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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune Progress Report PRINT.pdf-- rl�r� {iy •r n .4 k ti A.- 0 JUNE PROGRESS REPORT 'IMILOA ASTRONOMY CENTER Council Member Greggor (lagan is supporting Science, Technology, En- gineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) among Puna youth by providing a new $15,000 grant in district contin- gency relief funds to the'lmiloa As- tronomy Center. The funds are in addition to $15,000 that Ilagan provided in 2014 to 'Im- iloa that allowed about 1,000 students from through- out Puna to be educated about the opportuni- ties that STEAM offers across di- verse industries, thereby help- ing students to broaden their horizons. Although the original intent of the 2014 grant included funds for Imiloa's Mobile Science Team to make presentations at Keonepoko Elementary, Keaau Middle School and Pahoa High and Intermediate School, scheduling difficulties and various nat- ural disasters made it more effective for the students to be hosted at Imiloa, which allowed a total of sven schools to be reached. 'Imiloa and personnel costs. Many of the children wrote to Ilagan's office with heartfelt thank you letters, ex- pressing amazement at their visit to the 3-D planetarium and the wonders of the universe. (Sample letter from Mad- issen, a fourth -grader at Keonepoko, with minor edits for spelling):"I had fun because I learned about Earth, the gal- axy, and the stars.... I like it when you show us about our Earth, how it was and how our islands were made. When I first got there I was surprised because it was my first time there and I like it there. I felt happy there and respected there." LN �Uuu tu' IL Students sent thank you letters to Councilman (lagans office. This grant covered transportation costs for the students, admission into An additional $15,000 grant in contingency funds during the 2015- 2016 school year will continue to open Puna youths' eyes to this Universe and perhaps inspire them to pursue careers in science and technology. The'Imiloa Astronomy Center is located in Hilo and is established as a learning center where Hawaii's cultural tradi- tions, its legacy of exploration, and the wonders of astronomy can come to- gether to provide inspiration and hope for future generations. greggor.ilagan@hawaiicounty.gov www.hawaiicounty.gov/district4 "The giving of love is an education in itself." — Eleanor Roosevelt June is, as always, the month that I turn a year older and begin to wor- ry about my total hair count. As I looked back on these past months, I asked myself whether I was headed in the right direction. This question prompted me to think about what has this office accomplished during my term. It was easy to answer be- cause we started these progress re- ports. One project that started in Febru- ary was the Neighborhood Watch bill. Initially I thought it was only go- ing to take a month or two to finish, but resulted as a five-month project that ended this June. Even though it took a long time, the results were incredible. A bill that was originally intended to fix a problem in Puna in- stead produced a greater reward by providing an islandwide structure for neighborhood watches and funding in the County budget, allowing the program to succeed. That was just one project that the public knows, but there were ac- tually many others that are being taken care of by my diligent team. In the end, as I thought about it more, my initial question of whether or not I was headed in the right direction didn't even matter. What I really want- ed to ask myself was: Do I have the right people beside me? And I hon- estly could answer myself, yes I do. Sincerely, Greggor Ilagan DISTRICT 4 _'i -— f ��- Hawaiian Paradise Park, Hawaiian Beaches, Makai of Pahoa Town, Nanawale Estates, Leilani Estates, - Pohoiki, Kapoho 'IMILOA ASTRONOMY CENTER Council Member Greggor (lagan is supporting Science, Technology, En- gineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) among Puna youth by providing a new $15,000 grant in district contin- gency relief funds to the'lmiloa As- tronomy Center. The funds are in addition to $15,000 that Ilagan provided in 2014 to 'Im- iloa that allowed about 1,000 students from through- out Puna to be educated about the opportuni- ties that STEAM offers across di- verse industries, thereby help- ing students to broaden their horizons. Although the original intent of the 2014 grant included funds for Imiloa's Mobile Science Team to make presentations at Keonepoko Elementary, Keaau Middle School and Pahoa High and Intermediate School, scheduling difficulties and various nat- ural disasters made it more effective for the students to be hosted at Imiloa, which allowed a total of sven schools to be reached. 