2026-10-07 - County Council

03:05Aloha kakahako and welcome to the 50th

03:09session of the Hawaii County Council.

03:11Aloha. Uh the date today is October 7,

03:142026.

03:16It's 9:02 and to begin this morning's

03:19meeting, I would like to call on Pastor

03:21Joseph Jackson of Sher Foundation Church

03:23to provide our invocation. Good morning,

03:26Pastor.

03:26>> All right. Good morning and welcome

03:28everyone. It's so great to be here with

03:30you today. And as I just take a minute

03:32to open and ask God's blessing on our

03:35time together, I just want to share this

03:37one thought. And that is it's so

03:39important to keep our eyes on the prize

03:41in life to stay focused on the things

03:44that matter most and not get distracted.

03:47You know, long before I was a pastor, I

03:49was a a staff member at a Christian drug

03:52rehabilitation center. And so, because

03:55we were a Christian program, every

03:56morning we would have a time of chapel.

03:59And we had one staff member that could

04:01talk a lot. And so this morning, he's

04:03sharing his sermon. He's got five

04:05points. He's about two hours into his

04:08sermon and he's only on point number

04:10two. And so one of the students stand up

04:13and and goes, "Shut up." And throws his

04:17Bible at Ry. And Ray's sitting on a

04:19little stool. And the Bible hits him and

04:21knocks him off the stool because the

04:23word of God is powerful. Bang. It hits

04:25him, knocks him off the stool. Then the

04:27student runs up, grabs Ray, and tackles

04:30him on stage. And so me and the other

04:33staff members go over there and we pull

04:35the student off. And the students mad,

04:37and he leaves and and goes out of the

04:39program that day. And now all the

04:42students and staff members are there.

04:43We're shell shocked by what just

04:46happened in chapel. But Rey puts the

04:50pulpit back up, opens his Bible back up,

04:53and he goes, "Now, like I was saying in

04:56verse number three, Paul like nothing

04:57even happened, man. He came in that

05:00morning focused." And so, I'm just

05:02saying in life, it's so important we

05:04focus on the important things in our

05:07life and don't let distractions take us

05:09off course. Let me open in prayer. So,

05:12Father, I thank you that you're a good

05:15God and that you want to bring focus in

05:17our life. And so, I just pray over this

05:19meeting your blessing and your favor in

05:23Jesus name. Amen. Amen.

05:27>> Mahaloi, Pastor Jackson.

05:30Um, with that, calling this meeting to

05:32order at 9:04 a.m. Mr. Clerk, roll call,

05:36please.

05:37>> Council member Gimma,

05:39>> here. Council member Huis

05:41>> present.

05:42>> Council member Kagiada

05:43>> here.

05:43>> Council member Connie Lee E. Kleinfelder

05:45>> here. Council Kirkowitz

05:47>> present.

05:48>> Council member Campbell

05:49>> here.

05:49>> Vice Onishi

05:50>> present.

05:51>> Council member Viegas.

05:52>> Ao.

05:53>> Cher nava.

05:53>> Ho.

05:54>> Cher nava. You have all nine members

05:55present.

05:56>> Wonderful. Would you please lead us in

05:58the pledge of allegiance? Please rise if

06:00you feel comfortable doing so.

06:32All righty. And to begin this morning's

06:35meeting, uh, I would like to hand it

06:38over to council member Kirkowitz for a

06:40presentation.

06:41>> Thank you. Aloha, everyone. Good

06:43morning. Hi, OPO. Welcome to County

06:45Council. It's so good to see you. Um,

06:48first, I wanted to take a moment to

06:50introduce a couple of young women who

06:51have joined my office for a fall

06:54internship the last two months of my

06:56eight years. Aurora Stressman and Laya

06:59Buak. Ladies, if you could please step

07:01forward into the camera frame and wave a

07:03little hello. There they are.

07:07[clears throat]

07:09[laughter]

07:10>> They reached out um just really

07:12passionate about wanting to solve

07:15community problems and thought that with

07:17an internship in our office, they might

07:18be able to make an impact in a couple of

07:20months. And so they've been observing um

07:24council deliberations yesterday and they

07:26have found items on today's agenda that

07:29are interesting to them. So they'll be

07:31providing testimony, getting their reps

07:33in so that they can be um engaged um in

07:36civic in civics and in local government

07:39going forward. So thank you so much for

07:41spending time with us. Um, I also wanted

07:43to recognize um a few other special

07:46guests joining us today and these are

07:49the children of the Malama Kiki program

07:52for Black Sand subdivision. Why don't we

07:55stand and give everyone a big hello?

08:05>> They are also on fall break and thought

08:07it would be really fun to come and visit

08:10the county council. So, they are also

08:12here to observe our proceedings. Um, and

08:15our office has arranged for a

08:16presentation by the mayor's office and

08:18the fire department. They're going to be

08:20able to look at the apparatus and fly

08:22some drones. So, we've got a really fun,

08:24jam-packed day for them. And we're so

08:27grateful that you would think of us and

08:28want to visit us and mahalui for growing

08:31and sharing this really beautiful

08:33abundance here. Um, you know, over the

08:36last eight years, I've had the privilege

08:37of meeting and connecting with so many

08:39incredible individuals, many of whom are

08:41in the room today. Um, constituents who

08:44have become friends and ohana really.

08:48And the work of government can't only be

08:50done by government. To make a community,

08:53everybody's got to chip in. And there's

08:55a saying that I love to share and it is

08:57when you vote, you vote if you vote um,

09:01every couple of years or every four

09:02years. But when you volunteer, you vote

09:05every day for the kind of community that

09:06you want to live in. And there are some

09:08really exemplary individuals here in the

09:10audience that I wanted to just briefly

09:12recognize for the tremendous work that

09:14you do um for your communities because

09:17you are such a brilliant light. The

09:19first is Auntie Carrie Kowalsski. Um she

09:22is the founder of the Malama Kiki

09:25program.

09:28She's a retired teacher and what started

09:30as, you know, getting kids together in a

09:32park, showing them how to play chess and

09:34ukulele and all these analog games that

09:36we've forgotten but are kind of making a

09:38renaissance comeback. um has turned into

09:41a camp at her home um during summer

09:44break, spring break, fall break, winter

09:46break. And it's a it's to provide

09:48students with OPO with a third space, a

09:51safe space, a place where they can be

09:53cared for, where they know that there

09:54are aunties and uncles in their

09:56community that care for them. So, thank

09:58you, Carrie. If you could come forward,

09:59we have a certificate and a life for

10:00you. Um the next person I want to

10:02recognize is Tim Rowan. Tim actually set

10:05all of this up.

10:09He's like um he's like eyes on the

10:12ground. Every time there is a pothole, I

10:14am getting a text from Tim with the

10:16exact coordinates so that I can

10:17coordinate with public work. So he is

10:20truly a gem. But beyond that, he has

10:24created a beautiful malamaiki garden so

10:26that our kei they learn how to grow.

10:29they they learn how to malama aa aloha

10:32aa and know how to share their abundance

10:35with their friends and their family and

10:36their neighbors. Um he also comes

10:38[clears throat] in clutch to support a

10:40number of community events that have

10:42been organized in Puna the activations

10:44revitalized Puna. Um just during

10:46Hurricane Lala he was working what was

10:48it 12hour shifts to feed hundreds of

10:52people every single day that were

10:54impacted by the hurricane. So thank you

10:56Tim for all that you do.

11:02Next, Jessica Wilks. Um, who is a rising

11:05community leader in the Black Sands

11:08community. Um, she has really, you know,

11:11been taken under the wings of Carrie and

11:13Tim, um, and has organized a number of

11:16Ohana events, Halloween

11:18trick-or-treating, Easter egg hunts, you

11:20know, Thanksgiving time. really building

11:22a sense of community, not waiting for

11:24someone else, but being that spark,

11:26being that catalyst that says, you know

11:28what, we're all going to pull our

11:29resources together and do something

11:31special so that we can create benevolent

11:33child experiences for the kids of Black

11:36Sands. She's also organized a number of

11:39snack packs and food bag and hygiene kit

11:42distributions. So many things that we

11:43might take for granted, but are a

11:45lifeline for community. So, thank you

11:47for your incredibly caring heart and all

11:49that you do for kids and families. Jess,

11:52thank you.

11:57And last, but certainly not least, the

12:00unofficial like mayor of Kalapana, Uncle

12:02Gilbert Ho, Mahal Nui, Uncle for all

12:06that you do behind the scenes, never

12:09waiting to be asked, but always seeing

12:11how you can contribute. This man is one

12:14of the primary caretakers alongside Tim

12:16Rowan of caring for our Poa roundabout.

12:19Um, it is a state asset, but you know

12:21what they say, if you touch it, you keep

12:22it. So, it's ours now. It's the

12:23communities. And every year we've been

12:25providing some funding so that Uncle

12:27Gilbert and Tim can really make it

12:29cherry and make sure that when people

12:31drive into Paja, they see that this

12:34community is a beautiful one. There are

12:35people that show up and care. What is it

12:37like 45 times a year you're going out

12:39weed whacking? It's it's an incredible

12:43amount of

12:46all the time he makes time and we just

12:49so appreciate you doing that but also

12:51sharing culture and teaching kids how to

12:53play ukulele during the malama kiki

12:55program. So mahalanui uncle for being um

13:00being a leader but also being an

13:01incredible role model to these kei and

13:03to our community. Um just one more round

13:06of applause for these incredible

13:07individuals.

13:16Thank you. Um and then if you can see

13:18kind of the backgrounds of your

13:20certificates is um woven laala um puna

13:24pala ikahala right fragrance is the hala

13:28um and abundant through puna. Um you are

13:33like laala you are are weaving the best

13:35of our community together. So, I just

13:39have such incredible gratitude for your

13:41friendship and all that you do to

13:43support Lower Puna. Thank you for being

13:45here.

14:00Mahaloi, Council Member Kirkowitz, and

14:02mahalo to our community members from

14:04Puna for all the work that you do um for

14:07the Puna community. Uh with that, we

14:10will proceed with today's

14:12uh agenda items with statements from the

14:14public, noting that today's testimony

14:17will be limited to two minutes per

14:19person.

14:20>> Two minutes.

14:28call my chair. Uh with that

14:30notification,

14:32uh for everyone's reminder, testimony

14:35will be limited to two minutes today.

14:36What we'll do, noting that we do have

14:38some testifiers

14:40in Kona as well as a lot of testifiers

14:43here in Hilo as well as a couple via

14:45Zoom. What we'll do is we'll start in

14:47Kona, take our Zoom testifiers after

14:49that, and then we'll come back to Hilo.

14:52With that being said,

14:54our Kona testifier is

14:59Shirley David testifying on Bill 192 and

15:02then we'll come back to Zoom with Dell

15:04Otsuka. Shirley, when you're ready to

15:06begin, please click that button at the

15:08base of the mic to turn it on. You'll

15:09see the red light when you know it's on.

15:11>> Introduce yourself and you'll have two

15:13minutes.

15:15Good morning. I'm Shirley David. I'm

15:18representing St. Michael the Archangel

15:20Church in Kyua Kona here and I'm

15:25testifying about uh bill 192 and it's

15:30the communication that's attached to uh

15:34to that bill that I'm concerned about. I

15:37have testified before in finance

15:40committee about this bill. I'm in and

15:42support of it, but when I look at the

15:45the communication which may be an

15:48amendment, I am confused over the the

15:53language about um more or less about the

15:57county being able programs and

16:00initiatives

16:01being able to use this fund which funds

16:04which are fine to with me. My concern is

16:07the language and I hope that um county

16:10council can maybe um uh clarify it

16:14whether when you say or

16:18and and

16:20um what that means. So if it says that

16:23it's a county program that can be um uh

16:28the funds can be used for

16:31if you say or does that mean that other

16:35programs cannot be funded? So, I'm

16:38thinking that it should out be and so

16:40all programs that um can um both

16:44nonprofits and the county can be um it

16:48can be funded if if that that they get

16:51the funding, you know, that they can be

16:54considered and funded. Um not just one

16:57or the other. That's my concern. I

16:59understand that there are county

17:01programs that that would need funding

17:03for 30 seconds. Homelessness programs

17:06and um those because you know Cahuola

17:11for example coming on online probably

17:15need some funding um because that's a

17:17county um facility. So um that that's my

17:21concern today. So thank you.

17:24>> Thank you so much for your testimony

17:26chair. Our next testifier is via Zoom.

17:29Dell Osuka to be uh testifying on bill

17:32190 to be followed by Briani Kobayashi

17:34Kui. Dell, when you're ready to begin,

17:36please introduce yourself and you'll

17:38have two minutes.

17:39>> Good morning. My name is Dell Osuka. I

17:42will condense my threeminut prepared

17:44speech to two. Because I strongly

17:46support workforce development, I am here

17:49today to address the glaring systemic

17:51injustice in Hawaii County's labor

17:53practices, the reliance on 8090

17:56temporary hires. Bill 190 brings $1.3

17:59million in federal worker innovation

18:01funds to address communitywide

18:03dislocated and displaced workers. It is

18:06deeply hypocritical for this county to

18:08ask and accept over a million dollars to

18:11solve communitywide dislocation while

18:13simultaneously running an internal

18:16system that is designed to create

18:18dislocated and displaced workers in your

18:2189day hires.

18:25Uh let me this administration and a few

18:28before you have inherited a broken

18:30legacy machine. This bill injects $1.3

18:33million in new workforce funds.

18:37You have, this administration has a

18:39historic opportunity to break the cycle.

18:42You must use these funds to actively

18:44transition these legacy insecure

18:46temporary contracts into permanent

18:48stable positions for our work working

18:50families. Furthermore, Bill 190 exposes

18:54a severe breakdown of legislative

18:56accountability. Years ago on April 5th,

18:592023, this chamber chair Kimble, council

19:03members Vlegas, Kany Lee, Kleinfelder,

19:06Kirkowitz, Inaba, Kagi, and Gimba.

19:09>> 30 seconds, please.

19:11>> Voted unanimously on bill 29 sponsored

19:13by former council woman Sulie Loy. You

19:17proved you had the legislative will to

19:19force departments to disclose and

19:21justify their short-term contracts.

19:24You must mandate to create onboarding

19:26for these 8 to9 day hires. Requires

19:29strict data separations. Funds are

19:31there. The legal framework is there.

19:34What is missing is a political will and

19:35basic transparency. So before half of

19:38you term out, stabilize your own

19:40internal workforce, stop exploiting our

19:42workforce, and start using our federal

19:44funding to build.

19:46>> Thank you so much for your testimony, D.

19:48I apologize. We're going to have to move

19:49on. Chair, our next testifier via Zoom

19:52is Briani Kobayashi Ki testifying on

19:54resolution 698. And then we can come to

19:57our testifiers in Hilo. Briani, when

19:59you're ready to begin, please introduce

20:00yourself and you'll have two minutes.

20:03>> Aloh mayo, aloha, chair, and council

20:06members. My name is Briani Kobayashi Kui

20:09and I'm the president of Hawaii Ice

20:11Foundation. Um, I am asking for support

20:14of council member Onishi's um allocation

20:16for $3,400

20:18for Porter Potty uh restrooms which will

20:21be used for Melbanaka, Mary Monarch

20:23Week. U Mary Monarch week is um going to

20:26be held in April and our community event

20:28is called Mel Manaka which is a free

20:303-day community celebration along Dany

20:33that brings together local families,

20:35cultural practitioners, musicians, and

20:37small businesses. We are the only uh

20:40craft fair or community craft fair that

20:42doesn't charge vendors. So all of our

20:44vendors keep 100% of their sales and we

20:46don't have an entry fee or any types of

20:49um any fees. And so the $3,400 would

20:52cover porter potty uh that would be

20:54needed for kuna cake vendors and

20:56visitors to help keep this event free

20:59and accessible. Um mahalo council member

21:01oni for this um for considering and for

21:04your support and to the council for

21:06considering our request. Mahalo.

21:09>> Thank you so much for your testimony.

21:12With that, chair, we will begin to take

21:15our testifiers here in the Hilo Chamber.

21:17As I call you up in pairs, if you could

21:19both please come to the testifier table.

21:22First of which is Aurora Stressman

21:25testifying on resolution 686 and bill

21:28184 to be followed by

21:32I believe it's Laya Bunak testifying on

21:36bill 184.

21:45Aurora, when you're ready to begin, you

21:47can introduce yourself. Actually, you

21:48can turn the mic on by hitting the green

21:50button at the base. introducing yourself

21:52and you'll have two minutes per agenda

21:54item if you can clearly transition. If

21:55not, it'll be two minutes total.

22:00>> Aloha. My name is Norris Stressman. I'm

22:02a 10th grade student at KO High School

22:04and I'm in favor of Bill 184. Native

22:07species are necessary um to uphold

22:10Hawaii's diverse ecosystem. Hawaii has

22:13many endemic native species that cannot

22:15be found anywhere else. If we let them

22:17go extinct, that's it. We must do

22:20everything in our power to make sure

22:21they can be enjoyed for years to come.

22:24Native plants provide food for native

22:26wildlife, flowers for lays, and great

22:28natural beauty. For example, peely grass

22:31not only prevents erosion, but also

22:33provides nesting material for native

22:35birds. Without native plants, invasive

22:37ones will grow in their place. Invasive

22:40plants can have devastating effects on

22:42Hawaii's ecosystem. Maconia prevents

22:45native plants from growing by blocking

22:48sunlight. Fountain grass increases

22:50wildfire risk in dry areas and Albza

22:53trees which during storms drop massive

22:55branches that damage houses and power

22:57lines. A lot of invasive plants are also

23:00fast growing consuming entire fields in

23:02the blink of an eye. Growing native

23:05plants will stop the spread of invasive

23:07um species much more than unused plots

23:09of land. So much of a Hawaii is already

23:12overrun by invasive species. So even

23:15small plots of land with native plants

23:17can make a huge difference. Community

23:19involvement is also very present. Even

23:22my own school has started growing native

23:24plants and creating leg gardens.

23:26I urge the county to use land they

23:28already own to grow native plants, which

23:30will not only help our own ecosystem,

23:32but to hopefully inspire other

23:34communities

23:36>> to take the same action. Um, I am also

23:39in support of resolution 68626,

23:44which is funding $2,500 to the Amelia

23:48Heheart Girls in Engineering Day.

23:51Engineering and other sciences in STEM

23:53are important subjects that can be often

23:56forgotten about or overlooked.

23:58Opportunities to explore engineering can

24:00create new passions and goals for young

24:02girls that may have seemed impossible

24:04before. It is especially important for

24:06pre-teen and teenage girls to learn

24:08about engineering and to be empowered by

24:12um and to be empowered by these events

24:16and to pursue their own dream careers.

24:18Entering middle school can be difficult.

24:20I personally had a very hard time

24:22adjusting. So extra opportunities to

24:23explore interest like the Amelia Hehard

24:26Girls in Engineering Day can impact

24:28young teens greatly. Engineering is a

24:30mostly male-dominated field. In fact, in

24:332024, women only made up to 8.2% of

24:36electrical engineers. Even environmental

24:39engineering fields, which had the

24:40highest rate of women engineers, was

24:42only at 31.8%

24:45according to the American Society of

24:47Mechanical Engineering. Amelia Heheart

24:50Girls in Engineering Day created by

24:52Zanta Club encourages young girls to

24:54reach their full potential by providing

24:56muchneeded opportunities and support.

24:58Thank you so much for your time.

25:00>> Thank you so much. touching for our next

25:02testifier, if you could just reintroduce

25:03yourself because I probably butchered

25:05your name. You'll have two minutes to

25:06provide your testimony on bill 192.

25:09>> Thank you. Good morning, council

25:11members. My name is Laya Bac and I'm

25:13here to testify in support of Bill 184.

25:17I'm a student at Hawaii Academy of Arts

25:20and Sciences. As a member of the youth

25:22of Hawaii, I've been taught by example

25:25that it's our job to steward and protect

25:28this land, the very land that supports

25:30us day by day. As can grass, albbezias,

25:34and other invasive species overtake this

25:36island, it's more important than ever to

25:38cultivate land for native species to

25:40thrive. A wide variety of native plant

25:43species is essential to ecosystem

25:45resilience, a topic that is incredibly

25:47relevant considering the recent events

25:49of Hurricane Lala and the subsequent

25:51devastation.

25:54Additionally, I've seen firsthand how

25:56planting native species could have saved

25:58an ecosystem that is now under duress. I

26:01observed this by while working with AA

26:03Hala, a nonprofit whose mission is to

26:06clear the local Waka wetlands of

26:08Kangrass. These dedicated individuals

26:11arrive at 8 am every Saturday, whether

26:14it's raining, hot, or both. They go

26:16waste and sometimes neck deep in mud in

26:19order to try and protect this vital

26:20wetland. They give up their time off

26:23every weekend to try and prevent

26:25flooding and erosion by removing this

26:26invasive grass. Just imagine if native

26:29plants had been planted beforehand to

26:31preclude this.

26:33We're all here today because we want

26:35this island and our community to thrive.

26:38Any step we can take towards bettering

26:40and sustaining our econ

26:42>> 30 seconds please

26:43>> is one that's worth seriously

26:45considering and what better way to move

26:47forward than with our county owned

26:49properties. I sincerely believe this

26:52bill will do a lot of good with no

26:53foreseeable damage and I see no reason

26:55why it should not move forward. Thank

26:57you for your time and have a great rest

26:59of your day.

27:00>> Thank you ladies for your testimony.

27:02Chair, our next two testifiers are Kie

27:05French to be followed by Less Estrella.

27:07both testifying on bill 192.

27:17Carly, when you're ready to begin, if

27:18you could just reintroduce yourself and

27:19you'll have two minutes.

27:26Hello, chair, vice chair, and members of

27:28Hawaii County Council. My name is Kie

27:30French, chief operating officer for Hope

27:32Services. I respect I respectfully

27:35support bill 192 and the county's

27:37continued investment in addressing

27:38homelessness and housing instability

27:40across Hawaii Island. County funding

27:42funding has been a critical foundation

27:44for HOPE's growth, providing the

27:45operating capacity, infrastructure, and

27:48stability needed to secure additional

27:50state, federal, Medicaid, hospital, and

27:52private support. Each county dollar can

27:54therefore create an impact beyond its

27:56original investment. Reth County support

27:59hope has developed a coordinated

28:00continuum of care. A person may connect

28:02with outreach, enter emergency shelter,

28:05receive housing navigation and behavior

28:07and medical health support, transition

28:09into permanent housing, and continue

28:10receiving services they sustain

28:12long-term stability. Our shelter and

28:14housing programs demonstrate this

28:15partnership. County support allows Hope

28:18to combine local resources with state

28:19homeless program funding and federal

28:22housing assistance through HUD. It also

28:24addresses gaps that restricted grants

28:25are not always covered, including

28:2724-hour operations, facility readiness,

28:29staffing, and services for childrens and

28:31family. Our community integration

28:33services programs provide another

28:34example. Hope built upon its housing

28:36experience and infrastructure to become

28:38a medic med medicaid provider and

28:40contract request integration health

28:41plans. Through the CIS and CIS plus

28:43programs, eligible participants received

28:45Medicaid funding, housing navigation,

28:47tenency support, care coordination.

28:49county's investment helped establish

28:51that foundation to bring these

28:52additional healthcare dollars into our

28:54community. Medical respit further

28:56demonstrates this impact with support

28:58from HBMC county medical respit program

29:02helped hope develop the clinical systems

29:04workforce and payer relationships needed

29:05for Medicaid credentiing and crest

29:08integration contracts. Hope earned

29:10certification through the National

29:11Institute for Medical Respect Care and

29:13remains the only national certified

29:15medical respit provider on Hawaii

29:17Island. County Investments also

29:19strengthens emergency response or teams

29:21coordinating with Hoy County civil

29:22events, report shelter capacity, check

29:24on high-risisk community members, and

29:25distribute essential supplies. These

29:28examples shows how county support

29:29creates the foundation to track

29:31additional funding, expand capacity, and

29:33improve services for Hawaii Island.

29:34Thank you.

29:34>> Thank you so much for your testimony,

29:36chair. Our next testifier is Less

29:37Estrella to be followed by Michelle

29:39Manalo. Les, when you're ready to begin,

29:41please introduce yourself, and you've

29:42got two minutes.

29:43>> Good morning, chair and council members.

29:45My name is Lesie Shera and I serve as

29:47president and CEO of Go Hawaii. Uh thank

29:51you for the opportunity to speak in

29:53strong support of bill 192. We all see

29:56homelessness in our community. We see

29:59people outside and we know we still have

30:01work to do.

30:03But I also want to speak about what we

30:05don't see and because that's part of the

30:07impact of this fund. We don't always see

30:10the person who kept their housing

30:11because help came before they lost it.

30:14Or someone cycling through arrest,

30:16rearrest, jail, and then finally having

30:20a place to go instead of ending up back

30:22on the street again and again.

30:26Having a place to go instead of ending

30:28up back on the street is is supporting

30:30their family, contributing to our

30:32community, and even knowing even without

30:36knowing what it took to get there. These

30:38are the things that you don't see. These

30:40outcomes matter too. In the first six

30:42months of this year alone, going to moay

30:45received 260 referrals in Hilo and Kona.

30:49Of those, 237

30:52were people who were homeless or at risk

30:54of homeless. We housed 91 of them during

30:56that time. But the impact goes beyond

31:00getting someone into housing. is helping

31:03them stay housed, find work, take care

31:06of their health, and rebuild

31:07relationships. As people move forward,

31:10their families benefit, our workplaces,

31:13our economy, and a community benefit.

31:15>> Second, please.

31:16>> I've been homeless myself. I know what a

31:19second chance can mean, and especially

31:21what someone can contribute when they

31:23have that opportunity.

31:25>> Our nonprofit partners and OAC have

31:27worked hard together to build these

31:28pathways. We fully support the audit and

31:31learning how we can do better. Please

31:34consider both what remains visible and

31:36what this work can help prevent. The

31:38person who never becomes homeless is

31:40also a success. So is a person who is

31:43now working and living independently.

31:45Please support bill 192. Mahalo.

31:48>> Thank you for your testimony. Chair, our

31:50next two testifiers are Michelle Manalo

31:52to be followed by Mark Schultz.

31:55Michelle, when you're ready to begin,

31:56please introduce yourself and you've got

31:57two minutes.

32:00Aloha.

32:03>> Thank you. Aloha, Cherry Naba, and

32:06members of the Hawaii County Council. My

32:09name is Michelle Manalo. I am the senior

32:11finance officer and co-chair for Jay

32:14Justice Lived Experience Advisory Group

32:16at Going Home Hawaii. I am here today to

32:19share my personal experience and to

32:21support continuing the homelessness and

32:24housing fund through June 30, 2029.

32:28I was released from prison in 2007.

32:31Coming back into the community after

32:33incarceration was not easy. Rebuilding

32:36your life does not happen overnight. You

32:39need somewhere safe to live, support

32:41around you, and an opportunity to make

32:43positive changes. Without those things,

32:46it can be very easy to experience

32:48homelessness or return to the same

32:50circumstances you're trying to leave

32:52behind. I was fortunate to have access

32:55to transitional housing and support when

32:57I needed it. After my release,

33:00transitional housing pro provided me

33:02with a safe and stable place to begin

33:04rebuilding my life. In 2011, I was able

33:07to take another step forward by

33:09transitioning into clean and sober

33:10housing. Those housing opportunities

33:13helped prevent me from experiencing

33:15homelessness. They gave me stability and

33:18structure while I continued working on

33:20myself, my recovery, and becoming more

33:23independent.

33:24For me, housing was more than having a

33:26roof over my head. It gave me the

33:28opportunity to focus on moving forward

33:31instead of worrying about where I was

33:32going to sleep or simply trying to

33:34survive from one day to

33:36>> 30 seconds, please.

33:36>> Thank you.

33:37>> Today, I can look back and understand

33:39how important those opportunities were

33:42and how different my life could have

33:44been without them. I want others coming

33:46out of incarceration, working through

33:48recovery, or at le or at risk of

33:50homelessness to have that same

33:51opportunity, a safe place to go, support

33:53when they need it, and a chance to build

33:55a stable life. Please support continuing

33:58the homelessness and housing fund

34:00through June 30, 2029, so these

34:02opportunities remain available for

34:04people in our community who need them.

34:06Mahalo for allowing me to share my

34:08voice, my experience, and my support for

34:09Bill 19.

34:10>> Thank you so much for your testimony,

34:12chair. Your next testifiers are Mark

34:13Schultz to be followed by Hannah Preston

34:15Peta. Mark, when you're ready to begin,

34:17please introduce yourself and you've got

34:18two minutes.

34:20>> Can you guys hear?

34:23>> There we go. Hi, Mark Schulz, family

34:25nurse practitioner uh with Project

34:27Vision Hawaii. Uh I wanted to come today

34:32uh to let you guys know how much I have

34:36appreciated the chance to provide street

34:38medicine on the sidewalks of Hilo. I

34:42started out in the late 90s serving

34:44underserved populations. I've worked in

34:46Canada. I more recently before I came

34:49back to Hawaii, I've been working for

34:51the Yakat Clinket tribe in Yakat,

34:53Alaska, serving underserved populations.

34:56Uh these are complex populations to

35:00serve and I appreciated uh Councilwoman

35:04Kirkowitz's point that it takes an

35:05entire community to try to get a

35:09difficult job done. These are many

35:11people who have been disconnected from

35:13health care, who've had bad experiences

35:16in a variety of settings and who simply

35:20choose not to access care. Your funding

35:23has allowed me to go out onto the

35:24sidewalk and meet these people where

35:26they're at, try to figure out what's

35:28going on, how to reconnect them to

35:30health care, how to uh in some cases

35:33save their lives. In this year alone,

35:36I've encountered two individuals where

35:38cancer was detected at the ER. They were

35:41discharged, told to follow up with a

35:43primary care provider. And guess what?

35:45They didn't have a primary care

35:47provider. Two individuals cancer has

35:50been removed. At this point, they're

35:52still alive. The

35:54>> 30 seconds, please.

35:56>> Bill I'm here to support of course is

35:59192 at this point. Uh it's not a lot of

36:02funding. Uh from the positions I've been

36:06in in the past, one of the clinics I

36:07worked in Canada, we had uh five nurses,

36:10a $5 million clinic to serve 200 people

36:13in the downtown core. Uh here I work out

36:16of a box uh of it's a toolbox basically

36:22on the sidewalk. We we can't cut it down

36:24any more than that. But again, we're

36:26appreciative of the funding and uh if

36:29you can see we clear to support bill 192

36:31or most appreciative.

36:32>> Thank you so much for your testimony,

36:34chair. Our next testifiers are Hannah

36:36Preston Peta to be followed by Shaina

36:38Wingler. Hannah, when you're ready to

36:40begin, please introduce yourself and

36:42you'll have two minutes.

36:45>> Aloha kako everyone. I'm Dr. Hannah

36:47Preston Pizza with the Big Island

36:49Sousance Abuse Council. Um aloha Dr.

36:52Inaba and County Council. I'm here today

36:55on behalf of the Big Island Substance

36:57Abuse Council in strong support of Bill

36:59192 and the continuation of the homeless

37:02and housing fund. Over the past several

37:04years, this fund has helped Hawaii

37:06Island build a stronger and more

37:07coordinated response to homelessness. It

37:10has allowed organizations to strengthen

37:12prevention, outreach, shelter, housing

37:15stabilization, behavioral health,

37:17substance use, treatment recovery,

37:19health care, and long-term support. What

37:21is especially important is that this is

37:23not simply about finding individual pro

37:25programs. It is about maintaining a

37:27community system that allows people to

37:29move between services depending on what

37:32they need as a part at at this point in

37:35their lives. At BISAC, one example is

37:37Julie Hyakolar social detox program.

