2018-10-25 (draft) Cost of Government Commission minutes

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Cost of Government Commission October 25, 2018 meeting minutes The Subcommittee also noted that the Friends of the Zoo has a list of different organizations that recycling can be collected with a portion of collected funds going to the Friends of the Zoo. Subcommittee members feel that the Friends organization do an amazing job with the amount of money they are given to work with. Health, Education and Welfare The Subcommittee met with Kimo Alameda, County Executive on Aging. He was very informative to the committee. They may have only touched on the budget specifics but Mr. Alameda directed them to the different needs regarding senior housing. From their discussion, Subcommittee members relayed what they described as a “catch” – Mr. Alameda’s office has no budget for senior housing; those funds come from the Office of Housing & Community Development. For those types of issues, they were directed to speak with the Housing Administrator or designee, which they intend to do. Mr. Alameda noted that he attended several conferences on the mainland that presented the concept of “co-housing” where seniors create their own communities with purpose of “aging gracefully”. The communities foster social interaction and it is the kind of setting where seniors are not isolated. Mr. Alameda was excited about this model of seniors aging in place. Members mentioned exploring a program in which a UH-Hilo student could move in with a senior, producing interaction between generation gaps and two different age groups. This could be pursued through the University or Hawai’i Community College. The Subcommittee believes that housing connects to a community’s overall welfare. It was noted that the Kulaimano housing fund appears to be below actual revenues. In some cases, actual expenditures seem to exceed revenue and it may because of the relationship with Section 8 housing. The Subcommittee intends to inquire and assess funding situation. They have raised the question: what percentage of senior housing revenue comes from residents themselves. The Planning Department is working with private sector on pre-permitted structures that could facilitate homes for seniors. Public Safety & Miscellaneous The Subcommittee is digesting a report they received, commissioned by the County, which compares costs a police vehicle fleet vs. officers using their own private cars. There are several factors to consider other than cost-cutting, including what option will use lesser vehicles, which are more properly equipped, what enhances safety, and if something costs more money in the interim, will it be an investment. 2