses for that

14:21facility are and that we wouldn't be

14:23running into issues that we currently

14:25have.

14:26>> Okay. And I I was I I I mentioned that

14:30was my last but my this is my last.

14:31Okay. So, you know, because when we

14:34first got in, we were told, okay, the

14:36civic going to be closed, right? And

14:39they're not going to take no

14:40reservations, nothing. Right. But it's

14:43now 2026,

14:46almost half of the year's gone and it's

14:48still is it is the Civic still open? Is

14:51it?

14:52>> Yes, it's still open.

14:53>> Okay. And so

14:56when do the department plan on closing

15:00this civic to do all this work? Do do

15:03you have a like a timeline?

15:06>> Yes, it's not immediate and we will

15:09announce and put it on our web page and

15:13uh social media when the time gets

15:15closer. Because to my understanding is

15:17that when we do Kanana core renovations,

15:21>> a lot of the pro um programs that they

15:23have there is going to go to to the

15:25civic.

15:26>> Right.

15:26>> Yeah.

15:27>> Right. So the department has to take

15:29into consideration the closure of other

15:31facilities that may affect the use of

15:34the civic.

15:35>> Okay. Good. Okay. Thank you. You're

15:36welcome. Thank you very much.

15:38>> Thank you.

15:41Sorry. I have one more.

15:46This just so we know what to expect. Are

15:49you going to get new bleachers? It's not

15:50just chairs. You actually put it like

15:52back rest on that thing or what?

15:54>> This is for the flooring section.

15:56>> Just the flooring.

15:57>> Yes.

15:57>> So bleachers

15:59separate then which is what the the

16:04what is that section called? The purpose

16:06kind of designates bleachers and

16:07flooring.

16:10bleachers um are addressing the

16:13bleachers on the flooring, not the top

16:15seating area.

16:16>> Oh, not the top seating area. Those nice

16:18concrete backless

16:20>> Yeah.

16:20>> sore back bleachers that we have in

16:22there now.

16:23>> Those are staying.

16:24>> Um I'm not too sure what the design is,

16:27but um I can get back to you on that.

16:30>> Okay. Yeah.

16:31>> Yeah, if if you can.

16:33>> Sure.

16:33>> Thank you.

16:34>> You're welcome.

16:35>> Thank you. And then I have a question

16:37for housing as well regarding that.

16:40Wilder transitional house facility

16:42renovation improvements.

16:44Thank you, Roy.

16:45>> Yes, I'm still here. Thank you.

16:48>> Beautiful. So, original contract amount

16:50was 430,000.

16:53Sorry, it's just super small. It's hard

16:54to read this thing.

16:55>> Yes. 43170.

16:57>> That was December 5th, 2024.

17:01One change order. This is the

17:03contractor's Hope Services Hawaii

17:05cumulative change order is $90,000.

17:10And what is that for?

17:13>> Yeah. So I I think this is connected to

17:16the question that um Councilman Houston

17:19talked about.

17:20>> Yeah. It is.

17:23>> Yeah. So my I I I stand corrected that

17:27the actual it's not to award the

17:30contract for the services. What we did

17:32was we had to amend the subreient

17:35agreement to Hope Services who um

17:40applied for the CDBG funding and they

17:43needed that additional money in order to

17:45award and get into a contract with the

17:49contractor. So the contract for the

17:52construction is between Hope Services

17:55and the contractor.

17:57OCD

17:59um has a subreient agreement between the

18:02count us the county and the subreient

18:05which is hope. So in order for the when

18:08the bids came in the bids were higher

18:12than what we allotted in the agreement

18:14to hope services and that's the reason

18:17why we had to increase the subreient

18:20agreement by 90,000 in order to award

18:23for hope to award and contract with the

18:27contractor.

18:28And um you know it part of it is the the

18:32work that was done that's going to be

18:34done to uh uh do ADA bathrooms and

18:38kitchen as well as the septic the ceso

18:42to septic tank uh conversion for the

18:44property.

18:47>> And this is a county owned property.

18:49>> County owned property on Walder

18:54Road. while the road

18:56>> that's going to be a transitional house

18:58run by Hope Services.

19:00>> Yes, it's current they have we have a

19:02lease with Hope Services currently right

19:04now

19:06>> and the lease improvements are being

19:08done by the

19:11contractor Hope Services.

19:14>> Yeah. A subreient agreement. Yes. The

19:17person the entity leasing the property.

19:20Correct.

19:22And one more time, what was the scope of

19:24the $90,000 improvements?

19:26>> Yeah, it was it was additional funding

19:29that was when when Hope put out the bid,

19:32the lowest bidder, you know, came in

19:36$90,000 above what their budgeted amount

19:40was. And therefore, hope asked us

19:44housing to

19:47provide additional funds to their

19:48subreient agreement, which we did. And

19:51this is what the change order is all

19:53about. So they can award to the lowest

19:56bidder of the uh to the contractor.

20:00>> What was the original bid that they

20:03projected?

20:05>> Um I think it was

20:15The original bid was a 430

20:19170. So they increased it by 90,000. So

20:22the total would be $520,170.

20:28>> And what are the improvements that

20:30$520,000

20:33is going to cover? It'll cover the a uh

20:38um provide accessibility to the bathroom

20:41of the facility as well as the kitchen

20:44and also conversion of the they

20:47currently have a cesoo there at the

20:50house. We're going to convert it to a

20:51septic tank system.

20:58So the county purchased a home on assess

21:02pool. Oh, it was it was I it was a while

21:07back that that the county has took over

21:11ownership of that property

21:15and now

21:17we're paying hope services through a

21:20contract to bring it up to code so they

21:24can run it as a transitional facility.

21:26Okay.

21:28Is this contract

21:31tied to

21:34an an agreement with hope services to

21:38run the shelter as well?

21:40>> No, it's totally separate.

21:43>> You mean the homeless shelter

21:45>> though? The trans this transitional

21:47housing facility. Is this are we paying

21:50hope services to run the transitional

21:52housing facility as well through a

21:53different fund or a different contract?

21:55Yeah, there I I'm not 100% sure because

21:58we are not they're not getting any fund

22:00additional funds for services through

22:02the city program. Um, however,

22:07there may be a contract.

22:10I'm not too sure.

22:12Okay. Thank you, Rice. I appreciate it.

22:18>> Okay. Any further discussion?

22:20Okay. Hearing seeing none, motion is on

22:22the floor to close file on communication

22:2424.39.

22:29All in favor?

22:30>> Any opposed?

22:32>> Mr. Clerk, you have nine members in

22:34favor? No members opposed. Motion

22:36carries. Next item, please.

22:37>> If anyone would like to testify in

22:39communication 24.40, please speak up

22:42now.

22:44Hearing and seeing none, communication

22:4624.40, 40 report of change orders

22:49authorized June 1 through 15, 2026 from

22:51finance director Diane Nakagawa dated

22:54August 12, 2026 transmitting the above

22:56report pursuing to section 2-12.3 of the

22:58Hawaii County Code.

23:00>> Chair motion to close file on

23:01communication 24.40.

23:04We

23:04>> have a motion by council member Huis and

23:06a second by council member Kiwada to

23:08close file on communication 24.40.

23:11Any discussion? Council member Hust.

23:13>> Thanks Sher. A question for public works

23:15please.

23:23Uh this is in regard to uh professional

23:26consulting services for public safety

23:28building improvements.

23:31Uh just curious on the initial scope for

23:34this project because we've seen it, you

23:38know, initial uh contract award was

23:41280,000 282,000

23:43and over time it's we've added $2

23:45million to it. So I'm just kind of

23:47curious on the original scope for that

23:48project.

23:54>> Good morning, Kelsey Kua Lewis, um

23:56business manager with the Department of

23:58Public Works. So initially this um

24:01contract started as um professional

24:04consulting services for um the public

24:08safety building. I think it was

24:10somewhere in change order number three.

24:14Um we had done a change order which

24:18included the Kaooo building. um moving

24:22out the section of finance that was in

24:25the public safety building to Kaiko

24:28building. Um so that that I I believe um

24:33accounted for about maybe 1 million um

24:36back in change order number three adding

24:38those scope of services on.

24:41>> And so the the goal here is to stay with

24:43the same does there is there an end date

24:45for this contract?

24:47um an end date. We're hoping.

24:49>> Is it initiated in 2022?

24:51>> Yeah. Um I'm not sure on the end date. I

24:54would have to check with um the

24:56engineers on that. Um but we are this is

24:59a priority project. I know they want to

25:01get construction going um sooner rather

25:04than later.

25:06They were initially they were brought in

25:08just to do consulting services, but now

25:10they've been doing layering in uh

25:12improvements and other conditions as the

25:15as the project's been built out over

25:17time then.

25:17>> Yeah, cuz it was a it was a renovation

25:20to the public safety building. Um this

25:22particular change order um was for the

25:26um basically we have to replace the air

25:29handling unit um the chiller

25:32um and the cooling tower. So, um, right

25:37now they're being rented.

25:39>> So, you know, as we're moving along in

25:41the process, there are things that we're

25:42finding that need to be improved or

25:45replaced as well.

25:47>> Do you see any other significant changes

25:49with this contract in terms of other

25:52conditions [snorts] or projects that we

25:54need to take on with this one too? At

25:55the moment,

25:57>> um, not at the moment. Um, I know a

25:59priority was for painting the public

26:01safety building, which we are doing

26:03separately.

26:04um that um the gap in the original

26:10contract amount um was just adding on

26:13that additional KO facility. So other

26:15than that I don't foresee anything but

26:18it is unknown.

26:19>> Okay. Okay. Thanks Miss Kulus.

26:21Appreciate it. You're welcome.

26:22>> Thank you chair.

26:24>> Thank you.

26:35Okay, sorry. I was looking it over. I

26:37was I guess my only comment is these

26:39things are really hard to read and then

26:41when you blow it up, it gets blurry.

26:42It's not your fault. So, through finance

26:44and council services, if we can get I

26:47mean, even when I blow this thing up to

26:48like 500%, it's still blurry.

26:52I thought it was just me. I need

26:53glasses, right? But I mean, honestly,

26:55this thing is really hard to read. Yeah.

26:58Okay. Uh, so motion is on the floor to

27:00close file on communication 24.40.

27:03All in favor?

27:09>> Uh, any opposed? Mr. Clerk, you have

27:12nine members in favor.

27:15>> What is

27:17>> If anyone would like to testify on

27:19communication 27.7, please speak up now.

27:22Why is that blue?

