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HomeMy WebLinkAbout('24) - 1-10-24 Youth Commission Agenda County of Hawai‘i Youth Commission 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603, Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 (808) 961-8211 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Hwy., Bldg C , Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i 96740 (808) 323-4444 Lee E. Lord Managing Director Mitchell D. Roth Mayor Hemi Martinez Aelani Keolanui Laʻakea Judd Benjamin Rudo Kyla-Marie Turner Marquis P. Fonoimoana Miliani Bunghanoi-Aiu Peyton Haleamau Abigail-Zoe Garan Damon Nagata Cheydon A. Naleimaile-Evangelista Eric P. Gee Goretti Allen Hayden Konanui-Tucker Perseas Vanebo Ex-Officio: Councilmember Jenn Kagiwada Robert H. Command Deputy Managing Director Meeting Minutes DATE: Wednesday, January 10th, 2024 TIME: 3:00p.m. - 4:30p.m. IN-PERSON LOCATION: West Hawaiʻi Civic Center / Mayorʻs Office 74-5044 Anekeohokālole Hwy., Kailua-Kona. HI 96740 Members Present: Aelani Kuikahi-Keolanui, Benjamin Rudo, Kyla-Marie Turner, Marquis Fonoimoana, Peyton Haleamau, Abigail-Zoe Garan, Damon Nagata, Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista, Eric Gee, Goretti Allen, Perseas Vanebo, Miliani Bunghanoi-Aiu, Hemi Martinez, Jenn Kagiwada (Ex-Officio). Members Not Present: Laʻakea Judd, Hayden Konanui-Tucker. Non-Members Present: Robert Command (Deputy Managing Director), Tavares, Sherilyn K. (Attorney, Corporation Counsel) Alexey Katko (Mayor’s Office), Shannon Matson (Legislative Assistant, D2), Christopher Ho 1. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting called to order at 3:01 pm by Eric Gee 2. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC 1) Woody Plaut o Shared that the commissions fact sheet and why it was created. He was excited to see the commission being formed. Purpose of this commission is to address local issues. This is a clear warning for you to maintain a clear focus on your objectives. 2) Aviva Plaut o Was puzzled to see item 6a on agenda. She was concerned about the misinformation being spread. Oversimplifying a complex topic is dangerous. 3) Erika Applebaum o Shared a brief on history Jewish people through the creation of Israel and Palestinian state in recent times after WW2. Shared about the wars with Israel and its neighbors through recent times. 4) Carl Wigren o Shared about his interaction about stance on the recent events in Israel and their emotional impacts on him. There is great misinformation. Hamas embeds itself with the civilians while attacking Israel. 5) Elyse Burkhalter County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. o Shared that what is going on is a very complicated situation in Israel. And that believing in propaganda is dangerous. Israel is not oppressing the Gaza people, but by their own leadership. 6) Rachel Short o Was unhappy that she was uninvited at the last minute to present a different side of the topic about the war. This is why there is a room full of people today testifying. What’s happening today in this commission is extremely inappropriate. It’s your duty to hear all sides of any topic. You are going against county council and mayors advice. Having only one speaker from a discussion is not appropriate. 7) Alan Silverman o There seems to be a tendency by Hawaiian sovereignty and independence advocates to consider Hamas as representing an indigenous people expressed by a colonial power. But Hamas goal and intention is to kill Jews, and they have become more sophisticated over the years. Making it worse is they place their military targets in the midst of civilians. Hamas cares more about killing Jews than caring for their own people. 8) Leann Takayama Paiva o Could not get on the audio 3. APPROVAL OF THE DECEMBER 13, 2023 MEETING MINUTES - Commissioner Benjamin Rudo made motion to approve minutes. - Turner, Kyla-Marie seconded the motion. VOTING: • All said Aye. Not Present: ✓ Laʻakea Judd, Hayden Konanui-Tucker ✓ With 13 ayes meeting minutes approved. 4. ODL BUSINESS 1. 