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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN GREDC 2018/08/07 (2016-2018)Committee on Governmental Relations and Economic Development 18th Session Hawaii County Building 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii August 7, 2018 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Governmental Relations and Economic ORDER: Development was called to order at 11:10 a.m., in the Council Chambers, Hilo, by Dru Mamo Kanuha, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Mr. Dru Mamo Kanuha, Chair Ms. Jennifer Ruggles, Vice Chair Mr. Aaron S. Y. Chung, Member (came in later) Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Member Ms. Karen Eoff, Member Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Member (came in later) Ms. Eileen O'Hara, Member (came in later) Ms. Valerie Poindexter, Member Mr. Herbert M. Richards, III, 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 and came forward when called by the Chair: Reynolds Kamakawiwo`ole: Ku`ulei Kanahele: Marcia May: Russell Ruderman: Pi`ilani Ka`awaloa: Res. 640-18 (Comm. 985), comment. Res. 640-18 (Comm. 985), in support. Comm. 1017, in support; and Res. 640-18 (Comm. 985), in support. Comm. 1017, comment. Res. 640-18 (Comm. 985), in support. Manaiakalani Kalua: Res. 640-18 (Comm. 985), in support. GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 CHR KANUHA: Council, if you're okay, I think that's the last testimony we have for Governmental Relations and Economic Development, unless anybody else would like to testify, please let me know. Sure. Yeah, I'm going to recess Governmental Relations and Economic Development Committee. We just wanted to get the testimony in for those who were here for this committee, and then we'll go back into Finance to accept the rest of—all you guys who have signed up and haven't spoken yet, if that's okay. Okay Council, is it okay if we take a recess with Governmental Relations and we'll come back afterwards, after Finance, at some point and figure out what we're going to do? Thank you, everybody, for your patience, and we will recess Governmental Relations and Economic Development and go into Finance. Recess: At 11:39 a.m., the Chair called for a recess. Reconvene: The meeting reconvened at 3:54 p.m. CHR KANUHA: Okay, I'll call this meeting back to order, of Governmental Relations and Economic Development. Sorry everybody, we're going back to Governmental Relations, we've had people here since 10:00 this morning trying to continue discussions with our communications. If we could, Mr. Clerk, do we need to read in Resolution 640? Change Order As directed by the Chair and with no objection from the Council Members, the of Business: following item was taken out of order: Res. 640-18: URGES THE STATE BOARD ON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES TO CONSULT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE DIRECT TRADITIONAL, CULTURAL, AND FAMILIAL TIES TO THE DISTRICT OF PUNA TO ESTABLISH APPROPRIATE NAMES FOR THE FISSURE 8 VENT AND OTHER FEATURES OF THE 2018 ERUPTION OF KILAUEA VOLCANO The naming of this fissure and other new volcanic features associated with this eruption in the Hawaiian language may be based on its physical characteristics, historical events associated with its formation, ecological surroundings, geographical location, or related oral histories. Reference: Comm. 985 Intr. by: Ms. Lee Loy Postponed: July 24, 2018 (Note: There is a motion by Ms. Lee Loy, seconded by Ms. Poindexter, to recommend adoption of Res. 640-18.) ;and Page 2 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 Comm. 985.4 From Council Member Susan L. K. Lee Loy, dated July 31, 2018, requesting a presentation by Pi`ilani Ka`awaloa on the naming of Fissure 8. (Note: Comm. 985.5, from Council Member Susan L. K. Lee Loy, dated August 1, 2018, transmitting background information of the Hawaii State Board on Geographical Names, and Comm. 985.6, from Council Member Susan L. K. Lee Loy, dated August 2, 2018, transmitting a PowerPoint presentation by Pi`ilani Ka`awaloa, was circulated.) CHR KANUHA: Thank you, Mr. Chair, or Mr. Clerk. Ms. Lee Loy, there's currently a motion on the floor and communications, I think there are several communications here but I'll give you the floor. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you, Chair, for the latitude. Just to recap, at our last meeting, I introduced this resolution based on some community conversation. Through that conversation with the Kanaka`ole Foundation and Pi`ilani Ka`awaloa, there's a process that's already established in Hawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter four. But, in that particular language of Hawaii Revised Statutes, there's language that says should the board desire, they will consult with other knowledgeable persons. And it was this kind of language that really didn't lend itself to what the community felt very strongly about, which was giving people with cultural, familial, and lineal ties to the `aina, those with the ike `aina or the knowledge of the land to be part of the naming process. So, with that, Ms. O'Hara mentioned a PowerPoint presentation that Ms. Ka`awaloa has, and that is contained in Communication 985.6, and if I could call Pi`ilani forward and if she could just give us a quick snapshot on a little bit more background on the naming process that culturally, a lot of these name places are given. I know Manaia is still here, but Manaia, if you don't mind coming forward, I know you would be able to lend a lot to this conversation. With that, I'll yield to Ms. Ka`awaloa. Thank you. (Note: At this time, Pi`ilani Ka`awaloa came forward and gave a PowerPoint presentation to the members of the Committee. For viewing of the subject presentation, see the DVD copy of the meeting proceedings on file in the Clerk's Office. A copy of the PowerPoint presentation is made a part of the record, see Comm. 985.6.) (Note: At this time, Manaiakalani Kalua came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MR. KALUA: Aloha. Okay so CHR KANUHA: Just repeat your name for the record. Page 3 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 MR. KALUA: My name is Manaiakalani Kalua. To kind of go along with what Pi`ilani had said about the responsibility or the kuleana of naming, in naming practices, I hate to use the word "traditional," but in naming practices for us, there's kind of a lot of things that needs to be considered, or ways to receive names, as Pi`ilani had said, through inoa po or through particular events that had happened. A lot of the names that we have for particular land bases here are all based off of particular events that have happened that are now immortalized within the land space. So, that's one thing, too, that the name will bring characteristic. It will have its own story to share, and then that's kind of what gets infused back into the space. As far as observation, we all see, even amongst Hawaiians, we're all going to see different things in the exact same flow. It's the same thing as if—I'll use this example right now. You all listened to Pi`ilani's presentation, a couple minutes ago, but there are nine Council people who are going to hear and who are going to interpret and see something different, even though it was the exact same presentation. Likewise, with phenomena like this, where we have eruptions, you're going to have multiple families and multiple people who are going to see different things within the flow, and who will recognize it according to whatever beliefs you have, whatever practices you have, and what you can understand in that moment. I guess I'll kind of just precursor with that. With that said, when Pi`ilani was pointing out features, and energy, and first-hand accounts of people that are watching this unfold. For me, I don't see a difference, and I'mI don't want to say she's old, but I'm slightly younger, and so, our experiences would be different, even though there's overlapping similarities in how we were raised and what we see. I also look at my landscape a little different. So, even though the huge names that have been coming up, everybody is automatically going straight to just Pele as volcanic energy or `Aila`au as a male form of volcanic energy. When I look at lava flows, when I look at the eruption that just had happened from May until, well, it's kind of mellow now, but, when I look at that, I'm actually looking at a whole bunch of different features and volcanic activities, not just lava in one form and movement. So, for me, when I look at, and this is only the world according to Manaiakalani, when I look at my landscape and when I'm looking at this happening, I'm looking at Pele as the substance, as Pele as one form of creation of land. But, I'm also looking at a lot of the different flow movements, as multiple, for lack of a better term, akua or deities that have to deal with volcanic energy and volcanic genealogy. So, when we're talking about fingers coming down off of a particular flow, I'm not looking at it as a finger, and the Hawaiian word we use is called wa`a, which Page 4 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 is the same thing as a canoe because the movement of that flow and the movement of the actual canoe follows the same thing. It's the exact same movements, that's why you use the same terminology, and they follow the same. I'm also seeing a whole bunch of other Pele siblings that are being born and that are found within different types of movement, whether it's an `a`a flow, whether it's a huge `a`a flow, whether we're looking at pahoehoe movement, whether we're looking at the cooling of the lava while there's still burning lava underneath and all of these other features that are happening. They're all multiple family members, some of them male, some of them female, dependent on what's actually happening. I also don't look, and this is just the world according to Manaiakalani again, I also don't look for physical, humanistic, personified views within all of these images. So, I'm not looking for a face in the lava fountain to see Pele, and to see whether it's male or female. I'm not looking for a masculine face in the clouds to see, okay, this is going to be guy. I'm looking at the actual shape, movement, mold, color, feelings to connect to what's actually happening. But again, just a world according to Manaiakalani. With that said, that's why I think with the naming process, especially when it comes down to land bases, because I cannot tell people how to name their children. But, when it comes to the land base because it's going to be a collective child, I think that there needs to be some kind of advisory community, whether it's by genealogy to the space, whether it's by proximity because they've still been living there for generations. Whether it's people that have lived through different experiences that still have ties to, I would say in this case, Keahialaka, or people that are still rooted in traditions and practices older than what we know as our own, simply because you're going to have multiple perspectives. And unless this is some kind of, pardon my words, oppressive reintegration of something, you normally don't just come into somebody else's place and say, "Okay, so, we're going to name this, this, because I just moved here and now I'm going to boss everybody around." I think it needs to be a little bit more diplomatic than that, looking at the community as a collective family to name the collective child or children, since there's a lot of features that came out, besides a pu`u, and besides a little islet coming out from the hakamoana that—you guys know there's a new island, right? The little baby island that was erupting? Okay. So, like that. We have those features. We have tons of other features that are being put out. Do you—there are going to be questions like, "Well, if Kapoho got taken out by this flow, and now it's stretched farther out off into the ocean, does it still remain with the name Kapoho, or does it get a new name? A lot of times if we're looking through our stories, names will come with particular migrations. So, the people who migrate in, if they become the established family unit and the established traditions in the area, Page 5 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 then the names will then take on the names of that family, or the names of the people within that migration. Which also means that names that we deal with now, in this day and age so many generations removed from that, are going to hold to whoever was the most current popular name given to an area. It's not to say that those names did not have previous names according to somebody else's traditions, which is why I said earlier today, that it has to do with marking the era. Because you can kind of tell or follow a particular path according to the name that was given, or according to the name that used, or the name that's currently being used, like our island, Hawaii. Our island went through multiple name changes, dependent on who was socially and politically in power at the time and which family lineage was taking over the baby island. So, I guess that's kind of all I wanted to share. MS. KA`AWALOA: And then we look at—even though we give it a proper name, people will come along and give it a different name, like bowls, left point, green mountain. So again, we can do our due diligence in giving it a proper name, but then somebody else is bound to come by and give it a name, and once that name takes off, it becomes the name that it's called, even though it has a beautiful name that represents the place. So, again, my request is, like Manaia said, we need to have due diligence in finding those people that have the `ike and the background to give the name. Mahalo. CHR KANUHA: Mahalo. MR. KALUA: Mahalo. CHR KANUHA: Ms. Lee Loy, you still have the floor. