you you you you you you I'm going to be able to do that. I'm going to be able to do that. I'm going to be able to do that. I'm going to be able to do that. I'm going to be able to do that. I'm going to be able to do that. I'm going to be able to do that. I'm going to be able to do that. I'm going to be able to do that. I'm going to be able to do that. All the hall welcome to the 10th session for the Committee on Finance. It is May 6th to 2025. It is 1 p.m. Today's meeting is being held in the West Hawaii Civic Center. We have members joining us in the Heila Chambers and our lighting sites as well. Mr. Clerk, I'm calling this meeting to order. Joining us today here in Colna, we have Council Member Houston, Council Member Onisi, Council Member Inala, Council Member Kimbo, Council Member Glynblom, myself and in Hilo, we have Council Member Ashley Kirkowitz and Council Member Kogiwada. Mr. Viegis will be joining us shortly. She's currently excused. Mr. Clerk, do we have any testimony before we begin with our agenda? Yes, chair, Cunning Cl I'm sorry we do have testimony. I'm going to help really out a little bit since I'm already aware. I'm going to go to YMIA first and ask Ms. Bruno if her testifier is ready. If they can present her testimony. Yes, we have Jo Jo, Tony Motto, testifying on bill 44. Ms. Tony Motto, you have three minutes. Please let me know when you're ready to begin and please restate your name before you speak. Thank you. Ready? Oh, my name is JoJo Tanimoto. I live at Kauai High on Hawaiian Homestead lands and I have in support of Bill 44 and because I actually am born and raised in Oahu on Hawaiian Homestead lands, I am very happy that you are able to recognize that Wannthold Lands was awarded in 1920, Kauai High was awarded in 1985, where we had no infrastructure. And now that we have the property, it has gone up so extravagantly with all of our neighbors being from the resort and from the high and labor base skill and Seems that our taxes go up as well, but basically as a recognition of statehood I support this bill for the residential the agricultural and pastoral leases. Those are part of the white mumps commission and there are other kinds of leases being given out. But I don't think that they qualified have a blood quantum and all of the other exercises that beneficiaries have. So please, I support this and we need to put what a law. Thank you for your testimony, Mr. Roselli. Can you please provide the balance of testimony? Thank you for your testimony, Mr. Roselli. Can you please provide the balance of testimony? Thank you so much. Chair, noting that your other emulsites do not have testifiers, we do have one testifier via Zoom. Lisa Lane Carden testifying on resolution 140. Lisa, if at this time you'd like to provide your testimony, if you could unmute your mic, you'll have three minutes. If you could just reintroduce yourself as you begin, please. Yes. Hello, everyone. Lisa Lane Cardin with Aloha Animal Alliance. I am in front of you today in support of the receiving funds to support our Spanay new efforts in partnership with the county of Hawaii. We are making a request for 50,000 that would help us fund outreach and education tools related to TNR and cat management as well as laws and regulations around companion animals in our community. Some of these funds would go to transport. So many in our community face transport issues and getting their pets to spare your appointments because they're typically located either in Hilo, occasionally in Ocean View, but a lot of people are facing those barriers, additionally field equipment, trap covers, PPE, microchip scanners that could live in district hubs, so that people can be reunited directly with their pets, rather than having them to go all the way to animal control. Signage to aid with lost pets, and also TNR efforts, uniforms for the volunteers, additional traps and cameras to help with enforcement. An anesthesia machine under equipment will help us facilitate increased spade neuter surgeries. And we have some data and infrastructure needs around building the information portal for the community. This would be a digital hub that would connect people with the information they need in a self-service manner. So it'll be equipped with a chatbot and live support so that people can get answers in real time about what to do if they find a lost animal, where to go, what are the first steps, et cetera. And then we'll be outfitting the TNR software that we're going to be using for cats with pet facial recognition technology so that we can transfer images from that software into pet grow-love-lost to scan against the database of lost and found pets. So that if someone is picking up the cat for TNR, they are not just returning it in case if somebody's lost pet that has been dumped in that colony, et cetera. And then to round that out, it will be some additional vet supplies and medical supplies, additional vaccines, microchips, wound care, post-op recovery kits and field, Pools a chance you are yes. 30 seconds. Oh sorry. And yeah, and the additional would I was just saying would be used for when care supplies post-op recovery kits. Excited. The and this would allow us to accomplish standing up the cat help desk and also putting all this content in the digital hub that will be searchable and have information related to both cats and dogs. Thank you so much for your testimony. Yeah, Chair, it seems that we do have one more testifier, possibly via Zoom, calling out to Pat Kahavayola. Pat, if you'd like to provide testimony on an agenda item, if you could unmute and inform us of that. Yes. Yes. OK, if you could just inform us which agenda item, and then introduce yourself. It was Bill 44. OK. Pat, if you could just reintroduce yourself as you begin, you'll have three minutes. Okay. You give me 30 minutes or three minutes. Three minutes. Wow. My name is Pat, Kauhavayolah. And I am a kupuna here on the homestead. And am here to support bill 44 where there is a possible exemption. To maybe normalize equalize the four counties, especially when there is four different counties, four different tax table. I don't know how that happened, but it does. But I'm here to support what's intended to happen here on the big island. And we'll follow this through Tillage for leashing and submit testimonies at a written testimony. Thank you very much. Thank you so much for your testimony and with that chair, those are all the testifiers you have at your remote sites at this time. Thank you very much. Mr. Kirk, go from the top of the agenda down please. Convocation 233.11, the Port of Fund Transfers authorized March 16 through 31, 2025 from Act to Controller Wilson Criter, dated April 14, 2025. Motion to close file on communication 23.111. We have a motion by Council Member Aynaba and a second by Council Member Hustis to close file on communication 23.111. Any discussion in 24.1? the committee. The committee is to be test-pony for communication 24.10. Hearing none, the committee is authorized March 16-31-2025 communication 24.10. Motion by Council Member Yannava and seconded by Council Member Hustes to close file on communication 24.10. Council members discussion on the communication. Hearing it, saying none, motion is on the floor. All in favor? Aye, aye. Any opposed? Mr. Clerk, you have nine members in favor. Motion carries. Is there any testimony for communication 73.5? Hearing none, communication 73.5. Monthly budget status report for the month 8 December 31, 2024. From finance sector Dan Ocagawa, dated April 4, 2025, transmitting the report pursuant to section 6-6.3 H of the Hawaii County Charter. Motion to close file on communication 73.5. Motion by Council Member A. Nava, seconded by