37:40This is a resource that did not

37:42previously exist on Hawaii Island and it

37:44provides another pathway for people who

37:46may be experiencing substance use,

37:48homelessness, instability, or other

37:51serious challenges. We have also created

37:54a family resource center which is so so

37:56important to help individuals that we

37:58serve get back on their feet. I also

38:00want to emphasize the accountability

38:03because I know that it is important to

38:05this council particularly given some of

38:07the misinformation that continues to

38:09circulate in the community. These

38:11conversations need to be grounded in

38:13facts. It is important to understand the

38:15reporting requirements, contractual obl

38:18obligations, audits, licensing,

38:20accreditation and other accountability

38:22measures that funded or organizations

38:24are required to meet. I absolutely

38:26believe we should continue asking what

38:28is working, where improvements are

38:30needed, and how providers are using

38:32public dollars. I do not believe the

38:34measure of su success should be whether

38:37homelessness has disappeared. The better

38:39question is whether Hawaii Island is

38:41better equipped today to prevent

38:42homelessness, respond to crisis, and

38:44help people move forward through

38:47stability.

38:48Aloha.

38:50>> Thank you for your testimony, chair. Our

38:51next testifier is Shaina Wingler to be

38:53followed by Kelly Pa Aliui. Shaina, when

38:56you're ready to begin, please introduce

38:57yourself and you've got two minutes.

38:59>> Uh, thank you. Good morning, chair,

39:00members of Hawaii County Council. My

39:02name is Shaina Wingler. I'm here also to

39:04testify and support Bill 192. I am the

39:07women's day treatment counselor with the

39:08Big Island Substance Abuse Council. I am

39:11here today because I have personally

39:12witnessed what happens when someone in

39:14crisis has access to the right support

39:16at the right time. Through my work, I

39:18support women who are rebuilding their

39:20lives after substance use, homelessness,

39:22domestic violence, incarceration, family

39:25separation, and other significant

39:27challenges. Many enter treatment with no

39:29stable place to live, limited support

39:31systems, and uncertainty about their

39:33future. The homelessness and housing

39:35fund has helped create critical pathways

39:38to recovery by supporting services

39:40throughout our community, including

39:41detoxification programs, recovery

39:44support services, and resources

39:46available through programs like our

39:48Mohala Family Center. [snorts] These

39:50services help individuals take the first

39:51steps towards stability and connect them

39:53with the support they need to continue

39:55their recovery journey. What I see every

39:58day is that recovery and housing

40:00stability go hand in hand. It is

40:02extremely difficult for someone to focus

40:04on treatment, maintain sobriety, reunify

40:07with family, or gain employment when

40:08they do not know where they will sleep

40:10at night. I think of the many women I've

40:12worked with who have entered treatment

40:14after expering homelessness and unstable

40:16living situations. Through recovery

40:18support services, case management,

40:20housing resources, and treatment,

40:22they're able to begin rebuilding their

40:24lives. I have seen women reunify with

40:26their children, obtain employment,

40:28secure housing, and maintain recovery.

40:31Those outcomes are possible because a

40:33system of support exists. The

40:35homelessness crisis has not disappeared,

40:37but that should not be mistaken for a

40:39lack of impact. The need remains

40:41significant and these services continue

40:43to provide opportunities for people to

40:45move from crisis toward stability. When

40:47someone walks through our doors, they

40:49are often scared, overwhelmed, and

40:50unsure of change is possible. The

40:52homeless homelessness and housing fund

40:54helps ensure that when people are

40:56finally ready to ask for help, our

40:58community is able to respond as mahalo.

41:02>> Thank you so much for your testimony.

41:03Chair, your next testifier is Kelly Pa

41:05Aluhi to be followed by Raymond

41:07Dangaran. Kelly, when you're ready to

41:09begin, please introduce yourself and

41:10you've got two minutes.

41:11>> Aloha. My name is Kelly Pa Aluhi and I'm

41:14a counselor at Substance Abuse Council.

41:18I am speaking in support of Bill 192,

41:22excuse [clears throat] me, because I see

41:23firsthand how housing can make the

41:25difference between someone continuing to

41:27struggle and someone being given a real

41:30opportunity to rebuild their lives. The

41:33homelessness and housing fund has helped

41:35create programs that give people more

41:38than just a place to stay. It gives them

41:41stability, structure, support, and a

41:44chance to work towards a healthier and

41:46more independent future. Our therapeutic

41:50living program, or TLP, provides

41:52structured residential housing for

41:54adults who need a safe and supportive

41:57environment while receiving treatment

41:59for a substance use disorder. Pierce

42:02support is available on site as clients

42:04work toward recovery. Our pregnant women

42:07with de dependent children program

42:10provides housing support for mothers and

42:12their children while they receive

42:14treatment. These programs help develop a

42:17drug-free lifestyle while working on

42:19their negative patterns of behavior,

42:21thinking, and feeling that have affected

42:24their lives. Our cleanest over housing

42:26provides another important step towards

42:28independence. Residents have a house

42:31manager on site, are expected to seek

42:33employment, attend 12 steps meetings,

42:36and work towards permanent housing. I

42:39had a client who entered the TLP program

42:42while her 2-year-old son was in foster

42:44care because she enter her case manager

42:47allowed her son to move in with her. She

42:49attended treatment, remained sober,

42:51graduated from TOP, and moved into CNS

42:54housing. Having a stable place to live

42:57allowed her to successfully complete her

43:00substance use treatment. She applied for

43:02jobs and was hired. She applied for

43:04permanent housing and eventually moved

43:06into her own apartment. She was

43:08successful because she had the stepping

43:10stones she needed to move forward. I

43:12support Bill 192 because I have seen

43:15what can happen when someone is given

43:17the opportunity. Mahalo.

43:19>> Thank you for your testimony. Chair. Our

43:21next testifiers are Raymond Dangaran to

43:24be followed by Corey Ky. Raymond, when

43:26you're ready to begin, please introduce

43:27yourself and you've got two minutes.

43:32>> Aloha, Chair Inava, and members of the

43:35Hawaii County Council. My name is

43:37Raymond Dangran, health and safety

43:39manager of the Big Island Substance

43:40Abuse Council. I urge you to continue

43:43homelessness and housing fund because it

43:45saves lives, strengthens families, and

43:48protects our community. This fund is a

43:52proven investment in a coordinated

43:54system of care. It supports emergency

43:56shelter, recovery and re-entry housing,

44:00permanent housing, detoxification

44:03services. It helped create BISAC's Moala

44:06Family Center and Hawaii Island's first

44:08detox program, addressing critical gaps,

44:12connecting clients to treatment,

44:15recovery support, case management, and

44:18housing.

44:19Progress happens one step at a time.

44:22Entering treatment, maintaining

44:24recovery, securing work, reconnecting

44:28with family, or finding safe housing.

44:32Each step moves someone from crisis

44:35towards stability and self-sufficiency.

44:39Public investment must be accountable,

44:42and we should continue evaluating

44:44outcomes and improving services. But

44:47persistent homelessness does not mean

44:49these programs have failed. It shows a

44:52need remains urgent. Without these

44:56resources, more clients will remain in

44:59crisis and rely on emergency rooms, law

45:02enforcement, shelters, and other costly

45:06public systems.

45:08>> Cutting services will not eliminate the

45:10need. It will shift the human and

45:12financial costs elsewhere. I

45:15respectfully urge you to sustain this

45:17fund and protect the pathways to

45:20recovery, housing, and long-term

45:22stability that our island cannot afford

45:25to lose.

45:27When we fund the path out of crisis, our

45:31entire island moves forward. Mahalo for

45:33your consideration and commitment to our

45:35community. Thank you.

45:37>> Thank you for your testimony, chair. Our

45:38next testifier is Corey Causy to be

45:40followed by Lyanna Katassa.

45:42[clears throat]

45:44Corey, when you're ready to begin,

45:45please introduce yourself and you've got

45:46two minutes.

45:49>> Sorry. For members of the public, when

45:51you approach the mic, if the red light

45:52is on, that means it's activated. If

45:54it's not, you can go ahead and press the

45:56green button to activate it. Thank you.

45:59>> Aloha, Chair Inaba, and members of the

46:01Hawaii County Council. Mah mahalo for

46:03the opportunity to testify. My name is

46:05Corey Kazy and I serve as director of

46:07operations for Lokah Treatment Centers.

46:10I support bill 192 draft 2 extending the

46:13homelessness and housing fund through

46:152029.

46:16This extension gives the council time to

46:19review its requested audit before making

46:22a long-term decision. It preserves the

46:24council's ability to make future changes

46:27while preventing services from ending

46:29before that review is complete.

46:31Continuity

46:33matters because homelessness, behavioral

46:36health, substance use, and housing

46:37instability are deeply connected. At

46:40Lokai, we often meet people before they

46:43are on the street while staying

46:45temporarily with family or friends. They

46:48may not consider themselves homeless

46:50because an auntie is letting them sleep

46:52on a couch, but one family crisis

46:56continued use could leave them without

46:59[clears throat] a place to stay.

47:01Recovery support can create time to stay

47:04clean, find work, access benefits,

47:07reconnect with family, and secure

47:09permanent housing.

47:11This fund enabled Lokai to integrate

47:14housing stabilization and homelessness

47:17prevention into treatment. Organizations

47:21addressing homelessness work together to

47:23connect people with housing, behavioral

47:26health, and substance use treatment and

47:27other services. So when so when funding

47:31for one part of that system changes the

47:33effects can ripple across many others.

47:36Bill 192 draft 2 preserves that

47:39continuity while the council determines

47:41the best path forward and most

47:43importantly it allows us to intervene

47:45before a person's person becomes

47:46homeless and help people in our

47:48community achieve lasting recovery.

47:50Mahalo for your time and consideration.

47:53>> Thank you so much for your testimony

47:55chair. Your next testifier is Lyanna

47:57Katas testifying on bill 191 to be

47:59followed by Tracy Tomos testifying on

48:02bill 192. Lyanna, when you're ready to

48:04begin, please introduce yourself and

48:05you've got two minutes.

48:07>> Aloha Cherry Naba and county council

48:09members. My name is Lyanna Katas. I'm

48:12here today as a kanako oei and resident

48:15of volcano. I serve as the chair of the

48:17forest overlay committee and the

48:19secretary of the volcano community

48:21association. My background is in

48:23conservation and specifically native

48:25reforestation.

48:27I'm sharing my testimony in strong

48:29support of amending Bill 191 to reform

48:32chapter 10 pertaining to erosion and

48:34sedimentation.

48:37Earlier this year, our community

48:38association conducted a survey with over

48:41150 local respondents. An overwhelming

48:4487% reported being very concerned about

48:47unmonitored grading, grubbing, and

48:49stockpiling in volcano. Specifically

48:52referring to pin-to-pin land clearing.

48:56In recent years, due to the expansion of

48:58development, our residents have seen the

49:00devastating impacts of complete canopy

49:02loss and irreversible damage to our

49:04native Valqua ecosystem.

49:07Other impacts include the acceleration

49:09and spread of rapid OIa death, the

49:12introduction and spreading of aggressive

49:13invasive species, soil erosion, and the

49:16degradation of critical habitat for our

49:18native and endemic flora and fauna.

49:22While these clearing activities often

49:24occur on private property, they impact

49:26our shared natural resources that come

49:28at a cost environmentally, socially, and

49:31economically. It's a critical time to

49:33broaden stewardship efforts and

49:35encourage responsible development. There

49:37is an urgent need to update chapter 10

49:39of the county code to address these

49:41modern challenges pertaining to grading,

49:44grubbing, and stockpiling.

49:46Bill 191 is a vital step in the right

49:48direction. We hope to see continued

49:50efforts in the future to protect our

49:52native forests. Passing bill 191 will

49:55strengthen our cy's ability to uphold

49:58our shared kana to protect soil, water,

50:00and native forest for generations to

50:02come. Mahalo for your time, your

50:04leadership, and your commitment to our

50:06communities.

50:08>> Thank you for your testimony. Chair,

50:09your next testifiers are Tracy Town to

50:11be followed by Ted Herszog. Tracy, when

50:14you're ready to begin, please introduce

50:15yourself and you got two minutes.

50:18>> Good morning.

50:20Sorry, I'm kind of nervous, but good

50:22morning, chair and members of the

50:24committee. Thank you for the opportunity

50:26to testify today in support of Bill 192.

50:29I'm here because I've been blessed to

50:31witness what happens when someone gets

50:33help at the moment they need it most.

50:36Every day, people come through our

50:37doors.

50:39I'm the director of substance abuse

50:40services, by the way, at BISAC. Sorry,

50:43nervous. [laughter]

50:45Every day, people come through our doors

50:46during some of the hardest times of

50:48their lives. They arrive scared,

50:49overwhelmed, exhausted, and many believe

50:52they've run out of options. And for

50:54some, simply asking for help is one of

50:55the bravest things they will ever do.

50:59I've seen individuals walk into detox

51:02feeling defeated and hopeless and

51:04leaving be and leave believing in

51:06themselves again. I've seen people

51:08reconnect with their ohana, repair

51:10relationships with their children, find

51:13stable housing, and return to work and

51:16begin building their lives they never

51:18thought were possible. What concerns me

51:20most is not what happens to a program if

51:22funding disappears. It's what happened

51:24to the people who depend on it.

51:27Your investment has has allowed us to

51:30meet people where they are and provide

51:32the critical service that help them to

51:35take the first steps toward recovery.

51:37Because of that support, lives have

51:39changed. Ohana have been reunited and

51:42strengthened and hope has been restored.

51:44Today, I respectfully ask for your

51:46continued support of Bill 192 and your

51:49continued invest in investment in these

51:52essential services. The need is real,

51:54the impact is proven, and the lives

51:56behind the numbers matter. When someone

51:59finally finds the courage to ask for

52:00help, we cannot afford to meet them with

52:02a waiting list, a barrier, or a closed

52:04door. Because when someone asks for

52:06help, they're not just asking for

52:08treatment. They're asking for a chance,

52:11a chance to heal, a chance to reconnect

52:14with their family, a chance to reclaim

52:16their future. Together, we can make sure

52:19that the chance is there. Mahalo for

52:21your time and consideration.

52:24>> Thank you for your testimony, chair.

52:25Your next testifiers are Ted Herszik to

52:27be followed by Khalani Spain. Ted, when

52:29you're ready to begin, you've got two

52:30minutes. Please introduce yourself.

52:32>> All right. Hi, thank you for uh allowing

52:34me to be here this morning, chair, and

52:36council members. My name is Ted Erzog,

52:38and I am a substance abuse counselor for

52:40the men's outpatient program at BISAC.

52:43I'm here today to share my support for

52:46extending bill 192 and uh housing fund

52:51to speak about the difference the

52:53differences these resources make in the

52:56lives of the people we serve. In my

53:00work, I've seen that recovery is much

53:02more than simply stopping substance

53:04abuse. Individuals often need support,

53:08stability, and access to services that

53:11help them move forward and maintain

53:12their recovery. The homelessness and

53:15housing fund has helped make that

53:17support possible through services such

53:19as the detox center and the Mohalla

53:22Family Center. For someone struggling

53:24with substance abuse, detox can be the

53:27beginning of a significant change. It

53:29provides an opportunity to step away

53:31from a crisis and begin the process of

53:34recovery. From there, the resources

53:36available through the Mohalla Family

53:38Center can help with the individuals to

53:40address some of the challenges that can

53:42make maintaining recovery and achieving

53:45stability difficult.

53:47These services are part of a larger

53:50continuum of care.

53:52When people have access to appropriate

53:54services at the right time, they have a

53:57greater opportunity to move forward in

53:59their recovery, stability, and

54:02independence.

54:04The county has already invested in

54:05building this capacity and I believe

54:07that that investment is worth

54:09protecting.

54:11There is still great deal of need in our

54:13community. Continuing the care or

54:16continuing the fund will allow these

54:18services to remain available to

54:19individuals and families who are working

54:21to overcome homelessness, substance

54:23substance abuse, and other barriers to

54:25stability. I respectfully ask the county

54:28council to continue Bill 192 and extend

54:32the homeless and housing fund and

54:34continue supporting the services that

54:36give people the opportunity to change

54:38their lives and build a more stable

54:39future.

54:40>> Thank you so much for your testimony.

54:42>> Chair, your next testifiers are Khalani

54:44Spain to be followed by Chassity Torres.

54:46Colani, when you're ready to begin,

54:48please introduce yourself and you've got

54:49two minutes.

54:49>> Aloha. Good morning. I'm Khani Spain.

54:52I'm a family psychologist here at in

54:54Hilo and also work as a department of

54:58housing at home services. First of all,

55:01let me thank those um council members

55:04that supported the homelessness and

55:07housing fund these past five years, four

55:09years going into five. Um without your

55:12funding, uh there are several programs

55:15that we run that would not be um

55:18available to people ex uh experiencing

55:20homelessness.

55:22Uh, I think we need to address this

55:24issue upstream and that we need rent

55:27stabilization legislation. We also need

55:31to build more housing. The number one

55:34cause or the main cause is that there's

55:36just not enough housing. The other thing

55:38is that so expensive that a lot of us

55:40can't afford it. Let me tell you about

55:42our um our program out in Honolulu.

55:48Uh we have 10 kuna 62 years and older

55:52who are living um at the old convent

55:56there in Hong Kong. Without this funding

55:59these people who have been chronically

56:01homeless

56:03now stable in housing and able to

56:06address um their health issues. So, we

56:09have people that are now able to have

56:11knee surgery, have other medical um

56:15issues addressed because of the funding

56:18you provided.

56:20Without this, these folks will become

56:23homeless again.

56:26So I think it's imperative that we

56:29continue this funding because for every

56:31one person we house four more people

56:33become unhoused

56:36and without this funding there will be

56:38more people on our streets because our

56:40shelters are also dependent on this

56:42funding. So I thank you for your time uh

56:45and thank you again for your support.

56:47Those that haven't supported please I

56:50appeal to your humanity to fund these

56:53programs. Thank you.

56:56Thank you for your testimony. Chair,

56:58your next testifier is Chassity Torres

57:00to be followed by Vice Eli Herkin

57:02Tolantino. Chassity, when you're ready

57:04to begin, please introduce yourself and

57:06you've got two minutes.

57:08>> Aloha. My name is Chassity Torres,

57:10resident coordinator for the Big Island

57:12Substance Abuse Council. I am here today

57:15because of the mothers and the families

57:17I have had the privilege of working with

57:19and because I have seen how access to

57:21recovery and supportive services can

57:23change the direction of a mother's life

57:26and in turn the life of her children.

57:28The homelessness and housing fund has

57:30helped support important services such

57:32as the moms and babies TLP program which

57:34pro provides resources and support to

57:37individuals and families in recovery.

57:40Through my work, I have seen how

57:41important these resources are for

57:43mothers who are trying to re rebuild

57:45their lives, become stable, and work

57:48towards reunification with their

57:49children. I work with women who are not

57:52only trying to overcome substance use

57:54and become stable themselves, but who

57:56who are also working towards something

57:58extremely important to them, building

58:00reunited, being reunited with their

58:03children. For many mothers, recovery is

58:05about much more than stopping substance

58:07use. It can mean learning how to create

58:10a safe and stable environment for the

58:12children. It can mean following through

58:14with treatment, working towards

58:16employment, securing stable housing,

58:18learning parenting skills, and

58:20rebuilding relationships with the

58:22children. The investment made through

58:24the homelessness and housing fund helps

58:26create the foundation for those

58:28opportunities. When we when we support a

58:31mother in recovery, we are not only

58:32supporting one individual. We are

58:34supporting their children and her

58:36family. When a mother becomes stable,

58:38her children can have the opportunity

58:40for greater stability as well. The

58:42homelessness and housing funding has

58:45helped our community build resources

58:47that support people during some of our

58:50most difficult periods of their lives.

58:52We should not lose that capacity. We

58:55should build on it.

58:56>> [snorts]

58:56>> I respectfully ask the county council to

58:58extend the homelessness and housing fund

59:01while continue continuing to strengthen

59:03accountability, coordination, measurable

59:05outcomes and services that help

59:07individuals and their families move from

59:09crisis crisis towards lasting stability.

59:12Thank you.

59:13>> Thank you so much for your testimony

59:14chair. Your next testifiers are Vice Hin

59:17Tolentino to be followed by Lane Miyaki

59:19Kahel. When you're ready to begin,

59:21please introduce yourself and you'll

59:22have two minutes.

59:23>> Aloha. My name is Visa Elie Hankin

59:26Tolentino and I go by the name of Elie.

59:29Our um recovery of Hawaii is my mission

59:34here. Uh also I support the bill 192. I

59:38am here today to talk with you all about

59:41the fundings that is provided for people

59:43that are just coming out of

59:45incarceration and without a home. The

59:48bottom line, I'd like to see that this

59:51funding continues and more important

59:53than that, the funding is allocated

59:58uh transparently.

1:00:01A quick story of myself. [snorts]

1:00:04Um, I'm a justice live experience and

1:00:07um, I was I ended up going to Kentucky

1:00:12and I did my time and I I ended up at

1:00:16uh, TJ Mahoney's transition house in

1:00:19Honolulu.

1:00:21I got a job at DMV satellite at

1:00:24Dillingham, but that was decades ago.

1:00:27Yeah. Today, I am the president of

1:00:29Recovery of Hawaii. We provide

1:00:32transition housing for men and um we're

1:00:36trying to see if we can get housing for

1:00:38women too.

1:00:41Se uh several of these community members

1:00:44when they came back they uh had uh

1:00:48problems with reintegrating back into

1:00:51the community. We provide essential

1:00:53service giving them a safe place to

1:00:56live. We also give them hope. Am I

1:01:01finished?

1:01:01>> No.

1:01:02>> We also give them hope and we and

1:01:05stability where they can get um hope for

1:01:09themselves to get out into the

1:01:10community. We also need transition house

1:01:13for women

1:01:15uh detox, women with children so they

1:01:18can reunify their families. We're just

1:01:21doing it from the bottom of our heart.

1:01:23So, not only should the funding

1:01:25continue, but like to we like to see the

1:01:28county consider uh

1:01:31we like to see the county uh consider

1:01:33>> Thank you so much for your testimony.

1:01:35I'm sorry.

1:01:35>> Okay. Thank you,

1:01:37>> chair. Our next testifiers are Lane

1:01:38Miyak Kamahel to be followed by

1:01:40Dominique Miles. Lane, when you're ready

1:01:42to begin, please introduce yourself and

1:01:44you've got two minutes.

1:01:45>> Aloha, chair and members of the Hawaii

1:01:46County Council. My name is Lameyaki

1:01:48Kamahel and I support bill 192 and

1:01:51continuing the homelessness and housing

1:01:53fund. For transparency, I serve as

1:01:55director of detox services at BISAC and

1:01:57pro programs within our organization are

1:01:59directly affected by this funding. I am

1:02:02also a person in recovery. In 2022, I

1:02:04was experiencing active addiction and

1:02:06homelessness in Kona before coming to

1:02:07BISAC for treatment. I graduated in 2023

1:02:10and today I help lead the services that

1:02:12support others beginning their recovery.

1:02:14I share this story because behind every

1:02:17discussion about homelessness is a

1:02:18person whose future can look different

1:02:20when help is available. In detox, we

1:02:23help people take that first step. But

1:02:25completing detox does not mean someone

1:02:27has a safe place to live or the support

1:02:29to continue treatment. Recovery needs a

1:02:32path forward. I support accountability

1:02:34for public dollars. We should know how

1:02:36many people receive services, what

1:02:37outcomes they achieve, and where

1:02:39programs need improvement. Extending

1:02:41this fund should come with clear

1:02:43expectations and meaningful reporting.

1:02:45My concern is what happens to people

1:02:46when services are no longer available.

1:02:48The need for treatment, housing, and

1:02:50support does not disappear when funding

1:02:52ends. I know what it means to need help,

1:02:54and I also know what receiving can make

1:02:56possible. Um

1:02:58again, I please ask the county to

1:03:01support um the continuation of the

1:03:03homeless and housing fund and strengthen

1:03:04accountability for the services it

1:03:06supports. Mahalo.

1:03:08>> Thank you so much, chair. Your next

1:03:09testifiers are Dominique Miles to be

1:03:12followed by John Marcott. Dominique,

1:03:14when you're ready to begin, please

1:03:15introduce yourself and you got two

1:03:16minutes.

1:03:17>> Aloha, chair and council memo members.

1:03:20My name is Dominique Miles and I'm the

1:03:22director of human resources at the Big

1:03:24Island Substance Abuse Council in

1:03:26support of Bill 192. I want to speak

1:03:29today from my own personal experience

1:03:31working with individuals within our jail

1:03:33system and then being able to see what

1:03:36happens when they are given a real

1:03:38opportunity after they are released.

1:03:40For many of the individuals we work

1:03:42with, leaving incarceration is supposed

1:03:44to be a fresh start. But if they don't

1:03:47have a safe place to go or support

1:03:49waiting for them, many are released

1:03:51right back into the same environment,

1:03:53the same struggles, and sometimes

1:03:55directly back onto the streets.

1:03:58At BISAC, programs like our July Kola

1:04:01Detox Center, Moala Family Resource

1:04:04Center, and our therapeutic living

1:04:05programs give individuals a place to

1:04:08begin that transition. It gives them

1:04:11somewhere safe to go, support in their

1:04:14recovery, and an opportunity to begin

1:04:16rebuilding their lives. And I've been

1:04:18fortunate enough to see what can happen

1:04:21from there. I've watched individuals

1:04:24come through our programs, become stable

1:04:26in their recovery, reconnect and reunify

1:04:29with their families in a healthier way,

1:04:31and become productive members of our

1:04:33community.

1:04:35And some have even come full circle and

1:04:37become employees with us at BISAP. They

1:04:41are now helping others who are walking

1:04:42the same path that they once walked. To

1:04:46me, that is what this funding is about.

1:04:49It's not just a bed. It's not just a

1:04:52roof over someone's head. It's giving

1:04:54someone a real opportunity to break that

1:04:56cycle, rebuild their life, and become

1:04:59connected to their family and their

1:05:02community again. I respectfully ask you

1:05:05to continue supporting the homelessness

1:05:07and housing fund so that we can continue

1:05:10giving people that opportunity. Mahalo

1:05:13for allowing me to share.

1:05:15>> Thank you so much. Our next testifier is

1:05:18John Marcato to be followed by Filomina

1:05:20Sherling. John, when you're ready to

1:05:21begin, please introduce yourself and you

1:05:23got two minutes.

1:05:24>> Good morning and thank you for allowing

1:05:27me the opportunity to speak today. My

1:05:29name is John Ricardo. 422 days ago, I

1:05:33had nowhere to call home. I had no job,

1:05:37no purpose, no goals, and no dreams for

1:05:40my future. I was just trying to make it

1:05:42through another day. BISAC's clean and

1:05:45sober living program became a turning

1:05:47point in my life. It gave me more than a

1:05:50place to sleep. It gave me stability,

1:05:52structure, accountability, and a safe

1:05:55environment where I could begin to

1:05:57rebuild my life and call home. The rules

1:06:00and boundaries of BISAC's clean and

1:06:02sober living program has taught me

1:06:05responsibility.

1:06:06Case management has helped me to stay on

1:06:08track and having people hold me

1:06:11accountable helped me learn how to make

1:06:13better choices and take responsibility

1:06:15for my future. Today I work part-time at

1:06:19Little Caesars while attending Hawaii

1:06:21Community College where I study

1:06:23substance use disorder.

1:06:26So I am asking you to recognize the

1:06:28importance of programs like BISAC's

1:06:30clean and sober living program.

1:06:32Sometimes giving someone a safe place to

1:06:35sleep is the first step toward giving

1:06:37them their life back. I ask you as our

1:06:40county council to continue supporting

1:06:42programs that provide safe housing,

1:06:45accountability, and a path to recovery.

1:06:48When you invest in these programs, you

1:06:50are not just funding a bed or a

1:06:52building. You are investing in people,

1:06:55families, second chances, and our

1:06:58community. I know because I am one of

1:07:00those second chances. Thank you.

1:07:04>> Thank you for your testimony. Our next

1:07:05testifier is Filamina Sherling to be

1:07:07followed by Brent Foster. When you're

1:07:09ready to begin, please introduce

1:07:11yourself and you've got two minutes.

1:07:13>> Aloha chair, members, council members,

1:07:17thank you for being here and allowing me

1:07:19this moment. My name is Filamina

1:07:21Sherling and I'm the director of

1:07:23operations with Neighborhood Place of

1:07:25Puna and I'm here in strong support of

1:07:28bill 192

1:07:30and continued dedicated funding for the

1:07:33homelessness and housing fund through

1:07:36June of 2029.

1:07:39I've heard the question after years of

1:07:41investment, why do we still see people

1:07:45experiencing homelessness?

1:07:47And what we see today would be far

1:07:50greater without the services these fund

1:07:52this funding provides. And I'm concerned

1:07:55that reducing these services will cause

1:07:58that number to grow. We cannot judge

1:08:00this investment only by the homelessness

1:08:02we see. We must also count the

1:08:05homelessness we prevent.

1:08:08In just the past six month months, this

1:08:10funding has helped NP serve 723

1:08:14households, more than 2,000 people, and

1:08:19155 of them were children.

1:08:22When we talk about return on investment,

1:08:24we need to count not only the person we

1:08:28move off the street, but also the child

1:08:30who never gets there. Prevention it can

1:08:34interrupt generational homelessness but

1:08:37stabilizing a family takes time.

1:08:39Building trust, addressing barriers,

1:08:42finding housing and helping families

1:08:44remain housed. [bell] This relationship

1:08:47is part of the service. When funding is

1:08:49uncertain, we risk losing experienced

1:08:51staff, disrupting services, and breaking

1:08:54that trust. We cannot ask families to

1:08:56trust a system that cannot promise it

1:08:59will be there tomorrow. I ask you to

1:09:01pass bill 192, protect this investment,

1:09:04and leverage it to bring additional

1:09:06state and federal resources into Hawaii

1:09:09County. Yes, homelessness still exists.

1:09:12That does not mean this investment has

1:09:14failed. It means the work is not

1:09:16finished. Mahalo.

1:09:18>> Thank you for your testimony. Our next

1:09:19testifier is Brent Foster to be followed

1:09:22by Dr. Stefan Carrie Harling. Brent,

1:09:24when you're ready to begin, please

1:09:25introduce yourself and you've got two

1:09:26minutes.

1:09:28>> Hello. Uh my name is Brent Foster and I

1:09:31currently work for Neighborhood Place of

1:09:32Puna as a housing stability specialist.

1:09:35In my role in this position, I work with

1:09:38formerly unhoused families in housing

1:09:40stabilization. Uh these families are

1:09:42housed and with timelmited support, the

1:09:44majority remain successfully housed when

1:09:47the program ends. Most of these families

1:09:49were identified and directed to

1:09:51resources that would lead to my program

1:09:54through programs funded by the homeless

1:09:56and housing fund. These are usually

1:09:58local families who have fallen through

1:10:00the cracks in our society, shunned by

1:10:02many as not worth salvaging, but as it

1:10:04turns out, continue to have much to

1:10:07offer. Through the homeless and housing

1:10:09funding and the programs attached to it,

1:10:11we have also invested in our community's

1:10:14future. Due to the intense

1:10:16vulnerabilities associated with being

1:10:18unhoused, there is also a

1:10:19wellressearched connection with crime

1:10:21rate. These funds in a very real way

1:10:24lead to housing and shelter for these

1:10:25groups, offering a way to lower crime

1:10:27rates and increase safety with

1:10:29compassion. This funding investment in

1:10:32our community doesn't stop there. These

1:10:34services provided by this fund also help

1:10:36decrease generational homelessness in

1:10:39the future as they again help in the

1:10:41process of housing families with

1:10:43children. This adds resources to

1:10:45families and vulnerable individuals.