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you. First of all, I want to thank both Pi`ilani and Manai, or aka, a world according to Manai. The amount of cultural knowledge sitting at this table spans generations and I cannot thank you folks enough because it's been rather challenging to somehow tie our cultural connections to western law, which is what we have embedded in HRS (Hawai`i Revised Statute). What this resolution does is provide an opportunity for those with those lineal, familial ties to be at the table, and you're right, it doesn't go far enough. It just really urges the geographical naming board to give consideration. In our packets, members of the geographical naming board are the Board of Land and Natural Resources, the Chairperson of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission and the Director of Office of Planning and then some people from the university. In your packet, you have a letter of support from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, a framework on the naming Page 6 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 process from the Office of State Planning, and then a clarifying letter from the Office of State Planning on how this framework on naming goes. Having said that, I have spoken to Representative Joy San Buenaventura along with Senator Russell Ruderman, who will, at my request, make a legislative change or request legislative change to this particular section of the law, this next legislative session, to ensure that those with familial and cultural and genealogical ties are at the table. I would urge, going forward, developing that language and refining that language that we work with our legislative body. Kai Kahele, who will be an incredible champion, along with the rest of our Big Island delegates, I think this will go a long way. But with that, I will urge my Council Members to please support Resolution 640-18, and I ask that because tomorrow, the geographical naming board meets, and on their agenda, is discussion regarding new features and a naming process and activities with respect to Fissure 8. So, I really think it would go a long way to allow Manai and Pi`ilani to have, one, the support of the Council to show that the Hawai'i County Council supports those with familial ties of the area to be at the table. My understanding is there's an application process where people can fill out an application and submit it to this board for a name. So, anybody could suggest any name, fill out that application, and the board is required to hear it. You see it on their faces, that someone who just feels like, hey, I have an opportunity, put my name in the history books. I named something without any of this `ike `aina, any of the knowledge, could potentially name some of these features, not only in Puna but we have some things going on in Ka'u also. Having said that, I would urge my colleagues to please, let's move this along with a nine, zero support, and I'll be able to forward this along to the board tomorrow, letting them know of our actions today. And I do have a further amendment that helps clarify that, it's contained in Communication 985.1. Motion to Amend: Ms. Lee Loy moved to amend Res. 640-18 with the contents of Comm. 985.1. Seconded by Ms. Poindexter. CHR KANUHA: Ms. Lee Loy. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you, Chair. Really, this is some clarifying language. It retitles the resolution to include areas of Puna and Ka`u that have been impacted by the recent volcanic activity. And then, in one of our whereas clauses, since developing this resolution, we've lost Kua O Ka La Charter School and the park. So, I just included them in this language. So, if I could get your support. I yield and yield to any questions we have. Thank you. Page 7 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 CHR KANUHA: Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. Members, on the amendment. Ms. O'Hara. MS. O'HARA: I know, Pi`ilani, that you mentioned maybe some additions to the resolution and these amendments add features that we lost, but do you have any other suggestions that you would like to see included in this resolution as we move it forward? MS. KA`AWALOA: I would really love the verbiage of, you know, not strongly recommend, but something more powerful like they really have to come and talk to the community members, like mandatory. I don't know. Like if we had a mandatory evacuation, it wouldn't beI withdraw. But yes, I'm happy that this is a start. MS. O'HARA: I think the mandatory requirement has to be at the state level and I think that's why Sue has approached the state legislators to introduce that. We can only urge from the Council. So, we're trying to urge them as much as possible but getting it started behind the scenes is the best way to go. MS. KA`AWALOA: Yes, mahalo. CHR KANUHA: Ms. Lee Loy. MS. LEE LOY: Chair, yes, and if I might respond to that. In your Communication 985.2, the last paragraph of the page it says, "As Chapter 4E also states, `In its deliberations` I'm sorry, I'll wait for everyone. CHR KANUHA: Mr. Clerk, do we have 985.2? MR. HENRICKS: It may not be provided to everybody. We don't necessarily keep everything, but perhaps Ms. Lee Loy could just read it to us and share it with us for the record. It'll be in the minutes. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you. This is from the Office of State Planning, the last paragraph, last sentence, "As Chapter 4E also states, `In its deliberations the board shall solicit and consider the advice and recommendations of the appropriate county government officials ...... That being said, I believe that this resolution is that consent that county government officials is providing a vehicle for the stakeholders with genealogical lineal and familial ties that we are seeing. This, as a body, as the county government officials, want you folks, urge you folks to talk to these stakeholders. The sentence goes further, "and, should the board desire, other knowledgeable persons." Which I think gives them an additional springboard to allow this resolution to give them maybe bigger standing at that level. That's my read on what this resolution does. As Page 8 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 Ms. O'Hara stated, I think the very specific language that Ms. Ka`awaloa is asking for has to be done at the state level, but I really believe this goes and takes it that half a step closer. CHR KANUHA: Thank you. Ms. David. MS. DAVID: Thank you, Chair. I just wanted to thank Council Member Lee Loy for bringing this out into the open because on the back of my mind, I was thinking exactly that. You took it to where it supposed to go by drafting the resolution that will have an impact on what you folks speak of, which has a huge significance to us here in this room and others. So, I couldn't put it better. I just wish we could say it stronger, but I figure, if they're meeting tomorrow and we have this resolution, I think it's a powerful statement. Thank you very much for doing this. I support this resolution wholeheartedly. I yield. CHR KANUHA: Thank you. Members, on 985.1, the amendment, continue? Okay, ready to vote to amend? All in favor of amending with 985.1 say "aye." Vote on Motion to The motion to amend Res. 640-18 with the contents of Amend: Comm. 985.1 was carried by the following voice vote: (Approved) Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Eoff, Lee Loy, O'Hara, Poindexter, Richards, Ruggles, and Chair Kanuha — 9. Noes: None. Absent: None. Excused: None. CHR KANUHA: Ms. Lee Loy, on the main motion as amended. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you. No, just continue to send a very clear and strong message to the geographical naming board. Thank you. CHR KANUHA: Thank you. Ms. Ruggles. MS. RUGGLES: Thank you. I just wanted to say thank you to Pi`ilani and Manai for taking time out of your day to give us this presentation. I know we were supposed to do this a long time ago, so, thank you for hanging around. This has been really valuable and I know we're only touching the surface when it comes to this. Thank you. CHR KANUHA: Ms. Eoff MS. EOFF: I also wanted to thank you folks for staying here and giving your presentation to us. Are you going to be able to go to the meeting tomorrow? Page 9 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 don't know where it is. Is it on Oahu? It's in Honolulu? Will anybody from here be going? MS. KA`AWALOA: Unfortunately, I work. MR. KALUA: Unfortunately, I'll be on Maui for a conference. MS. EOFF: Ms. Lee Loy? MS. LEE LOY: Unfortunately, we have County Council. But, that being said, I've already had staff draft a letter, crossing my fingers, that this would kind of clear committee and send them that letter asking for them to defer, or at least take in the information and then allow our stakeholders to be at the table and be notified of the next meeting. As of my understanding right now, the discussion really was for them to be given a framework on how these names are supposed to have come in. I don't know if anybody has technically filled out an application and submitted the name, we will find out tomorrow. But, I'm trying to cover that base a little. Thank you. MS. EOFF: So, would it be okay if you already have a letter drafted that you could, maybe attach our resolution, even though it hasn't completely passed Council, but, just to let them know that we support? I guess that's about all we can do then for tomorrow. Okay. MS. KA`AWALOA: Mahalo. MS. EOFF: Thank you, I yield. CHR KANUHA: Ms. O'Hara. MS. O'HARA: I just want to thank you both. We've had a kind of disjointed day and you've had to come and go. So, thank you for sticking around for this because it is really important. It would be nice if we could get on track and do it right. I've been giving Ms. Lee Loy a lot of credit and for some reason, people keep coming to me to interview about this but it's your resolution. I really understood what Ms. Lee Loy was trying to do with getting the process more firm and definitely requiring and we're urging, but hopefully, we can get it to be an actual requirement that the process be this way. I'm looking forward to what that name might be, but that's a mystery right now. So, thank you. MS. KA`AWALOA: Ikaika said to not name it Ikaika. Ikaika Marzo said to not name it Ikaika because he said he's kolohe, so, we don't want the lava flow to be kolohe. He's strong minded and strong willed and we kind of want the lava to be at little bit more mellow for now, at least for the residents that live within the area. So, mahalo. Page 10 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 CHR KANUHA: Thank you. Anybody else? Okay. Just again, mahalo for coming. Mahalo for your patience, I know it was a long day. Thank you again for coming back and giving us that presentation and sharing everything with us. Okay, seeing no other discussion, all in favor of sending Resolution 640 to the Council with a positive recommendation as amended say "aye." Vote on Res. 640-18: The motion to adopt Res. 640-18, as amended to Draft 2, Draft 2 was carried by the following voice vote: (Approved) Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Eoff, Lee Loy, O'Hara, Poindexter, Richards, Ruggles, Chair Kanuha — 9. Noes: None. Absent: None. Excused: None. CHR KANUHA: Committee, can we take a quick five-minute recess? We're in recess. Recess: At 4:43 p.m., the Chair called for a recess. Reconvene: The meeting reconvened at 4:50 p.m. CHR KANUHA: Okay, we are now out of recess. We are currently still in Governmental Relationships and Economic Development. We got through Resolution 640. We do have Communication 1017, which is a discussion on eruption recovery efforts and proposed legislative package from the administration. We would like to, however, continue this discussion tomorrow after the Council meeting. So, we're going to recess Governmental Relations and Economic Development until tomorrow after our Council meeting, if that's okay with the rest of this committee. Everybody understand? I know we would rather get it done and get it over with, but I think that might be another long discussion and we have a lot more things that we want to get through today too. So committee, everybody okay with that? Okay, so just for everybody's FYI (For Your Information), we will recess Governmental Relations and Economic Development and Communication 1017 until tomorrow, which is the eighth of August, following our Council meeting. Okay, we are in recess. Recess: At 4:51 p.m., the Chair called for a recess. Reconvene: The meeting reconvened at 1:12 p.m. on August 8, 2018. CHR KANUHA: Aloha everybody, we are now coming out of recess from Governmental Relations and Economic Development Committee. Again, this is Page 11 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 our 18'h Session. We did go through Resolution 640-18, now we are on Communication 1017. Mr. Clerk, if you could just read that in. Return to Order The Chair directed the Committee to return to the order of business. of Business: COMMUNI- The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, CATIONS: Communications. Comm. 1017: REQUESTS DISCUSSION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE ERUPTION RECOVERY EFFORTS AND A PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE From Mayor Harry Kim, dated August 1, 2018. Motion to Close File: Ms. Poindexter moved to close file on Comm. 1017. Seconded by Ms. David. CHR KANUHA: I want to thank everybody for being patient with us. We did have a pretty packed schedule yesterday, which is why we had to recess this committee until today. So again, mahalo for all of your patience for waiting with us the entire day and also to the public who were here yesterday. Hopefully, we'll get some of them back throughout this discussion. But, if we could, again, have the administration come forward and you guys can start your presentation. Aloha, Mayor Kim. (Note: At this time, Mayor Harry Kim came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MAYOR KIM: Good afternoon. Truthfully, I'm sitting back there thinking, how did such good intention of us get so screwed up in communication, and I hate to say the answer was because you screwed up, not meaning you, meaning me. I had a conversation with different people and I realize I may have broken protocol. I ask you to trust me that if I did break protocol, what process I should have followed, it was out of ignorance and never of any intent to disrespect anybody. Very briefly on this, when the eruption was going on and one day you're counting up to 100, the next day 200 and then 500 and then 700 and the numerous farms. Those of you who went to the orchid show, I think saw the list of nurseries that were destroyed and people that were not listed like goat farms and those precious, small types of businesses that were out there. Along the way, you realize fully that unless we do something, very different to help them, we're going to put a lot of people in a long-term recovery and that for some, they may not ever