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REPORT OF THE <br /> COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT <br /> DATE: May 1, 2006 Re: Comm. No. 676.7 <br /> PLACE: Council Chambers <br /> TIME: 1:34 p.m. <br /> Council Chair and Members <br /> Hawaii County Council <br /> Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br /> Your Committee on Human Services and Economic Development, to which was referred <br /> Communication No. 676.7 reports as follows: <br /> Communication 676.7, transmitted by Fred C. Holschuh, M.D., Chair of the Committee on <br /> Human Services and Economic Development (HSEDC), submits recommendations for <br /> appropriations to nonprofit organizations for inclusion in the County of Hawai`i's Operating <br /> Budget for Fiscal Year 2006-07. For fiscal year 2006-07, 35 agencies submitted 46 requests to <br /> fund specific programs with a total request amount of $1,429,160. The requests for funding were <br /> transmitted to council members via Communication no. 676 from Finance Director William <br /> Takaba, dated February 3, 2006. A working group was formed, consisting of HSEDC Chair Dr. <br /> Fred Holschuh, HSEDC Vice Chair designee Donald Ikeda (Hilo) and HSEDC Vice Chair <br /> <br /> designee Virginia Isbell (Kona), and legislative assistants Jon Henricks and Amy Miwa. <br /> <br /> Interviews and site visits were conducted on Mazch 16 and 17 in Hilo and its neighboring regions <br /> <br /> and on Mazch 23 in Kona and its neighboring regions. Several council members attended <br /> interviews and site visits, never totaling or exceeding the amount that would define a quorum. <br /> <br /> The personal recommendations of council members attending interviews and site visits as well as <br /> <br /> the recommendations of the working group were utilized to create this composite <br /> recommendation. The applications submitted to the Finance Department and thorough <br /> discussions with the working group were also key components within the creation of this <br /> composite recommendation transmitted via Communication No. 676.7. <br /> Communication No. 676.7, presented before the Committee on Human Services and Economic <br /> Development on May 1, 2006 was well received by the council members attending this <br /> committee meeting. Only one concern was brought forward regarding these recommendations. <br /> Council Chair Stacy Higa referred to the fact that some programs funding had been reduced <br /> <br /> rather dramatically while other programs remained at 100% funding from the previous fiscal <br /> <br /> year, or funding was increased from previous fiscal year. Chair Higa wanted to know if this <br /> <br /> would negatively impact those programs that had funding reduced to a point that it would affect <br /> <br /> their operations. HSEDC Chair Dr. Fred Holschuh responded that although funding had been <br /> <br /> reduced for certain programs, it was felt by the majority in the working group and the council <br /> <br /> members attending interviews and site visits that these programs could maintain existing <br /> operations without much undue stress. Council Member Bob Jacobson supported HSEDC Chair <br /> Holschuh's comments noting that this question had been brought up at the interviews and site <br /> <br /> visits for nearly all applicants. Council Member Jacobson also felt comfortable that programs <br /> <br /> that had funding reduced from the previous fiscal year would not be affected adversely to the <br /> <br /> point that their operations would be placed in a position of untenable fiscal restraint. <br /> <br /> A sepazate issue introduced during the course of this HSEDC meeting was that the Under His <br /> Wings Street Ministry, a program under the umbrella of the New Hope Christian Church, <br /> <br /> received a composite recommendation of zero funding for fiscal yeaz 2006-07. Council Vice <br /> <br /> Chair Virginia Isbell commented that this program, which exists largely to provide food and <br /> <br />