Council Member Houston, two close file communication 73.5 any discussion? Hearing and saying none motion is on the floor all in favor any opposed? Mr. Clerk you have nine members in favor motion carries This is any testimony of your communication 98.1. Hearing none, pinnication 98.1, third quarter report of persons employed under a contract for less than 90 days. January 1 through March 31, 2025. From human resources director, Summer J. Tokihiro dated April 1, 2025 transmitting the The above reports pursuant to Section 2-12.5 of the White County Code. Motion to close file on communication 98.1. Motion by Council Member Aidava and a second by Council Member Villegas to close file on communication 98.1. Is there any discussion, Council Members? Chair. Council Member Ricochewis. Thank you, Chair, Canary Yary Lee, Kleinfelder. Is there anyone from the administration available to speak to the permitting systems optimization manager? Not here in Colonna, Councillor Neill. Thank you. Anyone here in Heavill would like to speak to the nature of this individual's work. This is the permitting systems optimization manager, a monthly salary of $8,000. We all recognize the issues that are within the permitting division section within our county. Just trying to understand what this individual is doing and if there's going to be some kind of report provided to the council about efficiencies that are going to be made within the system. Thank you, Director. Of course, good afternoon, Council Diana Cagawa, Finance Department. I think our department's just stepped out, but and I don't have the details on that, but I'd be happy to get that and we can bring that back to the Council. Okay, great. Just an email would be wonderful to follow up. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Chair Eyal. Of course. Thank you. Any further discussion? I'm hearing and seeing none. Thank you, Dr. Nakavella. Motion is on the floor. All in favor? Any opposed? Mr. Clerk, you have nine members and fair in favor. Motion to close file on communication 98.1 carries Is there any testimony for communication 118.1? very Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you council member Enava seconded by council member Houston council members any discussion on the measure. Hearing and seeing motion is on the floor to close file on communication 118.1 all in favor. Any opposed? Mr. Clerk, you have nine members in favor. Is there any testimony for resolution 138-25? Hearing none, resolution 138-25 authorizes the mayor to enter an agreement with the State of Hawaii Department of Transportation, pursuing to why advised statute Section 46.7 for granted the county of Hawaii Mass Transit Agency. It allows the receipt of $270,000 of federated by the funds for the planning of the Pahoa Transit Hub, introduced by Councilmember Connelly Klein-Felder by request. Motion to Ford Resolution 13-25 to council with the favorable recommendation. Motion by council member Nava, secretary by council member Hustis, two forward resolution 13-25 to council with a favorable recommendation. Discussion? Hearing and seeing none. Motion is on the floor. All in favor? Any opposed?? Mr. Clerk you have nine members in favor motion carries Is there any testimony for resolution 139-25? Hearing none resolution 139-25 authorizes the mayor to ensure an agreement with the State of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. A lawsuit received up $1 million, $500,000 of federal divide funds for the development of the Kukuuyola Permanent Supportive Pousing Project in Kailoukona, introduced by Councilmember Connelly Kleinfelder by request. Motion to forward resolution 139-25 to council with a favorable recommendation. Second motion. My council member, Naba, seconded my council member, Houston, two Ford resolution, 1-39-25 to council with a favorable recommendation. Council members in the discussion. Hearing and seeing none, motion is on the floor. All in favor? Any opposed? Mr. Clerk, you have nine members in favor. Motion carries. Is there any testimony for Resolution 1-4-0-25? Hearing none, Resolution 1-4-0-25 approves the award of funds to the law animal alliance Hawaii by the Animal Control and Protection Agency. Provides $50,000 of grant funds to the law animal alliance Hawaii for their cat, spay, and neuter initiatives induced by Councilmember Connelly, Kleinfeld, or by request. Motion to Ford Resolution 140-25 to Council with the favorable recommendation. I'm motioned by Councilmember Innava and a second by Councilmember Glimba to Ford Res 2, 5 to council with a favourable recommendation. Council members, discussion on the resolution? Council member Viegis, go ahead. Yes, thank you. I do have some questions here. And I'm wondering if court council, Renee Sheldon might be able to come up to ask some questions here. Oh, I'm sorry. I need you on the next one. I don't have the questions on this one. Sorry. I'm good. I yield. Okay. It's the next one. For resolution 1 five, sorry, one four zero dash two five any discussion. Councilmember Onishi. Keats, I have some quick piece of that from animal control there. I'm not sure Matt. Well, he's on zoom. Okay. Yes, I'm here Okay, good afternoon hat Okay, I think your volume might be a little bit low or soft My phone Sorry about that. Okay, don't better? Yeah, perfect. Okay, so we did have a discussion and to my understanding, the previous budget or two years ago budget, $150,000 was added into your budget to, I guess, higher or to get a vendor to do like a calling call station or call. It was set aside in the budget for a contract service for a span of resources or a, I wanted to basically bring all the resources into one location for people to be able to access it easily. We did have a hard time initially finding someone that would take that initiative and we started to run out of time within the fiscal year to be able to get that contract awarded. Okay. Now through your discussion with these, I guess, proposed vendors or possible vendor, was it because of a cause that the moat wasn't enough for this yearly contract? I think it was just the fact that it was, it was a little later in the year when we initially started the, the discussions with them about the setting up a system. This, you know, with something that's an online portal and online venue, it takes a pretty good amount of time to design it and get initiated and get it rolling down the road along with advertisements and stuff to the public. So with those initial talks to some of the island wide vendors or people that could possibly take on this task, it was a little late in the game for this fiscal year. Okay. And my last thing to you is in what account was this money put into? I think it was put into contractual services. Okay. And I guess I have one more again for you, but in your opinion, do you feel that this money should be taken out to be provided as grants? I think you know better to use the money that is set aside. I think it's a great opportunity to give to the organizations within the county that do lend a great deal of work to animal control into the county and to animal services with on the island. This resolution as well as the next one, both cater to organizations that have great plans and are going to utilize those funds for good within the community. And how closely do you work with these two different organizations? Pretty close. Aloha Animal Alliance. We've recently worked with this past year and the main society we've worked with for a long time. They take a good chunk of our animals that come into our facility that are adoptable animals. So we work closely with both of them. Okay, thank you. Is finance director Nakagawa at the Hilo Chambers? She's coming up. Okay