recover. I'm just thinking of a couple of people because of age, I don't think they're even going to try. Page 12 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 So, this one day just looking out this window and talking about the past, the Kaiko`o Project came to be of what we possibly can try. But, we did meet with the writers or the heads of some of the Kaiko`o thing and they gave us a history of it, but also told us things are so much more complex today because of the different laws. I say to this body, I was told that we must expedite the development of the conceptual plan. There's no one on staff to do it except those behind me that was already working seven days a week, and I gave them a deadline later on, just come up with a conceptual plan. It is only recently that I'm finding out that I may have violated some kind of protocol. It was my understanding that we needed to present it to the Council. It's a conceptual plan. I know I irritated, because they told me so, some legislators, that they felt that I should have contacted them and I should have, in some degree, and I'm going to try to catch up on some of that. I ask the Council to please, if you can, forgive the kind of protocol mistakes I might have made with this body, there was never any intent. We were trying to beat the deadline, come up with some ideas that would help these people, that would be tangible, and that is what we presented to you. The package is big. The dream is big, but I think it's very necessary, and I ask for your time so they can present what they wrote. Thank you very much. CHR KANUHA: Mahalo, Mayor Kim, for giving us some of the background of what's been going on. Council, are you okay if we move forward with the presentation? Okay. (Note: At this time, Planning Director Michael Yee and Executive Assistant to the Mayor Roy Takemoto came forward to provide a PowerPoint presentation to the members of the Committee. For viewing of the subject presentation, see the DVD copy of the meeting proceedings on file in the Clerk's Office. A copy of the Power Point presentation is made a part of the record, see Comm. 1017.1) CHR KANUHA: Mahalo for the presentation. I'll just open it up to the rest of the committee with questions. Anybody? Ms. O'Hara. MS. O'HARA: I didn't have my light on, but I'll start off This is lacking a lot of detail, and we have, from newspaper reports, understood that we have a potential $550 million package. I'm assuming this pie, where we have the legislative package funding request, these percentages are percentages of that $550 million. Is that what we are going to put together? Because I don't see that dollar amount anywhere in this presentation. Okay, because it is at this point that we have to move from a very broad conceptual plan to something specific, if we're to have a real plan by your Page 13 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 proposed date of August 14', which is less than a week away. So, I'm wondering, I see that you have in the pie, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) money, but I'm not really sure how this interplays with that $550 million request. You also have nonprofit money there, but I'm not really sure how that plays in with the $550 million request. So, what we're really missing here is the actual plan, the details. What is the permanent housing and what's the estimated expenses? There's so much—this is a nice conceptual outline of how to do a plan, but we don't really have a plan. So, you're showing something there, what is that? MR. TAKEMOTO: It's what we'll get to you by Friday. If you can read excel spreadsheets, it's several tabs long. So, we're counting on you to be able to digest it, but if you cannot, we're available for questions. MS. O'HARA: Is that something that's available to us now? The spreadsheet stuff? MR. TAKEMOTO: It doesn't have the sources. We're waiting for input from other agencies to get the sources. MS. O'HARA: Okay, and you'll have that by Friday, you say? Okay, that's going to be helpful. I don't know, the second slide, guiding principles of this conceptual plan, I think it was choice, timeliness, and collaboration. The collaboration piece is what I think we've kind of fallen short of. The Mayor gave us some comments at the beginning where he said he may have made some mistakes in pulling together this plan. I think one of those that's concerning to us is the lack of involvement of actual elected officials in the planning process. I've tried very hard and I've had to really try to be part of any meetings and find out after the fact that the meeting occurred. I wasn't invited or I didn't receive the minutes. This is kind of been an ongoing problem, for not only me but other legislators who are present in the room. For us to actually collaborate, there needs to be an attempt to pull together, not only the administrative branch, but the legislative branch. Otherwise, I don't think that we're going to be well received at the State Legislature if this is strictly coming from the administrative side. So, I appreciate that you're coming here with a very conceptual plan and hopefully, providing additional details by Friday so that we can study over the weekend, which happens to be an election this weekend, sorry, guys, and come back with input to you next week Tuesday, the 14'h, on this plan with whatever details are flushed out. But, I was hoping we would get more details today on what you're thinking constitutes the $550 million package, than what we have in front of us right now. So, that's just what I'm seeing here and concerned about. Thank you. Page 14 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 CHR KANUHA: Ms. Poindexter. Or did you want to respond? MR. YEE: Yeah. Council Member O'Hara, I handle the housing side. We all have our silos that we work in. Within the housing side, you've been part of the housing group that meets every couple of weeks. We have five subcommittees that are actively working on that. You've been invited to all those that you want to participate in. Within the housing side, there's a lot of tie in for you to be there, and everything around housing, there has been input from that group that has formulated everything within housing. I don't work in the other areas, I can't speak to the other areas. But, I'm not sure how much more you want me to involve you besides you wanting to do my job in trying to decide some of these things. At some point, we pull together, we get all the comments and we're formulating the general ask that needs to be made. The State Legislature, FEMA, at the disaster relief side, on the congressional level, they don't need a project specific to the dollar. What they need to have is the conceptual idea for what kinds of projects you want to do and generally, using some standard, which to be able to put forth the number that makes some general sense. So, if we say we want to do transitional housing, we can do this. If we want to do renovations of certain multifamily buildings, we'll need this kind of dollar amount. We're trying to piece together and we've pieced that together, hopefully, into this legislative package within the housing side. So, on the collaboration side within housing, I hope I've met your expectations on that side. I'm not sure how much more I can do. MS. O'HARA: I thank you for that, Mr. Yee. It was the case that it took a while for the subcommittee. Ms. Lee Loy performed really well in her subcommittee. l was assigned to a subcommittee that didn't meet, so, we kind of fell behind. I appreciate that you're taking in all of that feedback. It's just the case that at this point, I think we may have five long-term housing options on the table. At least that's what I saw at the last meeting, and are we actually attaching dollar amounts to those five different options? Are we going about it in a different way? I'm not really sure what the outcomes of those a, b, c, d, e's were. But, that's just the housing piece and I agree, that is your piece of the puzzle, and there's a lot more. Because there's roads and there's agriculture, and there's economic development. There's a lot more pieces to the puzzle, I absolutely agree, but that's been very hard to get involved in. I have made every meeting that I've had regarding roads, regarding research, economic development, and it's been difficult because everybody is really busy. So, I had to chase Ms. Ley for two weeks just to have a telephone conversation. Two weeks. So, it's that collaboration that hasn't been really well felt, and I'm not speaking solo. I would say that I'm also representing concerns expressed by some of our state legislators, especially those that represent the district where Page 15 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 we've had the heaviest impacts. Although, this is an impact felt all over the island and actually, all over the state. So, we're trying to look at it holistically, but we also need to drill down and get into the details at this point. So, that's all I was asking for. Thank you. CHR KANUHA: Ms. Poindexter. MS. POINDEXTER: Thank you for coming and doing the presentation. Mayor Kim had stated earlier that he apologizes if some type of process or protocol was missed, and when talking to a couple of senators, they felt that maybe the plan should have been discussed—they should have been briefed on it first, kind of work with the Hawai'i delegation and the leadership from the house and senate to be able to because if we're talking about a special session, those are extensive meetings with them and I don't know if any of that had taken place yet or not. If it didn't, that's where it should have started, the presentation or something to them first. I think that's how I see the protocol, or I think that some of them felt. I know we have Representative Joy Buenaventura here and also, Senator Ruderman. I don't know if this would be the appropriate time, that if I could call and ask them about what they feel the protocol should have been. Would that be okay? Can youI just want toyou okay? Go ahead. (Note: At this time, State House of Representative Joy San Buenaventura and Senator Russell Ruderman came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MS. SAN BUENAVENTURA: Thank you. So, personally, my ego's not on the line here. I just really want to make sure that the county, when presenting their package to the state Legislature, that they do not ruffle feathers and it goes as smoothly as the Kauai package did. The Kauai package was less than one week of their request, it was passed and it was funded. I mean, that was how smoothly the Kauai one was. I know that this disaster is way different in scope and way different in problems, but, the big difference, and Senator Ruderman can change me was, basically, the administrative team worked with the state legislators and we crafted something really fast. So, it didn't need to go to the conferences, the committee meetings, the committee hearings. It went fast, and you folks know that. It went fast. And we were hoping to do the same for Hawai'i County. I know it's not going to be as fast and so, we were hoping toI have gone to as many meetings as I could and I know I missed a number of them because I had to go to a conference on the mainland. I really do my best to not be rude and I know that I really do know that the administration, Michael Yee, Roy Takemoto, Mayor Kim, everybody is working 24/7. I mean poor Mayor's health is on the line here. We just hoped that there would have been more collaboration, like I really want to see that excel spreadsheet. Page 16 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 I am getting phone calls, I mean from yesterday and today asking me, "Why are they asking for a special session? Why didn't we get that from you?" And I couldn't tell them that. I couldn't tell them that they're asking for a special session now. I know that you folks asked for a special session and at that time, we said that we were more than willing to have one if you folks came up with a plan. I didn't know that there was a plan, and I couldn't tell them that. I mean even 20 minutes prior to coming here today, had Councilman O'Hara not told me about what was going on right now, I wouldn't be here. But within 20 minutes ago, I got a phone call from House Speaker Saiki saying, "How are they funding this $550 million and why isn't it going through you folks?" He had a number of questions which I couldn't answer because I didn't even know that there was a $550 million ask until I read about it in the paper. So, I mean, I really want to help out. I mean, it's my island, it's my community. I feel thisI went to the evacuation centers, and I'm doing as much as I can, and I know Senator Ruderman is doing too. But, it's really difficult to answer the questions to be able to smooth these things through, if we have no idea what the heck is going on. Thank you. MR. RUDERMAN: I'm not sure what to add. I would echo what our Representative just said. Russell Ruderman, state senator from Puna, thank you. We all recognize that the County Administration has been working as hard as they can, they're all wonderful, smart, and good intended people. Strategically speaking, as we approach this special session, it's been expressed to both Representative and myself, just today from our legislative leaders, that why didn't this come from us? It's a big mistake in the process of happening. I understand the Governor can call a special session but it's us that have to defend it, and push it through, and request these things, and argue for our behalf. To say there has been a lack of collaboration and inclusion from our elected leaders from the district is the biggest understatement I could possibly make. It's been horrible to be excluded, even from committees that I was told I would be a part of. It's been horrible. We can file it all under bad communication if you want, that's fine. I can forget about all of it. We all have the same goals. We all want to help our island. No one's trying to make a bigger mess than we have. But the head of the Ways and Means Committee called me this morning and said, "I can't believe they didn't call us through you. Do you realize how wrong this is and do you realize why it worked with Kauai?" I mean he's explaining all this stuff to me, in good faith by the way, I mean he wants to help. So, at some point, if we're going to address the Legislature at all, it's appropriate to address it through our elected representatives from the state. The Representative and myself need to be involved. We've been locked out of the process up until now, and we still are locked out and that's okay, but we've got to Page 17 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 be on the same page if we're going to have this legislative—special session request is going to succeed. We have to be on the same page. So, at some point, we have to recognize it's not just communication, "Oh well, we're not good at communication." No, it's more than that. It's fundamental strategy and protocol that has to be corrected now and we have to move forward with all of us being on one page. If we're not on one page, it's very likely to fail. I'm not sure if there's anything further to add that you'd like to hear from me, I'm happy to answer any questions. MS. POINDEXTER: I just wanted the administration to hear that what the protocol should have been and then maybe, I don't know if somehow, we can now make it a point to maybe meet with the administration to have those meetings with our Hawai'i delegation. Thank you, and thank you for being here. CHR KANUHA: Go right ahead, Mayor Kim. (Note: At this time, Mayor Harry Kim came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MAYOR KIM: Good morning, good afternoon, I don't know what day it is. I do know I went to work at three o'clock this morning to finish the plan in regards to Hurricane Hector. I know I'm looking at these people in the back and others that are not here that, in the middle of everything that we're doing, I asked them to do this. I'm going to speak for my frustration on behalf of them. Just imagine for one minute, just one minute, if we didn't do anything, this administration on what was going on in the midst of what was going on of response. Nobody knows what the ultimate would be. This came about in a just informal meeting with the governor's office, FEMA, and us, of the immense destruction that was going on, that our responsibility of emergency response, sheltering was not going to be enough. But by law, that was our responsibility. It is a harsh realization that we have to do more than that. In a very informal statement of FEMA saying, "We want to be a party of it." The governor's office said, "We want to be a part of it." So, you're stuck with, we have to come up with some kind of plan that we are told of a timeframe because you would want to do this in regards to now to take advantage of getting it in special session. The original idea is to do something and now comes this other requirement by others than us, to get this plan done so they can get a special session. None of the consequence of not doing this or communicating with some other people was even in a mentality. It was just get something done on black and white. Of the comparison in regard to what we put out, to what Kauai put out, I ask you to go and look at the Kauai plan, the simplicity of that. I could have done that, too, in a week, if that's all that's required of us. But, we were trying to identify Page 18 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 the totality and complexity of the problem, as Mike said. The more you dug into it, the more complex—you couldn't make it this simple, in regards to transfer, ownership, involvement, eligibility, the whole works. So, we were told to just make a conceptual plan so we can take advantage of a special session time. It's passed down to us from the administration. I accept all the criticisms of what we didn't do and should have done better. I told you that, Senator Russell Ruderman, how difficult it is for us. I asked you to bear with me as we try to do something to get something done. I know this is his district. I know these are your districts. What we're trying to do is get something done, present it to you for conceptual, to the Legislature asking for a special session to look at this, was as simple as that. Naturally, the color of the paint of the house was not even thought about. We just wanted this involved, we just wanted it introduced so there was something we could work on. Sure, it's full of loopholes, but I want you to take a look at what was made in a very short time because we were told this is your timeframe. I ask for your help. You can tear this apart. The reason we're here is we wanted this to be the County government of Hawai'i presentation to the state Legislature. The people of this island needs this. We want to work and begin with this plan. CHR KANUHA: Thank you, Mayor. MS. POINDEXTER: Can I just finish real quick? CHR KANUHA: Sure. MS. POINDEXTER: Thank you, Mayor, for that. I think where the Legislature was coming from is that, like Kauai, they met with them so that they could formulate that so it would be quick and easy. At this point, we're giving something to them that they have no clue about. So, if they were to help craft it, because they're the ones that have to agree, House and Senate, 100 percent on what the bill is and how they're going to pass it, right? Ours is just strongly urging them to do it. So, I think when you meet with them, that's what they're trying to say is they could help craft something so it can be done quickly. If that was my understanding of it. But, I thank you for all that you continue to do and yes, you're right, everybody is such—it's a unique situation here on our island. It doesn't happen on any other island. Thank you. I'll yield at this time. CHR KANUHA: Mr. Chung. MR. CHUNG: Thank you. Actually, I was just going to address something brought up by Ms. O'Hara, but I may as well just give my thoughts on this. I don't really like how this whole discussion has gone and become a gripe session because really, the administration has been in a tough spot, right? They've been Page 19 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 working tirelessly on the lava flow and we never knew when this lava flow was going to end. That's a big difference between our situation and Kaua`i's situation. When Mayor Kim and his staff came up yesterday, they did tell us, they forewarned us that they were coming up with a conceptual. So, that's what I expected, and this was really good. It may not fit the timeline of others like our legislative team, as well as Ms. O'Hara, because you guys are on the front lines and we certainly understand the frustrations that all of you must be going through as well, because everybody is going to you. But, somethingI think this is not the time for finger pointing. I'm not saying that's been happening but I kind of have that feeling that it's kind of getting to that point. It looks like the responsibility has been thrust on the administration. Mayor, you said something yesterday that peaked my curiosity, and I addressed it. You said that the difference between the situation with the 1960 tsunami and this one is that for the tsunami, the State took the lead on that one, right? Is that correct? And now, it's the County that's being expected. It's real difficult because you guys are expected to interface with the Legislature. Now, I've got to say something, not to add fuel to the fire or anything like that, but I have been somewhat critical of the administration's relationship with the Legislature. I always believed that it could be improved somewhat. So, maybe that's something that you guys should consider in trying to improve. But having said that, it's a cumbersome exercise to now have to come to the Council because we have to agendize matters and that takes a long time in and of itself already. So, I would just say, if we have anything to tell the administration, go ahead and tell them either now or later or individually, or what because we don't have too much time. This is an emergency situation after all. I mean I just—brief us on that, but Friday, it may be later than some people want, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm just looking forward to seeing what you guys have. I think this $550 million ask, I could be wrong, though, but, a big chunk of it has to do with housing and isn't that maybe in response to Senator Ruderman's plan of creating a larger subdivision for lack of a better term? So, right now, it's real general and I understand that it's real difficult. I just wanted to say that. I'm not really expecting anything today, I just think you guys did a good job. Thank you. CHR KANUHA: Ms. Ruggles. MS. RUGGLES: Thank you. I really appreciate the Representative and our Senator for being here. I actually have questions for the Planning Department based on the presentation. But, just to comment on some of the discussion that we've had, as far as inclusion, this being my first term, the lava not really being in my district but the district being hugely impacted, my district being hugely impacted by it, I obviously care. I was ambiguous about being included but I'm Page 20 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 very surprised that Ms. O'Hara hasn't because we're on the ground. The people reach out to us because we're their representatives. So, we're in touch with them. They reach out to us on the daily, so, we're relatively aware of what their needs are and their preferences and we could be helpful to you. So, I just wanted to say that. As far as the presentation, Mr. Yee, under the recovery priorities here, you stated a lot of very significant content, so I'm going to have to ask you to repeat some of it. When you say reduce shelter population here, what was the strategy for that? (Note: At this time, Planning Director Michael Yee came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MR. YEE: Reducing shelter population, there is, such as building the site at Sacred Heart Church, building more transitional units. So, right now, we have three more church organizations that hopefully will bring 40 more units online within, I'm guessing, the next 30 days. We have a fifth organization that is looking at doing 20 to 50 more units above that. Again, we're struggling with trying to understand the need beyond just the folks in the shelter, and there's something like 150 there. We're trying to determine who needs transitional, how many are individuals, how many are families, and then trying to determine who are in temporary housing now that need help because they can't stay there or will need permanent. FEMA and other folks are working on trying to generate that number for us, but we know we need to knockout more. So, Daryn Arai has been working closely with creating those MOA's (Memorandum of Agreement), like the one we made with Sacred Heart Church to put the 20 units there. That's just one strategy. The housing task force that's working on things, there's different avenues. There's everything from trying to help landlords bring on more rental units, the board of realtors is providing sort of—that area. You heard at the last presentation that the thing is how do we bring in—how do we increase that supply? So, there's different avenues. There are some FEMA things that can be triggered if we need to do that, hotel stays, that kind of stuff But, those weren't easy fixes because it's not as if we have a ton of hotel rooms to put people in. It was then having to get FEMA to step out of their norm, which was going into vacation rentals, using B&B's (Bed and Breakfast), and really encouraging them to clear those areas for use. So, those are just some of the avenues. MS. RUGGLES: Okay, great. Thank you. So, the reduce shelter population and then address need for transitional housing. Is that the two separate strategies? MR. YEE: Within the terminology of FEMA, there is transitional shelter housing, which is moving out—purely the shelter is getting people out of harm's way to up to 18 months. So, you'll hear the terms temporary, transitional, Page 21 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 generally the same, in terms of talking up to 18 months. The primary strategy there is because that's a very expensive situation, is working with FEMA for their programs because they have tools within their toolbox and under the disaster housing assistance team, DHAT, that has tools. One of them is actually building homes that are then given to people. That's obviously a much better financial option for us, but trying to make sure we fit into all of those hoops, having them show up, and do the assessment on sites. Again, we're working as fast as we cared and they only made it out here less than two weeks ago, I believe. Yet, that is one of the biggest hoops to some of the best choices that we have. So, they're assessing being able to put units on the ground, but again, trying to take that long-term approach. It's not just about slamming something in the ground for 18 months, but it was about trying to use these units, repurpose them into some of the housing that the island can use. You add that layer of complexity wanting to make sure we can use it for let us say, homeless shelters or units down the road and adds another layer of complexity in trying to figure that out. Although we are trying to figure out up to 18 months, we're also trying to make sure we're smarter about what we do and trying to end up with something even longer than that. MS. RUGGLES: Great. Thank you. Under economic, you mentioned stuff about Bayfront Trails and Banyan Drive, is the intention with that to replace the lava and Volcano National Park attraction with Bayfront Trails and Banyan Drive? MR. YEE: No, it's adding to the amenities to the island that would draw tourist here. What's going to make Hawaii Island a place for people to come to, beyond just for the volcano. It's contingency planning. It's understanding we don't have enough hotel rooms. Can we leverage an opportunity to get that EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) done and Banyan Drive expedited and pave that way for developers to build more hotel rooms and to prop that industry up? Because if they're staying on Banyan Drive, they are not just staying there, they'll be driving around hopefully looking at lava viewing sites. Maybe, who knows? Bayfront Trails is something that's already happening, but can we expedite it by leveraging, and that's part of our values and principles, trying to leverage opportunities to get something happening a little faster. MS. RUGGLES: Thank you. Under ag, you mentioned immediate access to public and private land, or something like that. What was the strategy to help agriculture? MR. YEE: I got two out of three. I was reading off the notes from Diane