Comm No 0035.24 - Testimony - CA-18 - PONC Maintenance fund

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From: Debbie H <hecht.deb@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2019 6:51 AM To: Charter Commission Subject: CA -18 PONC Maintenance Fund and proposed changes Please forward to all Charter Commissioners Aloha Commissioners - Re: CA -18 Employment to be allowed by Stewardship Groups At First Reading, the Commission returned CA -18, the Maintenance Fund to what now exists in the charter for this clause: Here is the current language: [(5)](6) No officer, board member, or employee the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization or the organization that operates under the umbrella of a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization shall receive a salary or payment for labor, or receive any reimbursement for the stewardship work on the project. The 501(c)3 nonprofit shall sign an agreement so stating these conditions and submit it with the application. The original intent of this legislation as written by Council member Brenda Ford and me was to assist the stewardship non -profits to care for the land. 63% of voters approved this measure in 2012. Only 9% of all the monies deposited in the Maintenance Fund has been granted to the stewardship non- profits since 2013. We are trying to strengthen the 2% Land Fund Program. What we have learned from research and feedback from the non -profits who have applied for grant funding is that the volunteer workforce is inconsistent and shows up to help when it is convenient for them. As a result: 1. All of the stewardship groups requested that they be able to pay people to work on the land. 2. Every 2% Land Fund property needs the help of people who are committed to care for the land. Volunteers are very important, but they burn out and leave because of their responsibilities to work or family. 3. As these programs grow, volunteer coordinators could be paid to maximize the land stewardship programs and create school education programs to educate keiki about the land, its history and culture. 4. The ability to pay dedicated staff would help create jobs in rural, economically depressed areas of the island & minimize volunteer burnout. Right now the non -profits have to hire outside contractors to do some of the work. To accommodate these requests and to further the good works of the non -profits, we propose this compromise language to the current language in ir° [(5)]No officer, board member, or employee of the 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization or the organization that operates under the umbrella of a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization shall receive a salary or payment for labor, or receive any reimbursement for the stewardship work on the 1 Comm. No. 35.24