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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES for 2025-11-19 FINALVETERANS ADVISORY COMMITTEE Wednesday, November 19, 2025, 10:00 a.m. Zoom Video Conferencing and Kona Department of Parks and Recreation Office Members in attendance (via zoom) Michael Doolittle, Chair Birk Billingsley, Member John Hiduchick-Nakayama, Member Debra Lewis, Member Isaac Nahakuelua, Member Wayne Nishijima, Member George Sheridan, Member Joshua Sze, Member Members in attendance at Department of Parks and Recreation Kona office (Via zoom) Marcia Brinkley, Vice -Chair Antonio Gaspar, Member Minoru Hanato, Member Guests Jaye Dempsey, Department of Parks and Recreation Also in attendance (via zoom) Clayton Honma, Department of Parks and Recreation Director (Ex-Officio) Amy Bautista, Veterans Advisory Committee Secretary J Yoshimoto, Department of Parks and Recreation Corporation Counsel Absent Tom Wojszynski, Member Chair M Doolittle: Confirmed have quorum. Call to Order Chair M Doolittle: Called meeting to order at 10:02 a.m. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC None Veterans Advisory Committee November 19, 2025 Page 2 ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES Chair M Doolittle: Introduced August 27, 2025 minutes. M Hanato moved to accept minutes. M Brinkley seconded the motion. All stated aye. Minutes accepted. OLD BUSINESS a. Update on information for veteran homelessness and veteran suicide in Hawaii County. Not discussed b. Update on proposed amendment to Section 15-61, Hawaii County Code. i. Council Member Hustace, at the request of the Veterans Advisory Committee, introduced the proposed Code Amendment at the October 21, 2025 Policy Committee on Health, Safety, and Well-being. Been through first reading, second reading November 19, 2025. D Lewis: Reason proposed, to continue to make committee function better. In the past, only topic was cemeteries. Also, didn't have enough for quorum because members needed to be designated from specific organizations. Chair M Doolittle: Had a structural problem committee was trying to fix. c. Discussion on Creation of Display Case for Artifacts from Camp Tarawa to be di at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole. Vice -Chair M Brinkley: Committee discussed recommending to Mayor that Mayor's carpenter make a display case, same as the Sister Cities display case. People at the airport approved it, as long as it matches other case. Had money procured from CM Evans to cover costs. Display case did not get approved with new administration. Would like committee to recommend again that the case be manufactured by the Mayor's carpenter. Veterans Advisory Committee November 19, 2025 Page 3 Chair M Doolittle: As far as committee is concerned, all still in favor of that effort. Would like to see display created. Have T Wojszynski develop recommendation language. Vice -Chair M Brinkley: Made motion to recommend to Mayor and Council to continue moving forward. D Lewis (and J Hiduchick-Nakayama) seconded the motion. All stated aye. Motion carries. Chair M Doolittle: Will move forward. Vice Chair M Brinkley to have conversation with T Wojszynski to basically advance same proposal submitted to last administration. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion regarding future agenda items i. Veterans Advisory Committee board biennial elections to be held at next meeting (February 25, 2026). 1. Election of Chair and Vice Chair. Chair M Doolittle: Need more active members. Need more participation. Encourage all members to be more active in committee. Need members who have a desire and passion to lead committee. Give some thought to that before upcoming election. Need to identify members that no longer want to continue so can look for new membership. D Lewis: Should have a listing of when terms are expiring. Chair M Doolittle: Would like to have equal representation throughout the County, leadership and advocacy. Can serve three (consecutive) terms on this committee. A Bautista: Have listing of member terms. Three members that will expire in 2025. J Yoshimoto: Contact M Alameda at Mayor's office if interested in being re -appointed. A Bautista to e-mail M Alameda contact information to members. D Lewis: Some members didn't know term had expired causing a gap. Having a trigger 2-3 month ahead of time allows members to initiate process. Group: Discussion on way(s) to inform public about vacancies. Possibly flyer. Identify expected vacancies and members districts. Veterans Advisory Committee November 19, 2025 Page 4 J Hiduchick-Nakayama: Spoke to M Alameda, members eligible to hold over for 90-days after your term expires. Those interested in re -appointment can contact him. D Lewis: Can a subcommittee develop the informational? J Hiduchick-Nakayama: Suggestion to ask T Niimi to create and get out a video on committee to highlight areas responsible for. J Yoshimoto: Motion could be for two members to develop informational to be presented at next meeting to committee. J Hiduchick-Nakayama and D Lewis with Edith Gs assistance will develop informational. D Lewis: Motion to create a one -page flyer to educate, clarify and promote the active participation in the Veterans Advisory Committee and support the Mayor, Council and public. M Hanato seconded the motion. All stated aye. Motion advances. b. Beginning 2026 all Veterans Advisory Committee meetings will be held in -person only, rotating