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Home My WebLink About('24) - 05-08-2024 - Meeting Minutes Mitchell D. Roth Mayor 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 Meeting Minutes DATE: Wednesday, May 8, 2024 TIME: 3:00p.m. - 4:30p.m. IN-PERSON LOCATION: Liquor Control Conference Room West Hawai’i Civic Center, (Meeting Room B on Second Floor) 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy. Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 1. Call to Order 3:12 pm - Chair Gee Absent: District 1: Hemi Martinez Mayor Appointee: Damon Nagata Mayor Appointee: Goretti Allen District 3: Vacant Excused: Mayor Appointee: Vice-Chairperson Cheydon Naleimaile-Evangelista District 8: Peyton Halemau Present: District 2: Sage Hutson District 4: Benjamin Rudo District 5: Kyla-Marie Kauhaihao District 6: Marquis P. Fonoimoana (Left Early) District 7: Mililani Bunghanoi-Aiu District 9: Abigail-Zoe Garan Councilmember: Jennifer Kagiwada Mayor Appointee: Hayden Konanui-Tucker Mayor Appointee: Perseas Vanebo Deanna S. Sako Managing Director Eric P. Gee, Chairperson, Mayor Appointee Cheydon A. Naleimaile-Evangelista, Vice-Chairperson, Mayor Appointee Hemi Martinez, District 1 Sage Huston, District 2 [Vacant] District 3 Benjamin Rudo, District 4 Kyla-Marie Turner, District 5 Marquis P. Fonoimoana, District 6 Miliani Bunghanoi-Aiu, District 7 Peyton Haleamau, District 8 Abigail-Zoe Garan, District 9 Damon Nagata, Mayor Appointee Goretti Allen, District, Mayor Appointee Hayden Konanui-Tucker, Mayor Appointee Perseas Vanebo, Mayor Appointee Jenn Kagiwada, Ex-Officio Member Robert H. Command Deputy Managing Director Mayor Appointee: Chairperson Eric Gee • Present: 10 “Counting those present, we have a quorum.” 2. Chairperson Announcements a. Gee talks about the Agenda, the last meeting in June. b. Sage Hutson introduction 3. Statements from the Public/Testimony a. No testimony 4. Approval of April 17th, 2024 Meeting Minutes a. DCC Wong gave updated information about meeting minutes and adjournments, there is no need for a motion. 5. Old Business a. Reconsideration of Youth Commission Meeting Times (May through November) i.Discussion 1. Bobby Command: Wants to be able to support the later meeting times, but there is an issue about fairness in regards to letting all the commission have nights. But working on getting a commission clerk person for the county, which will probably happen in the next fiscal year. a. Kagiwada: Able to have flexible hours in the position description? i.Command: Will add to the job description. b. Kagiwada: Later meetings will help for transportation, etc. c. Gee: Excused & absent commissioners expressed that later meeting times would help. d. Rudo: Next semester schedule lines up with the later meeting schedules. e. Garan: Work schedule may be affected, but not by a lot. b. Selection of Adult Advisors to the Commission i.No public testimony ii.Discussion 1. Konanui-Tucker: Is she present? 2. DCC: Can Mr. Ho reach out to her? Can be moved to the next meeting. a. For ethics reasons, Mr. Ho can’t. b. Gee: Alexy reaching out to Ms. Barber for next meeting 3. Kagiwada: Consider finding an adult advisor for the priorities since Ms. Barber is closely related to a cultural advisor. a. Gee: Priorities change with the fiscal year, so for the advisors it would be best to have that postponed until the next fiscal year if we are looking to have adult advisors that line up with b. DCC Wong: A press release was released in regards to the advisors, but it is hard to find people. c. Command: County has a hard time finding people. 4. Mr. Ho: Was it put out there that what kind of advisors we were looking for? 5. Konanui-Tucker: Ms. Barber does work at Ka ʻUmeke Kaʻeo, so she could have a cultural background. 6. Mr. Ho: does have a cultural advisor in Kona who he directed to the application, but leaving it up to the adult to decide if they would like to apply. c. Updates i.Priority Updates 1. Mental Health (Commissioner Evangelista) a. Continued Presentation from 4/17/24 meeting on mental health and resources. i.Discussion 1. Zee: Three minute recap of information given at the last minute (Safe access to care and mental health; LGBTQ+ mental health; suicide prevention; rates and statistics) as well as background in Mental Health. 2. Zee: Finds a lack in spreading awareness (hawaiitelehealth.org) & Study for SAMSA (federal agency) findings on group therapy success for adolescents. Lack of acceptance of different insurances (QUEST), spaces, and places. 3. Zee: 988 as a call or text hotline that is really a prevention, not a crisis tool. a. 988 Campaign 4. Garan: One idea having a speaker come to schools. But how do we do that? a. Zee: Needs to be a guest speaker being brought in by a teacher or principal. It is possible, but it will talk a bit. DOE likes pre-approved curriculum for talk stories. 