27:25>> Hearing and seeing none. Communication

27:2627.7 report of donations received from

27:29the Daniel Rayer Memorial Foundation as

27:32of April 2026 from finance director

27:34Diana Nakagawa dated July 27, 2026.

27:37Transmitting above report pursuant this

27:39to resolution 468-20.

27:43>> Motion to close file on communication

27:4527.7.

27:47Second. We have a motion by council

27:49member Inava and a second by council

27:51member Hustus to close file on

27:52communication 27.7.

27:55We have our fire department here joining

27:57us. Please go ahead tell us a little bit

27:59about the S foundations and we'll go

28:01back. Uh good morning Dan Vulpi

28:03temporary fire chief Hawaii fire

28:04department. Um S foundation as you know

28:07as a nonprofit has been supporting the

28:09fire department for gez about 30 years

28:11or so with millions of dollars of

28:13donations and and not just towards fire.

28:15Um they've also been everything that

28:16kind of falls under the fire umbrella.

28:18So that's our EMS section, that's our

28:20ocean safety section. So today's

28:21donation represents um some rescue

28:24watercraft certificates as we expand our

28:27program and I'll let um amazing ocean

28:29safety chief Brad Young kind of go over

28:32the the details.

28:35>> Yeah. So uh this is the first time we're

28:38uh certifying our rescue craft operators

28:41inhouse in uh the department. Uh so in

28:45order to meet the national requirements

28:48from the United States life-saving

28:50association uh we needed uh a certain

28:54certification from the university and

28:56the United States Coast Guard. Uh so

28:59that's what the the funding is for.

29:02>> Okay. Thank you.

29:05>> Cool.

29:05>> Yeah. That's our rescue watercraft for

29:07everybody. That's our jet ski program,

29:08right? Operates out of safety. Um jet

29:11ski two people. There's a grabber and

29:13there's an operator. Um we just

29:15completed uh nine new graduates in our

29:17training program. So expanding. Uh we're

29:20really shoring up the foundation of our

29:21program. Um hopefully with a goal of

29:24seven day a week coverage of each of our

29:26our beaches covered by jet skis and then

29:29as we start building towards expansion

29:30this training will support that.

29:32>> Thank you very much council members.

29:37Seeing and hearing none. Mahalo to the

29:39Sers model to you folks. And then I

29:41don't know if the Sers passed it on.

29:42They might have missed it, but I think

29:44two of these the thrill craft were

29:46designated for the council,

29:48but it may not it just might have

29:49slipped their minds, but that was for

29:51>> you'll have to work that out with the uh

29:53the Miss Laura, the director of this

29:56program.

29:58>> Thank you. Thank you, acting chief.

30:01Okay. Hearing no discussion. Motion is

30:03on the floor to close file on

30:04communication 27.7. All in favor?

30:08>> Any opposed?

30:10Mr. Clerk, you have nine members in

30:13favor? None opposed. Motion carries.

30:16Thank you. [clears throat]

30:18>> If anyone would like to testify in

30:19resolution 645-26,

30:22please speak up now.

30:27Hearing and seeing none. Resolution

30:29645-26

30:30authorizes the payment of funds of later

30:32fiscal years to enter into a multi-year

30:34agreement with Jess Appraised, Inc. to

30:36review to renew a software license for

30:38the Department of Finance Real Property

30:40Tax Division. Authorizes the mayor to

30:42enter into a three-year agreement with

30:43the approximate annual cost of $61,110

30:47to be used by the department to update

30:49ownership information that is used for

30:51issuance of assessments, tax billing,

30:53and other required correspondences.

30:55Introduced by council member Connie Lee

30:56Kleinfer by request.

30:57>> Chair motion to forward resolution

30:59645-26 to council with a positive

31:02recommendation.

31:03>> Motion by council member Houston,

31:04seconded by council member Kirkowitz.

31:06Any discussion?

31:08>> We do have the tax division here if

31:10there are any questions.

31:12Council member Kirkwoods.

31:13>> I I just wanted to provide an

31:15opportunity for them to talk about it. I

31:17rarely see in a resolution streamline

31:20workflow. So we would love to just know

31:23how this is going to help streamline

31:24your operations. Deputy administrator

31:27Kada Joe approaching. Thank you for

31:29being here.

31:34Assistant Administrator Kada Joe.

31:37Thank you. Um this is a very

31:39transformative software for us. It um

31:41bridges our challenges with um staffing

31:45the number of conveyances uh that come

31:47through. We're processing over 13,000

31:49conveniences on an annual basis. So,

31:51this software actually leverages um AI

31:54technology to help us process those

31:57transactions and still maintain control

31:59by our staff to um be the final say when

32:03it comes to processing who owns a

32:05property, who do we need to send a bill

32:06to, all that fun stuff. So,

32:09>> fantastic. And so, the um annual rate

32:12here, it's about 61,000. Is that um a

32:14cost that's going to be a fixed rate for

32:17the next 3, five years or is it kind of

32:19on a year-to-year basis?

32:21>> Um I believe it is a fixed rate subject

32:24to um an annual increase based on CPI.

32:28>> Great. I'm so glad I asked and I'm so

32:30happy that you folks found a software

32:31that is going to be helpful to your very

32:33hardworking staff. Thank you.

32:36>> Thank you

32:38very much. So you mentioned

32:41[clears throat] you this part of the

32:42software is going to be for AI.

32:46>> It uses AI technology to actually read

32:48the conveyance documents that come to

32:50our office. And what it does is it

32:52allows our staff to um focus on um

32:57vetting the actual applications as uh I

32:59shouldn't say applications, the deeds as

33:01they come through as opposed to

33:04data entry. Um, so they review the

33:07documents that come through and are

33:09processed by this AI technology.

33:11>> Okay. You know, I and this might make

33:13people laugh, but this morning I was

33:15watching Korean news, which they have 30

33:18minutes. They talk in English, right?

33:20So, there's this company that does

33:23cosmetics and they use AI to help

33:26produce their cosmetics. The scammers

33:29use their AI to copy that. Okay? And

33:33then now they're using the the

33:36manufacturer is using AI again to

33:38counter the AI of the other guys. I mean

33:41it's crazy. And so I don't know. So I

33:44hope you guys have things in place to

33:48kind of protect their service.

33:51>> Yeah. So we always will take the

33:54opportunity to use AI technology to

33:57improve um our process, speed things up.

34:00So, as an example, um if you look a year

34:02back, it was taking us, we were about

34:05five months behind on our conveyance

34:07documents, meaning someone would sell a

34:09property and we wouldn't process it till

34:115 months later. That's a huge gap. Um

34:14and it was largely due by some um uh

34:18shortages in labor and whatnot. And so,

34:19we've been able to bridge that with

34:21this. And now we're probably behind

34:22about four weeks,

34:24>> which is where we need to be. The thing

34:26I like about this particular software is

34:28our staff are going to have that human

34:29component. They're always going to be

34:31the person to review it. It just

34:33streamlines it and makes it a lot

34:34quicker. So, they're going to be the one

34:36that presses the button that says,

34:38"Okay, this is a legitimate um, you

34:40know, conveyance that would that we're

34:42going to go ahead and process."

34:43>> It will be protection from hackers to

34:45come in and system.

34:46>> Um, yes, this is actually managed

34:48through our existing software which has

34:51protections in place.

34:52>> Okay. cuz it seems like this company the

34:54manufacturer I must have had something

34:56but then they still counter they still

34:58hacked them.

34:59>> Yeah. So our um real property tax

35:02records um we have a a company Tyler

35:05Technologies which has a pretty robust

35:08um program in place to to keep our data

35:11safe.

35:11>> Okay. Um, and we're pretty um, strict

35:15and protective over it, which is another

35:17reason why when you look at real

35:18property tax, we very rarely share the

35:21information that we have because we do

35:24have a lot of sensitive information.

35:26>> Um, and that just speaks to our

35:28philosophy in real property tax as well

35:30as um, the vendors that we choose to

35:32manage this information.

35:33>> Okay. Thank you. I

35:36>> Thank you.

35:39>> One question for you, Mr. Joe.

35:46This software streamlines the

35:51blah blah blah. You already answer that

35:52question. Question is, can we switch

35:55people to you like when you have your

35:58your mortgage statement shows up and you

36:00select go paperless or you go online you

36:02can click a paperless option. Is that an

36:04option for people with this software

36:06given that this is the issuance of

36:08assessments, tax billing and other

36:10correspondences?

36:11>> So this software is actually taking

36:13whatever people um file electronically

36:16with the Bureau of Conveyances. It takes

36:18those actual documents. It use optical

36:21readers to then um transcribe that

36:24information into our system. So it's

36:25already in an electronic format. So it's

36:28not like we're pushing paper so to

36:30speak. But I I think about the cost of

36:33real property tax division and sending

36:35out all the correspondents to all the

36:37tax

36:39taxk holders, right? And that's that's a

36:42big cost every year. So if I'm trying to

36:46think of how we can step into the

36:49>> I got your question now. um taxpayers

36:52have an opportunity to sign up for

36:54what's called E3 notices and that's

36:57through our vendor um EMSS for billing.

37:01So they can get their billing

37:02electronically um if they select that

37:04option. So anytime a bill is issued uh

37:07taxpayers are provided with an option to

37:09select um electronic delivery of their

37:12bills. When it comes to assessment

37:14notices um by code we have to mail out

37:17all of our assessment notices. So it

37:19would require a code change to send that

37:21out electronically.

37:22>> Kind of overstepping a little bit but

37:24not is the department would the

37:27department be wanting to move in that

37:28direction and does the software help?

37:32>> Um electronic delivery would definitely

37:36help. Um so we definitely encourage

37:38taxpayers to select that electronic

37:40option when it comes to to billing.

37:44Okay.

37:45>> Thank you.

37:47Okay. Further discussion.

37:50Thank you, Mr. Joe.

37:52Motion is on the floor to forward

37:54resolution 65 645-26

37:58to council with a favorable

37:59recommendation. All in favor?

38:02>> Any opposed? Mr. Clerk, you have nine

38:04members in favor. Motion carries.

38:08>> If anyone would like to testify in

38:10resolution 646-26,

38:12please speak up now.

38:16Hearing and seeing none, resolution

38:17646-26

38:19authorizes the mayor to enter to an

38:21intergovernmental agreement with the

38:22state of Hawaii department of attorney

38:24general to receive a grant for trial

38:26advocacy training. Allows for the

38:28receipt of $86,932

38:30in federally derived funds to support

38:33trial advocacy training efforts to

38:35deputy prosecuting attorneys introduced

38:36by council member Kane Kleinfeld by

38:38request. There is a companion measure

38:40bill 182.

