HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-12-15 Committee on the Status of Women MinutesCounty of Hawaii
MITCHELL D. ROTH COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
Mayor c/o 655 Kilauea Avenue • Hilo, Hawaii 96720
(808) 961-0466 • Fax (808) 961-8908
Pursuant to the Mayor's Proclamation regarding COVID-19,
to prevent the spread of the Corona virus and to ensure social distancing, this meeting will be
held online via ZoomGov platform. Committee members and members of the public may attend
either online or by telephone.
Anyone wishing to provide testimony on an agenda item may do so by submitting it
in writing, or by email or fax to:
Allen Bartolome, Special Projects Coordinator
Address: Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, 655 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720
Email:Allen.Bartolome@Hawaiicounty.gov
Fax: (808) 961-8908
MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
9:30am to 11:30am
Remote participation via ZoomGov link:
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I. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 9:43 a.m. by the Chair.
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present: Mihaela Ryer (Chair), Farrah -Marie Gomes, Mele Spencer, Shana
Kukila, Hannah Preston -Pita, Elena Cabatu (arrived at 9:52 a.m.).
County of Hawaii
MITCHELL D. ROTH COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
Mayor c/o 655 Kilauea Avenue • Hilo, Hawaii 96720
(808) 961-0466 • Fax (808) 961-8908
Members Excused: Brooke Derby, Andrew Langtry.
Non-members Present: Cody Frenz (Corporation Counsel), Pomaika'i Bartolome
(Executive Assistant to the Mayor).
Guests: Jessica Histo of the Hawai'i Diaper Bank.
III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION: Farrah -Marie motioned to approve the Agenda; Mele seconded the motion;
all members voted in favor of the motion; motion passed.
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Mele motioned to approve the November 17, 2021 minutes with corrections; Farrah -
Marie seconded the motion; all members voted in favor of the motion;
motion passed.
Shana said that the September 15, 2021 meeting minutes still needed to be approved;
Mihaela asked the minutes to be done as a Word document for easier editing;
Farrah -Marie said she would make the correction for the September meeting minutes.
ACTION ITEM: Farrah -Marie will resubmit the September 22, 2021 meeting minutes, as
corrected, at the January 19, 2021 meeting for final approval.
V. TREASURER'S REPORT
No Treasurer's report.
VI. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Jessica Histo of the Hawai'i Diaper Bank shared about her organization.
VII. CORRESPONDENCE
No new correspondence.
Vill. REPORTS
A. HSCSW liaison report
No liaison report, Cyd Hoffeld not present. CSW survey was sent out and Mihaela,
Mele, and Hannah were able to complete it. Others were not able to access the
document.
B. Family Violence Interagency Committee (FVIC)
Kahea attended the meeting and said there were discussions about secret
distress hand signals for victims to avoid detection by perpetrators of
human trafficking; bullying; domestic violence; training judges in these areas.
County of Hawaii
MITCHELL D. ROTH COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
Mayor c/o 655 Kilauea Avenue • Hilo, Hawaii 96720
(808) 961-0466 • Fax (808) 961-8908
C. Missing and Murdered Native Hawaiian Women and Girls (MMNHWG)
Task Force
Mihaela attended the December 9, 2021 meeting and said there are 23
organizations involved in the task force. They are each listed in the November
17, 2021 meeting minutes. She said the main focus of the task force will be
data gathering for reports and studies surrounding the issue of missing and
murdered native Hawaiian women and girls. Mihaela said the next meeting is
February 10, and the next Chair of HCSW must attend.
IX. OLD BUSINESS
A. Committee membership, term -out, appointments and re -appointments
Mihaela announced she is not pursuing another term on the committee.
She is still going to attend the January 5, 2021 event at the County Council
and is willing to stay until January 31, 2021, if needed. Farrah -Marie said
the Vice Chair is supposed to be Chair by default. Mihaela announced that
new committee member Lisa Pana will take her place beginning in January
2022. Chair and Vice -Chair will be elected during the January meeting.
Elena Cabatu was also announced as a new member for the next four
years, from December 2021 to December 2025, per committee by-laws.
Elena is a former committee member and currently works as the Director
for Public Affairs of the Hilo Medical Center. She has a background in
women's health and advocacy and is a member of the Zonta Club of Hilo.
She takes the place of Matapuna Levenson, who left the committee in
October 2021.
Mihaela said that five committee members will be terming out on December
31, 2021: Andrew, Brooke, Farrah -Marie, Mele, and Mihaela. Mele and
Mihaela both said they will not be reapplying for another term and that
Andrew, Brooke, and Farrah -Marie will be reapplying. Hannah will also
reapply, since she took over the rest of Tammy's term, which ends on
December 31, 2021. Farrah -Marie asked about reappointment rules and if
the new and reappointed members will be on two year, three year, or four
year staggered terms.
Mihaela said that the committee by-laws are silent on reappointment of
committee members and that staggered terms may be needed to maintain
continuity of quorum. Pomai said that according to the County Charter,
members of county boards and commissions must sit out for two years
before reapplying and that staggered terms is an issue.
County of Hawaii
MITCHELL D. ROTH COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
Mayor c/o 655 Kilauea Avenue • Hilo, Hawaii 96720
(808) 961-0466 • Fax (808) 961-8908
Cody said the County Charter only applies to boards and commissions it
creates, and HCSW was not created by the County Charter. Therefore,
HCSW must adhere to its own committee by-laws under the direction of the
Mayor of Hawai'i County. She said there are upcoming amendments to the County
Charter which could affect the committee beginning in 2022.
Farrah -Marie suggested amending the committee by-laws to address the
staggered term and reappointments issue. Cody said she would accept proposed
amendments to the by-laws for discussion at a future meeting. Farrah -Marie
asked Pomai if there are any pending applications for new committee members.
