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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFebruary 19, 2020 Minutes Harry Kim William H. Farr Mayor Executive on Aging County of Hawai‘i OFFICE OF AGING Mayor’s Committee on People with Disabilities Minutes February 19, 2020 Aging and Disability Resource Center, 1055 Kino‘ole Street, Suite 101, Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720-3872 Phone (808) 961-8600 ⬥ Fax (808) 961-8603 ⬥ Email: hcoa@hawaiiantel.net West Hawai‘i Civic Center, 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Highway, Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi 96740 Phone (808) 323-4390 ⬥ Fax (808) 323-4398 Call to Order: (Secretary/Treasurer) Susan Shirachi called the meeting to start at 10:12 a.m. Members Present: (Secretary/Treasurer) Susan Shirachi, Penny Alcoran, Linda Gonzales, Pamela Punihaole, Byron Yogi Members Excused: None Members Unexcused: None County Staff: Angelica Malia Hall (Corporate Counsel), Christina Raine (Office of Aging), Charline Blanco (Office of Aging) Guests Present: William Horace Farr (Office of Aging), Michelle Hiraishi (ARC of Hilo) Topic/Agenda Item Discussion Action 3. Roll Call and Roll call conducted, members acknowledged their presence. Welcome and introductions. 4 Approval of the Motion made to approve minutes Approval of the August 12, 2019 Meeting by Member Gonzales, and January 15, 2020 Minutes Member Punihaole seconded. Meeting Minutes Motion passed (4 ayes, 0 nays). Hawai`i County is an equal opportunity provider and employer. An Area Agency on Aging 5. Public Testimony None on Agenda Items. 6. Old Business After a lengthy discussion the A. Nomination of Open Positions - Chair committee voted to have rotating and Vice Chair chairs until the time when a Chair or Vice Chair is voted into their respective positions. Ms. Hall indicted that if no person is elected to the position, then each member should chair a meeting until a chair is elected. The roles and duties of the positions are indicated in the By- Laws and manual for the members. County staff affirmed that they are to help the interim Chairs. Templates of agenda and minutes can be emailed to the members. The agenda must be posted by the County 6 days prior to the actual Committee Meeting date. It was affirmed by Ms. Hall that all positions of the executive committee must be members of the Committee. Follow up calls have been made by both Ms. Shirachi and Mr. Farr. It was also suggested that Ms. Hiraishi contact the Mayor’s office to inquire about the status of her application. The membership voted to have Interim Chair on a rotating basis. Member Yogi made the motion, Member Gonzales seconded. Mr. Farr requested that the Chair positions be known to the OAA staff. 1. Temporary Chair The Interim Chair position was Hawai`i County is an equal opportunity provider and employer. An Area Agency on Aging agreed to be each person with rotations between Hilo and Kona. The Chair would be crafting the agenda with staff support Members voted to have the meetings set for a bi-monthly schedule. Member Gonzales initiated the motion, and Member Alcoran seconded. All were in agreement (5 ayes, 0 nays). B. Meeting and Calendar Revise It was agreed that the only meeting that would need to be modified would be for the April 15, 2020 meeting. Staff will pursue locating a new meeting site in Hilo. 1. Meeting Locations Due to logistical, lack of usage fees, and ease of access reasons. Date - Chair March 18, 2020 - NO MEETING April 15, 2020 - Penny Alcoran Hilo, Site TBD May 20, 2020 - NO MEETING June 17, 2020 - Pam Punihaole Kona July 15, 2020 - NO MEETING Aug 19, 2020 - Linda Gonzales Kona September 16 NO MEETING October 28, 2020 - Byron Yogi Hilo November 18 NO MEETING December NO MEETING due to co-terminus membership with the Hawai`i County is an equal opportunity provider and employer. An Area Agency on Aging Mayor’s election status. Note: If there is any additional meeting in November 2020, then Member Shirachi will be the additional meeting’s chair. Ms. Hall advised of the possible options for the committee to decide. As the committee grows, then C. Clarification of Corporate Counsel on having subcommittees would be matters relevant for Committee Discussion appropriate. It might be wise to and Charge of the Committee choose one item, and have the entire group address that one item (in essence, focus down to that one item, for example, community involvement). She also recommended that the committee decide on whether to have a letter to the Mayor. She did recommend having a closing letter to the Mayor or to the new administration. Focusing on what