5a. Discussion on Using Social Media for the Youth Commission a. Benjamin Rudo: asked what the plan is for social media. b. Kyla-Marie Turner suggested it would be good to have a website or an Instagram account to inform people of what the commission is up to. c. Bobby Command: a few questions to consider. i. How will this look? Website Facebook, Instagram, other platforms? Informal website without the county seal? ii. How much will it cost? The commission has a budget of $5,000. iii. Who is going to maintain it? Yourself or County Staff? iv. What is the purpose, what would be the content? Just information about commission? Opinions of Commission? Just announcements? Have you considered liability? d. Jenn Kagiwada asked: advised to put out only official content that is agenized. Because once you are off of official channels things can go wrong. e. Eric Gee: between last meeting and this one, we clearly want to establish a way to reach out. State & Honolulu Youth commissions use Instagram to stay up to date. f. Kyla-Marie Turner: asked what would it look like to put in a request and who would maintain the website? Us or who? g. Jenn Kagiwada: suggested that leadership discuss this and come back latter with suggestions. h. Eric Gee: Leadership did discuss and we would like to ask mayors office to establish a Youth Commission Tab on our behalf. Another idea is to start an Instagram account under moderation of Corp counsel. County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. i. Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista: suggested to have a “Historian” who manages the posting j. Benjamin Rudo: agreed that’s a great idea so long as it doesn’t cost them a salary for the person. k. Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista: clarified that he meant for a commissioner to take on the roll to work with Corp Counsel. l. Eric Gee: if we do establish a new position on the commission, we can’t do it today, we would need to amend the bylaws, and have it on the agenda next meeting to make an official proposal to the mayors office. m. Kyla-Marie Turner: I think it is worth it to have a commissioner work with Corp Counsel on our behalf. n. Damon Nagata: agreed to discuss this at the next meeting. o. Kyla-Marie Turner: made motion to discuss having a youth commission historian to the next meeting, to haver a youth commission tab on the county website, and for historian to work with Corp counsel for posting information, and request support from the Mayors office and the county council. Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista: seconds. VOTING: ✓ Benjamin Rudo: Aye ✓ Kyla-Marie Turner: Aye ✓ Marquis Fonoimoana: Aye ✓ Miliani Bunghanoi-Aiu ✓ Peyton Haleamau: Aye ✓ Abigail-Zoe Garan: Aye ✓ Damon Nagata: Aye ✓ Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista: Aye ✓ Goretti Allen: Aye ✓ Perseas Vanebo: Aye ✓ Eric Gee: Aye Not Present: ✓ Hemi Martinez ✓ Aelani Kuikahi-Keolanui ✓ Laʻakea Judd ✓ Hayden Konanui-Tucker ✓ VOTING: 11 ayes, 4 not present 5b. Old Business (Discussion on Commissioners’ Proposals for Projects the Youth Commission wants to accomplish.) - Eric Gee: notified this is the time to create commissions priorities. Gave example of what the Youth State Commission is doing such as education, environment, and housing. - Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista: shared how in their training they talked about climate change and housing. - Abigail-Zoe Garan: suggested youth mental health as a subject. - Benjamin Rudo: suggested food sovereignty, cultural revitalization. Voiced concern that climate change and housing is something he has no idea how they would tackle that with the limited time they have. - Eric Gee: reiterated of the commissions duty to advise the mayor and county council on legislative priorities, inform youth of local opportunities. - Benjamin Rudo: asked what is considered a project. - Eric Gee: responded by saying that it can be individual bills they brought up to the commission or commissions as a whole. County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. - Benjamin Rudo: asked what kind of power they actually have as well as with the kind of budget of $5,000 that they have access to. Are we just planners and others do the work? Or are we the ones doing the work? a. Eric Gee: this is what we are going to be discussing if we want to partner or work on things ourselves. - Benjamin Rudo: asked if commission can draft bill and Eric Gee shared how process works with bills. - Jenn Kagiwada shared she will be willing to help with anything bill related like drafting or supporting bills. Can also do resolutions and communications. a. Shared someone from community approached her pertaining to teen mental health and that she would be willing to help with that topic. She is a mental health specialist on Island. With her we spoke about ideas on educating public more about the 988 mental issues help line. Shared with commission that they might be the best partner to get info out there. b. Eric Gee: asked if this is something she would like to focus on? c. Jenn Kagiwada: Suggested she would like for the specialist to speak to them and then take it from there. - Kyla-Marie Turner: clarified that 988 is the new hotline number. - Shannon Matson: clarified you can call and text 988 hotline 24/7. If you call from a