Pomai said yes, there are. Farrah -Marie asked if we should vote to amend by-
laws and Pomai said whatever the committee wants to amend, the Mayor
is in full support.
Mihaela suggested keeping things as is, with new and reappointed
members staying on the full four years. She said the committee can vote
on an amendment to the by-laws at the January 2022 meeting with any
other amendments. Farrah -Marie suggested making a motion for it.
MOTION: Kahea motioned to include the following items in the January
2022 committee meeting agenda:
1. Election of a new Chair and Vice Chair;
2. To amend by-laws to allow for staggered terms;
3. To amend by-laws to address reappointments;
4. To amend by-laws to address new member appointments;
5. To amend by-laws for any other issues brought before the
committee
Hannah seconded the motion; the committee voted to approve motion.
Motion passed.
ACTION ITEM: Cody will work with the Chair to draft the next meeting
agenda for January 19, 2022 to include these agenda items.
B. Nominating Sub -Committee:
• Election of the Sub -Committee
Not discussed at the meeting due to time.
C. Communications (Brochure, Family Services Directory, Social Media)
County of Hawaii
MITCHELL D. ROTH COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
Mayor c/o 655 Kilauea Avenue • Hilo, Hawaii 96720
(808) 961-0466 • Fax (808) 961-8908
• Family Services Directory
Farrah -Marie said she updated the 2022 online version and is working
on more edits. Hannah took 100 for BISAC. Mele said the Department
of Health requested an updated printed version.
• Facebook page
Mihaela said that the HCSW Facebook page is up and running. Beginning
in January of 2022, she will be handing over administrative duties of the page
to Farrah -Marie and Shana.
• Brochure
Mihaela presented the newest version of the HCSW brochure. She said she
left out names because of the recent changes, and so it can remain relevant
regardless of who is on the committee. The copy of the approved brochure is
attached to this document.
D. Outreach (Teen Dating Violence, Real Women Essay, Ma'i Movement, MM2022)
• Teen Dating Violence Cards
Mele said the cards are still being made and that there is a $300 budget for it.
Due to ongoing issues with printing it with the current vendor, Mele said that
Allen said to outsource it to a county vendor who is on O'ahu, which may take up
to a year to complete.
ACTION ITEM: Farrah -Marie and Shana will follow up with Allen about the Teen
Dating Violence cards.
• Real Women Essay Contest
Farrah-Marrie said there is video footage of the latest essay contest participants to
be edited into 3-5 minute segments, but Na Leo Community Television is no longer
working out due to a staffing change. Mihaela said she can do the edits.
• Ma'i Movement
No report at this time. Farrah -Marie said she is looking into how the committee can
continue to support this project.
• Malama Makuahine Year of the Mother 2022
Mihaela said that the Mayor's Proclamation is complete and she has the hard copy.
She also said that on January 5, 2022, the committee is invited to an official
presentation of the Year of the Mother 2022 where they will present the county
resolution and serve a luncheon for us all on the Mayor's lanai. She said an email
will be sent to all of the committee members to RSVP.
County of Hawaii
MITCHELL D. ROTH COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
Mayor c/o 655 Kilauea Avenue • Hilo, Hawaii 96720
(808) 961-0466 • Fax (808) 961-8908
Shana presented the latest version of the proposed budget. Mele said it should be
more substantive to a higher purpose than what is listed on the budget, such as
travel to Honolulu for legislative advocacy. Shana responded by saying that there
is no clear direction on what the Outreach Subcommittee is supposed to do, so that
is the reason for this budget item, which is part of the overall project. Mihaela
suggested the committee table the budget until January 19, 2022, in order to
review the existing budget and create a better narrative for it. Shana agreed.
MOTION: Kahea motioned to table the Revised Budget for the Malama Makuahine
Year of the Mother 2022 project until the January 19, 2022 committee meeting for
further discussion and a vote. Mele seconded the motion. All committee members
voted in favor of the motion. Motion passed.
Shana presented the flag design and flyer for the project. Elena suggested fixing
the graphic to make it more to scale. Mele suggested printing it on a heavy paper
Instead of a flimsy copy paper version. Shana said everyone can print out their own
on any paper or just send as emails in order to save on printing cost and time.
MOTION: Elena motioned to approve both the flag design as is and the flyer design
with a graphic edit. Mele seconded the motion. All committee members voted in
favor of the motion. Motion passed.
ACTION ITEM: Shana will fix the flyer graphic and send it out to all committee
members via email as soon as possible.
Shana shared the schedule for the project in 2022 and asks all committee
members to find a month and theme that they can contribute to. She said
For now, help is needed for the next three months of January, February, and
March. She said January is taken care of so far, but she asked if all committee
members would look at legislation that supports mothers and families and to
send those to her.
E. Research (Status of Women Report, Equal Pay)
No report due to time constraints.
F. Legislative & Advocacy: Human Trafficking, Equal Pay
No report due to time constraints.
X. ANNOUNCEMENTS
No announcements.
County of Hawaii
MITCHELL D. ROTH COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
Mayor c/o 655 Kilauea Avenue • Hilo, Hawaii 96720
(808) 961-0466 • Fax (808) 961-8908
• January meeting venue
Not addressed due to time constraints.
• 2022 meeting dates
Not addressed due to time constraints.
XI. ADJOURNMENT
Chair adjourned the meeting at 11:49 a.m.
Next meeting: January 19, 2022
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PLEASE CALL ALLEN BARTOLOME AT (808) 961-0466.
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Registration forms and expenditure report documents are available at the County Clerk Council, 25 Aupuni
Street, Hilo Hawai'i 96720.