thank you. Good afternoon. You can introduce yourself. Good afternoon Diane Nakagawa Finance. Okay so fine Director, do you feel comfortable by moving this type of money which is allocated for certain purpose to be used for grants? So, you know, as the county has transitioned to the oversight of these services, we have learned and confirmed that these types of spandida services are critical. And with the county taking over these services in the last couple of years, it does take a while for us to get everything to get from our resources, square-to-way, and our management oversight. So in these transition times, I think, while we get to a fully staffed agency and in things in place, that there may be a need for these organizations to assist the county in critical areas that need to get done. Okay. So now, if we use this for grants to award organizations with this money, wouldn't it be better to have a separate account for this purposes? So as ideally, as you all know, as we go through the budget process process these would be identified early on in the year in the manner in which we would like to spend them. So as you're saying if we program them in a certain area ideally that's where we would like to do these types of things are made sometimes in the year just due to adjustments in time and need. But I would say if the department chooses or determines that this is the best way forward to achieve the goals that are needed, then that should be planned for. Okay. My last thing is so as council members, if we find money, that's not being spent in other areas of different departments, so are we allowed to transfer or to request that certain department to provide grant funding to certain applicants or organizations that have not really applied for them? I think that's a difficult question to answer so broadly when you're talking about every single department and the needs. I think this one is a special circumstance in which we have relied on these organizations to assist the county in these responsibilities, but I don't know if that would apply everywhere else. So, you know, that's just a hard one to answer in such a broad range. Because for me, you would be like, okay, instead of giving grants, would be more, let's do a contract with them with this funding for a limited time. Would that be better? It is an option, you know, so currently if the organization, the department, the agency knows of specific purposes, then we would go out and procure these services through a competitive process. And that is, I think like what was explained earlier, that was the intention to put it in 1 1 5 and contractual services. Right. Okay. Okay. At this time, Chair, are you? Thank you. Any further discussion on resolution 1 4 0-2 5 council member in other. Thank you. Administrator wondering if we can get a clear breakdown of the budget for this $50,000 prior to the council hearing? You mean of what they're going to be spending it on? Yes, and I, this is back to our same conversation about standardizing the information the council receives especially when it comes to giving grants to nonprofits You know when housing brought their homeless Grant award recommendations to the council We we did get detailed line items for what each of the awards would be covering. So if you could work with the finance department to get that information. So we have a clear understanding of how this money is to be used and to ensure that it's in compliance with the provisions of our code not allowing more than 10% to be used for administrative costs and ensuring that all costs associated with the grant are in line with public purpose. Yeah, I can work with those organizations to get a list of those items to be sent on. Great. And the last time we amended the resolution and we had these budget sheets as part of the exhibit. What is the direction right now for how we're going to move forward and making sure that these agreements and the grants are being spent with what is presented and represented here before the council. Director and I'll go on. I'm going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and do that. We have been going through and looking at all, making it consistent in the way that these grants come before council. We were just talking about that internally with our pong grants as well. So we will have to, we have not yet implemented the procedure internally so that we can make sure we're consistent but we have been working on what that would look like to make sure that all the same information is presented to council when these grants are moving forward. So that is something that we are working on. Okay, I'll follow up with you after this. Just wanna make sure we're being consistent what's good for one department should be good for all. And we send housing through the ringer. So I just want to make sure that the same standard is being applied to animal control in any other department. I'll follow up offline, Mahalo. Thank you. Thank you. Kelsma, we're good. Thank you. Yeah, I agree that we should have consistent standards. I just wanted to speak to sort of the larger vision here, which I think administrative and runnels alluded to. I think it was either this last budget or the one before that I can't quite remember, but we really did come down or encouraged administrator Reynolds very strongly to reach out to create an ecosystem around animal control, working with other organizations in the community because it's really, it would be impossible for animal control to really do the kind of work out in the community that these organizations can do and they already exist and want to do. So he is really following through on something that we, a number of us, strongly encouraged him to do. So that gives a little bit of background on that. Thank you. Checking it with Hilo. Hearing none. Council, actually to the director Reynolds, looking that the two resolutions that are in front of us I guess for me it we we've touched on this in our budget hearings. We increased budget for the animal control agency Quite substantially But we're also, you know, the community is a little mixed in there how we're doing it and through the emails that I get. So as I'm looking at this and the next resolution and thinking on the intention here, which is to provide funding to other organizations to do the tasks that we cannot or are not able to do at this time. Kind of seeing it as a, it's a little it's a little perplexing that we've increased budget are not able to offer services that are now actually reaching back out to existing non-profits in the community that used to do the same work. And we're asking them to do the work again through funding from the county. It almost feels a little bit circular. So, checking in with you to see, are we not able to get where we're wanting to go at the department and what we're doing to get ahead of the problem so that we're using the funds to maybe better our operations in Puna to get you folks where you need to be or if we're just overfunded to the point where you have to give out grants to do the work that we're supposed to be doing. Thank you for your question. We had some, we had different budget increases. One is in our S&W, we had some re-classification of some positions that went extremely higher than what we initially planned on them being, which is one reason why the budget is a little bit increased. And answer your question about the organizations and the services that fees, funds are going to help us with. Those are services that we mostly deal with field services with our agency. We bring in a lot of animals, but we also encourage and promote organizations within our counties to adopt those animals out. It saves our staff from having to