2011-04-08 Cost of Government Commission Minutes

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MS. NICHOLSON: Because we’re looking at grant writing and it would be helpful to us if we had some idea of what kind of grants we’re talking about that might be available to the county but the county is unable to apply for that support agriculture. MS. O’HARA: There’s ahuge amount of grants. USDA rural development, our whole island qualifies for rural development funding and there’s just all types of programs under there that we could be applying for. MS. POMEROY: Yeah, I’m a grant writer too. I follow them. We do have a department, I mean the USDA rural development department is operative here but there are other ones besides that, sustainable agriculture research and education and there’s a lot of other ones under the USDA. There’s a lot coming up with farmers school that would be fairly substantial grants. Yeah that would be great if they could get another grant writer and I think you have one now right? So that would help out not just agriculture but a lot of different departments. MS. NICHOLSON: Any other questions? Is there anything you would like to add? MS. POMEROY: I just want to be clear on what you want from me now because I see that for number 2a that wasn’t clear to you how that was worded right? MS. NICHOLSON: Yeah. Do you understand what our charge is? MS. POMEROY: Why don’t you explain it to me. MS. NICHOLSON: Okay, briefly what we were appointed to do is assist the county in making suggestions of how the county can operate more efficiently and effectively and maximize revenues and so our report will include general recommendations as well as specific department recommendations and so our focus is very much on the county revenue end so if you have something you would like to add to the response we already have that would focus a little bit more clearly on that then we can consider including it in our report for recommendation to say the Planning Department or any of the other departments that we mentioned today. MS. POMEROY: Okay. So 2a and b the wording was vague and try to get that in to you within the next few weeks which would be easy to do to make that clearer and then 2c in the form of a letter to Kathy Garson. MS. NICHOLSON: Well actually all your responses would go to Kathy who is our attorney who represents us and then she will disseminate it to us. MS. GARSON: So you address it to the Cost of Government Commission it’s just that you can use our address the 101 Aupuni Street, Suite 325, Office of the Corporation Counsel. MS. POMEROY: So use the same format for 2a, b and c. So for 2a, for example, make sure the various regulations are not in conflict with their demands. The part that’s not clear about that is specific examples or? MS. NICHOLSON: Well I wasn’t even sure what the regulations were having to do with permits. Are they having to do with approvals? MS. O’HARA: At the county level. Focus on things that the county has jurisdiction over. 11