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Home My WebLink About2013-07-12 Committee on the Status of Women Minutes COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN Friday, July 12, 10:00 a.m. Waimea Center 65-1158 Mamalahoa Highway, Suite 2C Kamuela, HI PRESENT EXCUSED Kim Schneider, Chair Katie Nova, Vice-Chair Nancy Kelly, Treasurer Brooke Derby Farrah-Marie Gomes, Secretary Molly Stebbins (ex-officio) Mele Spencer Carol Kitaoka Hazel Beck Elena Cabatu (ex-officio) CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 10:21 a.m. ROLL CALL A quorum was present. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND MINUTES Agenda stands as submitted. Corrections: Page 1, Treasurer’s Report - question regarding the Expense Report for the end of the last fiscal year – was the $2,400 for promotional tote bags encumbered? Page 2 - Request for breakdown of expenditures by month and by event. Reminder: Minutes should be mailed/e-mailed at least a week before the meeting so it can be reviewed by the members before the meeting Kim Schneider – The minutes will be filed as corrected. TREASURER’S REPORT Nancy Kelly provided the following report. The 2013 balance is $224.24. Final expenditures included $150 for Ladies Night Out, $450 in school supplies to support Send The Keiki Back to School drive, $791 in airfare for the UH CSW Conference in September and $1238 for the radio spots. The budget for 2014 is $8,510.00, which reflects a cut by $2,000. There was discussion about meal expense and a decision to have a new request submitted for meal expense to be set at $15 per person. Kim Schneider – accepted the treasurer’s report as presented. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC No statements from the public 1 REPORTS A. Liaison – reported by Elena Cabatu The State Commission sent a letter to the UH Board of Regents requesting their consideration of an individual who is aware and supportive of women’s issue as they select the next President. Currently, there are issues of violence against women and stalking on the UH campuses and there is no uniform policy for those issues so leadership of the next president can be key in addressing these important issues. rd Four State Commission members will attend the 43 Annual National Association for Commissions for Women Business Meeting & Conference in San Jose, CA, July 24-27. Last weekend was the Pride Parade in Hilo. The State Commission spent $1,000 in outreach. Cyd Hoffeld coordinated with the Gay Straight Alliance for the event. Marilyn Lee & Judy Kern are new State Commission members. Legislative updates – Cathy Betts is working on a bill for paid family leave. Current FMLA allows 4 weeks paid; 8 weeks unpaid, maximum of 12 weeks annually. Marriage equality will also be an issue. COORESPONDENCE No correspondence was received. B. Health 1. Women’s Health Month Activities include UH CSW Conference on 9/27 in Honolulu and Ladies Night Out in Hilo. There is nothing planned in Kona. C. Education 1. Equal Pay Will be an April item. 2. Urgent Services Directory Plan developed to update the directory. Mele Spencer will coordinate the directory update. It was agreed that each person would take a page to update. Lee Watanabe will send out the current directory electronically. Committee members are asked to scan changes to Mele Spencer by COB on August 2. The goal is to have the directory updated and ready for distribution before Ladies Night Out. 500 copes of the directory will be needed to add to the goodie bags. Elena Cabatu can pick them up and deliver. 2 Farrah-Marie Gomes has purchases 1,000 portfolios and 360 composition books for the Send the Keiki Back to School Drive. She requests directories to distribute with the school supplies in August. 3. Voter Registration A statewide program is under development to educate teens on how to evaluate candidates and vote. Focus will be on awareness that teens can register to vote at 16 years of age. Upcoming equal pay messaging will include voter registration information in radio ads. We can also look at doing something in off-election years and at various venues, such as Kokua Kailua (Village Stroll in Kona). 4. Teen Dating/Violence Prevention Nancy Kelly sent cost to Elena Cabatu related to bringing Jill Murray to the island ($20K). Elena will look for someone less expensive. D. Committee Report 1. Networking Farrah-Marie reported that this committee will meet before the next meeting. Cyd will be available at the next meeting and will be joining. NEW BUSINESS A. New Project Ideas 1. Farrah-Marie Gomes suggested meeting with the Girl Scouts (Marci Goldman-Manker) to explore the potential for projects. Both Honoka‘a and Waikoloa have added Girl Scout troops. Hazel added that the Girl Scouts could create the equivalent of the Eagle Scouts for older scouts. 2. Hazel Beck suggested partnering with Parker Ranch and their Youth Rodeo program to support aspiring cowgirls. 3. Hazel Beck suggested partnering with the local high school robotics programs to support Women in Technology. 4. Farrah-Marie Gomes suggested meeting with the Family Community Education office to explore project ideas. One project they currently do is sewing of dresses and sending them to young women in developing countries. She suggested that we could collaborate with a club at the middle or high schools or involve the Girl Scouts. 5. Kim Schneider stated that the number of people at the poverty level on this island is high. She suggested a project with the Neighborhood Place of Kona & Puna, as they work to help some of these families. 6. Kim Schneider suggested a project around registering 16-year olds to vote. 7. Elena Cabatu suggested a project around teen dating violence prevention. 3 8. Kim Schneider suggested a project to honor the elderly. Perhaps awareness of elder abuse, ways to prevent break-ins and promote respect for our elders. 9. Suggestion to form a networking group featuring youth as tech counselors, interacting with the community and assisting them in the use of technology. 10. Hazel Beck asked that the Committee lead the effort to change thinking and verbiage from ‘girls’ to ‘young women’. It would counter media messages and contribute to the self-esteem and empowerment of young women. ELECTION OF OFFICERS A. The Nominating Committee, consisting of Mele Spencer, Carol Kitaoka and Nancy Kelly prepared ballots proposing the following slate of officers for fiscal year 2013-2014: 1. Chairperson – Carol Kitaoka 2. Vice Chairperson – Katie Nova 3. Secretary – Farrah-Marie Gomes 4. Treasurer – Mele Spencer The ballots also included a write-in option for each officer. Kim Schneider accepted the slate as presented. Ballots were completed and tallied. The officers were elected as nominated. B. In follow-up to election of new officers, Nancy Kelly suggested a committee to review the job duties for each officer and the committee staff person. Mele Spencer moved to form a committee to define the roles and responsibilities of the CSW Committee’s leadership. Members would be Katie Nova, Farrah- Marie Gomes, Nancy Kelly and Carol Kitaoka. Farrah-Marie Gomes seconded; no discussion; motion passed. C. A concern was expressed regarding the Sunshine Law. For clarification, the new committee will meet to discuss operations; not issues before the CSW Committee. NEXT MEETING Friday, August 9, 2013, at the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney in Hilo and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney in Kealakekua (via video conferencing). Meeting adjourned: 12:00 p.m. APPROVED BY FARRAH-MARIE GOMES, CSW SECRETARY RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED BY: HAZEL A. BECK, CSW COMMITTEE MEMBER 4