1:10:48This important this is important as the

1:10:50lack of resources is a statistical

1:10:52driver in sex trafficking across all age

1:10:55groups. I could go on about the benefits

1:10:57such as d the double-digit rise in

1:10:59homelessness throughout the US and

1:11:01Hawaii. While our island, thanks to the

1:11:04homeless and housing fund, has

1:11:05continuously watched this population

1:11:07shrink. What it comes down to is what

1:11:10kind of community do we want to be? Do

1:11:12we want to step over our neighbors or

1:11:14help them up? Would you rather be

1:11:16stepped over or helped up? Thank you

1:11:19very much.

1:11:20>> Thank you for your testimony. Our next

1:11:22testifiers are Dr. Stephan Carrie

1:11:25Harling to be followed by Thomas Hickox.

1:11:31When you're ready to begin, sir, if you

1:11:32could just introduce yourself and you've

1:11:34got two minutes. Yes, sir.

1:11:39>> Good morning. I am Dr. Stefan Carl

1:11:42Harming and I'm the new medical director

1:11:44for the Locah treatment center which

1:11:46since the late 1990s we provide

1:11:48treatment and prevention services for

1:11:50substance abuse disorders and mental

1:11:51illness conditions that too often

1:11:53intersect with homelessness. As a

1:11:55medical doctor my career has been caring

1:11:57for our community's poorest and most

1:11:58vulnerable residents, people struggling

1:12:00with chronic medical issues,

1:12:02homelessness, addiction, mental illness,

1:12:04and incarceration.

1:12:05Behind every statistic is a homelessness

1:12:08is a human being. Someone's child,

1:12:10someone's parent, someone's sister,

1:12:11someone's brother. Someone who once may

1:12:13have had a home, a job, a family, and

1:12:15hope. A bed, a shower, a toilet are

1:12:18simple luxuries that we take for

1:12:19granted, but those who suffer the most

1:12:21do not have. A home is more than four

1:12:24walls. It is a place where someone

1:12:25finally feels safe, applies for a job,

1:12:27keeps an appointment, stores needed

1:12:29medication, protects their belongings,

1:12:30reconnects with family, and begins to

1:12:32believe that they too can have a better

1:12:34life. Homeless doesn't affect only the

1:12:36person without a home. It affects all of

1:12:38us. our emergency rooms, our police, our

1:12:40courts, our correctional facilities, our

1:12:41businesses, our neighborhoods, and

1:12:43ultimately our taxpayers. Yearly cost

1:12:45for a homeless person averages $30 to

1:12:47$50,000 per year, reflecting the overuse

1:12:50of emergency services, law enforcement,

1:12:52legal strains, and community costs. In

1:12:54comparison, supportive housing first

1:12:56programs cost an average of 20 to 30,000

1:12:59per house person because housing

1:13:01improves health, reduces substance

1:13:02abuse, protects from victimization, and

1:13:04lowers a need for law enforcement and

1:13:06legal services. On Hawaii Island of

1:13:082026, Hawaii point in time count of 696

1:13:12individuals remains the highest of the

1:13:13neighbor islands. But since passing the

1:13:16Hawaii County homeless and housing fund

1:13:17in March of 2022, homeless homelessness

1:13:20is down 31% compared to the 104

1:13:23residents counted in 2023. The 2026 SCO

1:13:26analysis published the costbenefit

1:13:28analysis about the impacts of spending

1:13:29on homeless programs in Hawaii. Using

1:13:31conservative estimates, 10 million in

1:13:32housing first spending would provide 54

1:13:34million in net benefits. investing in

1:13:36housing. We simply do not. We are not

1:13:38simply spending money. We're investing

1:13:40in people and we're investing within our

1:13:41community. Having housing restores

1:13:43dignity, stability, and safety. We are

1:13:45planting a seed that will grow into a

1:13:47fruit that can feed many. Thank you so

1:13:49much.

1:13:50>> Chair, your next testifier is Thomas

1:13:52Hickox to be followed by David Wishman.

1:13:54Thomas, when you're ready to begin,

1:13:55please introduce yourself and you've got

1:13:57two minutes.

1:13:57>> Hi. Hello, chair members and county of

1:14:00Hawaii Council. My name is Thomas

1:14:01Hickox. I work as a case manager with

1:14:03BISAC Detox Services. I'm here today to

1:14:06support the bill 192 and continuous

1:14:09continuation of the homeless and housing

1:14:10fund. In my role, I work directly with

1:14:13people during a very vulnerable point in

1:14:15their lives. Many are not dealing with

1:14:17just one issue. There are many

1:14:18experiencing substance abuse,

1:14:20homelessness, unemployment, medical

1:14:22concerns, lack of identification,

1:14:24transportation barriers, or dis

1:14:26disconnection with family and community

1:14:28supports. I am not just here speaking on

1:14:32behalf of this bill. I am a product of

1:14:33this bill.

1:14:35If I didn't receive the support that

1:14:37this bill funds, I wouldn't be here

1:14:39talking to you today. I either be dead

1:14:41or in prison. This bill is a very very

1:14:43important bill. It it will impact the

1:14:47community so tragically if this bill is

1:14:50is is stopped. I mean, get so many

1:14:52people out there that need this help.

1:14:54They need the support that this bill

1:14:56funds. This is a need that we have in

1:14:59Hilo. I am here today to support this

1:15:02wholeheartedly because I am here now

1:15:04because of it. I directly my life has

1:15:08changed because of the bill that this

1:15:10the funding that this bill supports. I'm

1:15:12I'm talking off the script because this

1:15:13is very important to me. We need this

1:15:15bill. There's so many people out there

1:15:17that can benefit from this bill. And if

1:15:20we stop this bill, we only going to

1:15:21create a worse problem. Everything else

1:15:24going to get affected. Criminal our

1:15:26criminal going going to get higher.

1:15:28criminal rate going crime rate going to

1:15:29get higher. Homelessness going to get

1:15:31higher. We just going to create more

1:15:32problems. We need this bill and we need

1:15:35more funding. We need we need more

1:15:37regulation of the bill, more

1:15:39transparency, but above all, we need

1:15:41this bill, guys. Thank you very much.

1:15:44>> Thank you for your testimony. Our next

1:15:45testifiers are David Wishman to be

1:15:48followed by Angelica Monte Allegre.

1:15:52>> David, when you're ready to begin,

1:15:53please introduce yourself and you've got

1:15:55two minutes.

1:15:56Aloha County Council. My name is David

1:15:58Wishman. I'm with Going Home Hawaii and

1:16:00I wanted to talk today about the uh

1:16:03financial efficiency of this bill. Um I

1:16:06mainly wanted to talk about

1:16:09[clears throat]

1:16:09how

1:16:11the OCD team is working towards

1:16:14self-sufficiency for their um nonprofits

1:16:17that they fund. um by going over what

1:16:21this fund has already done throughout

1:16:23the years for we are currently in year

1:16:25four. Um year 1 is when they started

1:16:28everything. They implemented all of the

1:16:31um

1:16:34administrative tracks to give out the

1:16:37funds and track it. Year two is when

1:16:39they got the audit for year one. So they

1:16:43were able to look into how the funds

1:16:45have been used and where they can become

1:16:48more efficient.

1:16:50What I believe they came to in year

1:16:53three was that they needed to decrease

1:16:57um [clears throat] one of the largest

1:16:58two spending factors for a lot of

1:17:01nonprofits. One of them is personnel. I

1:17:04believe they didn't want to touch that

1:17:05that much because it would hinder the

1:17:07efficiency of the programs. So they

1:17:09focus on the second one which is housing

1:17:12or rental costs. All the nonprofits what

1:17:15the nonprofits are basically doing is

1:17:16getting money from the county to pay

1:17:18landlords for their houses so we could

1:17:21house the not or the participants. Um so

1:17:25the county count so OCD team I believe

1:17:29um focused on buying houses so they

1:17:32could cut out the middleman. They would

1:17:35give the houses to the nonprofits at $10

1:17:38a year for 10 year cycles to help

1:17:41support nonprofits in [clears throat]

1:17:45all the rent they have to spend. Um,

1:17:47that's basically what it came to. What

1:17:51unfortunately happened is there was a

1:17:52lot of backlash from the community and

1:17:55some of the council members

1:17:57because of that decision. Um, so what I

1:18:01think they're focusing on right now is

1:18:02public opinion, which is why they're

1:18:04funding more initiatives to change

1:18:06public opinion. Um, so they're still

1:18:09fully focused on self.

1:18:11>> Thank you so much for your testimony.

1:18:13>> Chair, your next testifiers are Angelica

1:18:15Monte Allegre to be followed by Ian

1:18:17Palaka. Angelica, when you're ready, you

1:18:19can introduce yourself and you got two

1:18:20minutes.

1:18:21>> Okay. Aloha chair, vice chair, and

1:18:24members of the Hawaii County Council. My

1:18:28name is Angelica Montia Allegre and I'm

1:18:31here in support of bill 192 and the

1:18:34continuation of the homeless and housing

1:18:36fund. I work primarily in substance use

1:18:39prevention in the Big Island with Big

1:18:42Island substance abuse council within

1:18:44intermediate and high schools from KOU

1:18:47all the way to Kohala. It is my kana to

1:18:51be an open ear for the many voices of

1:18:53our children who deserve to be heard.

1:18:57Many of the children I see have or are

1:19:00experiencing a parent who is an active

1:19:03addiction, homelessness, or within the

1:19:06bounds of recovery. Some of their

1:19:08parents have walked through our doors,

1:19:10whether through our detox facility or

1:19:13our therapeutic living program or

1:19:15accessing resources from various

1:19:17community organizations. I have

1:19:20witnessed how risk factors of our

1:19:22children increase when a parent is

1:19:25unable to access these necessary

1:19:28resources and support their need to live

1:19:31in recovery.

1:19:33In regards to the kei, when a parent

1:19:37steps into recovery and children and

1:19:40parents are united with the newness of

1:19:42life, it influences the change for that

1:19:46child to rewrite their story. This is

1:19:50prevention.

1:19:53Mahalo.

1:19:54>> Thank you for your testimony. Our next

1:19:56testifier is Ian Palaka to be followed

1:19:58by Koulia Bear. Ian, when you're ready

1:20:00to begin, please introduce yourself and

1:20:02you got two minutes.

1:20:03Uh good morning chair and members of the

1:20:05council. My name is Ian Plea and I'm the

1:20:08resident coordinator at BISAC. I'm here

1:20:10today to to support Bill 192. But my

1:20:13support for bill 192 is deeply personal.

1:20:17More than seven years ago I came to

1:20:18BISAC through veterans treatment court.

1:20:20At that time I was homeless, hopeless

1:20:22and facing the possibility of serious

1:20:24jail time. I was at one I was at one of

1:20:27the lowest points in my life. I never

1:20:30imagined that one day that I will be

1:20:31standing here working at BISAC, speaking

1:20:33about recovery and helping others who

1:20:35are facing the same struggles I once

1:20:36faced. The team at BISAC gave me

1:20:38resources, guidance, and most

1:20:40importantly, compassion. They helped me

1:20:42believe that I could reclaim my life.

1:20:44They showed me that recovery was

1:20:46possible and that I could have a better

1:20:48future. After entering recovery, I

1:20:50wanted to give back. I became a peer

1:20:52specialist so I could help others who

1:20:54are walking a path similar to mine. Four

1:20:56four year four years later I was honored

1:20:58to become the resident coordinator.

1:21:00Today I have the privilege of of

1:21:02watching people come through our our

1:21:04doors during some of the most difficult

1:21:05time moments of their lives and see what

1:21:08happens when the right help is available

1:21:10at the right time. I have seen people

1:21:12complete treatment, reconnect with their

1:21:14families, obtain stable housing, and

1:21:16begin working toward long-term recovery.

1:21:19Not not every success happens overnight.

1:21:22Sometimes success is simply someone

1:21:24saying, "I'm ready for help.

1:21:26Sometimes it it it is completing detox.

1:21:29Sometimes it is reconnecting with

1:21:31family. Sometimes it's getting housing,

1:21:34finding employment, or simply believing

1:21:36in themselves again. But those steps

1:21:39matter because I know personally that

1:21:41one opportunity, one person willing to

1:21:44help and one place willing to believe in

1:21:47you can change the direction of my life.

1:21:50It changed mine. Thank you.

1:21:53>> Thank you for your testimony. Our next

1:21:55testifier is Kulia Bayer to be followed

1:21:57by James Dean Coloni Kana. Kulia, when

1:22:00you're ready to begin, please introduce

1:22:01yourself and you've got two minutes.

1:22:03>> Morning. My name is Kulia Byer. I'm a

1:22:05substance abuse counselor at Big Island

1:22:07Substance Abuse Council. I am here today

1:22:10to in strong support of Bill 192. As a

1:22:14substance abuse counselor, I have a the

1:22:17privilege of walking alongside men and

1:22:19women who are fighting one of the

1:22:21hardest battles of their lives, which is

1:22:23addiction. [snorts] I see the courage it

1:22:26takes for someone to admit they need

1:22:29help, enter treatment, face their past,

1:22:32and begin rebuilding their lives. But I

1:22:35also see what happens when they complete

1:22:38treatment and have nowhere to go.

1:22:40Imagine working so hard [snorts] to

1:22:44overcome addiction, learning how to live

1:22:46differently, and finally believing that

1:22:49your life can change only to leave

1:22:52treatment and face houselessness.

1:22:55Instead of having a safe place where

1:22:58recovery can continue, people can find

1:23:01themselves returning to the same

1:23:03environments, influences, and

1:23:06circumstances they work so hard to

1:23:09overcome.

1:23:10they become defeated all over again.

1:23:13[snorts]

1:23:14I am not only speaking today as a

1:23:16professional. I am speaking from

1:23:18personal experience.

1:23:21Know that people can overcome difficult

1:23:23circumstancees.

1:23:25When someone believes in them and when

1:23:28they are given the right support and

1:23:30opportunities, housing is more than four

1:23:33walls and a roof. Housing provides

1:23:35stability. Housing provides safety.

1:23:38Housing provides dignity [snorts] and

1:23:41for someone in recovery, housing can

1:23:43provide the foundation they need to keep

1:23:45moving forward. I believe in our

1:23:48community and I believe we can do better

1:23:50at closing the revolving doors.

1:23:55Mahalo for your support. Thank you.

1:23:57>> Thank you for your testimony. Our next

1:23:59testifiers are James Dean Khalani

1:24:01Khalani Kana to be followed by Pina

1:24:03Perez. When you're ready to begin,

1:24:05please introduce yourself and you got

1:24:06two minutes.

1:24:08Hello, chair. My name is James

1:24:10[clears throat] James Dean Gampuna. Uh,

1:24:12I am the justice navigator for going

1:24:14home Hawaii. Every morning I go out on

1:24:17the street and I meet these people where

1:24:19they're at.

1:24:21They've been struggling for a long time.

1:24:24I help them get to

1:24:27treatment, um, get dual diagnosis and I

1:24:30we I partner up with a lot of the

1:24:32programs and that's what's needed out

1:24:34here. without this programs.

1:24:37Um, these people say they have no help.

1:24:40Yeah, they why why why somebody going to

1:24:43help us? I hear that a lot a lot out

1:24:46there. Um, don't mind me. I'm nervous.

1:24:51Um,

1:24:53I support Bill 192. I do. Um, it's well

1:24:57needed and these people deserve it. We

1:25:01all deserve second chances

1:25:04and

1:25:05without this funding,

1:25:08we're going to have more more people on

1:25:10the street, more people to help. So I I

1:25:14support bill 192. Thank you.

1:25:18>> Thank you for your testimony. Our next

1:25:19testifier is Perina Perez to be followed

1:25:21by Alen Kalia Fishman Da. Perina, when

1:25:24you're ready to begin, please introduce

1:25:25yourself and you've got two minutes.

1:25:28>> Okay.

1:25:30Aloha chair and council members. My name

1:25:32is Parisa Perez and I'm a case manager

1:25:35with the Big Island Substance Abuse

1:25:37Council, BISAC. I'm here today because I

1:25:40work with people who are trying to

1:25:41change their lives. And through my work,

1:25:44I've learned that housing is much more

1:25:47than having a roof over your head. For

1:25:50someone who has never had a stable home,

1:25:52having a place to live can mean having a

1:25:55place where they can finally feel safe.

1:25:58It means having somewhere to keep their

1:26:01belongings, somewhere to sleep at night

1:26:03without worrying about where they are

1:26:05going to be tomorrow,

1:26:07somewhere they can shower, get ready for

1:26:10work, keep their appointments, and begin

1:26:12to have some normaly in their life. For

1:26:15someone in recovery, that stability can

1:26:17mean even more. A person can go through

1:26:20detox. They can participate in

1:26:22treatment, they can want to change, but

1:26:25if the if they leave treatment and don't

1:26:28have a safe place to go, staying on path

1:26:31can become much more harder. The

1:26:33homelessness and housing fund can help

1:26:36support services like detox and the

1:26:39Mohalla family resource center, which

1:26:42give people an opportunity to begin that

1:26:44process. As a case manager, I see what

1:26:47happens after someone takes that first

1:26:49step.

1:26:51We start working on things that many of

1:26:53us may take for granted. Getting a birth

1:26:57certificate, getting an ID, applying for

1:27:00benefits, finding health care, looking

1:27:02for employment, building sober supports,

1:27:05and working toward housing. For someone

1:27:07who has been without a home, getting to

1:27:10their own safe place can be a huge

1:27:11moment. It can mean first time in a long

1:27:15time they can say this is my place. I

1:27:19can stay here. I can start over.

1:27:22And that is what housing means to me in

1:27:25this work. It gives someone a

1:27:28foundation. It gives them a chance to

1:27:30focus on recovery instead of constantly

1:27:33worrying about where they will sleep. It

1:27:35gives them a place to come back after

1:27:37treatment. It gives them stability while

1:27:39they work on becoming independent.

1:27:42I know homelessness and housing fund

1:27:44cannot solve every housing or substance

1:27:46use issue on Hawaii Island, but I do

1:27:49know that taking away resources that are

1:27:52helping people move to crisis toward

1:27:53stability would make an already

1:27:56difficult situation harder. So, I'm

1:27:58asking you today to please extend the

1:28:01homelessness and housing fund. Please

1:28:03continue investing in services that give

1:28:05people a chance to recover, find

1:28:07stability, and eventually have a place

1:28:09they can call home. Because for someone

1:28:11who has never had this before, a home is

1:28:14not just four walls and a roof. It can

1:28:16be a place where their recovery finally

1:28:18has somewhere to go. Mahalo.

1:28:20>> Thank you for your testimony. Our next

1:28:22testifier is Alen Kalia Fishman Dao to

1:28:24be followed by Sandy Ramos. Asyn when

1:28:28you're ready to begin, please introduce

1:28:29yourself and you've got two minutes.

1:28:31>> Aloha chair and members of the Hawaii

1:28:33Community C or County Council. My name

1:28:35is Aen Kalia Fishman Divera and I'm a

1:28:37case manager with the Mohalla Family

1:28:39Resource Center at the Big Island

1:28:40Substance Abuse Council. I am in support

1:28:43of Bill 192. I'm here today because this

1:28:46work has become personal to me. Every

1:28:48day I sit across from people who are

1:28:49trying to change their lives. I meet

1:28:51people who are struggling with

1:28:52addiction, homelessness, and

1:28:54circumstances that have made them feel

1:28:56like they have run out of options. And

1:28:58what I've learned is that people don't

1:29:00just need a place to sleep. They need

1:29:01someone to believe that they can get

1:29:03their life back. The homelessness and

1:29:05housing fund matters to me because I see

1:29:07what happens when someone finally has

1:29:08somewhere to turn. Detox can give

1:29:11someone the opportunity to take the

1:29:13first steps toward recovery. At the

1:29:15Mahala Family Resource Center, we help

1:29:16them take the steps that come after,

1:29:18connecting them to the right resources

1:29:20and important and most importantly

1:29:22working towards safe and stable housing.

1:29:25These may sound like small things, but

1:29:26they are not small to the person whose

1:29:28life depends on them. I have watched

1:29:30people come in overwhelmed and unsure of

1:29:32what their future looks like and then

1:29:34slowly begin to rebuild their lives. I

1:29:37have seen the pride someone feels when

1:29:38they accomplish something that they once

1:29:40thought was impossible. This is what the

1:29:42funding means to me. It is not simply

1:29:44funding a program. It is funding another

1:29:46chance. Another chance for someone to

1:29:48recover. Another chance for a family to

1:29:50heal. Another chance for someone to have

1:29:52a safe place to call home. I know the

1:29:55homelessness and housing fund cannot

1:29:56solve homelessness by itself. But I also

1:29:59know what can happen when these

1:30:00resources are available and I know what

1:30:02could be lost if they are not. I

1:30:04respectfully ask the council to extend

1:30:06the homelessness and housing funds so

1:30:08that when someone on Hawaii Island is

1:30:10ready to take the next step, we can be

1:30:12there to help them take that. Mahalo.

1:30:15>> Thank you.

1:30:16>> Aloha everyone. I'm Sandy Ramos, the

1:30:18director of supportive services and

1:30:20person in recovery. I'm submitting this

1:30:22testimony in support of continuing bill

1:30:25192. So, I've been employed at BISAC for

1:30:27over seven years. I have seen firsthand

1:30:29how important housing, treatment, and

1:30:31supportive services are for individuals

1:30:33working to rebuild their lives. Many of

1:30:35the people serve face homelessness,

1:30:38substance use, unemployment,

1:30:40incarceration, and other barriers that

1:30:42can make it extremely difficult to

1:30:44become stable. I have watched

1:30:45individuals enter the program with very

1:30:47little stability with the right

1:30:49resources and support, maintain their

1:30:52recovery, reconnect with their families,

1:30:54gain employment, and become a productive

1:30:56member of the community. Some have even

1:30:59come full circle and now work in

1:31:01positions helping others who are walking

1:31:03in the same paths as they once did. So

1:31:06progress does not happen overnight.

1:31:08Sometimes it begins with a safe place to

1:31:10stay, accepting help, entering

1:31:12treatment, finding employment, or simply

1:31:15having someone there to provide guidance

1:31:16and support. These steps can ultimately

1:31:19lead to long-term stability and

1:31:21independence. You know, I respectfully

1:31:24ask the council to continue to support

1:31:26bill 192 and you know, thank you very

1:31:29much.

1:31:31>> Thank you for your testimony. Our next

1:31:33testifiers are Peter Tuyol Losinga Silva

1:31:37testifying on bills 192 and 188 to be

1:31:41followed by Kirk Mikami.

1:31:45Peter, when you're ready to begin, you

1:31:47can introduce yourself and you'll have

1:31:48two minutes per agenda item if you can

1:31:50clearly transition. If not, it will be

1:31:52two minutes total.

1:31:58Okay.

1:32:00Uh, aloha chairs and uh, members of the

1:32:04council. My name is Peter Tuyola Silva.

1:32:06I'm the CEO of Kumukai Health and

1:32:08Wellness and I'm submitting testimony

1:32:10and strong support of Bill 1982. I come

1:32:13to this issue from both sides. My father

1:32:16was served in the uh, Hawaii Police

1:32:20Department for over 25 years and I

1:32:23understand and respect the difficult

1:32:24role that they face. But we've also had

1:32:27a brother who has suffered from paranoid

1:32:29schizophrenia and was homeless. So we

1:32:32understand how important these programs

1:32:35are to our family. At Kumukai, we

1:32:39[clears throat] we see what can happen

1:32:40when we invest these funds in innovative

1:32:42ways. With Going Home, we created

1:32:44Haleapu, our gender diverse uh re-entry

1:32:47and recovery home. It's the first of its

1:32:49kind in the state. Um the judges love

1:32:52it. uh probation, parole, they love the

1:32:55to have this option uh for our homeless

1:32:59folks. We also have the windows of hope

1:33:02program with Trillium. Uh we support

1:33:04pregnant women uh experiencing

1:33:07homelessness so that they have safer and

1:33:09more stable environment during one of

1:33:12the most vulnerable times in their

1:33:14lives. This helps to prevent what

1:33:16happened in the streets of our town. So,

1:33:19thank you. Uh, I respectfully ask for

1:33:22your support and mahalo for the

1:33:24opportunity for this testimony. Mahalo.

1:33:28>> Thank you for your testimony. Our next

1:33:30testifier is Kirk Mikami testifying on

1:33:33resolution 683, 685, and 688 to be

1:33:37followed by Ola Genless. Kirk, when

1:33:40you're ready to begin, please introduce

1:33:41yourself and you'll have two minutes per

1:33:43agenda item if you can clearly

1:33:44transition. If not, it will be two

1:33:46minutes total.

1:33:47>> Good morning. Excuse me. Good morning,

1:33:49council chair and fellow county council

1:33:51members. My name is Kirk Mikami. I'm the

1:33:54president of the Aaka Falls Lions Club

1:33:56and I'm here on behalf of the um East

1:33:59Hawaii Lions. I'm testifying in support

1:34:02of your resolution funding to support

1:34:04the Downtown Hilo Christmas Parade. Um

1:34:08as you know, parades um do cost a lot of

1:34:10money, so we appreciate the support. Um

1:34:13the financial support helps us to not

1:34:15only keep the public and our volunteers

1:34:17safe um but it also allows us to put on

1:34:19a memorable um parade which is a ELO

1:34:22tradition that um I have been involved

1:34:25with pretty much most of my adult life.

1:34:27So I'm just here to um say thank you on

1:34:30behalf of the Lions to the council for

1:34:32your consideration and your support for

1:34:33these resolutions. Thank you.

1:34:36>> Thank you for your testimony chair. Our

1:34:39next testifier is Ola Genas. Tell Jenas

1:34:42testifying on bill 192. Ola, when you're

1:34:45ready to begin, please introduce

1:34:47yourself and you'll have two minutes.

1:34:49>> Alohako

1:34:51to Cherry Naba and members of our Hawaii

1:34:54County Council. My name is Ola Jenkins

1:34:58and I'm here today on behalf of Going

1:35:01Home Hawaii as the East Hawaii Care

1:35:03Coordinator. I respectfully ask for your

1:35:06continued support and funding of our

1:35:08programs through bill 192, including the

1:35:11re-entry and rehousing housing recovery

1:35:13housing program. For more than 35 years,

1:35:16I have worked in the fields of mental

1:35:18health, education, and human services,

1:35:21serving individuals and families facing

1:35:23significant challenges. During the last

1:35:26three years, I've had the privilege of

1:35:28leading going home hava's re-entry and

1:35:30recovering housing program, working

1:35:33directly with formerly incarcerated PA

1:35:36and justice involved individuals as they

1:35:38rebuild their lives and reconnect with

1:35:41their communities. Every day we witness

1:35:44the power of second chances. Our

1:35:47participants are not statistics. They

1:35:50are fathers, mothers, sons and

1:35:52daughters, Native Hawaiians and

1:35:54community members who are striving to

1:35:57overcome barriers, secure employment,

1:36:00restore family relationships, maintain

1:36:03sobriety, and become contributing

1:36:05members of our island community. At

1:36:07Going Home Havaii, our mission is

1:36:09grounded in hope, restoration,

1:36:12accountability, and opportunity. The

1:36:15work we do reflects many of the values

1:36:17that are foundational to Havi. We

1:36:20believe in aloha, extending compassion

1:36:22and respect to every person. We practice

1:36:25malama caring for individuals, families,

1:36:27and our community. We promote kulana by

1:36:30helping participants take responsibility

1:36:32for their choices and their future. Most

1:36:34importantly, we foster locating harmony

1:36:37and connection between individuals and

1:36:39the broader community. When we in re

1:36:42when we invest in re-entry services and

1:36:44supportive housing, we are investing in

1:36:46public safety, reducing recidivism,

1:36:49strengthening families, and addressing

1:36:50homelessness before it becomes a larger

1:36:53community burden.

1:36:57>> Thank you so much for your testimony

1:37:00and checking in with our remote sites, I

1:37:03can confirm that we that is the last

1:37:05testifier. Those are all the testifiers

1:37:07you have at the beginning of this

1:37:08meeting.

1:37:11Thank you very much, Mr. Arcelli, for

1:37:13getting us through our public testimony

1:37:15this morning. Uh, are there any

1:37:17amendments to the minutes of the June

1:37:2017th or July 8th, 2026 council meetings?

1:37:25Seeing none, those minute meetings for

1:37:27June 17th and July 8th, 2026 are deemed

1:37:31approved. And we're going to take out of

1:37:33order Bill 191 and then Bill 192.

1:37:38And at this time, I'm going to hand it

1:37:40over to Vice Chair Onishi uh as I've

1:37:42introduced both of these measures.

1:37:45>> Thank you, Chair.

1:37:47>> Record that I'm taking over at 10:37.

1:37:52>> Is there any additional testimony for

1:37:54bill 191 draft 2?

1:37:58Hearing none. Bill 191 draft 2 amends

1:38:00chapter 10 article 1 section 10-8 of the

1:38:02Hawaii County Code 1983 2016 edition as

1:38:06amended relating to erosion and

1:38:07sedimentation control establishes

1:38:09administrative enforcement provisions

1:38:11for violations of chapter 10 including

1:38:12increased fines of up to $1,000 per day

1:38:15introduced by council maraba. We have

1:38:17communication 1058.3

1:38:19from council chair holori naba dated

1:38:21September 30, 2026 transmitting proposed

1:38:23amendments to bill 191 draft 2. Chair

1:38:27>> move to approve bill 191 draft two at

1:38:30first reading.

1:38:32>> Okay. Motion by chair Nova second with a

1:38:35tie of discrete.

1:38:39>> Uh thank you vice chair onishi. I would

1:38:42like to move to amend bill 191 draft 2

1:38:46with the contents of communication

1:38:491058.3.

1:38:52>> Okay. Motion by Chiron Nava, second by

1:38:56Miss Kowitz. Go ahead, Cherova.

1:38:58>> Uh, thank you. This communication

1:39:00uh was requested by the office of the

1:39:03corporation council specifically uh the

1:39:06litigation division to ensure that our

1:39:09notices and our serving are in line with

1:39:13um other practices and other departments

1:39:15and to ensure that uh beyond the fines

1:39:19that are originally proposed in the

1:39:22bill. uh that we can also

1:39:25um institute leans on properties if

1:39:30we're not able to get those fines. Uh

1:39:33some folks just don't pay the fines and

1:39:36we don't have any other recourse. So

1:39:38what this amendment does is provide the

1:39:40department and specifically the office

1:39:42of the corporation council uh the

1:39:44opportunity to

1:39:47to ensure that um those leans could be

1:39:50filed with the Bureau of Conveyances and

1:39:53that uh there is u more teeth to what

1:39:57this bill is proposing. If there's any

1:39:59questions um the corporation council is

1:40:03here and maybe you want to just

1:40:05highlight a little bit more. Good

1:40:06morning Yeah, sure. Uh, good morning,

1:40:08Renee Shon Corporation Council. So, um,

1:40:11basically it um the the amendment does

1:40:14add a few more tools um to our toolbox

1:40:19um to collect fines and basically it

1:40:22patterns um the language is patterned

1:40:25after our enforcement provision in our

1:40:28zoning code. So um similar language

1:40:32>> any attempts chair. Okay members

1:40:38hearing no see none all those in oh

1:40:40sorry use this

1:40:44>> thank you corporation council just a

1:40:45question you know this is this pertains

1:40:48specifically to um a particular TMK or a

1:40:51property that

1:40:53is being you know is in um in violation

1:40:56was before us. Does this can this also

1:40:59be used in terms of

1:41:02um

1:41:04a property that does sedimentation,

1:41:07erosion control, grubbing and grading

1:41:09that affects boundary properties as well

1:41:12then too? Does that fall within that the

1:41:14parameters?