provide the service of adoption. It saves the county from having a liability of adopting out animals that may have the potential to be aggressive to those agencies and those organizations better that those animals to make sure that they are appropriate for the homes that they go to. And so, you know, we try to promote and encourage those organizations through our own promotion of them. And, you know, with this grant money to help get some of those animals out of our facility, or to help prevent animals from coming in. You know, we can't necessarily provide all of the spare new to services within the county, but if we can encourage and promote and fund organizations that do provide that service or can help to provide that service to the county, then it ultimately helps our intake and helps us bring our numbers down overall. And so, even though we're... service to the county, then it ultimately helps our intake numbers and helps us bring our numbers down overall. And so even though we're, you know, we can't necessarily provide that service on a mass scale, we can encourage those organizations that do. Okay, this, just checking every this resolution right now, 140-25, this is specific to Cat, spay and do it or initiative, is that right? Yeah, okay, so we're only talking CATS, right? CATS, and according to Aloha Animal Alliance, the portal that they're talking about, building will also assist with dog, span new resources as well. Okay, I'm gonna point blank do with the community. We have a lot of resources to do with the community. We have a lot of resources to do with the community. We have a lot of resources to do with the community. the entire resources that the island need. I wouldn't say that even with 150,000 could we necessarily cover that same cost only because we're one organization. This, you know, especially with span new to resources within the island, there are multiple organizations that do that service. So for for us to be able to bring that all under us and and say that we can provide the same services possibly three or four other organizations that are already doing the service in the county, it wouldn't be a realistic you know ask for our agency. The amount of personnel that we would need a higher to be able to provide the level of resources that organizations that provide that currently would be more than the amount of money that this initially was set aside for. Okay. Okay, I understand that. Where is this funding coming from? This from your general budget? Is there specific line item that you're pulling these funds from? There is a specific line item under contractual services for span new resources that was set aside in last fiscal year. Was this the increase in your budget from the 2023 2024 budget discussions for community outreach? Yes. Yep. Okay. And that was roughly if I believe memory serving me correctly. That was $250,000. It was $150,000. 150,000. And yet. Okay, and so we didn't we didn't spend on the funds. We're now in a due grants to kind of go the other way and achieve the same goal. You know, you know, I still feel it does achieve the same goal. It just redirects it when's really the way to do that. So, I think that's really the way to do that. So, I think that's really the way to do that. So, I think that's really the way to do that. So, I think that's really the way to do that. So, I? Thank you, Chair. One last call. Matt, I have one question. Okay, so there was a representative from a law alliance mentioning during her testimony about I guess enforcement, like digital services or whatever medical supplies, and so forth. So as you're mentioning earlier, there's money, there's grant that will be provided to them. Like you're saying, it's about to go to a certain cause, right? I mean, like first paid and neutered, right? And they shouldn't be using it for anything else, correct? That's correct. I mean, it should be utilized for, you know, with this particular organization, they're working on CAT, CAT, span, neuter, resources, and, you know, all the funds should be working towards that function. Okay. And would you know if this and the alliance does that in house or the contracted out source? I right now I believe they're trying to work towards moving it all in house to where where they have the resources to be able to provide that to the cat. The cat colony managers within the county. And so those are resources that they're trying to take on themselves. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, any further discussion? Hearing and sorry seeing and hearing none motion is on the floor to for resolution 1 4 0 dash 2 5 to council with a favorable recommendation. All in favor? Any opposed? I have a roll call please. On the motion to a forward resolution 1-4-0, the council of the favour recommendation. Council member Galimba. Aye. Council member Houston. Aye. Council member Inaba. Aye. Council member Coguata. Aye. Council member Kirkwoods. Aye. Council member Campbell. Aye. Council member Oñishi. No. Constra V. Agas. Aye. Councillor Campbell. Aye. Councillor O'Neighi. No. Councillor Villegas. Aye. Chair. No. Chair, you have seven members in favor to appellate yourself and committee member O'Neighi. The motion carries. The matter will be forward to Councillor O'Neighi. A favor recommendation. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Is thereite Testimony Resolution 141-25. Hearing none, Resolution 141-25 approves the award of funds the Hawaii Island Humane Society by the Animal Control and Protection Agency. Provides $50,000 grant funds the Hawaii Island Humane Society support off Island Animal Transport on Island Adoptions and Rehoming Efforts, introduced by Councilmember Connelly, type out there by request. Motion to forward resolution 141-25 to Council with a favorable recommendation. We have a motion by Councilmember Inaba and a second by Councilmember Galimba to forward resolution 141-25 to Council with a favorable recommendation. Discussion Court Council. Renation can help me with this. Recently had some issues with basically being told that the funds that had been allocated from contingency Recently had some issues with basically being told that the funds that had been allocated from contingency relief to support a homeless service provider organization that utilizes funds to send people who are unhoused from out of state home where they came from. we've been told it doesn't align and we can't utilize the funds for that now. And so I suppose I am confused and I'm totally in support of this and utilizing resources. I realize there are places in the mainland where you can't adopt a dog or cat. And so so we have an abundance and so re-homing them in another place. But I am confused and feel why is this okay as being identified as the public good when helping to get those who are living on our streets back where they came from not being considered the public good. Good afternoon, Renée, show incorporation council. So if I understand your question correctly, you're looking at the utilizing the funds to to support off Island Animal Transport and you're equating that to the relocation of homeless individuals on this island to somewhere else. We do transport, it's reunification program, right? Taking people who have found themselves living on the streets here, and we do a reunification program with their families in the mainland, covering the airfare, and isn't this what the off-Island animal transport equates to? I don't know. I don't know the specifics of this, but what I can say is that anytime this body and the county looks at giving grants to nonprofits, it has to ask whether or not there is a direct benefit to the public and whether it accomplishes a public purpose. So I guess