HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0692.001 2008-2010Emily 1. Naeole
11SEU, Chair
February 18, 2010
1. FY 2010 -11 Nonprofit Applications
2. Grant Review Process
HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
County ofHawcri
Hawa:': Count Building
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
MEMORANDUM
TO: J Yoshimoto, Chair
and Members of the Hawai`i County Council
FROM: Emily I. Naeole- Beason, Chair @LI
Human Services and Economic Ievelopment Committee
Hawaii County Is An Equal Opportunity Provider And Employer
Phone No.:
Fax No.:
SUBJECT: FY 2010 -11 Nonprofit Grant Review Process; Formation of Ad Hoc
Committee
(808) 965-2713
(808) 965 -2707
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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 (HSEDC) and also to request time on the March 2, 2010
agenda for the HSEDC to convene for the purpose of the formation of an ad hoc committee.
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 (or pre - qualifying) documents such as financial statements, current audit, IRS Forms
990 and 501(c)(3) 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.
Publicly noticed site visits /interviews with eligible nonprofit applicants will be held on March
22, 23 & 24, beginning at 8:00 a.m. in the County of Hawaii Council Chambers (25 Aupuni
Street, Hilo, Hawaii 96720) and March 18 , beginning at 8:00 a.m. in the Kona Council Office
Conference Room (Kona Council Office, Kailua Trade Center, 75 -5706 Hanama Place, Suite
109, Kailua -Kona. Hawaii 96740).
Comm. Na. loq Z . �
Ref. To: N-S ene -
Ref. Dote FEB 18 2010
Before I make my recommendations regarding how I would like the site visit/interview
phase of the Grant Review Process to be conducted, I would be remiss if I did not address the
general provisions under which the site visit /interview process is delineated:
Chapter 2, Article 25, Section 2 -139 (Procedure for awarding grants) states: `'Site
visitations 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 31 but prior to final action on 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."
Historically, the purpose of such site visits has been to inspect facilities as needed,
inquire about program objectives and clarify any information not readily understood upon
summary review of the application. Accordingly, a site visit is a fact - finding undertaking, not a
"meeting" or "decision- making" deliberation of a board. This is also the case for interviews
conducted by the ad hoc committee, where a site visit has been determined to be unnecessary due
to award of nonprofit grant monies during the previous fiscal year.
While conducting the site visits and interviews, Council Members must comply with
Chapter 92 -2.5, Hawai`i Revised Statutes, which states:
[ §92 -2.5] 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 for the board, may be assigned to:
(1) Investigate 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;
(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) Discussions between two or more members of a board, but less than the number of members which
would constitute a quorum for the board, concerning the selection of the board's officers may be
conducted in private without limitation or subsequent reporting
(d) Discussions between the governor and one or more members of a board may be conducted in private
without limitation or subsequent reporting; provided that the discussion does not relate to a matter over
which a board is exercising its adjudicatory function.
(e) Discussions between two or more members of a board and the head of a department to which the
board is administratively assigned may be conducted in private without limitation; provided that the
discussion is limited to matters specified in section 26 -35.
(f) Communications, interactions, discussions, investigations, and presentations described in this section
are not meetings for purposes of this part. [L 1996, c 267, §2]
For the purpose of assuring compliance with subsection (b)(1)(A) of HRS Chapter 92,
our HSEDC meeting of March 2, 2010, shall serve to notice "assignment" of the ad hoc
committee created by the Human Services and Economic Development Committee.
I am recommending this ad hoc committee be comprised of the undersigned HSEDC
chair, HSEDC Vice Chair J Yoshimoto (or his designated representative) and two other council
members that desire to serve on this ad hoc committee (to be determined by deliberative
proceedings during March 2, 2010, HSEDC meeting).
This proposed ad hoc committee conforms to the requirements of HRS Chapter 92 -2.5
subsection (b), "Two or more members of a board, but less than the number of members which
would constitute a quorum for the board, may be assigned to:
(1) Investigate a matter relating to the official business of their board
(2) Present, discuss, or negotiate any position which the board has adopted at a meeting of the
board."
District 5 staff, and perhaps support staff from other offices, will be enlisted to facilitate
this process. These staff members will attend the site visits and interviews to lend clerical,
technical, and other required support.
Pertinent information/findings gathered by the ad hoc committee along with
recommendations for the Human Services and Economic Development Committee's
consideration will be assembled in a single communication to Council Members prior to the
HSEDC meeting on April 20, 2010.
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