Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0267.001 2020-2022 1 Comm7 From: Debbie H Sent: Monday, May 31, 2021 7:52 PM To: Roth, Mitch D; David, Maile; Council Testimony; Villegas, Rebecca; Kierkiewicz, Ashley; Kanealii-Kleinfelder, Matt; Inaba, Holeka; Lee Loy, Sue; Chung, Aaron; Kimball, Heather; Richards, Tim Subject: RE: Comm. 267 PONC Stewardship Grants Parks and Recs Attachments: 2021-04-15 P&R Ltr to CC and PONC.pdf; 2% Land Fun +ii!6 3.10.2021.docx COUNTY DE HAWAIII RECEIVED Aloha Council members and Mayor Roth- Time RE Comm 267 PONC stewardship grants, Date MAY 3 1 2021 I believe these grants were applied for several years ago. The 2% Land Fund program could be accomplishing so much more and achieve the vision as set forth originally in 2006 and supported 4 times at the polls by voters. The stewardship program under the Parks and Rec department has failed miserably. From 2013 to 2018 only 9% of all the monies deposited in the fund were granted to the non-profits who are the "boots on the ground" to care for these lands. This was not the intention when Council member Brenda Ford and I wrote this legislation. We heard over and over that the county cannot care for these lands, so we wanted to empower the community non-profits who were working on the land. These problems could be solved by: 1) Transfer the Maintenance Fund grant process to the Department of Finance as approved by voters in November 2020. The Department of Finance has a process in place to make social program grants and the new charter amendment is loosely patterned after their grant process. We felt they were better equipped to accommodate the non- profits' grants. 2) Hiring someone as provided for in the charter amendment passed by voters in November 2020 to do the work of getting the Stewardship grant program up and running. Changes to the Maintenance Fund and changes allowing a salary to be paid out of the 2% Land Fund, both became law in November and it's been 6+ months. Nothing has been done to implement these laws. Voters approved these charter amendments and I believe that the government should respond to this voter's mandate. Please hire someone to an administrative position. Here are my Goals for this position (see attached job description containing activities to implement these programs): Goals for the 2% Land Fund Administrator: 1. Educate more community members and non-profit groups about the 2% Land Fund process for land acquisition and stewardship grant funds. 2. Obtain more matching funds for land acquisition via matching fund grants from State, Federal and private foundations. 3. Acquire more properties. 4. Help the non-profits who maintain properties purchased with 2% Land Fund monies, obtain more stewardship funds to improve and maintain the properties. It is my hope that the 2% Land Fund Program can reach it's highest potential to preserving Hawaii Island's treasured lands for all citizens and tourists to enjoy these lands in perpetuity. I Mahalo! Com Debbie Hecht Ref. Ta: 1 Ref. Fate JUNl �t1J I 3 3 i 3 From: Debbie H Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2021 9:03 AM To: Roth, Mitch D; David, Maile;Villegas, Rebecca; Inaba, Holeka; Richards, Tim; Lee Loy, Sue; Kierkiewicz, Ashley; Kanealii-Kleinfelder, Matt; Kimball, Heather; Parks and Recreation external email; Council Testimony; Chung, Aaron; Messina, Maurice i Subject: Communication 267-Additional information on Charter amendment passed by voters 11.2020 Attachments: 2% Land Fund Administrator 3.10.2021.docx; 2% Land Fund Administrative Position actual languagecreated by charter amendment November 2020.docx; Maintenance Fund actual language changes passed by voters November 2020.docx; Maintenance Fund with Critique 1.31.2019.pdf 3 Aloha Council members and Mayor Roth- RE: Additional background information for Communication 267 from Parks and Recreation Administrator to PONC commission and the Hawaii County Council. i This is in addition to earlier comments that I sent to the Mayor and Council. 3 CREATING 2% LAND FUND ADMINISTRATOR- This position was created because of the vote in November of 2020 on a proposed charter amendment. The funding for this position comes out of the 2% I Land Fund acquisition fund. THIS WILL have NO IMPACT ON THE BUDGET. Please hire someone who is responsible for the administration of the 2% Land Fund program to acquire and maintain properties. I have reattached a proposed job description. STEWARDSHIP GRANTS-ONLY 9% of the monies in the Maintenance Fund went to the non-profits, between the beginning of the program in 2013 and 2018, under the Department of Parks and Recreation. (see Critique attached) The Department of Parks and Recreation was unable to fulfill this responsibility which was why the Charter Amendment passed by voters in 2020, moved the grant funding process to the Department of Finance who has a similar program for social programs. I have also attached the language of the two charter amendments passed by voters in November 2020. 1 believe these changes to the charter came into law the day after the election, but to my knowledge nothing has been done to transfer responsibilities to the Department of Finance, nor has anyone been hired to administer the 2% Land Fund Program. This was 7 months ago. It was our vision that the County hire someone to work only on the 2% Land Fund acquisition program and the Maintenance Fund program, with the goals of obtaining more matching funds to acquire more property and help the non-profits who are the "boots on the ground" to care for these lands. Please help us to bring the 2% Land Fund program to it's full potential. Mahalo for your service Debbie Hecht 3 ATTACHMENTS- 1. TTACHMENTS:1. 2% Land Fund Program Administrator 2. Stewardship grants made between 2013- 2018 3. Charter amendment passed by voters to create a 2% Land Fund Administrative position 4. Charter amendment passed re: Stewardship Grants 1