if this body believes that transporting animals from this county somewhere else is a public purpose and that there's a direct benefit to the public, you know, that's for this body to decide. I think in the situation where this body has looked at, for instance, the homeless grants, I think there was a lot of pushback on the requests for travel. But we passed a resolution that approved it as this body, and we passed the resolution for contingency funds to be allocated for travel for the unhoused for a family reunification program and so I'm just I'm trying to get a better understanding of you know what's what because I believe it's the public good for us to utilize public funds to ensure that people aren't living on our streets because we know the figures of what it ends up costing us in hospital bills and outreach services and all those things. Same way with creatures who don't have homes and need a safe place to live. It benefits our community as a whole for them to be home to elsewhere. Yeah, I understand. I mean, I'd be happy to look at that resolution that was passed. Because it was passed in November and I just got word that it's now been shut down and they no longer getting the funds and the direct terminology used is that it can't be used for airfare to transport our homeless out of state. So the irony of now have this in front of us to be utilized for animals. I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I'm tasked for some clarification. Thank you for enduring my questions. And no worries. I'm, you know, I'd be happy to look at that resolution I wasn't here in November. But I'm just kind of reiter're going to see the public decision. I'm not sure if you're going to see the public decision. I'm not sure if you're going to see the public decision. I'm not sure if you're going to see the public decision. I'm not sure if you're going to see the public decision. I'm not sure if you're going to see the public decision. I'm not sure if of money actually. So yeah. Yeah. And I'm not super familiar, but my understanding is that it's an issue of travel and that there was kind of a pushback by this body regarding travel for money's going to nonprofits where it was like a disproportionate amount. And that's why. I don't know if we're talking apples in orange so I can never stop talking. Probably advice I should take. Thank you, Corp. Council's shown. Yeah, I'm in full support of this. I just want to see equitable recognition of the value of, you know, air fares necessary for anybody to get anywhere from this island. So whether or not that's transporting people to some place they can be safe and reducing the burden on our taxpayers for taking care of them in our health systems very often is where they end up and also for creatures. So thank you. Are you? That's a good one. Tells me, Bronici. Thank you, Chair. That's a good one, you're right. We can do one for one, but the other one cannot. And it's both safe, yeah, I agree with that. Matt, one question. So, who was, who offered this resolution to have Humane Society to do what it's listed in the whereas? Did it come from your department or agency or where did it, who trusted it? It came from our agency. We are in close contact with some of society, trying to work with them to fund more off island transports, the adoption available people for adoption of animals has, you know, it waxes in the wanes with availability of animals and availability of people to adopt. And so, in those times where we find ourselves without adopters on the island, a lot of those animals end up staying in our shelters, costing the taxpayer more money with food and resources. And so in an effort to try to get those animals off, Humane Society does have partner organizations on the mainland that take those animals from us, from our shelters, from county facilities, and relocates them to facilities that have better adoption of the ability on the mainland. OK, so I'm trying to understand about this budget, that's why the funding that was provided in this account, because it's not being utilized in the way it was supposed to be, now you folks are looking at different options in using this funding to help with the problem that we face. So with this upcoming budget for 2526, why or can your agency or department come back to the council during budget time to readjust your numbers to help with providing these services that is being in front of us now to be approved. Is that possible? Do you mean to increase our capacity to do some of that in-house? Well, no, or even like how you would provide in this grant. Because it seems like you couldn't, with money you had gone then, like what a year or two years ago, that 150,000, you're not able to contract a vendor to do what the contract was supposed to be about, right? That's correct. And so now, either you or your department is moving this funds around or someone's moving this funds around to provide these services. So can you and your staff revaluate this funding to come back during the final readings of our budget for your budget and have it specified for these uses? Oh, you mean, okay, instead of using it for a contractual service, use it for the grant, set it into a different ounce of those for those grants. Yeah, correct. I can talk to finance director about it. We were concerned with the time crunch, whether or not those funds would be able to move out. But I assume that a can be moved into accounts set up just for grants. But with what it was the way it was set up previously, it was under contractual services. Okay. And then a lot, and the other option is if you feel with this upcoming budget, 25, 26 that you're able to find a vendor, then I would say leave it in there. But if you feel that you're not gonna be able to find someone because of maybe not enough funding or you just can't find someone that can provide the services then I would say try to see work with finance to break it up apart. Yeah I agree I mean that that that task of organizing this you know as far as a span newter hub service is a is ask for any organization, it to work with all of the given organizations in the county that provide that service and get them to all organize in one maintained hub that everybody communicates through. It's a big ask for organizations that won't even work together right now. And so that was one of the challenges that we had with that for this past fiscal year, was trying to find an organization that could bring all those other organizations together with that service. And so we continue to try it for this next fiscal year and see if we can find an organization that'll do that. Okay. Thank you. And the last thing. For these nonprofits organizations, where they are a process where it was opened up to all nonprofits that provide these services. I mean, those were the organizations that are the largest for our agency to be able to provide those services. Those are the ones that we currently utilize and our partners within our agency. Okay, okay. Okay. Thank you. Are you? Thank you. Any further discussion? Hearing and seeing none motion is on the floor. I'll have a beer. Any opposed? Mr. Clerk may I roll call please? On the motion 2-4 resolution 1-4-1 to the Council of the Favourite Recommendation. Council member Galimba. Aye. Constra Houston. All right. Constra Inava. All right. Constra Gilemba. Councilmember Hussis. Councilmember Inava. Councilmember Kagiwana. Councilmember Kirkowitz. Councilmember Kimball. Councilmember Onishi. No. Councilmember Villegas. Chair. No. Chair, you have seven votes in favor with yourself. And member Onishi oppose the motion carries the matter will be forward to council the favor recommendation Thank you. Mr. Clerk bill 44, please. Is there any additional testimony for bill 44? Very none bill 44 men's chapter 19 article 10 section 1989 of the Hawaii County Code in 1983. 