local area code you’ll be connected with a local professional. - Benjamin Rudo; asked if there are future opportunities to discus this further. - Eric Gee: answered “Yes”, and urged to set priorities today as the process is lengthy to discuss it at another meeting. - Abigail-Zoe Garan: “I think a good idea was to find the speaker, and actually have them go to our schools and have an assembly, and actually be able to talk to a large crowd more than having to share it over social media, or like in any sort of particle.” - Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista: agreed for the speaker to come and speak to the commission. - Marquis Fonoimoana: shared that bringing speakers directly to schools would be very beneficial as he personally experienced the power of being able to talk to the speaker directly. - Kyla-Marie Turner: can we speak to our schools as Youth Commission representatives? a. Eric Gee: once our commission votes on an issue, we can also motion to do presentations with schools on our commissions behalf. Everything talked about in a presentation must be voted on at the commission meetings. - Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista: makes motion to make mental health a priority for the youth commission. a. Peyton Haleamau: seconded the motion - Tavares, Sherilyn K: suggested to bring in the speaker to share with them directly about mental health. a. Kyla-Marie Turner: agreed. ✓ Benjamin Rudo: Aye ✓ Kyla-Marie Turner: Aye ✓ Marquis Fonoimoana: Aye ✓ Miliani Bunghanoi-Aiu ✓ Peyton Haleamau: Aye ✓ Abigail-Zoe Garan: Aye ✓ Damon Nagata: Aye ✓ Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista: Aye ✓ Goretti Allen: Aye ✓ Perseas Vanebo: Aye ✓ Eric Gee: Aye ✓ VOTING: 11 ayes, 4 not present (Mental Health has been established as a Hawaii County Youth Commission Priority.) - Eric Gee: motions for a 10 minute recess. Seconded by Benjamin Rudo. Passed with 11 Ayes. County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. a. Eric Gee amended motion to extend recess to 4:30pm. Passed with 11 Ayes. Eric Gee: 4:30pm called meeting back to order. Alexey Katko: Roll Call. ✓ Benjamin Rudo: Aye ✓ Kyla-Marie Turner: Aye ✓ Marquis Fonoimoana: Aye ✓ Miliani Bunghanoi-Aiu ✓ Peyton Haleamau: Aye ✓ Abigail-Zoe Garan: Aye ✓ Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista: Aye ✓ Goretti Allen: Aye ✓ Perseas Vanebo: Aye ✓ Eric Gee: Aye Not Present: ✓ Damon Nagata ✓ Hemi Martinez ✓ Aelani Kuikahi-Keolanui ✓ Laʻakea Judd ✓ Hayden Konanui-Tucker ✓ 10 Present and 5 Not Present. - Kyla-Marie Turner: brought up food security as a subject to focus on and possibly make a priority. Shared about bill by Amy Peruso HB250 HD1 about food programs for preference for unprocessed locally grown food. Can we reach out to our schools to see what they might need to help them better succeed in this process? - Benjamin Rudo: addressing food sovereignty was what I proposed. Like getting gardens in schools. - Alexey Katko: shared about a MountainView Elementary school doing things with growing food. o Benjamin Rudo clarified it is not for cafeteria consumption but rather for children to take home plants. o Jenn Kagiwada asked if Aelani was on. Alexey Katko confirmed she is not. Jen said she will talk to her directly about this subject matter. - Kyla-Marie Turner:clarified what she and Ben are talking about are a bit different topics. She is talking about DOE procuring more local foods from farmers. - Alexey Katko: shared about the challenges about local food procurement from local farmers. - Eric Gee: voiced his concern about the amount of time this particular topic would take from the commission. - Jenn Kagiwada: suggested that today was about just putting the topics and subjects out there to prioritize and then discus them more going forward in other meetings. - Kyla-Marie Turner: suggested to find someone from the DEO to speak with who can come and do a talk for us about this subject. o Made a Motion: to make a food sovereignty a priority for the Youth Commissioner. Benjamin Rudo seconded. ✓ Benjamin Rudo: Aye ✓ Kyla-Marie Turner: Aye ✓ Marquis Fonoimoana: Aye ✓ Miliani Bunghanoi-Aiu: Aye ✓ Peyton Haleamau: Aye ✓ Abigail-Zoe Garan: Aye ✓ Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista: Aye County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. ✓ Goretti Allen: Aye ✓ Perseas Vanebo: Aye ✓ Eric Gee: Aye Not Present: ✓ Damon Nagata ✓ Hemi Martinez ✓ Aelani Kuikahi-Keolanui ✓ Laʻakea Judd ✓ Hayden Konanui-Tucker ✓ 10 Present and 5 Not Present. (Food Sovereignty has been established as a priority.) 