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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0150.004 1998-2000 40JNiV Os h~~1 J. CURTIS TYLER, III ~ ~ ~~,i~i;: Tel: (808) 961-8273 Coencilrnember FaX: (808) 969-3291 ~i o, F.=+~ ~r~e ~"E oi'M~±!~ COUNTY COiINCIL County of Hazoaii ~ _ _ Hawaii Cmmty Building ~ 25 Avpuni Street Hifo, Hauxtii 96720 April 5, 1999 MEMORANDUM TO: James Y. Arakaki, Chair and Councilmembers FROM: J. Curtis Tyler, III, Chair Human Services and Economic Development Committee SUBJECT: Attached Correspondence re: Department of Veterans Affairs For your information, I am transmitting copies of my letter of inquiry dated Mazch 25, 1999 and the reply received today from Mr. H. David Burge, Director of the VA Medical and Regional Office Center in Honolulu. His letter provides information and perspective pertinent to the Council's evaluation of the non-profit grant application submitted by the Hawaii Island Veterans Memorial, Inc. Comm. No. ~ • Q O N51e No. g V D Ref. To:Pres~nfed f~SEA C Ref. Date 77-6399 Nalani St, Suite 1-A Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 Kona Telephone (808) 326-5684 Pax (808) 326-5697 UI-US~UN U41: d1~ '(~8U85d1JUb1 \d?1HUC HUhULULp ~yJ Ul,l2 vb DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Medical & Regional Office Center PO Box 50188 Honolulu HI 96850 March 3I, 1999 In Reply Refer To: 459/00 • County G nmcil, County of Hawaii ATTN: J. ~urtis Tyler, III Hawaii Gtunty Building 28 Aupuni Street Hilo, HaW •aii 96720 Dear Mr. Tyler: This letter is in response to yoxxr inquiry regareiixtg our involvement with Hawaii Island Velerans Memorial, htc. The proposed project has much merit and we are always very interested in a onc- stop VA S~:rvice Center like the one being proposed. We cannot, }towever, commit to leasing any facility at a future time because of federal procurement regulations, which require a competitive selection process. W: periodically review the location of the Hilo facility when the lease comes up for renewal. [n this regard, the County of Hawaii, Hawaii Island Veterans Memorial, Inc xnay submit a proposal whenever the lease comes up for renewal and they are prepared to meet our opera lions( requirements and occupancy time frames, W.: welcome the opportunity for the group to submit a bid when a solicitation is offered pu.bliciy, It should be noted that we have jurisdiction for only the VA Outpatient Clinic and. not for the Veterans Center. If l~ou require any further infoi~rrtation, please call Mr. Gabriel Perez Associate Director,'~AMROC Honolulu, at (808)566-1706. ' SiAnc~erely, ~ tI. David Burge ' Director J. CURTIS TYLER, ]II 1d,i;e, Tel: (808) 961-8273 Councilntember I1/ T ~ FaX: (808) 969-3291 ~tf p~ N~'~' COUN'T`Y COUNC[L County of Hawaii Hawaii County Building March 25, 1999 25 Aupwii Street Hilo, jlaeoaii 96720 Mr. H. David Burge, Director VA Medical & Regional Office Department of Veterans Affairs Prince Jonah Kuhio Federal Building 300 Ala Moana Boulevard Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Dear Mr. Burge: As chairman ofthe Hawaii County Council's Committee on Human Services and Economic Development, I am writing to request your assistance so that I better may understand the status of discussions between your office and the Hawaii Island Veterans Memorial, Inc., a nonprofit organization presently seeking funding from the County of Hawaii. In response to an annual grant solicitation issued by the County of Hawaii, Hawaii Island Veterans Memorial, Inc. has requested $42,820.00 to suppprt its efforts to establish amulti-use veterans center in Hilo. Their application, now under consideration by the Council, states, m part: "The veterans center will provide counseling and readjustment assistance, the Community Based Outpatient Clinic will be within the center and will provide medical assistance/treatment, laboratory assistance, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder consultation and counseling." On March 23, 1999, in testimony presented to my council committee, organization chairman Robert Montague stated, "For Phase 1 and 2, there is no federal dollars from the federal government or the VA." He added that the first phase ofthe project involves tenancy by "the community-based outpatient clinic and the [Readjustment Counseling Service] Veterans Center." When I asked Mc Montague if he had responded to an RFP from the VA and been selected, he replied, "They can't select our group until we actually get a facility to go in place, and they'll let out a bid on it then..." It is my understanding that the Department of Veterans Affairs customarily leases its community- based facilities by first issuing an open and public solicitation, indicating site/facility specifications and other federal contracting requirements. Accordingly, 1 wish to know whether your office has currently issued a solicitation for space to relocate VA's Outpatient Clinic and Vet Center, now co-located on Keawe Street in Hilo. Secondly, I wish to know whether it is reliably the intent ofthe VA to let out a bid, as Mr. Montague has suggested, when the Hawaij Island Veterans Memorial, Ina "actually get[s] a facility to go in place." I believe the goal of establishing a permanent veterans services facility in Hilo has considerable merit. However, the pursuit of this objective, presently Contingent on an unknown commitment to long-term tenancy by the VA, has the appearance of "putting the cart before the horse." 77-6399 Nalani St., Suite 1-A Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 Kona Telephone: (808) 326-5684 Fax: (808) 326-5697 H. David Burge March 25, 1999 Page 2 Timely and defmitive comment by your office will greatly assist my committee in evaluating the viability of this project in the coming fiscal year. Please respond in writing to this inquiry not later than April 2, 1999 as my committee must submit funding recommendations to the full council at its next scheduled meeting on April 7. Thank you for your attention to this request. Since ely a/(~ Y > ~T ir, Commi on uman Services and Economic Development wail County Council 1CTlrf