2016 edition as amended relating to exemptions from certain Hawaiian homes property and other agencies. Exempt the value of buildings on Hawaiian homelands, homesteads from property taxes and repeals references to outdated state law. And she's by conspiring Naba and conspiring Hustis. Motion to Ford bill 44 to counsel at the favorable recommendation. We have a motion by consparing Nava and a second by consparing Hustis to Ford bill 44 to counsel with a favorable recommendation. Councilmember Inava. Thank you chair. This is a piece of legislation as was read in that consparing Hustis and I worked on together one that I believe was a topic of concern for residents in his district and definitely in mind as well. The main difference here as being proposed in the bill is to change the word exclusive of buildings to the word inclusive of buildings. A very pretty straightforward, easy change that would exempt Department of Hawaiian Homeland leases here in our county from taxes. They would certainly to pay the minimum tax. We have attached in communication two, three, two, point one, a comparison of the real property tax policies of the different counties. Coa County doesn't tax them at all. Sitting County of Juan de Lulu has a minimum tax, which is what we're proposing here. And then on Maui, it's a little bit more complicated. But essentially, everyone in our opinion should contribute some things. So that's why we left the minimum tax rather than going to co-ease zero tax. We have support from Chair Watkins from the Department of Hawaiian Homeland and various community associations from Waimea to Kauka to Laipua here in Kona, as for your support and I'll hand it over to Councilmember Hustis to chime in on anything I might have missed. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Councilabbo. And I, grateful for the opportunity to co-sponsor this with you. And definitely here in the conversations in Pukapu, a Y-May-A-Nui, the home status, and the Y-May-A community, about bringing parity with the other counties. So that released the goal beyond the relief that we will see, and the relief that they will see with this going forward. So grateful for your support and consideration for this as we bring that parody across the counties. Mala. Thank you. Councillor RenovA. Sorry, just to get ahead of the question, the financial impact to the county, Should this bill be approved with result in a reduction of revenue in the amount of $1.4 million. We have Administrator Mira and Assistant Administrator, Keta Joel here. Mr. Joel here in Cona, Administrator Mira in the Hilo. I would like to call an administrator at this time if you have any comment on this bill. Aloha and good afternoon. Thank you for letting me speak. My name is Lisa Mayor of Real Property Tax Administrator. We just like to say we went over the analysis and the information. And from the real property tax policy standpoint, it does make it more fair and in line with the other counties. And I did read all of the testimonies and the opposition and the one in opposition. I just wanted to share that unless DHHL provides us with a route slip, then we cannot tax any properties or put it on our tax role, because up until then it will be under the state of the Department of Hawaiian Homeland. But I am here if you have any questions, I know it's easier sometimes if council is in Kona to ask somebody sitting there. So, Keda Joe is more than happy to respond as well. Thank you, administrator. Mr. Joe, anything to add at this time? Keda Joe, Assistant, real property tax administrator. I will just add that going through this process allowed us to review our roles in regard to Department of Wine Homelands properties and moving in this direction also increases equity in that we discover that there is a percentage of properties no matter how much we communicate there's an opportunity for less ease to receive a homeowner's exemption to reduce their tax liability but there still are a number of individuals that haven't taken us up on that. So by virtue of this legislation it does improve the equity in that regards where everybody will receive a similar benefit. Thank you very much assistant administrator. Happy to take questions from the body at this time. Thank you chair. Thank you. I'll start with you guys. Yeah. I will humbly admit I'm not sure if I'm the only one, but I don't have any Hawaiian homelands in District 7. But I, so I'm going to defer to the wisdom of the makers of this and appreciate the testimony and support for it. I appreciate the equity and at a time when our native Hawaiian people struggle already with so many of the circumstances on what is was their homeland I think that this is a step in the right direction so thank you to the tax office or continuing to endure all of the changes. But I appreciate you guys and I think that this is a step in the right direction. And I just have to say it for diversity, equity, an inclusion in the way we manage our taxes in this county. I yield. Thank you. Chair. Councillor McKinble. Thank you. So I just want to dive into the numbers, but I'm teasing James. Like decided that says Catrice. Deputy Administrator, do you recall of how many parcels are currently at the minimum tax in Hawaiian homes and then how many parcels are included in this number that would not be modified? Yeah, so currently when we take a look at those in the Homeowners Tax Classification, 29% of those individuals are at minimum tax. So that's somewhere around the range of about 400, if I were to guess. Okay. So this would be increasing it to around 2098. Okay. Okay. Um. not any property that's being used like for commercial or anything like that. That is correct. Okay, all right. All right, yeah, thank you. The thanks for the first fall to clean up on this. I was like looking up for chapter 234 and it doesn't exist anymore, so. Ha, ha, ha, ha. So that was good. I'm happy to support this mainly for the parity with the other communities, but I think just going forward, based on the budget presentation we had from finance director and our cash flow outlook for the next few years. A million and a half year, a million and a half there is going to add up. So just I just want to root state. I think we do have to be thoughtful about not cutting a million here or up in there in too many places. But I think this is one of the places that is a right place to do so. Thanks. Are you? Thank you. Council member, check it out with Hilo before I come back to Councilmember Hussis. Yes, please. Councilmember Calguada. Thank you. I totally support this because of the fairness issue and the parity issue. I do have concerns about our budget going forward. And I'm just wondering if the makers thought about or considered or. Yeah, are we. Are we going to be making this up in any way? I realize that's kind of out of the scope of what we're talking about here. But I do have concerns about that. But like I say, I'm happy to support this. I do think in all fairness, it's what we should do as a county. But I am very concerned going forward given all the information that we've been given about what the next five to 10 years looks like and as far as our budgets go. So yeah, I hope that we can address this going forward. Thanks. I yield. Thank you. Councilmember Husses. Thank you, Chair. Thank you. Council Member Coguata for the question. I'll try to answer it a little bit. Because there's definitely something I thought about where we all pay into the services across the county. You know, and looking at all the counties. And in some, there was some testimony