1:41:18I would say that um if the violation

1:41:22extends to the property the a

1:41:25neighboring property say and that

1:41:27particular property also is somehow in

1:41:31violation you know it empowers a

1:41:34department to issue notices to whatever

1:41:37properties are in violation.

1:41:40>> Hold on one second. I see Mr. Thompson

1:41:43looks like he has a few words or some

1:41:45com. Oh, you can come up. But I see you

1:41:47kind of like

1:41:49>> Oh, no.

1:41:52It's appropriate for me to ask.

1:41:54>> Okay.

1:41:55>> Hi, Kan Thompson, engineering division

1:41:57chief. Good morning.

1:41:59>> I'm sorry I missed the question.

1:42:00>> No. Well, I'm I'm trying to get to a

1:42:02point and I corporation council, please

1:42:04correct me if there's if I'm mis

1:42:07misstating here or this is not the

1:42:09appropriate kind of discussion on this.

1:42:11it's um

1:42:13you know in in violation the property be

1:42:15in violation of grubbing and grading

1:42:19but their actions spill over into other

1:42:22properties.

1:42:24Um and particularly do is there any

1:42:27recourse for

1:42:30state agencies, state parcels that are

1:42:32potentially in violation that are

1:42:34affecting other properties or other

1:42:35areas that public works may be uh a

1:42:38party to or

1:42:41uh be responsible of.

1:42:46um as it as it pertains to neighboring

1:42:50properties. If there's work on one

1:42:52property um and is affecting the

1:42:54neighbor's property, we do investigate

1:42:56and if it's shown that that is affecting

1:42:58neighbors property, then we would issue

1:42:59an NOV as to

1:43:02if it's a state property um and they

1:43:05have a permit, it it still applies, but

1:43:08we would still contact them and say,

1:43:09"Hey, this is um a violation."

1:43:13I'll give you a very clear example here.

1:43:16Um,

1:43:18years ago,

1:43:21university

1:43:22had a property that did some grubbing

1:43:24and grading. They hired a contractor to

1:43:25do grubbing and grading. and that

1:43:28contractor

1:43:30pushed all of the debris and soil into a

1:43:34a stream

1:43:36>> and community members

1:43:40brought that awareness to public works

1:43:42uh for impacting a streamway and a

1:43:44waterway and so curious what sort of

1:43:47action can be had in that sort of

1:43:49situation and if is this is not the

1:43:52appropriate mechanism because it's a

1:43:54state body state property but it's

1:43:56impacting in an area that the county

1:43:58also controls, the county has

1:44:00responsibilities for. So, it kind of an

1:44:03interesting overlap here for sure.

1:44:05>> Yeah. Um I know there's been some

1:44:07discussion whether the county has

1:44:09authority over the state agencies, but

1:44:12still if the waterway is blocked and

1:44:14expecting downstream, it is in concern

1:44:15and we would contact the state normally.

1:44:17I'm not aware of what that particular

1:44:20>> and I can talk to you about that some

1:44:21other time. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you.

1:44:23>> Appreciate it.

1:44:24>> Sure.

1:44:24>> Thank you. Thank you, chair. Okay, Miss

1:44:26Kirks,

1:44:29>> thank you. Um, thank you for the

1:44:31addition to the bill with this

1:44:33amendment. Um, corporation council, you

1:44:36mentioned that this is modeled after

1:44:39zoning code and the enforcement

1:44:40mechanism piece. I'm very familiar with

1:44:43that section because I have

1:44:46multiple violations on properties in my

1:44:48district. And the wondering I have is if

1:44:52a property owner is found to be in

1:44:54violation once this kicks in, but if

1:44:57they are habitually breaking the law, is

1:45:00there a tiered structure where the

1:45:02consequence increases because they have

1:45:05broken the law on multiple occasions?

1:45:08Can you help us understand that?

1:45:11Yeah. So, um I I think you're referring

1:45:14to the zoning code has um provision

1:45:16where there's like a cumulative effect

1:45:19of any type of violation. And I would

1:45:22say as written now, this amendment um

1:45:25does look at sort of a graduated type of

1:45:30um enforcement of fines if you will. So

1:45:34um and it does provide criteria where

1:45:36the which in which the director will

1:45:38look at the nature of of the violation

1:45:42cumulative nature or or you know things

1:45:44of that um nature. So um I think what

1:45:49you're speaking to is embedded in the

1:45:51language that is being proposed. Um

1:45:55okay that's helpful. My follow-up

1:45:57question is, must the violation occur on

1:46:00the same property or what if the

1:46:04property owner has multiple parcels

1:46:08where they are breaking the law? How how

1:46:11are things stacking? Is it by property

1:46:13or by property owner? I would say

1:46:17initially it would be by by the property

1:46:20itself.

1:46:22>> Okay. Just something to consider.

1:46:24Um,

1:46:25>> no. Yeah, usually

1:46:26>> because there are cases where a property

1:46:29owner is habitually breaking the law,

1:46:32not on a particular property, but

1:46:34multiple parcels around Hawaii County.

1:46:36Just again something to consider as we

1:46:38continue to refine this piece of

1:46:40legislation in full support. Thank you.

1:46:43>> Okay. Any other Miss Kimble? Yeah, just

1:46:46since we are considering things um one

1:46:49one other thing that I would say since

1:46:50this is modeled off of I'm supportive of

1:46:52amendment by the way but um since model

1:46:54planning um and there are several other

1:46:56places in our code where we have

1:46:58enforcement provisions and we have we

1:47:00struggled historically in terms of

1:47:03getting any relief from um the

1:47:05violators. Um I I just want to put in a

1:47:08pitch for perhaps a next section item.

1:47:11Um standardizing fee structures

1:47:14enforcement across the entire code and

1:47:17maybe having a you know standard process

1:47:20in chapter 2 and then you know tying

1:47:23this the specific department issues

1:47:26within those relevant chapters. But I'd

1:47:29like to see this language actually

1:47:31elevated so that it just applies across

1:47:33the board. Just throwing that in there.

1:47:34Thank you.

1:47:36Yeah, thank you for that. And I think

1:47:37that was the um attempt by chair to

1:47:40bring this section um and pattern it

1:47:43after the other enforcement provision.

1:47:46>> Okay. Chair No,

1:47:48>> no. Ask for your support on the

1:47:49amendment. Thank you.

1:47:50>> Okay. Hear see any more comments? No.

1:47:54Okay. So, all those in favor of amending

1:47:56bill 911 91

1:48:00with communication 1058.3

1:48:03say I. Those opposed. We have seven eyes

1:48:07to excuse Miss Vegas and Mr. Kami

1:48:11Kleinfelder. And now we're back to the

1:48:13main motion. Chair Nova.

1:48:15>> Yeah, thank you. And um Council Member

1:48:16Kimell, thank you for pointing that out

1:48:18because

1:48:20our code is all over the place. So after

1:48:24um like I shared in committee, I've had

1:48:26a couple recent occurrences in my

1:48:29district where grading and grubbing and

1:48:31we've actually sent out notice of

1:48:33violations with no fine structure. So

1:48:36now we have we're building there um and

1:48:39and the amendments we've taken up based

1:48:41on the advice of the corporation council

1:48:44um I think will get us to a place that

1:48:46is good and then we can look to get it

1:48:49across all of the code. Um so we'll be

1:48:53district 8 will be working on that and

1:48:55if anybody else wants to chime in please

1:48:57reach out to my office um ask for your

1:48:59support on this bill. Okay any more

1:49:02comments on the main motion

1:49:05hearing or seeing none. All those in

1:49:07favor of approving bill 191 with the

1:49:11amendment

1:49:13of I guess would be draft three. All say

1:49:16I.

1:49:17>> Those opposed we have eight eyes. One

1:49:19excused. Miss Vegas. Motion carried.

1:49:23Okay. Bill 192

1:49:28is there.

1:49:34>> I understand. I just was waiting for you

1:49:36to take the chair. Oh, you're not. You

1:49:39have one more. Okay.

1:49:41>> Gotcha.

1:49:43Is there any additional testimony for

1:49:44bill 192 draft two?

1:49:49Hearing none. Bill 192, draft 2 amends,

1:49:51chapter 19, article 11, section 19-90 of

1:49:54the Hawaii County Code 1983, 2006

1:49:57edition as a meta rating to real

1:49:59property tax. Extends the requirement to

1:50:00appropriate residential tier 2 and tier

1:50:03three property tax revenue to housing

1:50:05homelessness programs until 2029.

1:50:08Requires that monies be used to award

1:50:10grants that address housing and

1:50:11homelessness. Introduced by Council

1:50:13Nava. Communication 1059.4

1:50:16Four from council chair hologoraba dated

1:50:18September 18, 2026.

1:50:21Transmitting proposed amendments to bill

1:50:22192 draft 2.

1:50:24>> Move to approve bill 192 draft two at

1:50:28first reading.

1:50:30>> Okay. Motion by cherry nava. Second by

1:50:33mowitz. Go ahead. [clears throat]

1:50:36>> Uh thank you. I would first like to

1:50:38mahalo the the testifiers who came in

1:50:41today. Um, and I did want to give the

1:50:43opportunity to assistant uh Chief Shop

1:50:47from the Hawaii Police Department

1:50:48Administration um to just chime in on

1:50:51the bill from the perspective of the uh

1:50:53the police department. Good morning,

1:50:55Chief.

1:50:56>> Good morning, chair, vice chair, um, and

1:50:59all of our members. Um, uh, my name is

1:51:03Assistant Chief Thomas Shop from the

1:51:04Hawaii Police Department. uh for bill

1:51:07192. Um I'm not here to provide a

1:51:09solution or an a reason for an

1:51:12expenditure. Um but to just express that

1:51:14it is still a concern for the police

1:51:17department. Um we are dealing with um

1:51:18these issues continuously. Um we see a

1:51:21year-to-year increase for our officers.

1:51:23So it is an important um resource for

1:51:25us. Uh I'm sure as as you all know uh

1:51:29being houseless or housing challenged is

1:51:31not a crime. Um but usually the police

1:51:34happen to be the first ones to be called

1:51:36for to deal with these issues. So it is

1:51:39an incredible uh tax on our personnel.

1:51:42Um the hours for service that are used

1:51:44to address these issues and having

1:51:46additional resources available or proper

1:51:48resources available to address um these

1:51:51issues would be something that uh is

1:51:53very helpful. So I I appreciate the

1:51:56opportunity and would ask if there are

1:51:58any questions.

1:51:59>> Uh thank you assistant chief. I am going

1:52:02to um allow anyone to ask questions if

1:52:06they have for the police table.

1:52:07>> Okay, members

1:52:10chief,

1:52:12>> Mr. Kfer.

1:52:14>> Yes, sir.

1:52:15>> Uh thank you for being here this

1:52:16morning. I reached out to the chief to

1:52:18ask for some input from the police

1:52:20department

1:52:22and appreciate you coming in this

1:52:23morning. What

1:52:26does the police department track

1:52:28information at all regarding calls for

1:52:29service and who's calling for service?

1:52:33Those kind of things.

1:52:34>> So, so in a roundabout way, yes. Uh, but

1:52:38calls for service dealing with um a

1:52:40particular houseless issue is very

1:52:43challenging because normally they'll

1:52:45come in um in a variety of of types of

1:52:48calls. So you can have disturbance uh

1:52:51someone needing assistance. Um there

1:52:54there's a wide variety. So to be able to

1:52:57search typically for that is very

1:52:59challenging. Uh so what we did is we

1:53:02looked for our personnel to go through

1:53:04um and kind of narrow down some of the

1:53:05categories um and then look at uh the

1:53:08areas of where we see our our large um

1:53:10housing challenge populations to see our

1:53:13calls for service. So there's no direct

1:53:15method right now to track somebody who's

1:53:17housing challenged um to see how many

1:53:19calls for service we have for that

1:53:21unless we look by that particular

1:53:22individual then we can see how many

1:53:24calls for service for that person.

1:53:26>> Do you see a lot of repeat calls for the

1:53:28same individual that experiencing house?

1:53:31>> Yes, that is that is a concern and I

1:53:33know a lot of the uh the organizations

1:53:35that work to to uh help these people

1:53:37with assistance um some of those things

1:53:40are beyond their control. We can't force

1:53:41everyone to to receive aid, but a lot of

1:53:44people it is helpful for, but yes, for

1:53:46the police side, we do see a lot of our

1:53:49um reconts of the same individual um

1:53:51that that usually there's an underlying

1:53:53mental health issue. Again, that that is

1:53:55a challenge for police. We're not

1:53:57experts in that area, but trying to find

1:53:58the right resource to help deal with

1:54:00that. [clears throat]

1:54:02>> Can you give a number for your calls of

1:54:04service?

1:54:06So very yeah very very loosely um

1:54:09looking at this this current year um

1:54:12there have been over about 2,000 calls

1:54:14for service. Um so each call for service

1:54:16is going to require two officers to go

1:54:18because we don't know what the what the

1:54:20situation is.

1:54:21>> Sorry this is total calls for service

1:54:23this year or this is for

1:54:25>> just for this year

1:54:26>> for what we're talking about or in total

1:54:28>> no for just what we're talking about. Uh

1:54:31so so it is a considerable draw on our

1:54:33resources um and our budget where you

1:54:35know we should be truly addressing

1:54:37crimes but we cannot turn down a call

1:54:39for service from the public um because

1:54:42we are the first line of defense that

1:54:44the call is going to go to if we have to

1:54:45send somebody to go deal with that. So

1:54:47um it's a consideration um funding is

1:54:51important for organizations but the

1:54:52accountability to make sure we're doing

1:54:54something with it is is really important

1:54:55from our perspective also.

1:54:57>> Agreed. This is for division sorry area

1:55:00one area two

1:55:01>> this is for the for the island and we we

1:55:03see our our higher numbers obviously in

1:55:05the higher populated areas Kona downtown

1:55:07areas Hilo downtown areas and Puna um

1:55:10but but that's again if we have

1:55:12resources out there we would like to see

1:55:14it equally around the island not just

1:55:17potentially hilocentric

1:55:19>> interesting.

1:55:22Do you have a is there a dollar amount

1:55:24you can give to that?

1:55:26We we're trying to look we haven't had a

1:55:29great opportunity to really put that all

1:55:30together, but looking at um per year is

1:55:33probably close to half a million dollars

1:55:35in in uh work hours spent for officers

1:55:37to uh respond to these types of calls.

1:55:40>> Okay. One of the testifiers earlier from

1:55:42Neighborhood Place of Puna spoke clearly

1:55:44that their efforts

1:55:48uh have driven down crime and have

1:55:51driven down calls for service. Do you

1:55:52see that in your perspective from the

1:55:55police department?

1:55:56>> I'm not sure if they're referring to

1:55:58overall calls for service or just calls

1:55:59for service in regarding individuals

1:56:01they're dealing with, which would could

1:56:03vary the homeless

1:56:06>> in in that area. We as a department

1:56:09whole are seeing are still seeing a

1:56:10year-to-year increase in our calls for

1:56:12service dealing with that. It's not

1:56:14exponential, but there is there is that

1:56:16increase. Um and again it ca it can be I

1:56:19haven't had an opportunity to dive into

1:56:20the data to see is it the same people

1:56:22that we're dealing with over and over

1:56:24again you know getting progressively

1:56:25worse but we do see the calls for

1:56:27service increasing uh yeartoyear.

1:56:32>> Okay that's that's about what I expected

1:56:36and thank you for sharing that. Do can

1:56:38you go back in time and take a look at

1:56:40your data or is this this is just from

1:56:422026?

1:56:43>> This this was just from 2026. we can um

1:56:47further go into it looking at the the

1:56:49same situation, but it does take a

1:56:50little bit of uh effort. Um the the

1:56:53financial side is a big challenge

1:56:54because I'm sure most are aware of our

1:56:56our um ability to run reports within our

1:56:59our new connect system on the county is

1:57:01is challenging, but our calls for

1:57:03service is something that we can do and

1:57:05our internal system.

1:57:07>> Okay. I believe you should and I've

1:57:09passed that information on to the chief

1:57:11and the different members in the

1:57:12department that I know as well as our

1:57:14different departments across the county

1:57:16and I and I say this for this reason. We

1:57:18started this fund in 2023.

1:57:21Uh since the inception of the fund, just

1:57:23one organization alone, I'll just I'll

1:57:26give Neighborhood Place of Puna because

1:57:27they spoke on behalf of Decreasing Crime

1:57:30today in their testimony, uh has

1:57:32received $6.3 million over the course of

1:57:35the last three years. uh to address

1:57:39different effects of homelessness or

1:57:41houselessness and different components

1:57:44of the complex issue that we face in the

1:57:46county for homeless related activities.

1:57:49On the back end, I've sat through three

1:57:50years of budget hearings with the

1:57:52different departments and I've heard

1:57:54again and again the departments be

1:57:56scrutinized heavily on are you meeting

1:57:58your programmatic objectives? Uh your

1:58:01budget, is it status quo? Are you

1:58:02growing? Do police officers get an

1:58:05increased car allowance this year? Those

1:58:07kind of questions come in front of this

1:58:09body all the time and you as a

1:58:11department have to justify why you're

1:58:14looking for a status quo budget increase

1:58:16of 5% 10% getting officers what they

1:58:20need for responding to community needs

1:58:24and justifying your own department's

1:58:26needs

1:58:28above everything else that you do for a

1:58:30community. So,

1:58:33it's good for us to have this

1:58:34information as we look at a

1:58:38one fund that provides funding to

1:58:42address homelessness amongst a few

1:58:45and I appreciate your time. Thank you.

1:58:48>> Thank you. Are you fair enough?

1:58:50>> Okay. Any other members for the chief?

1:58:54Okay. I have

1:58:55>> two of us. I'm sorry. [laughter] Well,

1:58:57when I turned the light was off. Okay.

1:58:59So, No, my light is on.

1:59:02>> Okay. Okay. Go ahead.

1:59:04>> Thank you, Vice Chair. Um, Assistant

1:59:06Chief, thank you so much for being here

1:59:08and providing a bit more texture for the

1:59:09conversation. I just have a few

1:59:11questions for you. Um, so you mentioned

1:59:14that police officers are not equipped to

1:59:16be responding to the calls for service

1:59:18that we are seeing from the houseless

1:59:21population.

1:59:22um what exactly do our nonprofit

1:59:27organizations provide for the department

1:59:30that you are not able to do for

1:59:31yourselves?

1:59:32>> So, so one of the things that the the I

1:59:35can speak for the officers in Kona

1:59:36coming most recently from there is they

1:59:38are working with trying to find housing

1:59:41um through various through various

1:59:42county um outreach programs. They've

1:59:45also tried to help reunite some of the

1:59:47individuals with with family um because

1:59:50in Kona particularly I'm I'm sure also

1:59:52here um there's a lot of people that

1:59:55they're not necessarily from the island

1:59:57but are from somewhere on the mainland

1:59:59and they're they're relocated here

2:00:02because of promises of of great weather

2:00:04and resources. Um so when we re have

2:00:08recurring issues with individuals like

2:00:09that we'll try and reunite them with

2:00:11family members on the mainland. So there

2:00:12are some resources there. Our biggest

2:00:15challenge is the the I would say the

2:00:18repetitive uh individuals we have

2:00:20contact with and it's the vast majority

2:00:22has underlying mental health or or some

2:00:24type of substance abuse issue where

2:00:27officers you know that that's a bigger

2:00:29picture to take care of that problem and

2:00:32um unfortunately officers are there.

2:00:34They have to stay there as long as they

2:00:35can to try and deal with that. and it's

2:00:37either pushing it to um our our

2:00:39hospitals if it's something serious or

2:00:42our EMS services to have them come

2:00:43address it, which again is another

2:00:45taxing on on resources that really isn't

2:00:47helping solve the problem is just

2:00:49putting a band-aid on the issue. So

2:00:51that's that's our challenges

2:00:52>> and and even if you call for ambulatory

2:00:54services, they're going to take the

2:00:56individual to the hospital which may or

2:00:58may not be equipped to respond to this

2:01:00person's very unique needs.

2:01:02>> Um so and let's just kind of play this

2:01:05out. a call for service comes, you

2:01:07recognize that this person is it has

2:01:09mental health issues. At what point are

2:01:12you calling in a community partner

2:01:14that's being funded by this program to

2:01:16say, "We need help." Is someone in your

2:01:19department making a determination about

2:01:20the level of support that they might

2:01:22need?

2:01:22>> So, so normally, um, our community

2:01:24policing section will will they're

2:01:27better equipped to know all of our

2:01:28partners or what partners are working

2:01:30there. Um, and and that's that's where

2:01:32that will come in. And it's tr it's

2:01:34truly our repeat offenders. Um so when

2:01:36we when we're doing a lot of the u the

2:01:38park um we'll check for park hours. Um

2:01:41our community policing sections are

2:01:43working with and I I I don't have the

2:01:46exact organizations. They'll work

2:01:48partnered with them so to try and fix

2:01:50the issue. Uh where as they come across

2:01:52an individual they'll try and see what

2:01:54their needs are and see what we can pair

2:01:56them with on the on the county side or

2:01:58through uh partner agencies. So I do

2:02:00apologize. I don't have what

2:02:01organizations they're they're working

2:02:03with for that though.

2:02:04>> No, no, no. I I just wanted to convey

2:02:06the fact that you are not alone in

2:02:09trying to resolve many unique situations

2:02:12that it is really a communitywide effort

2:02:15to provide not only compassion but the

2:02:18right sort of resources that are needed

2:02:20to get this person out of the funk that

2:02:22they're in so they can be a contributing

2:02:23member of society once again.

2:02:25um you met you had a comment that I

2:02:27wrote down here where you said um

2:02:31making sure that the resources are not

2:02:32so hilocentric. Can you can you share a

2:02:35little bit more about that and how you

2:02:36think that the resources the county is

2:02:38funding through the homeless and housing

2:02:40fund can be distributed more equitably?

2:02:42>> So it it's just a challenge um because

2:02:46of of kind of the way our county is set

2:02:47up. So a lot of things are based out of

2:02:49Hilo because you know properties are are

2:02:51less expensive. If it's April, it's

2:02:52easier to have housing and things like

2:02:54that over here, but it doesn't eliminate

2:02:57some of the issues that are that are the

2:02:58Kona sees. And Kona being usually a a uh

2:03:02more sunny environment. Um there's a lot

2:03:05more, you know, the beach parks and

2:03:06things like that, it does get a very

2:03:08large population of of people that are

2:03:11housing challenged. So, um, having

2:03:13resources come from Hilo if it's if it's

2:03:15either scheduled twice a week or if

2:03:17there's actually a base somewhere in in

2:03:19Kona would be something that would be

2:03:21much more beneficial to servicing that

2:03:23community versus just having somebody do

2:03:26a day trip to come over or something

2:03:27like that. So, that's that's a concern

2:03:29that u comes up from the community

2:03:31policing officers is there are resources

2:03:33there, but sometimes it's a bit a bit

2:03:35challenging to have it in the right

2:03:37place at the right time and be

2:03:38consistent.

2:03:39Yeah, you mentioned Kona and Puna as

2:03:41being areas that you wish that there

2:03:43were a few more resources. So, thank

2:03:44you. I'll have follow-up questions for

2:03:46housing about that. Um, and then, you

2:03:48know, in your opinion, because you are

2:03:50boots on the ground and you are

2:03:52essentially here representing the men

2:03:54and women that are responding to these

2:03:56calls, protecting our community, you

2:03:58mentioned housing. What else is missing

2:04:01in your mind that would go a long way in

2:04:03helping to address the unique

2:04:04circumstances that people are facing?

2:04:07So, so a mental health um a resource,

2:04:10you know, that that's something that

2:04:11that's huge. Um and that's really a a

2:04:14big underlying factor for a lot of these

2:04:16situations and our officers are are, you

2:04:18know, they're trained to recognize the

2:04:20issues. Um but but they're not there to

2:04:22work on a on a significant a daily basis

2:04:25to help get this person what they truly

2:04:26need. So I think having organizations

2:04:29with a dedicated either mental health

2:04:31resource or you know ability to quickly

2:04:34reference or get this person to some

2:04:36assistance where they can not just treat

2:04:38them at that moment but but work on a

2:04:40long-term plan is something that would

2:04:41be very very beneficial for for our

2:04:44personnel and the community.

2:04:45>> Yeah. And building up that community

2:04:47capacity in order to respond as such. I

2:04:50I do want to highlight I think one of

2:04:52the most important pieces in the bill

2:04:53and maybe that's why council chair has

2:04:55it at the top is prevention.

2:04:58>> Yeah.

2:04:58>> Yes. I love the fact that we're going to

2:05:00beef up the infrastructure to respond to

2:05:02these cases, but what I would love to

2:05:04see is people that are healthy and

2:05:07thriving from the get-go so that they're

2:05:09not spiraling and hitting bottom and

2:05:11requiring this kind of level of support.

2:05:14So I think it requires us as a society

2:05:16to re-evaluate our priorities, our

2:05:20values and ensure that we are creating

2:05:23this connection and sense of belonging

2:05:25so that people don't feel so isolated

2:05:27and feel like they need to resort to

2:05:30drugs and other nefarious sort of

2:05:32activities to cope with whatever trauma

2:05:34they're experiencing. So I'm hoping that

2:05:36in subsequent years a lot of attention

2:05:39can be focused on prevention so that

2:05:41people are safe and they are healthy.

2:05:43Thank you for being here. I yield chair.

2:05:45>> Okay, Miss Kagi.

2:05:47>> Thank you, Chair, and thank you, Council

2:05:49Member Kirkowitz, for saying that last

2:05:51piece. I I fully agree that we need to

2:05:53look at prevention, and you know,

2:05:55sometimes people that are falling into

2:05:57homelessness, they might not even have

2:06:00the mental health issues or the drug

2:06:03issues before they fall into

2:06:05homelessness. But it's the mere fact of

2:06:07being in that situation that can

2:06:09exacerbate or cause some of those very

2:06:12issues that then, you know, as a

2:06:14community we we have to deal with and

2:06:16put more resources to. Um, thank you for

2:06:19being here, assistant chief. Um, I know

2:06:22working over in Hilo side, we've been

2:06:23working with community policing. Thank

2:06:25you for bringing that up. Um, and I know

2:06:27some of the organizations have asked for

2:06:30numbers, especially with uh kind of

2:06:32repeat issues with people that are

2:06:34homelessness. And I I believe that some

2:06:36of the numbers at least on the heel side

2:06:37we have seen those numbers going down.

2:06:40That's um what I hear from people who

2:06:42are receiving these reports from

2:06:44community policing. So I think that's a

2:06:46good thing. Um, one of the things that

2:06:48we've that I have heard um, community

2:06:51policing say to community members is

2:06:53that they actually want community to

2:06:55call the non-emergency number when

2:06:57things are happening because it helps

2:07:01uh, people figure out where they're kind

2:07:03of hot spots and where to deal with

2:07:05things. Um, if you know they can kind of

2:07:07count that a lot of things are happening

2:07:08in this area versus another area. um if

2:07:13we're going to be looking at um numbers

2:07:17of calls to the police being a a factor,

2:07:21I'm wondering are there are things that

2:07:23you would like to see or that you can

2:07:25recommend that you want people to stop

2:07:27calling police for some of these things

2:07:29or

2:07:30>> I I wouldn't recommend people stop

2:07:32calling police. It it's just right now

2:07:34that is the the first step for

2:07:36everything, you know. So any type of

2:07:37issue or concern is is a police

2:07:39department. So, um, calling definitely

2:07:42puts it on the radar, you know, so

2:07:44that's that is an important thing and I

2:07:45wouldn't I wouldn't tell people not to.

2:07:47Um, but it's not necessarily do we

2:07:49always have all the right tools to to

2:07:51fix or address that issue. So, um, I I

2:07:54think that's an important part too is is

2:07:56also having a lot of the organizations

2:07:58that are out there um, really partner

2:08:01with police and and continue that

2:08:03relationship of here's here's what we

2:08:05can offer. So when you when you come

2:08:07across this call because we know you're

2:08:08going to get that call and and this is

2:08:10the issue, here's who you can reach out

2:08:12to and we we can respond there in, you

2:08:14know, a matter of whatever time to to be

2:08:16able to address that situation and then

2:08:19get the officer back on the road so they

2:08:20can deal with with criminal calls. So I

2:08:22think that's that is a an important

2:08:24thing. Yes, we're the the clearing house

2:08:26for that, but we need to know the next

2:08:28step of of how to how to best address or

2:08:30or start that solution.

2:08:32>> Okay. Thank you so much. because I know

2:08:34that it's kind of been this we've been

2:08:36asking community to make to make those

2:08:38calls whenever things are happening so

2:08:39that um we know what's going on. Um but

2:08:42I do think there's also uh there's a

2:08:45group that is more working on like a

2:08:47easy um sheet for the community also of

2:08:50like when you call the police when you

2:08:51might have other places you can call

2:08:53with different numbers. So I think we're

2:08:55also working on that to try to um get

2:08:59help from the right places. Um, and I

2:09:02know community policing has been working

2:09:03on that with us. So, thank you so much

2:09:05for that. And hopefully that will also

2:09:07help us, you know, sort things out a

2:09:09little better.

2:09:10>> Yeah. Thank you so much. I appreciate

2:09:12you. Okay, I

2:09:14>> Okay, any other Oh, Mr. Confder.

2:09:17>> Thank you. This is a followup. Now,

2:09:21I was running through the numbers. So,

2:09:222023 was the inception of the fund,

2:09:25right, for 2022, but then we begin

2:09:27funding in 2023.

2:09:32just the homeless and housing fund.

2:09:34Okay, I ran through the numbers uh this

2:09:36morning. Uh hope services $7.8 million

2:09:40for various programs since 2023.

2:09:46When you look at the impact of hope

2:09:48services in both Kona and Hilo, this is

2:09:51and Paja, which would be your majority

2:09:53of where their services are focused, are

2:09:56you seeing a result as a police

2:09:58department?

2:09:59I I wouldn't be able to speak on that. I

2:10:02I personally don't know um exactly what

2:10:06their what their involvement is. Um I

2:10:08know that our officers do work with Hope

2:10:10Services. Um but I don't have in front

2:10:12of me what the our results are from

2:10:14contact with individuals to moving them

2:10:17off of the streets. So I I apologize for

2:10:19that.

2:10:20>> Okay. I appreciate you guys are tracking

2:10:22information. Now, part of the problem

2:10:24I'm even having issues identifying what

2:10:27we've done is because there was no

2:10:29baseline.

2:10:32There is no baseline number and then

2:10:34each individual agency is tracking

2:10:37information on their own. Some

2:10:39collaborate provide numbers back to the

2:10:40county. We have an SAS report which is a

2:10:44non a third party uh audit. Basically,

2:10:47our review of the fund itself. What I've

2:10:50come back to is the baseline is missing.

2:10:52No baseline. How does a police

2:10:55department know whether we've done good

2:10:57or we've just barely scratched the

2:11:00surface? So that's a good answer. Thank

2:11:03you for your answer. I chair.

2:11:06Okay. Any other members?

