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PUBLIC ACCESS, OPEN SPACE, AND NATURAL <br /> RESOURCES (PONC) EXPENDITURES <br /> RECOMMENDATIONS: <br /> After speaking with members of the Public access, Open space, Natural resource <br /> Commission(PONC) and related Maintenance Fund, Commissioners and long-time <br /> advocates gave our COGC permitted interaction group (PIG)the following <br /> recommendations to improve productivity and efficiency in the operations of this <br /> Commission, the acquisition of new lands, and the Maintenance Fund: <br /> 1. Hire additional PONC staff. <br /> 2. Allow for more flexibility in meetings,both remote and in-person options should be <br /> available. <br /> 3. Have twice per year submission dates for Maintenance Fund Grants and the 2%Land <br /> Fund. <br /> 4. Seeking matching funds should be part of the job of the commission and ideally in <br /> tandem with County of Hawai`i Research and Development. <br /> 5. Continued allowance for `unwilling seller' properties to be part of the listed PONC <br /> properties. <br /> 6. Update and increase transparency of the PONC website. <br /> EVALUATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: <br /> 1. Hiring of dedicated PONC Staff: <br /> Hiring of two permanent and dedicated staff to assist the PONC Commissioners with <br /> their duties and the related administrative tasks associated with land or easement <br /> purchases, grant writing and maintenance of the PONC lands. One staff member, <br /> provided for in the County Code, is paid by the Department of Finance and the other <br /> position is paid for from the 2%Land Fund as voters approved in 2020. Currently, <br /> personnel from the Finance Department are used on an ad hoc basis,where a dedicated <br /> team would be significantly more effective in carrying out the goals and mission of <br /> PONC/PONC Maintenance Fund. <br /> 2. Allowing for more flexibility in meetings: <br /> As some expressed a desire for more frequent meetings and/or for a remote/virtual <br /> meeting option,we believe that hybrid meetings should be an option. However, we also <br /> see the value in having in-person meetings for truly allowing the Commissioners to be <br /> engaged with public testifiers and for public service groups to present their case in a way <br /> that has the most impact. We suggest that the option to meet more frequently via Zoom is <br /> 20 <br /> 2022 Cost of Government Commission—County of Hawai'i -Final Report <br />