between Hilo and Kona. Chair M Doolittle: Been doing zoom meetings since COVID. Importance for doing this is meetings are being hacked and no active way to police access to zoom meetings without violating sunshine law. B Billingsley: Zoom is very convenient to join remotely. In -person removes level of flexibility. D Lewis: Feels IT can protect meetings. Would be opposed to force in -person only. B Billingsley: Stated there is a way to prevent people from the public to not have access. Someone can control someone making a comment. A Bautista: Have had extensive communication with IT Department, when we publicize a public meeting and post the zoom link we cannot restrict access. While there is a way to limit who can access the zoom, if we continue with publicized zoom links we cannot prevent access. There are options, zoom vs. multi -site meetings. J Yoshimoto: Gave example of Council meetings run from multi sites; close end system. Veterans Advisory Committee November 19, 2025 Page 5 Vice -Chair Brinkley: May create quorum issues. J Hiduchick-Nakayama: Making in -person meetings would be impossible. B Billingsley: Happy to engage with County DIT and serve as the watchdog for meetings if that would be helpful. C Honma: Can revisit conversion to in -person meetings. c. Discussion regardingguidelines on public testimony. J Yoshimoto: Generally follow three minutes per item on public testimony. Been standard practice. Currently don't have any rules that would address that. Chair M Doolittle: Haven't had a problem with that. Should be an assumed standard. J Yoshimoto: Chair has discretion to allow latitude, depending on subject matter. d. Presentation by J Sze: Opening of the Veterans Support Center at University of Hawaii Hilo. J Sze: Went back to school in 2023 and realized there really is nothing for Veterans. Wanted to get Veterans on campus together, create a community. Came up with Hawaii Island Veterans Club. One of the main goals of the club is to fill in the gaps that the VA leaves and to support the transition to civilian life. What seeing is non -profits and organization all just doing their own thing. Get grants and try to tackle issues. Trying to bring non -profits and organizations together to attack the issues, together. Sees Hawaii Island Veterans Club as a community. A club to build community. e. Presentation by M Brinkley: Windphone Proposal. Vice -Chair M Brinkley: Was referred by DPR. Asked to pass on to Veterans groups. Healing of grief site. 1000 around the country, none in Hawaii. If on public land, raises concerns about security. Chair M Doolittle: Personally don't think something this committee would undertake. Interesting idea. Veterans Advisory Committee November 19, 2025 Page 6 Vice -Chair M Brinkley: To clarify, don't think there was any intent for this committee to take on; do we think this is something a Veterans group should help her with? D Lewis: Suggested, submit as an article and see if it gains any legs. f. Report on Training for Boards & Commissions Chairs & Vice Chairs, held on October 18, 2025. Vice -Chair Brinkley: Attended. More like a workshop. One of the questions was preference on remote v in -person meetings? Interesting mix of comments on that. Talked about sunshine laws. Another question posed, how can the County better support boards/commissions? One consensus was consolidating boards/commissions into one office. If anyone knows anyone who would be good for a committee, let M Alameda know. He does all of the vetting. g. Year End Statement from the Chair. Chair M Doolittle: What he's seen over his tenure on this committee, overwhelmed in how they have transformed committee to what it is today. Need to make sure there is a continuum on this committee. Don't want to see committee lose momentum. Have rejuvenated and added life to this committee. REPORT ON CEMETERIES — STATE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD a. Hawaii Island — Department of Defense, Office of Veterans Services, East Hawaii Representative — Kelcie Figueira. Kelcie Figueira not present. Nothing to report. Vice -Chair Brinkley: need representation on the east side for this committee (Office of Veterans Services — Veterans Advisory Committee). Have not been able to make quorum. If anyone from this committee knows anyone, can get you information. b. Veterans Cemetery Reports from Hawaii Department of Defense. Kelcie Figueira not present. Nothing to report. Vice -Chair Brinkley: need representation on the east side for this committee (Office of Veterans Services — Veterans Advisory Committee). Have not been able to make quorum. If anyone from this committee knows anyone, can get you information. Veterans Advisory Committee November 19, 2025 Page 7 c. Cemetery Audit Update — Parks & Recreation Director, Deputy Director or authorized designee. J Dempsey: Preparing as best we can. Got new standards will be audited on. Monthly state meeting postponed, will find out if federal shutdown will postpone audit dates. ANNOUNCEMENTS D Lewis: Wanted to thank everyone for support of parade. M Hanato: Wanted to thank everyone for two functions: re -internment of R Yano and Veterans Day Ceremony. NEXT MEETING — February 25, 2026 ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn by M Hanato. Seconded by Vice -Chair M Brinkley. Collective ayes. No opposed. Meeting adjourned at 11:36 Summary of Veterans Advisory Committee meeting prepared by: Amy Bautista Veterans Advisory Committee, Secretary