on the model presented on Coa County. I just want want to mojolo, the literature research branch for the research on this to really show that baseline across all the counties and really provide everyone kind of just an analysis of all the counties do it. So kind of going to that zero was in the conversations with community going to zero was one of those things that they were aware of for quite county but You know realizing that we are paying for the services and that we're all pitching into these things You know, that was the reason that we kind of decided to stay at the minimum property tax at least to cover some of the expenses there um As we dove into the numbers You know, we had some of the conversations with real property tax about some of the delinquency issues as well and this does not you know, negate any of the delinquencies that are out there. So that's still a conversation that we have to have with DHL and Councilmember Kimball about your question on our on the commercial properties. You know, this is this is not included in as you as you as you clarified there. We do have a big delinquency on our commercial licensee so that that's the look on going conversation we need to have with Department of Point Homeland. So that's that's something that we need to resolve and that's still some money that is technically owed to the county. So that's something that we need to work together on. But yeah, so just want to mohaloly for your thoughts on this and really providing the relief to our homestead community. So, Mahalo. Thank you. Well, okay. I really appreciate this bill in finding such a simple way of creating equity in our community specifically with Hoi and Holman. So, if Kudos to the makers. For the director for Property Tax, I believe I heard you say this is a 1.4 million expected reduction in property taxes. Ms. Mura. Hi, sorry. I believe councilmember Enauba said that, but I can confirm that is correct. Okay. Do you have a number? Ms. Mura. It is 1.44 million. So he's correct. So about a million and a half. And property tax reductions if the bill were to proceed? I'm sorry, the bill was to what I could proceed. If the bill was the pass. Yes. Okay, they're going to having deja vu to two weeks ago, having the same discussion. So it's good to hear that this one won't break the bank unlike the other bill. I find that interesting to say it at least. But in this case, I do feel that the equity being provided to the community is worthwhile and I'll be supporting the measure. So that's for the finance department. Mr. Oniji, you have a comment? Yeah, thank you, Chair. Thank you. I just wanted to make a comment about how giving 10.5 million for homelessness on a property tax, right, revenue so. By giving this exemption to our residents on day-gichelle properties, I don't see any problem with that. It's such a manini of percentage that we're talking about. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Anishie. I agree it's such a manini percentage. Thank you. Okay, seeing no further, oh, Mr. Glyma. Thanks. The administrator has something to add when you get a chance, Chair. Thank you. It's not okay. Yeah, go ahead, Mr. Okay, sorry. I just wanted to add that we didn't get to talk about the implications on the staff. Currently, the way the bill is written, it would have less work on the staff. That's not a reason to support or oppose the bill, I realize that. But I just wanted to share, it does not require additional staff because staff will not be chasing down homeowner exemptions anymore. It will be automatic so it actually is less work on our team. Thank you. Thank you, ma'am. Councillor Mica level. Thank you. I just had a question more broadly and I'm not sure who would answer it. I'll'll just put it out there and it may be Corporation Council or it could be Council and Inaba who could answer this but I was wondering on the underlying exemption of like the land and the Hawaiian Homeland's land. Is it because it is a like federal program that the other lands were Prince Coohee went to Congress and got this program started? Is it because it's not sort of county land in some legal sense or is it another reason? Let me start off by saying I'm not an expert at the Hoyn Homes Commission Act. We do have provisions that exempt the land currently and I believe the Commission Act exempts from all property tax for the first seven years. So there is provisions within the Act for a certain period. What we're doing here is just saying that it's in perpetuity and it lands within the trust are only subject to minimum tax. So it doesn't matter if there's a home or no home, any parcel under DHL for homes that would be the minimum tax for our county. Thanks. Yeah, I am supportive. I just was I'm curious on that sort of underlying legal status. And I can pursue it later. Thanks. Thank you. Councillor Rodriguez. I just have one quick question. I'm hoping one of the makers could answer for me. What would be an example of commercial delinquency? Okay. So the Department of Wine Home Lands will execute releases. If I were to give you a real-life example, Prince Cujillo Mall. The air port, the wastewater. Yeah. So those properties are not excluded from real property taxation. They're taxed just like any other port. So when Alisa's executed to a commercial entity. Are they delinquent? We do have some delinquencies with regard to our commercial properties. Interesting. Get them. We try. I yield. Thank you. Okay, any further discussion on Bill 44? Hearing and seeing none, motion is on the floor. Two forward bill 44 to council with a favorable recommendation. All in favor? Any opposed? Mr. Clerk, you have nine members in favor. Motion carries, bill 48, please. Senator Testpony for bill 48. Hearing none, bill 48ends orders number 2432 as amended operating budget for the county of Oye. For the fiscal year in June 30, 2025, appropriate service in the Federal Grants Federal Transit Administration Section 5304, Forming the account to under $70,000. And it will property the same to the Federal Transit Administration Section 5304, Forming the count to be used for the planning of the BOLO Transit Hub introduced by Councilor McConley Climb other by request. Motion to floor bill 48 to Council with a favorable recommendation. Motion by Council member A. Nava, seconded by Council member Hustis. Two forward bill 48 to Council with a favorable recommendation in the discussion. Hearing and seeing none, motion is on the floor. All in favor? Any opposed? Mr. Clerk, you have nine members in favor and motion carries. There's only testimony for bill 49. Hearing none, bill 49 amends order number 2432 as a minute, the operating budget for the county of Hawaii. For the fiscal year in June 30, 1025 approach revives in the federal grant's 2025 pathways to removing obstacles housing account in the May and $500,000. And appropriate to the 2025 pathways to removing obstacles housing account to be used for the development of the Kukuweola permanent support of housing project in Kaewoakona. Introduced by Councilor Rikandri Klan, by request. Motion to forward bill 49 to council with the favorable recommendation. Second. Motion by Council Member Aidava. Seconded by Council Member Vigis to forward bill 49 to council with the favorable recommendation. I'll have any discussion. Chair. Council Member Vigis. Just want to throw it in there that we are deeply excited and grateful for the forward and momentum and movement of the Cucuioola project and really looking forward to that becoming available to provide home of services on the west side. I yield. Thank you. Anything further? Hearing and seeing none. Motion is on the floor. Two, four, Bill 49 and Council with a favourable recommendation. All