2:11:10Okay. For police. Okay. I have I just

2:11:12want to say thank you, Chief. And you

2:11:14know, thank you, Lieutenant Pagan,

2:11:16because I've been working with community

2:11:18police in the Hilo area about you

2:11:20mentioning about mental health, which is

2:11:22a problem because we've been working

2:11:24with the Hilo Benny off the Halle Hola

2:11:28and their problem is is that they get so

2:11:32police gets them to the hospital, they

2:11:35get evaluated and then they gets

2:11:37admitted to Halio Oh, but then after

2:11:41like four to six days of treatment,

2:11:44they have no place to go, right? And the

2:11:47problem is the nonprofits,

2:11:49they do have some bids, but it's called

2:11:51Okay, so you have respent

2:11:55mental health, right? The mental health

2:11:57is only limited to x amount of bids. And

2:12:00so the medical side, they have a lot,

2:12:02but the medical side, they're not going

2:12:04to take the mental health once, right?

2:12:06And that's where they get released again

2:12:08because there's no place to go and it

2:12:10goes back on the street. So it becomes a

2:12:11cycle.

2:12:13So like, thank God with Lieutenant Papa

2:12:15Pagan and the group that I'm working

2:12:18with, we're trying to figure out, okay,

2:12:19using this funds, how we can help those

2:12:22nonprofits that are focusing on mental

2:12:25health and getting them more bids. So, I

2:12:28did talk to one of our senators on the

2:12:30island, which she's chair of the health

2:12:34committee on the Senate side, and she's

2:12:36going to see on how she can help on that

2:12:39side of creating like the Benny Off

2:12:42Medical Center, working with some of the

2:12:44nonprofits to getting increasing that

2:12:47beds to help the police department and

2:12:49the whole community, right? Because to

2:12:52me, I think it's frustrating, right,

2:12:53Chief? when you see this cycle

2:12:56>> and that you you touch on a great point

2:12:58is it there is every all of us touch a

2:13:01part of it um but nothing ever closes

2:13:03the loop so so I think you know and we

2:13:06don't want to be where we have an issue

2:13:07and we just push it to the next one we

2:13:09want to we want to see progress and and

2:13:11moving our community forward so I think

2:13:14talking about things like that where you

2:13:16know there can be treatment and then

2:13:17there's a there's a plan forward is is

2:13:19more important and progressive than just

2:13:22moving moving somebody to another uh a

2:13:25location or or a service and then that's

2:13:27the end of it,

2:13:28>> right? Thank you. And so I really

2:13:29appreciate all you guys hard work and

2:13:30especially you lieutenant. Thank you.

2:13:32Yeah. And just another short so Hilo

2:13:34Medical Center. So Hala never had a

2:13:37social worker all this time. So the the

2:13:40doctors, the nurses had to do the

2:13:43contact with the nonprofits. They

2:13:45finally got I think within the last

2:13:47month and a half or so a part-time

2:13:51position for social worker. So now that

2:13:53person can go out and reach out to the

2:13:55nonprofits to see where their patients

2:13:57can go to. We're trying right now to get

2:14:00that person full-time because it's a

2:14:02full-time job for them because there's

2:14:04so many patients that are going there.

2:14:06So that's something that we're working

2:14:08on and hopefully that can help relieve

2:14:11the police department and have them

2:14:13focus on other crimes that is happening

2:14:16in this community, but also helping with

2:14:18the nonprofits. Yeah. So on that note,

2:14:22chair Yava.

2:14:23>> Yes. I would like to make a motion to

2:14:25amend bill 192 draft 2 with the contents

2:14:28of communication 1059.4.

2:14:32>> Okay. Motion by chair Nava, second by

2:14:34Miss Kirkowitz. Go ahead. Chair Naba.

2:14:36>> Thank you. Um after our last committee

2:14:39meeting um I had discussion with the

2:14:42office of housing and community

2:14:44development regarding the language that

2:14:46specified that the fund shall be awarded

2:14:49through grants to qualified nonprofits.

2:14:52Uh it left out the opportunity for our

2:14:54own county programs some of which we are

2:14:57looking now for um shelters for example

2:14:59to do a direct RFP or even if we have

2:15:02our own programs in house. So this uh

2:15:06amendment says that funds may be used

2:15:09for county programs and initiatives or

2:15:12awarded to qualified nonprofit

2:15:13organizations through grants or other

2:15:16authorized procurement methods. Um and

2:15:19there was a testifier who was concerned

2:15:21about this language um you know saying

2:15:25that it might it might be limiting um in

2:15:29review uh with our legislative research

2:15:33bureau. This language just allows for

2:15:37both uses. So could both um county

2:15:41programs and grants to nonprofits.

2:15:45Um,

2:15:47subsequently we are removing subsection

2:15:50D from the permitted uses of the fund

2:15:54which is housing development,

2:15:55preservation, rehabilitation,

2:15:57stabilization and retention. Um, this is

2:16:00being done because we have the

2:16:02affordable housing production fund. Um

2:16:05so we both OHCD leadership and I um

2:16:10decided that this would be a better

2:16:11approach. So our development and

2:16:13preservation is focused in the

2:16:16affordable housing production fund. Um

2:16:18where this is more so on those programs

2:16:21and services listed here in this

2:16:23section. Uh and we're adding one uh

2:16:27additional permitted use which is

2:16:29relocation services as well. So, um,

2:16:35housing administrator, no, no questions

2:16:38in support of the, uh, amendment. Ask

2:16:40for your support and happy to take any

2:16:42questions.

2:16:42>> Okay. Uh, Mr. Kirk on the amendment.

2:16:45>> Oh, thank you. I just wanted to convey

2:16:46my strong support. At our committee

2:16:48hearing, I did mention the need to

2:16:50support some new programs that our

2:16:52county um, received national grant

2:16:54awards for. That was the community

2:16:55parame medicine that is being

2:16:57coordinated by the fire department. That

2:16:59funding stream is limited. And so this

2:17:01presents an opportunity to continue that

2:17:03program because there are plans to build

2:17:05that infrastructure out um here within

2:17:07the county. Um I do also agree with the

2:17:10idea of keeping the affordable housing

2:17:12production fund squarely focused on

2:17:14housing and this particular fund on the

2:17:16delivery of services and where we can

2:17:18reunite individuals with their original

2:17:22creation place. I support relocation

2:17:25services. Thank you chair for this

2:17:26amendment. M Kimmel.

2:17:30>> Um, yeah, appreciate the MM but

2:17:33[clears throat] actually have some

2:17:34concerns about the the lack of

2:17:37specificity around the types of county

2:17:39programs that could tap into the fund. I

2:17:42think one of the things that we saw

2:17:45today was just the enormous amount of

2:17:50need in the nonprofit sector. and

2:17:54um you know the the 9 million just

2:17:58doesn't even cover what's needed out in

2:18:00the nonprofit sector and and I just want

2:18:04to be cautious that I think it kind of

2:18:07moves away from the original intent of

2:18:09the bill which is to provide funding

2:18:11that fills a gap where the county

2:18:13doesn't and because we have other

2:18:16mechanisms like the budgeting process to

2:18:19provide county entities the funding that

2:18:23they need for support of this program. I

2:18:27I'm I'm either inclined to just

2:18:31leave that in the budgeting process and

2:18:33say we give more money to office of

2:18:34housing to do the things rather than

2:18:36tapping into this very limited pot that

2:18:39I think has

2:18:41addresses a lot of need already. Um so

2:18:44I'm I'm not supportive of that component

2:18:46or as it's written. I'd be more

2:18:49comfortable considering it if there was

2:18:52if you know perhaps it was limited to

2:18:55OCD and their efforts to address

2:19:00homelessness. Um not I mean I understand

2:19:03the the interest in the the firefighters

2:19:05program but I think perhaps it's more

2:19:07appropriate that other funds within the

2:19:09county um coffers go towards that. I I

2:19:13do support the other amendments included

2:19:15in here. Um I I wonder if relocation

2:19:18services should be

2:19:21further defined to to have a

2:19:24reunification element to it. So it's not

2:19:27I mean it's kind of broad. Um so that's

2:19:30just a thought I had on that. So I'm I'm

2:19:31willing to support those other two

2:19:33sections, but I have concerns about the

2:19:35broadness of the shift from exclusively

2:19:38a granting program um because there's so

2:19:41much need in the nonprofit sector. Thank

2:19:44you.

2:19:44>> Okay. you want to respond, churn.

2:19:46>> Uh, thank you. Yes. Uh, and I do want to

2:19:48clarify because it says maybe used for

2:19:50county programs and initiatives,

2:19:54those programs and initiatives have to

2:19:56be in line with the num um the lettered

2:19:59permitted uses. So

2:20:02when we look at uh what council member

2:20:04Kirkwood talked about the the fire

2:20:07department's program

2:20:09in in reviewing those uses, those uses

2:20:11actually are in line with everything

2:20:13here, but it's not for any county

2:20:15program. It's for county programs that

2:20:17address

2:20:19housing and homelessness through letters

2:20:22A through G in the proposed amendment.

2:20:25Um

2:20:26yeah, thank you. Okay, Mr. Houston.

2:20:30Thanks, Vice Chair. Um, administrator,

2:20:33just a question for you on this, please.

2:20:44So, the amendment um removes item D

2:20:46there on the housing development,

2:20:48preservation, rehabilitation,

2:20:49stabilization, retention.

2:20:52through the life of the program we have.

2:20:53How much have we spent towards that kind

2:20:56of direction and housing development

2:20:58through the housing and homelessness

2:20:59fund?

2:21:02>> Hi, Kahal Costa, housing administrator.

2:21:04Um, I'm going to look back at year one.

2:21:06Year one was the first year that we kind

2:21:09of had a broad the we broadened it and

2:21:12we had uh proposals for some housing

2:21:16construction planning. Um, I don't know

2:21:19that those proposals were actually

2:21:23um I I'll get I'll get back to you on

2:21:26the the total amount, but I think what

2:21:29you're asking is if this would have an

2:21:31impact on our operations moving forward.

2:21:34Um, after year one, we realize that that

2:21:35was not the that was not a good

2:21:37application of these funds. Development

2:21:39of housing is a multi-year project.

2:21:42These this is a pilot program for five

2:21:44years on an annual basis. Um so it it

2:21:48really actually put any housing

2:21:50developer in conflict in the sense that

2:21:53um they wouldn't be able to produce the

2:21:55housing that we would be looking for um

2:21:59in a very short period of time often not

2:22:01even able to contract in the same year.

2:22:04So um

2:22:07from year two through forward no funds

2:22:10have been applied from

2:22:12>> based on those limitations. Yeah those

2:22:14challenges there.

2:22:15>> Yeah. And I know there's that

2:22:16relationship with the the affordable

2:22:18housing production fund um and the kind

2:22:20of reliance on that. I mean some of this

2:22:24the intent was to have also that housing

2:22:26component in there though and that's you

2:22:29know some of the testifiers have have

2:22:31spoken to that as a critical piece in

2:22:34the conversation as well. Um but there

2:22:37are as you've shared there are

2:22:39limitations on how year-toear how this

2:22:41is being used.

2:22:43um and some of the the hindrances there.

2:22:46Okay.

2:22:47>> If I if I could just speak to that. So,

2:22:49um [clears throat] we with this um fund,

2:22:53we do not fund housing construction, but

2:22:56we do um fund housing beds um through

2:23:01our own programs, our our own emergency

2:23:04shelters. Uh we have 126 emergency

2:23:07shelter beds, West Hawaii and um Hilo.

2:23:11And over the past four years, our two

2:23:14shelters have been operated by Hope

2:23:15Services. So that is really probably

2:23:17where you see the bulk of the expense

2:23:20over the past four years is on those 100

2:23:24126 beds. And I don't have the um

2:23:27numbers in front of me right now, but

2:23:29that's not 126 individuals. That's 126

2:23:33beds that are provided to individuals.

2:23:36you know, on average, we we hope for a

2:23:3990-day stabilization and and housing

2:23:42pathway. Um, we also help many of our

2:23:46nonprofits with master lease housing for

2:23:50um sober living and detox type of of of

2:23:55beds. So, we are still heavily investing

2:23:58in housing and beds.

2:24:01>> This one here, item D says, you know,

2:24:03stabilization. Do you think the other

2:24:05buckets also would be comprehensive

2:24:07enough to kind of include that that

2:24:09discussion in terms of supportive

2:24:11housing, you know, also services for

2:24:14families? I mean, yes, it's

2:24:15all-encompassing. You don't feel that

2:24:17it's being

2:24:18>> Okay.

2:24:19>> Um, just a thought on the,

2:24:22you know, the funds may be used for the

2:24:24county programs under the the guise of

2:24:27the housing and homelessness programs

2:24:28there. I don't know, Chair Knob, if

2:24:31there's more of like a prescriptive

2:24:34amount that needs to be defined that

2:24:36that at least carves out a more of a

2:24:39line of saying this is this is kind of

2:24:40the bounds of where

2:24:42it should go to county and then some

2:24:45remains for the nonprofit. Just

2:24:46something to think about um in terms of

2:24:50because that that testimony in terms of

2:24:51well are we losing some share of it and

2:24:55how much of it and does it change from

2:24:57year to year? uh maybe the department

2:25:00needs more in particular years, but is

2:25:01there is there some sort of space that

2:25:04the body's kind of comfortable with and

2:25:05saying, you know, you know, five 10%

2:25:07whatever that number may look like from

2:25:09year to year uh to support what the

2:25:12office is already trying to do to these

2:25:14programs, but also I recognize um the

2:25:17need and the other services that we

2:25:20cannot do and cannot perform in the

2:25:23county. So, just just a thought on that

2:25:24one. on the relocation services. I think

2:25:27this one is is interesting because it's

2:25:29come up in other conversations and I

2:25:31think we've had some limitations on

2:25:32terms of how to how to use those funds

2:25:34in that direction. Um are there

2:25:38administrator are there entities

2:25:40nonprofits that

2:25:42can access can are programmed to utilize

2:25:46those kind of services?

2:25:50We did fund a nonprofit um I think it

2:25:53was in year two or year three for um

2:25:56return to family reunifi reunification

2:26:00return to home efforts. We hear over and

2:26:03over that that is an impactful program.

2:26:06Um so we are looking at pathways

2:26:09forward to um to enable that service to

2:26:14occur. Uh the state also has a return to

2:26:18home reunification program. Um that

2:26:22program requires a 50% from the

2:26:26participant for their travel costs. So

2:26:29um institute for human services IHS um

2:26:34provides 50% of the travel cost and they

2:26:37ask the participant to we see that as a

2:26:39limitation. and many of our participants

2:26:41that want to return to home may not have

2:26:43the funds for travel. We'd like our

2:26:46funds to be able to match that um

2:26:48through eligible uh case management

2:26:51services that can help with that type of

2:26:54programming. So um yes, it's a program

2:26:56that we we'd like to find a a way

2:26:59forward.

2:26:59>> Okay.

2:27:00>> Thank you, Minister. Thank you, Vice

2:27:02Chair.

2:27:03>> Mr. Confelder. Thank you. Uh just just

2:27:07checking obvious sher costa you said

2:27:10that housing

2:27:12hasn't been really a priority from

2:27:17housing community development for the

2:27:21homeless and housing fund since

2:27:242023 2024 but I'm just reviewing the

2:27:272025 granties and amount of I heard

2:27:30master leas saying and I'm seeing ones

2:27:33that say permanent housing so I'm

2:27:34checking on uh

2:27:35>> housing development, construction of

2:27:37housing,

2:27:38>> actual construction,

2:27:39>> actual construction. So applications for

2:27:42planning, infrastructure development,

2:27:45for the building of housing, we haven't

2:27:48funded since year one. Um primarily

2:27:50because we have ano affordable housing

2:27:52production fund uh for construction and

2:27:56that's multi-year um longer term, right?

2:27:59So this this fund year over year um it

2:28:04just wasn't the best fit. But we I I

2:28:07want to make clear that housing is our

2:28:09priority. I think a lot of the

2:28:12conversation that we talk about are are

2:28:15our our mental behavioral health issues

2:28:17and the lack of services in those areas.

2:28:20But we do a lot of work in prevention of

2:28:22homelessness and in stabilizing housing

2:28:25for many of our residents. So, you know,

2:28:28the the pervasive homeless issues that

2:28:30we see, you know, it's it's a challenge

2:28:33for all of us. Um, but I I housing is

2:28:37our our number one priority in this with

2:28:40this fund.

2:28:41>> Okay. But this is good. Again, I was

2:28:44running through the numbers this

2:28:45morning. Yes. Uh, porting production

2:28:49fund since 2023 has granted $42.3

2:28:52million.

2:28:54That's in parallel with the homeless and

2:28:56housing fund which has granted $32

2:28:57million. That's $74 million since 2023

2:29:02um going into different areas of

2:29:03community. Ultimately,

2:29:06we're responsible for taxpayer money and

2:29:08where it goes.

2:29:09>> Correct.

2:29:09>> So, we got to we got to have these

2:29:11discussions. That's the importance of

2:29:13this.

2:29:13>> Yes.

2:29:14>> So, I appreciate Mr. Inava's bill. Um I

2:29:17was actually against adding the housing

2:29:19component into this fund from the very

2:29:21beginning and I voted against it um for

2:29:24very specific reasons because we have

2:29:26other funds and this is just county

2:29:28funded

2:29:30uh funding. Not even touching on state

2:29:33allowances and different

2:29:36different abilities of developers to use

2:29:39things from the state level, from

2:29:41federal level, from from all these

2:29:43different sources, philanthropic levels

2:29:46uh to build the housing that we need uh

2:29:47islandwide. So

2:29:50what I what I do notice is

2:29:53it doesn't remove housing doesn't remove

2:29:55housing programs. It does cross off that

2:29:58line uh D

2:30:01which

2:30:02kind of pushes it back to the affordable

2:30:04housing production fund, but it doesn't

2:30:06at the same time. It still gives

2:30:07flexibility. And what I do appreciate is

2:30:10allowing Office of Housing then to go

2:30:13after some of those funds to build the

2:30:15housing which I don't think was

2:30:17allowable or we haven't seen a lot of

2:30:20since the beginning and the inception of

2:30:22this fund. Is that right?

2:30:24>> Development of housing through this

2:30:25fund. Yeah.

2:30:26>> Yeah. No.

2:30:28>> Specifically by the county. development.

2:30:33Repeat your question please.

2:30:35>> Sorry the amendment.

2:30:40>> Uh so in the in number four funds used

2:30:43to be shall be awarded through grants to

2:30:45qualified nonprofits

2:30:48that's being changed to may be used for

2:30:50county programs and initiatives or

2:30:52awarded to qualified nonprofit

2:30:54organizations through grants other pro

2:30:56procurement methods. key concept in

2:30:59there is allowing the county to which is

2:31:02incorporating you folks into that

2:31:04ability because that came up in previous

2:31:07hearings.

2:31:08>> So the original language was county

2:31:10sponsored programs. It was not specific

2:31:13to grants. So we're able to procure

2:31:15direct contracts for operations of like

2:31:18operations of our shelter. uh in the in

2:31:21the this bill, the first draft of this

2:31:24bill, it removed county sponsored

2:31:26programs and just specifically said

2:31:28grants, which would make it challenging

2:31:30for us to do some of our our procurement

2:31:32of direct contracts. So, this was the

2:31:35amendment to make ensure that we can

2:31:38continue to do our office of housing

2:31:41programs um

2:31:44that contract contracted work that we

2:31:46procure through this fund. Yeah. So the

2:31:49original language um was sufficient also

2:31:55not the first draft of this bill but the

2:31:57original language of um this ordinance

2:32:01was sufficient county sponsored

2:32:03programs.

2:32:04>> Thank you.

2:32:05>> Yeah supportive of the amendment. Thank

2:32:07you Miwa.

2:32:10>> Thank you chair. Um thank you for being

2:32:12here administrator. um just to kind of

2:32:15refocus us here on the intention and and

2:32:19um the maker can correct me if I'm

2:32:21wrong, but this this kind of two-year

2:32:24bridge funding was really to get us to a

2:32:27place where we could get all the data

2:32:29that we're waiting for so that we could

2:32:31make some real decisions about how this

2:32:34program goes forward or doesn't and how

2:32:36it gets changed um potentially. So, I

2:32:39see this amendment is just kind of

2:32:42codifying what you're already doing um

2:32:46to because of a couple word changes that

2:32:48kind of got us away from that. So that I

2:32:51don't So I'm asking are you planning to

2:32:55do any major

2:32:57um changes before we we really look at

2:33:02you know all the data and and the

2:33:04council has a chance to potentially you

2:33:06know redirect or um weigh in on this or

2:33:11are you planning to do things with some

2:33:14some tweaks and minor things um for this

2:33:17next funding year um fairly

2:33:20in line with what the um language is

2:33:24here.

2:33:25>> Do you consider a major change?

2:33:27>> Well, I I mean I know we added the

2:33:29relocation funding and you spoke

2:33:32specifically why you want to do that,

2:33:34but um I guess are there any major

2:33:37programs that you have coming up for

2:33:39this year that would take large amount

2:33:41of funding and red and redirect that

2:33:44away from the kind of supports that have

2:33:47been happening for this upcoming year?

2:33:49Do you know yet or are you still

2:33:52figuring that out?

2:33:54>> I don't think that we're changing the

2:33:56intention at all

2:33:58>> of the work that we're currently doing.

2:34:00Um we work closely with um you know our

2:34:05community through our task force both in

2:34:09East Hawaii, West Hawaii understanding

2:34:12um the scope of the need um and with our

2:34:16community of practice to understand what

2:34:18the needs are. So I would say that we

2:34:20are flexible in designing where funds

2:34:24should be appropriated based on the need

2:34:26of the community. Um I don't see us

2:34:29doing any major changes but I will just

2:34:32say that one um one new operational cost

2:34:38that will be coming online in the in the

2:34:40coming year which is considerable is our

2:34:43Kokuola um shelter. It's It'll be online

2:34:47by the end of this year. The RFP is out

2:34:50for an operator. It's a $16 million

2:34:53property and we're looking for an

2:34:55operator to

2:34:58run the shelter and the assessment

2:35:01center and 16 um shelter units and

2:35:05that's a considerable cost. So, I think

2:35:08moving forward, um, we're we're getting

2:35:10more refined in understanding what are

2:35:12the costs that the county has that might

2:35:15be long-term for some of our shelters

2:35:17and operations that might need to go

2:35:19into um our OCD budget so that we can

2:35:24stabilize that because to operate a

2:35:26shelter year to year to year is very

2:35:28challenging.

2:35:29>> Um, so that's a that's going to be a

2:35:31considerable cost moving forward.

2:35:33>> Okay. But that's the the main one you're

2:35:35aware of in addition to maybe these

2:35:37relocation services. Okay.

2:35:39>> Y

2:35:39>> Okay. Yeah. Because I just really see us

2:35:42um with this bill uh trying to like I

2:35:45said just bridge that get us to a point

2:35:47where we can um get all the information

2:35:50and then look at what is the future for

2:35:53the county with funding some of this

2:35:55work and what does that look like. So,

2:35:57um, hopefully we're not making major

2:35:59changes now in the in the way the

2:36:03wording is because it seems that's that

2:36:06will defeat the purpose of kind of

2:36:08trying to wait until we have all the

2:36:09information to make those major changes.

2:36:11So, appreciate this and and happy to

2:36:13support. I yield.

2:36:15>> That's exactly right, Council Member

2:36:16Kagi. Mus.

2:36:19>> Yeah, I appreciate Council Member Kagi

2:36:21kind of putting that question out there.

2:36:23Um because I have heard from a number of

2:36:25members of different uh boards of some

2:36:28of the nonprofits that were just

2:36:30concerned.

2:36:31Um

2:36:33because you know county is run by humans

2:36:36and when I think of the ponch monies

2:36:39there have been agendas to move that

2:36:43money to do something else in the past.

2:36:46And so I suppose,

2:36:48you know, I'm I'm grateful for the

2:36:50asurances from the legal standpoint that

2:36:52this doesn't open up a loophole for in

2:36:56the next few years should anybody in the

2:36:59administration want to transition these

2:37:00funds to other county programs that that

2:37:04doesn't become an option. Then my

2:37:06question becomes the use of the term it

2:37:09changed from shall to may and I want to

2:37:13make sure that doesn't leave us with any

2:37:15kind of a

2:37:17potential

2:37:19we you know weakness or uh be vulnerable

2:37:24um for

2:37:26allocation of those funds elsewhere.

2:37:32It says

2:37:35instead of funds shall be awarded

2:37:37through grants, it changes to funds may

2:37:41be used for county programs. I'm

2:37:44wondering perhaps the maker could answer

2:37:46that or corp council would be great.

2:37:51>> Hi Rene Corporation Council. So the way

2:37:54I read the that um May language is

2:37:58essentially giving the option um of

2:38:01using it either for the county pro

2:38:03programs or initiatives or being awarded

2:38:06um as to using the funds outside of

2:38:10homeless and and homeless you know

2:38:12issues. Um that would certainly be

2:38:15outside of the scope of you know the

2:38:18bill itself and the reason for for

2:38:21enactment. So, I don't see that

2:38:23happening. Um, just to address your

2:38:26concerns.

2:38:27>> Thank you. I really appreciate that. Um,

2:38:30Michonne, uh,

2:38:33yeah, I I also am in full support of the

2:38:37relocation that has been hugely

2:38:40successful, especially in district 7

2:38:43where we are inundated by people coming

2:38:46in from somewhere else. and um

2:38:51having the funds to match the state. It

2:38:53just seems odd to me that the state

2:38:54would have a program that would require

2:38:56somebody in those kind of circumstances

2:38:58to fund half of their relocation home.

2:39:01In my own conversations with people

2:39:04navigating working with case management

2:39:07cases like that, they oftentimes don't

2:39:09even have a driver's license anymore. So

2:39:11getting

2:39:13you know identification is the first

2:39:15step let alone any money or resources.

2:39:19So I um

2:39:22yeah I I just you know it's so funny in

2:39:26this work we do a lot of take a lot of

2:39:29time doing I's and T's

2:39:31um to ensure that we're not vulnerable

2:39:35uh but

2:39:38comes down to the intention

2:39:41and you know I've been very vocal about

2:39:44my frustrations with uh certain homeless

2:39:47service provider organizations getting

2:39:49the lion share of funding and expanding

2:39:53programs instead of

2:39:55um

2:39:57what I'd love to see is more equitable

2:40:00distribution. Um anyway, I'm I'm kind of

2:40:04talking in circles, but I think that my

2:40:06concerns about this have been assuaged

2:40:09and that uh this is something you're

2:40:12comfortable with provides you with um

2:40:17now the opportunity to allocate

2:40:19resources to the projects and programs

2:40:22within county. um which I think is

2:40:25really necessary and I want to say

2:40:27congratulations because Kuiola coming

2:40:30online is huge and it's been long

2:40:34awaited much needed and um will provide

2:40:39relief for the west side with a new um

2:40:43facility and programs there wraparound

2:40:46not just housing first but all the the

2:40:50wraparound services. So, and just a

2:40:52quick thank you to all the organizations

2:40:54who showed up today and all the

2:40:56testifiers

2:40:58um especially sharing their testimonies,

2:41:01their life experiences for

2:41:05how

2:41:07they've benefited and um as in

2:41:11unfortunately any human organization

2:41:13[laughter] there is waste and loss and

2:41:16you know things that happen but I think

2:41:18overall

2:41:20Um, I'm comfortable continuing to

2:41:23support this moving forward. I'm

2:41:25comfortable with this amendment. Um, but

2:41:29I want to see the audit.

2:41:32>> Miss Kimble.

2:41:34>> Yes. Thank you. Um, you chair Nova

2:41:38understand that the the list actually

2:41:41limits and constrains how these funds

2:41:44could be used, but let me just add a

2:41:46little bit more color to my concern. Um

2:41:50so with the current process the um RP

2:41:54goes out for applications for grants. It

2:41:58comes into office of housing. There's an

2:42:00evaluation process. Their different

2:42:01programs are ranked against each other.

2:42:04It then comes back to council. That's

2:42:06and we approve the final award. It's a

2:42:08very public and transparent process. Of

2:42:11course, part of the issue with this

2:42:13program to date has been a concern about

2:42:16accountability and lack of transparency

2:42:18and all of that. By adding this

2:42:21component into it that says some portion

2:42:24of that

2:42:26at the administrator's discretion, and

2:42:28this has nothing to do with you, I love

2:42:30you. You're great. Um, but it it's the

2:42:32administrator's discretion that would

2:42:34determine whether that county program

2:42:37falls within this list of uses or not.

2:42:40and then there's no other public

2:42:43transparency process. There's no point

2:42:45at which the council weighs in. Um and

2:42:48that that there that that sort of

2:42:50accountability step is is my concern. So

2:42:53what I I asked I texted um corporation

2:42:57council showing to to maybe so the the

2:43:00only similar thing that I is is kind of

2:43:02akin to this is when you have community

2:43:04development block grants and the county

2:43:07participates as an equal applicant right

2:43:11for those and and they compete against

2:43:12the other entities for those fundings.

2:43:15It's not exactly similar as you

2:43:17mentioned corporation council but cons

2:43:21um corion council is there

2:43:23and I know I'm putting you on the spot

2:43:25here. Is there wording that you could

2:43:26recommend that would just tweak this a

2:43:29little bit to provide that

2:43:31accountability step that I'm missing

2:43:34here where there'd be some sort of

2:43:36critical evaluation outside of the

2:43:39administrator's authority that the

2:43:41county program

2:43:44superseded

2:43:46the benefits of what might be allocated

2:43:48to the nonprofits in the same period.

2:43:50And please ask me if you need

2:43:52clarification on my question.

2:43:56I think I'm understanding your question.

2:43:58Um, and I would say, you know, just

2:44:01having looked at um, this amendment,

2:44:03there is added language in here which

2:44:06speaks to um, or otherwise authorized

2:44:10procurement methods. So, you know, in

2:44:13answer to your question, as the

2:44:16department goes through the RFP process,

2:44:18there's very much um an open process

2:44:22um going through that, you know, because

2:44:24they have to set out criteria. They have

2:44:27to um evaluate um enumerate, you know,

2:44:30evaluation criteria and so and and then

2:44:33once those um once an award is made,

2:44:37there is an opportunity for protest. So

2:44:40there's that whole procurement process

2:44:42that kind of kicks in as well. So I

2:44:44would say that that's very much a a

2:44:47public process. Um if I may interject

2:44:50there because I think that that

2:44:52>> I I understand that the procurement

2:44:54process once that initial decision has

2:44:57been made. So you get 10 you get $9

2:44:58million, right? Let's you get $10

2:45:00million.

2:45:01>> As the administrator, you said I'm going

2:45:02to use three million of that for county

2:45:05programs. And then you take that three

2:45:06million and do the procurement process.

2:45:08And yes, that's all very transparent.

2:45:10There's the appeals pro or the the

2:45:12competitive process. There's the all the

2:45:15things that go with that. There's that

2:45:17point at which you, the administrator,

2:45:18makes the decision that that 3 million

2:45:20is going to go to the county and not to

2:45:22the nonprofits. Where is where can we

2:45:25interject some transparency and

2:45:26oversight in that step?

2:45:32So, I think one of the one of the areas

2:45:34that we have um and probably will come

2:45:37back, you know, we're we're really clear

2:45:39that we don't have administrative rules.

2:45:41We haven't developed administrative

2:45:43rules for this fund because it's been a

2:45:45five-year pilot program and every year

2:45:48we come before the council, it's like,

2:45:49well, you know, you might lose this

2:45:51money. So the the permanency of the fund

2:45:54allows us to develop those

2:45:56administrative roles which would

2:45:58indicate how much of the fund could be

2:46:00allocated towards a county directed

2:46:03program versus grants and and that's

2:46:07really where I want to get to is

2:46:09developing our administrative rules and

2:46:11and it it has been challenging with a a

2:46:14fund that's been you know threatened to

2:46:16be taken away after the end of five

2:46:19years right so um this gives a little

2:46:22bit of that uh ability to start doing

2:46:25that work because I you know I I do see

2:46:27that the council is is generally

2:46:30supportive of funds for homeless

2:46:33services and and I I think it would just

2:46:36be really challenging as a county not to

2:46:39have funds put towards these services.

