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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN HSSSC 2017/04/18 2016-2018 COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES AND SOCIAL SERVICES 4th Session West Hawai`i Civic Center 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Building A Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i April 18, 2017 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Human Services and Social ORDER: Services was called to order at 1:30 p.m., in the Council Chambers, Kailua-Kona, by Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Chair Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Vice Chair Mr. Aaron S. Y. Chung, Member Ms. Karen Eoff, Vice Chair Mr. Dru Mamo Kanuha, Member Ms. Eileen O'Hara, Member Ms. Valerie T. Poindexter, Member Mr. Herbert M. "Tim"Richards, III, Member Absent&Excused: Ms. Jennifer Ruggles, Member STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, FROM THE Statements from the Public on Agenda Items. PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS: The following individuals registered to speak in regards to Comm. 94 and came forward when called by the Chair: Nidhi Chabora: In support. (representing Self-Discovery thru Art) Nancy Jo Moses: In support. (representing. Self-Discovery thru Art) Ann Goody: In support. (representing Three Ring Ranch) Dawn Henry: Comment. ( p g Legal resentin Aid Society of Hawai`i) HSSSC-4 April 18, 2017 Lisa Canale: In support. (representing. Hui Malama Ola Na `Oiwi) David Kurohara: In support. (representing YMCA Board of Directors) Joy Holland: Comment. (representing Kona Historical Society) Elizabeth Valentin: In support. (representing Project Vision Hawai`i) Chad Cabral: Comment. (representing Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island) Kit Neppl: In support. (representing Special Olympics) Zahera Knowles: In support. (representing Big Island Mediation, Inc., DBA West Hawaii Mediation Center) COMMUNI- The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next Order of Business, CATIONS: Communications. Comm. 94: FISCAL YEAR 2017-2018 NONPROFIT GRANT REVIEW PROCESS AND FORMATION OF AN AD HOC COMMITTEE From Human Services and Social Services Committee (HSSSC) Chair Maile Mederios David, dated February 1, 2017, describing the nonprofit grant review process and requesting formation of an ad hoc committee. The ad hoc committee would conduct application reviews with the applicants for the County's annual nonprofit grant awards and then report its findings to the HSSSC. Postponed: February 21 and April 4, 2017 (Note: There is a motion by Ms. O'Hara, seconded by Ms. Poindexter,to close file on Comm. 94.) ; and Comm. 94.1 From Finance Director Collins Tomei, dated February 10, 2017,transmitting applications from eligible nonprofit organizations for the council's review and appropriation of funds for the Fiscal Year 2017-18 nonprofit grant program. Page 2 HSSSC-4 April 18, 2017 ; and Comm. 94.2 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GRANT APPROPRIATIONS TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS From Human Services and Social Services Committee (HSSSC) Chair Maile David, dated March 16, 2017,transmitting the HSSSC Ad Hoc Committee's recommendations for grant funding to nonprofit organizations for inclusion in the County of Hawai`i Operating Budget for Fiscal year 2017-2018. A total of 145 eligible applications were received, with requests totaling $6,528,193. The recommendations have been developed through a review of all applications with each applicant. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Clerk. And before I proceed on with this discussion from Council Members, please allow me to give a brief background of the process that the ad hoc committee has gone through in this year's nonprofit grant awards. So, on January 31st, 150 applications were received by the Department of Finance and five—out of those, five applications were determined ineligible because of nonsubmittal of required documents. So,there are now for this fiscal year 145 eligible applications with requests that total more than$6.5 million. Last year, there were 144 eligible applications and that request totaled a little over$5.5 million, so a big jump this year. On February 10th, the eligible applications were transmitted to the Department—by the Department of Finance to the Council Members for review and appropriation. And then on February 21, at a meeting of the Human Services Committee, an ad hoc committee was formed for the purposes of application review; conducting applicant interviews and award recommendations. On March 9, 10th, and 13th, the ad hoc committee conducted 145 interviews, 98 of them took place in Hilo, in the Hilo Chambers; and 47 of those interviews took place here at the West Hawaii Civic Center. And then on March 15th, the ad hoc committee held a meeting to determine recommended award amounts for each applicant organization. The ad hoc committee members were able to designate specific performance measures, expenditures and directives to awardees. Although the amounts requested by organizations exceeded, as usual, award amounts, all of the applicants expressed their understanding and conveyed their determination to continue providing much needed services for our increase in population. Exhibit A, Council Members,to Comm. 94.2 is a spreadsheet that shows the ad hoc committee's recommendations for this fiscal year. I think you all have this in front of you. So, at this time I would like to open the floor for discussion. Council Members? Ms. Poindexter. • Page 3 HSSSC-4 April 18, 2017 MS. POINDEXTER: Yeah, I'd just like to say thank you to the ad hoc committee and for those of you who served on it. Because it was—it took a lot of time and commitment, so I appreciate all that you have done to this point. Just want to give you a big mahalo, for all of your