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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN LAAC 2023/07/05 (2022-2024) Committee on Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions 12th Session Hawaii County Building 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii July 5, 2023 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions ORDER: was called to order at 3:02 p.m., in the Council Chambers, Hilo, by Ms. Michelle Galimba, Acting Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Chair(via videoconference from Kona) Ms. Michelle M. Galimba, Vice Chair Ms. Cindy Evans, Member(via videoconference from Kona) Ms. Jenn Kagiwada, Member Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Member Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Member Ms. Heather L. Kimball, Member Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Member Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Member (via videoconference from Kona) 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.) ACTING CHR. GALIMBA: Thank you. Let's take the second order of business first please. So, that would be Resolution 196-23. Change Order As directed by the Chair and with no objection from the Committee Members, the of Business: following items were taken out of order: ORDER OF The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, RESOLUTIONS: Order of Resolutions. LAAC-12 July 5,2023 Res. 196-23: AUTHORIZES THE PAYMENT OF FUNDS OF A LATER FISCAL YEAR AND OF MORE THAN ONE FISCAL YEAR FOR A MULTI-YEAR LICENSE AGREEMENT OF REAL PROPERTY FOR THE COUNTY OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION WITH EDMUND C. OLSON TRUST, OWNER OF TAX MAP KEY: 2-6-008:026 IN HILO, HAWAII Authorizes the Mayor to enter into a 10-year license agreement commencing on August 1, 2023, and ending on July 31, 2033, for a yearly fee of one dollar for the installation of fencing to restrict access of feral pigs and other wild animals. Reference: Comm. 333 Intr. by: Ms. Kimball Motion to Approve: Ms. Kimball moved to recommend adoption of Res. 196-23. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. ACTING CHR. GALIMBA: Council Member Kimball, would you like to? MS. KIMBALL: Yeah, thank you. So, I'm going to ask our Parks and Rec Director to come up and speak to this one. This is a resolution submitted by request from Parks and Recreation. I did want to mention from the get-go that this is a time sensitive item. We do need to move it through Committee today to make the signature happen with the hearing in Council. I also wanted just to take the opportunity to thank the Ed Olson Trust for their continued support of various activities in the County. But, Director Messina, please take it over. MR. BROWN: I'm so sorry to interrupt. Madam Chair, if you don't mind just stating for the record who made the motion and who seconded for us,please? ACTING CHR. GALIMBA: Motion by Ms. Kimball. Seconded by Council Member Lee Loy. MR. BROWN: Thank you very much. (Note: At this time, Parks and Recreation Director Maurice Messina came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MR. MESSINA: Afternoon, Council. Maurice Messina, Director of Parks and Recreation. Yes, this is Clem Akina Park. And for the last couple of years, we have not been able to have any activities in the field, any activities, no Summer Fun, anything, because of the feral pig population. We met with the Olson Trust, and we were given a very favorable lease as you can tell for the one dollar. And what this is going to do is this is going to allow us to give our park back to the kids. It had gotten so bad there that you would twist your ankle just trying to walk in the park. So, this is going to help us out. Page 2 LAAC-12 July 5,2023 Our feral pig population throughout the island right now is dramatic. I was at Pahoa Park this morning and they've hit a whole new section and we're trying to fence off as much as we can without making our parks look like some inland hazard zone with fences all around them. So, we're doing the best we can, and this is going to definitely help us along. MS. KIMBALL: Thank you and appreciate all of your efforts with regard to the feral animals. In my district, I know we've seen it a lot. And, you know, speaking about the DLNR (Department of Land and Natural Resources) and them taking care of their kuleana, one more reason for that ask from them. But, anyway, hope to have everyone's support on this resolution today. Thank you. ACTING CHR. GALIMBA: Council Member Kagiwada. MS. KAGIWADA: Thank you. I'll be supporting. And I know it's been an issue. I see it being an issue in many parks around the place. And I also feel like it's sad that we have these fences going up everywhere. It does not look great, but I don't think we have a lot of options right now. I guess I'm throwing it out to you, Council, the heavens, everybody, you know, let's try to tackle some of these feral pig problems because, you know, this isfencing everything in is ultimately not the way we want to go. And I'm hoping we can at some point get a handle on this and maybe start taking down some fencing even. But understood that right now this is kind of where we're at. So, happy to get the kids back on the field. Thanks. MR. MESSINA: So, Council Member, if I can talk real quick about Alae Cemetery. Alae Cemetery, it started to look like the night of the living dead out there. It was just looking so rough. We were trapping almost every day. Sometimes our traps were getting stolen. Then our Parks Maintenance folks made our own trap that was so heavy that you couldn't steal it without a fork truck, and still there were just more than we could count. I was recently on vacation and my brother, who works on a ranch, got a thing called a pig brig. It's basically, it looks almost like