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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES for 2020-12-08 FINALVETERANS ADVISORY COMMITTEE Tuesday, December 8, 2020, 1:30 p.m. WebEx Video Conferencing and Kona Mayor's Office (Via Videoconferencing) Present Members Michael Doolittle Debra Lewis Antonio Gaspar Isaac Nahakuelua Marcia Brinkley Kona Major's Office (Via Videoconferencing) Members Minoru Hanato Guests (Hilo) None Ex -Officio (Kona) None Ex -Officio (Hilo) Maurice Messina, Director P&R Also Present (Hilo) Brittany Iyo, Secretary J Yoshimoto, Deputy Corporation Counsel Absent Emile Wery George Sheridan Call to Order Chair Michael Doolittle called the meeting to order at 1:37 pm. Quorum met with six members present. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC None OLD BUSINESS Further Discussion on Veterans Cemeteries and War Memorials Listing Chair Michael Doolittle: introduced the topic and asked Marcia if she had any updates for the group. Marcia Brinkley: Yes, I do. I've been talking to Lee Hasebe from the IT department. I sent him ideas and a proposed format for our listing to go up on the website. He said he would talk with the contractor that's working on the website and would get back to me. I'm waiting to hear back, but I don't think it'll be an issue. So, what I did was put it into Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes December 8, 2020 Page 2 like a spreadsheet and I have clickable boxes for some of the information so when you look at the website, you see a photo of a site and you can see the description and photos and then you can click on certain boxes and see it on a map and see directions. That's the part that I need to check with the contractor on when they're ready for us because I was using Google maps and it may or may not be ok to use that on a County website, so I may have to adjust that. That just makes it easier to read when you look at the listing. I have 25 places identified, need to add one column with some access information. Because at least with West Hawaii and maybe one or two others there's always questions about when is it open. I wanted to put that in there for places that maybe are not easily accessible all the time. That looks like it's going to be possible, I don't know when we're going to be able to finish it. For my part, the only thing I'm lacking is a couple of photos from one up in Mountain View and a couple in Kohala that I don't have good pictures of. Aside from that, my part's done. I asked him also, I want to check with the Committee first, do we also want to be able to put event information up there when we eventually can have events? On our Advisory Committee page? We also talked about a year ago about a listing of resources for Veterans and I'm wondering if those are two things, I should ask him to include. But I just wanted to throw that out to the committee and see if were still interested in doing that and if it's possible. Debra Lewis: (inaudible) there's two reasons, one we need to inform each other and two, I got contacted, but Tour of Honor is apparently a motorcycle event that happens every year where they go to memorials. Because of the work that we had done before, I could answer a lot of the questions they had and by the end of the month were going to have candidate, of course this is still military, touroflionor.com if you look on the website. But they want a picture of a motorcycle, no person, in front a memorial and they want us to pick like seven memorials by the end of the month so it sounds like your project and that one by 2021 will Segway nicely to keep us informed and I think that were desperately in need to help veterans and very few veterans know what organizations are out there or how to get ahold of them. Brinkley: I can work with the people from Tour of Honor. Did anyone else have any more comments? Because I had a couple other things. Chair Doolittle: I was just going to ask you, if I understand you correctly, on the website you're going to have these monuments depicted on a map with pictures and information and it'll be more of an interactive solution site? Brinkley: (inaudible) Chair Doolittle: Well then, each listing would become a link to information about that particular site. I don't think that's difficult to do, it sounds absolutely fabulous to me to have that kind of a resource on the County's website where people can go and not only look at the different sites and see where they're at, the history and select from that many options to go out for a day's journey and see a couple of sites. I think that is a fabulous Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes December 8, 2020 Page 3 resource for us to have. I'm just really stoked that you've done a fabulous job so far. Any other comments? Brinkley: Alright, so what I'll do as far as