Comm No 0035.29 - Testimony - CA-18 - PONC Maintenance fund

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CA -18 THE PUBLIC ACCESS, OPEN SPACE AND NATURAL RESOURCE MAINTENANCE FUND At first reading on CA -18, the Charter Commission returned the Maintenance Fund to what now exists in the charter. This may be due to a concern that Board members could be paid for their service on the Board. This was not the intent, only to pay workers. In response to requests from the non -profits and to further the good works of these groups, we respectfully request that you include this compromise language as part of CA -18 in red MO) No officer, board member, or employee of the 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization or the organization that operates under the u brella of a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization shall receive a salary or payment for labor, or receive any reimbursement for the stewardship work on the project, unless t ley re p id r specific di ut sfirt are a ppr 'd as ty rt 4 0( dr basin ss p a. The 501(c)3 nonprofit shall sign an agreement so stating these conditions and submit it with the application. WHY PAID WORKERS ARE IMPORTANT: The Feedback from the non -profits has been: 1. Volunteers are very important to help care for the land, but they are inconsistent because of their responsibilities for their work or family. All of the stewardship groups requested that they be able to pay people who work on the land. Paid workers show up to manage and keep programs going! 2. As these programs grow, volunteer coordinators could be paid to maximize the land stewardship programs and create school education programs to educate keiki about the land, the history and culture. 3. The ability to pay dedicated staff would help create jobs in rural, economically depressed areas of the island & minimize volunteer burnout. Right now the non -profits have to hire outside contractors to do some of the work. Brenda Ford and I wrote the Maintenance Fund Charter Amendment in 2011 in order to empower the non-profit groups who are already caring for these lands. These are the groups who originally proposed the land purchase to the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Commission (PONC). These are the people have been volunteering their time to care for the land. These are strong kuleana communities that come together around the care for these lands. Please remember that 63% of voters approved this measure in 2012. Only 9% of all the monies deposited in the Maintenance Fund since 2013, have been granted to the stewardship non -profits. This was not our intent. Our proposed changes to further the mission of the non -profits are necessary! Help us to strengthen the 2% Land Fund Program with these changes. Next meeting: CA -9 A FULL TIME STAFF PERSON WHO WORKS ONLY ON THE LAND FUND in addition TO THE STAFF PERSON PROVIDED FOR IN THE COUNTY CODE TO ASSIST the PUBLIC OPEN SPACE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION. Right now there is almost $20 million in the 2% Land Fund and almost $3 million in the Maintenance Fund. In order for the 2% Land Fund Program to achieve it's full potential, our group believes that a FULL TIME STAFF PERSON dedicated to work ONLY on the 2% Land Fund Program would be able to contact property owners to negotiate on purchasing properties, look for matching funds and helping stewardship groups apply for and manage grants. This position is in addition to the part time staff person that assists the commission that is already provided in the County Code. We do not want to diminish the purchasing power of the 2% Land Fund Program by paying more than one person. Respectfully submitted, Debbie Hecht 40 hecht,deb@gmaH co.., 2% Land Fund Coordinator since 2006 Comm. No. 35.29