Ley. Ron Whitmore is in the house. Thank you. You can direct your question to him, he'll be better fit to answer it. Page 22 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 (Note: At this time, Deputy Director of Research and Development Ron Whitmore came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MR. WHITMORE: Apologies, Ron Whitmore, Deputy Director of Research and Development. MS. RUGGLES: My question was what was the strategy about how to help the agricultural economy? MR. WHITMORE: There's a number in play. As you may know, the various industry organizations are very active activists and very quickly, took many of the matters into their own hands and sought out relationships and resources they knew were available and immediately went to work to try to find new sites, particular for papaya growers and the floral culture industry that was so heavily impacted. At the same time, the responsibility for supporting producers in the case of disaster, largely falls on the farm service agency. We know that they're working very actively to provide all of their loan and grant programs to impacted producers. They've done a pretty comprehensive assessment of all the impacts or very aware of the scale of the issue. It's upwards, I believe of, if I get the number correct, $34 million of impacts. Hundreds of jobs lost in that industry. So, that's the most immediate mechanism or sets of mechanisms to help producers respond in the near term. Long-term, it is going to require a combination of identifying that full suite of public and private lands that may be available to help permanently relocate some of the growers. I believe there is some existing capacity in some of these existing ag parks, but there have also been private landowners that have come forward, offering to make their land available. But the cost of making some of those lands ready for relocation is included in the legislative package as well. MS. RUGGLES: Okay, thank you. And the planning and implementation part, you said that we need to hire a consultant to do the planning. Does that come before the redevelopment agency? (Note: At this time, Executive Assistant to the Mayor Roy Takemoto came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MR. TAKEMOTO: Roy Takemoto, Mayor's Office. It needs to start quickly. So, we can start while the redevelopment agency is being formed, and once the agency is formed, the contracting will be transferred to the redevelopment agency to oversee thereafter. MS. RUGGLES: So, when do we hire? Has an RFP (Request for Proposals) even been put together? Page 23 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 MR. TAKEMOTO: We're putting together the RFP now. MS. RUGGLES: Okay. Do we have a timeline on that? MR. TAKEMOTO: We need to scope it out first, get an estimate of the cost and then find the money. So, unless we can find the money without getting the legislative funding in place, we would have to tap county—or the $12 million that the state advanced to us. So, all of that needs to be figured out first. MR. WHITMORE: If I could, just a little bit more detail. There is an initial draft of the scope completed. We had a meeting scheduled for yesterday that had to be rescheduled because of the on and off nature of this presentation. But, we're meeting tomorrow so we hope to move further on the scope. On two other fronts, if I can just add, there's one grant that we've already applied for and received, thanks to the support from HIEMA (Hawai`i Emergency Management Agency). We received a hazard mitigation grant, which actually helps us with one critical, initial step, which is to help really understand the extent of the risk, which is different from a hazard assessment, the risk assessment associated with the impacted area in particular, which is going to be critical understanding in terms of developed well-informed policy, particularly for the impacted area. Then just today, we're finalizing an application to the economic development administration for economic component of the recovery plan, and we've been told that it's very likely we'll receive that funding. So, those are the two pieces of the larger recovery plan, just to give an example of how we're moving in parallel trying to get the redevelopment agency in place to have the people power we need to move this along. But also at the same time, moving forward and securing the expertise we need to inform the work of that agency. MS. RUGGLES: Thank you. So, in the meanwhile, we have 700 families that have lost their homes. What services will be provided to them? Will they continue to just have the shelters open to them and have the FEMA aid and the resource center? MR. TAKEMOTO: I'll take a stab at that. Number one, government cannot do everything for everybody. So, people need to take responsibility and people have. There are a lot of displaced people who have found their own solutions, so, we'd like to encourage more of that. The way we're doing that, if you're a part of our clearing, our five task forces for the housing, you'll see that there are a lot of emphasis on the self -resolution solutions. The clearinghouse, the ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) with increasing rental inventory efforts through various means, and the assistance that FEMA provides trying to matchup the assistance that they provide in terms of financially with the solutions out there. We are looking into developing a more formalized case Page 24 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 management kind of program. It was kind of informally done at the shelters, the agencies that were helping all the shelter victims and providing information. They were acting kind of like an informal case management system. We hope to follow up with that with a more formalized kind of system so that people with questions, or people who don't know where to go we'll offer those kinds of assistance. Red Cross is there, SBA (Small Business Administration) is there, FEMA is there. So, I'm not sure where your question is going. We're looking at transitional shelters to go beyond the six months of assistance that FEMA's rental assistance can provide and offer temporary housing for those who need further temporary housing in excess of the rental assistance while waiting for the permanent solutions. MS. RUGGLES: Great answer, thank you. So, I understand the government is already doing a lot for everyone. I guess where my confusion is now is what is the goal of these recovery priorities? What is the goal of these recovery efforts? On here it says permanent housing, infrastructure and public facilities, is that what does that look like? MR. TAKEMOTO: When you get the draft of our package, it kind of tries to provide a context in terms of a vision, the mission, the guiding principles, organize around those RSF (Response Support Functions) categories to kind of give a framework to all of it. So, after review of the draft, we can talk if you have questions. MS. RUGGLES: Okay, that's all I have for now. Thank you. CHR KANUHA: Ms. Lee Loy. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you, Chair. Roy, maybe if you could put on the screen, the "RSF informs the Legislative Package." I think that'll help my questions and the rest of the—on how I hope to move this conversation forward. I have to just say, I've had a great working relationship in the subcommittees that I've been part of, which is the housing one, and we talked at length about how to not only address this issue, but short, mid, and long-range housing projects. We even thought through, and I'm sharing this with the rest of my colleagues who are feeling a little isolated or left out of the conversation, but we've had a lot of robust conversations to make sure we were taking a very multipronged approach, that we weren't being short sighted with the recovery just to get us back to where we were. We wanted to use this opportunity to accelerate, get us back to where we were, and beyond. In those conversations, it was about this is going to be the new normal. How do we put incentives together, put carrots out there that would invite public private partnerships, non -profits to the table? What kind of Page 25 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 incentives, whether they're tax incentives, or expedited building permit processes? We talked at length. So, I understand why people are feeling like this is the first time they're hearing it, but I feel like I'm kind of in the middle of straddling both places. So, I wanted to share that because the work has been incredibly thoughtful. I want to reflect on something Senator Ruderman said yesterday is we've got one shot and we're swinging for the fence, and we intend to hit that ball. That being said, I also hear very clearly that everybody wants to help. So, based on that RSF legislative package ask, there's that housing piece. My question is, for the housing and the transitional mid -long range, long-term, the state Legislature identified, I think it was $300 million, yes? In our ask, are we including that $300 million or are we hoping to grab some of that money off of the table and then with the ask? MR. TAKEMOTO: I'm not sure what $300 million you're referring to. MS. LEE LOY: Maybe Ms. San Buenaventura can help, but I understood it to be the housingHawaii Housing Development Corporation, that was a package that they—in 2018. Is that correct? And maybe you can come forward and explain that. (Note: At this time, Representative Joy San Buenaventura came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MS. SAN BUENAVENTURA: These are the questions to be asked. So, in 2018, there was an affordable housing package that was passed. Joy San Buenaventura, state representative. So, 2018 state Legislature passed $300 million for affordable housing. One of the things I did was to call up HHFDC (Hawai`i Housing Finance and Development Corporation), talked to them, and had long meetings with them to find out how much of the $300 million was actually spoken for, and I found out very little. In fact, if you read the Honolulu Star Advertiser, now all the people from Honolulu want part of that $300 million. But at the time, when this disaster was occurring, I mean it's still going on, none of it, very little of it was spoken for. I believe the County of Hawai'i asked about $9 million of it for a plan. The rest of it is under rental RHRF (Rental Housing Revolving Fund), which, according to HHFDC, can be moved into DURF, which is the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund. I believe Michael Yee and Ron Whitmore would know all of these acronyms. just gave myself a crash course on housing development because of all of this. So, I just wanted to know whether or not any of the $550 million took into Page 26 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 account any portion of the $300 million that now Honolulu wants. I suspect not, and if not, then it's okay, I mean we can plan around it. But, the big question I'm hearing from house leadership is how much of the $550 million is new money versus already money that has been budgeted and is just a question of releasing? And if I can ask questions, I'm sorry, I understand from the discussion that they haven't figured out the FEMA monies yet. That would be the next question would be when will you find out about the FEMA monies? Because like I said, they really—as Councilwoman Lee Loy said, we really want to help, but we want to know how much are new monies versus monies that's already been budgeted for? So, we want to know, how much are FEMA monies, whether or not the congressional delegation, you know, Schatz, Hirono, Gabbard, Hanabusa, was asked if there were any federal monies available? And if so, how much of the $550 million is that end? Basically, that's my big question, is how much of it is new money? Thank you. (Note: At this time, Mayor Harry Kim came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MAYOR KIM: I want to address that if I may. I don't want to get to a point of jeopardizing the possibility of us developing it. I say we should all be proud of the fact that federal, state, county government got together and realized the scope as it was going on, how bad this was for the island of Hawai'i and not Puna. On her question, we didn't even get there. This was just, we have to do something. To put things in perspective of time, if you want to compare us with Kauai or other places, the first month was just emergency response, find places for people to stay, who to warn, who to evacuate, et cetera. R & D (Research and Development) was called in by me that they would be solely responsible because I know the complexity of the paperwork you need to justify a presidential declaration. We got those in expedited time, and what was the presidential declaration for? Emergency response, along with that, emergency sheltering, et cetera. Food. All the federal aid that the state and county government don't have. We did not even—when we put this package, I should say, when the staff put this complex package together, it was a commitment that this was going to have to be a cooperation of the federal, the state, and the county saying we buy this concept, now let's work towards it. It was only after that when we get the hammer and nails done and different parts of the program that we're going to try to figure out where the money comes from. Right now, my sole purpose of this concept plan is that we can get you, the Council, the state government—the FEMA government already said that they support what will come forth. We have to develop and address the specifics that has been asked here. Page 27 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 I think Senator Ruderman was right in this sense when he said we've got one shot at this. I hope it's more than one shot. I know that time is very important, we're trying to meet that deadline. We don't have the answers to that question of what part of it is going to be new money. We're not even there yet. Please, help us understand what we're trying to do. This is a complex thing. This eruption is not over. It's affecting the economy of the whole island. We're trying to tie into making this capitalized as best as we can and make things better. I cannot answer those questions that we have not even addressed yet, especially this last one. I hope I can tell you 75 percent will be FEMA. I'd be lying through my nose. CHR KANUHA: Thank you, Mayor. Ms. Lee Loy, you still have the floor. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you. If it isn't part of our legislative ask, just know that there's the $300 million out there on the table, and that might be a way we leverage opportunities as some of our guiding principles. And from what I can gather, we're going to be looking at five buckets of money for this $550 million. So Roy, just help me, if I'm understanding correctly, the ask would fall into either emergency services, repaying or ongoing, housing, transitional mid -long range, economic recovery, supplementing ag or reestablishing ag opportunities, and the fifth one that I heard was infrastructure. Is that correct? MR. TAKEMOTO: Did you get the whole redevelopment agency part, the impact area? MS. LEE LOY: Yeah, I guess that kind of fell into, in my head, the economic recovery piece. No, it's a separateso, that would be a sixth— MR. TAKEMOTO: Yeah, like community planning kind of a bucket. MS. LEE LOY: Okay. So Roy, it's safe toyou'll provide those numbers to us, and I know they're being done in a very thoughtful way, but it's safe to assume that it'll fall into these six buckets? How soon aside from the numbers that we see because I know in our discussions with housing, we would be looking at possible policy shifts that the Council would need to happen. Any timeframe onI know what I have to do and I got assigned to do, but any timeframe on some of the other policy shifts that are coming out of the other steering committees or other working groups and what the timeline is? Because I recognize that to accelerate some of these dollars, the policy shifts have to happen. I just want to make sure we're dovetailing them together in a thoughtful way to accelerate the dollars. MR. TAKEMOTO: When you get the draft, we try to distinguish the legislative actions by funding versus other types of legislative needs like Code amendments, et cetera. So, if you can help us think that through. We try to identify those that Page 28 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 we could think of, but we didn't think any of them, except for the redevelopment agency formation, that any of them were particularly on the critical path. Funding would be the most urgent. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you for sharing that, and maybe for the rest of my colleagues, they're going to be doing the request for resources, but if we could think through some timelines about how we help them get items on the agenda so that we can show our state legislators that we, at the county level, are serious about making these monies work. That's just food for thought and an overall suggestion for everybody in how we try and work together. I'm going to yield at this time. Roy, Michael, Ron, Mayor, thank you so much. I just feel a lot more wedded to this because I was involved in the housing piece. I'm getting a lot out of this presentation and I look forward to the supplemental, the complete ask and having a conversation on that one. Thank you, I yield. CHR KANUHA: Ms. David. MS. DAVID: Thank you, Chair, and thank you for all of this information. Like Council Member Lee Loy expressed, most of us have not been involved in this very complicated and grueling planning and figuring out how to address this situation for our island. And I appreciate Representative San Buenaventura and also Senator Ruderman's concerns and I sense that they want to help us, and I sense that at a certain point in time, before we get a proposed draft, would it be could they actually engage in this part of the discussion? So, if we're presenting something to the Legislature, they would have some input to create the package or to create the legislation that will go forward. In the sense of trying to work together, given what's been said and all the work that you folks have done, Mayor, and your people, can we engage in such a short timeframe to get some sort of cooperation and collaboration so that we all benefit in the end? Because at least I see that we would have the very important components to make this thing work for our island. So, that was just my first question, whether our Senator and Representative could be at that table in such a short notice just to help us out or help create this presentation. MR. TAKEMOTO: I think that was always the intent. We cannot move—with the time of the essence, we cannot go sequentially. We're just going, bang, so we reached out to them this weekend. So, I'm not sure what happened there. We intended to come and meet with them to work the numbers while you folks are reviewing it. Before even formally going to the Legislature, they were meant to be the ones taking it there. We were just giving heads up to certain key legislators that, you know, this is coming down, this is what we are thinking of, but, I thought the plan was that they would be the one leading the charge there and they were going to have a big part— MS. DAVID: In creating this. Page 29 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 MR. TAKEMOTO: Yes, that's why this is such a rough draft. MS. DAVID: No, I appreciate it, and the way that you folks have put this together, basically, is a great framework of where of the issues that we are faced with right now. So, my question, given all the efforts that everyone is making, especially since I really feel bad that I haven't been part of this whole effort to help, but, we have totally good people that are helping you folks try to develop this as part of this body. So, I'm comfortable with that. So, my hope is that since we have such a short timeframe, that would everyone be willing to put something together that we can look at and be satisfied with that? We will get the best attention to this ask. And whether it's the $300 million that's already out there, I think that contribution from our Representative is basically something that she can inform us on whether it would be a good idea to either include part of that in our ask as far as—instead of the $550 million. That makes sense to me. If we can show that we are actually trying to work this out together and that's already a done deal, so, it doesn't seem like our ask for $550 would be that huge if we can combine efforts is all I'm saying. For now, that's my input on this. I really appreciate everybody else's comments, and I want this to work, and I think we all want this to work. So, however we can do it together as a body and as government, I would appreciate that. Thank you very much for all of your hard work. I yield. MAYOR KIM: I think if Senator Russell Ruderman, behind me, initially started with just find piece of property to put people on and then you find out it's so much more complex than that. What money is eligible and regards to land availability, he identified as state property, all of it without infrastructure—and huge monies for roads, power, water, the works. You have to segregate who's eligible for that and what size the lots are, et cetera. So, you can see at this point, it's impossible to define the source of the income. So, all we're trying to define is the concept of what we're going to work for. All of that work is down the road. I feel this is a tremendous opportunity for all levels of government, the federal, state, and county, to try to work together to make something so tragic, at least a little bit positive. MS. DAVID: Thank you for that, Mayor. I understand that and I totally agree. I yield. CHR KANUHA: Mr. Richards. MR. RICHARDS: Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Mayor, Roy, and Directors. A couple of questions, and I have to agree with Councilman Chung, again, that what we're talking about here is going forward and getting things sorted out, and let's not worry about what's behind us. Just some questions here, Roy, this pie chart, Page 30 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 the percentages that came off of that, does that come out of the spreadsheet that's forthcoming? Is that's where that's coming from? MR. TAKEMOTO: Yes. MR. RICHARDS: Okay, and so, the numbers that were assigned in the spreadsheet, were those numbers that were conceived by talking story and getting a sensing and then adding them altogether? Is that where they're more or less coming from? MR. TAKEMOTO: Right, and it's a first cut and we sit with everybody, take more input. MR. RICHARDS: Okay, so, it's a talk story and it's not a percentage that you came up with that put on the paper, it's percentages that came out of assigning values to and then coming up with the total percentage of? Okay, good. One of the things that I had asked previously was have we involved a volcanologist or whatever the appropriate term for that science to give us an evaluation? And I had asked for a presentation coming forward, I don't see one in the house. So, where are we with that? We don't have to have a long summary. We know we've slowed down but I think everybody's holding their breath. Are there any comments on that? MAYOR KIM: I'll comment on that. Initially, in regards to the limitation of the thought process was just for housing and I think it was at that time, even regards to other things of where we go as a county, that the county government should not promote any kind of development and we would just promote automatically in zone one. In regard to development of housing projects, we should avoid, if at all possible, zone two, and that's where the HVO (Hawai`i Volcano Observatory) comes in. But by law, they're the ones that define the hazard zones for us. MR. RICHARDS: Okay. I—and obviously, it's asking to look into a crystal ball. I looked at the zone one and zone two and tried to read through what designates a zone two versus zone three and all that. And we're looking at, what I'd refer to as human timelines versus geological timelines, it's something that may not happen in a thousand years or might happen next week. So, that's where we have to struggle with that. On that, I also agree that this is a good crack at the first crack of what we're trying to get accomplished. I do realize it's going to be a state, county, federal, all partnership together to come up with a plan that's actually going to make sense and getting an idea of approximate numbers, what we're going to need One of the things that I didn't see here that I am concerned about, and we've talked about economic redevelopment, but again, testimony from yesterday and thinking about it, we have businesses out of there that are still there. They're Page 31 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 hanging on by fingernails, and redevelopment implies that it's gone and we have to put it back. But are we looking at somehow keeping the businesses that are still there floating until we can work things coming forward? I don't need an answer on that, but I pose that as a rhetorical question at this point. We heard a comment about a woman yesterday who has a pizzeria and she's barely hanging on, and she needs to open up in Honomu. If she can get Honomu open, she can support her Pahoa function, but that one's hung up right now and if we can get her open there, she'll keep this other one open. Those are the things that we, as government, can get the obstructions out of the way, and I think the more we keep open and functioning, even if we have to help them along a little bit, whatever the case may be, tax reductions, sure, but I think they still have to pay the power bill, they still have to pay the rent. We have to have some sort of package and we have to look at that. Again, I'm throwing that out, I don't have hard numbers on that one. So, in my mind, I think it's pretty simple. You have a plan that you're gelling, that we need to have input in. That will come from the spreadsheet that's anticipated out at the end of this week, maybe first part of next week. We have the funding side. It's kind of funny, this is sounding like our budget program all over again, that we're not exactly sure where the funds are going to come from. But, there's some different buckets that we're going to be looking at and working in concert with our Senator and Representative as far as seeing how that may all tie together. I think that's reasonable. We can't really have a whole lot of input at this moment, until we have a look at that spreadsheet. I am a little concerned about the timeline, that if we want input by next week, this weekend's a little busy for most of us, but, we will look at that as quickly as possible. I think the economic portion is as important, it's no less important than anything else because if we don't have the economic generators going, we're going to lose a bunch. It'll be people, it'll be families, it'll be businesses, and the recovery on that will be very long. So, I'm very interested in how we stimulate that. We've got a whole bunch of papaya farmers and they don't have a balance sheet that'll carry them for a year. They won't farm again unless we do something to keep them in business. And I think I'm looking to our Senator and Representative as well. If we think about this, because we've got to keep them going, otherwise, they'll just fall out of production and we won't get those farmers back. That is a quick turnaround, which comes back to the money side. So, with that, any comments on it? MAYOR KIM: Mr. Richards, thank you very much, because the whole basis of this was the basis of the economic stability of this island. One of the things the publicI do. I put R & D in charge, Ron and Diane, to do all of the paperwork to Page 32 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 qualify this island for individual assistance and presidential declaration. I think you might have read in the paper, the record time that was done. In regards to the paperwork for, I know it doesn't fall under the economic benefit, but the financial benefits or programs that made Hawai'i eligible, it will take us at least two to three years to complete the paperwork on that. I look at it as every dollar that comes in on federal assistance to help the families tie over is economic development, so they can carry on. And all that you read about SBA (Small Business Association) loans, millions are being poured in now because of the federal declaration, presidential declaration of what you call individual assistance. But, this whole concept of this program, especially with Mike and Roy, you know, the basis of discussion was economic stability. We have to do that, and this is what we're talking about, not only the state land