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Michelle M. Galimba <br />Council District 6 <br />Portion S. Kona/Ka'u/Yolcano <br />Phone. (808) 323-4277 <br />Cell: (808)430-4927 <br />Fax: (808) 329-4786 <br />Email: <br />Michelle. Galimba@hawaiicountygov <br />HAWAPI COUNTY COUNCIL <br />County ofHawai `i <br />West Hawaii Civic Center, Bldg. A <br />74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy. <br />n <br />Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 <br />on <br />-"a <br />C <br />Z C <br />DATE: March 31, 2026 <br />�y <br />tV <br />O < <br />TO: Dr. Holeka Gore Inaba, Chair <br />a <br />-nc; <br />And Members of the Hawaii County Council <br />s <br />, try. <br />,-=, <br />FROM: W Michelle Galimba, Council Member <br />f Council District 6 <br />SUBJECT: Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission <br />(PONC) Process Ad Hoc Committee Recommendation <br />Enclosed for your review and consideration is the recommendation of the PONC Commission <br />Process Ad Hoc Committee. <br />The PONC Ad Hoc Committee ("Committee") limited its evaluation to the PONC acquisition <br />process. The Committee met with Deputy Corporation Counsel Jean Campbell to initially review <br />PONC-related Charter, Code and Administrative Rules and practices, and with Deputy Finance <br />Director Malia Kekai, who, due to staffing changes at the time, had taken on the primary <br />responsibility for the PONC programs. The Committee subsequently met with the PONC <br />Commission and staff at their November 2025 meeting to gather input and information, and with <br />former PONC Commissioner Debbie Hecht. The Committee also reviewed the current list of <br />properties that have been ranked by the PONC Commission and included in the annual PONC <br />report since its inception, the annual PONC reports, and the 2022 Cost of Government <br />Commission Final Report on the PONC Program. <br />Common Themes <br />• Administrative changes and staff turnover during the past few years have hampered the <br />effectiveness of the program, however program is fully staffed at present <br />• Lengthy suggestion/nomination process leads to landowners disposing of their property on the <br />market or requiring bridge funding solutions for potential PONC acquisitions <br />• The Commission is dedicated but also bears a heavy burden for making the process work (site <br />visits, report generation) <br />Comm. N . 114.1 <br />Ref. To: <br />HawalR County Is an Equal Opportunity Provider And Employer Ref. Date 26 <br />