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Comments by the Save Our Lands Citizen's Committee on the <br />Hawai'i County Charter Commission's Ad Hoc Committee Report <br />on the 2% Land Fund 11.1.2018 <br />Respectfully submitted by Debbie Hecht, Campaign Coordinator 2% Land Fund since 2005 <br />SUCCESSES To Date: <br />4,450.86 acres have been acquired by the county of Hawaii' with 2% Land Fund Monies <br />To be added: 2,200 acres being negotiated on at this time at Waikapuna <br />Total spent: $39,327,839. <br />From Land fund: 29,893,755 <br />From private funds 2,000,000. <br />Matching funds: 7,434,084. State Legacy Lands, US Fish and Wildlife Service for <br />Endangered Species. <br />PROPOSAL BY THE CHARTER COMMISSION'S AD HOC COMMITTEE: REDUCE <br />THE FUND from 2% TO THE 1/2% LAND FUND. <br />OUR ADVICE: <br />1- LEAVE THE 2% LAND FUND AMOUNT ALONE! This was approved by 63% of voters at <br />the polls 3 times. The 1/2 % Land Fund would be only $1.5 million per year. In the past only <br />2 properties have been purchased for less than $1.5 million. Properties are expensive in <br />Hawaii. To save anything of size and acreage and properties at the ocean are very costly. <br />Why is the County not spending the money? Land acquisition takes time, sometimes <br />years to accomplish. <br />As you can see by the Acquisition Status Report Properties are expensive. <br />http://records. co. hawaii. hi. us/weblink/1 /edoc/84955/2016-12- <br />28%20PONC%20Comprehensive%20List%20of%20Properties%20Submitted%20by%2 <br />Othe%20Public. pdf <br />The public has submitted 180 properties for acquisition to Public Access, Open Space <br />and Natural Resources Commission (PONC). Only 14 properties have been acquired. <br />PROPERTIES SUBMITTED TO THE PONC COMMISSION TO BE CONSIDERED <br />FOR ACQUISITION since December 28, 2016. The County should do a better job at <br />soliciting matching funds. http://records.co. hawaii. hi. us/weblink/1/edoc/84955/2016- <br />12- <br />28%20PONC%20Comprehensive%20List%20of%20Properties%20Submitted%20by%2 <br />Othe%20Public. pdf%20 <br />2- STAFF IS NEEDED: We are submitting a charter amendment to recommend that the <br />Department of Finance hire an additional senior staff person, skilled in real estate <br />acquisition and management and paying them from the 2% Land Fund monies. This would <br />be in addition to the staff person provided for as part of the Ordinance creating the Public <br />Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Commission. Both the Charter Commission's <br />Ad Hoc Committee and the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources <br />Commission recommended that more paid county staff is needed. We also believe that all <br />PONC Functions should be regulated under the Department of Finance. Their work should <br />only be for work on PONC properties and future PONC acquisitions. Staff should have <br />clearly defined duties, including but not limited to: PONC property acquisition and pursuit <br />of matching funds, maintenance of lands with the Maintenance Fund monies, procuring and <br />overseeing maintenance contracts for the 2% Lands, administration duties for stewardship <br />Comments on Charter Commission's Ad Hoc Committee on 2% Land Fund & Maintenance Fund 1 <br />