2026-03-09 - Minutes DRAFT 1 - Laserfiche WebLink

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III. DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE REPORT: 1. Fund balance reports, status of acquisitions and stewardship grants, status of Annual Report to Mayor. No testifiers. Mr. Schapiro reviewed the fund balances reflected in the board packet. He stated that the maintenance fund balance was about $3.2 million and is used for stewardship grants, and that the acquisition fund balance was about $23 million and is used for land acquisitions. He stated that the County recently closed on the purchase of Keakealaniwahine on Ali‘i Drive and recently held a blessing ceremony with the Mayor and community groups at Kawainui Makai to celebrate that acquisition. He thanked those in attendance who were instrumental in the acquisition, future stewardship, and the blessing ceremony. Mr. Schapiro stated that the County is working toward closing on Honolulu Landing and is still working through the paperwork on its side, but that progress is being made. Regarding the 2026 stewardship grants, he stated that Finance was finalizing its review with the Director of Finance that week. Once finalized, the Director will transmit her recommendations to the County Council for action. He also stated that the annual report prepared by the Commission was submitted to the Mayor at the end of the prior year and had since been forwarded to the County Council. He noted that the report is available online on the County’s website through Laserfiche. IV. DEPUTY CORPORATION COUNSEL REPORT: 1. Overview of County acquisition process for Preservation Fund spending, including Commission requirements for reviewing repetitive suggestions and suggestions that have been given favorable resolutions in the past and are being suggested again. No testifiers. DCC Campbell explained that the purpose of her report was to orient the new commissioners and reorient the existing commissioners to the acquisition process and how it works. She stated that the County Charter allows the public to suggest properties for possible acquisition through the preservation fund, and that the meeting was part of the Commission’s initial review of the suggested properties. She noted that the commissioners would be asking questions of the nominators in attendance. DCC Campbell stated that the Commission’s rules do not prohibit repeated suggestions and that one of the suggestions received this year appeared to be a repeat. She explained that she intentionally does not review the suggestions before the meeting so as not to influence the Commission’s consideration of them. She outlined the general acquisition process following the meeting. She explained that, after gathering information from nominators, commissioners generally conduct site visits and report DRAFT v.1 BS - Minutes of March 9, 2026 Page 2