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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN HSSSC 2022/02/22 2020-2022 Committee on Human Services and Social Services 14th Session West Hawaii Civic Center 75-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Building A Kailua-Kona, Hawaii February 22, 2022 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Human Services and Social Services ORDER: was called to order 10:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers, Kona, by Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Chair Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Vice Chair(via videoconference from Hilo) Mr. Aaron S. Y. Chung, Member Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Member Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Member Ms. Heather L. Kimball, Member Mr. Herbert M. "Tim" Richards HI, Member Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Member Absent& Excused: Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Member STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, FROM THE Statements from the Public on Agenda Items. PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS: (There were none.) COMMUNI- The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, CATIONS: Communications. Comm. 475: REQUESTS THE FORMATION OF AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP A REVISED PROCEDURE FOR THE COUNTY'S NONPROFIT GRANT-IN-AID PROGRAM From Council Member Susan L. K. Lee Loy, dated November 2, 2021, requesting formation of an ad hoc pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes 92-2.5(b) for the purpose of developing and providing a revised procedure for applying for grants and for the processing of received applications, prior to the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 grant program period. Postponed: November 16 and December 7, 2021 and February 8, 2022 HSSSC-14 February 22,2022 (Note: There is a motion by Ms. Kierkiewicz, seconded by Ms. Kimball, to close file on Comms. 475 and 475.1.) ; and Comm. 475.1: From Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, dated December 6, 2021, transmitting an amended scope of work for the proposed ad hoc committee. and Comm. 475.2 From Council Member Susan L. K. Lee Loy, dated January 18, 2022, transmitting a report and recommendations from the ad hoc committee. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Mr. Clerk. As the Clerk mentioned, we already have motions on the floor. And just as a matter to level-set everyone, when we do these ad hoc committees we have a report that comes out, and then we kind of let it set for one meeting, and then we actually can open up the floor to discussions about the recommendations. However, what I'd like to do is—and I'm hopeful that Lisa Tada is in our Council Chambers. And maybe Ms. Kierkiewicz, if you could help lead the discussion on Hilo side, please? MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Yes. Mahalo nui, Chair. I believe Ms. Tada is on her way, so we're going to need to stall for a few minutes. Perhaps if there are questions our colleagues might have about what we presented at the last committee meeting, we can start there. Thank you, Chair. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. And we have some motions on the floor to kind of close file on the communications, but what I'd like to do is direct my colleagues to Communication 475.2, which actually is the recommendations of the ad hoc committee. And at some point—well, maybe I'll go ahead and do that right now. I'm going to need to have motion to accept the recommendations as found in Communication 475.2 Motion to Accept Mr. Richards moved to close file on Comm. 475.2 Recommendations: accept the recommendations therein. Seconded by Ms. Villegas. CHR. LEE LOY: Council Members, within those recommendation is a lot of the work that went in to our ad hoc committee, and as we began to roll out this new digital platform and online platform for our online application forms, the committee began to discover some needs that weren't very apparent at first, especially as it related to contract monitoring for all of our nonprofits who end up with contracts during this one year of funding. Page 2 HSSSC-14 February 22,2022 So some of the recommendations are outlined as far as developing or identifying an individual within either the Chair staff and/or the Chair of the committee staff to assist Finance Department with contract monitoring and follow up for all of our nonprofits that receive funding. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Chair Lee Loy? CHR. LEE LOY: Go ahead, Ms. Kierkiewicz. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: I apologize for interruption, but I just wanted to alert the committee to presence of our Finance Director, Deanna Sako, as well as Lisa Tada from Finance. They are here. And if you'd like me to facilitate a quick conversation with them about the pilot offer this year's GIA (Grant-In-Aid) process, I'm happy to do so at your pleasure. Let me know. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. And actually this is where I really wanted to start, is with our Finance Director and Lisa Tada. But while the members kind of look over the recommendations, Ms. Kierkiewicz, yes, if you could please go ahead and have Ms. Tada and Ms. Sako come forward, and really begin to highlight the application form and some of the efficiencies that we were able to realize during this pilot program with our Waiwai applications. (Note: At this time, Finance Director Deanna Sako and Budget Specialist Lisa Tada came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Chair. Joining us in Hilo Chambers are Finance Director Deanna Sako and Budget Specialist Lisa Tada with Finance, who the ad hoc committee members have been working really closely with to bring this longstanding program into an electronic platform. I'm going to be really honest, there were some hiccups and troubleshooting along the way, but for the most part I think there are a lot of efficiencies that have been gained by just taking this application form into Google Forms, and just having it available electronically. And so, Director Sako, Lisa, feel free to just kind of elaborate on what the experience has been so far on some of the challenges, but also the opportunities to build on this initial pilot that we've done. Thank you for being here. MS. TADA: Lisa Tada, Budget Specialist with Finance. So we did find with the digital or online applications that a lot of the reporting-it saved us a lot of time in compiling some of the worksheets that we normally have to put together manually. It avoided a lot of manual errors, typographical errors on our end since it extracted everything directly from the applicants' entries. It actuallyI don't know if it saved a lot of time at this point only because this is the first year that we've done it. Page 3 HSSSC-14 February 22,2022 And so we've had to change the way that we vet, but there are a lot of positives in going digital. One of the biggest ones is the records; not having to have all of these boxes of hardcopy records and having retained digitally. MS. SAKO: So I think like anything, you know, it's a work-in-progress. And so still have concerns over the confidentiality of the system; and you know, some of those types of things. So we are working with IT (Information Technology) so if it moves forward in the future that we would have a system that we can all agree is secure and would work appropriately. MS. KIMBALL: Director Sako, could I ask you to speak right into the mic. It's hard to hear you over in Kona. MS. SAKO: Sorry, I thought I was. So, I'm touching my mouth. But okay, I'll try harder. So one of the things, we're just saying is that we're probably going to work with IT to get an in-house system developed so that the security of the system and ADA (American with Disabilities Act) compliance can be complied with, and ensure that all the records are kept safe and we don't have to worry about it in the future. You know, same thing, we're probably going to have some of the same hiccups. Some of things that were problems with the hardcopies before, continue to be problems with the electronic copies. So we continue to educate the applicants, as well. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Ladies. And I just want to highlight a couple of questions that you requested we add to the application process, and those are regarding, "Have you ever received this particular nonprofit grant-in-aid before, and if you currently have a grant agreement with the County,"that we can ensure that there is a duplication of paperwork. And I'll just share with my colleagues, out of the 210 folks that did respond to the question related to, "Have you previously applied for and received this particular grant award," 89 percent, 187 folks, have applied for in the past. We had 23 new entities apply for this particular grant opportunity. So, it's great data through the system that we're able to very quickly see. And so thank you for suggesting that we add those questions so that we can see who is applying for these grants, if more folks are taking advantage of these opportunities. Chair, that's all I have. Thank you. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Here in Kona, any questions? Seeing none. I do have a question for Lisa or Deanna, and it was something that Ms. Kierkiewicz highlighted early on in the online application form. A number of these nonprofits actually have to upload their 501(c)(3) letters or their Certificate Page 4 HSSSC-14 February 22,2022 of Good Standing, which is oftentimes the same documentation that a lot of our Council Members need when giving contingency money. And if this was an area where we could actually utilize the existing documents through this application form to expedite our contingency monies, Deanna or Lisa, is that something we could look into? MS. SAKO: I thought that was the Council's original plan, you know, to have the documents available. It's in the database. So, you know, the letters are there. You know, we still have to follow the process and make sure they continue to be compliant on Hawaii Compliance Express, and you know, other State laws to make to just ensure that all the rules are being followed. But yes, at least the documents were there, and they wouldn't have to resubmit it again. CHR. LEE LOY: Great. Thank you for that, Deanna. Anyone else? All right. Well seeing none, ladies, thank you so much for being here and taking this kind of leap with us as to trying kind of an online platform. You know, we're all learning together, so I really appreciate everyone involved. And so I really do need to take a minute to thank you, Deanna, Lisa of course, Ted Schrey. And then our staff: Shelly (Ogata), Jake (Sykes), Chas (Quihano), Jess (Valdez), they have been fantastic; Dot(Botelho), Amy (Seeley), and Heather's office. Just everyone has really just put a lot out there to try this new way forward. So with that, Council Members, any questions as to recommendations contained in Communication 475.2? With that, we have a motion to accept the recommendations. All those in favor,please say "aye." Vote on Motion The motion to close file on Comms. 475.2 and 475.1 to Accept was carried by the following voice vote: Recommendations: voice vote: (Approved) Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Inaba, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Richards, Villegas, and Chair Lee Loy —8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder— 1. Excused: None. CHR. LEE LOY: And I think we also have to close out the rest of our communications. Council Members, we have a motion to close file on Communications 475 and 475.1. All those in favor, please say "aye." Page 5