2:46:42Bettering our accountability, having

2:46:44administrative rules, really being

2:46:46focused on where the funds are directed

2:46:49um that will all come it it already has

2:46:52evolved and and really um tightened up

2:46:55quite a bit over the last four years um

2:46:58and it'll continue

2:46:59>> and and and I think that I completely

2:47:02understand that there hasn't been

2:47:03[clears throat] an opportunity or even

2:47:05did it make sense to create rules.

2:47:08there's no guarantee that those those

2:47:10rules would happen at this point and and

2:47:12this is before us now and I I appreciate

2:47:15my my colleagues kind of understanding

2:47:16here but um you know there there is an

2:47:21opportunity here in this language to

2:47:23inject just something that would say and

2:47:25the the department shall create rules

2:47:29that make this determination. Um, I I

2:47:31again I can work with corporation

2:47:34council offline, but I think that

2:47:36there's there's an oversight element

2:47:38here that I'm concerned about. And um,

2:47:42with the budget process, right, we have

2:47:45that oversight piece about other funds

2:47:48that go to your office to support

2:47:50homelessness and housing and other

2:47:52things. This we've created this little

2:47:56loophole. You're not going to do this as

2:47:58an administrator, but there's an

2:47:59administrator that could come in and

2:48:01look at the $9 million fund and say,

2:48:02"I'm going to take it all and use it for

2:48:04all my programs and not actually make it

2:48:06available to nonprofits at all." That's

2:48:08my that's my concern with the way it's

2:48:10worded right now. And I just like we're,

2:48:13you know, you bring up a good point

2:48:14because we're a little bit at the

2:48:16crossroads right now in this coming

2:48:18year. This fund was a $12 million fund

2:48:20that has been reduced down to 9 million.

2:48:23So, we're already losing three million

2:48:24in services. Whether those are services

2:48:27that we would grant out through the

2:48:29grant process, chapter two, chapter two,

2:48:32or services that we would contract a

2:48:35nonprofit to do through through

2:48:37procurement. We're already at that place

2:48:39of how are we

2:48:42directing uh 3 million less in funds. So

2:48:46we will see um to council member

2:48:49Kagiwada's question we will see impacts

2:48:53this year not in the direction of funds

2:48:56but just in less funds available both to

2:48:59county services that we currently

2:49:02provide through office of housing and

2:49:04through the grant making

2:49:06considerably.

2:49:08So, Corporation Council, now that I've

2:49:10kind of described it a little bit more

2:49:12broadly, do you have a recommendation

2:49:15about some language that could be added

2:49:17to this that would

2:49:20provide that sort of intervention right

2:49:22at the decision-making point about where

2:49:24the how how and where the funds would be

2:49:26divided prior to there being rules in

2:49:29existence?

2:49:30>> Not not at the moment. I mean, I I' I'd

2:49:33like, you know, to think about it. Um,

2:49:36you know, you can look at it and say,

2:49:38well, when um OECD comes to the council

2:49:41and says, okay, of the 9 million, we're

2:49:44only going to use, you know, seven um or

2:49:477 million will go out to nonprofits. And

2:49:50then at that point, you know, they'll be

2:49:52they'll have to explain to the council

2:49:54what the 2 million is being used for

2:49:56within OCD. Um certainly if you all have

2:50:00objection to that you know questionable

2:50:03whether that money can then be

2:50:05reallocated you know having already gone

2:50:08through the RFP process and so this is

2:50:10these are the issues that I'm thinking

2:50:11about of just you know kind of adding

2:50:15you know a word here or there I don't

2:50:17want to you know inadvertently mess up

2:50:20the whole process that's already in

2:50:21place and um yeah I'll I'll I'll talk

2:50:26with corporation council in the and see

2:50:28if there's a solution there. But I I

2:50:31hope that what I'm reflecting as a

2:50:33concern is apparent to the rest of you.

2:50:36>> Okay. Um

2:50:39council members, we're just on the

2:50:40amendment yet. So, and it's been a long

2:50:43discussions, but Mr. Kimbo, you never

2:50:45talked yet. So,

2:50:46>> yeah. Thank you.

2:50:47>> Yes.

2:50:48>> I only talk when I feel like I need to.

2:50:50Okay. And I do need to right now just to

2:50:53support that. I mean, we're often super

2:50:57picky about language here. So to say now

2:50:59that we're like, you know, whatever.

2:51:01We're we're not going to be picky, I

2:51:03think, is hypocritical. So I think we

2:51:05should be picky here. We're it's a very

2:51:07important program for a lot of people

2:51:09that came in here. And so I think

2:51:14Mr.

2:51:15Hustus also brought this up. Um, so I

2:51:18think spending a little time to get the

2:51:21wording a little more precise would be

2:51:25wise.

2:51:26>> Okay. Chair Naba.

2:51:28>> Yeah. I I want to go back to the point

2:51:30Council Member Kagi brought up. The

2:51:33language in this amendment is to

2:51:36continue

2:51:38things as they have been. We're not

2:51:41trying to with the exception of the

2:51:44relocation services, everything else is

2:51:47to allow the department to continue. We

2:51:50also need to recognize that this is a

2:51:52two-year extension. So, it isn't

2:51:56setting

2:51:57and giving OECD a blank check to do what

2:52:00they want forever. they have been doing

2:52:04and choosing how much they want to keep

2:52:06and how much they want to grant out to

2:52:08the nonprofits and how much they want to

2:52:10do direct RFP. That's what this

2:52:12amendment is. So I think I I don't want

2:52:15us to be getting confused here. This is

2:52:17for continuation for two more years and

2:52:21as we had discussed in a prior committee

2:52:23meeting, it's for us to hopefully come

2:52:25back next year and have the audit

2:52:28report, have data from OCD and make

2:52:30those wise decisions. probably

2:52:34to take some of this language that we're

2:52:36inserting into the real property tax

2:52:38code right now out and have it live in

2:52:41our housing chapter and have a fully

2:52:43developed section for this program that

2:52:48we can reference in the real property

2:52:51tax section but not have lived there. So

2:52:53that's why we're trying to be very

2:52:54minimal and the permitted uses that were

2:52:57articulated here in this bill and here

2:52:59in the amendment as well are just to

2:53:01provide some guidelines for the things

2:53:05that we've already been spending on that

2:53:07we want to continue to support. So I

2:53:10just want to emphasize that point.

2:53:12>> Mr. Confelder thank you.

2:53:16You said one thing I just want to

2:53:17clarify. You said you only get $9

2:53:19million this year.

2:53:22Correct.

2:53:23>> It's not Well, the bill I'm looking at

2:53:26right now says no less than $9 million

2:53:28of the revenue. But does it?

2:53:31>> You're going to give us more.

2:53:33>> We are. Yeah.

2:53:35>> That's only nine.

2:53:37>> Yes.

2:53:38>> Because we did 10.1 in January 2025.

2:53:42>> Yes.

2:53:45>> Yes. It It's changed.

2:53:50The language in the code still says no

2:53:53less than $9 million of the revenue

2:53:55collected annually.

2:53:58>> Correct.

2:53:59>> Shall be which means no less than not no

2:54:01more than so you're not locked to $9

2:54:03million but should more revenue come in

2:54:05it could be higher.

2:54:10>> Go ahead chair.

2:54:12>> We can allocate more than 9 million. the

2:54:14department is the the mayor's

2:54:17administration will put in 9 million and

2:54:20we cannot go less than 9 million but

2:54:23should the administration or the council

2:54:25during the budget process choose to

2:54:29increase the amount allocated for this

2:54:32program we can do so as part of the

2:54:34budget program

2:54:35>> okay that was my understanding too thank

2:54:37you

2:54:39>> can I just clarify I'm sorry so we are

2:54:44working on our RFP for year four, year

2:54:47five currently, which is this fiscal

2:54:51year. We were allocated 9 million in

2:54:53this fiscal year, which is a decrease.

2:54:56So the new RFP that's going out, that's

2:54:59already set for this fiscal year.

2:55:02>> Thank you.

2:55:02>> Yeah.

2:55:03>> Okay, that's it, council members. So I'm

2:55:06going to close it. Okay, so couple

2:55:09questions. So the relocation that you

2:55:11folks put in yet now you me you

2:55:14mentioned about the state program that

2:55:16you go 50/50. Have you folks ever worked

2:55:18it with them before?

2:55:21I believe um some of our nonprofits

2:55:24participated in a orientation training

2:55:27with the state program and I have heard

2:55:30anecdotally that they there's been about

2:55:3330 participants that have taken

2:55:35advantage through our nonprofits. It

2:55:37doesn't come directly.

2:55:39>> But I'm just saying this is the process

2:55:41because what I hear the process to get

2:55:43that funding from the state takes a

2:55:46while. So it's not like how some of the

2:55:50nonprofits out there who can relocate

2:55:54faster than dealing with the state. So,

2:55:56I just kind of wanted to make that aware

2:55:58or make it public to know that with this

2:56:01relocation when they dealing with the

2:56:03state funding, it takes a while and and

2:56:05they require more paperwork, right? And

2:56:08so, just to make the public know that

2:56:10it's not going to just happen overnight

2:56:12like how you can see in certain other

2:56:14nonprofit it can happen overnight. Okay,

2:56:16so that's one. Second thing is this

2:56:20amendment passes when does it take

2:56:22effect?

2:56:27corporation council

2:56:30because now this becomes a bill right

2:56:33within the requirements. So now for your

2:56:36awarding or the RFP that went out

2:56:40already or is it going to be going out

2:56:43for the next

2:56:44>> it did not go out yet.

2:56:45>> Yeah. So then this would be included in

2:56:47that

2:56:48>> um

2:56:48>> if it passes during the time

2:56:54I'm going to assume no because this is

2:56:57an extension and year five is already

2:56:59underway, but

2:57:01>> she may answer.

2:57:02>> So, this amendment does it like for the

2:57:06two-year extension or this is from now

2:57:08if we if the mayor signs this

2:57:12and the RFP didn't go out yet?

2:57:14>> It would it would extend

2:57:16the

2:57:17>> No. When would the start date be?

2:57:19>> The effective date of this?

2:57:20>> Yes, correct.

2:57:22I'm trying to look for um language which

2:57:24speaks to effective date, but I would

2:57:28assume is upon

2:57:30>> Okay. So that means to make it clear to

2:57:32the public that if this passes and the

2:57:36RFP didn't go out yet, then this would

2:57:38be the requirements.

2:57:41>> No, she said it didn't.

2:57:43>> And and really I I don't see a a

2:57:46difference,

2:57:47>> right? I I just wanted to make it clear

2:57:48to the public that that's what's

2:57:50happening. Okay. And the last thing I

2:57:52have was Okay. So with the county

2:57:54programs

2:57:57meaning county program meaning any

2:57:59county program that is within the

2:58:02different departments or are we talking

2:58:04about just specifying to housing?

2:58:08>> So I can say what I in how I interpret

2:58:11things but I'm not court counsel. um

2:58:16you know it's under this fund is

2:58:18administered by the housing

2:58:19administrator under the office of

2:58:21housing so I don't know what the

2:58:23mechanism would be for this fund to go

2:58:25to other departments programs

2:58:27>> no but if they say they apply so if they

2:58:30do the same process like any nonprofit

2:58:32like for example we mentioned about how

2:58:34mass transit uses their funds their

2:58:38um funding to pay for security for the

2:58:42bus shelters Right. So, could mass

2:58:45transit apply for this funds to help

2:58:49with security and so forth? Or could

2:58:52community policing apply for some funds

2:58:55to help with them in curbing the

2:58:57homelessness in different areas?

2:59:03>> I would say the priority would be for

2:59:05the respective departments to use their

2:59:07own funding for things such as security

2:59:10related to homelessness.

2:59:11>> I understand it. But see but working

2:59:13with finance it's their budgets are

2:59:15tight already right and they couldn't

2:59:18>> so talking to finance this could have

2:59:21been and I think with this original

2:59:24intent was also for security and other

2:59:27purposes right

2:59:33because that's what I was told back then

2:59:36excuse me comments please

2:59:40keep it to yourself Okay,

2:59:44>> go ahead.

2:59:46>> So, I'm I'm not sure how that would be

2:59:50administered.

2:59:52Currently, this program administers

2:59:54grants to eligible nonprofits through

2:59:57chapter 2. So, we put out the request

3:00:00for grant applications. So, I don't know

3:00:03how what the mechanism would be for mass

3:00:06transit to apply for a grant. And then

3:00:09separately we put out an RFP procurement

3:00:12for contracted services a vendor to uh

3:00:17for us to contract for our shelter

3:00:19operations. I don't know how another

3:00:22department would would would

3:00:25apply to be a vendor to the county. So I

3:00:30don't know what the mechanisms would be

3:00:32to finance more about that. But then the

3:00:34thing is okay so when EOS came up with

3:00:36those first year you came up with all

3:00:39the priorities right it had all the

3:00:42listing right okay so I I'll talk to

3:00:45them about that

3:00:46>> so the first year was the strategic

3:00:49roadmap to end homelessness homelessness

3:00:52that that was the guiding document by

3:00:55which we put out the the RFP I don't

3:00:59believe um security

3:01:02was part of the strategic IC road map

3:01:04and I'm just kind of I apologize and I'm

3:01:06looking back through through this and

3:01:08I'm not sure if we cite the strategic

3:01:11road map in this current bill and I

3:01:13think that's why we're putting in the

3:01:15uses and it it it really lines up

3:01:17similarly to the original road map.

3:01:21>> Okay. Okay. All those in favor of um

3:01:26Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Sure. All All those in

3:01:29favor Oh, I'm sorry. So, let's have a

3:01:31roll call.

3:01:33Clerk

3:01:34>> on the motion to amend bill 192 draft 2

3:01:37with communication 1059.4.

3:01:40Council member Galima

3:01:41>> I.

3:01:42>> Council member Hustus

3:01:43>> I.

3:01:44>> Council member Kagiada.

3:01:45>> I.

3:01:46>> Council member Connie Lee Kleinfelder.

3:01:48>> Hi.

3:01:48>> Council member Kirkowitz.

3:01:50>> I.

3:01:50>> Council member Kimell.

3:01:51>> Hi.

3:01:53>> Council member Viegas.

3:01:54>> I.

3:01:56>> Teraba.

3:01:57>> I.

3:01:58>> Acting cherishi.

3:01:59>> I.

3:01:59>> Acting chair Nishi. You have nine votes

3:02:01in favor. The motion carries. Bill 192,

3:02:03draft 2 is amended per communication

3:02:051059.4.

3:02:07>> Okay. So, now we're back to bill 192 as

3:02:10amended. Mr. Houston.

3:02:12>> Thanks, Vice Chair. Sorry,

3:02:14administrator. [laughter]

3:02:16Um, since we're on the main motion, I

3:02:18just wanted to, as council member Viegas

3:02:21mentioned, I just want to mahal all the

3:02:22nonprofit organizations that were in

3:02:23this space today, sharing your mana and

3:02:25your experience in community. and I

3:02:27appreciate your partnership with them uh

3:02:29and the work that we do in community to

3:02:31kind of provide all those services, the

3:02:33amazing amount of services they provide.

3:02:34So, thank you very much administrator

3:02:38uh you know through this and and kind of

3:02:40continuing with the the housing housing

3:02:42and homelessness fund and I'm grateful

3:02:45for the conversation I had with you in

3:02:47terms of providing that update and I

3:02:48think you engaged with all the council

3:02:49members on that um kind of review of the

3:02:52program as well. still going to continue

3:02:54pushing geographic equity with the

3:02:56program, right? And I understand the our

3:02:59population centers have the the lion

3:03:01share of some of the challenges and the

3:03:04issues in community um and providing

3:03:06these services, but our rural

3:03:08communities really struggle and and

3:03:11especially in timely delivery of

3:03:14services, right? That's that's the

3:03:16biggest issue I see in in our rural

3:03:18communities and it's something we still

3:03:20have to strive towards and finding uh

3:03:22the appropriate partners in those spaces

3:03:24who we can rely upon to deliver those

3:03:26services and a lot of our communities

3:03:27don't necessarily have that. So we look

3:03:28to others some of our larger

3:03:30organizations that can deliver but it's

3:03:32still a timing issue because sometimes

3:03:34those issues they come they come fast

3:03:36and furious and and community doesn't

3:03:39always know how to respond. So that's

3:03:40why we rely on our our community

3:03:42policing officers and HPD uh for front

3:03:46line and then a day couple days later

3:03:49then the other services come in. So

3:03:50there sometimes there is that that gap

3:03:52in in delivery. Um, the other the other

3:03:55piece that I still think we need to

3:03:57track and maybe the audit will deliver

3:04:00on some of this or point to some of

3:04:02this, but the county inputs are one side

3:04:06of it, but we don't necessarily, and

3:04:09we've talked about this, you and I,

3:04:11about the state inputs and what's there,

3:04:14what more could be, you know, accessed,

3:04:17what are we missing, how do we need to

3:04:19push our state legislators, uh, and

3:04:21administration there too to kind of pull

3:04:23more of those resources into the mix as

3:04:25well. I think that's a big piece that's

3:04:27kind of missing in part of the

3:04:28conversation. So, I'll just leave it at

3:04:30those two points, but thank you,

3:04:32administrator. Thank you, Vice Chair.

3:04:33>> Okay, Mr. Ki Kleinfelder.

3:04:36>> Thank you. Uh I know I've had I think

3:04:38public works, are you here for this? So,

3:04:40I did ask you guys to be here to weigh

3:04:42in a little bit. So, I'm going to ask

3:04:44you then. [laughter]

3:04:48I asked police department. I asked parks

3:04:50and recreation. I asked mass transit

3:04:54and public works. Mr. Director, deputy

3:04:58director, could you come up?

3:05:04>> I'm gonna come back to you, Miss Costa.

3:05:10>> Yes, he does.

3:05:14Neil, I I look at this in the

3:05:19holistically as a big picture.

3:05:21Homelessness affects every part of our

3:05:23county, nonprofits, community,

3:05:25businesses,

3:05:27um, office of housing, community

3:05:28development, council, and our different

3:05:30departments. Police department came in

3:05:33and they spoke to amount of calls for

3:05:35service. They respond to 20,000 in 2026.

3:05:38And they don't track, they just started

3:05:40tracking. So, I'm I'm sure those numbers

3:05:43probably a little bit off, but they

3:05:45provided numbers and a basic value to

3:05:47that, $500,000 roughly. Every time

3:05:50there's a call for service, that's two

3:05:51less officers who can respond to another

3:05:53call. I asked public works the same

3:05:56question. So, as in the in the public

3:05:59works view, sidewalks, u garbage cans,

3:06:03things that you folks have to take care

3:06:05of for a community so that we look

3:06:07presentable, roads, those kind of

3:06:09things. Are you affected by homeless

3:06:12services? Do you track that

3:06:13homelessness,

3:06:16houselessness,

3:06:17and do you track that information at all

3:06:19within your department?

3:06:22Neil as the deputy director of public

3:06:24works. Yes, we do. We track everything

3:06:25what we do for cleaning up homelessness

3:06:28from sidewalks to drainage and all

3:06:32anything within the county easement. We

3:06:34track everything we collect with our our

3:06:37quick capture and our GIS.

3:06:39>> Okay. Can you provide a figure to the

3:06:41council?

3:06:45>> I can't.

3:06:45>> There's one more hearing for this bill.

3:06:47>> There's a lot.

3:06:47>> There's a lot.

3:06:48>> Yeah, there's a lot we do. As soon as

3:06:50HPD call us, we help them, assist them

3:06:52or shop owners,

3:06:54any, you know, anybody call, we help

3:06:56them. We clean up whatever out there.

3:07:00>> Okay, that's that is my understand.

3:07:02>> No number right now.

3:07:03>> Please put together a figure. I'd like

3:07:06to see what you guys numbers look like.

3:07:08What I'm really looking for is this was

3:07:10passed in 2022, became in effect 2023.

3:07:15We funded it, I fairly massively. If you

3:07:18look at how much money we need for

3:07:20projects in the county, how much it

3:07:22costs to pave a mile roadway.

3:07:25A fair amount of funding between

3:07:26affordable housing production and HHF,

3:07:29homeless and housing fund has been

3:07:30provided into the community to effect

3:07:33homelessness. But what I also see

3:07:36sitting here for a long time is that the

3:07:39departments are quiet. But quiet doesn't

3:07:42mean that there's not an effect on you

3:07:44guys. You guys just quiet. You do your

3:07:46jobs, you go home. Parks and wreck

3:07:48spends $2 million a year on security

3:07:51services. I have that number for anyone

3:07:54who has questions. $2 million a year

3:07:56really to make sure that our parks are

3:07:58safe for our community to be in

3:08:02so our kids feel comfortable. are ohana

3:08:05feel comfortable in the parks. So if you

3:08:08can get a figure back to me just just a

3:08:10rough estimate on what you expect to

3:08:14budget for overtime for salary and wages

3:08:18for the amount of things that you do to

3:08:19keep our community presentable and clean

3:08:21for the public and for visitors. I would

3:08:24appreciate the information because this

3:08:25body is going to move forward with

3:08:27extending this deadline without having

3:08:29an audit in place and realizing how much

3:08:32funding we're putting into homelessness

3:08:34for our nonprofits to provide a service

3:08:37which

3:08:38some people would say is questionable. I

3:08:41think we need good information to base

3:08:43that on.

3:08:44>> Got I'll provide you whatever we got.

3:08:46>> Okay. I love what you said already a lot

3:08:49and that's that is classic director you

3:08:50know Neil as a veto all statement but

3:08:53it's it's clear there is an impact um

3:08:57like police department not a clear

3:08:58number though this is the best estimate

3:09:00we have because no one ever asked us to

3:09:01track the information okay thank you Mr.

3:09:06Uh, so we heard from police roughly a

3:09:10half million dollars a year, 2,000 plus

3:09:12calls for service. That's only for 2026

3:09:14and we're not through 2026 yet. Parks

3:09:17and wreck, $2 million a year. Public

3:09:19works to be decided. Mass transit

3:09:21security issue needs. Um, back to you,

3:09:24Miss Costa.

3:09:26What Mr. Onishi asked,

3:09:30can the county come in and ask for these

3:09:32same funds? Can they be directed? And is

3:09:35it clear enough? Because I think that

3:09:36they should. We're already budgeting it

3:09:39from our general fund. The tax revenue

3:09:43that supports the homeless and housing

3:09:44fund is from general fund tax revenue.

3:09:50We have to be

3:09:53we have to

3:09:56be accountable, which is the the magic

3:09:58keyword from all of our nonprofits. We

3:10:00as a council have to be accountable for

3:10:01the tax revenue that we put into this

3:10:03bucket.

3:10:04and see what result we're getting. So,

3:10:07what I see is a departmental need.

3:10:10So, can the can OCD provide funds to our

3:10:14different departments for the services

3:10:15that they're providing to our community

3:10:17on top of their existing budgets that

3:10:20would address the homeless situation?

3:10:25>> I'm not sure what the mechanism would be

3:10:28for that.

3:10:34Okay, I'm gonna come back because I have

3:10:36more questions

3:10:39that I heard that before. Let's find out

3:10:41what the mechanism is and let's make

3:10:43sure it's in this bill. That's where I'm

3:10:45headed. Okay. Thank you,

3:10:49>> Chair Noble.

3:10:50>> Yeah. Just in response, I know both of

3:10:52you, Vice Cherish, um, Council Member

3:10:55Kane Kleinfelder brought up

3:10:58on potential transfers or funding of

3:11:02other departments. Again, the bill

3:11:04before us right now doesn't intend to do

3:11:07that. It intends to keep what we've been

3:11:10doing for since the inception of this

3:11:12program going.

3:11:15The main discussion on where we want to

3:11:18see this program

3:11:20is going to happen

3:11:23hopefully next year. But we're not

3:11:26trying to, as I pointed out, be so

3:11:30prescriptive within this section of real

3:11:33property tax code for a homeless

3:11:37housing and homeless program. So that

3:11:40that isn't the intention of this. The

3:11:42intention of this is extension of the

3:11:45current program awaiting the results of

3:11:49the audit so that we can make those

3:11:51determinations.

3:11:53And I think something that was

3:11:54highlighted today was perhaps better

3:11:57coordination between OCD,

3:12:01HPD, Parks and Recreation, the

3:12:04Department of Public Works, and our

3:12:06nonprofit providers because

3:12:09I think we generally know, but I think

3:12:12when we're committing funds like this,

3:12:14there's going to be there's going to

3:12:16need to be better coordination. and some

3:12:18of that coordination I think this

3:12:21council can prescribe in code as part of

3:12:23a future bill not this bill here. Thank

3:12:26you. Okay, any other members?

3:12:31Okay, [laughter]

3:12:34go ahead.

3:12:34>> Right. I I appreciate the latitude. I

3:12:36just I'm not going to be here when this

3:12:38comes back and

3:12:42however you all may feel about that.

3:12:44That's fine.

3:12:46[laughter]

3:12:47But what I hear a lot of this body is we

3:12:50have to make good decisions based on

3:12:52good data. When I go back, the only

3:12:55baseline we have for the numbers that I

3:12:56hear presented by the nonprofits is

3:12:58something around 2,000.

3:13:00That data is usually a point in time

3:13:03study which is one night once a year

3:13:07which provides the background on how

3:13:09much funds come to the county of Hawaii

3:13:11for nonprofit services and then we use

3:13:14that as our baseline for everything. I

3:13:17read through the SAS study. We don't

3:13:19have the audit yet. The SAS study

3:13:23touched on a few things that I think are

3:13:25important. The CED

3:13:28community engagement division fiscal

3:13:30accountability that was outlined. Can

3:13:33you speak to fiscal accountability on

3:13:35behalf of the way we review our

3:13:37programs, we review our nonprofits if

3:13:39that's gotten better? Because this was

3:13:42something that was highlighted in the

3:13:43the study. Mr. Aso, I'm I'm good. I'm

3:13:45done.

3:13:49>> [laughter]

3:13:54>> I can I'm not the I I to get into the

3:13:57the steps. I would want my um

3:14:01administrative services officer to be

3:14:03here. We have a full account department

3:14:06and and our program staff. I'd want our

3:14:08program staff to be here to talk about

3:14:10how we um uh this is a reimbursement

3:14:14program and how we do field audits and

3:14:18how we review the financials of all the

3:14:20nonprofits before awarding and then

3:14:24regular financial um reporting to the

3:14:27office of housing and the accounts team

3:14:30that works on that and does the field

3:14:32audits of the nonprofits for the

3:14:34programs. um to really give a good

3:14:37picture of how um the depth of our

3:14:40accountability and our auditing from our

3:14:42office to the nonprofits. I'd like to do

3:14:44that at the next meeting because it's

3:14:46robust and I I really want the

3:14:49opportunity for our team to present on

3:14:51that. I'm the director. I'm high level.

3:14:54I know what what is going on, but I'd

3:14:56like them to explain the steps in the

3:14:58detail. Um I think that's something

3:14:59that's often lost on the council. uh is

3:15:03what our internal accounting is for the

3:15:07this program. Um and I'm I'm proud of

3:15:09it. Uh so I I would like to do that at

3:15:13our at our next bill.

3:15:15>> Yes, please.

3:15:15>> Yeah.

3:15:16>> And I I would ask you to step dig in a

3:15:18little bit on some of the numbers maybe

3:15:19in the last year or two where the the

3:15:21larger figures were being granted out

3:15:24outcomes, objectives, uh reporting by

3:15:26nonprofits, what measures you in light

3:15:29of having no audit.

3:15:31I'm not comfortable moving this forward.

3:15:33>> Understood.

3:15:34>> And extending a deadline when there is

3:15:36no data and this this just bugs me. So,

3:15:38so I thank you for that. Um, did you

3:15:41increase staffing in those in the CED?

3:15:45>> Um, we're actually we actually have

3:15:47vacancies right now. We've lost staff.

3:15:49So, we have not increased staffing. Um,

3:15:51we are attempting to add or we we have

3:15:55um recruited for one new position. We

3:15:58also have two vacancies. Um the new

3:16:01position would be a West Hawaii

3:16:03coordinator um to bring some of that

3:16:05geographic um equity and um that we've

3:16:10currently recruited for. But again, a

3:16:13year-to-year fund with staffing that is

3:16:16on year-to-year contracts.

3:16:17Unfortunately, we use we have high staff

3:16:20turnover. They they leave because there

3:16:22isn't permanence for the position. So,

3:16:25it's it's challenging. I think our

3:16:27longest staff on this project has on

3:16:31this program has been in maybe 18

3:16:34months.

3:16:34>> Okay. Thank you.

3:16:36>> As far as program staff, accounts,

3:16:39they're they're part of our county

3:16:41funded department. So, our accounts team

3:16:44has longevity.

3:16:46>> Okay. Thank you.

3:16:47>> And then metrics and data that was that

3:16:49was highlighted again and again and

3:16:50again throughout the SAS report.

3:16:53Do you have a baseline 2022 2021 of what

3:16:56was existing and then what we have now

3:16:58comparatively?

3:16:58>> So I' I've met with almost all of the

3:17:00council members in the past couple of

3:17:02weeks. Um reached out to your office.

3:17:05>> Um

3:17:07so we come to you with a year three

3:17:09impact report uh impact an annual impact

3:17:12report. Um this year in light of the

3:17:15audit we are preparing our impact report

3:17:18but want to wanted to bring it around

3:17:21the time that we have our audit so that

3:17:23we can incorporate we're waiting for the

3:17:25audit also so that we can incorporate

3:17:27along with our impact recommendations

3:17:30moving forward. That's really important

3:17:32to me. Um so we haven't come to you with

3:17:36our metrics and data because we are also

3:17:41waiting on the audit. um we have it, we

3:17:44have our metrics and our data. I think

3:17:47what has been um kind of

3:17:51surprise a surprise to us was that this

3:17:54bill came up, right? So, you have

3:17:56communication from our nonprofits that

3:17:58it's kind of the ecosystems um impact

3:18:02report of how this fund has a affected.

3:18:05There are some metrics in there. there's

3:18:07some data in there. Um, from the

3:18:09nonprofits, Office of Housing did not

3:18:11put that report together. Um, so it's a

3:18:14little bit of an awkward step there. Um,

3:18:17but we'll we will bring it. I don't know

3:18:19if it's appropriate to bring at um the

3:18:22second reading of this bill or or if we

3:18:24introduce it at a later time for a

3:18:26presentation.

3:18:27>> I I think it'd be fitting for this bill

3:18:29again given we're all waiting on this

3:18:31magical audit. The unicorn hasn't landed

3:18:34yet. So here we are waiting for

3:18:36something to give us a baseline on

3:18:38whether we should extend or not extend.

3:18:40Yeah, this this really comes back to the

3:18:42heart of the maker of this bill that

3:18:45created this said five years is a sunset

3:18:48because I want to see if this is an

3:18:50efficient use of tax funds before we

3:18:52continue. So this audit became this

3:18:55piece I thought we were waiting on to

3:18:56make the decision but then boom, here's

3:18:58the bill. So,

3:19:01um, I'll try and wrap it up.

3:19:05What is the what are the mayors what I I

3:19:07think the disconnect for me is what I

3:19:10view this fund is doing, what I hear

3:19:13from communities for what they're seeing

3:19:16and then what the priorities of the

3:19:20mayor's working group in directing OCD

3:19:23to accomplish.

3:19:25What is the working group priorities

3:19:27right now as it stands?

3:19:30>> I think that would be best for the

3:19:32mayor's uh representative to speak to.