38:43Chair motion to forward resolution

38:44646-26

38:46to council with a positive

38:47recommendation.

38:49>> Second

38:52motion by council member Houston and a

38:54second by one of three council members.

38:58We give it to council member Gimbo.

39:01Any discussion on the resolution

39:04hearing and seeing none. Motion is on

39:05the floor. All in favor?

39:07>> Any opposed? Mr. Clerk, you have nine

39:10eyes. Motion carries.

39:12If anyone would like to testify in

39:13resolution 651-26, please speak up now.

39:18[clears throat]

39:19Hearing and seeing none, resolution

39:20651-26 authorizes the mayor to enter

39:23into an intergovernmental agreement with

39:25the state of Hawaii Department of Health

39:26to receive a grant for the Hawaii Fire

39:28Department community paramedic program.

39:31allows for the receipt of $2,355,000

39:34in federally derived funds to be used to

39:36fund personnel, teleaalth equipment and

39:38software and provide training, travel

39:40and program implementation materials

39:42introduced by council member Ked

39:44Kleinfer by request. There is a um

39:48companion bill buddy 188 chair motion to

39:52forward resolution 651-26 to council

39:55with a positive recommendation.

39:58We have a motion by council member Huis

39:59and a second by council member Nava to

40:01Ford's resolution 651-26

40:04to council with a favorable

40:06recommendation if you could chief. This

40:08is kind of a this is kind of a cool one.

40:10So let me break it down for us and we'll

40:12go to questions from the council.

40:16Good morning again uh temporary fire

40:18chief Daniel Vi Hawaii Fire Department.

40:20So um this is a big deal. uh about 2016

40:232017 we started a pilot program called a

40:26community parame medicine program. What

40:28this was identified is that um not

40:30everybody who needs help and not

40:32everybody who calls 911 needs an

40:33emergency room. Sometimes there's a lot

40:34of other needs that we can address um

40:36through that through alternate means. So

40:38that community parame medicine program

40:40was a way of getting out in the

40:41community connecting with health

40:43healthcare providers of all kinds. That

40:45was over 10 years ago now. Um it's been

40:48successful. has been continued. And what

40:50this grant represents is sort of the

40:51next natural evolution of that type of

40:53program um as a way to get to connect um

40:56our community members, our family, our

40:58friends and in our communities with u

41:01more specified more um better better um

41:04a little more holistic care a little

41:06more specific to their actual needs. Um

41:08again as an extension of that program um

41:10Chief uh Kipaki can chief of our EMS

41:14program can go over some of the the

41:15broad strokes.

41:18Hi chair, council members, Ka Kana, EMS

41:20batting, chief for Hawaii Fire

41:21Department. Um, thank you for allowing

41:24us to speak on this. This is huge. Uh,

41:26this is all funding coming from the RH

41:29uh TP or the real health transformation

41:32funding. Um, it's a lot of money and and

41:35we're not taking this lightly. Um, but

41:38just like the title of what this funding

41:40is, it is transformative. Uh, this is

41:42going to take tele health to and meeting

41:43people where they're at. Um, it's that's

41:47done across um the rest of the US. Uh

41:50we've been doing community parame

41:52medicine, but knowing that we are

41:54strained in our 911 service and our 911

41:56window or capacity, uh we're going to

41:59try to expand on that by bringing in

42:01what we call mobile integrated

42:03healthcare. Uh bringing in some other

42:05specialists that can really um dive into

42:08some of the more complex uh causes for

42:11some of these individuals that are

42:12medically fragile. um the unsheltered

42:14population, behavioral health uh which

42:16we know we don't have enough resources

42:18as it is and so uh trying to bring that

42:22uh care to them. Um we see this model

42:25work all across the nation and we're not

42:27trying to reinvent the wheel which uh

42:29just trying to bring it here. um uh with

42:33the mobile integrated health u like I

42:35was saying is that we're actually kind

42:36of moving away from really needing

42:39community parame medicine or paramedics

42:41to provide that care because they are

42:43great in the 911 field of prehosp

42:46medicine. Uh but what we really need is

42:49that uh interaction with other uh

42:52specialists, uh social workers, case

42:55management, uh LCSSWS,

42:58uh everybody else that can really impact

43:01um on some of these more uh high 911 use

43:05individuals. And so what the objective

43:07of all of this is is um like Chief Opio

43:11was saying was that not every 911 call

43:13needs an ambulance. It doesn't need to

43:15go to the ED. Um, but trying to meet

43:18them where they're at and get them the

43:19care that they need. Um, I'm here to

43:23answer any questions if you guys have

43:24any.

43:25>> Thank you.

43:28>> Thank you, Chair. This is very, very

43:30exciting. Thank you, um, Chief Opi and

43:33Chief Kai for your incredible leadership

43:35and advocacy in securing this funding.

43:38Um, this six-point plan

43:41looks fantastic, but I know that there's

43:43going to be a lot of work involved to

43:45kind of build up the infrastructure to

43:46integrate all the pieces and partners.

43:48Um, so my questions are going to be

43:50based on that the six points of the

43:51program. The first is what does a

43:53tellaalth kit look like? Because you

43:55talk about deploying that into the

43:56community, but the important part for me

43:58is how that information is going to be

44:00integrated into your reporting and

44:02tracking dashboard. What is a teleaalth

44:05kit?

44:06>> Yeah. That's a a good question. They

44:08already have these kits and they're

44:10already available through uh the Pacific

44:12Telealth Basin um PCTVH.

44:16I I can't recall, but um that's at the

44:18state level where they can um and we

44:21visit a few times for some of our

44:22individuals that we've visited through

44:24the community parame medicine program.

44:26Um they are it's a like a Lenovo, a pad,

44:30tablet, and a mobile hotspot. And so

44:34individuals, we know like when you talk

44:35about social determinance of health, um

44:38connection, communication are really

44:40there with housing, transportation, and

44:43so some of these individuals can't get

44:45transportation. They already don't have

44:46communication. Um so getting them out to

44:49them, uh all they need to do is sign up

44:51for a library card and they can actually

44:53rent these kids out. And so where they

44:56might not have the services that all of

44:58us have in our own houses,

45:01>> uh, in our own homes, uh, they can get

45:03these kits out already. That's something

45:05that's already in place. Um but um a lot

45:09of that with the connectivity uh would

45:12be in the type two ambulances

45:15>> that we'd be bringing a full teleahalth

45:17suite to include um working hopefully to

45:21a subgrant uh to a licensed provider and

45:25having telealth visits right there in

45:27the back. And so, not only do we have

45:29kits that are um can be deployed out for

45:31individuals that need to be connected in

45:32the community,

45:34>> uh but also we're talking that we're

45:37doing um almost like PCP or specialty

45:40visits right there. Um and we're mobile

45:43with it.

45:43>> That's great. And I love the fact that

45:45here you talk about dispatch driven

45:47cases because my partner often tells me

45:50about 911 calls that don't rise to the

45:52level of sending an ambulance, but in

45:54this situation, you're able to triage

45:56and find the right partner to help meet

45:58them where they're at essentially. What

46:00does that partnership network look like?

46:02I'm assuming you already have agreements

46:04in place.

46:05>> Yeah, we've been working informally and

46:07this is the whole community permit

46:08program we had. It's been informal

46:10because there hasn't been a funding

46:11source. uh the problem and the good part

46:14about that is it allows us to be very

46:16autonomous. Um we can get solutions and

46:19we're just solutiondriven. Uh the bad

46:21part about that is if you're not funded

46:23and is not a standalone service, it will

46:26take the back burner to any other

46:27priorities.

46:28>> Um so we haven't been able to fully

46:30commit, but having this funding um

46:32allows us to really identify um and have

46:36a separate lane to go in. And so instead

46:39of looking at community parameters and

46:41falling under the 911 house, it is

46:43almost like two separate lanes that

46:45interact with each other and run

46:47parallel

46:48>> and they can dive in and converge as

46:50needed. If there gets diverted through

46:53dispatch, we already have a priority

46:55dispatching system that Chief Domingo is

46:57um making strides for to best

47:02appropriate the care that we can give.

47:05Um, and then just integrating this

47:07service in being able to divert some of

47:09those calls away. Um, we can keep adding

47:12ambulances to our system. It doesn't

47:14solve any problems and we know that.

47:17And, um, we don't have the staffing.

47:21>> You know, Frank, uh, quite frankly, we

47:23don't have the staffing to really fully

47:26support the ambulances we already have.

47:27We're working on it, but it's a it's a

47:30tough challenge that we had over the

47:31last how many decades now. Um, by having

47:35this and being able to take some of that

47:37strain off of the 911 system, ultimately

47:40it affect everybody in the healthcare

47:41ecosystem. Uh, they'll get to the right

47:44people. Um, we'll take them somewhere

47:46else. They don't need a ED. We all know

47:49uh, Hilo Benny off constantly ranks as

47:52um, top three busiest EDs in the state.

47:55Um, and if we can take some of the

47:57strain off of them, we can really have a

48:00bed for the patients that we're using

48:02our 911 ambulances for. So, um, kind of

48:06benefiting the whole ecosystem of

48:07healthcare for Hawaii Island.

48:10>> Jump in for a second. Um, regarding the

48:12staffing for the ambulance situation,

48:14um, we have the positions we need. We we

48:16struggle like every other department in

48:18the nation about filling them with

48:20licensed paramedics. So, we suffer. So

48:22while we have the positions, we do

48:24operate about a 15% vacancy rate

48:26currently in our MICT program. Those are

48:28the paramedics on the program and uh

48:30Chief Kai has made huge strides to fill

48:32that. We just had four recent graduates.

48:33We have seven people in class now. So

48:35our goal is is to continue to fill those

48:38positions on the 911 to actually fill

48:41those existing funded positions. We got

48:43to fill them and we got to get, you

48:44know, get the firefighters turn into

48:45licensed paramedics. They're making huge

48:47strides to do that. Um, again, one of

48:49the benefits of this program is that

48:51we're on track for 32,000 calls this

48:53year. The busy medics and the busy

48:55medics and aren't getting any slower

48:56anytime soon. So, if we can take one,

48:59two, three off the plate on a 24-hour

49:01shift, just we improve the working

49:04conditions, we we decrease the burnout,

49:06we decrease the utilization, um, so not

49:08only are we does this program really

49:10really reach out to our community, but

49:12it's going to have a tangible benefit to

49:13our our current workforce and any

49:14expansion that we've

49:16>> Yeah, I can see that. And you know to

49:18your point um Chief Kayi about it's not

49:20about having more medics deployed it's

49:24about evolving our whole health care

49:26ecosystem to meet the changing needs of

49:28community. I just have a couple more

49:30questions. The the hiring of the

49:32licensed clinical social worker is that

49:34something that the department will do or

49:36is that an external partner and what

49:38exactly is their role? That seems like a

49:40lot of kana for one person to take care

49:42of all of Hawaii island.