time. Thank you. CHR. DAVID: Mahalo, Ms. Poindexter. Council Members, anyone else? Ms. O'Hara. MS. O'HARA: Just for some clarification, I realize that five of the applicants did not submit full applications and are not considered, but this list has 145 recommendations on it of which five— CHR. DAVID: I'm sorry. Yes, 150 were received by the Finance Department. MS. O'HARA: Right. CHR. DAVID: And then five of them were ineligible. MS. O'HARA: Right. This goes from five to 150, so I'm assuming that's 145. MS. EOFF: Oh, yeah. The numbers aren't(inaudible.) MS. O'HARA: So, I'm just asking for clarification,there are five applicants for which the award recommendation is zero_. These aren't the same as the dismissed applicants. CHR. DAVID: No, no. MS. O'HARA: Okay. So there was another reason why those applications were not considered for funding? CHR. DAVID: Right. The applications that—that I speak of initially, out of the total, those are being vetted by Department of Finance as to whether they have all the appropriate documentations. So, that's where that five is. It has nothing to do with the recommendations where there were no awards. Is that what you're asking? MS. O'HARA: Yeah. CHR. DAVID: Two separate things. Thank you, Ms. O'Hara. Anyone else? Mr. Kanuha. MR. KANUHA: Not really a question. Just a mahalo, you know, all you guys that were on the ad hoc committee. It's a pretty you know, lengthy amount of time that you guys' got to spend and it's difficult, you know, to have all the Page 4 HSSSC-4 April 18, 2017 applicants come in and there's only a limited amount of money to put everything towards. So, mahalo to everybody who did submit and for being patient with our process and I know it's not everything that you guys' could have gotten but hopefully the small amount, it all helps out. But I wanted to kind of ask the new members on the ad hoc committee how you guys felt. And that's what I really wanted to see, like get a sense of how you guys—you know,just the process that you went through on how to determine? Or did you just listen to the recommendations of the Chair? I don't know. CHR. DAVID: No. Are you asking Ms. Lee Loy? MR. KANUHA: Yeah, if I can just throw that out. I didn't know if they were going to talk after, but nobody was pushing their buttons. So, I've got to ask them. CHR. DAVID: Ms. Lee Loy, you can answer Mr. Kanuha's questions and then I'll go to Mr. Richards to do the same. MR. RICHARD S: Ladies first. CHR. DAVID: Yes. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you. Actually I really did enjoy the process. It really gave me an incredible snapshot of the need of what's going now, not only in my district but the entire island. And trying to find very creative ways to help supplement some wonderful programs that are going on island-wide was just an eye opening experience for me. There is just a huge need out there and we really need as a Council to figure out some more creative ways of getting services to our community. These nonprofits are touching them at the grass roots level. We're providing, you know,parks and police and fire, but these nonprofits are touching them every single day, whether it's homework after school, or you know,just developing a character and a bigger sense of self. So, I enjoyed it. So,thank you. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. Mr. Richards. MR. RICHARDS: Thank you, Chair. The follow up on that, and to address Mr. Kanuha's question, first and foremost I did enjoy it. It was long; it was grueling, as far as the time line. But I agree with Council Member Lee Loy's statement that to get a true pulse on our community's status on what's going on and hearing the different stories. It sounds a little funny but I enjoyed Page 5 HSSSC-4 April 18, 2017 going through the process. That's kind of like old home week, because I got to see people I knew in a little bit different light and that worked out pretty well. As far as how we looked at it, well, at least how I was looking at it—and we were looking for synergies between programs so we could capitalize on that, and by supporting a couple programs that are already working together. The intent and the hope was to bolster kind of the rising tide, so to speak. So that's what I was looking for, realizing we had limited resources, but that's what we were pushing for,to find that commonality and synergy amongst the different programs. And then a big push for me, and I think I can speak for Sue on this one, is looking for the outreach for our more rural areas that need a bit more. And in Ka`u, for instance, looking for things that we could help accelerate, and again using Council Woman's Lee Loy's statements, by again combining things and then looking for what would help those districts more. And so that's kind of the context that we were looking and recognizing again, that we had limited resources and almost every interview that we went through was, "Wow,that's a great idea." And the next one come up and, "Wow,that's a great program." And then we realize everything was a great program that was presented to us. So making those determinations was tough but I enjoyed it and I won't go as far as, well, as say I will look forward to it next year, but I think I will look forward to it next year. So, does that answer your question, Councilman? MR. KANUHA: Mahalo. CHR. DAVID: Alright, Mr. Kanuha, are you? Okay, Ms. Eoff. MS. EOFF: Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you for the opportunity to serve once again on the ad hoc committee. And I really enjoyed working with the committee,the two new members and the chair. I wanted to thank Mayor Kim for putting the $1.5 million into the budget, which is a little bit more than is required by Code but still not enough to really fund all of the projects that we wish we could have provided more funding to. But I think that, like Mr. Richards said, learning and listening to all of