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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSeptember 23, 2025 Youth Commission Regular Meeting Minutes YOUTH COMMISSION c/o Office of the Mayor, 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 YOUTH COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 23, 2025, 3:45PM REMOTE MEETING VIA INTERACTIVE CONFERENCE TECHNOLOGY BUILDING, PUEO CONFERENCE ROOM HILO 25 AUPUNI STREET, SUITE 2601 CALL TO ORDER Chair Hayden Konanui-Tucker called the meeting to order at 3:53 p.m. ATTENDANCE Present: Hayden Konanui-Tucker, Commissioner Kenneth Ha, Commissioner Wehiwaalani Gapero, Commissioner Paige Tominaga, Commissioner Perseas Vanebo, Commissioner Jaya Davenport, Commissioner (Via Zoom) Kolt Baptista, Commissioner (Via Zoom) , Commissioner (Via Zoom) Benjamin Rudo, Commissioner (Via Zoom) Not Present: Sage Huston, Commissioner Marquis Fonoimoana, Commissioner Damon Nagata, Commissioner Ryder Beechler, Commissioner Also present: Council Member Jennifer Kagiwada, Ex-Officio Member Alanna Barber, Adult Advisor Vanessa L. Carlson, Adult Advisor (Via Zoom) Cameron Takamura, Deputy Corporation Counsel Micah Alameda, Office of the Mayor Lina Mochizuki (Via Zoom) Kainoa Azama (Via Zoom) STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC No statements from the public. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Approval of the regular meeting minutes of August 26, 2025. Chair Konanui-Tucker called for public testimony. There being no public testimony, the meeting continued as follows. YouthCommissionMeeting Minutes September 23, 2025 Action: Chair Konanui-Tucker called for a motion to approve. A motion was made by Commissioner Killion to approve the regular meeting minutes of August 26, 2025, which was seconded by Commissioner Ha. The motion was carried by a vote of 10:0. CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS None BUSINESS a. Press Secretary Report None b. County Council Report Council Member Kagiwada discussed a new state legislative session coming up and a Bill in Council (Bill 83) aimed at reducing disposable plastic and polystyrene food ware. Council Member Kagiwada mentioned the Hilo Reusable nd Food ware Project and the 32 Annual Hawaii Children and Youth Summit. Council Member Kagiwada also highlighted various topics to be discussed at the summit, including health, homelessness, education, community engagement, and the environment. c. Adult Advisor Report Advisor Carlson shared information about upcoming virtual financial aid workshops on college financial aid, hosted by College is Within Reach, and provided brief details about the BISAC trunk-or-treat event on Saturday, October 25. Advisor Carlson closed by sharing news of an upcoming workforce development initiative the University of Hawaii at Hilo is rolling out. -Kohala Health on their 808 No Vape campaign and the work they're Advisor Carlson also shared that the Hawaii Department of Education convenes a Youth Transportation Council that is working on climate action through youth advocacy and education. She also mentioned the challenges faced by outer island youth in accessing mental health services at the Queen's Medical Center. sued the State to change the electric buses and said that's a cool concept. Council Member Kagiwada asked Advisor Carlson whether the upcoming Financial Aid Training will be open to parents/guardians, and Advisor Carlson confirmed that it will be open to both students and parents/guardians. 2 YouthCommissionMeeting Minutes September 23, 2025 Chair Konanui-Tucker encouraged everyone to take advantage of financial aid in college. d. Commissioners Reports and Updates Commissioner Tominaga spoke with the Air National Guard about internships available to public school students, particularly seniors, as part of a senior project. She also mentions speaking with military recruiters, who indicated they do not offer similar internships. Commissioner Vanebo briefly shared that she will reach out to University of been made to the medical field. Chair Konanui-Tucker asked both Commissioners Vanebo and Tominaga to finalize a script for the commission to use to build a larger resource network by the next meeting. Commissioner Killion provided an update on the Hope Services Youth Leadership project, noting that they are waiting for Alicia Kai to get back. Commissioner Ha reported on a meeting he attended with Clinton Mercado from to 24, focusing on a program that provides certifications and education for specific jobs at no cost to low-income participants. The program includes support services and covers all expenses. Ha also mentioned a job fair organized by Mercado, aimed at youth, which could feature a variety of employment options beyond traditional colleges, including trade jobs and military options. They brainstormed ideas for creating something similar to support youth in their career paths. Commissioner Davenport spoke about native plants and mentioned that she is Beetle (CRB). Chair Konanui-Tucker also shared that he is doing work in Puna to prevent the spread of the CRB. Commissioner Ben Rudo reports that he has been involved with the University of Hawaii at Hilo's agricultural club, which has a strong group of motivated members eager to engage in projects. However, the club currently lacks clear project direction. Rudo sees an opportunity for collaboration with the Community