6a. New Business (10-Minute presentation via Zoom by Hawai‘i for Palestine about its entity and spreading awareness of the conflict in Palestine.) - Eric Gee: clarified that the purpose of the video and the subject matter on Palestine was to inform the Youth Commission about what is happening and not try make any stances. It is a current event update. Apologized if people were offended. Offered time for public testimony. - PUBLIC TESTIMONY 9) Susan Reynolds o Shared how people are picketing for Palestine and against the Jewish people. God gave this land to the Jews long ago. 10) Susan Reynolds o Everyone deserves to live in safety and peace. People want peace, but the political system are causing the hate and terrorism. Both peoples are the victims. Hamas were the perpetrators. Free Palestine is a powerful slogan but ambiguous. We have to ask these people what they mean by free, from Jordan to the sea. How do you negotiate with someone who’s only goal is to kill you? Israel is freeing the Palestinians from the Hamas dictatorship. 11) Susie Chun o Truth is important. Hamas is holding the Palestinian people hostage. Look for the truth from different aspects. You cant make peace with someone who wants to kill you. They want to kill the Jewish people, please be informed. - Eric Gee: played the prepared video. - Jenn Kagiwada: suggested going forward to focus the commissions energy on the people of the county. - Kyla-Marie Turner: thanked all testifiers and video creator. Agreed to keep the topics on local matters. Shared that Hawaii does have ties with Palestinians as well as Jewish peoples. - Jenn Kagiwada: agreed with the commission members and clarified her point was to be free to educate yourselves but as to actual action items to focus on local topics. 6b. New Business (Discussion on possible creation of an official logo for the County of Hawai‘i Youth Commission.) - Benjamin Rudo: will it be specific to us use general county seal? - Eric Gee: shared he has done research on other seals of commissions. State and Honolulu youth commissions have their own seals and pair it with the county. o Do we want to create an official logo for the youth commission? o Does anyone want to offer up to create one? County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. - Alexey Katko: suggested they can use dale-3 as a tool for ideas for a youth commission to Create a Hawaii island youth commission logo they can use on their official papers and website. - Benjamin Rudo: mentioned other AI tools to help with idea generation for seals. Shared he is willing to look over the drafts of designs and give input and feedback. - Miliani Bunghanoi-Aiu: offered to create a logo design. - Kyla-Marie Turner: shared she would like to make sure east and west side are equally represented in the logo. - Benjamin Rudo: motioned to create a subcommittee for creating the logo for the County of Hawaii Youth Commission. Miliani Bunghanoi-Aiu seconded. ✓ Benjamin Rudo: Aye ✓ Kyla-Marie Turner: Aye ✓ Marquis Fonoimoana: Aye ✓ Miliani Bunghanoi-Aiu ✓ Peyton Haleamau: Aye ✓ Abigail-Zoe Garan: Aye ✓ Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista: Aye ✓ Goretti Allen: Aye ✓ Perseas Vanebo: Aye ✓ Eric Gee: Aye Not Present: ✓ Damon Nagata ✓ Hemi Martinez ✓ Aelani Kuikahi-Keolanui ✓ Laʻakea Judd ✓ Hayden Konanui-Tucker ✓ 10 Present and 5 Not Present. (A logo will be created for the Hawaii County Youth Commission.) 6c. New Business (Discussion on creating a survey to issue to all Hawai‘i public middle and high schools about their engagement in their communities and interests in local politics.) - Eric Gee: we added this because it is what the Honolulu commission does. They send out a survey every month. It helps them get a better idea of where their communities are. - Bobby Command: how is this survey going to be conducted? Virtual or physical? - Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista: voiced that surveys will help guide the commission which direction to focus on. Focus on public middle/high schools and charter/private schools. o Benjamin Rudo: agreed this is a great idea. - Kyla-Marie Turner: asked if undergrad students and college students can be included since some of the commission members are in that demographic. - Eric Gee: asked another commissioner who attends college in Oahu about her thoughts and she said it is a fun experience in college but that you get distracted very easily. o Asked if its only going to be sent to people living in the county or youth from the county that live outside the county? Shared that they can figure out exactly how it is best to do the surveys themselves. o Kyla-Marie Turner: said she would be open to both. But whatever is better we will figure it out. o Eric Gee: suggested to create a subcommittee less than quorum which is 7 or less members to