Comm No 0021.019 - Testimony - CA-7 - PONC fund and Maintenance fund

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National Historic Trail Management plan and has cooperated with the county to use 2% Land Funds to purchase parts of the trail in Ka'u near Honu'apo and soon Waikapuna with a non-profit Ala KahakaiTrail Association. They plan to apply for stewardship funds. This is a public private partnership. We will be proposing changes to the Maintenance Fund at the February meeting. We agree with the Commission and staff that the Department of Finance should manage the entire 2% Land Fund program. Right now there is approximately $16 million just sitting in the fund. This is because there is no full time staff person to shepherd the 2% Land Fund program. What we are proposeing as an antidote to CA -7 is CA -9. WE want our proposed language to be very clear that this senior staff person will be paid out of the 2% Land Fund proceeds ONLY if it stays at 2% and they will work ONLY on the 2% Land Fund Program. This will be in addition to the staff person who helps the Public Access, Open space and Natural Resources Commission. We would like to add some clarifying language. We propose that the Department of Finance will hire a full time senior staff person to administer and manage the 2% Land Fund program, which are the Land Fund and the Maintenance Fund. QUOTE" Fund a senior staff person dedicated ONLY to the administration of the provisions of this section, who shall be employed under the department of finance and whose duties shall include, but not be limited to: assisting the public with applications for acquisition; assisting the public access, open space and natural resources preservation commission with its prioritization of properties to be acquired; negotiation and acquisition of eligible properties; seeking and acquiring matching funds; and managing the maintenance of lands acquired by this fund, by overseeing and implementing the provisions of Section 10-16 of this charter. This position shall be exempt from civil service laws and classifications and be distinct from any other positions that provide support for the provisions of this section, Section 10-16 of this charter, and any matters related thereto. THIS STAFF POSITION IS IN ADDITION TO THE STAFF PROVIDED FOR THE PUBLIC ACCESS AND OPEN SPACE COMMISSION IN THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE AT SECTION Comparing Hawaii County's 2% Land Fund program to Honolulu and Maui and Kauai is like comparing apples to oranges to kumquats. Our island has 4000 square miles of land to Oahu's Oahu has only 600 square miles, less open space and a much bigger tax base 1/2% is appropriate for that island.