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GOEAC-120 Page 2 April 21, 2026 <br />Committee Chair Jenn Kagiwada said that some of the items they mentioned out loud don't match <br />the items listed in the resolution and inquired if there was flexibility in where they can apply the <br />funding. Mr. Lin said that these are the items that are coming to the forefront currently, so things <br />are regularly changing in the invasive species arena. Chair Kagiwada asked if these are the items <br />they currently want to fund or not. Mr. Lin said he would work on an amendment to include <br />clarifying language on which items need to be included currently. <br />Committee Member Ashley L..Kierkiewicz asked if this funding was filling in a gap or attempting <br />to increase BIISC capacity. Mr Lin said it was more of filling in a gap, while increasing capacity <br />in other areas. Member KierkieWicz said she agrees with flexibility in where these funds go due to <br />the changing nature of this work. <br />Committee Member Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder stated that he could see the salary in the expense <br />report included with the resolution and that it is $172,000 out of the $250,000 grant. He said what <br />concerns him is that more than half of the funds are going towards staffing and administrative <br />expenses. Mr. Lin explained the necessity of the funding for those staffing positions as those are <br />the people tasked with doing educational community outreach and work to help combat invasive <br />species. He said that while programs are great, without people running the programs, that's not <br />going to happen. Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder asked what was stopping us from sending these <br />funds directly to the nonprofit. Mr. Lin said it is basically one entity, and BIISC is considered a <br />division within that larger entity and the fiscal responsibility goes into the larger entity. Member <br />Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder said that he sees this as the County expending funds for something he <br />believes should be an area of state jurisdiction and responsibility. <br />Committee Member Rebecca Villegas agreed with Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder and advocated <br />for more work to be done around stopping invasive species at the source from arriving here and <br />that needs to be done at the state level. <br />Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder asked if the state provides similar funding to BIISC that the County <br />does. Mr. Lin said they provide funding to the Hawaii Invasive Species Committee and they <br />allocate funding from there. He did not know for certain how much of those funds go to which <br />entities for either research or mitigation efforts. Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder asked for a short <br />list to be ready before the next meeting that shows a breakdown of which funds are coming from <br />the state towards invasive species programs. <br />Your Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs is in accord with the purpose <br />and intent of Resolution No. 517-26, and recommends its adoption. <br />MM <br />AYES <br />NOES <br />ABS <br />EX <br />GALIMBA <br />X <br />HOSTACE <br />X <br />INABA <br />X <br />KAGIWADA <br />X <br />KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER <br />X <br />KIERKIEWICZ <br />X <br />KIMBALL <br />X <br />ONISHI <br />X <br />VILLEGAS <br />I X <br />Respectfully submitted, <br />COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL <br />OPERATIONS AND <br />zTERNAL AFFAIRS <br />JE KA W , CHAIR <br />GOEAC REPORT NO.: 120 <br />ADOPTED: MAY 0 5 2026 <br />