items did not have movement on, what you have seen movement on, and what the committee would like to see movement on. As a reminder, when the present Mayor terms out on December 7, the entire committee membership also ends. The new administration will make the decision to assign members to the new committee. She encouraged members to apply for the new membership under the new County administration. That process would still be the same for members to reapply. The October 2020 meeting would be a good time for this committee to draft the letter to the new Mayor, and to encourage a Hawai`i County is an equal opportunity provider and employer. An Area Agency on Aging transition committee membership. Present members can keep their committee binders, note: membership contact list is confidential. Communication and PR outreach can be facilitated through the Office of Aging staff, but the committee would need to draft the materials to be communicated or distributed. Alternatively, the committee can invite guest speaker(s) about community disability related issues. The committee can have a signed petition to substantiate the item of community concern. It was suggested to have the County ADA Recreation Specialist Kelly DeLeon be invited. If the members need to contact her, they are encouraged to do so, independent of the committee, as urgency and need dictates. The members agreed that the process is working, but sometimes the discussions need to reflect the purpose of the charge of the committee. The importance of community engagement is still important so D. Goal Setting - Methods for Public that the Government may address Input, Process Development their disability related concerns. Members agreed that the letter to the Mayor should have possible solutions along with the issue statement(s). The members confirmed that the next letter to the Mayor will be 1. Letter to the Mayor crafted at the April 15 meeting. Member Alcoran concern is that the actions taken are a true Hawai`i County is an equal opportunity provider and employer. An Area Agency on Aging reflection of the community’s concern about the County Pool. Mr. Farr will attempt to be present at the April 15 meeting. Mr. Farr explained the intent and operational structure of the Kupuna Caucus. Members were informed by Member Shirachi of the added date for November, and that based on today’s discussion that that date and site be kept as a reversed date (on hold status), should the committee decide to be convened. At this time, the November 18 meeting is on hold. 7. New Business A. Added Date for November Ms. Hall reminded members that their positions on the committee are co-terminus with the Mayor’s office, and when his term ends on December 7, 2020, the committee members are released from their appointment. B. By-laws of the Mayor’s Committee on People with Disabilities, Article 3, Item 4- Term of Membership Members were provided information to distribute or use for emergency contact resources from the County, County Charter information for inclusion in their committee binders, and a community employment A. Rescheduled meetings information resource. 8. Announcements If members are interested in doing increased promotion and awareness of the committee’s E. Miscellaneous information existence, then the committee will need to create a promotional piece that can be included in any of the County publications that are related to the committee’s Hawai`i County is an equal opportunity provider and employer. An Area Agency on Aging purpose and charge. Items for the next meeting will include crafting PR information for the Kupuna News and/or Silver Bulletin. In addition, the letter to the Mayor will be drafted by the committee at the April 15 meeting. Revolving Chair Alcoran will facilitate discussion and creation of these two documents. Ms. Hiraishi offered ARC Hilo as 8. Vox Populi (Voice a possible meeting site and of the People) volunteered to be in a leadership role in the committee during the interim period until a new Chair is elected when she becomes a committee member. Member Yogi requested each 9. Next Meeting April 15, 2020 10 am. A change in meeting member come to each meeting venue will be in Hilo, and not in Kona. A with one or two items of new meeting site is to be determined. community concern. Members concurred with this practice, as reasonably possible. Ms. Hall added that if the members could focus on issues that are County related, that would be best. Member Shirachi called the 10. Adjournment meeting to adjournment. The meeting adjourned at 11:55 a.m. Hawai`i County is an equal opportunity provider and employer. An Area Agency on Aging