discus this subject of creating a survey. o Benjamin Rudo: shared it should be digital for ease. o Abigail-Zoe Garan: made motion to create a subcommittee to work on the youth survey. Marquis Fonoimoana seconded. ✓ Benjamin Rudo: Aye County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. ✓ Kyla-Marie Turner: Aye ✓ Marquis Fonoimoana: Aye ✓ Miliani Bunghanoi-Aiu ✓ Peyton Haleamau: Aye ✓ Abigail-Zoe Garan: Aye ✓ Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista: Aye ✓ Goretti Allen: Aye ✓ Perseas Vanebo: Aye ✓ Eric Gee: Aye Not Present: ✓ Damon Nagata ✓ Hemi Martinez ✓ Aelani Kuikahi-Keolanui ✓ Laʻakea Judd ✓ Hayden Konanui-Tucker ✓ 10 Present and 5 Not Present. (Established to set up a subcommittee to create a survey.)2:49:48 6d. New Business (Proposed agenda topics and speakers for next meeting.) Eric Gee: clarified that they do not need to vote for things to be on the agenda. Email or text me 7a. Announcements (Next Youth Commission meeting) Eric Gee: February 14, 2024. Next meeting will be on Hilo side. We do have a few issues with the dates and having access to only the smaller rooms. County council meets Wednesdays. Jenn Kagiwada: she clarified that it’s not always the council, sometimes it can be other commissions and boards. Eric Gee: any discussion on changing the meeting dates? Benjamin Rudo: shared Tuesdays would be the better days for him. Jenn Kagiwada: suggested to keep the dates already set for Feb and March. And then to change future dates because there will be more leeway. Eric Gee: asked if anyone is opposed to keeping the Feb & March date. No one said anything. Asked why dates were set not for the whole year and. Jenn Kagiwada: Because this was a trial run for the commission. 7b. Announcements (Any other announcements, including events of interest for Youth Commissioners.) Eric Gee: any other announcements? Kyla-Marie Turner: The Wall that heals is in town for viewing. It’s a traveling exhibit a ¾ replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Will be here Jan 24-28th. It will be going to Maui afterwards. Jenn Kagiwada: shared there is a summer Akamai Internship program for any Hawaii College Student in STEM fields. You get $4,400. Deadline to apply is Feb 5, 2024. I can send information via email. Eric Gee: shared that Jan 17 is opening day of state legislature. County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. 8. Adjournment Eric Gee requested a motion for adjournment. a. Goretti Allen: motions to adjourn. Peyton Haleamau seconds. i. All commissioners said Aye. 1. Meeting was adjourned at 5:35 pm. Submitting Testimony: Those wishing to testify in person must register with the Commission Secretary at the meeting. Those submitting written testimony at the meeting should bring 10 copies for distribution. Testimony may be submitted by (1) mail to Youth Commission c/o Office of the Mayor, 25 Aupuni St., Suite 2603, Hilo, HI 96720; or (2) by email to. Please submit separate testimony for each item. Copies will be distributed by the commission secretary at the meeting. All oral and written testimony will be public record. Notice to Lobbyists: If you are a lobbyist, you must register with the Hawai‘i County Clerk within five days of becoming a lobbyist [Article 15, Section 2-91.3(b), Hawai‘i County Code]. A lobbyist means “any individual engaged for pay or other consideration who spends more than five hours in any month or $275 in any six-month period for the purpose of attempting to influence legislative or administrative action by communicating or urging others to communicate with public officials.” [Article 15, Section 2-91.3(a) (6), Hawai‘i County Code] Registration forms and expenditure report documents are available at the Office of the County Clerk, 25 Aupuni St., Room 1402, Hilo. Board Packet: Pursuant to Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes §92-7.5, the board packet provided to members of this board for this meeting is available for public inspection 48 hours before the meeting date, during regular business hours at the Hilo Office of the Mayor, 25 Aupuni St., Suite 2603, Hilo, and at the Kona office of the Mayor, West Hawaiʻi Civic Center, 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Hwy., Kailua-Kona. NOTE: The in-person location for this meeting is accessible to persons with disabilities. If you require an accommodation or auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, contact Alexey Katko at alexy.katko@hawaiicounty.gov (808) 961-8020 as soon as possible. Requests made as early as possible will allow adequate time to fulfill your request. Upon request, this Agenda Notice is available in alternate formats such as large print, Braille, or electronic copy.