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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0389.000 2014-2016 William P. Kenoi �M<v ;,. Deanna S. Sako Mayor 's ,1617g� Director Lisa K. Miura Deputy Director . 'ATE Gi•M�'�'•- • County of Hawaii Finance Department 25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2103 • Hilo,Hawai`i 96720 f' (808)961-8234 • Fax(808)961-8569 p C7 O CD July 17, 2015 Dru Kanuha, Council Chair and �a Members of the Hawaii County Council Hawai`i County Council >m 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawai`i 96720 Re: Operating Budget The State of Hawai`i Department of Agriculture, provided $450,000 to Hawai`i County's Coffee Berry Borer Pesticide Subsidy program. The grant funds will be used to provide assistance to coffee growers to purchase pesticides containing Beauveria bassiana, a naturally occurring fungus to combat the coffee berry borer until July 1, 2019 or until the funds are depleted. Enclosed is a resolution to authorize the Mayor to enter into an agreement with the State of Hawai`i Department of Agriculture to specify the terms, conditions and use of funds by the State and the County in their collaborative implementation of this program. If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to call Glenn Sako, Agriculture Specialist with the Department of Research and Development at 961-8811. V P*Deanna S. Sako Director of Finance Enc. cc: R&D <C 't S. 3:bt- 15> Comm. No. 3 Ref. To: 6riu(w/fL2... Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider Ref. Date JUL 2 0 2015 Form #: B-52 7/18/91 DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION DEPARTMENT: Research and Development DATE: 7/16/2015 STAFF CONTACT: Glenn Sako, Agriculture Specialist PHONE: 961-8811 A. REQUEST: To allow the Department of Research and Development to enter into a multi-year contract with the State of Hawaii, Department of Agriculture (HDOA) for the sum of$450,000 to implement the Pesticide Subsidy Program, which will continue until July 1, 2019 or until funding in the contract is exhausted. This program will provide assistance to coffee growers to adopt recommended pest management strategies involving the coffee berry borer(CBB). Waive: Request to Waive Finance Committee in order to meet goals of HDOA to implement project. B. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION (USE ADDITIONAL SHEETS AS NEEDED): The County of Hawaii plans to partner with the State of Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) to carry out the Pesticide Subsidy Program as outlined by Act 105, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014. The coffee berry borer(CBB) is an insidious pest that is threatening the viability of Hawai`i's coffee industry. Research has shown that subsidizing the cost of pesticides is an effective and necessary incentive to encourage farmers to adopt recommended pest management strategies. This program will provide assistance to coffee growers by offsetting the cost of purchasing pesticides containing Beauveria bassiana, a naturally occurring fungus known to cause mortality in CBB. As CBB is most prevalent on Hawaii Island, a collaborative partnership with the County would enable the easiest access to the program for our coffee farmers most in need. The Pesticide Subsidy Program would be carried out under the guidance of HDOA Plant Industry Administrator, Neil Reimer, with the support from a full-time temporary position hired by HDOA. The new temporary position would be tasked with the administration of the program to include the collection and verification of pesticide receipts and calculation and distribution of the subsidy. This position shall be housed in HDOA and would report the Mr. Neil Reimer. The position would be housed in HDOA facilities on Hawaii Island. HDOA shall aggregate the total subsidy applications and divide and distribute the available subsidy funds on a pro rata basis; provided that no single coffee grower shall receive subsidies that are more than $600 per year per acre of land in coffee production, and provided further that no single coffee grower shall receive subsidies that are more than $9,000 per year. On an annual basis, HDOA would receive a lump sum amount from the County to carry out the distribution of the subsidy to qualified farmers and for the full-time temporary staff, hired by HDOA as needed for the implementation of this program. SIGNED: C614.‘-/t. DATE: 7/16/2015 Department Head KAREN EOFF +1: Os..... .... AARON S.Y. CHUNG Chairperson ^ � ¢, MAILE"MEDEIROS"DAVID GREGGOR ILAGAN VALERIE T. POINDEXTER DRU MAMO KANUHA Vice Chair !r�T!of,N' ``. DENNIS"FRESH"ONISHI DANNY PALEKA MARGARET WILLE HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL County of Hawai`i Hawai`i County Building 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 July 20, 2015 Dru Mamo Kanuha, Chairperson Hawai`i County Council 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawai`i 96720 RE: Resolution No. 231-15 : RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, PURSUANT TO HRS 46-7 Pursuant to Section 2(g) of Rule 4 of the Rules of Procedure of the Council of the County of Hawai`i, this written request is submitted with my approval that the above-referenced matter be waived from the Committee on Finance to the full Council for immediate action. In reviewing this matter, timely approval is crucial. It is therefore advantageous that approval is granted and the matter be placed onto the next Council agenda for review. However, in the event this request is denied, for whatever reason, I understand the matter shall be referred to the Committee on Finance for placement on its future agenda. Sincerely, &Licae-bg.--•:411.1F 16/Karen Eoff, Chairperson Committee on Finance • pprove•DI ate/Waive to Council: Disapproved/Date/Refer to FC: eD1411\ 7 zv /5 ('Dru Mamo Kanuha, Chairperson Dru Mamo Kanuha, Chairperson Hawai`i County Council Hawai`i County Council KE/wb Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer