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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0755.033 2016-2018Hawaii County Committee on the Status of Women Testimony Presented Before the Hawaii County Council May 22, 2018 at 9:00am by Brooke Derby, Chair Hawaii County Committee on the Status of Women k�. cujAW\ C, - Aloha Chair Poindexter, Vice Chair Eoff and Members of the Hawaii County Council: +2:. ZK My name is Brooke Derby and I am currently serving as chair for the Hawaii County Committee on the Status of Women (CSW). The Committee on the Status of Women wouldlLke to provide comments today on Bill 110, which establishes an operating budget for the Count9%,of Hawaii for the fiscal year July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. The mission of the CSW to advocate for the rights of the women on Hawaii Island and to support and provide services and programs that help to empower women. Administered through the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, the committee is comprised of volunteer members from across the island. Volunteer committee members simultaneously hold positions and/or are members of the Zonta Club of Hilo, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hawaii Island HIV/AIDS Foundation, Hamakua- Kohala Health, Blue Zones, Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce, Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Hawaii and the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce. In addition, three of the current committee members are founding members of the Hawaii Island Women's Leadership Forum, a grassroots organization that formed four years ago with the goal to support and encourage women on our island. There is a level of passion and dedication that resonates from our group for the mere desire to cultivate an environment in which women are recognized and supported for their multiple contributions that helps to create a better Hawai` i Island for us all. Each year for at least the past decade, our group of volunteer committee members has updated and published an Urgent Services Directory with island -wide resources. For the past few years, the committee has distributed 10,000 copies each year among local non-profit organizations, schools, churches and government agencies. The CSW also sponsors an annual Real Women Essay contest for students in grades 5-12 where students write about a real woman in their life and winners are recognized at a luncheon that they and their families are invited to attend. We program for Women's Health Month in March, Equal Pay Day in April, and have partnered with the YWCA of Hawaii Island who hosts a website where we post information and electronic resources on teen dating violence prevention and education awareness. Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer comm. NO. 157!513"3 Ref. To: M wv- Ref. [late ice!--9-jq- - Like many other County department budgets, our committee program budget has been reduced over the years from $10,500 in 2012 to a proposed $7,542 in next fiscal year. Our committee already benefits from the countless hours of volunteerism provided by the members and their corresponding organizations. These hours include meeting times, planning events as well as attending events that further our mission in the community. Often times, committee members will incur expenses that do not get reimbursed by the County due to the layers of bureaucracy. Regardless, we persist because we firmly believe in our mission and the work that we are doing. While the committee submitted a request for an additional $5,000 this year (see attached), we have been asked to provide a budget that instead reflects a reduction from $8,085 last year to $7,542 for next year. Hawaii County has the potential to lead by example when we support the development of women around us. The current council composition with 2/3 female representation highlights not just this potential, but also the reality of the good things that come when we empower women to be the leaders they are. The Committee on the Status of Women is committed to being Hawaii County's committee of advocacy on this issue, but we are unable to do an excellent job without a decent budget to work with. Please understand we are not asking for tens of thousands of dollars to add to our several hundred thousand dollar existing budget. We are humbly asking for an additional $5,000 to add to our $7,542 budget. This will allow us to focus on planning the activities we identify as priority and not have to exert additional effort in pleading with partners (who also face similar budgetary constraints) to pick up extra costs. The specific activities to be supported with this additional request include planning and execution of the annual Hawaii Island Women's Leadership Summit. Council members, as documented through your contingency funds in the attached, were very supportive of the first two summits. In part, this request is our attempt to institutionalize the summit in a way that will relieve individual council members from annual commitments to this cause. If this event continues to be important enough, let's be sure to give it adequate support on an annual and ongoing basis so that planning members can focus on other required details to ensure its success. You have our commitment that any amount of additional allocation will be spent to perpetuate the mission of our committee. We are confident that our work has long-standing impact for individuals and families in our communities. We are here to help leverage the County in ways and at levels that official departments aren't always able to. Allow us to help you build a better Hawaii Island for us all. I thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony and comment on the operation of the Hawaii County