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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 035 Draft 01 2020-2022JMV of st COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII OF 1F RESOLUTION NO. 3S 2 A RESOLUTION URGING THE COUNTY OF HAWAII TO ESTABLISH A JOBS CORPS PROGRAM FOR HAWAII ISLAND TO HELP ADDRESS UNEMPLOYMENT IMPACTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION. WHEREAS, the Jobs Corps program is administered by the United States Department of Labor and part of its mission is to help provide career training; and WHEREAS, prior to COVID-19, Hawaii had one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country but the pandemic has put tens of thousands of residents out of work, and now Hawaii is among the highest rated in unemployment, emphasizing a need for localized and diverse workforce development initiatives; and WHEREAS, as the largest industry in Hawaii, tourism, and its workforce, have come to a near standstill due to the pandemic, representing a unique opportunity to build a more resilient, equitable, and diversified economy; and WHEREAS, the federal Civilian Conservation Corps was a work relief program created in 1933 after the Great Depression to help employ Americans in conservation projects, alleviate economic distress, and support the protection and responsible development of natural resources, including for local agriculture use; and WHEREAS, the Hawaii County Council adopted Resolution 322-19, declaring a climate emergency and calling for immediate regional collaboration towards restoring a safe climate; and WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii is mandated to be powered by 100% renewable energy and to sequester more carbon than we emit by 2045, and to transition all cesspools to septic systems by 2050; and WHEREAS, in order to support a comprehensive, economic recovery for the County and State to grow and thrive, we must invest in our community and emerging economic sectors so that residents have educational and training opportunities to succeed; and WHEREAS, the creation of a Jobs Corps program for Hawaii Island would provide residents of all ages who are economically impacted by the pandemic with opportunities to upskill and be viable for employment within resiliency and green sectors, such as local agriculture, conservation, climate adaptation, renewable energy, cesspool conversions, and technology; and WHEREAS, work by Aloha Connects Innovation and KUPU `Aina Corps, two workforce development initiatives launched by the State of Hawaii with Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funds, are potential examples to integrate and build upon in establishing a Jobs Corps program; and WHEREAS, "From Today to Tomorrow: A Talent Roadmap to Support Economic Recovery in Hawaii" (Appendix A), by the Hawaii Executive Collaborative, provides an aligned framework to establish a Jobs Corps program by outlining a talent development strategy through expanding work -based learning, retraining, credentialing programs, industry -driven solutions, and partnerships; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that it urges the Department of Research and Development and Office of Housing and Community Development to work together to establish a Jobs Corps program for Hawaii Island that supports economic diversification. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii County Workforce Development Board advise in the effort to establish a Jobs Corps program. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that lands acquired through the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission be considered as properties to manage and steward through workforce development initiatives, similar to the KUPU `Aina Corps program. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Research and Development identify public-private partnerships and outline components of a Jobs Corps program that focuses on resiliency and green sector jobs and provide a recommendation to Council on funding sources and program structure by March 31, 2 02 1. 2 BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall transmit a copy of this resolution to the Honorable David Y. Ige, Governor of the State of Hawaii; Anna E. Perreira- Eustaquio, Director, State of Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; the Honorable Mitchell D. Roth, Mayor; Lee E. Lord, Managing Director; Douglass S. Adams, Director, Department of Research and Development; Susan Kunz, Housing Administrator; the Chairperson of the Hawaii County Workforce Development Board; Deanna Sako, Director, Department of Finance; and Hamana Ventura, Property Manager. Dated at —.'Ana , Hawai`i, this 17th day of F br Hary , 2021_. COUNTY COUNCIL County of Hawaii Hilo, Hawaii I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted b the COUNCIL of the County of Hawai `i on February 17 , 2021 ATTEST: V CIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAII ROLL CA VOTF. Reference: C- 89/GOREDG 8 RESOLUTION NO. 35 21 AYES NOES ABS EX CHUNG X DAVID X INABA X KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER X KIERKIEWICZ X KIMBALL X LEE LOY X RICHARDS X VILLEGAS X 9 0 0 0 Reference: C- 89/GOREDG 8 RESOLUTION NO. 35 21