resources, I'll gather a list and maybe circulate it and have people tell me what other sources. Carolle Brulee-Wilson had given me some resources a while back. I think I can come up with a pretty good list, but I may not know all of them. Chair Doolittle: We might enlist Veterans and maybe our own members, the sites we don't have information about we can add later and updating the site and that would be good. How are we doing on soliciting groups to volunteer to adopt a site. Brinkley: Antonio invited me to Hawaii State American Legion meeting about a month or so ago and several other Posts around the island volunteer to take specific sites, so we've added them. DAR have not voted in their new President, but I've proposed to them that they can monitor cemetery 2 because they already have someone who is doing that. So, we have about four different sponsors so far. That's probably about eight totals. Some of these sites are tiny like a plaque on a fence so they don't need a specific organization but maybe just one person managing the site. Chair Doolittle: I've been doing unofficial weed pulling at the Veterans Memorial Park in Hakalau, it's not very big but it is a good one. We like to keep that up. It would be good to find some kind of PR campaign to solicit community groups and the like to adopt a site and try to move it forward. Maybe by the end of this pandemic we can have a good site operating. That would be a monumental achievement for our group. Do we have anything more to add? Brinkley: Did you want me to talk about the cemetery 2 issue now? Chair Doolittle: Yeah, we may as well. Brinkley: Mary Yoshida who's a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, her husband is buried at Veterans Cemetery 2, she brought it to the attention of several of us at various times and also to the Parks & Rec guys sometime in the past about violation of rules at the cemetery. It's very upsetting to her and it does violate the rules. I've got photos, one has beer cans and another one has stuffed animals. There are rules against planting vegetation, flowers and plants in the ground but there are some there. And apparently, it's been going on for some years, she and I both talked to Christine who talked to the department head at that time and they said they would post signs that you can't have all these extra stuffs and says the rules and they would give them a deadline to remove the items themselves or parks & Rec would remove them. And it worked to some extent but some of it is really bad with extra stuff and it's beyond sentimental, it really just looks like trash. She's the one I've been mentioning, she goes out there and monitors the situation. What she was told by the groundskeepers is that they were told to remove the things but some of the families were grumbling and protesting. I'm not sure what Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes December 8, 2020 Page 4 Parks & Rec wants to handle this. I did check to see if the families are notified of the rules and they do sign a form before the family member is interred but they probably don't remember that. Some of this has been going on for a while, but they just figure that's the way it's supposed to be. It's partly education and I don't know if there's anything I can do but I just wanted people to know that there is an issue. Now that Mr. Messina and Brittany are back with the department, I don't know how you'd like to handle it, is there something we can do to help. Director Messina: Hi Marica, yeah so what I'll do is I'll check with Park Maintenance first thing and speak with these guys and see that all the rules are being followed, it's that simple for us. Minoru Hanato: May I say something? In Kona, they cut the grass on Thursday so on the Wednesday, they take away everything. Then they cut the grass and they put all the flower vases that belongs there. It looks real good. The rules are pretty clear, it's on the gate. I don't know about the Hilo one, but the rules are on the gate. We tell people to bring flowers the day after the cutting so it can stay there a week. Then the families won't get mad when they bring the flowers and then they cut the grass. That's what we do in Kona. Chair Doolittle: I think the standard for society is 10% of the people never get the word, 50% of the people know it but don't abide by it and the rest of the people abide by it. I think it's an ongoing problem that we'll always have to deal with. I agree that the rules should be posted somewhere for everyone to see. Most people don't pay attention to signs anyways. I don't know how you satisfy someone that gets angry when they see a rule being violated. Enforcing the rules sometimes is a never-ending job, so I don't know what to do and I believe Parks & Rec does the best they can do with the manpower they have. I'm always appreciative of the maintenance we do get. It's also that they care and concern by the people who do the maintenance. They're motivated by the best intentions. You just can't get everybody to follow the rules. Lewis: I'd like to bring up another topic about the cemeteries, but first of all, I wasn't on when we congratulated Moe and Brittany for coming back to us, yay! Thank you! Congratulations to you both. The cemetery stones, I don't think they've been cleaned for a year and half now. The Korean War Veterans and 3875 used to clean them at cemeteries one and two. That's a boat load of cemetery stones. I don't know if there's a plan, Moe for trying to work on that, but I think that group is aging out. I'm not sure, but maybe there's another group. Chair Doolittle: yeah, that's Emile's group and they've done a terrific job over the years. There are 8500 headstones from what I understand. That's a lot of work, that's two, three days of work. They've always done a magnificent job and I don't know who you're going to get to step up and do it because that's a monumental task. That's something we need to keep a focus on, because yeah, we're all getting older. Anybody else got a suggestion or comment related to that? Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes December 8, 2020 Page 5 Director Messina: Deb brought this up so I think it's something we definitely should look into. I don't know if it's one of the veteran's organizations or if one of you could reach out to maybe any VFW chapters to see if they could assist. Or if someone could reach out to Emile's group and see if that's what happened, they aged out and just can't do it no more. Does anybody know the answer to that? Chair Doolittle: I certainly don't know the answer. Lewis: What I do know is that since May, there is something that has prevented them. They tried to do it in the fall and then COVID hit. As you know our VFW took over Veterans Day for Korean War Veterans. (inaudible). We may have to go to other civil organization, like Rotary, something else that can get out there with pressure washers. We think they can keep the distance but were going to have to do a rider van. (inaudible). Chair Doolittle: You're right, it's an aging problem. (inaudible). They've got less than 20 members and that is a substantial burden and a costly one. They always did it in preparation of our Memorial Day ceremony. It always looked spectacular. We're going to have to address that need for some groups, maybe a combination of groups to coordinate trying to get that done. That's a huge ask. Lewis: I understand (inaudible) fuel. Chair Doolittle: that may be possible, we'll have to ask Emile. Sad to see he's not here today. Anymore comments about this. Liability Insurance for Events Antonio Gaspar: Regarding the liability insurance at the Wailoa Park, like the American Legion in Hilo, Councilman Aaron Chung will be buying the insurance for the American Legion when they do the celebration at the Wailoa Park. So, close the subject. Chair Doolittle: We still have the ongoing need to answer that question for all of the other events that go on. But commercial insurance industry is what is it. Liability insurance is kind of a standard rate, as long as there is no alcohol. Anyone else have any comments about the liability insurance issues we've been having? I don't hear any so let's move on. NEW BUSINESS Committee Vacancies Chair Doolittle: We have at least two or three now. Is that true? I know we lost Carolle Brulee-Wilson and Dale Wilson. Deputy Corporation Counsel J Yoshimoto: Michael? Chair Doolittle: Yes, J. Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes December 8, 2020 Page 6 Yoshimoto: I can give an update. From what I can tell, it looks like there's four vacancies. But in reviewing this, I want to confirm that we have the affiliations with the members with the corresponding organizations. So, Michael, can I just ask the members what's their affiliation so I can match it up with what's in the County Code? Chair Doolittle: Yes, please do. Yoshimoto: Antonio you're with the American Legion, is that correct? Gaspar: Yes, and also with the National Guard and also with (inaudible). Yoshimoto: Ok, thank you. So, for the purposes of the code, I have you listed as American Legion. As a brief summary, the code specifies the 12 organizations make up the representation. Next on the list I have Big Island National Guard Retirees Association, in my notes I have George Sheridan but, in my notes, I also see George for Hawaii Island Veterans Memorial. Does anyone know which organization George is with? Chair Doolittle: Well, George is with HIVM and VFW Post 3830 and also with Retired National Guard Association. So, I guess how we would distribute that is pick one that we don't have representation for, which I think would be the National Guard Retirees. Yoshimoto: That's correct, ok, I was hoping you would say that. Ok, next on the list I have Marcia with the Big Island Military Association. Is that correct? Brinkley: Yes, and I also belong to DAV. Yoshimoto: DAV, ok. And then for Hawaii Island Veterans Memorial I have Isaac and Michael. Chair Doolittle: Yes. Yoshimoto: Ok, so among the two of you do you belong to any other organizations because we can only have one from HIVM. Chair Doolittle: I also belong to VFW. So, I don't know how we want to allocate that. Isaac Nahakuelua: Hey, J, this is Isaac I'm also with Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3830. Yoshimoto: VFW? Ok, thank you. Then for Deb, I have you listed as Veterans of Foreign Wars. Do you belong to any others? Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes December 8, 2020 Page 7 Lewis: I do, I'm with the Women's Memorial one, which is a national one. (inaudible). But we don't have the parade listed. So, when we look at the ones, we have one there, like the IOOth Battalion, we probably aren't going to want that one on there anymore. Yoshimoto: OK, Minoru which one do you belong to? Minoru Hanato: I am representing the independent. Yoshimoto: You're At -Large? Ok, we'll put you At -Large, we have one for At -Large. Emile. Michael, do you know what organization Emile is representing? Chair Doolittle: Korea War Veterans would be the organization. Yoshimoto: Ok, I see it. We have a vacancy in Camp Tawara, Navy League, Combat Infantry Association and Military Order of the Purple Heart. Chair: I think we really need to have some kind of review and reallocation. I guess that's something that has to go through the County Council. (inaudible). Yoshimoto: Correct, I can draft that legislation and long as the Committee lets me know what changes needs to be made. Lewis: Yeah, Combat Infantry has like two members. But I think that's the same as Emile and (inaudible). His daughter is the Commander right now. Purple Heart has three members. I don't even know if Navy League ... who was with that. Navy League has non (inaudible). Chair Doolittle: I would make a suggestion, that we pick out what the major core veteran organizations are and have members from those and the balance of the committee be At - Large like Minoru. Because we're having a problem with this allocation and getting people from those organizations to step forward and volunteer. It would be more appropriate if we have VFW, HIVM, American Legion, DAV, the prominent groups and then have the rest be At -Large members. That's a discussion we need to have. I would like to have Emile in that discussion because he was adamite about that at the beginning of this committee's tenure. Lewis: Council do you have a suggestion. Yoshimoto: You could form an ad hoc committee and discuss this amongst the committee members to see what changes need to be made or you can just discuss it as an entire committee. We could agendize it for the next session. You're ok, to communicate with each other individually, Sunshine law says you have to form that ad hoc committee. Lewis: So, do we make a motion to form that ad hoc committee. Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes December 8, 2020 Page 8 Yoshimoto: Yeah, you would make a motion to form that committee, state its purpose, name its members. (inaudible). It might be faster if you just agendize it for the next meeting. (inaudible). I can draft the legislation. Chair Doolittle: I think that's a good suggestion. Lewis: So, you say, we agendize the forming of an ad hoc committee for February? (inaudible). Yoshimoto: (inaudible) We agendize this discussion for February and making a decision. We don't have to make a motion today. Basically, from today to the next meeting, committee members can look into this, discuss it. Then we'll put it on the agenda for the February meeting, at that point, there will be amotion to make certain changes. Then I can draft it and move it forward. Chair Doolittle: yeah, I think that's better than trying to go by setting up a committee and working it out. We're a small enough group that we can work this out in a regular meeting. I think that's the way to go. Lewis: Minoru has a comment right now. Hanato: What organization is open right now? I know DAV is open right now because Carolle Brulee went up to mainland and I don't think she's coming back. Lewis: Can you send up that information, the pukas? As a part of the minutes? Or just send it? Yoshimoto: Yes, I'll send it today. It'll basically show what we discussed today and I you have any questions or if I make any mistakes, let me know. But basically, the vacancies right now are: Military Order of the Purple Heart, Camp Tarawa, Navy League and Combat Infantrymen's Association. Hanato: Who's DAV? Brinkley: Minoru, I'm DAV. Lewis: it might be good to show us all the slots and how they're filled. Yoshimoto: I'll do that, because (inaudible). Brinkley: Yeah, I think all of us have several associations. Chair Doolittle: Yeah, there are multiple associations. We've resolved that, we're going to put it on the agenda for the next meeting. Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes December 8, 2020 Page 9 Gaspar: Marcia belongs to Daughters of American Revolution too. Chair Doolittle: So how we'll move forward with this, we'll put it on the agenda for the next meeting, we'll discuss it, we'll have some proposals, put a motion forward, vote on it and move it forward. Does that meet with everyone's approval? Chair Doolittle: I don't hear any objections, let's move forward. Homeless Veterans during Pandemic Emergency Chair Doolittle: This topic came about at our HIVM building site where we ended up with a large homeless community and 8 dump truck loads of junk and trash. We had no place to go with these people. Hope Services didn't want them because of the possibility of COVID infections and displacing them and evicting them from the site wasn't really the answer. We tried to dance around this for about 3 months without any resolution. The Mayor's office was involved, the police department our board of directors at HIVM. But the issue comes back up, one of the things we need to consider as an advisory to the County, how do we deal with homeless veterans, the bigger issue is how do we deal homelessness in general. It's not just veterans, we have a lot of homeless and to ignore that problem and the wider scope is irresponsible of the society. The issue of the veterans specifically because one of the squatters on our land was a veteran. I tried many different ways to try and find him a place and then he just wandered into the bush and then we lost contact with him. I don't know what we need to do or how we need to address this. But I think that's for a more in-depth discussion for our group and try to find some kind of creative solution for that. I just don't know where we go. Nahakuelua: I can add to that, when we have time. You know, as part of the social work- community, orkcommunity, let me know when you want me to go in depth with it. Chair Doolittle: it's probably a little but long for today and it's a better, it's an in-person discussion rather than this somewhat interrupted focus here. I think we need to put that on an agenda for some time in the not -too -distant future. I'd like to say February, but I don't know that we will be not in person meetings anytime in the near future. Certainly not before February. Any suggestions? Lewis: The only thing I'm thinking is that we need to be tied in with the community. They've go committees that are working, I know the churches are working it, so I'm just not sure who's the best contact. I can start making inquiries, but I think this is a big issue in our town and it is getting worse. It's affecting the bayfront stores, it used to be bad, but now its really accosting. It is getting ugly, really really ugly. Chair Doolittle: Yeah, that's a national problem as well. You're right, its kind of like what I was saying early on in this committee, there needs to be more coordination by all of the groups that have an interest in helping to solve this. As more of a select committee amongst the community representing just like we do on this committee, the churches a broader segment of the religious community, as well as the business community and the Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes December 8, 2020 Page 10 like because we all have a vested interest in not only resolving the issue of homelessness but there's a huge mental health problem with the homeless and that's a national problem and how we deal with it is certainly a lot deeper than what we can do in this committee. There's no doubt about that. It became a particular problem during this pandemic that everyone was afraid to get near anybody on the street for fear that they were infectious. Any more comments about that? I'd like to personally talk to you Isaac, about this. Nahakuelua: Alright, just let me know when. Chair Doolittle: I think we got as far as we can with that one. Reference Donations for Veterans in Need Chair Doolittle: Introduces topic. I don't know where that issue came from. Anybody here representing that? Item number C on our agenda. Nobody present today was responsible for putting that on there. Ok, I don't have much to say about that and I don't know what its in reference to. It just says, "Reference donations for veterans in need." That's almost like a VFW Welfare fund. No comments? Lewis: All I can say is that most of our groups are either shutdown or (inaudible)we can't just shutdown, we got to find a way to make some money to keep our doors open. So were still active but most of them are hurting. We