3:19:36>> Okay. Well, rephrase it. What is the

3:19:38OCD's

3:19:40priorities as provided by the

3:19:42administration?

3:19:43>> Yeah. So, our our priorities for the

3:19:47homeless fund, which I have had um you

3:19:50know, written on my my board in my

3:19:52office for quite a while. Um,

3:19:58you know, our our number one priority is

3:20:01to provide pathways to housing

3:20:04stabilization, to prevent homelessness,

3:20:07and to provide pathways to housing

3:20:09stabilization. So, the pathway to

3:20:13housing stabil stabilization for many

3:20:15individuals is very complex. So these

3:20:19are all the nonprofits that you see here

3:20:21where where we we understand from the

3:20:26point of homelessness. I mean it, you

3:20:28know, we we're we we'd like to we like

3:20:32to put most of our funds in diversion

3:20:35and prevention and I think that is not

3:20:38what you always see. You don't see the

3:20:41efforts on diversion and prevention. How

3:20:43we prevent individuals from

3:20:46homelessness.

3:20:47um you see the the the increase of

3:20:51chronic home chronic homeless and

3:20:54increase in chronic homelessness which

3:20:59what's what's challenging is as as the

3:21:02years have gone on and I've only been in

3:21:04this position for two years but where

3:21:06we've shifted from we need more housing

3:21:10to we also need more mental and

3:21:12behavioral health services so

3:21:16That piece I think is the critical piece

3:21:18that's missing. We're doing wonderfully

3:21:22on on our diversion and prevention

3:21:25programs. We have a incredible

3:21:29engagement team and data collection. You

3:21:32talked about point in time count. We

3:21:34actually have a daily point in time

3:21:35count. We take census. We have a

3:21:38homeless census program. Um we can tell

3:21:42you in month's end what our homeless

3:21:44count looks like. We've put a lot of um

3:21:48effort into building a system that works

3:21:51well together to understand the needs of

3:21:54our homeless population.

3:21:56The data around homelessness.

3:22:01What we I think as a county are really

3:22:04trying to address is the mental health

3:22:08and behavioral health uh medical piece

3:22:11that's missing. And that right now is

3:22:14the identified gap.

3:22:16>> It's funny. I remember year or two ago I

3:22:19put forward a bill to actually add

3:22:21mental health to this section and this

3:22:23council adamantly shut it down. It was

3:22:26cute. Now we're back to the same place.

3:22:29Um okay.

3:22:32The one one thing that stood out in what

3:22:34you were talking about outcomes data for

3:22:37me efficacy of funding. But the admin

3:22:40rule piece, we've been talking about

3:22:41that for two years. Has there been any

3:22:44progress made on admin rules

3:22:47and the and the creation of which to

3:22:49help?

3:22:52We have not developed admin rules.

3:22:56>> Okay.

3:22:56>> For this fund

3:22:58uh particular particularly I believe

3:23:03around the idea that it's a five-year

3:23:06program. It's a pilot program. And

3:23:08there's a question whether the program

3:23:10is effective and would extend.

3:23:14>> I get that. I see the logic. My brain

3:23:17goes the other way. If I got five years

3:23:18to prove something works, I'm going to

3:23:20bust my ass to make it work and within

3:23:22year two, three, not wait till year

3:23:24four, five, understanding you came in

3:23:26two years. You know, you only been two

3:23:27years in, but not wait until year four

3:23:30to think about how we can

3:23:34really make this shine. We're kind of

3:23:36kind of late as far as that. And I know

3:23:38we've had this discussion within

3:23:41the last year or so this came up. Okay.

3:23:44Good.

3:23:46Okay. I don't want to bore anybody.

3:23:48Thank you for answering my questions.

3:23:49Appreciate it. Thank you to the

3:23:50departments that came in today.

3:23:52Appreciate you.

3:23:54>> Okay. Any other members? If not, I'm

3:23:57going to close it out. So, I'm going

3:23:58also not support this right now. And my

3:24:01reason is because I wanted to wait for

3:24:03the audit because that was back last

3:24:07year or whatever was one thing that we

3:24:10wanted to see or members wanted to see.

3:24:13So to me to extend would be not fiscally

3:24:17responsible and so I can continue to not

3:24:21support this. Uh clerk uh Mr. Cler roll

3:24:24call please.

3:24:28>> Excuse me. sharing.

3:24:31>> Yeah. I'm wondering if um the department

3:24:33needs time or do you folks want to just

3:24:37see it proceed

3:24:40to the next council meeting to put

3:24:43together some of the information? And

3:24:45then I know council member Kane

3:24:47Kleinfelder is also bringing up um

3:24:51information from

3:24:54the department of public works. Is you

3:24:57want to chime in?

3:24:59I'm comfortable with a proceeding. I can

3:25:01be prepared at the next meeting with

3:25:03with the questions that were asked. Um

3:25:06it you know we we have the data. We have

3:25:10our um our reports.

3:25:14>> Okay.

3:25:14>> I'm good. Yeah.

3:25:15>> Okay. Mr. Clerk, roll call

3:25:17>> on the motion to pass bill 192 draft 2

3:25:20as further amended on first reading.

3:25:22Council member Gima

3:25:24>> I.

3:25:25>> Council [snorts] member Hustus.

3:25:26>> I. Council member Kagiada.

3:25:28>> Hi.

3:25:29>> Council member Connley Clampfelder.

3:25:30>> No.

3:25:31>> Council member Kirkowitz.

3:25:33>> Hi.

3:25:33>> Council member Kimbell.

3:25:34>> Hi.

3:25:36>> Council member Viegas.

3:25:38>> I.

3:25:39>> Cherry Nava.

3:25:40>> I.

3:25:40>> Acting Chair Onishi.

3:25:42>> No.

3:25:43>> Acting Chair Onishi, you have seven

3:25:44votes in favor with yourself and council

3:25:46member Connie Kleinfelder voting no. The

3:25:48motion carries. Bill 192 draft 2 as

3:25:52amended. Passes first reading.

3:25:54>> Mr. Can you for the record that show

3:25:56that I'm going to turn the chair back

3:25:58over to Chair Nava? Yes. At

3:26:00>> um 12:25.

3:26:02>> Yes. Thank you. Um we're just going to

3:26:04take one resolution and we're going to

3:26:05take a 10-minute break. Resolution 681,

3:26:07please. Um prior to reading that in,

3:26:09could I um just make anformational

3:26:11announcement? I know there's a lot of

3:26:12interest in this bill and it is moving

3:26:14forward and that the Hilo Chambers will

3:26:17not be open at the next meeting. So just

3:26:20want to remind people administrators and

3:26:22anybody that's getting involved the need

3:26:24to participate by Zoom come to Kona or

3:26:25one of our courtesy sites. Thank you.

3:26:28>> 680 681

3:26:32>> chair

3:26:33>> 681.

3:26:38Is there any testimony for resolution

3:26:39681?

3:26:45Hearing none. Resolution 6A1 transfers

3:26:47appropriation appropriation out and from

3:26:49a designated fund account and credit

3:26:51sane to a designated fund account for

3:26:53the Hawaii Police Department to purchase

3:26:54Kiki ID equipment and supplies.

3:26:56Transfers $2,333 from the per council

3:26:59services contingency relief account

3:27:01council district 3 and credits to the

3:27:04police department Hawaii a police

3:27:05activities league other current expenses

3:27:06account introduced by council member

3:27:08onishi.

3:27:09>> Motion to approve resolution 681-26.

3:27:13Moved by Vice Chair Onishi, seconded by

3:27:15council member Kirkowitz to approve

3:27:17resolution 681-26. Vice Chair Onishi.

3:27:20>> Thank you, Chair. Lieutenant Panga, you

3:27:22want to kind of just give brief about

3:27:25what's this all about and then you know

3:27:27like I I'm kind of making it I guess

3:27:30letting lieutenant explain because all

3:27:32the districts you folks have activities

3:27:34sometimes you folks request community

3:27:35police to come out and do KKIDS and

3:27:38they're limited in equipment and so

3:27:40forth. So what I just heard this past

3:27:42Saturday was that with this new

3:27:45equipment I'm providing the kilo area

3:27:48the old ones going to go out to the

3:27:50other districts because they don't have

3:27:52and the demand is there. So Lieutenant

3:27:55go ahead

3:27:56chair council members. Um my name is

3:27:58Lieutenant Ryan Pagan uh Hilo community

3:28:00policing. I just want to thank you guys

3:28:02for having me here today. So um the KK

3:28:05machines um they're we use them at a lot

3:28:08of their our events. Um, currently in

3:28:10the Hilo district, we have only three.

3:28:13One is kind of old, so we don't really

3:28:14use it, but the Puna district has one

3:28:17that's um, good to go. So, they're doing

3:28:19a lot of events as well. So, I want to

3:28:21say at least three4s of the events that

3:28:23we do in the community are require the

3:28:26KKK. And then when Honuka Hamoku does

3:28:28theirs, also um, he has to come in um,

3:28:31of Sunishimoto and borrow our KK

3:28:33machine. So, that takes one of ours um,

3:28:36out of the um, the queue. So with this

3:28:39new one, um it'll provide more

3:28:41opportunity for us to do more events and

3:28:43provide more Kiki IDs to the community,

3:28:46which is a huge success um to the Kiki

3:28:49community.

3:28:51>> Thank you, Lieutenant. And so I'm just

3:28:53asking for your support and if not u for

3:28:55members, you guys can reach out to

3:28:57Lieutenant Pan and say you would want to

3:28:59help purchase, you know, one for your

3:29:02district. I

3:29:03>> thank you, Council Member Kimell. Yeah,

3:29:05just it was been an offer that um please

3:29:07reach out to my office. If you'd like to

3:29:09purchase one specifically for district

3:29:11one, I wasn't aware you didn't have

3:29:13access to one. Thank you.

3:29:15>> Thank you. All those in favor of

3:29:16approving resolution 681-26, please say

3:29:19I.

3:29:19>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

3:29:22Resolution 681-26 is approved. We're

3:29:26going to take a brief recess um for a

3:29:28bio break. We'll be back at 12:40 p.m.

3:42:28Is there any testimony for resolution

3:42:30671-26?

3:42:33Hearing none, resolution 671-26

3:42:35authorized payment of funds of later

3:42:37fiscal years to enter a multi-year lease

3:42:39agreement for three grapple trucks used

3:42:41by Department of Public Works.

3:42:42authorizes the mayor to enter a 5-year

3:42:44lease agreement with an approximate

3:42:46total annual cost of $225,000

3:42:49to use beer to be used for emergency

3:42:50response for down trees, clearing

3:42:52drains, removing dead animals, and

3:42:54regular road maintenance work introduced

3:42:55by council member Connie Clanfelder by

3:42:57request.

3:42:58>> Chair motion to approve resolution

3:43:00671-26.

3:43:02>> Moved by council member Connie E.

3:43:03Kleinfelder, seconded by council member

3:43:05Huis to approve resolution 671-26.

3:43:08All those in favor, please say I. Any

3:43:11opposed? Motion carries. Six eyes's

3:43:14three ex uh absent. Council members

3:43:18Kimba, Council Member Kirkowitz, and

3:43:21Vice Chair Onishi. Resolution 671-26

3:43:25is approved. Is there any testimony for

3:43:27resolution 672-26?

3:43:31Hearing none. Resolution 672-26 author

3:43:34authorizes the payment of funds of later

3:43:35fiscal years to enter a multi-year lease

3:43:38agreement for an excavator with a

3:43:39mulching unit to be used by the

3:43:40Department of Public Works. Authorizes

3:43:42the mayor to enter into a 5-year lease

3:43:44agreement with an approximate toll and a

3:43:46cost of $80,000 to be used for roadside

3:43:48repair, debris removal, clearing flood

3:43:50channels, and digging trenches

3:43:51introduced by council member Connie

3:43:53Clanfelder by request.

3:43:54>> Is there a motion to approve resolution

3:43:56672-26?

3:43:58Moved by council member Kanye

3:44:00Kleinfelder, seconded by council member

3:44:01Hustus to approve resolution 672-26.

3:44:04All those in favor, please say I. Any

3:44:07opposed? Motion carries, eight eyes, one

3:44:10absent. Council member Onishi,

3:44:12resolution 672-26 is approved. Is there

3:44:16any testimony for resolution 673-26?

3:44:20Hearing none. Resolution 673-26

3:44:22authorized payment of funds of later

3:44:24fiscal years to enter into enter into a

3:44:25multi-year lease agreement for a crew

3:44:27cab pickup truck to be used by the

3:44:28department of public works. Authorize

3:44:30the mayor to enter a 5-year lease

3:44:31agreement with approximate total annual

3:44:33cost of $19,000 to be utilized by the

3:44:36department's highway maintenance

3:44:37division. Introduced by council member

3:44:39Connelly Kleinfelder by request.

3:44:41>> Chair motion to adopt resolution 673-26.

3:44:45Moved by council member Kanye

3:44:47Kleinfelder, seconded by council member

3:44:48Galima to approve resolution 673-26.

3:44:52All those in favor, please say I. Any

3:44:54opposed? Motion carries, eight eyes, one

3:44:56absent. Vice Chair Nishi, resolution

3:44:58673-26

3:45:00is approved. Uh, deputy director, are

3:45:03there any other agenda items you're here

3:45:05for today?

3:45:08>> Okay. 682, please.

3:45:09>> Is there any testimony of resolution

3:45:11682-26?

3:45:14Hearing

3:45:16none. Resolution 682-26 authorizes the

3:45:18payment of funds of later fiscal years

3:45:20to enter into a military lease agreement

3:45:22for one multifunction copy machine to be

3:45:24used by the department of public works.

3:45:25Authorize the mayor to enter a 5-year

3:45:27lease agreement with an approximate

3:45:28monthly cost of $336.68

3:45:31to be used by the department's highway

3:45:32division administration section in Hilo.

3:45:35Introduced by council member Connley

3:45:36Kleinfelder by request.

3:45:38>> Motion to adopt resolution 682-26.

3:45:42Moved by council member Kanye

3:45:43Kleinfelder, seconded by council member

3:45:45Houston to approve resolution 682-26.

3:45:48All those in favor, please say I. Any

3:45:51opposed? Motion carries. Eight eyes, one

3:45:53absent. Vice chair Nishi. Resolution

3:45:55682-26 is approved. Thank you both for

3:45:59your patience. From the top,

3:46:01>> is there any testimony for resolution

3:46:03674-26?

3:46:07Hearing none. Resolution 674-26

3:46:10authorized the payment of funds of later

3:46:11fiscal years to enter a multi-year

3:46:14subscription agreement for proprietary

3:46:16legal research and investigative

3:46:17software to be used by the office of

3:46:18prosecuting attorney. Authorized the

3:46:20mayor to enter a 5-year agreement with

3:46:22an approximate monthly cost of $697 for

3:46:25the clear online investigative research

3:46:27subscription introduced by council

3:46:28member Connie Clanilder by request.

3:46:31>> Motion to adopt resolution 674-26.

3:46:36Moved by council member Kane Lee

3:46:38Kleinfelder, seconded by council member

3:46:40Gimba to approve resolution 674-26.

3:46:45All those in favor, please say I. Any

3:46:48opposed? Motion carries. Eight eyes, one

3:46:50absent. Council member Onishi,

3:46:52resolution 674-26

3:46:54is approved.

3:46:56Is there any testimony for resolution

3:46:58675-26?

3:47:01Hearing none. Resolution 675-26

3:47:04authorized the payment of funds from

3:47:05later fiscal years to enter into a

3:47:07multi-year subscription agreement for

3:47:08proprietary online legal research

3:47:10services to use by the office prosecute

3:47:12attorney. Authorize the mayor to enter

3:47:14into a 5-year agreement with an

3:47:15approximate monthly cost of $4,835

3:47:19for continued use of the West Law for

3:47:20trial preparation and online legal

3:47:22research service. Introduced by council

3:47:24member Connelly Kleboter by request.

3:47:26>> A motion to adopt resolution 675-26.

3:47:30Moved by council member Kanye

3:47:31Kleinfelder. Seconded by council member

3:47:33Eustus to approve resolution 675-26.

3:47:36All those in favor please say I. Any

3:47:39opposed? Motion carries. Eight eyes, one

3:47:41absent. Vice chair Nishi. Resolution

3:47:43675-26 is approved. Is there any

3:47:46testimony for resolution 679-26?

3:47:50Hearing none. Resolution 679-26

3:47:52transfers appropriates an appropriation

3:47:54out from a designated fund account and

3:47:56credit s to a designated fund account

3:47:58grant to the GG Foundation for the

3:47:59expenses related to the 7th annual TIS

3:48:01the season event transfers $2,500 in

3:48:04clerk council services contingency

3:48:06relief account counts district 3 and

3:48:08credits department of parks recreation

3:48:10administration of the current expenses

3:48:11account introduced by council member

3:48:12onishi

3:48:13>> chair move to approve resolution 679-26

3:48:17>> moved by council member Houston seconded

3:48:19by council member for Kanye e client

3:48:21filter to approve resolution 679-26.

3:48:25Um just for the public's awareness, this

3:48:28is a free holiday community event held

3:48:31on December 19th at the Edith Konako

3:48:34multi-purpose stadium. Uh encourage the

3:48:37public to attend that day. All those in

3:48:39favor of approving resolution 679-26,

3:48:42please say I. Any opposed? Motion

3:48:45carries. Eight eyes, one absent. Vice

3:48:47Chair Onishi, resolution 679-26

3:48:51is approved.

3:48:52>> Is there any testimony for resolution

3:48:54680-26?

3:48:57Hearing none, resolution 680-26

3:49:00transfers, appropriates, and

3:49:01appropriation out and from a designated

3:49:03fund account and credit saint to a

3:49:04designated fund account to buy a grant

3:49:06to the Lions Club of Kona Community

3:49:07Foundation Incorporated for expenses

3:49:10relating to the 40th annual Capuna Hula

3:49:12Festival. transfers $1,500 of clerk

3:49:14council services contingency relief

3:49:16account council district 3 and credits

3:49:18department control public programs

3:49:19account introduced by council Onishi.

3:49:22>> Move to approve resolution 680-26.

3:49:26>> Moved by council member Houston,

3:49:27seconded by council member Kanye

3:49:29Kleinfelder to approve resolution

3:49:31680-26.

3:49:32All those in favor please say I. Any

3:49:35opposed? Motion carries. Eight eyes, one

3:49:37absent. Vice Chair Nishi, resolution

3:49:39680-26

3:49:41is approved. Is there any testimony for

3:49:44resolution 683-26?

3:49:48Hearing none, resolution 683-26

3:49:50transfers, appropriates an appropriation

3:49:52out from a designated fund account. A

3:49:54credit sane to a designated fund account

3:49:56for a grant to the Big Island Lions

3:49:57Foundation for the 2026 Downtown Hilo

3:50:00Christmas lights parade. transfers

3:50:02$2,000 of cler council services

3:50:03contingency relief account council

3:50:05district 1 and credits to department

3:50:07control programs account introduced by

3:50:09council member Kimble

3:50:10>> move to approve

3:50:12>> moved by council member Kimble seconded

3:50:14by council member Kimboa to approve

3:50:15resolution 683-26

3:50:17all those in favor please say I any

3:50:20opposed motion carries eight I's one

3:50:22absent vice chair Nishi resolution

3:50:24683-26 is approved is there any

3:50:27testimony of resolution 684-26 Six

3:50:31hearing none. Resolution 684-26

3:50:33transfers appropriates an appropriation

3:50:35out from a designated fund account.

3:50:36Credit saint to a designated fund

3:50:38accounted grant to Hamoku Youth

3:50:40Foundation Incorporated for its Hamakua

3:50:41Youth Center Programs. Transfers $5,000

3:50:44from the clerk council services

3:50:45contingency relief account district 1

3:50:48and credits to the department of liquor

3:50:49control public programs account

3:50:50introduced by council member Kimble.

3:50:52>> Move to approve. Moved by council member

3:50:55Kimbo, seconded by council member Gimba

3:50:57to approve resolution 684-26.

3:50:59All those in favor, please say I. Any

3:51:02opposed? Motion carries. Eight eyes, one

3:51:04absent. Vice Chair Nishi, resolution

3:51:06684-26

3:51:08is approved. Is there any testimony for

3:51:10resolution 685-26?

3:51:14Hearing none. Resolution 685-26

3:51:17transfers, appropriates an appropriation

3:51:19out and from a designated fund account.

3:51:20Credit scene to a designated fund

3:51:21account for a grant to the Big Island

3:51:23Lions Foundation for expenses relating

3:51:25to the 2026 Downtown Hilo Christmas

3:51:27lights parade. Transfers $2,5 in clerk

3:51:30council services contingency relief

3:51:32account council district 3 and credit to

3:51:34department of parks recreation

3:51:35administration of the current expenses

3:51:37account introduced by council onishi.

3:51:39>> Chair move to approve resolution 685-26.

3:51:44Moved by council member Houston,

3:51:46seconded by council member Connie Ali E.

3:51:47Kleinfelder to approve resolution

3:51:49685-26.

3:51:52Uh again for the public's awareness, the

3:51:542026 Downtown Hilo Christmas lights

3:51:56parade will be held Saturday, November

3:51:5928th

3:52:02and I don't know the time. So check out

3:52:05um community calendar events. It's in

3:52:06the evening time when it's dark cuz

3:52:08there's lights for this resolution.

3:52:12Uh, all those in favor of approving

3:52:14resolution 685-26,

3:52:16please say I. Any opposed? Motion

3:52:19carries. Nine eyes. Resolution 685-26

3:52:23is approved.

3:52:25Is there any testimony for resolution

3:52:27686-26?

3:52:32Hearing none. Resolution 686-26

3:52:35transfers appropriates appropriation out

3:52:37from a designated fund account. Credit

3:52:38scene to a designated fund account

3:52:40through a grant to the Zonta Club of

3:52:41Hilo Foundation for its 2027 AMA Heard

3:52:44Girls and Engineering Day event

3:52:46transfers $2,5

3:52:48contingency relief account council

3:52:50district 4 and credits to office

3:52:52prosecute attorney other current

3:52:53expenses account introduced by council

3:52:55member Kirkowitz.

3:52:56>> Chair motion to approve resolution

3:52:57686-26.

3:53:01Moved by council member Kirkwood,

3:53:03seconded by council member Viegas to

3:53:04approve resolution 686-26.

3:53:07Council member Kirkowitz.

3:53:08>> Chair, I'm so honored to once again be

3:53:10supporting this very um interesting

3:53:12event hosted by the Zanta Club of Hilo.

3:53:14It's to expose girls in grades four

3:53:16through eight um to science experiments

3:53:18and to scientists in our community with

3:53:21the hope that they pursue um more

3:53:24education um and careers in the STEM

3:53:26field. So looking for everyone's

3:53:28support. Thank you.

3:53:29>> Thank you. All those in favor of

3:53:30approving resolution 686-26,

3:53:33please say I. Any opposed? Motion

3:53:36carries. Nine eyes. Resolution 686-26

3:53:39is approved. Is there any testimony for

3:53:42resolution 687-26

3:53:46hearing? None. Resolution 687-26

3:53:48transfers appropriates an appropriation

3:53:50out from a designated fund account.

3:53:51Credits to a designated fund account by

3:53:53a grant to Kuikahi Mediation Center

3:53:55Incorporated for its basic mediation

3:53:56training program. transfers $2,500

3:53:59incurred council services contingency

3:54:01relief account consist 4 and credits off

3:54:04proy attorney of the current expenses

3:54:05account introduced by council Kirkwitz.

3:54:08>> Chair motion to approve resolution

3:54:09687-26.

3:54:13>> Moved by council member Kirkwitz,

3:54:14seconded by vice chair Nishi to approve

3:54:17resolution 687-26.

3:54:19Council member Kirkowitz,

3:54:20>> chair, mediation is an art form. Um, in

3:54:23today's day and age, we find it very

3:54:25difficult to have even simple

3:54:27conversations without feeling so

3:54:29emotional and aggressive in um in

3:54:31instances where people do not agree with

3:54:33us. And so, this would provide um free

3:54:36workshops to members of the community

3:54:38that are looking to help diffuse

3:54:39situations and facilitate um more

3:54:42conversations with civility and aloha.

3:54:44Looking for everyone's support. Thank

3:54:45you.

3:54:46>> Thank you. All those in favor of

3:54:47approving resolution 687-26,

3:54:50please say I. Any opposed? Motion

3:54:52carries. Eight eyes, one absent. Council

3:54:54member Connelly E. Kleinfelder.

3:54:56Resolution 687-26

3:54:58is approved. Is there any testimony for

3:55:00resolution 688-26?

3:55:04Hearing none. Resolution 688-26

3:55:06transfers, appropriates, and

3:55:07appropriation out from a designated fund

3:55:09account credit to a designated fund

3:55:10account at a grant to the Big Island

3:55:12Lions Foundation to assist with expenses

3:55:14relating to the 2026 Downtown Hilo

3:55:16Christmas lights parade. transfers

3:55:18$2,000 to the clerk council services

3:55:20contingency account council district 2

3:55:22and credits to the department of litter

3:55:24control public programs account

3:55:25introduced by council member Kagiada

3:55:27>> chair motion to approve resolution

3:55:29688-26

3:55:31>> moved by council member Kagiatada

3:55:33seconded by council member Huis to

3:55:35approve resolution 688-26

3:55:38>> just looking for my colleague support

3:55:39thank you

3:55:40>> thank you all those in favor please say

3:55:42I any opposed motion carries eight eyes

3:55:45one absent council member Kanye E

3:55:46Kleinfelder Resolution 688-26 is

3:55:49approved.

3:55:50>> Is there any testimony for resolution

3:55:52689-26?

3:55:55Hearing none, resolution 689-26

3:55:58transfers, appropriates, and

3:55:59appropriation out from a designated fund

3:56:01account. credit scene to a designated

3:56:02fund account by a grant to the Big

3:56:03Island Resource Conservation Development

3:56:05Council for its 2026 Bario Fiesta

3:56:08transfers $1,485 from the Kirk Council

3:56:11Services Contingency Leaf account

3:56:13District 2 and credits to Department

3:56:15Control for the Krugs account introduced

3:56:17by council member Kagiada.

3:56:19>> Motion to approve resolution 689-26.

3:56:23Moved by council member Kagiada,

3:56:26seconded by council member Kirkowitz to

3:56:27approve resolution 689-26.

3:56:31>> Uh thank you. Uh just looking for your

3:56:33support for the 2026 Bario Fiesta which

3:56:36will be on October 24th from 10 to 2

3:56:40p.m. Uh everybody's invited and I just

3:56:43also want to wish everybody out there a

3:56:46happy Filipino America uh historic month

3:56:49which is the month of October. Looking

3:56:51for your support. Thank you. All those

3:56:54in favor of approving resolution 689-26,

3:56:57please say I.

3:56:58>> Any opposed? Motion carries, eight eyes,

3:57:00one absent. Vice chair, um, council

3:57:02member Connelly E. Kleinfelder,

3:57:04resolution 689-26 is approved. Is there

3:57:07any testimony for resolution 690-26?

3:57:12Hearing none. Resolution 690-26

3:57:14transfers appropriates an appropriation

3:57:16out from a designated fund account

3:57:17credit sane to a designated fund account

3:57:19but a grant to the GG Foundation to

3:57:21assist with expenses relating to its

3:57:22fall and winter community events.

3:57:24Transfers $2,000 on a clerk council

3:57:26services contingency relief account

3:57:28council district 2 and credits to

3:57:30department of control public programs

3:57:31account introduced by council member

3:57:33Kagiada.

3:57:34>> Motion to approve resolution 690-26.

3:57:38Moved by council member Kagiwatada,

3:57:39seconded by council member Hustus to

3:57:41approve resolution 690-26.

3:57:45>> Thank you. Um just looking at your

3:57:47support, uh this funding will help

3:57:49support two of the events that GG

3:57:51foundation is putting on the the teacher

3:57:53appreciation event and the tis of the

3:57:56season event. So looking for your

3:57:58support. Thank you.

3:57:59>> All those in favor of approving

3:58:00resolution 690-26,

3:58:03please say I.

3:58:04>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Eight eyes,

3:58:06one absent. Council member Connie Lee

3:58:08Kleinfelder. Resolution 690-26

3:58:11is approved.

3:58:12>> Is there any testimony for resolution

3:58:14691-26?

3:58:16[clears throat]

3:58:17Hearing none. Resolution 691-26

3:58:20transfers appropriates an appropriation

3:58:21out from a designated fund account

3:58:23credit to a designated fund account but

3:58:25a grant to friends of the children's

3:58:26justice center under East Hawaii

3:58:27Incorporated for its emergency closet

3:58:29program. Transfers $5,000 of cler

3:58:31council services contingency relief

3:58:33account consistry 2 and credits to

3:58:35office prosecute [snorts] attorney. the

3:58:36other current expenses account

3:58:37introduced by council member Kagiada.

3:58:39>> Motion to approve resolution 691-26.

3:58:43>> Moved by council member Kagiada,

3:58:45seconded by council member Houston to

3:58:47approve resolution 691-26.

3:58:50>> Just looking for your support for this

3:58:52really um wonderful community program

3:58:55that provides um clothing and other

3:58:57essentials to children who have um been

3:59:00picked up uh for out out of their family

3:59:03for for emergency reasons. So, it's a

3:59:06really important program. Hope you can

3:59:08all support. Thank you.

3:59:11>> All those in favor of approving

3:59:12resolution 691-26,

3:59:16please say I.

3:59:17>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Eight eyes,

3:59:20one absent. Council member Connealy E.

3:59:22Clinfelder. Resolution 691-26

3:59:25is approved.

3:59:26>> Is there any testimony for resolution

3:59:28692-26?

3:59:30Hearing none. Resolution 692-26

3:59:33transfers appropriates an appropriation

3:59:34out from a designated fund account.

3:59:36Credit saint to a designated fund

3:59:37account for the 2026 magic of the

3:59:39seasons event transfers $500 of CL

3:59:41council services contingency relief

3:59:43account consist two and credits the

3:59:45department of parks recreation culture

3:59:47and education other current expenses

3:59:49account introduced by council member

3:59:50Kagiada.

3:59:52>> Chair a motion to approve resolution

3:59:54692-26.

3:59:56Moved by council member Kagiada,

3:59:58seconded by council member Hustus to

4:00:00approve resolution 692-26.

4:00:02Council member Kagiada.

4:00:03>> Thank you. Just looking for your support

4:00:05for this wonderful parks uh event, the

4:00:082026 Magic of the Seasons right here in

4:00:10the county. Thank you.

4:00:13>> Thank you. All those in favor of

4:00:14approving resolution 692-26, please say

4:00:17I.

4:00:18>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Eight eyes,

4:00:22one absent. Council member Connie Ali

4:00:23Kleinfelder. Resolution 692-26 is

4:00:26approved.

4:00:33>> Is there any testimony for resolution

4:00:35693-26?

4:00:39Hearing none. Resolution 693-26

4:00:41transfers appropriates an appropriation

4:00:43out and from a designated fund account

4:00:44credit to a designated fund account for

4:00:46a grant to Malama Arts to assist with

4:00:48expenses related to its 2027 play

4:00:51reading series. transfers $2,000 of

4:00:53clerk council services contingency leave

4:00:55account council district two and credits

4:00:57to department control public programs

4:00:58account introduced by council member

4:01:00Kagiada.

4:01:01>> Chair motion to approve resolution

4:01:02693-26.

