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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN CRCOC 2025/04/01 (2024-2026) DRAFT Committee on Communications, Reports, and Council Oversight 6th Session Hawaii County Building 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii April 1, 2025 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Communications, Reports, and ORDER: Council Oversight was called to order at 12:07 p.m., in'the Council Chambers, Hilo, by Ms. Michelle M. Galimba, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Ms. Michelle M. Galimba, Chair Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Vice Chair Mr. James E. Hustace, Member (came in later) Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba,Member Ms. Jenn Kagiwada, Member Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Member Ms. Heather L. Kimball, Member Mr. Dennis "Fresh" Onishi, Member Absent& Excused: Mr. Matt Kdneali`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: The following individuals registered to speak and came forward when called by the Chair: David Greenwell: Comm. 178, comment. Mel Ventura: Comm. 178, comment. Sidney Fuke: Comm. 178, comment. Art Taniguchi: Comm. 178, comment. Wil Okabe: Comm. 178, comment. COMMUNI- The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, CATIONS: Communications. CRCOC-6 April 1,2025 Comm. 178: PERFORMANCE AUDIT 2025-01: DEPARTMENT OF LIQUOR CONTROL, LIQUOR COMMISSION, AND LIQUOR CONTROL ADJUDICATION BOARD TRAVEL EXPENSES From County Auditor Tyler J. Benner, dated March 7, 2025, transmitting the above audit report, pursuant to Section 3-18(d)(2) of the Hawaii County Charter. Motion to Close File: Mr. Inaba moved to close file on Comm. 178. Seconded by Mr. Hustace. CHR. GALIMBA: I believe Mr. Benner, you have,a presentation, if you'd like to come up. (Note: At this time, County Auditor Tyler J. Benner came forward and provided a PowerPoint presentation to the members of the Committee. For viewing of the subjept'presentatioh, see the DVD copy of the meeting proceedings on file in the Clerk's Office or online at http://hawaiigounty.gov.graniciis.corii'. A copy of the PowerPoint presentation is made a part of the record, see Comm. 178.) CHR. GALIMBA: Thank you, Mr. Benner. I'will open it up, but I guess I would give Director Gerald Takase an opportunity to discuss the findings as well. (Note: At this time, Liquor Control Director Gerald Takase came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MR. TAKASE: Good afternoon to the members of the Council. Thank you for havirig us here today. First of all, I'd,like to actually thank Mr. Benner for his role in this. We had disagreements, yes, but I think he conducted himself and his staff very professionally and we learned things about ourselves as well going through this process. I don'tthink we were quite as thorough in the presentation in terms of all the charts and graphs he has but, you know, we tried to cooperate with him as best as possible and we thank him. And we did learn some things from him,maybe it didn't come out in our conclusion. But things such as the travel polio, we're in the process of adopting one now along with our commission and board members. Corporation Counsel should have that out shortly. Other things like the presentation of those reports to our members, in accordance with the County's policy, we do create a travel report after every event. Those were shared with not only the Mayor's Office but with the board and commission members. So we didn't have a formal line item in our meetings about it, but we did share them with our membership. But going forward we will include them in our, in fact we've already started, going forward we will have a line item in our agendas to receive those reports and have the members ask questions if they wish. Page 2 CRCOC-6 April 1,2025 CHR. GALIMBA: Thank you, Mr. Takase. Members? Council Member Inaba. MR. INABA: Thank you very much, Chair. Mr. Takase, so I believe October 9 h, you folks went to the Board of Ethics. So it's been, what, five months now since that meeting, and when exactly do folks plan to have that department's specific travel policy? MR. TAKASE: We have a draft now. I still haven't gone to our commission or board with it. But I guess in the next couple of months we should have that. I'm kind of at a loss actually as to, you know, I can't'sitthere and say, okay I can think of a good policy you ride off. So it's been kind of a work in progress to try and not only describe what we do but try to establish what;it is that we should be doing. MR. INABA: Alright. And have you reached out to the Auditor's Office to get some recommendations on what that policy might look like? MR. TAKASE: No. I don't think we've done that, or we could. MR. INABA: Okay. Sorry? MR. TAKASE: I said we could do that.. MR. INABA: Okay. The auditor is recommending that so I'm assuming that there's'probably some standard„policies that exist elsewhere that could be tapped into if you folks were to go and,seek that advice. MR. TAKASE: Okay. That's a good