2010-03-18 Veteran Advisory Committee Minutes

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Veterans Advisory Committee Page 2 March 18, 2010 PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES — February 18, 2010 The minutes of the February 18, 2010 meeting were approved with the following correction: Mr. George Yamamoto was marked absent in the minutes, however, he attended the February 18th meeting. Members were informed to make that correction on their copies of the February minutes. REPORT ON CEMETERIES — STATE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD Hawaii Island - West Hawaii Representative Mr. Herb Lum Mr. Lum reported that the $22,500 funding the state is no longer paying to the County is a story of the State giveth and the State taketh away. The issue is that there is no money. Chairperson Fox said she understands that there are no funds, but she wants to know if they have taken the funding away from all of the cemeteries in the state, because she knows how much Kaneohe and Punchbowl receives. Mr. Lum said it's an odd situation since Kaneohe is a state cemetery maintained by the state. Outer islands are state cemeteries maintained by the Counties. That is the difference. Chairperson Fox repeated for all members to hear that the state has taken away the $22,500 funding they have been providing to the County of Hawaii for maintaining the veterans cemeteries on the island. Because the state is low on funds they have stopped sending funds to the County. Mr. Lum stated that the funding was provided to the County through an MOU which doesn't have the elements of a contract so it's like a hand shake deal which has been going on for several years. Initially there was just one cemetery on the Big Island and now there are three. The rate of burials is much greater. He has tried at different times to get an increase in the amount the state provided and has personally worked with Representative Cindy Evans who tried to obtain additional funds, but she was unable to get funding through the Ways and Means Committee. Today the issue is that there is no money on the part of the state. Chairperson Fox said basically what the state is saying is they are paying Kaneohe's maintenance costs because it is a state owned cemetery maintained by the state. The outer island cemeteries are state owned cemeteries maintained by the Counties, therefore, the $22,500 that the County received annually was on a handshake deal, we'll give you the money if we have it and we don't have the money now so you won't receive it anymore. She said it's not a contract and nothing that we can make them stick to, we can try to contact the state and go from there, but it doesn't look like it's going to be successful. Mr. Stahl reported that the state will continue to provide the vaults. Chairperson Fox said the state will provide the vaults, but will not be providing the $22,500 funding they use to provide. Chairperson Fox asked Director Fitzgerald if he had anything to add and he responded that he has been in touch with OVS Director Mark Moses recently about finances, but it is too premature to bring it up now and will report about it at the next meeting.