4:01:05>> Moved by council member Kagiada,

4:01:07seconded by council member Hustus to

4:01:08approve resolution 693-26. Council

4:01:11member Kagi,

4:01:12>> thank you. Uh happy to support the

4:01:14Malama Arts and their 2027 play reading

4:01:17series. This is they do these free

4:01:20readings of anything from local

4:01:23playwrights

4:01:24um to classic plays uh very uh low

4:01:28stress but really amazing um

4:01:32performances and free to everybody. So

4:01:35hopefully people get a chance to go

4:01:36check those out. Looking for your

4:01:38support.

4:01:39>> Thank you Council Member Kirkwitz.

4:01:41>> Thank you chair. I'm going to be

4:01:42recusing myself from this vote as I sit

4:01:44on the board from Aluma Arts. Thank you.

4:01:46>> Thank you.

4:01:49Uh, with that, all those in favor of

4:01:52approving resolution 693-26,

4:01:55please say I.

4:01:56>> I.

4:01:56>> Any opposed? Motion carries

4:02:01with seven eyes, one six eyes,

4:02:07two absent council member Confelder

4:02:11and Gimba, and one recusal by council

4:02:14member. Resolution 693-26

4:02:17is approved.

4:02:22Is there any testimony for resolution

4:02:24695-26?

4:02:28Hearing none. Resolution 695-26

4:02:30transfers appropriates an appropriation

4:02:32out from a designated fund account

4:02:33credit saying to a designated fund

4:02:35account by a grant to sustainable energy

4:02:37Hawaii for its 2026 Halapono electric

4:02:40vehicle and sustainability fair

4:02:42transfers $2,000 in a clear council

4:02:43services contingency relief account

4:02:46district 2 and credits to the poverty

4:02:48research and development energy account

4:02:50introduced by council kaguana.

4:02:51Communication 1097.1

4:02:54from council member Jenniada dated

4:02:56September 30, 2026. Transmitting

4:02:58proposed amendments to resolution

4:03:00695-26.

4:03:02>> Chair motion to approve resolution

4:03:04695-26.

4:03:06>> Moved by council member Kagiatada,

4:03:08seconded by council member Hustus to

4:03:10approve resolution 695-26.

4:03:13Council member Kagi,

4:03:14>> thank you. um just hoping to amend this

4:03:18uh

4:03:20support for the electric vehicle and

4:03:23sustainability fair. They were not able

4:03:25to have their event um at the plan date

4:03:28because of tropical storm Nolo and so

4:03:32they've pushed it back um by a couple

4:03:34weeks and I just indicated that in the

4:03:36accompany accompanying uh attachment. So

4:03:40it's a new uh adjustment on the

4:03:41attachment. Um, so motion to amend

4:03:44resolution 695 with the contents of

4:03:47communication 1097.1.

4:03:51>> Moved by council member Kagi, seconded

4:03:53by council member Huice

4:03:55to amend resolution 695-26 with the

4:03:58contents of communication 1097.1.

4:04:01All those in favor, please say I.

4:04:04>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Seven eyes,

4:04:06two absent. Council member Kima and Kali

4:04:09E. Heinfelder.

4:04:13The motion passes.

4:04:17Would you like to have continued

4:04:18discussion?

4:04:19>> Um, no. No more continued discussion.

4:04:20Thank you.

4:04:21>> Oh, we we need

4:04:22>> Oh. Oh, a motion to um suspend our

4:04:25rules. Um, in order to continue

4:04:27discussion,

4:04:31>> is there a second?

4:04:32>> Second.

4:04:32>> Okay. Council member Kagiada with the

4:04:35motion and council member Viegas with

4:04:37the second to post um suspend our rules

4:04:40for further discussion on resolution

4:04:42695-26.

4:04:44Mr. Clerk, roll call vote

4:04:46>> on the motion to suspend the rules.

4:04:47Council member Gimma.

4:04:49>> Council member Hustus.

4:04:51>> I council member Kagiada.

4:04:54>> I.

4:04:54>> Council member Kane Kleinfelder.

4:04:57>> Council member Kirkowitz.

4:04:58>> I council member Kimell.

4:05:01>> No. Vice Chair Onishi. Hi,

4:05:04>> Council Viegas.

4:05:05>> I I I

4:05:07>> Cherry Naba

4:05:08>> I.

4:05:09>> Cherry Naba, you have six votes in favor

4:05:11with council member Kimble voting no and

4:05:13council members GMBA and Connie

4:05:14Clamberger absent. The motion carries.

4:05:16The rules are suspended.

4:05:18>> Thank you. All those in favor of

4:05:20approving resolution 695-26 as amended

4:05:23with the contents of communication

4:05:241097.1.

4:05:26Please say I. Any opposed? Motion

4:05:28carries. Seven eyes, two absent council

4:05:30members Gimba and Connie E. Kleinfelder.

4:05:33Resolution 695-26 as amended is

4:05:35approved. Is there any testimony for

4:05:37resolution 696-26?

4:05:41Hearing none. Resolution 696-26

4:05:44transfers appropriates an appropriation

4:05:46out from a designated fund account.

4:05:47credit saying to his designated fund

4:05:49accounts by a grant to Na by Eola to

4:05:52assist with expenses for the Kawi Hula

4:05:55Festival and 20 20th annual aahula

4:05:59festival transfers 20 excuse me $10,000

4:06:01in cler council services contingency of

4:06:03account council district 7 and credits

4:06:06department of parks recreation

4:06:07administration other current expenses

4:06:09account introduced by council member

4:06:10Viegas

4:06:11>> motion to approve resolution 696-26

4:06:15>> moved by council member Viegas seconded

4:06:17by council member Kagiada to approve

4:06:19resolution 696-26.

4:06:22Council member Viegas,

4:06:23>> just honored to be able to support this

4:06:25event and the incredible work and

4:06:28community collaboration organized by

4:06:32Kumuki Ching.

4:06:34>> Thank you. All those in favor of

4:06:36approving resolution 696-26,

4:06:38please say I. Any opposed? Motion

4:06:41carries. Seven eyes, two absent. Council

4:06:43members Gimba and Kanye Langfelder.

4:06:46Resolution 696-26

4:06:49is approved.

4:06:50>> Is there any testimony for resolution

4:06:51697-26?

4:06:54Hearing none. Resolution 697-26

4:06:57transfers appropriates an appropriation

4:06:58out from a designated fund account

4:07:00credit scene to a designated fund

4:07:01account by a grant to friends of first

4:07:03responders for their first responders

4:07:05kids camp. transfer $6,500 on CL council

4:07:08services contingency relief account

4:07:09consist 7 and credits to department of

4:07:12control publics account introduced by

4:07:14council viegas motion to approve

4:07:17resolution 697-26

4:07:20>> moved by council member Viegas seconded

4:07:22by council member Huis to approve

4:07:24resolution 697-26

4:07:26council member Viegas uh just asking for

4:07:28everyone's support and grateful for the

4:07:30opportunity to support friends of first

4:07:32responders and this kids

4:07:36Thank you. All those in favor of

4:07:37approving resolution 697-26,

4:07:40please say I. Any opposed? Motion

4:07:43carries. Seven eyes. Two absent. Council

4:07:46members Kimba and Kanye. Kleinfelder.

4:07:49Resolution 697-26 is approved.

4:07:53Is there any testimony for resolution

4:07:55698-26?

4:07:58Hearing none. Resolution 698-26

4:08:00transfers appropriates an appropriation

4:08:02out from a designated fund account and

4:08:04credit sane to a designated fund account

4:08:06for a grant to the Hawaii Rise

4:08:07Foundation for expenses related to the

4:08:092027 Mele Malaka 3-day committee event

4:08:12transfers $3,400 from the clerk council

4:08:15services contingency relief account

4:08:17District 3 and credits to department of

4:08:19parks recreation administration of the

4:08:20current expenses account introduced by

4:08:22council member onishi

4:08:23>> motion to approve resolution 698-26

4:08:27moved

4:08:27>> by vice chair onishi Seconded by council

4:08:29member Huis to approve resolution

4:08:31698-26.

4:08:33Vice Chair Onishi

4:08:34>> just asking for support. Thank you.

4:08:35>> Thank you. All those in favor please say

4:08:37I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Seven

4:08:40eyes. Two absent. Council members Gimba

4:08:42and Kanye Kleinfelder. Resolution 698-26

4:08:48is approved. Is there any testimony for

4:08:50resolution 699-26?

4:08:54Hearing none. Resolution 699-26

4:08:56transfers appropriates an appropriation

4:08:58out and from a designated fund account

4:08:59credit sane to a designated fund account

4:09:01for the office of prosecuting attorney

4:09:02to assist with the unlocking hope

4:09:04domestic violence visibility project

4:09:06transfer $560 in the cir console

4:09:08services contingency leave account

4:09:10council district 3 and credits to the

4:09:12office of proing attorney other current

4:09:14expenses account introduced by council

4:09:15member onishi

4:09:16>> motion to approve resolution 699-26

4:09:20>> moved by vice chair onishi seconded by

4:09:22council member Huis to approve

4:09:23resolution 699-26

4:09:26Vice Chair Onishi.

4:09:27>> Thank you, Chair. We have today from the

4:09:30prosecutor's office, Jan Ozori, if you

4:09:32can kind of give some brief information

4:09:35about this. [snorts] Yeah. Could the

4:09:37name change to Right. Yeah.

4:09:41>> Sure. Good afternoon, council. Um,

4:09:43Cherry Naba. I um I'm Jan Marie Ozoro

4:09:47from the Office of the Prosecuting

4:09:48attorney. I'm just speaking on behalf of

4:09:51this project, Locks of Hope. Uh the the

4:09:55name did change but the essentially the

4:09:59the project is still the same. It's

4:10:01creating a spectacle to gain curiosity

4:10:05to bring awareness to domestic violence

4:10:07um honoring survivors and those that

4:10:10support them.

4:10:11>> Thank you very much. I guess we need to

4:10:15have this body to I guess make it more

4:10:18aware to the public about domestic

4:10:20violence and how

4:10:22you know we need people to speak up and

4:10:24to support those that you feel that are

4:10:27in trouble and getting them the help

4:10:30that they need. And so this should be a

4:10:33good one because then the all these

4:10:35event going to be held by Quova Park

4:10:38>> and it's going to be on the fencing on

4:10:40the facing the white small white small

4:10:44boat.

4:10:45>> Currently we have um we do have the

4:10:47banners up. Um they face the entrance

4:10:51and exit of the boat ramp there at Woya

4:10:54River and there are some locks on there.

4:10:56Locks have been distributed to

4:10:58organizations uh that either work with

4:11:02survivors or support survivors to

4:11:05distribute amongst their people to go

4:11:08ahead and put some locks up. Uh some of

4:11:10them have messaging on them. One of them

4:11:13was a really sweet sentiment of don't be

4:11:16sad and um just really spreads awareness

4:11:19from multi-gener over multi-generations

4:11:22of people from Kiki to Kapuna.

4:11:25>> And so these locks were already

4:11:27purchased.

4:11:28>> Yes.

4:11:28>> And it was already put on the fence.

4:11:31>> Yes, there are some there. And

4:11:32distributed to um organizations in our

4:11:36community. And so if a public person

4:11:39wanted to participate, what would they

4:11:42need to do?

4:11:42>> Um either they can contact an

4:11:44organization. We do have contact

4:11:46information for our office that is out

4:11:48there. Uh we also have a flyer that I

4:11:51can share. It's on our social media. But

4:11:53they can also bring their own lock.

4:11:55Okay.

4:11:55>> The only um caution is that at the end

4:11:58of the month the locks will be removed.

4:12:01So unless they go and remove their own

4:12:03lock, um it will be cut off by I believe

4:12:07parks and wreck just to restore the the

4:12:10fence area that was used.

4:12:11>> And what are you guys going to do with

4:12:12those locks that you guys purchased?

4:12:14>> Uh we're hoping to use them year after

4:12:16year. Yeah. So we do have the key that

4:12:19will open up the ones that we've

4:12:21purchased.

4:12:21>> Okay. Thank you. I

4:12:23>> Nice. Thank you very much, Vice

4:12:24Chronicia. All those in favor of

4:12:26approving resolution 699-26,

4:12:28please say I. Any opposed? Motion

4:12:31carries. Seven eyes, two absent, council

4:12:34member Kima and Kelli E. Kleinfelder.

4:12:36Resolution 699-26 is approved. Is there

4:12:39any testimony for resolution 700-26?

4:12:44Hearing none. Resolution 700-26

4:12:46transfers appropriates an appropriation

4:12:48out from a designated fund account

4:12:50credit to a designated fund account to

4:12:51assist the office of housing attorney

4:12:53with expenses relating to the 2026

4:12:55Hawaii sexual assault response and

4:12:57training conference. Transfers $1,000.

4:12:58Our clerk council services contingency

4:13:00relief account call district 4 and

4:13:02credits to the office office of

4:13:04prosecuting attorney other current

4:13:05expenses account introduced by council

4:13:06kirkowitz.

4:13:07>> Motion to approve resolution 700-26.

4:13:11>> Moved by council member Kirkuit,

4:13:12seconded by vice chair Nishi to approve

4:13:14resolution 700-26.

4:13:17Council member Kirkowitz.

4:13:19>> Thank you. We're so fortunate to have

4:13:20Jan Marie Ozorio here um to speak a

4:13:22little bit about this conference, but

4:13:24it's something that the prosecutor's

4:13:25office has been hosting for a number of

4:13:27years now. Um, prosecuting attorney

4:13:29Waldin reached out to me asking if there

4:13:31could be some funding set aside um for

4:13:33lunch because my understanding is this

4:13:35is a free all day event and we want to

4:13:37make sure that the individuals that are

4:13:39coming to learn are also nourished so

4:13:42that they can um pay attention for the

4:13:44rest of the day but also as a mahalui

4:13:46for their time and investment in

4:13:48learning about um all the really

4:13:50wonderful information from the various

4:13:52speakers. Do you want to speak a little

4:13:53bit about what's being um organized for

4:13:56this event? Sure. Um, again, Jamaria

4:13:59Zoro from the Office of the Prosecuting

4:14:01Attorney. Um, speaking on the 2026

4:14:04Hawaii Sexual Assault Response and

4:14:06Training Conference, also known as

4:14:09HSART. It will be held October 22nd um,

4:14:13for the later half of the day from 11:00

4:14:15a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and October 23rd from

4:14:188 to 4:30 p.m. We I from what I

4:14:22understand this conference uh, travels

4:14:24statewide. So there's a rotation and

4:14:26this year is our Hawaii County um turn

4:14:31to host this conference. Um it is done

4:14:35in collaboration with the Hawaii Police

4:14:37Department, uh the attorney general,

4:14:39Hawaii W um YW.CA.

4:14:42And so it's basically bringing together

4:14:46um multiple entities from across the

4:14:48state to come together and train

4:14:50together on uh sexual assault response.

4:14:53um prosecutors from Aahu. We have Kauaii

4:14:57Police Department, Maui Police

4:14:58Department, and a number of other

4:15:00organizations [snorts]

4:15:01from the outer islands coming over to

4:15:03our island to attend this conference. We

4:15:05are having speakers from the mainland

4:15:07come in um to train and then also I

4:15:10believe we may have some of our local um

4:15:13champions here that are able to help

4:15:15speak to the audience as well.

4:15:17>> Thank you for that. This is um quite an

4:15:20effort, a lot of coordination and

4:15:22collaboration, not just here on this

4:15:24island, but statewide. So, appreciate

4:15:26the leadership that's being um extended

4:15:28by our county. Um I also just want to

4:15:31make a pitch to council members that

4:15:33will be here next term. Um, I'm happy

4:15:36that there is contingency money

4:15:38available to support events like this,

4:15:41but let's make sure our departments are

4:15:43properly resourced so that they can plan

4:15:46these events that are so critical um to

4:15:49ensuring that community partners um

4:15:51agencies have the information they need

4:15:54to effectively do their job. So again,

4:15:56just keeping in mind future budget

4:15:58sessions so that you don't have to come

4:15:59and ask every year. Again, happy to

4:16:00support, but just want to make sure that

4:16:02you folks have a budget that reflects

4:16:04your actual needs and work in community.

4:16:06Thank you so much.

4:16:07>> Thank you.

4:16:08>> All those in favor of approving

4:16:09resolution 700-26, please say I.

4:16:13>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Eight eyes,

4:16:15one absent. Council member Kimbo,

4:16:17resolution 700-26 is approved.

4:16:21Is there any testimony for resolution

4:16:22701-26?

4:16:26Hearing none. Resolution 701-26

4:16:28transfers appropriates an appropriation

4:16:30out from a designated fund account.

4:16:31Credit S to a designated fund account by

4:16:33a grant to North Kohala Community

4:16:35Resource Center for the Kohala

4:16:36Resilience Hubs Kapuna. Transfers $1,000

4:16:40on the Kirk Council services contingency

4:16:42account council district 9 and credit to

4:16:44Department of Liquor Control public

4:16:45programs account introduced by council

4:16:47member Hustus.

4:16:48>> Chair move to approve resolution 701-26.

4:16:51Moved by council member Houston,

4:16:53seconded by council member Kanye E.

4:16:54Kleinfelder to approve resolution

4:16:56701-26.

4:16:58Council member Hustus,

4:16:59>> I'm just asking for your support. Thank

4:17:00you.

4:17:01>> All those in favor of approving

4:17:02resolution 701-26, please say I. Any

4:17:06opposed? Motion carries, eight eyes, one

4:17:08absent. Council member Gimba, resolution

4:17:10701-26

4:17:12is approved.

4:17:13>> Is there any testimony for resolution

4:17:14702-26?

4:17:17Hearing none. Resolution 702-26

4:17:20transfers appropriates an appropriation

4:17:21out from a designated fund account

4:17:23credit sane to a designated fund account

4:17:24with a grant to YA community association

4:17:27for the 66th annual YA twilight

4:17:29Christmas parade transfers $3,000 of

4:17:32clerk council services contingency

4:17:33relief account consistent 9 and credits

4:17:36to the department of liquor control

4:17:37public programs account introduced by

4:17:38council member Hustus.

4:17:40>> Chair move to approve resolution 702-26.

4:17:43Second move by council member Eustus,

4:17:45seconded by council member Kagiada to

4:17:47approve resolution 702-26.

4:17:50Council member Eustace.

4:17:51>> Thanks chair. Uh this parade is held on

4:17:53the first Saturday of December. It is

4:17:54held in the evening hours as well, the

4:17:56twilight hours. So look forward to your

4:17:58attendance. Thank you.

4:18:00>> Thank you. All those in favor of

4:18:02approving resolution 702-26,

4:18:06please say I. Any opposed? Motion

4:18:09carries, eight eyes, one absent. Council

4:18:12member Galima, resolution 702-26

4:18:17is approved. Is there any testimony for

4:18:19resolution 703-26?

4:18:23Hearing none, resolution 703-26

4:18:25transfers, appropriates an appropriation

4:18:27out and from a designated fund account

4:18:28credit scene to a designated fund

4:18:30account, but a grant to friends of the

4:18:32library region to assist with expenses

4:18:34for its baby's first book project.

4:18:37transfers $2,500 in a clerk council

4:18:39services contingency relief account

4:18:40council district 9 and credits to the

4:18:43department control public programs

4:18:44account introduced by council member

4:18:45Hustus

4:18:46>> chair move to approve resolution 703-26

4:18:50moved by council member second by

4:18:52council member Kirkwitz to approve

4:18:54resolution 703-26

4:18:56council member

4:18:57>> thanks chair just looking for everyone's

4:18:58support as we provide this resource to

4:19:01families and community thank you

4:19:02>> thank you all those in favor of

4:19:04approving resolution 703-26 Six, please

4:19:07say I. Any opposed? Motion carries,

4:19:09eight eyes, one absent. Council member

4:19:11Kima, resolution 703-26

4:19:15is approved. Is there any testimony for

4:19:17resolution 704-26?

4:19:21Hearing none. Resolution 704-26

4:19:24transfers appropriates an appropriation

4:19:26out from a designated fund account

4:19:27credit to a designated fund account for

4:19:29the grant to WIA Hawaiian Homestead

4:19:31Association Incorporated for the 74th

4:19:34annual Paneola Parade. transfers $3,000

4:19:37from the clerk council services

4:19:38contingency relief account counts

4:19:40district 9 and credits to the department

4:19:42of parks and recreation administration

4:19:43other current expenses account

4:19:45introduced by council hust move to

4:19:47approve resolution 704-26

4:19:50>> moved by council member Houston second

4:19:51by council member Kanye Kleinfelder to

4:19:53approve resolution 704-26

4:19:56council member Eustace

4:19:57>> just looking for everyone's support

4:19:58thank you so much

4:19:59>> all those in favor please say I any

4:20:02opposed motion carries eight eyes one

4:20:04absent council member Kimbo resolution

4:20:06704-26

4:20:08is approved.

4:20:11Bills for second and or final reading.

4:20:14Is there any testimony for bill 181?

4:20:20Hearing none. Bill 181 amends section

4:20:2125-8-33

4:20:23city of Hilo district zone map article 8

4:20:25chapter 25 of the Hawaii County code 198

4:20:28excuse me 2016 edition as amended by

4:20:30changing district classification from

4:20:32single family residential 15,000 ft to

4:20:34single family residential 10,000 ft at

4:20:37YK South Hawaii covered by tax map

4:20:39P2401416

4:20:42applicant Zach Iawa

4:20:45area 21,792

4:20:47ft the winter planning commission

4:20:48forwards a favorable recommendation for

4:20:50this requested change of zone which

4:20:51allow the applicant to submit property

4:20:53into two lots. Properties located at 283

4:20:55West Point Street introduced by Council

4:20:57Kimmel by request. First reading was

4:20:59September 16, 2026.

4:21:02>> Move to approve 181 at second and final

4:21:06reading.

4:21:08>> Moved by Council Member Kimbo, seconded

4:21:10by Council Member Kagiada to approve

4:21:12bill 181 at second and final reading.

4:21:15All those in favor, please say I. Any

4:21:17opposed? Motion carries. Eight eyes, one

4:21:20absent. Council member Gimbo, bill 181

4:21:22is approved at second and final reading.

4:21:24Thank you, Mr. Pippen.

4:21:25>> Is there any testimony for bill 182?

4:21:30Hearing none, bill 182 amends orders

4:21:32number 2644, the operating budget of the

4:21:34county of Hawaii for the fiscal year

4:21:35ending June 30, 2027, and appropriates

4:21:38revisent

4:21:40grant account $86,932

4:21:42and appropriates same to the justice

4:21:44assistant grant program account. funds

4:21:46be used to support trial advocacy

4:21:48training efforts to deputy prosecute

4:21:49attorneys introduced by council member

4:21:51Connie Clamp request this past first

4:21:53reading on September 16 2026 and as a

4:21:56companion to resolution 646-26

4:21:59which pre previously adopted on

4:22:01September 16th 2026

4:22:03>> a motion to adopt bill 182 at second

4:22:06reading

4:22:07>> moved by council member Conlefelder

4:22:09seconded by council member Houston to

4:22:11approve bill 182 at second and final

4:22:13reading all those in favor please say I.

4:22:16Any opposed? Motion carries. Eight eyes,

4:22:18one absent. Council member Galima. Bill

4:22:21182 is approved at second and final

4:22:23reading.

4:22:24Is there any additional testimony for

4:22:26bill 184 draft 2.

4:22:30Hearing? None. Bill 184 draft 2 amends

4:22:32chapter 14 of the Hawaii County Code

4:22:341983 2016 edition as amended relating to

4:22:37the use of native plants in county

4:22:39landscaping. Requires the use of native

4:22:41plants in county landscaping. introduced

4:22:42by council Kirkowitz this past first

4:22:44reading as September 16th 2026.

4:22:48>> Chair motion to approve bill 184 draft 2

4:22:51on second and final reading.

4:22:53>> Moved by council member Kirkwood,

4:22:55seconded by council member Huis to

4:22:56approve bill 184 draft 2 at second and

4:22:58final reading. Council member Kirkwoods.

4:23:00>> Thank you chair. Just really appreciate

4:23:02everyone coming out to support this

4:23:04measure um and the collaboration with

4:23:05public works and parks and recreation to

4:23:08even consider this idea. Um it would

4:23:10require them to consider planting native

4:23:12species when thinking about landscaping

4:23:15on any of our um county properties. Um

4:23:18there was a request by Oscar that was

4:23:21put forward which I shared with the

4:23:22department and at this time um they've

4:23:24declined um any assistance um if they

4:23:27have a need to consult with Oscar. They

4:23:29feel that they're equipped to do so

4:23:30without that language being specified um

4:23:33in the ordinance. So I'm just hoping for

4:23:35everyone's support as it has support

4:23:37from the departments to um just move it

4:23:39forward as is. Thank you.

4:23:43>> Thank you. All those in favor of

4:23:44approving bill 184 draft 2 at second and

4:23:48final reading, please say I. Any

4:23:50opposed? Motion carries. Eight eyes, one

4:23:52absent. Council member Galima, bill 184

4:23:55draft 2 is approved at second and final

4:23:56reading. Is there any testimony for bill

4:23:59185?

4:24:02Hearing none. Bill 185 amends section

4:24:04258-11

4:24:05LA poolool capu district zone map

4:24:07article 82 of the Hawaii County code

4:24:111983 2016 edition as amended by changing

4:24:13the district classification from

4:24:15agricultural 40 acres to family

4:24:17agricultural 1 acre at pool capua Hawaii

4:24:20covered by tax map key 64018030

4:24:24applicants Jacqueline Visser Hana Lelay

4:24:25Visser and Gilbert Visser area 2.397

4:24:28acres planning commission forwards a

4:24:30federal recommendation for this

4:24:31requested change of zone which allow the

4:24:33applicant to create a two lot

4:24:35subdivision of 1 acre each. The property

4:24:37is located at 64-5091

4:24:40White Road. Introduced by Council Kimble

4:24:42by request, first reading, September 16,

4:24:442026.

4:24:47>> Motion to approve bill 185 at second and

4:24:49final reading.

4:24:50>> Moved by Council Member Kimble, seconded

4:24:53by Council Member Hustus to approve bill

4:24:55185 at second and final reading. All

4:24:58those in favor, please say I. Any

4:25:00opposed? Motion carries, eight eyes, one

4:25:03absent. Council member Gimbo. Bill 185

4:25:06is approved at second and final reading.

4:25:09Is there any testimony for bill 188?

4:25:14Hearing none, bill 188 amends orders

4:25:15number 26-44, the operating budget of

4:25:18the county of Hawaii for the fiscal

4:25:19year, June 30, 2027. Propriates revenue

4:25:22in the federal grants rural health

4:25:23transformation program account

4:25:24$2,355,000

4:25:26and appropriates the same to the rural

4:25:27health transformation program account

4:25:29funds be used to fund personnel telealth

4:25:31equipment and software and provide

4:25:32training travel and program

4:25:33implementation materials introduced by

4:25:36council member Connley Kleinfelder by

4:25:38request. This measure passed first

4:25:39reading on September 16, 2026 and is a

4:25:42companion to resolution 651-26

4:25:44which has been previously adopted. Chair

4:25:47motion to adopt bill 188 at second and

4:25:49final reading.

4:25:51>> Moved by council member Kane Elefelter,

4:25:53seconded by council member Hues to

4:25:55approve bill 188 at second and final

4:25:57reading. Council member Connie Lee

4:25:58Elefelder.

4:25:59>> Uh we did have the v the fire department

4:26:02did come down and say they are standing

4:26:04by if there's any questions but I did

4:26:06say we all supported this in the

4:26:07previous hearings that I would be

4:26:09supporting it personally going forward

4:26:10as it stands to benefit our community so

4:26:12much. Uh but if there are questions they

4:26:14are awaiting. Thank you.

4:26:19No questions, no need to wait. Thank

4:26:21you. All those in favor of approving

4:26:23Bill 188 at second and final reading,

4:26:25please say I. Any opposed? Motion

4:26:28carries, eight eyes, one absent. Council

4:26:30member Gimbo. Bill 188 is approved at

4:26:33second and final reading. Last item on

4:26:35the agenda.

4:26:36>> Is there any testimony for bill 190?

4:26:40Hearing none. Bill 1 190 amends orders

4:26:42number 26-44 the operating budget of the

4:26:44county of Hawaii for the fisc June 30

4:26:462027 appropriates represent the federal

4:26:48grants workforce innovation and

4:26:50opportunity act account $1,300,000

4:26:53and appropriate same to the following

4:26:54workforce innovation opportunity act

4:26:562026 2027 accounts

4:26:58administrative/planning

4:27:00$150,000 adult program $500,000

4:27:03dislocated worker program $250,000 and

4:27:05youth program $400,000 funds be used to

4:27:08provide services that enhance employment

4:27:09employment opportunities, job retention,

4:27:11earnings, skill development, and

4:27:13literacy. This is introduced by council

4:27:14member Conley compiler by request passed

4:27:16first reading on September 16, 2026 and

4:27:19is a companion to resolution 666-26

4:27:22adopted on September 16, 2026.

4:27:27>> Chair motion to approve bill 190.

4:27:31>> Moved by council member Klein Felder,

4:27:34seconded by vice nishi to approve bill

4:27:37190 at second and final reading. Council

4:27:39member Confer.

4:27:41>> Not recognizing Mr. Marcato here if

4:27:43there are any questions. Thank you.

4:27:48>> Thank you Mr. Marcato for being here.

4:27:50All those in favor of approving bill 190

4:27:52at second and final reading. Please say

4:27:54I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Eight

4:27:57eyes, one absent. Council member Gimbo.

4:27:59Bill 190 is approved at second and final

4:28:01reading. This brings us to the end of

4:28:04our agenda. Council member Hustus. Any

4:28:06announcements for us?

4:28:08>> Thank you, Chair. Um, as you know, this

4:28:10weekend big event on the west side of

4:28:12the island, uh, road closures, traffic

4:28:14impacts from the Iron Man triathlon. So,

4:28:16please expect those uh, delays on the

4:28:18road and plan accordingly. And then if

4:28:21you're in the Hime area and want to get

4:28:22off the Queen Kakonu highway and a

4:28:24Konipuli, there is the Yimea Fall

4:28:26Festival happening at the Spencer County

4:28:28Shoot District Park. So, thank you so

4:28:30much,

4:28:32>> Council Member Kagi.

4:28:33>> Thank you. Not this weekend, but the

4:28:35following weekend on Sunday, I just want

4:28:37to announce is the Japanese Chamber of

4:28:39Commerce's annual Taste of Hilo event.

4:28:42The tickets are available for purchase.

4:28:44The event is Sunday, October 18th from 1

4:28:47to 3 at SA Hall. Everybody's invited.

4:28:49Thank you,

4:28:52>> Mr. Cler. Clerical announcement. Just a

4:28:54reminder, we kind of mentioned earlier

4:28:56that um due to the um chambers

4:28:58converting into a elections operation

4:29:01center. Uh all of our meetings will be

4:29:03held in Kona throughout the Raymond this

4:29:06term essentially minus the last meeting

4:29:08in December. So thank you council for

4:29:10your support for elections program and

4:29:13uh making that sacrifice. Appreciate

4:29:16that. And then so for people who would

4:29:18like to participate, unfortunately they

4:29:20will not be able to do so from Hilo

4:29:21Chambers and we'll be posting signage

4:29:23and on our website to provide further

4:29:25notice of that. So again, thank you

4:29:26councel.

4:29:28>> Thank you Mr. Clerk. Uh and with that um

4:29:31just as a followup to council member

4:29:33Houston's um reminder regarding the Iron

4:29:36Man, please do um simply Google the Iron

4:29:39Man road closures. Uh they do have

4:29:41available maps on their website. um

4:29:43especially if you're trying to get to

4:29:45and from the airport on Saturday. With

4:29:48that, uh we have made it through our

4:29:51agenda and our announcements. Our

4:29:54meeting is adjourned at 1:29 p.m.

4:29:57Mahalo.

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