in favour? Any opposed? Mr. Clerk, you have nine members in favour? Sorry, testimony for Bill 50. Very none. Bill 50, amendments chapter 19, article 11, section 19, the other way, you come to code 1983. the . The . The . The . The . The . The . The . The . The . The to a fixed amount of $9 million. Introduced by Councillor Bercogliwada and Councillor Renaba. A motion. Chair, motion two, approve, bill 50, and send to the full council with a favourable recommendation. Second. A motion by Councillor Renaba, a favourable recommendation. Second, my second, my second, my second, my second, my second, my second, my second, my second, my second, my second, my second, Council of the F the Favorable Recommendation. Council Member Kogiywada, go ahead. Thank you, Chair. Yes. I'm happy to work on this pretty simple bill with Chair Yannaba. Basically after we had some of those discussions about the housing and homelessness fund, a couple of things came out of that. One is that it seemed like OHCD would like to be able to not have the organizations that are receiving funds have to spend every penny if something were to happen like they couldn't get enough staff to do the program they had hoped to do. But instead to have that money come back into the same fund to be used in future years. And so that is the second part of this saying any remaining balance collected pursuant to this subsection at the end of the fiscal year shall be designated for this purpose. So just staying with the housing and homelessness fund and then the other one was just simply trying to give OHCD and the organizations that are involved with this funding a little more stability and understanding of what would be coming every year. So instead of doing the 75% which could greatly fluctuate and may also get really large and then drop, we are putting in here to change that to no less than $9 million, which means Council could decide on a very flush year. They want to do more if there's something going on where they feel like what we feel like there needs to be more funding for that. We could decide on going over the $9 million, but that that 9 million is a kind of target number that OHCD can rely on and work with to, so that they kind of have an ongoing understanding of what they might be receiving. So that's basically it, and I'll turn it over to my colleague to add anything. Thank you. I yield. Thank you. Councillor Verrino. Thank you. I want to highlight and emphasize the importance of transitioning away from a percentage, especially when we are dealing with our property tax rates. Should anyone on the council ever choose to amend those rates. We have certain categories in our budget or in our real property tax that we know takes working percentages, emergency fund, punk, punk, maintenance. And it's kind of a headache, I would say, if we try to amend our real property tax rates. This is one of those areas that also causes a problem and it's another consideration. We have to try and equate for when we're dealing with our real property tax rate adjustment. So to set that certain amount, and as we know, when we passed this bill, and three years ago, the amount is significantly different than what we're working with now so to provide that consistency as Councillor McGregor pointed out so the fund is in a runaway fund that you know housing is always almost chasing to try and make sure we're able to spend those funds. This is an attempt to provide that consistency. And again, should a need in a specific budget year be more than nine million nothing stops, either the administration or the council from appropriating more than nine million dollars. And again, this section and this funding is still sunset during 30th,27 and I think that might be, you know, we'll be considering what to do after that So we haven't changed that part of this section. Just specifically the amount and making sure that any unspent funds come back to This account for this purpose. So ask for your support and happy to take any questions. Mahalo Thank you you. Council members. Council member Kimball. Yeah, thank you. Thank you both for putting this together. Just a minor suggestion with respect to number four, no less than 75% being struck and adding in the 9 million. It's unlikely, but it is possible that there's a scenario where we don't hit 9 million in that. And so I would say either all of the funds collected or 9 million, whichever is less, wait, yeah, whichever is less. Yeah, that's that's great. Just just to account for that possibility that you wouldn't actually collect the full 9 million from that class. Just a thought. Thank you. How's from Brooklyn-Golomba? basically agree just and it is unlikely but if we don't say that then we could in that situation we'd kind of be like so where's the right you know the balance going to come from so just to not get us into a awkward situation that would be I think a good idea. Thank Thank you Councillor McLember. Councillor Verne, you see? Let's see. I like that, but also, wouldn't this body have control on like, I guess, see, like next year something goes wrong, our body could like rescind what we have here, correct? Is the novel or is the useless? I don't think anything, but what stopped from you know repealing a bill that we passed and then we do know also and I guess maybe this is the to address some of the concerns just shared I don't think in the next two years that this funding is guaranteed we're going to see less than 9 million so we do have just a two year window we're working with here. So I guess that was, for us, I wasn't a concern, but I do understand it and hear what the concern is. Yeah, okay. For me, I would rather have it that we don't have a set date and we go here by year. And would be better based on what kind revenues we can we collect. So that might be something to think about. Thank you. Thank you. Hilo? Yeah, thank you chair. I would just to respond to Council Member O'Neill's suggestion. I would just say one of the things we were really based on the discussions we had in Council a while ago with OHCD. We were trying to get away from the not knowing year by year what was going to happen and that was one main reason. We changed the 75% to the not the no less than 9 million. So I would be concerned if we had something written where every year we would be reconsidering much and if we'd be putting anything towards this housing and homelessness fund would be very destabilizing and very hard to plan and look down the road. So that's just my thought on that but yeah, agree with councilmember Inaba that you know in two years we're going to I need to really dive into this further and see where we're at and see what direction we want to go so I think that's a really good opportunity for everybody to bring their best ideas forward and and really work together to come up with the next phase thank you thank. Are you? Thank you. Okay, seeing and hearing none, I agreed looking for the what happens if there is less revenue than $9 million. Understanding that probably won't happen in the next two years, but also thinking ahead to a council that may enable this to go on longer because this fund has been used and is being utilized too good. So with that in mind, I'd appreciate the comments to date and look forward to seeing what happens in our next council meeting. So to the made motion, council members, seeing no further discussion, bill number 50, favourites. I am with a favourable recommendation being forward to council. All in favour? Any opposed? Mr. Clerk, you have nine members in favour? That brings us to the end of our agenda, saying no further business. We are adjourned. It is 2.25pm.m. Our next committee will begin at 2.30. Thank you.