College and suggests they use their combined resources to initiate a project successfully. He also expresses concern about the presence of CRB in Puna, indicating that he was previously unaware of its reach there. Commissioner Kamahao Halemanu reported on applying for an internship in Amherst, Massachusetts, a town governed by a Council-manager system rather 3 YouthCommissionMeeting Minutes September 23, 2025 than a traditional county council with a Mayor. The internship aims to provide insights into the town's fire department and overall governance, particularly in its rural setting. Halemanu hopes to gain valuable knowledge that can be shared during upcoming commission meetings if it relates to their work. Adult Advisor Alanna Barber discussed Mayor Alameda's recent comments regarding youth shelters. The Mayor envisions expanding these shelters to the west side, north, and south of the island. Barber suggests that this initiative could lead to more productive discussions with the Mayor as they work to organize and solidify support for these efforts. She notes that the Mayor appreciated the group's collaboration in East Hawaii and encourages those outside that area to consider ways to engage with the Mayor on this topic. Council Member Kagiwada asked Commissioner Ha and Advisor Carlson what the next steps are for the workforce development project. Commissioner Ha stated that gathering categories and creating pathways are the next steps. Advisor Barber highlighted the goal of capturing youth during a transitional phase in their lives, specifically targeting soon-to-be high school graduates and current college students exploring different pathways. He mentioned a job fair planned for late April to early May. He discussed the "urgent services directory," a resource they are considering creating, which serves as a concise brochure with important information. This aligns with their focus on youth engagement and support. Council Member Kagiwada suggests that if someone feels they need assistance or support, they could collaborate with Vanessa to create a resource or script similar to what Commissioners Tominaga and Vanebo are doing. This would allow group members to contribute individually based on their availability and connections, ensuring everyone can play a role in the effort. Chair Konanui-Tucker asked the body, "What are the next steps?" Commissioner Ha stated he will get started on a spreadsheet. Commissioner Rudo will revive an older database he was using for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics initiatives and share it at the next meeting. Council Member Kagiwada asked Deputy Corporation Counsel (DCC) Cameron Takamura for clarification or additional information regarding sharing information. DCC Takamura advised that factual material can be sent to Micah Alameda of the Mayor's Office for proper distribution amongst the members, but there should generally not be discussion of board business outside of a properly noticed meeting, including by serial communication. 4 YouthCommissionMeeting Minutes September 23, 2025 Advisor Barber suggested using a Google Form to capture information about prospective employers, organizations, businesses, etc. Chair Konanui-Tucker assigned himself to create this Google Sheet. GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS a. General Announcements Kainoa Azama, a testifier on Zoom from Honolulu, expressed his support for increased youth involvement in local governance. He emphasized the importance of the County Council addressing pressing issues such as military presence, biodiversity, and agriculture. Drawing from his experience as the inaugural Chair of the Honolulu Youth Commission, Azama urged the Youth Commission to consider resolutions that reflect the views and concerns of young residents. He highlighted the significant engagement of youth in community matters and stressed the need for the commission to actively reach out to them. Azama concluded by appreciating the efforts and the work being done in the community. Commissioner Rudo asked what the process is to introduce a resolution. Chair Konanui-Tucker asked Council Member Kagiwada to answer and clarify what is a resolution. Council Member Kagiwada explained that a resolution is a type of policy that reflects the viewpoints or strong sentiments of the County Council on an issue, without having the force of law. There are three types of policies: communications, which share information; resolutions, which express strong statements; and bills, which become laws. Resolutions are used when there isn't a specific change needed in the county code. For example, if a Youth Commission wants to present their priorities, they might do so as a communication. However, if there's a specific issue prompting a strong sentiment, the Council can pass a resolution to express that sentiment. Commissioner Rudo asked Council Member Kagiwada if they could introduce a bill, and Council Member Kagiwada suggested they could work with any one of the nine Council Members to help introduce a bill that they worked on together. b. Chair Konanui-Tucker announced the details for the next regular meeting on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at 3:45 p.m., in Pueo Conference Room, located at 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2601, Hilo, HI 96720. ADJOURNMENT Chair Konanui-Tucker adjourned the meeting at 4:32 p.m. 5