49:44>> Sure. So, um, what we're really hoping

49:47for, and and this is, I guess, kind of

49:49the problem with the federal grant

49:51funding, especially this RHT,

49:53um, grant funding, is that they they're

49:56calling it the Hunger Games. Um, and the

49:58reason why they do it is you have to

50:00justify your need year after year. Now,

50:02we've gotten support, um, informally,

50:04verbally from the state. Everybody's

50:06been talking about community parame

50:07medicine and mobile integrated health.

50:09Um and and they're here to to support

50:13everything we're doing. Um but um having

50:18that set up initially, what we're trying

50:21to do is get the infrastructure first.

50:23Um it might seem like it's a cart before

50:25the horse but while we still have the

50:27funding source we get it in place and

50:30eventually what we want to do so

50:32initially with the healthcare providers

50:34uh we want to subrant out uh we want to

50:37look at agencies that already have these

50:38positions we're not trying to again not

50:41trying to reinvent the wheel um we've

50:43already been in talks with CEO Brinkman

50:45over there at HBMC he's offered his

50:48support and wants to discuss more um

50:50looking at LCSW's

50:53um case management, social workers of of

50:55that or nurses. Um we're trying to

50:58expand our our reach into the community

51:02to take care of these that are using the

51:03911 resource. Um but we're trying to hit

51:06them with the right providers. And so

51:08subgranting out will allow us just to

51:10pay through the federal funding

51:12initially and then ultimately um for uh

51:17workforce development and

51:18sustainability, we want to integrate

51:20them within the county. That is our

51:23long-term goal, but that's not a goal

51:25that is realistic in the next year or

51:27two. There's going to be a lot of

51:28position uh creation for that to happen.

51:32I love how forward thinking you are and

51:34you know some of us our time on the

51:36council is going to be coming to a close

51:38in the next few months but I know that

51:40there's a source of funding that we've

51:41been keeping our eye on and that's the

51:43homeless and housing fund and there's

51:45kind of some philosophical debate around

51:48how we move forward um in taking care of

51:50the needs of our most vulnerable

51:52populations.

51:53this is something I could get behind

51:55that fund supporting because you're

51:57creating this important response

51:59infrastructure that's very coordinated

52:01that I think might be missing right now.

52:03So I I just want to urge conversation

52:05with office of housing to see how after

52:08this grant money runs out in five years,

52:10how we continue the wonderful work

52:12that's being built here. The last thing

52:14that I just wanted to note was you and

52:16you both mentioned it earlier, we just

52:19don't have enough places to send people

52:21to. the appropriate response is not a

52:23911 bed, right? It's not the hospital,

52:26it's these behavioral health centers,

52:29detox centers. Are you guys I mean who's

52:32kind of tracking the data for like what

52:34we actually need because we need to be

52:37in a position to present that

52:39information to the powers that we

52:42whether that is federal or state so that

52:44they can unlock funding to build right

52:47builds the physical buildings that are

52:49needed here to take care of our our

52:52residents that need help.

52:55>> Yeah, good questions. Um I I think with

52:57the the data and the metrics that are

52:59needed, I I believe that partnering

53:04um with somebody like uh Kilo Benny off

53:07is great. Um if it affects us, it

53:10affects them.

53:11>> Um but even if we don't go into a

53:13subgrant with them, we can still be able

53:15to pull all these metrics, all this

53:17data. Um, but that's part of this and

53:20why there's so much cost to this is that

53:23we need to be able to track the metrics

53:24in order to ensure that we are uh

53:28advocating for the right resources

53:30>> and so u we're going to be tracking all

53:32of that. Uh we know there's only so many

53:35places to go right now.

53:36>> Yeah. Um but in the future absolutely

53:39just what you talked about detox centers

53:42um acute crisis behavioral health

53:45centers those are huge standalone that

53:47have specialists that can treat those

53:49individuals so don't they don't get

53:51caught in that 911 revolving door.

53:53>> Yeah. And then in addition to like

53:55building the physical spaces making sure

53:57that we're working with uh and HCC to

53:59build up the workforce pipeline to be in

54:02a position to staff once built. So, I

54:05just I this is so complicated. There's

54:07so many moving pieces. I just applaud

54:09you folks for all of the great work that

54:11you're doing here. 100% in full support

54:13of the resolution. Thank you.

54:16>> Thank you. Any other questions?

54:18Vegas.

54:19>> Yeah. Um just a couple comments. uh you

54:23know the relationships that your team

54:26create with the people from the numerous

54:28calls are priceless and sometimes I

54:32think we could accidentally

54:33underestimate

54:35u some of your capabilities to diagnose

54:37what the true issue is. Is it the cut on

54:40the leg or is it the fact that the

54:41person lives on the street and has some

54:43mental health issues? Right. So, you can

54:46treat that cut on their leg and get them

54:48to the urgent medical um physical

54:52things. But I'm really excited to see a

54:56resource, a technology

54:59um being brought into our county to be

55:01utilized by our first responders and

55:04those with that relationship with

55:07people. Um even my own mom having uh

55:11unfortunately some health issues over

55:14the years. I so appreciate that those

55:17that come in the um ambulance, whether

55:20it be an EMT or whatnot, they remember

55:23her. They remember the circumstance and

55:26the situation and hers have been

55:28physical, but I just see a huge

55:33opportunity for this collaborative work

55:36between organizations and departments

55:39and divisions and everybody. I really

55:42appreciate the comments by council

55:44member Kirkowitz talking about our

55:46homeless and housing fund and as we look

55:49forward to seeing

55:51the results of the audit and how things

55:54have been spent, I see the potential

55:57opportunity to work with organizations.

56:00Um, I' I'd love to see money going to

56:04help facilitate the collaboration and

56:08placement of people in um with services

56:13uh for mental health or substance abuse

56:16or all the things that um our first

56:18responders see day in and day out and

56:21understand that sure I can take you to

56:23the emergency room, but then what,

56:27right? And um so really grateful for

56:30your hard work and securing this sizable

56:33amount of resource. And I appreciate

56:35your honesty with saying this isn't

56:37going to fix everything. No amount of

56:39money can fix these issues quite

56:41honestly. but through collective

56:43collaborative work for the greater good

56:46that um really

56:50supports those relationships and the

56:52insights and intuitions and the

56:54knowledge uh people have that are on the

56:56street um and interacting dayto day. So

57:00thank you. Yeah,

57:02>> I want to just jump in. It says, "Thank

57:03you very much for those comments and

57:04just recognizing that um that what our

57:07what our personnel do in the field, our

57:09EMTs, our paramedics, our firefighters,

57:10like he's just like we just said, they

57:12make connection. Um we treat we spend

57:14much of our time away from home taking

57:16care of complete strangers and we really

57:18as an organization really pride pride

57:20ourselves on that ability to connect. We

57:22reflect our community. We we work in the

57:25areas we live. We live where we work. We

57:27take care of our friends and family."

57:29And that recognizing that connection is

57:31super important. Um, and that those

57:33referrals, those extras, those

57:35relationships when you can walk in the

57:36room and you know what happened two

57:38months ago because you were there. You

57:40can see the pieces. You can read that's

57:42that's where the community parame

57:43medicine gets their referrals. Our guys

57:45in the field see situation, understand

57:47that they need more. We'll pass them to

57:49the program. The program then addresses

57:50it. And this is an evolution of that. So

57:52I do thank you for recognizing the the

57:54hard work and caring of our people.

57:58Thank you, Council Member.

58:00>> Thank you, Chair. Yeah, thank you guys

58:01for securing this funding and and

58:03thinking about this. It's a very complex

58:06uh issue as you very well know. Um

58:09wondering,

58:12we've talked in the past about one of

58:14the things being maybe needed is some

58:16kind of um

58:19assessment center somewhere you take

58:22people that is not the emergency room if

58:25they're having severe issues or issues.

58:28You can't just leave them once you

58:30respond to a call because they are very,

58:32you know, in a severe state or

58:33something. But they're also maybe not

58:36right for the emergency room. um is this

58:39going to provide

58:42uh that type of support or are we still

58:46missing that piece um even with this

58:49funding?

58:50>> I mean I will say that this this program

58:52won't won't necessarily build facilities

58:55>> or centers. What this will do though is

58:57I think exactly what you're talking

58:58about is provide a alternative to an

59:01ambulance response that can then triage

59:03and then get them to the existing

59:04centers where they exist. Um as we start

59:06doing this and we start exercising some

59:08of those numbers and seeing some data

59:10and likely start shining some of the

59:11light on the gaps in the facility side

59:13we've encouraged you know other

59:15stakeholders and partners to see where

59:17they can step in to build those

59:18facilities that infrastructure. Um there

59:21are the number of of patients affected

59:23by this program number in the thousands

59:25if not more. Um these places will you

59:29know any hospital any detox center any

59:31acute crisis facility will run out of

59:33space eventually.

59:34>> Yeah. Um and so while I don't I think to

59:37believe this is out this facilities are

59:39outside of the scope of this um is it's

59:41designed to do exactly what you're

59:42mentioning as far as as far as steering

59:43them towards the right spot.

59:45>> Yeah. And I think you're absolutely

59:46right. We need to do a better job of

59:48collaborating and asking um some of our

59:51state departments especially department

59:52of health to uh step up and when we see

59:56this need happening um really be focused

59:58as a whole county whether it's you know

1:00:01your departments or the mayor's office

1:00:03or us. you know, we need to be saying,

1:00:06look, uh we don't have a department of

1:00:08health in the county and we need uh the

1:00:11state department of health to

1:00:13collaborate with us and and provide, you

1:00:16know, uh equitable resources here on

1:00:18this island that they provide say um on

1:00:21Aahu and and in Honolulu area. So, uh I

1:00:25think this will help to maybe focus on

1:00:28some of those areas where we can be

1:00:31working as a whole, um county to really

1:00:36collaborate with and ask for help from

1:00:38some of those state level organizations.

1:00:40So, I appreciate it so much. Thank you

1:00:42both for your work.

1:00:46>> Thank you.

1:00:48Okay, couple questions. So the 2.3

1:00:522.335 2.35

1:00:552.35 million

1:00:59federal funds looking at the the wording

1:01:03though is is keep because it says

1:01:08grant period runs from October 26 to

1:01:10September 27 is anticipated to continue

1:01:13and you touched on this briefly with

1:01:14council member Kirkwitz but that that

1:01:16little cute section subject to federal

1:01:18approval.