a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)pen, and the pigs go underneath it and then they get trapped inside. But the only problem is when you do that,there's really no humane way to get the pigs out. And I did see some pigs trapped in there when I was there and the sound that's coming out of that pen, I would hate for that sound to be in a neighborhood or a park or something like that. It was just really rough. And so, those were really the solutions that we were trying. We're trying to be as humane as possible and for right now, the fences are keeping them out. And Alae Cemetery, if you go up there now, that's where my father-in-law is buried. I was up there this weekend and it's a completely different place. ACTING CHR. GALIMBA: Council Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. Page 3 LAAC-12 July 5,2023 MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you. Just a quick question, Director. Why the need for the agreement with Ed Olson? MR. MESSINA: It's part of their property that our fence is going over. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. I'm just looking at Google Maps and my memory of Clem Akina Park, it's by Dodo Mortuary, correct? MR. MESSINA: Correct. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: And we should own the property through an executive order, if I'm reading, from this resolution, but we don't have a straight line for our fence or what? MR. MESSINA: Yes. So, their property is right above, you know, the real big hilly area. And they are in agreement that the part of the park that is their property, still should be utilized for public use. And so, that's why we're doing this. They also wanted to make it to where even if they end up selling their property in the near future that the park property would still remain under lease with the County. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, so we're fencing our property or Ed Olson's property? MR. MESSINA: Both. The fence is going over their property, but it's fencing off a portion of theirs and the County's as well. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: What is the cost of the fencing? Do we have a cost yet? Estimated. MR. MESSINA: I believe it cost us $16,000, if I'm not mistaken, including labor. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. MR. MESSINA: I can get you a better figure though. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: No, no. That's good. You know why I'm asking? We have this problem island-wide, yeah. All of our parks are getting nailed. And I've been real direct in asking about fencing for some of the areas in our parks in Puna. So, I'm just trying to wrap my head around why this park, we're starting with? Page 4 LAAC-12 July 5,2023 MR. MESSINA: I've been working on this for a couple of years. And this park, unlike other parks where maybe a portion has been torn up by pigs, this entire park except for the artificial turf on the playground, this entire park was torn up. We had neighbors that were feeding the pigs, which is not helpful. And yes, Shipman Park is on our list as well, but that's going to be a different kind of fence. That's going to be about a four-foot fence, like you were asking about, you know, keep in the soccer balls and the balls out of the streetway. So, that is also on our list. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. So, sorry, one more time. We have Ed Olson's property above the park in that kind of hilted area, I think I got that right, and we have the Head Start building there as well? MR. MESSINA: Yup. That's one of our Parks and Rec buildings. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. I mean just to say it again, we couldn't just fence our own property, we needed to go up into Ed's property, too? MR. MESSINA: We wanted to preserve the entire park that we've been using all these years for recreational purposes. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. Good job. Thank you. I know it's a problem. And to Ms. Kagiwada's point, we've got to figure out some solution to this. But funny you brought up the pig brig because we have somebody behind you who's trying to get this moving. That was an interesting comment that you don't want to hear the noise coming out of that thing when it's loaded. MR. MESSINA: Yeah, you know, I've done the research. The mayor had me in his office one time, we were both looking at it on YouTube, but actually we seen it in action; gave me concern about how that would be in a public facility. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Totally different, but I heard they had an electric floor that you could turn on and just zap them all one time and drop them. MR. MESSINA: Never heard of that. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. That's different. Maybe that's something different. MR. MESSINA: Yeah, we wouldn't want an electric fence or an electric floor in our parks. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: But not in our parks. MR. MESSINA: Correct. Page 5 LAAC-12 July 5,2023 MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. Thank you, Director. I appreciate it. I yield, Chair. ACTING CHR. GALIMBA: Anyone in Kona? Council Member Lee Loy. MS. LEE LOY: Thanks, Mr. Messina, for being here. I completely support, but kind of leaning in on, you know, the needs assessment. And kind of leaning into what Council Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder said, why this park, right, and how we prioritize. So, what I heard you say is not only because it was really getting torn up, it's actually being used as a Summer Fun site, and we actually have like a childcare facility on it, right. And I was just wondering going forward if we've taken a look at all of our facilities that have similar needs, right, and if we've begun to prioritize that, because it sounds like it's