the proposals, it really does kind of warm your heart and overwhelm us to know how much work is being out there by our community, and how much help is provided to all these different services that are provided which the County can't afford to do on our own. So, we really appreciate the work of the nonprofits and I think it's really an important opportunity that we have to be able to help fund those programs. So, I just wish there would have been more money. But I think, again thank you to the Mayor for putting in a little more than he needed, really had to. Page 6 HS S SC-4 April 18, 2017 CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Eoff. Anyone else? Okay and I think. Oh, Ms. O'Hara. MS. O'HARA: I just thought, I want to thank everyone that was on the committee. I know it's a lot of work and I've served you in your working hours, so thank you for putting in all that time. And thank you Council Member Richards for explaining how you—the adhoc members looked for synergies amongst the organizations in order to make these very tough decisions about allocations of limited resources. And I guess my comment is about the limited resources. It is great that we have $1.5 million. I understand that the minimum is a$1 million contribution to this particular program. So, having $1.5 is great, yet what we're seeing in terms of growth on the island and growth in nonprofit organizations is we need to expand the pie. Because if we just follow this approach and we keep giving less and less to more and more organizations serving more and more people, we're not going to have the impacts in the communities that we're hoping to have. So,this is a challenge for us at the County to really look at how we can budget more dollars into these types of—in this particular program, so,that we continue to provide the services that our communities need. Especially those rural communities who are truly, truly underserved, although, you can make that argument for just about anywhere on the island. So, I just want to say that publicly; that we really need to think how we can expand this pie. So,thank you. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. O'Hara. Anyone else before? Okay. And I really have to agree with you because it seems like unless we have some way of increasing our revenues for this program, every year we will be the same. We will just be having to do more with less. And so, I agree with you. And before I ask for the vote, I just wanted to take this time myself to say a few mahalo nuis to first, the ad hoc committee. I'm really honored to have served as Chair, but moreso, I was really impressed by the caliber and the discussions that went on during the review process. And it brought to light that the things that Mr. Richards brought to the table and Ms. Lee Loy brought to the table were things that opened our discussions and also, opened our eyes of what really the needs are. So, on that note,really, thank you, Ms. Eoff, Mr. Richards, and Ms. Lee Loy, it was a pleasure. I also really want to thank Finance Department Director Tomei, Deputy Director Sako, and especially Ted Schrey. These are people in Finance that are—especially Ted Schrey, behind the scenes that have to go through all these applications and make sure that they are all in order and then put them all together and we get a nice neat package. And then on that note I need to thank Page 7 HSSSC-4 April 18, 2017 my staff and the staff of the ad hoc committee members, especially Dawn, my staff Dawn Manago, I could never do these spreadsheets, I could never do these time lines that she's responsible for, so really mahalo, Dawn. She had a great trainer, Ms. Eoff s staff, Wendy, and all of our staff Dot and Peter,they were very, very helpful, especially being new to this process. Peter and Dot were right in there and very eager to help and I think that's what made our job, even though every single meeting that we had, at the end of it, it was very depressing that we couldn't give everybody. And so anyway,that's just a personal note. And finally like Ms. Eoff said, thank you, Mayor Kim, for again, including $500,000 more than is required. And on that note, mahalo everybody. Yes, I need the motion. MR. HENRICKS: For the recommendations themselves,please. Thank you. Vote on Comm. 94.2: Mr. Richards moved to close file on Comm. 94.2 and to (Approved) approve and accept the recommendations of the ad hoc committee for inclusion in Bill 11,the Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-2018. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Chung, Eoff, Kanuha, Lee Loy, O'Hara, Poindexter, Richards, and Chair David—8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Ruggles— 1. Excused: None. CHR. DAVID: Okay and now vote on the main motion. Vote on Comm. 94: The motion to close file on Comm. 94 was carried by the (Filed) following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Chung, Eoff, Kanuha, Lee Loy, O'Hara, Poindexter, Richards, and Chair David— 8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Ruggles— 1. Excused: None. CHR. DAVID: Thank you very much ladies. Page 8 II HSSSC-4 April 18, 2017 ORDER OF The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, RESOLUTIONS: Order of Resolutions. (There were none.) BILLS FOR The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, ORDINANCES: Bills for Ordinances. (There were none.) ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 2:12 p.m., Ms. Poindexter moved to adjourn MENT: the meeting. Seconded by Ms. O'Hara and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Chung, Eoff, Kanuha, Lee Loy, O'Hara, Poindexter, Richards, and Chair David—8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Ruggles— 1. Excused: None. CHR. DAVID: We are adjourned. Mahalo everybody, for coming. Approved: /FA. ISO 7/4/17 Ms. Maile"Medeiros" David, Chair (Date) Human Services and Social Services Committee MD/vc Page 9