MINUTES for 2023-08-23 FINAL - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes August 23,2023 Page 3 currently closes the gate to Kekaha Kai State Park. Can they walk across the street to close the gate to the cemetery as well. Michelle Hiraishi reported that DPR Director Maurice Messina has tried to reach out to DLNR but no discussion has been had. However, DPR is in support of this and will try to work with DLNR to make this happen. Budget Requests for West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery Tom, at a previous meeting made a motion to have Parks & Rec permanently take over the payments for the portable toilets. DPR will takeover the payments for the portable luas starting in fiscal year 2025. Tom made a motion at a previous meeting that Hawaii County increase on site coverage for on-site personnel at West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery from part-time to full-time. Michelle reported that prior to the request by the committee, DPR was working with HR to get this added. DPR is working with HR to reorganize the cemetery staff. We have added three positions dedicated to the veterans cemeteries, one supervisor position to oversee the cemetery staff and one cemetery staff for each the East Hawaii cemeteries and West Hawaii cemetery. Docent Program Vice-Chair Brinkley explained the docent program is running and provide assistance to visitors of the cemetery. They have done training to get the docents familiar with everything at the cemetery. They have about 30 docents currently and working to get more. NEW BUSINESS Retirement of Reginald Alexander—HawaN Island Veterans Services Chair Doolittle announced that Colonel Ronald Han who was the Director of the Office of Veterans Services has passed away recently and he imagines that the Office of Veterans Services may be behind on some issues. Therefore, this item is being postponed. Exploration of Camp Tawara Exhibit at Kona Airport Tom made a motion for the committee to explore having a Camp Tawara Exhibit at the Kona Airport. Marcia seconded the motion. Tom explained that this will be a glass encased exhibit. The Marine Corp League has a lot of memorabilia from marines who went through Camp Tawara. This will be a large eight feet-across exhibit where we can show the importance of Camp Tawara. Camp Tawara sits between Mauna Kea and Kohala and was a training camp as a precedence to Iwo Jima. Eight ayes, motion carried.