1:01:19So this is one year 2.35 or this is 2.35

1:01:24over five years or we hope to get 2.35

1:01:27next year.

1:01:29>> This is 2.355

1:01:31for the first um the first year.

1:01:34Correct. first year and then if

1:01:36federally approved we can go in for

1:01:39number

1:01:40>> the number will drop pretty drastically

1:01:42because the first year is equipment and

1:01:45so part of that is the equipment

1:01:47infrastructure just the two or the three

1:01:49vehicles alone um I'm looking at this

1:01:52and that's 850,000 right off the bat and

1:01:55that's what we budgeted for um on the

1:01:57high side but uh what we budgeted for

1:01:59just to make sure that we could get the

1:02:01vehicles um some of this other equipment

1:02:03that's on here um is just for the stuff

1:02:06that we have to put inside all the tele

1:02:08health, the telecommunications.

1:02:10Um we're trying to think big here. We

1:02:12want to look at um like ice, portable

1:02:17um blood gas um to get labs right there

1:02:20in the field, portable ultrasound. Uh

1:02:23this goes well beyond what the typical

1:02:25scope is of our paramedics. But that's

1:02:27the whole point of the mobile integrated

1:02:29health um is just having the right

1:02:31providers on there that can use that

1:02:33equipment. We got to buy it first.

1:02:35>> Okay, I like that. So, real real

1:02:37programmatic at first as far as what

1:02:39you're going to bring to the table, less

1:02:41staffing and then you're hoping to fill

1:02:42in staffing with existing funds or

1:02:45future funds if if appropriated.

1:02:47>> Yeah, I mean, we want to fill staffing

1:02:50as soon as we possibly can and just get

1:02:52the program running uh just so that we

1:02:54can show what the value is to the

1:02:57community. Um but that number that 2.355

1:03:01is is definitely going to drop off when

1:03:03we don't have the equipment we have to

1:03:04buy in year two, three, four, and five.

1:03:07>> The overall um uh span of it is a

1:03:10fiveyear plan. And after year five, it's

1:03:13a fully integrated into our dispatching

1:03:16system uh with a full staff running a

1:03:1940-hour work week um on both east in

1:03:23both east and west.

1:03:24>> Okay. Uh, one one thing I saw kind of

1:03:26stepping from that idea, one thing I saw

1:03:29during LA was a lot of areas of our

1:03:34island. I mean, in general,

1:03:37I heard mobile hotspot, a lot of areas

1:03:39went down, don't have connection to a

1:03:43cell phone tower. Cell phone towers went

1:03:45down. And then we're back to how do we

1:03:48connect? The one piece that seemed to

1:03:51stand out to everybody was the little

1:03:52Starlink minis

1:03:55um or an actual if the vehicle's

1:03:57outfitted a Starlink actual adapter. And

1:04:00I don't not sure if you guys are

1:04:01thinking like that, but I just want to

1:04:02throw that out there because that seemed

1:04:04to be very useful in our rural areas,

1:04:06especially when you're talking telealth

1:04:09connectivity and being rural for folks

1:04:11who can't get to us and we're going to

1:04:13them.

1:04:14>> Yeah, the Starlinks are invaluable. um

1:04:16they were like the communication link

1:04:18for majority of the community for a good

1:04:21part of the first week. Uh these are

1:04:24going to be fully integrated with all of

1:04:25them.

1:04:25>> Okay, good. And then the second request

1:04:29I have, this came from um more the

1:04:31trafficking side that I keep my my

1:04:33finger on the pulse for. Uh they were

1:04:36requesting and this this falls in line

1:04:38with what's which what what you're

1:04:39discussing here as far as these six

1:04:40points. Um, they're requesting a hotline

1:04:44for trafficked individuals.

1:04:46And if if we're

1:04:49I can see it fitting in this. I mean,

1:04:51long story short, I could make it fit,

1:04:54but I I think it's important for you

1:04:56folks to look at that if you're

1:04:57interested that the trafficked

1:05:00individuals have a dedicated hotline on

1:05:03island to call. It doesn't cost a lot.

1:05:06It's just a hotline if you have a

1:05:07hotline already or we only use dispatch.

1:05:10giving them a place to call for

1:05:11trafficking incidents may be a huge step

1:05:14in helping address some of the the

1:05:17substance behind why this money is

1:05:19important.

1:05:20>> Yeah, we're we're not opposed to

1:05:22anything. This is a community asset. Um

1:05:26I would just be weary that this might

1:05:30have to live with PD considering the

1:05:32circumstances around that. Um there

1:05:35might be a safety hazard. Just so we're

1:05:38clear, you were talking about human

1:05:39trafficking, correct?

1:05:40>> Uh more sex trafficking.

1:05:41>> Sex trafficking,

1:05:42>> which is similar, but it's different.

1:05:44It's exploitation, and it it falls into

1:05:46some of these categories. It's it's a

1:05:48very

1:05:50>> Yeah, it is a gray area. So,

1:05:51>> yeah, we're we're here for everybody,

1:05:53but I would say that for the safety of

1:05:55our individuals, we'd have to make sure

1:05:57we're in lock step with PD to be able to

1:06:01um have the right safety resources for

1:06:03our personnel, too.

1:06:04>> Agreed. So,

1:06:06think about it.

1:06:07>> Yeah.

1:06:07>> And then uh I'll touch bases with you

1:06:10after with some of the people who helped

1:06:12that idea come forward.

1:06:14>> Sounds good. Thank you,

1:06:16>> Council.

1:06:17>> Sure. Just really quickly because you

1:06:19brought up Starlinks. Um I think that

1:06:21was something we all recognized that the

1:06:22disaster was so much more complicated

1:06:24because we couldn't reach one another in

1:06:26an instantaneous way that we're used to.

1:06:29Um, I know that Senator Shots's office

1:06:31coordinated a big donation of Starlinks

1:06:33to community, many of which went to fire

1:06:35departments, fire stations around the

1:06:37island. So, Chief, I I know that the

1:06:39offer is still there to access more

1:06:42Starlink. So, as we think about

1:06:43deploying this program if there's a need

1:06:45for that connectivity piece, I know

1:06:47Senator Shots's office is willing to

1:06:49make that cool.

1:06:50>> Yeah, thank you. Um we absolutely

1:06:52recognize when the communications go

1:06:54down um we lost 911 cell tower we lost

1:06:57sort of everything in those early hours

1:06:59and and the the hours following. Um we

1:07:01had been triing a starling already on

1:07:03some of our uh paja remote ambulances

1:07:06where they go in and out of cell service

1:07:08as a way to just maintain connectivity.

1:07:10I want to say at the height of of kind

1:07:12of activity we had Starlinks in Ocean

1:07:15View and Pajala and Alleu. Um we had

1:07:17them a few other stations that were on

1:07:19generator power as they lost power. we

1:07:21had at least seven or eight out there um

1:07:24kind of showing up somewhere from some

1:07:25from some of the resource hubs, some

1:07:26from Vibrant, some from CD as they came

1:07:29through and and right now the the

1:07:31message I've been telling them is that

1:07:32hang on to them. We may have to give

1:07:34them back at some point, but you are

1:07:36right. They're not ours, so they don't

1:07:37belong to the county necessarily, but um

1:07:40we absolutely um as we as we work

1:07:42through preparation. We just left EOC

1:07:45this morning. There's three more coming.

1:07:47Um and so these are the lessons that

1:07:49we've learned and we have to continue to

1:07:51apply. So any any um we are as you well

1:07:54know we uh are happy to receive

1:07:55donations of support from all types of

1:07:57organizations.

1:07:59>> The only thing I could just add to that

1:08:00is um I mean we're so close at working

1:08:04with the state to fully integrate

1:08:06Starlinks in and have them permanent

1:08:08mounted on every ambulance. It's

1:08:09currently on uh medic 10 or the poha

1:08:11ambulance and um we got people working

1:08:14behind the the scenes to integrate this

1:08:17into our uh radio communication system.

1:08:21So even with the the radio towers go

1:08:23down um or there's no service in certain

1:08:26areas that it can actually use what they

1:08:28call ROI or radio over internet and

1:08:31actually use a Starlink to transmit a

1:08:33radio signal or communication back to

1:08:36our dispatch back to our other units.

1:08:38So, um the timing was unfortunate.

1:08:41Obviously, it was devastating with Lala.

1:08:43Um we're months away from uh putting

1:08:47them all on uh well, putting them on

1:08:50each ambulance.

1:08:51>> So, Chief, you have enough you have

1:08:52enough Starlinks for the ambulance

1:08:54ambulance

1:08:54>> currently. So, um u healthy mothers,

1:08:59healthy babies, uh went through Vibrant

1:09:01Hawaii, Sunny and K. Yes. So, Sunny was

1:09:04great. Um she was able to get us them

1:09:06out there. We have the two months of

1:09:08enterprise use on them. We're going to

1:09:10hold on to it through this hurricane

1:09:11season. Once we integrate and have them

1:09:14fully installed, then we can either give

1:09:15it back to Vibrant or figure out what

1:09:17next steps are.

1:09:18>> I think there's huge justification to

1:09:20make them part of the permanent like

1:09:22infrastructure for your department. Um,

1:09:24we've got two hurricanes headed our way,

1:09:27so we have to make sure that we're

1:09:29prepared for the next storm. Um and just

1:09:31the sheer geography of our entire county

1:09:34I think really does justify being able

1:09:36to keep the resources permanently. Yeah.

1:09:38Thank you. Thank you counc. Thank you

1:09:42chair. What is the cost

1:09:46sir? Cost of

1:09:48>> let's start getting that all

1:09:51>> uh well it goes on data usage and so the

1:09:54actual it's not so much the cost of the

1:09:56unit. It's like a cell phone. Uh they

1:09:58don't catch you on the cell phone. Um,

1:10:00but they'll catch you on the the monthly

1:10:02use and the subscription. Um, so I don't

1:10:05know what exactly it's at now, but it

1:10:07all depends on your data usage. It can

1:10:09get pretty pricey. Um, what how we're

1:10:12going to be integrating with our

1:10:13ambulances is that it's on a switch

1:10:15over. So, we'll have LTE or the cell

1:10:17coverage. Once we lose that, then it'll

1:10:20switch over to Starling.

1:10:21>> That way, we kind of keep the cost down,

1:10:23but it's still we are fully connected

1:10:25and fully integrated

1:10:27>> regardless of where we're at.