Committee on the Status of Women. Thank you for considering our request. I would be happy to address any questions that the Council members might have. Mahalo! Department of Finance Form#: F -110L rev. 09/13 DEPARTMENT: COUNTY OF HAWAII SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET REQUESTS Prosecutors - Committee on the Status of Women CONTACT: Lee Lord Farrah -Marie Gomes 932-7445 PHONE: 934-3315 DATE: 10/15/2017 FISCAL PERIOD From: July 1, 2018 To: June 30, 2019 ITEM: Hawaii Island Women's Leadership Summit PRIORITY #: I Position #: n/a Grade /BU. l Annual Salary: $ For Positions 4 Home Dept: Effective Date: 10/15/17 BUDGET: ❑ New Cost Item ❑ Increase to Current Cost Item (explain) Amount Requested: S 5,000 DIVISION: COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF ACCOUNT #: WOMEN JUSTIFICATION: ❑ Legal Mandate ❑ Safety ❑ Reduce Costs ❑ Increase Efficiency ❑ Other: Explain Below: The Committee on the Status of Women is a very active County committee. The committee meets monthly to conduct official business, with sub -committees working between meetings to meet the guiding objectives of the Committee. Each year for the past several years, the Committee has hosted an Annual Real Women Creative Writing Competition, kept information updated on a hosted webpage within the YWCA website, ran radio ads to raise awareness about Equal Pay Day in April, updated and published at least 10,000 paper copies of the Urgent Services Directory for Families on Hawaii Island, and created and distributed cell phone safety cards with information about healthy relationships. In 2016, the Committee was successful in working with Councilwoman Poindexter to draft and pass Resolution 568-161 which was a local version of legislation relating to the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The resolution was approved by Hawaii County Council with a 9-0 vote on September 7, 2016. In 2014, the CSW participated in charter meetings with members from across Hawaii Island. As a result of those meetings, the Hawaii Island Women's Leadership Forum was established. The CSW has a sub- committee to serve as a liaison between the Committee and the HIWLF leadership. With support from Council members, the CSW was able to serve as planning sponsor for the first two Hawaii Island Women's Leadership Summits. The CSW received $13,500 from 6 Council members in FYI and $14,000 from 9 Council members in FYI 7. A breakdown of contributions is listed on the next page. This budget increase request for $5,000 is to help institutionalize the Committee on the Status of Women's proven success with the Hawaii Island Women's Leadership Summits. A permanent line item in the CSW budget would eliminate the need to approach each Council member separately and present at various Council meetings. This would also help provide a sustainable source of support for the annual event, thereby allowing committee members to focus their energy on programming for the conference instead of having to also focus on fundraising or passing the costs off to attendees. (continued) ❑ APPROVED: S ❑ DENIED ❑ DEFERRED: NOTES: DATE: The inaugural event of the Hawaii Island Women's Leadership Forum HIWLF was the Hawaii Island Women's Leadership Summit: Advancing Women Through Knowledge, Strength and Community. The Summit was held on Friday, April 24, 2015 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. The purpose of the Summit was to advance and celebrate the value of women in our society, cultivate relationships for networking, and move the conversation forward to develop leaders locally. The HIWLF's 2nd annual Hawaii Island Women's Leadership Summit — Tools for Excellence: Self, Relationships, Career, and Community was held on Friday, August 26, 2016 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. The purpose of the Summit was to strengthen women by providing real tools for real life, thereby empowering and advancing ourselves, our relationships, our careers and our community. A total of 300 and 350 participants registered for the Summits, respectively. Special room rates were available to conference participants. Each Summit included a keynote, breakout sessions, networking lunch, vendor expos and a pau hana. The Committee on the Status of Women successfully fulfilled all reporting requirements for past funds. A summary of the expenses covered by 2015 Council contingency relief funds follows: DISTRICT #/MEMBER RESOLUTION # PURPOSE OF FUNDS AMOUNT District 1 — Poindexter Resolution #31-15 Facility Rental $2,000 District 2 — Chung Resolution #66-15 Plan/Implement $400 District 5 — Paleka Resolution #74-15 Materials/Supplies $1,000 District 6 — David Resolution #45-15 HIWLF Expenses $2,500 District 7 — Kanuha Resolution #60-15 HIWLF Expenses $25,000 District 8 — Eoff Resolution #42-15 Facility Rental $2,000 $13,500 A summary of the expenses covered by 2016 Council contingency relief funds follows: District 1 — Poindexter Resolution #551-16 Facility Rental $2,000 District 2 — Chung Resolution #571-16 Plan/Implement $1,000 District 3 — Onishi Resolution #623-16 HIWLF Expenses $500 District 4 — Ilagan Resolution #556-16 Audio/Visual $2,000 District 5 — Paleka Resolution #578-16 Materials/Supplies $13,000 District 6 — David Resolution #558-16 HIWLF Expenses $2,500 District 7 — Kanuha Resolution #618-16 HIWLF Expenses $200 District 8 — Eoff Resolution #573-16 HIWLF Expenses $2,000 District 9 — Wille Resolution #633-16 Plan/Implement $1,000 $14,000 An additional $5,000 to the base budget of the Committee on the Status of Women would provide financial support that for the past two years has been provided through contingency funds. This request would help to make permanent a portion of that funding, which would move this event toward a more sustainable model for future years. 2