going to be necessary for a little bit until we figure out other means, correct? MR. MESSINA: Excuse me. Yes, our two priorities for fencing were Alae Cemetery and Clem Akina Park. When we went to our second year of cancelling the, what is it, Teen Fun there or Teen Scene, whatever our teen program is. When we had to cancel it for the second year in a row, there's a lot of kids. It's not just the children that are in Summer Fun, the younger children, it's very important for the teenagers as well, especially for those parents. And that was kind of disheartening to have to cancel that for a second year because of feral pigs. So,just like Ms. Kimball said, you know, we're very appreciative of Olson Trust helping us out. MS. LEE LOY: Absolutely. And I think as we go forward, you know, we're doing great work up at Waiakea Uka Park, right, and remodeling and doing that, you know, if we could notch in a little bit more money within that contract, if there is a need, right, for more fencing. I know there's future plans for a park down in HPP (Hawaiian Paradise Park)that I know Council Member Kierkiewicz is working very hard to secure funding for. But I just—more thought, right, going into when we're contracting out, developing new parks and really what some of the needs are. Thanks. Thanks, Mr. Messina. MR. MESSINA: You're welcome. Thanks. Good point. MS. EVANS: Chair Galimba? Evans, here. ACTING CHR. GALIMBA: Go ahead, Council Member Evans. MS. EVANS: Thank you. I just wanted to let everybody know I was writing a resolution to look at the ungulates and it came to light that the state has a task force this summer with many different entities meeting, and they're going to have a report to the Hawaii State Legislature 30-days prior to the session in January and it would probably behoove us to look at what the report says, and it's specific Page 6 LAAC-12 July 5,2023 to feral pigs and feral goats. That's it. And so, they're doing the work now. They're meeting and hopefully they'll come outwith some recommendations, and maybe our legislature will give money to the different potential solutions, and it might be something HSAC (Hawai`i State Association of Counties) might want to look at and consider. But the work is being done on trying to come up with some solutions. I just wanted to point that out. Thank you. ACTING CHR. GALIMBA: Thank you, Council Member Evans. Anyone else in Kona? If not, Council Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, I'm going to ask again, Director. I was thinking about this from our last meeting. I asked about using the electrical fence because it's cheaper and it's easier to install, but you said we can't do it in public areas. But I was thinking, those are in public areas. There's electrical fences that protect equipment. So, what stops us from using a simple post electrical fence? Or could we move towards that as we start to deal with this problem on a bigger MR. MESSINA: With all due respect. I have children. Children. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I do too. I touch it just to see how intense it is. MR. MESSINA: No. I'm saying children would stop us. When we did the—we brought in goats at one time, in the Hilo Soccer Fields for this pilot project, and they had electrical fencing around that. We made it a requirement that there were two people shepherding those goats the entire time, because children want to go up and touch whatever's new, whatever hasn't been there before. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I think actually everyone does that, because we just want to know if it's really on or not. MR. MESSINA: And so, I would rather have children not touch an electric fence in our parks. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I mean, let's just say, could we do it if you had a sign every 10 feet, you know, so the County wouldn't be liable for anyone touching them? MR. MESSINA: Yeah, I was about to say, that some of the children in our parks don't necessarily read signs. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. I had to ask. Thank you. MR. MESSINA: You're welcome. Page 7 LAAC-12 July 5,2023 ACTING CHR. GALIMBA: Anyone else wanting to electrify kids? MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Chair,just to make a point. I'm not wanting to electrify kids. ACTING CHR. GALIMBA: Just a joke. I know, I probably shouldn't have said that. But yes, seeing no other comments, all in favor of approving Resolution 196-23, please say "aye." Vote on Res. 196-23: The motion to recommend adoption of Res. 196-23 was (Approved) carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Evans, Inaba, Kagiwada, Kierkiewicz, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kimball, Lee Loy, Villegas, and Acting Chair Galimba—9. Noes: None. Absent: None. Excused: None. ACTING CHR. GALIMBA: At this time, we'll move on to Communication 336, and I am going to recuse myself from this because I do have some, what I consider, close ties to some of the nonprofits on this list. So, I would like to pass the gavel over to Council Member Kaneali'i-Kleinfelder. Relinquish Chair: At this time, the Acting Chair relinquished the chair to Council Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. ACTING CHR KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Please let the record reflect I have assumed Chair for the Committee on Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions, and it is 3:19 p.m. With that, we are on Communication 336, Mr. Clerk. MR. BROWN: Thank you, Chair. I want to confirm the motion on Resolution 196 was to move it forward to Council with a favorable recommendation, and the vote was nine in favor. Return to Order The Chair directed the Committee to return to the order of business. of Business: COMMUNI- The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, CATIONS: Communications. Page 8 LAAC-12 July 5,2023 STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, FROM THE Statements from the Public on Comm. 336. PUBLIC ON COMM. 336: The following individual registered to speak and came forward when called by the Chair: Eileen O'Hara: Comm. 336, support. Comm. 336: APPLICATIONS FOR 2023 STEWARDSHIP GRANTS FOR COUNTY LANDS ACQUIRED THROUGH THE PUBLIC ACCESS, OPEN SPACE, AND NATURAL RESOURCES PRESERVATION FUND From Finance Director Deanna S. Sako, dated June 13, 2023, presenting favorable recommendations for the following qualified nonprofit organizations requesting funding to maintain certain parcels acquired through the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund: • Malama O Puna(Wai`ele, Puna) Funds requested: $53,200 • Kohanaiki `Ohana(O`oma Beach, N. Kona) Funds requested: $38,220 • Hawai`i Wildlife Fund (Kahuku Coastal, Ka`u) Funds requested: $15,748 • Ala Kahakai Trail Association (Waikapuna and Kaunamano, Ka`u) Funds requested: $87,000 • Ala Kahakai Trail Association (Kaunamano, Ka`u) Funds requested: $160,000 • Ho`omalu Ka`u(Kahua Olohu, Ka`u) Funds requested: $28,0000. Motion to Close File: Ms. Kierkiewicz moved to close file on Comm. 336. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. ACTING CHR KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Council Members, discussion? Council Member Kierkiewicz. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Chair. I'm going to be supporting the recommendations that are being put forward by our Department of Finance. Great to see that there was an application put from Malama O Puna to support the newly acquired Wai`ele. I did have a question, Maxine (Cutler), if you're able to? I noticed that we're funding six but there are six that we are not funding. And so, I'm just curious if you could speak tohi, Hamana(Ventura), in Kona. Just curious if you could speak toMaxine, you help run the program, too. Come sit down. If you could speak to what sort of issues there were with those applications and if there are ways in which we can better support some of our nonprofit partners who are applying for these funds? Page 9 LAAC-12 July 5,2023 (Note: At this time, Property Management Technician Maxine Cutler came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MS. CUTLER: Thank you, Chair, Matt, and Ashley, for asking that question. We're still under review and going through the transitional process from Parks and Recreation. The last six applications that you don't see on this communication is still being reviewed intensely. So, as soon as we go through that review process, we'll present another communication to you with those six applications. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Great. Thank you for that information. And I just want to note that these are very, very modest requests by our nonprofits. We've got up to $3 million available to support ongoing maintenance and stewardship of these PONC (Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resource Preservation) properties. So, I just want to encourage our nonprofit partners to ask for a little bit more. Ask for a little bit more because you are doing such an amazing and important work to steward and preserve these acquired lands. So,just going forward, ask for a little bit more because the money is there. Thank you, Chair. I yield. ACTING CHR KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you. Council Member Galimba. MS. GALIMBA: Sorry. ACTING CHR KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. Council Members in Kona, anything for the discussion? MR. INABA: No questions. Thank you. ACTING CHR KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you. Okay. Seeing nothing else, I did want to say, I know Amadeo (Markoff), I know Eileen (O'Hara), and I know you in the middle. I believe you're the first person to take me to Wai`ele and walk me around the property with Council Member Kierkiewicz in 2018. What is your name again? Diga? MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Diga Kern. ACTING CHR KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Mr. Diga Kern, I will always remember that day. It was a very nice day, and that spot was beautiful. I mean a lot of interesting things happened from the day we visited to today. A lot of people acquiring property, and are going to bulldoze it, and they are going to cut in an access, and all these different things, so I'm really glad that we actually were able to get that into this PONC Program. Yeah. Awesome. Good job, good job. Thank you. Beautiful, beautiful property for our community to use. Thank Page 10 LAAO-12 July 5,2023 you, Ms. Cutler. And thank you, Mr. Ventura. And that does bring us to the end of our agenda. We are on the motion to close file on Communication 336. Council Members, seeing no further discussion, all in favor? Vote on Comm. 336: The motion to close file on Comm. 336 was carried by (Filed) the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Inaba, Kagiwada, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Villegas and Acting Chair Kdneali'i-Kleinfelder—7. Noes: None. Absent: Council Member Evans— 1. Excused: Council Member Galimba— 1. ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 3:27 p.m., Ms. Kierkiewicz moved to adjourn MENT: the meeting. Seconded by Ms. Kagiwada and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Galimba, Inaba, Kagiwada, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Villegas and Acting Chair Kdneali'i-Kleinfelder— 8. Noes: None. Absent: Council Member Evans— 1. Excused: None. ACTING CHR, KANEALI'l-KLEINFELDER: We are adjourned. It is 3:27 p.m. We'll see you tomorrow. Approved: Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Chair (Date) Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions Committee HI/tk Page I I