1:10:28>> Okay. No, because I'm just thinking

1:10:29maybe we could use some of our

1:10:31contingency funds to help, right?

1:10:33Providing that and then maybe at the

1:10:34next budget working with the

1:10:36administration, we can get that more

1:10:37permanent,

1:10:39>> right?

1:10:39>> I can tell you this right now though,

1:10:42the cost is great because we have some

1:10:43awesome uh not forprofits, community

1:10:46partners, and part of that service is

1:10:49the next two months is free. So, we have

1:10:51a little bit of time to think about

1:10:53>> where that funding source is going to

1:10:54come.

1:10:54>> Yeah, maybe some Yeah. provided us some

1:10:57information about okay the cost. Thank

1:11:00you. Are you

1:11:02>> I learned anything during COVID when the

1:11:04hand is out take whatever you can get

1:11:05and you can figure it out later.

1:11:09Um I had one more question but I can't

1:11:11remember what it was so I think we'll

1:11:13let it go.

1:11:16Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much for

1:11:17the information. Great great program,

1:11:19great funding amount. So I'm all to you

1:11:21guys for going after this and getting it

1:11:23done and going to see what you guys do.

1:11:25Thank you. Okay, motion is on the floor

1:11:27to forward resolution 651-26 to the

1:11:30council with a favorable recommendation.

1:11:32All in favor?

1:11:34>> Any opposed?

1:11:36Mr. Clerk, you have nine eyes. No

1:11:38opposed. Motion carries. Oh, sorry.

1:11:40Sorry. You have?

1:11:42>> Yeah. Nine eyes. Okay. Next item,

1:11:45please.

1:11:46>> If anyone would like to testify in

1:11:47resolution 658-26,

1:11:49please speak up now.

1:11:54hearing and seeing not are you guys

1:11:56testifying or

1:11:58>> okay wonderful

1:12:03when you're ready hit the green button

1:12:05introduce yourself and you'll have three

1:12:06minutes

1:12:09my name is Darothy Staswitz I am the oh

1:12:13my name is Darothy Staswitz I am the

1:12:15Paja High School swim coach as well as

1:12:18the head coach of the club that swims

1:12:21out of the Pajoa pool I'm in support of

1:12:23this resolution. Um because

1:12:28the pool has had no upgrade of equipment

1:12:32in regard to the diving boards, other

1:12:34starting blocks, competitive starting

1:12:37blocks at the pool in 30 years. Uh the

1:12:41diving boards are an incredible source

1:12:43of fun for the kids. They're outside.

1:12:46They're not on their tablets. They're

1:12:48not in their phones.

1:12:50uh it shows them the great good that

1:12:54comes out of it. And uh if we approve

1:12:58this funding, the POA pool will be able

1:13:02to host high school meets in their

1:13:05entirety for swimming and diving in one

1:13:08location. Um, currently there is not one

1:13:13county pool that has operational

1:13:16competitive diving boards and blocks in

1:13:19the same location. One pool has one

1:13:21thing, one pool has the other. The Pajoa

1:13:24pool is a beautiful facility and I every

1:13:28single day that I'm down there, I see

1:13:30kids having fun. The diving boards are

1:13:32sitting there. They have not been

1:13:34upgraded. Um, a lot of people don't

1:13:36realize that these items have to be

1:13:39grounded. So, each diving board has to

1:13:42be grounded, each block. And that still

1:13:46that grounding is still in place and it

1:13:48still has integrity. So, it'd be a

1:13:51perfect opportunity to replace these

1:13:53items while we still have the strength

1:13:56in the pool deck and the infrastructure.

1:13:59And I was going to bring pictures, but

1:14:03they were really ugly. I mean, they're

1:14:05really ugly uh of the condition of the

1:14:08diving boards and both of them, the two

1:14:11boards are no longer operational. So,

1:14:14we've been down there all summer with

1:14:16kids having fun. Uh, you know, when the

1:14:19eruption happened in 2018, it really

1:14:22left us at a deficit for recreational

1:14:25swimming at a beach because Pui was

1:14:28compromised and the boat ramp and all of

1:14:30that. So, the pool really has a lot of

1:14:33use. Um, that's the best thing that I

1:14:37can tell you is that I think it's really

1:14:40important that we need to have these

1:14:41kids outdoors. And did I reach my

1:14:44>> employees? This is with the mayor's

1:14:46office.

1:14:47>> This is a test of our building's

1:14:48broadcast system. If this were an actual

1:14:50emergency, we'll provide you with

1:14:52information and advise you on the

1:14:53appropriate action to take. Again, this

1:14:56is only a test. If you can hear this

1:14:58test, you know the drill. Show some love

1:15:01to Ryan of the safety division to verify

1:15:03that you heard the message. Today is

1:15:05also a great day to go check on your

1:15:07neighbors to see if they heard this too.

1:15:09And if they didn't, [laughter] then some

1:15:12extra love.

1:15:15>> Again, this is only a test. We will use

1:15:17this system to inform you of any

1:15:19conditions that may affect your safety.

1:15:21Thank you for listening and have a safe

1:15:22day. This is your Hawaii County Mayor's

1:15:24office.

1:15:25>> I'm going to take the lead off that. Can

1:15:26you send some love to the Baja pool for

1:15:28diving? [laughter]

1:15:30and blood. Yes. Um, I brought with me

1:15:33today, it's my daughter, Tegan. She's

1:15:35going to introduce herself, so I'm gonna

1:15:37let her speak.

1:15:39>> Aloha Mako. I am here to testify in

1:15:42favor of resolution 658-26.

1:15:45My name is Tegan Stasowitz and I am a

1:15:47PhD candidate at the University of Ho at

1:15:49Monoa and I have also been a lifelong

1:15:52swimmer. My mom was my swim coach since

1:15:55the age of four.

1:15:57I have been a patron of the Paja pool

1:15:59since I was 16 years old and have

1:16:01personally experienced the benefits of

1:16:02swimming at such a wonderful facility of

1:16:04Hawaii County. I've also had the

1:16:07privilege of witnessing the profound

1:16:08impact youth sports, specifically

1:16:10aquatics, has had on the community of

1:16:12Puna for the last decade. The pool is

1:16:15home to hundreds of patrons, whether

1:16:16they are members of the public or kids

1:16:18there for swim practice. The Paja pool

1:16:21is an immense source of joy for so many

1:16:23people. For the public and the members

1:16:25of the swim team, the diving boards are

1:16:27a key part of this happiness as I've

1:16:28seen hundreds of cannonballs, dives, and

1:16:31belly flops over the years with smiles

1:16:33and laughter sure to follow. With the

1:16:35absence of the diving boards also comes

1:16:37the absence of those laugh and smiles.

1:16:40The diving blocks are equally important

1:16:42as a foundational component of swimming,

1:16:44allowing swimmers to hone their skills

1:16:46and prepare for competition. The

1:16:48renovation and replacement of the diving

1:16:50board wards and blocks would be for the

1:16:51benefit of all and improve what is

1:16:53already a beautiful pool and a keystone

1:16:55of the POA community. I can speak for

1:16:57myself as a lifelong competitive swimmer

1:17:00that having diving blocks that are

1:17:02operational and that are safe for the

1:17:04kids is essential. And there's also been

1:17:06improvements in the technology of diving

1:17:08blocks, which seems a little

1:17:10counterintuitive. You would think that

1:17:11it would just stay the same, but they're

1:17:14even better now than when I was

1:17:16competing in high school 10 years ago.

1:17:19So, I think that improving what is there

1:17:23and allowing, you know, for the space of

1:17:26new diving boards and new diving blocks

1:17:28is really just going to improve things

1:17:30for everyone. Mahalo Nua for your time

1:17:32and consideration.

1:17:38Thank

1:17:43Thank you guys. Yeah.

1:17:53>> Thank you. Last chance. Anyone else want

1:17:55to testify?

1:17:58Hearing and seeing none. Resolution

1:18:00658-26 transfers appropriates an

1:18:03appropriation out and from a designated

1:18:04fund account and credits same to a

1:18:06designated fund account in the

1:18:07geothermal relocation and community

1:18:09benefits fund to enhance the Pahua

1:18:12Aquatic Center at the William Billy

1:18:13Kenoi District Park transfers $113,000

1:18:17from the planning department geothermal

1:18:19other current expenses account to the

1:18:20department of parks and recreation

1:18:22geothermal miscellaneous equipment

1:18:24account introduced by council member

1:18:25Kirk Witz. Chair motion to forward

1:18:27resolution 658-26

1:18:30to the council with a favorable

1:18:31recommendation.

1:18:32>> We have a motion by council member

1:18:34Kirkowitz and a second by council member

1:18:35Hustus to forward resolution 658-26

1:18:39to council with a favorable

1:18:41recommendation. Council member Kirkitz.

1:18:43>> Thank you chair. We are here because of

1:18:44the strong and consistent advocacy of

1:18:47coach and community leader Dorothy

1:18:49Stascoitz. I just um I really

1:18:52appreciated our partnership over the

1:18:54last eight years. is you have always

1:18:55been on the ground letting us know the

1:18:57condition of the facility facilities and

1:19:00what's needed there. Um and just

1:19:01advocating for the people that use this

1:19:03incredible resource every day. Um just

1:19:06because it's PHA doesn't mean we cannot

1:19:08have nice things. And so I I I love that

1:19:11we can invest um in that facility and

1:19:14give our local kids of that town and in

1:19:16the greater Puna area um a high quality

1:19:19facility that they can be proud to swim

1:19:21in, proud to train in. And the fact that

1:19:23we've hosted state and even national

1:19:25meets, I think just goes to show the

1:19:27importance of making sure that that

1:19:29facility has everything it needs to be

1:19:31functional for regular everyday use, but

1:19:34also to meet the demands of that um that

1:19:37athletic level of competition. Tegan,

1:19:39it's amazing to hear your testimony as

1:19:41somebody that's utilized that facility

1:19:44your whole life um and the impact that

1:19:46swimming and sports in general have had

1:19:48on you. This is a no-brainer to my

1:19:50colleagues. Um, I think this is

1:19:51community county collaboration at its

1:19:54finest. You tell us what you need, then

1:19:57we as the county um do our thing to find

1:20:00the appropriate resources. Um, I

1:20:02especially want to mahalo folks at parks

1:20:04and recreation, particularly James Kata

1:20:06and Alejandra Flores Moricami um for

1:20:10their diligent efforts in making sure

1:20:11that the requests that are submitted as

1:20:13part of this resolution um are things

1:20:16that we can quickly achieve. So, thank

1:20:18you Dorothy Tegan for being here.

