HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0468.000 2002-2004 FRED C. HOLSCHUH, M.D. o.,,,K Tel: (808) 961-x264
Council Member `p'_~'
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2004 JAN 22 A(4 ].0 26
HAWAI7COUNTYCOUNCIL
County ofHawai'i Q~UNT ~ 1_.'/~W,~~~
l/awai'i County building
2J Aupuni SLree!
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
January 21, 2004
MEMORANDUM
TO:.lames Y. Arakaki, Chair, and Council Members
FROM: Fred C. Holschuh, M.D., Chair l~
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Human Services and Economic Development Committee
SUBJECT: FY2004-OS Nonprofit Grant Review Process
This communication is to apprise Council Members, applicant nonprofit agencies, and the public of the
upcoming grant review process undertaken by your Human Services and Economic Development
Committee.
1. FY 2004-OS Nonprofit Applications
As in past years, copies of signed and eligible applications received by the Department of Finance will be
forwarded to all Council members in the form of a spiral-bound booklet. All supporting (orpre-qualifying)
documents such as financial statements, current audit, IRS Forms 990 and 501(cx3)tax-exempt verification,
current liability insurance certificate, articles of incorporation and by-laws will be maintained in the
Department of Finance, but shall be available for inspection.
2. Grant Review Process
As in past years, publicly noticed site visits/interviews with eligible nonprofit applicants will be held on
fuesday, March 9, 2004 beginning at 8:00 a.m. in the Kona Mayor's Office Conference Room, and
Wednesday, March 10, 2004 beginning at 8:00 a.m. in the Election's Conference Room at the Hawaii
County Building in Hilo.
I wish to carefully delineate the role of your HSEDC chair and support staff in evaluating applications for
Cowity grants.
Chapter 2, Article 25, Section 2-139 (Procedure for awarding grants) states: "Site visits of nonprofit
organizations submitting complete applications may be conducted by the Council and its designated staff,
as deemed necessary by the chair of the appropriate committee, after January 3l but prior to final action
nn the operating budget by the council. Any site visitations shall be publicly noticed and conducted in a
manner that allows flexible councilmember participation and designated staff support."
Comm. No. ~8
Ref. To: F
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Historically, the purpose of such site visits has been to inspect facilities as needed, inquire about program
objectives, and clarify any information no[ readily understood upon summary review of the application.
Accordingly, a site visit is afact-finding undertaking, not a "meeting" or "decision-making" deliberation
of a board. However, in conducting site visits, it is necessary for Council members to thoughtfixlly
comply with relevant requirements of Chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which states:
[92-1.5] Permitted interactions of members.
(a) Two members of a board may communicate or interact privately between themselves to gather
information from each other about official board matters to enable them to perform their duties
faithfully, as long as no commitment to vote is made or sought.
(b) Two or more members of a board, but less than the number of members which would constitute a
quorum of the board, may be assigned to:
(1) Investigating a matter relating to the official business of their board; provided that:
(A) The scope of the investigation and the scope of each member's authority are defined at a
meeting of the board; and
(B) All resulting findings and recommendations are presented to the board at a meeting of the
board; and
(C) Deliberation and decision making on the matter investigated, if any, occurs only at a duly
noticed meeting of the board held subsequent to the meeting at which the findings and
recommendations of the investigation were presented to the board; or
(2) Present, discuss, or negotiate any position which the board has adopted at a meeting of the
board; provided that the assignment is made and the scope of each member's authority is defined
at a meeting of the board prior to the presentation, discussion or negotiation.
(c) Communications, interactions, discussions, investigations, and presentations described in this section
are not meetings for the purposes of this part. [L 1996, c 267, §2]
For the purpose of assuring compliance with this section of Chapter 92, H.R.S., our HSEDC meeting of
February 3, 2004 shall serve to notice "assignment" of the site visit study group convened by the Human
Services and Economic Development Committee.
The site visit study group shall be comprised of the undersigned HSEDC chair, HSEDC Vice-Chair Bob
.Tacobson, HSEDC Committee Clerk Donald Ikeda, Finance Committee Clerk Susan Caseria and
Program/Fiscal Review Auditor Rory Flynn.
In order that the Council satisfies the requirement to have less than a quorum of its members present at
any site visit, I request that each Council member provide me sufficient notice of your intent to
accompany our study group at any site visit(s) held during the period of Mazch 9-10, 2004. With the
consent of the Chair and the Council, I wish to reserve [he right to deny the presence of five or more
Council members at any site visit/interview. Traditionally, this has never been a problem, as members
have limited their presence during this assignment.
As in past years, all findings and corrected application information gathered by the site visit study group
will be assembled in a single communication to Council members prior to its committee meeting on April
20, 2004 to deliberate on recommended FY2004-OS nonprofit appropriations.
I hope this procedural announcement is helpful. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to
contact me.
FCH/rf