normally have our fund; I didn't put that on the agenda that I can remember. Maybe I'm losing it too. I didn't put it on the agenda but (inaudible) we don't have a lot of funds here. There are still some grants out there. But it's interesting that you said Hope Services didn't want to take the homeless for example because they have a house that is for veterans. Chair Doolittle: Yeah, that issue came up because only one of the homeless at the site was a veteran and he drifted off to the woods and didn't want anything to do with Hope Services. But the rest of the group nobody wanted to touch for fear of COVID infection and the testing wasn't really well established at that time. We didn't have any venues for testing these people. Their contacts were kind of out there in the wilderness and the amount of junk they collected in a couple of months took 6 dump truck loads to clean the site. It was not a good situation to say the least. It just brings up the issue about the homeless and what we do. Every agency of government is all under a lot of economic stress right now. Any suggestions we come up with today were really not going to find any solutions until this COVID thing is under control. I think it's just time to table that, we'll address that at another time. Is that acceptable to everybody? Lewis: yes. Summary of Agendas Done Since Committee was Formed & Submit a Rellort to Major Kim and Thank Him for SuI212ort Chair Doolittle: Introduces last two topics of new business. Just review where we are and where were going so, we can also submit a report to the new Mayor about where we've been and where were going. That's going to require all of us to review the issues we've Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes December 8, 2020 Page 11 talked about and hopefully we can put something together that informs the new Mayor of what were doing and hopefully encourage some new nominations and committee members and thank Mayor Kim for his support in reestablishing this committee. Any comments about that? Lewis: I'm wondering if we can break it up, 1) Thank you to outgoing Mayor and I don't know if were able to do (Sunshine Law)(inaudible) we may want to wait till the next meeting to do something to thank him. Then we can have the authorization, we can make a motion to put together a letter (inaudible). Then maybe we have to prepare for the next meeting, although we have a bunch of things on the agenda already. Just wondering if we can break it up. Chair Doolittle: That's what I think we need to discuss; how do we segment it out. What we send to Mayor Roth is what we've accomplished over the last three years and where we want to go in the future, and I think website about memorials and things like that are things that will go on in perpetuity. Whereas other things are a one-time solve the problem and move forward. A little more, division of effort, I guess. Lewis: Maurice, are you guys putting together a report about what's been accomplished with the advisory committees? Director Messina: I'll have to check on that. I'll speak with Mitch about. Well, I'm not 100 % sure what they want to do with their committees. I'll rind out and get back to you guys. Chair Doolittle: Let's table this till the next meeting. Put it on the agenda for the next meeting. Let's come to a resolution at least in thanking Mayor Kim and informing Mayor Roth about our direction. Lewis: I make a motion to do that. Chair Doolittle: Ok, (laughter). Any second? Hanato: I second. Chair Doolittle: Ok, all in favor? Six ayes, none opposed. Motion carried. Rellort on Cemeteries No report — Roddy Sueoka absent Lewis: We need to ask Kelcie next time to come on board. I don't think she was invited, if there's a way to add her to our distribution list. Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes December 8, 2020 Page 12 Chair Doolittle: Who's Kelcie? Lewis: Kelcie Figueira, she's basically running that office right now. Brittany Iyo: Deb, does anyone have contact information for her? Lewis: Yes, you want me to send that to you? Iyo: Please. Lewis: Or send me a note to send you her contact information. Iyo: Ok, thank you. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Doolittle: Do we have any announcements? Hanato: Minoru Hanato, I'd like to request of the County to provide the small hand flags, 4 by 6 hand flags for the columbaria. Right now, they are providing the 12 by 14 flags for the ground interment. But the columbarium we put the large flags and it looks terrible and it falls down because the spaces are very small. Normally the County provides bigger flags for all the cemeteries and they've been doing a great job. But because all of the new columbarium that are in Hilo and Kona, it'd be better if we put the small flags in the vases that are on the columbarium. Director Messina: What size was that again you were asking about? Hanato: the flag size is 4 by 6, the small one. The one we pass out during the parade. Director Messina: Alright, sounds good. We'll take care of it. Hanato: Another announcement, on the Kona side. On the 19th of this month were going to have Wreaths Across America. Set up starts at 8:00 and the program starts at 9:00. All the organizations, whoever can come down to represent each military service. They put the wreath on every grave. This will be run by the DAV in Kona. But all the organizations help and it's really good, really nice. Lewis: We've received the additional wreaths. We don't request separate wreaths but if there were any leftovers, we've received those in the past. Hanato: Thank you that. Another announcement just before Veterans Day our honor guard, the DAV, American Legion and the Boys Scouts went in and put in 6 -inch pipes right next to the headstones all at the very corner which is everyone is at the same place, so it looks uniform. On Veterans Day the Boys Scouts and Cub Scouts came out and put the flags, when they put the flags in there, it was done within half an hour. It made a real Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes December 8, 2020 Page 13 big difference in putting those flags in. The ground is not dirt, so it made it easier. Just thought I'd let you guys know about that. Lewis: Yeah, well we'll take ideas. When the Boys Scouts are doing it, they break it all the time. This past couple have been adults, so we've only had a couple break. But you're absolutely right, that would speed the process and it would also protect the flag base. Hanato: So far, we haven't had anyone get hurt from poking the flag in the ground and poking their hand. Chair Doolittle: I assume those pipes are plastic. Hanato: Oh yeah, PVC. It's not that thin, because they'll crack eventually. We place it close to the headstone, so the lawnmower won't damage it. When we installed it, we did it in a way that won't damage the headstone because the headstone is very brittle. Chair Doolittle: Yeah, good suggestion. Do we have anything else? Yoshimoto: I wanted to ask Minoru if he belongs to the Disabled American Veterans organization? Hanato: yeah, I do. Yoshimoto: Ok, I'll list you there. That will free up the At -Large seat. Hanato: Ok, I was At -Large because the DAV was taken. Carolle Brulee was also in that spot. Yoshimoto: I'll list Minoru as Disable American Veterans. Because both Michael and Isaac you both belong to the same HIVM, that's correct. Do you also belong to other organizations? Nahakuelua: VFW Post 3830. Lewis: We have a lot of VFW reps. That said, we have three VFW groups, pretty good size. Yoshimoto: I'll send the email out and the committee can figure out what we want to do. Chair Doolittle: Ok, moving on, does anyone have any other announcements? Lewis: The only thing I have to add, apparently there are two groups, but I don't know these acronyms, Maurice maybe you know these. CAP and ICIA's Ending Homelessness. Chair Doolittle: Well CAP is Civil Air Patrol. Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes December 8, 2020 Page 14 Lewis: Well, it could be, but I don't think its Civil Air Patrol, I think it's an acronym for something else. Then there's another ICIA's Ending Homelessness. So, there's at least two initiatives trying to end homelessness in our community. I asked our Chaplain, she said they're not meeting regularly. They were meeting regularly during the lava flow. But she said a Laverne Tomly and she's involved with homelessness in the community. I'm sure there's quite the contact who are spearheading that because there's all the churches that are trying to synchronize meals and things like that. Chair Doolittle: I think to make it a little bit more poignant group to have at least some kind of community county action. To appoint a task force to look at it or some official. Lewis: There's a Community Alliance Partners, that's the CAP. There's two initiative the other one is Interfaith Community in Action, that's a subgroup that's made up of various service non -profits. So, they have a major organization and then they have subgroup that does it and that they would welcome our participation. I have a point of contact, Laverne Tomly who I will find out that contact information. Chair Doolittle: Good. Just to move that whole idea is something that needs a little bit more of a push. I think it's been exacerbated by this whole COVID thing. Where we go with it and how we solve it is a very confusing and complex problem. Anyone have anything else? NEXT MEETING The next meeting is scheduled for February 23 at 1:30 pm. Hanato motioned to adjourn. Lewis seconded. Chair Doolittle: All in favor? Nine ayes, meeting adjourned at 2:44 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Srdta y Iya- Secretary