HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0158.014 2024-2026P lowcial FG
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GONR. 153
From: Koh Ming Wei
Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2025 9:10 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Support for the R+D Agriculture and Food Systems Team Staff and for Funding from
C4GTS
Aloha e County Council,
I speak as the Director of a small non profit organization, Center for Getting Things Started (C4GTS)
that works directly in Hawaii's Agriculture and Food Systems Education.
With support from the R+D Agriculture and Food Systems staff and grants we have benefitted at
least 350 teachers and 7,000 students since 2020.
During COVID-19, R+D Agriculture and Food Systems supported several projects to teach gardening
and cooking online, as well as youth cooking contests, and to co -create cooking videos with The
Food Basket.
In the years after COVID until present, the Agriculture and Food Systems Team Staff has
consistently showed up and supported C4GTS`s efforts to educate our teachers and students
in Agriculture and Food Systems. They have presented to the teachers, opened doors and supported
farm/food-related field trips, provided technical expertise and resources, served as Advisory Board
members on Federal granted Agriculture and Food Systems education projects, and informed us of
any new funding opportunities.
We ask that the County votes yes on the following:
• Staffing
o Overall support for the Agriculture and Food Systems Team Staff:
• Glenn Sako: Agriculture Specialist — Civil Servant
• Sarah Freeman: Food Systems Specialist — Contract
• Leslie Nugent: West Hawaii Food Systems Specialist — Contract
• Anna Ezzy: Agriculture Research and Policy Specialist — Contract — We have
identified a Civil Service Position that can be moved in FY 2025-2026
• Christian Colo: Food Systems Administration Specialist — Contract
o Request to fund the unfunded EDS III (00-03929 00-05145+) to be funded. This would
move the West Hawai'i Food Systems Specialist's position from Contract to Civil
Service. (This position is currently filled by Leslie Nugent)
• Request for the County to fully fund (currently partially federally funded) the Food
Systems Specialist (Previously Food Access Coordinator) and move the position from
Contractor to Civil Servant. (This position is currently filled by Sarah Freeman)
o Request for the County to provide a new one-year contract for Christian Colo starting
December 2025 — to maintain support and compliance for 5.2 million in ARPA funds
management.
• The Agriculture Budget
o Continue to provide funding for 2 partial salaries of UH CTHAR Extension Agents for
Pacific Crops and Livestock - $86,000
• Increase Available Impact Grant Funds. They are currently only budgeted
for $50,000 FY 2025 — 2026 for Agriculture and Food Systems
o Continue to provide funding for Invasive Species Management - $250,000 — (2024 —
2025 contract was awarded to BIISC for their overarching programs and iW
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capacity) Comma. No
1 Ref. To:
Ref. gate
Please feel free to reach out of you have any questions or clarifications.
Mahalo nui loa
Na`u me ke ha`a` ha`a,
Ming Wei
Koh Ming Wei PhD.
Center for Getting Things Started
Ecoliteracy Educator and Executive Director
Nawai`i Mamaki Cooperative, Co-founder
808 443-9231 (cell)
"A wise person first learns to know the laws of the world; and then his wishes become powers that are
realized." - Rudolf Steiner