5. Bunghanoi-Aiu: Kids appreciate the bluntness. Kids would appreciate getting brutal with it. 6. Kagiwada: What is the website that you mention? a. Zee: hawaiiutelehealth.org. 7. Kauhaihao: We should start something, possibly a 988 campaign. a. Rudo: Great opportunity to blast out 988 and other resources. But one issue is that we don’t have a big following quite yet. Could be a way to grow ourselves, but will need to be pretty on it. Is there any way to advertise? Need to go beyond us. b. Fonoimoana: Communication and outreach is something that we need, as a lot of people still don’t know we exist. c. Kagiwada: An opportunity to get people connected to us, but we will need to do more of a multi-layer front or approach to make the impact that we want. i. Also Cheydon is the main, but if someone wants to help, they should definitely co- head. d. Hutson: Agrees with the outreach, especially something as simple as passing out flyers. e. Gee: Commission does have a budget of 5,000, including printable materials. i. Rudo: Don’t we have 5,000? i. Gee: We do have a budget that elapses at the end of each fiscal year. i. Mr. Ho: Gentle reminder about the pamphlet: check with schools on appropriate guidelines for distribution. i. Zee: Even if schools are hard, as a County Commission, you have access to all the county buildings. Would love to see 988 on the sides of buses and/or pools, etc. i. Kagiwada: Annual Pride Festival is also another opportunity to do outreach. i. Gee: if this is something we want to move on, we need to do it asap. Can also write a resolution on our stance as mental health. Can we have a little resolution writing training? i. Kagiwada: Absolutely. Since it is a training, can it be done in a bigger group? i. DCC Wong: if it is a board business, it needs to be on an agenda. It would be best to do it at a meeting. i. Garan: Willing to step up. Is now the Co-Head of the Mental Health Priority. 2. Food Sovereignty (Commissioner Kauhaihao and Commissioner Konanui-Tucker) a. No updates from co-heads 3. Native Plant Restoration (Commissioner Rudo) a. Rudo: A little bit of homework for the commission. Wants to have a out-planting day and to use the social media for that i.Rudo: Needs help with finding a place to beautify the area with Native plants. ii.Rudo: Can collaborate with other organizations. iii.Bunghanoi-Aiu: Would love to help with the plant organization. Is now the co-Head of Native Plant Restoration Priority iv.Kagiwada: New shop in Downtown Hilo called Laulima - calling attention to the shop for a collaboration. v.Zee: On the Kona side there is a fish pond cleaning (Honokohau) once a month. Once was invasive species, but now there are native species. vi.Kauhaihao: Two months in advance planning & working with schools. Also weekdays might not be best vii.Fonoimoana: DOE school clubs involved would be really cool. viii.Mr. Ho: Rudo, have you reached out to the big island invasive committee? ii. Press Secretary 1. Website Update (https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/our-county/youth- commission) a. Discussion: i.Fonoimoana: outreach is a problem and something we need to work on. 988 campaign information would be good. ii.Fonoimoana: Bio information for the commission website. 1. Kauhaihao: Make a deadline for the bios. 2. Gee: Bio - 150 words, three headshots BY SATURDAY MAY 11TH 3. Kagiwada: Events and Actions are great opportunities for our commission to do a press release for the commission. 4. DCC Wong: Photo release forms sent in March, please email that those need to be filled out - same deadline BY SATURDAY MAY 11TH. 5. Fonoimoana: Quick Introduction done 6. Garan: When is the timestamp for when the website and social media will be live. a. DDC Wong: Clearance needed from IT Department since the Mayor’s office is the ones housing our pages and socials. Will follow up with the IT Department. iii.Mr. Ho: Would it be a possibility for the website to be featured on the front of the county website for a while. 1. Kagiwada: Something can be worked on, could even be done in a press release. 2. Command: The goal for IT is to have any county page or website to come up in no more than three clicks. Press releases can help though. iv.Gee: Idea - A four times a year ʻōpio newsletter. 1. Fonoimoana: Can be beneficial for outreach. Will have to work closely with the assistant secretary and priority heads. 2. Social Media a. Discussion: i.Fonoimoana: Working on it 3. Commission Introduction Video a. Discussion: i.Fonoimoana: Working with Na Leo TV is a possibility and will work on setting that up. ii. County Council Updates by Commissioner-Councilmember Jenn Kagiwada 4. Discussion a. Kagiwada: County meetings next week i.County Bill 162: 200,000 dollar grant to address problem with coconut rhinoceros beetle. Could do a letter of support. ii.Kauhaihao: Can create a template for anyone interested. 1. Konanui-Tucker: Can jump on to do the letter of support. iii.Motion to support bill 162 Benjamin Rudo 1. Seconded by: Perseas Vanebo 2. 9 Ayes 3. Letter of support to be written by Commissioner Konanui-Tucker and Hutson 6. New Business a. Discussion on Hawaiʻi County Sustainability Summit Youth Congress i.Summary/Recap from Youth Congress Attendees ii.Discussion and vote on resolution that the Youth Congress passed 1. Motion to support resolution 2024: Hutson a. Seconded by: Vanebo b. Discussion: i.Kagiwada: Super proud of the youth commissioners to act as leaders for the eighth graders and did a great job encouraging participation. ii.Kauhaihao: Changes to the facts? 1. Gee: Unfortunately unable to change. 2. Kagiwada: Can offer comment in the support. 3. Gee: Table the approval for the support to next meeting b. Discussion and Vote on creating Community Town Hall with Youth Commissioners i.Gee: Tabling agenda item until next meeting c. Discussion of Budget i.Mileage Reimbursements 1. Alexy: Check coming out every month 2. Command: Checks being split up by months. 3. Alexy: Put in an address so the county knows and then make sure to sign both places in which signature is needed. 7. Announcements a. Next Meeting: June 12th, 2024, Hilo, TBD i.Gee: Ensuring Council Chamber for 3-5 this day. 1. Kagiwada: Will check 8. Adjournment - 4:50PM