suggestion. MR. INABA: And then in terms of this dashboard, Mr. Benner,just so I'm understanding it correctly. If you show different positions and the total, does this dashboard cover is it four years or five years' worth of travel? MR. BENNER: Five years' worth of travel. MR. INABA: Okay. MR. BENNER: Bi-fiscal and there would be a cut off. You know, we'd probably run six month to six month throughout a calendar year. So you can drill down on it in expenditures by calendar year but there will be a cut off in the beginning and end. MR. INABA: Okay. So if I'm looking at this correctly, the Liquor Control, there's three positions. There's the Director, the Liquor Control Admin Officer, Page 3 CRCOC-6 April 1,2025 and the Liquor Control Licensing Officer; those are the top three staff positions who have traveled the most. Is that correct? MR. BENNER: That's correct. MR. INABA: Okay. You know, I don't think anyone here is disagreeing that travel is a necessity. We all travel; some for training, some for Sister City activities. I think what this Liquor audit is showing though is that there's what I would say is excessive. $78,000 just for your travel, Director Takase, in four and a half years. That's more than some people at the County make. And I think having this policy that really highlights who needs to know and sending people based on a need basis rather than seniority and allowing chairs or vice chairs to choose first, I don't think those are things that are unreasonable recommendations. There's sensible. And regardless if it's coming from the general fund or not, it's still public money. So I'm hoping we'll agendize a communication with your department in a couple months to see that you folks do have this travel policy. But just looking at the spending here, I think the recommendations are justified, they're reasonable, and they are able to be attained. So I'm hoping that with what we have before us, the recommendation that the auditor has for us in terms of looking at membership. That's something that the Council can seriously consider. But as we head into the budget season maybe we can work together to figure out what is a realistic amount of travel because I don't`think what` e're seeing here, almost$80,000 just for you is reasonable. And thank you to the auditor for putting together dashboard because it does highlight and help to pick apart, not just per person but over time, what things are looking like. And especially for the public I'd like to point out, no other department is self- funded like this;with a board or commission who oversees the director's employment with the County. So whatever can be perceived here, I think we just want to make sure that, Director, you're in a good place and the travel that you and your team and the members of the commission and adjudication board, this travel is justified. And when we have that policy, you know, we can have a little bit more confidence. Right now I don't have that confidence and I've been bringing it up every year as part of the budget process. So I'll be reaching out to your office, but I can't support continued funding of$124,000 specific to travel moving forward especially after we've been provided all of this evidence by the County Auditor. Do you have anything to add, Director Takase? MR. TAKASE: No, not specifically. We've tried to provide, especially for our senior staff, the opportunities to get out because, you know, I'm not going to be here forever, and I anticipate that they will take over. So, you know, we've had a few setbacks in the last year. Brandon, who acts as a deputy, has had several health issues, which he was scheduled to go to things, but he ended up not going Page 4 CRCOC-6 April 1,2025 so I kind of just took his place in them. I think that accounted for some. But, you know, we recognize that we are self-funded, but we also have been given, you know, a great opportunity to manage our own budget. That's why we do other things and it's not really part of this city but, you know, we try to give back to the County because we know that we're in a unique position. And a lot of those things we've learned from other areas, you know, and as much as we support the County, we do. But that's not really here or there for this audit anyway. MR. INABA: Okay. And let me just ask one question. Do you have any strong opposition to any of the recommendations being proposed here? MR. TAKASE: Well, two of them. One,the County Charter. I mean, that's up to you folks to do. But I don't think it's been areal problem and, you know, all of these commission appointees have to'go through the Mayor's Office and come to the Council. So I think it really could be addressed at this level:IYou know, I was a Corporation Counsel, but I'm'kind of low to creating more rules and regulations if it's not really needed. And I think you could handle that at the lowest level. It's really when they come to the Council for approval, you can look at those things. For myself personally as the Administrator for the office, I appreciate the members that come back because we've invested