but working with Hawaiian homes, working with state lands that are available, and working with the private sector. Our job as government is to try to see if we can expedite or provide services for things like infrastructure of power, of water, of roads. MR. RICHARDS: I agree with all of that. My biggest concern is the short-term. Six months from now, great, an SBA loan comes through, but they've been out of business for four and they're already pau. So, I don't know how we address that, but I need to—we have to ask that question, at least going forward. I don't want to take a lot more time because I look forward to the spreadsheet, and I'm sure I'll have a lot of questions after I look at the spreadsheet. (Note: At this time, Planning Director Michael Yee came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MR. YEE: Just really quickly, because I—this will illustrate some of the rabbit holes and other things that we have to do on your volcanologist thing. Early on, in trying to consult with the USGS (United States Geological Survey) on lava zones and the maps and stuff, you find out that they do hazard assessment, they don't do risk assessment. Yet, from a planning aspect, we need to be able to do the risk assessment to understand what we want to plan for. So, you go down this rabbit hole in terms of how do we then get a risk assessment on something like this on a volcano? And you go down the road and you find out we should talk to Pacific Disaster Center in Honolulu, it happens to be there. You then have to read through reports, look at the work they've done, have teleconference, and realize procurement is easier because they're part of the UH system, and then you go and you try to do it. There's actually a three o'clock call today that Ron's on with them to try to activate so we get hard data, hard consulting on risk assessment of these areas. That's just one avenue of something, and I say that, but that's been just an incredible amount of time that Ron has played a lead on but many of us have to get involved in these meetings to understand, do we pursue this avenue or not? Page 33 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 Or do we derail and go somewhere else? And we go through these roads every day and that's just another illustration of how complex this situation is. Hopefully, most of these roads will be fruitful someday, but it's a lot of work. MAYOR KIM: I think that's why nobody wants to touch it. I mean it. We have made a commitment that we'll do it because we have to. CHR KANUHA: Mr. Richards, pau? MR. RICHARDS: Yeah, I just, again, thank you. I look forward to the spreadsheet. I'm very concerned about those little businesses that we may end up having to throw, that's wrong choice of words, we may have to support them financially recognizing some of them may be supported and disappearing away. But, I think that's probably money well spent if we evaluate it. I yield. MR. RICHARDS: Still on round one. Ms. Eoff, did you have a chance? Go right ahead. MS. EOFF: Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to say thank you to all of your team, Mayor, because I mean this is such a complex situation, there are so many moving parts, but without dropping too many loose ends, you've had to meet deadlines and quick learning curves on all kinds of issues and opportunities. So, I'm going to just stay positive right now because I feel like what some have said here, and a lot has been said here, so I don't have to reiterate, but the fact that we can make something really good come from this difficult situation, I think is really where your goals have been set. I've heard it said about the community in Puna that this has kind of brought out the best in a lot of people, like it brought the community together and show what they are made out of and that Puna is strong, et cetera. But, we as a government body, now, whether we're administration or legislative here, we need to show what we're made of, too, and I think that although there has been some frustrations expressed, and maybe that was good to get it out of the way, how we do move forward in the short timeframe if there'sI'm sure there's time and maybe we can heal whatever communications that were missed. But, now that you have this basic structure and a presentation that's even got details to back it up, is the time to bring in the state legislative team that we have on island and make sure they are able to back up what our ask is going to be, and help us get this legislative session that we need and be able to promote our package. So, I feel like we're in good shape. Maybe it was a cart before the horse thing but, I don't know, timing is always difficult. So, I think, actually, I feel like everything is in good shape. We just needed to listen to the frustrations that were expressed. I don't know the protocol, so, I would have done a lot of mistakes myself, but now that we know that there are some steps we need to take Page 34 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 or some things we need to do to get ready for promoting our ask to the state Legislature, I just think that's the thing we need to focus on. But, I just wanted to say thank you because I know what aI mean, it's hard enough to run our government and our island on a normal daily basis, and then with all of this last few months, it's just the critical needs and the unanticipated things that have happened. I just wanted to say thank you again. I know we've all said it before, but everybody seems to be kind of popping out. I saw a point in time a few weeks ago where it just seems kind ofI was worried because everybody is getting tired and emotions are frayed and things like that, but I feel like we're strong and we need to just show this resilience now to the rest of the state and be positive in our movements now. Because like you said, there's a chance to receive funding from many sources and most of us are just hopeful that those things will all come through so we can get passed this and help recover the economic situation for our island as well as the personal situations that the displaced people have found themselves in. I know you're addressing it all, so I'm just thanking everybody. CHR KANUHA: Ms. O'Hara. MS. O'HARA: Thank you, Chair. I appreciate listening to all of this conversation, and I appreciate, Mayor, that you came up with a conceptual plan. You weren't at the housing meeting Friday, a week and a half ago, where we've been meeting every other Friday at 1:00 p.m. I haven't made all the meetings, but I've made a few. Ms. Lee Loy, I believe is the only other Council Member that's, yeah, she's killing it with her subcommittee, but she's worked really hard and this isn't exactly her district, but I appreciate all of the effort. Ms. San Buenaventura and Mr. Ruderman have been in those meetings, again, not all of them. It just so happened at the last meeting, I don't believe Ms. Lee Loy was there, I was there and our state representative and senator were not, but I reiterated what Senator Ruderman had said before, that we need to have an ask before the Legislature by the middle of this month, or we're not going to get a special session. Because it runs into the regular session if there is no special session scheduled within the next few weeks. That's why timing is really critical and I appreciate that you hunkered down and came up with what I requested at the end of that meeting was a conceptual plan, and I remember Mr. Yee saying, "We'll have it in a couple of weeks." I said too long. Here we are, it's almost done, and I really appreciate all the effort. There are some things that I had questions about in terms of the conceptual plan. Any plan is based on assumptions, right? So, we've assumed the 700 plus homes are destroyed but the number is actually higher than that, it's closer to 800 now. And there's a bunch of homes—and we're still responsible for these situations that are Page 35 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 inaccessible and people can't live in them. So, that isn't incorporated in these numbers and there's quite a few of those types of homes as well. It's estimated that 90 plus vacation rentals were lost. Well, I have good friends who are in property management and manage quite a few of the rentals in Puna, and their estimate is more in the neighborhood of 300. I ran that by Stefan as well and he agreed. So, I don't know where we came up with 90, but I think we have a lot more that were lost. And that comes into how did we come up with 900 jobs lost? Because a lot of the jobs were tied in with the short-term vacation rentals that we lost. So, I'm not really sure how those assumptions were made and where we came up with the data, but you might want to revisit that because there are several ways to come at getting data, and it can be challenging, especially in a situation like this, to come up with data that we can justify. In our housing meetings, the last plan I saw or was given, did have, I think five different options that we were considering, infill, a new subdivision, and other types of things. I'm surprised that, even though this is a conceptual plan, that we don't at least have that much information in this plan at this point. Because I know we've flushed out about five different plans, but I have had the good fortune of having been involved in some of the planning, as has Ms. Lee Loy. The rest of the Council hasn't really been there to hear all of that or to see all of that. So, they don't know that we also discussed in that housing committee, potential pieces of legislation that might need to go in special session. I understand, Mr. Takemoto, you just said you didn't think they were top priority so you didn't include them, but there have been things like waving the owner/build requirement for two years so that we can be back to getting affordable housing. What that does is, when you're an owner/builder, you cannot rent a home for two years? One year? Whatever the—one year. Okay. So, that kind of prevents some people from adding housing that may be affordable and helpful here. The `ohana prohibition, these are things that have been discussed within that housing committee that might be useful pieces of legislation down the road. So, we need to, when we firm up the plan, make sure that we don't leave out some of that stuff And I'm not trying to bury us into minutia, but I'm just trying to flush out some of the concepts and what more is needed. And it's not just about housing, it's also about road, road circulation, and other things. We have truck traffic now on little tiny roads where we never had it before. We need roads that accommodate large trucks. There is all kinds of new situations that we're dealing with in Puna. So, I appreciate this is a start and I will do my best to provide feedback by Monday, Tuesday of next week. As Mr. Richards said, it's a busy weekend for some of us. But, I will do my best to get back to you with the specifics once I get the spreadsheet. Thank you. Page 36 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 CHR KANUHA: Mr. Chung. MR. CHUNG: Thank you. Very briefly and of course, I'm not going to be talking about the specifics or my specific concerns. You know, a lot has been said today about, I like your metaphor about the pyramid, we can only see two sides, can't see the other one. I talked about apologies for lack of following protocol and all of this. I think the theme is that there seems to have been some missteps in terms of miscommunication. So, what I want to ask from everyone here, can we, right now, set up a system, who's going to be the go to person at the county in terms of state? You know, when Senator Ruderman or Joy wants to contact the County, who's it going to be? We've got a lot of lieutenants over here, but, is it going to be you, Mike, or Roy or straight to the Mayor? What's going to be that protocol so that we don't have any further missteps on this thing. And never mind us, really. I mean you guys, we'll chime in as needed, but really, the action is going to be with the state and we cannot afford any more delays. So, if we can just set up --okay, so everything will be through you? MAYOR KIM: The answer will be me because obviously, that's where it belongs because they're doing what I'm asking them to do. In communication with the governor's office or the Legislature, we'll make sure we prioritize and either talk to them from here on end, on what they'd like to say. MR. CHUNG: So, in terms of disseminating information to the Legislature, you. MAYOR KIM: Well, I'll make sure it's done. MR. CHUNG: And in terms of our team getting that information to the County, it will be to you? Okay. Thank you. CHR KANUHA: Ms. Lee Loy. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you, Chair. So, Roy, getting back to the legislative package refunding request, the pie chart, I just did the quick math. So, for response we have about $120 million, for housing, it's $126, for impacted area, the purple, it's $159, and then for infrastructure, it's $115, and I'm just doing the math. MR. YEE: Or, is that 20 percent contingency? MS. LEE LOY: And 10 percent handling. I guess what I'm trying to get to is kind of elevating this conversation on where everybody is going. Ms. O'Hara touched on something, which is infill projects. She's absolutely right, there was those conversations, but we, through some of the conversations, had to look at revitalizing the whole island. So, it wasn't just about recovering Puna, it was recovering the entire island. And so, just to help Ms. O'Hara understand, like the Page 37 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 metaphor that Mr. Yee used, we took a very multiprong approach that it wasn't just going to be focused on Puna, although that was the impetus, we wanted to ensure that some of the other revenue loses that we were seeing through real property tax, through the visitor industry, that we could build up in other areas. That was more for Ms. O'Hara, but getting back to the pie chart, are those safe numbers, Roy? MR. TAKEMOTO: Yeah, in the ballpark, but you'll be able to massage it. MS. LEE LOY: I like being in the ballpark because we've got one shot. I'm going to yield at this time. I think the other suggestion, Chair, and I don't know if maybe this is something for the Clerk, and I'm just putting it out there. Is there an opportunity for us to recess this meeting, to say maybe Wednesday, so that we can hold this type of conversation after we get the spreadsheets from Roy and quickly be able to get back with all the stakeholders in this room, including our representatives from the state Legislature? CHR KANUHA: I completely missed what you asked me. MS. LEE LOY: The short is, is there an opportunity for us to recess this meeting to some future date so that when the rest of the information comes to us, we could actually pick it all back up and we could all be at the table again? CHR KANUHA: So, the question is within a week you're saying? Yeah, so what's the deadline for information and for all this being set up? 14'h? MR. YEE: We'd give you until the 15'h. CHR KANUHA: You'll give us until the 15'? MS. EOFF: Mr. Chair? CHR KANUHA: Yes, point of order? MS. LEE LOY: I'm just trying to keep this conversation alive and be able to get back to the table so that we can give our input. We can start beginning to message consistently from the Council, from the state Legislature, from the administration, and have a very strong message going forward to the special session. I'm trying to keep the momentum going. That's my intention. CHR KANUHA: Thank you. We'll keep that conversation going, however, we want to move forward with the information that was just given to us and the information that's going to be given to us later on. Did you have a point of order because Ms. O'Hara Page 38 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 MS. EOFF: I had a thought— CHR KANUHA: Okay. MS. EOFF: Just on that, and I don't know whether there's really enough time, now that I think about it, but maybe this would be an ideal topic to form an ad hoc committee where you included the two or three Council Members, the state legislators, the administration, and whomever else to work out. But, I don't think there's enough time, actually, the more I think about how long it takes to form an ad hoc committee. CHR KANUHA: That seems like more bureaucracy. MS. LEE LOY: Well, I'm going to yield at this time, I'm just putting it out there on the table. I don't know if the Clerk has an opinion on it. Again, the matter was agendized as a legislative package update, and I actually see this next piece coming forward as the supplemental piece to complete that conversation. But, I will follow the will of this body. But the clock is ticking and I just know some of the constraints we have with agendizing items. I yield, thank you. CHR KANUHA: Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. Ms. O'Hara. MS. O'HARA: Thank you, Chair. I appreciate Ms. Lee Loy's thought about reconvening this meeting because we don't have a complete package just yet, and we do need one really soon. So, I think that's a great idea if we can convene a meeting a week from today for continuation of this Finance Committee. I support that idea. But, I have a simple question for these gentlemen before me and it's because I don't really understand. Ms. Lee Loy just attached hard dollars to these percentages and I can't remember what the hard dollar was, but it was something like $160 million for the impacted area plan. I might—those three words together might have produced a different concept in my mind than maybe is in your mind. So, could you please elaborate on what that is and why it would cost $160 million? MR. TAKEMOTO: Why don't you just wait to see what comes? CHR KANUHA: Okay. How do we want to proceed? It's just a communication. Do we need to schedule another meeting next week? Mr. Clerk, can you help us out, maybe? MR. HENRICKS: If you want to schedule something, you have to schedule it now. If you want to go with Ms. Lee Loy's suggestion of keeping this meeting going, that seems possible provided we stick to what's on the agenda for today. I don't know if this is what everybody anticipated, probably not what everybody anticipated. That would be the only problem I could foresee, is if this becomes a Page 39 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 working group or something, that could become an issue where we're not allowing public input and we're kind of keeping a meeting alive for that purpose. But, I understand the timeframe is short and that would be the rationale for doing this. CHR KANUHA: Ms. Poindexter. MS. POINDEXTER: I think I agree in putting it into recess because I would like to see, and maybe recess until our next meeting or whatever because I think the time is of the essence with our Hawai'i delegation and the house and senate leadership. That's where it's going to count because right now, they don't really know anything. They're the ones that's going to have make the decision if they're going into special session and if they're going to get the votes to get us this money. So, they have to agree to all of this. I'd like to put it into recess and see what comes out of that meeting that you can come back and report to us what has happened in those meetings, because it's going to take more than one meeting. But, they're actually the ones that are going to have to kind of put this all together as well with you. It's not us putting it together and taking it to them and then they're going to have to re -adjust something or not agree or whatever. If they're making that decision, the meetings need to take place with them first and then maybe come back. I mean, that's my opinion, so, I yield at this time. CHR KANUHA: Okay. Maybe Michael, you guys want to see how we're going to get the supplemental update and if there's a need for us to get back together again to push our ideas some more or get the feedback that we need? I know right now it's really important that, obviously, you work with the members of the state Legislature from this island and figure out that plan. I think that's the most important thing at this point, sort of trying to figure out how this is all incorporated with us as well. MR. TAKEMOTO: Recess sounds like a good idea and when we get together a week from now it will be kind of a wrap up synthesis, see what comments you folks had incorporated, as well as by then, we should have met with the state legislators, and hopefully, next week all of us will be at the table, the administration with the state legislators. CHR KANUHA: Ms. Ruggles. MS. RUGGLES: Thank you. Yeah, I think that's a really great idea. Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. I just have one request. I can't be there, I have a procedure, but I can be there at 10. So, if I can request that we schedule it at 10 as opposed to 9. CHR KANUHA: Okay, noted. Mr. Chung. Page 40 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 MR. CHUNG: I was listening upstairs, so you guys want to hold the meeting next week so everybody can provide input? I don't know what my calendar is but I will say this, I'm a firm believer that the action is going to be between the administration and the Legislature. We're in an emergency situation, we've got to move as fast as we can. We're already behind. I would say the best way is for any of you guys who have concerns, throw them out to the administration. They don't have to integrate it into their plan, but at least your concerns or suggestions would have at least been considered, given serious consideration. We don't have too much time, I think. The last thing we want to do is get bogged down with this whole Council thing because it takes so long to do stuff That's my thoughts, anyway. CHR KANUHA: Thank you for your input. I'm glad you stayed a little bit longer to provide that. Okay, Ms. David. MS. DAVID: Yes, I think given everybody's suggestions and comments, I think I would agree with Council Member Chung because of the time sensitivity and the importance of getting something done right away. So, I yield. MAYOR KIM: Mr. Kanuha, if I may. CHR KANUHA: Go right ahead, Mayor Kim. MAYOR KIM: I'll tell you what I hope for of what Mr. Chung said. Granted this was rushed, but I think we all know this is something that came out of a time and a place where we had to do something. We made a decision we'll do something and not put the burden on the staff that's been working on it. I was serious when I told them, "I don't have a right to kill you." That's how worried I was about the countless hours they worked. But I would hope that this Council knows that whatever is presented here has only one mission, to try to fix some things and make things better for the whole island, with all of the things that was discussed here. That could have been better and it will be better. I ask for support of this Council that we present this with the corrected additions that you make input in the most expeditious way so we can present it to them with hopefully, the statement it comes with a full support of the Council of Hawai'i. CHR KANUHA: Thank you, Mayor. I'm hearing from everybody. I think it'd be good just to have a type of discussion for our next committee meeting, maybe go through it with the process of what Mr. Chung said and see and work with each other and submit our concerns. Or when we see all the supplemental information we can move forward. But, I think with this, I think it'd be okay if we just file it away and continue with the discussion for the next Governmental Relations Committee in two weeks. We're going to have supplemental information so that can be submitted for a future communication. Page 41 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 MS. EOFF: I have a question. CHR KANUHA: Sure. MS. EOFF: So, you're saying, well, I'm not sure the timeline that we're shooting for, but rather than meet next week, you're saying put it off for two weeks until we meet on our regular schedule? So, I guess we need to determine if that's giving everybody enough time. CHR KANUHA: I'm open. I'm just trying to throw out different ways of moving this forward. Mr. Chung. MR. CHUNG: This is why I made that comment. The situation which I think we should try to avoid is where the administration comes back here with their package and then, we start throwing all kinds of stuff back to them and they have synthesized all of that and then come back again? I say as soon as that draft comes out, everybody who has concerns start working with them as soon as they can and when we have our next meeting, they will present the final product. Whether we like it or not, that is what's going to the Legislature. We don't have to agree with it, but at least we know something is headed stateside. CHR KANUHA: Ms. Lee Loy. I don't know who was first. Go right ahead. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Mr. Richards. I'm comfortable working with Roy, Michael, and Ron. They've been a direct pipeline for me already. So, I'm comfortable engaging in the way the Mayor is asking. I was just putting it out there. I don't know how many others want to participate but I'm comfortable working directly with them in an expeditious way. If we move down that road where we re-agendize something, I support that, but I also would like to see some talking points so that if this is going to be our legislative package that we, as a body, can start talking to all of our delegates, not only from Hilo or Puna, but Kona because we're going to need all the support. We're going to need to count to 26 and we're going to need to count to 13 and we're going to have to get the governor on board. So, we're going to need everybody's help to champion that message. And if Ron, if you could help us with those talking points so that we deliver a very consistent message, I think that would be extremely helpful for our next meeting, aside from the package. I yield. CHR KANUHA: Mr. Richards. MR. RICHARDS: Okay. Timing is critical. We've heard that from the administration, we've heard that from our representation, and we do not need to get bogged down. We get our spreadsheet, we have our comments, I think people on the Council have areas of special interest that we're, that doesn't sound quite right, areas that we are interested in especially. How's that? That we will have Page 42 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 input on and then bring that forward and we don't want this to bog down, we want this to come forward. It's not going to be perfect, but I think getting something there that is solid rather than worrying about trying to make it perfect is more important. So, we'll give the input and if there are any concerns coming forward, we'll talk about them. But, even if we have a meeting in two weeks, I think that's after the date they want to submit it any way. So, it'll be a report of what was submitted not what they're going to submit. I'm good with that. I think we just have to get the information to the people and help them get the information crafted. So, I think that's the best way to go. I yield. CHR KANUHA: Thank you, Mr. Richards. Okay, everybody all good? Anything additionally? Okay, I just want to, again, mahalo Mayor, your team, for giving us this presentation of what's going on, and we're definitely here to support the efforts and work with you guys on how to move forward the best way possible for our community. And of course, with the support of the state, our state representatives here or Hawai'i Island and the leadership. Again, mahalo everybody for the good discussion, and let's all work together to make something happen. So, saying that, all in favor of filing Communication 1017 say "aye." Vote on Comm. 1017: The motion to file Comm. 1017 was carried by the following Filed voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members David, Eoff, Lee Loy, O'Hara, Poindexter, Richards, Ruggles, and Chair Kanuha — 8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Chung — 1. Excused: None. CHR KANUHA: May I have a motion to adjourn? ORDER OF The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, RESOLUTIONS: Order of Resolutions. Item in this category was taken up previously, out of order. BILLS FOR The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of ORDINANCES: business, Bills for Ordinances. (There were none.) Page 43 GREDC-18 August 7, 2018 ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 3:26 p.m., Ms. Lee Loy moved to adjourn the MENT: meeting. Seconded by Ms. Poindexter and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members David, Eoff, Lee Loy, O'Hara, Poindexter, Richards, Ruggles, and Chair Kanuha — 8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Chung — 1. Excused: None. CHR KANUHA: We are adjourned. Approved: Mr. Dru Mamo Kanuha, Chair Governmental Relations and Economic Development Committee DMK/jm �I Ito; (Date) Page 44