1:20:20Looking for everyone's support. Mahalo.

1:20:23>> Thank you, Councus.

1:20:25>> Thank you, chair. Thank you, Council

1:20:26Member Kirkowitz. Uh, thank you for

1:20:28supporting the PA pool. I have I have

1:20:30one distinct memory of that. It's a

1:20:32beautiful space and actually won BIFFs

1:20:34there when I was in high school over 20

1:20:36years ago now. So, it's an amazing

1:20:38facility. So, thank you for supporting

1:20:40the community spaces like that. So,

1:20:41mahalo.

1:20:45>> Thank you.

1:20:48I love

1:20:49love that you made this ask and uh

1:20:53worked to find some funding where

1:20:55available because that's always the

1:20:56battle. Where to get the money from and

1:20:58where can we put it? So, mahalo

1:21:00councilwitz for making this happen and

1:21:02for getting you what you need so you can

1:21:03better serve our community. Thank you.

1:21:10Yeah, you gota come up. If you want to

1:21:12say it, you got to say it on the mic.

1:21:14[laughter]

1:21:17>> And it is good. Thank you for coming in

1:21:19today so you can share with us.

1:21:24>> I [laughter] bet

1:21:26>> I just I just want to take a moment to

1:21:28thank you for allowing me as a member of

1:21:31the public to work uh together with the

1:21:35county. I think many hands make light

1:21:37work and that when we work together,

1:21:41great things get achieved. So I

1:21:44appreciate all of you. Thank you for

1:21:46allowing me to testify and thank you for

1:21:48your support very much. Um I thank you

1:21:50from the kids too. I just want to share

1:21:52one more thing if it's okay. I was

1:21:54approached last week by three young

1:21:59women in their 20s and one of them said,

1:22:02"Excuse me, ma'am." And I said, "Oh, my

1:22:04name's Coach." You know, and she handed

1:22:06me a note. It it literally blew me away.

1:22:11It was an a note telling me that

1:22:16just the good work that gets done down

1:22:18there that she's witnessed it. I don't

1:22:21know her. She introduced herself. Her

1:22:23name is Cavey. Uh I have it was a

1:22:26handwritten note. It was amazing and it

1:22:28brought me to a quote and I can't take

1:22:32credit for this but it's not what we're

1:22:35looking at, it's what we see. And so

1:22:39just doing my work and then thinking

1:22:41that somebody's actually watching me do

1:22:43my work. Um, I appreciate it that so

1:22:46much. Thank you so much for your time.

1:22:47Really, I appreciate it. I won't say

1:22:49anything else.

1:22:50>> Thank Thank you very much.

1:22:53>> Okay. Have a motion on the floor to

1:22:55close. Not close file. Where we at here?

1:22:58To approve resolution 658-26

1:23:02and forward to the council with a

1:23:03favorable recommendation. All in favor?

1:23:06>> Any opposed?

1:23:08Mr. Clerk, you have I don't even know

1:23:11right now.

1:23:18>> Okay, we have eight members in favor.

1:23:20Council member excused. Motion carries.

1:23:30>> If anyone would like to testify in

1:23:32resolution 665-26,

1:23:34please speak up now.

1:23:38Hearing and seeing none. Resolution

1:23:39665-26

1:23:41authorizes the Mass Transit Agency to

1:23:43award grants to PE or to award a grant

1:23:45to People for Active Transportation

1:23:47Hawaii. Provides $240,000 in grant funds

1:23:51to manage the high bike share program

1:23:53introduced by council member Connie Lee

1:23:54Kleinfelder by request.

1:23:56>> Chair motion to forward resolution

1:23:58665-26 to council with a positive

1:24:00recommendation.

1:24:03We have a motion by council member

1:24:05Hustus and a second by council member

1:24:06Viegas to forward resolution 665-26

1:24:10with a positive recommendation. Any

1:24:13discussion?

1:24:15Just noting we had the testifier early

1:24:17in the uh in the meeting speaking on

1:24:20behalf of this resolution. Thank you for

1:24:21coming in. Okay, that we have the motion

1:24:24on the floor. All in favor?

1:24:26>> Any opposed?

1:24:28Mr. Clerk, you have nine. Nope.

1:24:33Seven. Seven members in favor. Council

1:24:36member Kirkowitz and he now excused.

1:24:38Motion carries.

1:24:41If anyone would like to testify in

1:24:43resolution 666-26,

1:24:45please speak up now.

1:24:49Hearing and seeing none, resolution

1:24:50666-26

1:24:52authorizes the mayor to enter into an

1:24:54intergovernmental agreement with the

1:24:55United States Department of Labor,

1:24:57Employment, and Training Administration

1:24:58to receive a grant of workforce

1:25:00innovation and opportunity act program

1:25:02funds. Allows for the receipt of

1:25:04$1,300,000

1:25:06in federally derived funds to be used to

1:25:08provide services that enhance employment

1:25:10opportunities, job retention, earnings,

1:25:12skill development, and literacy.

1:25:14Introduced by council member Connie Lee

1:25:15Kleinfelder by request. There's a

1:25:18companion measure bill buddy 190

1:25:22>> chair motion to forward resolution

1:25:23666-26 to council with a positive

1:25:26recommendation.

1:25:28>> I have a motion by council member Hustus

1:25:30and a second by council member Galiba to

1:25:31pass resolution with the number that we

1:25:33shall not say

1:25:35to the council with a positive

1:25:37recommendation.

1:25:40Uh we have the department here. Do you

1:25:41want to speak on behalf of this?

1:25:45Okay. Any questions by the council?

1:25:50>> Okay. Thank you for coming up. Deputy

1:25:52director,

1:25:54Mr. McConnell.

1:25:56Well, it was what was morning, now it's

1:25:58afternoon. So, good afternoon, uh,

1:26:00council members, uh, Dennis Lynn, deputy

1:26:02director for Department of Resource and

1:26:03Development. Um I do have members of my

1:26:06team here who are on the workforce

1:26:07development uh as well as our partner

1:26:09Goodwill uh industries who can talk

1:26:12about uh how the funds are used for

1:26:14their uh their programs. Um so happy to

1:26:17answer any questions that you guys may

1:26:19have.

1:26:21>> Not seeing any questions. Oh yeah, look

1:26:24at that. Council

1:26:26>> member

1:26:28Kirkwood.

1:26:30>> Great to see you both. Thank you, Dennis

1:26:33Clinton, for being here. You know how

1:26:35passionate I am about workforce and

1:26:37economic development. Tell us what's in

1:26:39store with this funding, the 1.3 million

1:26:42and plans to deploy it to meet the goals

1:26:45of the WEOA plan.

1:26:48>> Yeah, so maybe we'll start off with some

1:26:50uh federal context. Uh I think Clinton

1:26:52can kind of talk about uh how the funds

1:26:55have been flowing to the state and where

1:26:57we're looking at in terms of the federal

1:26:59funding landscape. Um, so Clint, do you

1:27:02want to give us a brief?

1:27:04>> Absolutely. Hello everyone. Clinton

1:27:06Marcato, workforce development R&D. The

1:27:09funding is still flowing towards our

1:27:10way. We're getting one roughly $1.3

1:27:13million that's going to go towards the

1:27:15adult dislocated worker, youth, and in

1:27:18and out of school program. Um, we had a

1:27:21significant cut this year. Um, but we're

1:27:24still uh working our way and using what

1:27:27we have to

1:27:28>> What was that cut? roughly 260,000.

1:27:31>> Okay. Thank you.

1:27:31>> And so the we're going to continue to

1:27:34work on um supporting our community with

1:27:37internships opportunity with funding for

1:27:40apprenticeship and working with HCSC

1:27:43closely on our eligible training

1:27:45providers and more so um working with

1:27:47our communities and um understanding the

1:27:50needs in our communities and what um as

1:27:53well as the schools. So yeah, so the

1:27:57funding is there. We're going to

1:27:58continue to move forward with it. And if

1:28:00you folks have any questions, I can.

1:28:02>> So, the $1.3 million is to engage

1:28:05providers that run internship

1:28:08apprenticeship programs for the

1:28:10populations you just described. Y

1:28:12>> Okay. And then are there are there

1:28:14metrics on your website to show the

1:28:17impact? Because I know that we've had

1:28:18long-standing partners and Goodwill

1:28:20folks are doing an incredible job, but

1:28:22I'm always curious to like dive into the

1:28:24data. So would appreciate knowing um

1:28:27where folks are coming from around the

1:28:29island to access these resources to

1:28:32inform whether or not we need to be in

1:28:34more communities.

1:28:36>> Yeah, good. That's good.

1:28:38>> Yeah. So, we do have the information. We

1:28:39just haven't um posted it on our

1:28:41website. Um that is something that we're

1:28:43working on. We just want to make sure

1:28:44that all the information that we post

1:28:46right now, we're trying to make it ADA

1:28:48accessible. Got it.

1:28:48>> Due to the um the mandate.

1:28:51>> Um so, we are working on that. It's just

1:28:53a matter of making sure all the

1:28:54documents that we upload and all that

1:28:56are compliant. Um, but yeah, we

1:28:59definitely have that information.

1:29:00>> Okay. And if folks want to know more

1:29:02about how to access the programs, they

1:29:04go to R&D's website.

1:29:06>> They have two options actually. They

1:29:07have the R&D website and then they have

1:29:09the the AJC website that they can access

1:29:12uh which sorry I don't remember the new

1:29:14name. So no, it's

1:29:16>> the American Job Center that change

1:29:18makers is running at the old McDonald's.

1:29:20>> Uh yes, that is correct. But we also now

1:29:22um um

1:29:23>> we should describe that for people not

1:29:25here.

1:29:25>> I know [laughter] the generation right

1:29:27there. We also have up and running our

1:29:29Hawaii County Workforce Development

1:29:30Board website where we store our

1:29:32policies and procedures and um upcoming

1:29:35meetings. So we're fine-tuning that

1:29:37right now as we speak. Um so yeah and

1:29:40there's multiple places that link back

1:29:41to our American Job Center where we

1:29:43house many of our uh professional

1:29:45services there such as WDD remployment

1:29:48senior programs our WEOA team you know

1:29:52all the programs that I mentioned

1:29:53earlier and um yeah

1:29:57>> great thank you um I guess the final

1:30:00question I have is

1:30:02the kana of the workforce development

1:30:04board I know it's to help administer or

1:30:06determine how to administer the funing

1:30:08that comes through federal flows to

1:30:11state. But do they have a larger role in

1:30:14thinking about how to meet the demand of

1:30:19workforce demand by current industry,

1:30:21but also have eye to the future on what

1:30:24sort of jobs we need to be preparing our

1:30:26youth

1:30:28and residents for? Like there's jobs of

1:30:30the future that we need to start

1:30:31building the pipeline for. So I'm just

1:30:33I'm wondering is that also their job to

1:30:35figure out the educational piece to meet

1:30:38demand today and in the future?