a lot of money in them. They know a lot more once they're on;°the board it takes a little while to understand all the nuances of liquor regulation. It's kind of a different beast that we see normally and those that are willing'to came back and serve, you know, I'm appreciative. So I won't say I don't appreciate having them. I do appreciate having'thern,c6me back and being willing to spend their time serving with us. The Sunshine Law, we will work atthat. You know, I think the only ones that we kind of run up,against are the state annual conferences, which are really attended by all of the departnrnents as well as all of their commissioners or board members. e don't discuss business, you know, that's before our commission or board at thatpont and time and, you know, myself and Brandon, we are aware of the Sunshine Law. We also bring our Corporation Counsels' with us to, I guess, act as another safeguard to prevent those types of things. But I think you folks will even understand as you guys go to meetings and stuff, you're not really discussing the bill that came up before the Council this day or that. You have lots of other things. You have a job to do when you go to those meetings or conferences that's not necessarily talking about the business at hand. So, you know, I could see how it could be problematic, but I think we try to stay away from those types of things. MR. INABA: Alright. So I think in closing for myself, I don't think they're saying you cannot. I think they're recommending to be mindful unless it's absolutely necessary not to send the quorum. And if you do need to send the quorum because it's necessary, they're recommending that Corporation Counsel be consulted to send event specific reminders. Is that something you folks can comply with? Page 5 CRCOC-6 April 1,2025 MR. TAKASE: Yes. MR. INABA: Okay. So you're not opposed to it then? MR. TAKASE: No. MR. INABA: Okay. Well we look forward to seeing you at budget, having good discussion there and then also being able to get that,travel,policy from you folks to kind of qual any concerns regarding future travel. Thank you. MR. TAKASE: Okay. Thank you. CHR. GALIMBA: Council Member Kagiwada. MS. KAGIWADA: Thank you, Chair. First of all, thank you, Auditor thank you, Director, for being here. Appreciate you that you're writing and adapting this written travel policy and that you are,now agendizing your travel reports. That's really great. I also am pretty supportive of all these recommendations. Can you just say just a little bit more about,why„currently you do the seniority where you grant people who have seniority basically. I don't really understand why that is a way to choose who travels. MR. TAKASE: Well, I was just I guess the least, you know, the most fair method of doing it. You know, and I put our chairs and our vice chairs first and it's not always thatthey are the most seniors. You know, I think our Liquor Commission Chair before last year, she was only on her second or her third year in but, you know, I„recognize the importance they have to organizations. So just lacking a better method of deciding. That's what I came up with. I think they all know to our benefit they haven't all been jumping to be the chairman just because of that. But that was the only system I thought would be fair and then after that prioritizing it by based on seniority. And I'll say that we have had enough money so everybody can travel so it hasn't been a situation where the less senior people have not been able to travel. They have all been able to travel. MS. KAGIWADA: Okay. Once again, you know, not breaking any laws or rules necessarily'but it's perception again. We've talked about this today on other issues. I think my concern would be that some of the newer people are actually the people that need the training the most and you don't want it to seem like you're rewarding or compensating basically people who are doing this volunteer job for their volunteerism. So I think that's just the perception that we want to try to get away from. And so I really, Number 3,prioritize travel using need base and roles specific framework makes so much sense to me. So I hope that you really will try to figure out how that can be done. Page 6 CRCOC-6 April 1,2025 And then, yeah, as far as making sure that your Corporation Counsel is giving updated training on a regular basis, that seems pretty obvious. Speak to me just a little bit about your concerns or maybe, I heard a couple. I think you wrote a response about the two year cooling off period because that's one of the things that we as Council are being asked to act on. MR. TAKASE: Yes. So we have that in the specific boards and commissions. You can't succeed yourself. And we live with that. I guess one of the good things about having two boards is we do have people that can get off of one and jump to the other. I found it to be a benefit to us because they're still active; they want to stay involved. Once they have to stay out for awhile, a lot of times we lose them. You know, they go on to other things or, you know,just having