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Mitchell D.RothMaurice C. Messina Mayor °: 3 Director Michelle Malia Hiraishi Countp of ' , deputy Director DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION 101 Pauahi Street,Suite 6 e Hilo,Hawaii 96720 (808)961-8311 @ Fax(808)961-8411 Email: parks recreation(a7hawaiicounty.gov http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/parks-and-recreation/ June 3, 2022 Honorable Maile David, Chairwoman and Members of the Hawaii County Council County of Hawaii . 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 1402 Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Subject: Department of Parks andRecreation's Evaluation of Applications for 2021 Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Stewardship Grants Dear Chairwoman David and Members of the Hawaii County Council: The Department of Parks and Recreation ["DPR"] received nine applications for stewardship grants associated with the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation ["PONC"] Maintenance Fund ["Fund"] and reviewed the recommendations provided by the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission ["Commission"]. Due to DPR's role in managing the County's COVID-19 pandemic response and other priorities, DPR was not able to review the applications and submit its recommendations earlier. The Hawaii County Charter was amended via the November 3, 2020 election and, of significance here, the sections governing the PONC preservation fund and PONC maintenance fund were modified accordingly. Of specific note, the responsibility for evaluating and recommending grant applications was transferred from DPR to the Department of Finance ["Finance"]. Because these grants were submitted prior to November 3, 2020 and to ensure a smooth transition to Finance, DPR committed to performing the initial reviews and evaluations for each grant application and providing recommendations consistent with past practices, but to the revised Charter language. As such and in accordance with Hawaii County's Charter(2020) §10-16(h)(8), please find DPR's written evaluations and recommendations for the stewardship grant applications submitted for calendar year 2021. To establish the basis of our evaluations, please accept the following premises: Hawaii County's Charter (2020) Section 10-16, subsections (a) and (b) establish that the maintenance fund shall be used to preserve, conserve and keep in good repair for public safety all POMC lands with a focus on preserving land, promoting public safety and maintaining healthy stewardships. Further, subsection (g) states"[t]he maintenance fund shall be used solely for public safety maintenance and preservation of those lands acquired by the public access, open space and natural resources (PONC) preservation fund and shall be used only for expenditures directed related to [the maintenance fund's] purpose." It then sets forth 17 specific criteria upon which expenditures, including stewardship grants, may be presumed to be directly related thereto. Section 10-16, subsection (h) reinforces the requirement that moneys from the PONC maintenance fund must reflect the criteria stated in subsection (g). These points are essential to keep in mind collectively in determining the appropriateness and eligibility of any proposed stewardship action(s). The evaluations provided are not an opinion as to the overall merits, importance, necessity, or significance of any or all the proposed stewardship actions. Instead, they are an assessment of the Comm No. County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. n ea To---- em. Dcste