1:30:40>> Yeah. So that is a topic that the the

1:30:42board does discuss um and more so now

1:30:45with uh director Medina um being the

1:30:48representative on that board. Uh we have

1:30:51had some struggles to get quorum on that

1:30:53board. So trying to get more members and

1:30:55updating our roster on that is a very

1:30:57important thing. So, you know, we do ask

1:30:59that if the council does have

1:31:01recommendations on folks that uh would

1:31:03like to serve on that board, that would

1:31:05be uh really appreciated uh as well. And

1:31:09they do talk about different industries

1:31:11and specific, you know, what is the role

1:31:12like uh council member Onishi talked

1:31:14about AI

1:31:16>> and how does that play into the new uh

1:31:18the new world of workforce?

1:31:20>> Yeah, deputy. I just correct me if I'm

1:31:22wrong, but these uh seats are filled

1:31:26direct appointment by the mayor. No need

1:31:28for council confirmation. Correct.

1:31:29Correct.

1:31:30>> Okay. Could you email all of us and let

1:31:32us know if there's specific sort of um

1:31:35skill sets, experiences, industries that

1:31:38are auka on the board so that we can

1:31:40lean into our networks and send over

1:31:42some

1:31:42>> Absolutely.

1:31:43>> Great. Thank you for all of your hard

1:31:44work.

1:31:45>> Thank you.

1:31:46>> Thank you, Counci.

1:31:48So, um I guess we've worked like last

1:31:52year about having working with HCC,

1:31:55Hawaii Community College, right, with

1:31:57this program for the wastewater.

1:31:59>> Yep.

1:31:59>> How is that program going?

1:32:02>> It's going excellent. So working with

1:32:04HCC [clears throat] the whole team Kypo

1:32:07die um they have the entry level um uh I

1:32:11can't remember exactly what individual

1:32:12wastewater system entry level

1:32:15specialists and we we also been working

1:32:17closely with Craig Kawaguchi and Daniel

1:32:19Gervin from DEM. So we just recently um

1:32:25u brought on board a new intern in their

1:32:28department and we're working on

1:32:30supporting that again with more

1:32:32internship. So yes, it's been working

1:32:34out good. HC been very um uh willing to

1:32:39create new training and certifications

1:32:43um to meet the needs of you know our

1:32:45county and our community.

1:32:46>> Okay. No, because I want to look at

1:32:50expanding

1:32:51the outreach like we just had like with

1:32:54fire, right? They need manpower, police

1:32:57also need. So somehow we can create that

1:33:00same kind of a program for them. But

1:33:04then also with our summer fun program

1:33:06trying to get more I guess

1:33:11u employees temporary employees to help

1:33:14during our with our all day summer fund

1:33:17because that's what they're having a

1:33:19problem

1:33:20recently within the years right and so

1:33:23yeah so

1:33:24>> I can share too.

1:33:25>> Yeah. So hopefully with some of this

1:33:27funding we can kind of work with

1:33:29community college again. The only

1:33:30problem is now Chancellor Kazamo is gone

1:33:34which was an awesome asset right.

1:33:38>> So I guess now we got to we work the

1:33:41wheel with whoever is a new person

1:33:43there. Yeah. But I I'll be in contact

1:33:45with you.

1:33:45>> Absolutely. Yeah.

1:33:46>> Absolutely. And we're doing great things

1:33:47with the county. So working with Summer

1:33:49and her team from HR. We currently have

1:33:5110 positions for internship. We um me

1:33:54and her team has been going out. So we

1:33:56just met with Cal High School with

1:33:58nearly 60 high schoolers that are

1:34:00excited about getting into stepping into

1:34:02the workforce

1:34:04>> industry and very aim. These youth are

1:34:08smart. So already we got about 20 of

1:34:10them signed up. Um Jennifer from the HR

1:34:14department has been reaching out to all

1:34:16the departments to see who is excited

1:34:18about internship. And so the more people

1:34:21that we can get in our departments to

1:34:24get excited about internships because

1:34:26people they are the way as you all know

1:34:28of the future. We all going to be

1:34:30replaced one day and it's them and I

1:34:32think and just meeting with them and

1:34:34this week Thursday we're going to go out

1:34:36to Paul High School as well meet with

1:34:37probably a hundred of them and of those

1:34:40who are very interested in joining the

1:34:42county as well as just working in

1:34:45general. So yes definitely we're making

1:34:47moves with the county and our team. It's

1:34:49great that you know you you folks

1:34:51mentioned that because then

1:34:52>> prior when I got in that's what I was

1:34:54trying to do working with HCC right and

1:34:57now if you guys can take that lead going

1:35:00to be awesome.

1:35:01>> Absolutely. Um but the other thing is

1:35:04that I've wor like this past year we

1:35:07worked with I worked with uh Carrie

1:35:09Okamura who with the food basket on the

1:35:11nutrition side. We worked with Kale High

1:35:14School with the egg and the culinary to

1:35:17come up with I guess healthy u menus for

1:35:21our seniors in KL's senior center and it

1:35:24was what I understand I got a report was

1:35:26successful had like 30 participants

1:35:30and some of their health issues went

1:35:32down which is great. Yeah. And so

1:35:36>> yeah I look forward to working with you

1:35:38guys Marsh we can share our ideas. Yeah.

1:35:40But thank you very much for council

1:35:42member.

1:35:43>> Thank you.

1:35:44>> Thank you.

1:35:47>> Okay. Thank you very much.

1:35:48>> Thank you. And I just wanted to make a

1:35:50comment. Sorry about my phone. I have

1:35:51this emergency management um app that

1:35:55pushes out critical alerts that I can't

1:35:56shut off until I just

1:35:59>> I was going to make the note [laughter]

1:36:01everybody to put your phone on silence,

1:36:04but I didn't.

1:36:06>> Thank you.

1:36:06>> Thank you.

1:36:08>> Mahalo again. looking forward as

1:36:10possible.

1:36:11>> I appreciate the update from the

1:36:12department

1:36:14and getting back to the resolution that

1:36:18has the number that I shall not say.

1:36:21Motion is on the floor. All in favor?

1:36:24>> Any opposed?

1:36:26Mr. Clerk, you have eight members in

1:36:30favor. Nine members.

1:36:32>> Nine members in favor. Not opposed.

1:36:34Motion carries.

1:36:37Thank you, Chair Connley Kleinfelder. Is

1:36:39there any testimony for bill 182

1:36:44hearing? None. Bill 182 amends orders

1:36:46number 26-44 to the operating budget of

1:36:48the county of Hawaii for the fiscal year

1:36:50June 30, 2027 appropriates revs in the

1:36:53federal grants justice assistant grant

1:36:54account in 86,932

1:36:57and appropriate sent to the justice

1:36:58assistance grant program account. Funds

1:37:00be used to support trial advocacy

1:37:02training efforts to deputy prosecuting

1:37:03attorneys is introduced by council

1:37:05member Connie Clber by request and is a

1:37:07companion to resolution 646-26.

1:37:10Chair a motion to forward bill 182 to

1:37:12council with a positive recommendation.

1:37:15>> We have a motion by council member

1:37:16Houston and a second by council member

1:37:17Viegas to forward bill 182 council with

1:37:20a favorable recommendation. All in

1:37:22favor?

1:37:23>> Any opposed? Mr. Clerk, you have nine

1:37:26members in favor? Motion carries.

1:37:29Is there any testimony for bill 188?

1:37:34Hearing none. Bill 188 amends orders

1:37:36number 26-44 the operating budget of the

1:37:38county Hawaii for the fifth June 30 2027

1:37:42appropriate serves in the federal grants

1:37:43rural health transformation program

1:37:44account 2,355,000

1:37:47and a property sent to the rural health

1:37:48transformation program account fun to

1:37:50fund personnel telealth equipment and

1:37:52software provide training travel and

1:37:54program implementation materials

1:37:56introduced by council member Connie Lee

1:37:57Kleinfolder by request this is a

1:37:59companion to resolution number 651-26

1:38:02>> chair motion to forward bill 188 eight

1:38:04to council with a positive

1:38:05recommendation.

1:38:07>> Motion by council member Houston,

1:38:08seconded by council member Viegas. Any

1:38:09discussion?

1:38:12Okay, seeing none, Mr. Clerk, motion is

1:38:15on the floor. All in favor?

1:38:17>> Any opposed?

1:38:19Seeing none opposed, motion carries

1:38:21unanimously. Nine members in favor.

1:38:25Is there any testimony for bill 190?

1:38:30Hearing none. Bill 1 190 amends orders

1:38:32number 2644 to the operating budget of

1:38:34the county of Hawaii for the fisc 30

1:38:362027 appropriations in the federal

1:38:39grants workforce innovation and

1:38:40opportunity act account $1,300,000 and

1:38:43appropriate name to the following

1:38:44workforce innovation opportunity act

1:38:452026 2027 accounts administration/

1:38:49planning $150,000 adult program $500,000

1:38:52dislocated worker program $250,000 and

1:38:54youth program $400,000 be used to

1:38:57provide services enhance employment

1:38:58opportunities job retention

1:39:00earnings and skill development and

1:39:01literacy introduced by council member

1:39:03Connelly Kle by request. This is a

1:39:05companion to resolution number 666-26.

1:39:09>> Chair motion to forward bill 190 to

1:39:11council with a positive recommendation.

1:39:13Have

1:39:14>> a motion by council member Hues, second

1:39:15by council member Gimba to forward bill

1:39:17190 to council with a positive

1:39:19recommendation. Any discussion

1:39:22hearing and seeing none motion is on the

1:39:24floor. All in favor?

1:39:25>> Any opposed? Mr. Mr. Clerk, you have

1:39:27nine members in favor.

1:39:30Motion carries. That brings us to the

1:39:31end of our agenda. We are adjourned. It

1:39:33is 12:15 p.m.

1:39:35>> Thank you. We are running a little

1:39:36behind. So, our next committee is the uh

1:39:40policy committee on health, safety, and

1:39:42well-being, which was supposed to have

1:39:43started at 11:30. Mahalo.

1:39:47>> Thank you, Chair Namba. Just as reminded

1:39:49by the staff, we just need a couple of

1:39:51minutes to transition to that committee

1:39:53and then we'll get right into it.

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