that free time to themselves again, I guess they're like not interested in. As much as we try to maintain ourselves as an attractive board, even we have trouble filling our slots. So it's something that All boards and commissions face; But-once you get people that are willing to serve,you want to kind of keep them involved. And so maybe that's selfish from our standpoint,but it's not like, I don't think we're turning down a lot of people that wanted to be on a board or commission. You know, we've had positions open. We still have, I think I have two more positions open now and we're already in April and we've been asking for commissioners or board members and we're still waiting. You know,it'skind of a balancing act. If there were lots of people waiting to join, I could see. But the reality of it is there's not a lot of people volunteeringfor these'things. MS. KAGIWADA: Okay. Thank you. Auditor Benner, could you speak to that specific issue; the one about the cooling off period a little from your point of view? MR. BENNER: 'Yeah. I mean, largely what the director is saying is correct. If e were in an,environment today where people were clambering over each other to try and get spots on this and they were being excluded because we were pushing 10 year individuals back and forth, it would be a very clear narrative, and in today's environment they do have issues of hard to fill positions and so that represents something different today. I wouldn't offer an opinion beyond just kind of that fact pattern because this is really your appetite and we're not going to advocate for it per say so much as just recognize that there's a potential problem there and we've proposed a potential solution. MS.KAGIWADA: Okay. And you just said back and forth; are you saying that some people actually go from one to the other and then back to the other again? MR. BENNER: Yes. MS. KAGIWADA: Wow. Okay. I didn't realize that was happening. So it could be, what is the term? What's the term on the? Page 7 CRCOC-6 April 1,2025 MR. TAKASE: Five years. MS. KAGIWADA: Five years. And then five years on the board as well? MR. TAKASE: Yes. MS. KAGIWADA: And then come back for another five years? MR. TAKASE: Potentially, yes. MS. KAGIWADA: Okay. Okay. Yeah, I think we should consider at least, you know, ten years seems like an awful lot of time to be spending on this. Maybe one jump might be okay but maybe goinig back and forth and back and forth is not the way to go. That would just meant I would like to explore that a little more. Thank you, both. Appreciate the work on this. CHR. GALIMBA: Anyone else? Council Member Hustace. MR. HUSTACE: Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Auditor; thank you, Director. Appreciate your time hereon the depth into this. Auditor Benner,just a question on the foundational training. These are instances over the five years? MR. BENNER: Yes. MR. HUSTACE: Okay. So a spreadsheet— MR.BENNER So we distributed,a'spreadsheet to the individuals and asked them to attest that they had received that training and those were the instances where they;had said thatthey had not received one or other, had no recollection or have,not received it. MR. HUSTACE- Have no recollection either. Okay. Interesting. And then, Director, at the point right now, both on the board and the commission, would you say all the members have received training to this point? MR. TAKASE: You know, we relied on Corporation Counsel. But as far as I know, once they first come on, Corporation Counsel's been good with getting together with the board or commission member to provide that training to them. I suspect a lot of it is they may not remember that they actually had it because they get so much stuff thrown at them, right, at the beginning. MR. HUSTACE: Right. Sure. But you would coordinate with Corporation Counsel yourselves or is Corporation Counsel coordinating specifically with that commissioner or you kind of collaborate? Page 8 CRCOC-6 April 1,2025 MR. TAKASE: We will inform Corporation Counsel when we get a new member on, and they will try to make arrangements with them. We used to have an annual meeting until recently and at that annual meeting we would try to conduct either Sunshine or ethics training to kind of keep everybody updated. But the law hasn't really changed that much in a year, so we didn't want to bore them with it every year. But, you know, that's one of the things that has gone away since we don't have an annual meeting on our island between us and our board and commission. MR. HUSTACE: So that was something that was included in the annual meeting? MR. TAKASE: Yes. That was one of the topics usually. MR. HUSTACE: Okay. Is that something you would maybe possibly bring back to kind of cover these instances of review and recollection? MR. TAKASE: We would like to bring it back because, you know, the two things that it did cover was that and it kind cif updates on where the department is and then finally, was my evaluation that they would cover during the meeting. It was really costs that kind"of stopped it, I guess'. MR. HUSTACE: The cost of it'stopped? MR. TAKASE: Yeah. I say the administration just felt like it was not— NM. HUSTACE: An unnecessary cost. MR. TAKASE: Yes. MR. HUSTACE: Okay. Well in terms of, you know, connecting with and working with Corporation Counsel, you know, sometimes we have difficulty of filling boards and commissions and there is that challenge of course we feel with all of our boards and commissions. But kind of in these instances I think it would be imperative to make sure that the members have this sort of training prior to stepping forward into the first meeting. I don't know what kind of steps can be taken there. But to make sure that, you know, we're supporting these volunteers that they take the time; that they have the proper training before they kind of enter the realm. MR. TAKASE: Yes. And I think we will try to double check that they do receive the training first off. But like is said, I think Corporation Counsel's been very good at getting to them and training. You know, I suspect a lot of it is they were just in daily with the information and they may have not realized that they had training. Page 9 CRCOC-6 April 1,2025 MR. HUSTACE: It's very possible. But it may be worth looking at that opportunity to bring it back on an annual basis or what it may take to help them, you know, remind those volunteers, the commissioners, board members; these are some of the obligations and these are the things that we have to abide by. So working with Corporation Counsel on that would probably be a good starting point. MR. TAKASE: Yeah. Or we can probably just add it to our agendas. MR. HUSTACE: Chair, Corporation Counsel? Thank you, Renee. Did you want to speak to that? Thank you. (Note: At this time, Corporation,Counsel Renee Schoen came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MS. SCHOEN: Yeah. Renee Schoen,Corporation Counsel. Can I just speak to that issue of training? MR. HUSTACE: Please. MS. SCHOEN: So it's been a standard operating procedure since I've been with the County that every board and commission member of all boards and commissions get trained individually. And the idea is that they get trained before their first meeting. MR. HUSTACE: Absolutely. Yeah. So then, Corporation Counsel, what do you make of the number of instances over five years that members are saying I didn't receive this training or don't recall. 1S. SCHOE : I mean, I would attribute it the same as what the Director said; maybe they forgot. It is a lot of information. You go through Sunshine, the policies and procedures; and duties and responsibilities of that respective commission; we go through the ethics. So it is pretty extensive. But every commission member receives the same training from all the attorney's in our office. MR. HUSTACE: Thank you. One more question for you, Corporation Counsel. What would it look like to provide some sort of reminder or just general policies and procedures before travel is kind of taken by members? If we're meeting quorum at these events, what does that look like from your end in sending out from your office, sending out to these volunteer boards and commissioners; what does that look like? MS. SCHOEN: You know, in the past we have done like a County wide memo or a letter to departments or our boards and commissions just reminding them to, you Page 10 CRCOC-6 April 1,2025 know, adhere to HRS (Hawai`i Revised Statutes) 92. Often times the attorneys are there at the training or, you know, conference. So there is that added protection as well, you know, something we'd be happy to do in this case if that's what this body is asking. MR. HUSTACE: Because it's not necessarily that you know all of their trips that this particular department and the boards and commissions are taking, so they would have to work with you in terms of, "Hey, we're taking these number of trips, please help remind our members", so forth. MS. SCHOEN: Yeah, certainly. The department itself does have an assigned Deputy Corporation Counsel as well as the Liquor Commission and the Liquor Adjudication Board. MR. HUSTACE: Right, right. Thank you, Renee. Appreciate that, Thank you, Director. I yield. Thank you, Chair.,. MR. TAKASE: Thank you. CHR. GALIMBA: Council Member Onishi. MR. ONISHL Thank you, Madam'Chair. Renee, can you come back? I'm going to just add on to what Council Member Hustace mentioned. So like you mentioned,,,like the deputies'do attend these conferences with the members and they kind of oversee making sure that there's no board business being discussed, right? I mean,we as Council Members, we go to different conferences, and we go as ,group sometimes. We'r&going to be having the HSAC (Hawai`i State Association of Counties) conference that's coming up in September, right, and basically at least five of us will be there. In the past that I understand is that if we were doing certain things, we would have to at least let the public know that there would be a gathering of so many Council Members outside the scope of two being at this certain event: And then supposedly we're supposed to come back and