REP FC 094 2023/10/17 2022-2024 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE DATE: October 17, 2023 PLACE: Council Chambers Kailua-Kona, Hawaii TIME: 10:50 a.m. Council Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Re: Comm. No. 522/Res. No. 305-23 Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred Resolution No. 305-23, reports as follows: Resolution No. 305-23, transmitted by Finance Director Deanna S. Sako, via Communication No. 522 dated September 29, 2023, authorizes the Mayor to enter into an agreement with the United States of America Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 46-7, for a grant to the Department of Environmental Management. This resolution allows for the receipt of $1,522,130 in federally -derived funds to design and implement a city -scale reusable foodware and refillable bottle system in Hilo. Committee Member Jenn Kagiwada commented in support of this measure. She highlighted that this project is one of three in the country funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Committee Member Susan L. K. Lee Loy also commented in support and expressed gratitude towards Acting Recycling Coordinator Craig Kawaguchi for obtaining this grant for the County. Committee Member Rebecca Villegas thanked Ms. Kagiwada for the brief overview of this measure and congratulated her on this pilot project. Committee Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz asked Environmental Management Director Ramzi Mansour if there is a facility location. Mr. Mansour thanked Zero Waste Hawaii Island Program Director Jennifer Navarro for all her help in acquiring these funds. Ms. Navarro asked Ms. Kierkiewicz to restate her question. Ms. Navarro replied that they do not know yet as they are currently in the community engagement phase and look forward to discussing locations at the upcoming meeting. Perpetual Executive Director Ellie Moss participated via Zoom to give some clarity on identifying the location site. Ms. Moss stated that for this particular grant, facility -related expenses were not eligible, so they were unable to write about the purchase or the leasing of a facility in this grant. Ms. Kierkiewicz asked Ms. Moss for more details on the nonprofit agency Perpetual and their involvement in this process. After Ms. Moss' overview, Ms. Kierkiewicz thanked Ms. Moss for her answers. Committee Chair Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder commented in support and expressed interest in this project and how this will work with restaurants as he is a restaurant owner. FC Report No. 94