do a report. Is it that some policy? MS. SCHOEN: That's certainly a policy that I'm sure the department would adopt. My recollection is when I did advise the department that that did happen upon completion of travel and attendance at a conference that they members that did attend would report to the rest of the board as to the things that they've learned and, you know, materials that were provided to the members attending. MR. ONISHL Correct. Yeah, so that's why so, you know, I respect about the Sunshine Law, but then we as a Council body, we kind of do the same of what they're doing, right. But we try to follow as much as possible where we inform the public that"X" amount of members are going to be there. So I think it's just Page 11 CRCOC-6 April 1,2025 oversight for you folks, for the department, making sure of that; working with your Corporation Counsel. Thank you, Renee. The other thing that I had a comment was that it's about like the recommendation where the Counsel worked with the department about obtaining more precise outlines. I think it's your commission that needs to do that, that maybe Chair Okabe, you can come up? I think that would be part of your responsibility as commissioners to oversight the department, right, making sure spending budget wise, you guys are not abusing, or the department is not abusing. And that to me is a commissioners role. And so you folks are supppsed to be the ones watching over where the money is going. And plus, like for example, Departmentof Water,we don''t'really have control. It's the members, the Board of the Water Department that oversees the department, right? So basically you guys are,the same way. So to me we should hold the accountability upon the commissioners and when we confirm your commissioners, we make sure we ask the hard ,questions of what responsibility you're going to have for watching over thisLiquor Department, right, and making sure that they understand what the budget is, right? So I'm going to hold the commissioners accountable that you folks make sure that you folks can help fix this problem or at least for the public's eye, right;making sure that everything is all legit. Any comments? (Note: At this time, Liquor Commissioner Wil Okabe came forward to address the members of the Committee.) Mk OKABE: As I mentioned,Dr. Inaba and members of the Council, this citizen,oversight review board is very important because if it wasn't addressed this discussion would not have happened. So I believe this is a healthy discussion. As you all know, like you just mentioned that you guys are going to be going to a'conference and there's many Council functions. You know, as a former Managing Director, I understand what the Council has to go through and I understand that, you know, it's not on the same par with the state legislature where they have no Sunshine Law, right? MR. ONISHL Correct. MR. OKABE: There are only three ways the County can raise any revenue; the fuel tax,property tax, and the TAT (Transient Accommodation Tax)tax. As you all know, several year ago; well, many years ago when the state decided to take away the TAT tax, most of it from the County, that created a deficit within the County budget, and we were faced with that. And putting the responsibility on the commissioners or any commission as an oversight committee is something that we can do and that is a very good point. You know, it was never addressed Page 12 CRCOC-6 April 1,2025 like this and like I said, this particular audit was helpful for us, and we'll address it. MR. ONISHI: Thank you. And yeah, so hopefully the commissioners, you guys can do your part in, you know, doing some adjustments to how the policies are. Thank you. I yield. MR. OKABE: Actually,just one more comment I want-to mention is that everything is increasing, right? Hotel costs, food,as you recognized a dozen of eggs, you know, I've got to go to Costco to buy my;eggs, right. So you know, hotel costs, you know, everything is just not the same as it was five years ago, right. Within the present administration now,nationally,a lot of things are going to change, you know, cars, food, property tax; everything is'going to increase. So we can anticipate that the cost of everything is going to rise. Minimum wage has a very big impact on the County or the state employees as well. So put all those things into perspective and we will try,to do the same as a citizen review board. MR. ONISHL So on that note, yes. Yeah, so the commission has to do the adjustments where maybe as not as much members can go to a conference because of like you mentioned the high cost of everything, right. Yeah, so I'll be holding you guys accountable. Okay. Thank you, I yield. CHR. GALIMBA: Thank you. Council Member Kierkiewicz. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Director, Chair Okabe, and members of the commission and board. Really appreciate you embracing the audit as an opportunity to learn and improve your operations. I think there's a general consensus here that you can improve what is happening within the departmentspecifitally processes and procedures related to travel. And I just want to disclose for the record that a couple of the commissioners that did testify today serve on the board for a nonprofit that I run; Mel Ventura and Sidney Fuke. But I just want to he fully transparent about that. Director, I think the travel policy is important because without it right now it's a little bit sticky. You have members of these bodies, the commission and the board, that have the ability to appoint you and remove you. And at least from what I gather here, you have the sole discretion around who gets to travel. So it's just sticky and we want to make sure that things are above board so having a written procedure is just a nice way to CYA (Cover Your Ass), right? Okay. And then a couple of things that Council Member Onishi brought up related to the travel disclosure. When members of this body go to a conference and more than two are assembled, we file on the next Council agenda to disclose that. I think that you could also implement something similar and go a little bit further and not only talk about in the memo who went but what did you learn from those Page 13 CRCOC-6 April 1,2025 experiences, you know, what workshop or mana`o was gleaned there that you're going to now implement within your department. I think that will go a long way at least publicly to kind of justify why folks traveled and what kind of learning they are bringing back to implement here in Hawaii County. And then regarding the training for like Sunshine Law, Ethics and all of that I recall having to sign something that said I attended a specific training. I don't know if that process is currently being implemented by your Corporation Counsel, but we receive many trainings and folks often forget it's probably so early on during your ten year on the commission or board'and so folks might have gotten it like you said but have forgotten but I think having that signed written record will also go a long way. And then prior to travel, you know, Chair Okabe, you could also consider some kind of memo just to remind folks of expectations related to Sunshine because there's so, I mean, I'll be honest,there's a lot of information and laws that kind of govern how we're supposed to behave in,these types of setting. So just some kind of memo to remind folks would be great: Finally, I just want to end on,you know, Page 19 of the audit, the conclusion talks about how these training programs are highly corelated to the successful outcomes of your department. Folks are able to stay informed of national and regional best practices, improve performances in regulatory compliance, public safety, and youth outreach initiatives. There's demonstrated benefit for members of your department, the board and the commission going to various trainings and conferences, we just have to make sure that going forward, it continues to be fair. And then finally, at the top of the page, it's noted how many Council contingency fund grants are processed;'close to 300. And I think that's really significant because your department provides a tremendous service to our Council Offices ensuring that these grant monies can make it out to various nonprofits in the community. So I just wanted to take a moment to thank you and acknowledge you and,your team for that. Thank you, Chair. I yield. CHR. GALIMBA: Thank you. Council Member Inaba, can you finish quickly? NMR. INABA: Yes, real quick. May 20t', Director, I'm going to be submitting a communication hoping that you can provide us with an update regarding the travel policy for your department. And then also, I think there's been some discussion regarding this reporting back as a policy but it's my understanding, Corporation Counsel, correct me if I'm wrong; it's not a policy of our choosing, it's the law related to Sunshine Law that if members are there, more than two, that a report be given back at the next agenda. So just want to make sure that we are in compliance there. It's not a policy that needs to be created, it's just one that Page 14 CRCOC-6 April 1,2025 needs to be followed if it hasn't been followed all this time. Thank you. We look forward to seeing you on May 20''. CHR. GALIMBA: So thank you very much. Thank you to the department and thank you to the County Auditor and their staff and especially thank you to the board members and commissioners from Liquor for coming today. Seeing no other lights on, I will ask everyone in favor of closing file on Communication 178, please say "aye." Vote on Comm. 178: The motion to close file on Comm. 178 was carried by the Filed following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members,Hustace, Inaba, Kagiwada, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Onishi,, Villegas, and.Chair Galimba—8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Kancali`i-Kleinfelder— 1. Excused: None. ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 1:34 p.m. Chair Galimba adjourned the MENT: meeting. Approved: Ms. Michelle M. Galimba, Chair (Date) Communications, Reports, and Council Oversight Committee MG/tk Page 15