'Imiloa and personnel costs. Many of the children wrote to Ilagan's office with heartfelt thank you letters, ex- pressing amazement at their visit to the 3-D planetarium and the wonders of the universe. (Sample letter from Mad- issen, a fourth -grader at Keonepoko, with minor edits for spelling):"I had fun because I learned about Earth, the gal- axy, and the stars.... I like it when you show us about our Earth, how it was and how our islands were made. When I first got there I was surprised because it was my first time there and I like it there. I felt happy there and respected there." LN �Uuu tu' IL Students sent thank you letters to Councilman (lagans office. This grant covered transportation costs for the students, admission into An additional $15,000 grant in contingency funds during the 2015- 2016 school year will continue to open Puna youths' eyes to this Universe and perhaps inspire them to pursue careers in science and technology. The'Imiloa Astronomy Center is located in Hilo and is established as a learning center where Hawaii's cultural tradi- tions, its legacy of exploration, and the wonders of astronomy can come to- gether to provide inspiration and hope for future generations. greggor.ilagan@hawaiicounty.gov www.hawaiicounty.gov/district4 "The giving of love is an education in itself." — Eleanor Roosevelt June is, as always, the month that I turn a year older and begin to wor- ry about my total hair count. As I looked back on these past months, I asked myself whether I was headed in the right direction. This question prompted me to think about what has this office accomplished during my term. It was easy to answer be- cause we started these progress re- ports. One project that started in Febru- ary was the Neighborhood Watch bill. Initially I thought it was only go- ing to take a month or two to finish, but resulted as a five-month project that ended this June. Even though it took a long time, the results were incredible. A bill that was originally intended to fix a problem in Puna in- stead produced a greater reward by providing an islandwide structure for neighborhood watches and funding in the County budget, allowing the program to succeed. That was just one project that the public knows, but there were ac- tually many others that are being taken care of by my diligent team. In the end, as I thought about it more, my initial question of whether or not I was headed in the right direction didn't even matter. What I really want- ed to ask myself was: Do I have the right people beside me? And I hon- estly could answer myself, yes I do. Sincerely, Greggor Ilagan FOOD SUSTAINABILITY IN PUNA With sponsorship from Council District 4 contingency funds, Kalani Honua provided Modern Ahupua `a permaculture workshops to promote food sustain- ability in Puna. Workshops focused on all aspects ofsustainable agriculture, from beekeeping to understanding the plant life cycle to managing logistics (Kalani Honua photos. Used with permission). Council member Greggor (lagan is sponsoring a grant of $10,000 in district contingency relief funds to Kalani to promote food sustain- ability in Puna and to service the community at large. The word "permaculture" is a melding of the words "permanent agriculture" and refers to a system of agricultural and social design principles, centered on the simulation or use of patterns and features observed in natural eco- systems. Food sustainability was the focus for the "Ag Talk Story" community meet- ings held in Pahoa in 2013. In 2014, Ilagan introduced a resolu- tion providing a $10,000 grant of contingency funds to Kalani Honua for a yearlong series of permaculture workshops. Food sustainability is important for a number of reasons, including emer- gency preparedness. Imagine this scenario: A cyclone makes landfall along the Puna-Ka'u coast. Cut off from the rest of the world by fallen trees on both sides of Highway 137, Kalani Honua must serve as a critical link for the safety of those in Puna makai. Today it sounds like a rehash of what happened last August with Tropical Storm Iselle. But keep in mind that this scenario could play out later this year, and every year thereafter. This part of Puna has been struck by lava flows (1955) and locally generated tsunamis 0975), and most recently a tropical storm. Kalani Honua is a nonprofit educa- tional retreat center and eco -com- munity. Established more than 40 years ago on its 120 -acre campus, the center is primarily known for its fo- cus on holistic wellbeing, but during the Iselle emergency in 2014 it be- came a hub for emergency relief ef- forts through its partnership with the Hawai'i County Civil Defense Agency. Each Council member is allowed to introduce resolutions appropriating up to $100,000 in district contingen- cy relief funds for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. .-W, z Sr ; M NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH CERTIFICATE Puna Neighborhood Watch coordinators are honored by the County Council. Area coordinators for the various Neighborhood Watch organiza- tions throughout Puna were rec- ognized on July 1 with certificates that were presented by Council members Greggor (lagan and Dan- ny Paleka. The certificates were presented on the same day that the County Coun- cil approved on final reading Hagan's bill to update the county law regard- ing the process of getting Neighbor- hood Watch signs. This bill that was sent to the Mayor's office, along with the $15,000 in funding for Neighbor- hood Watch signs islandwide, sup- ports public safety and crime preven- tion efforts in all communities. If you would like to start a Neighborhood Watch in your community, contact the Hawai'i Police Department. The text of the certificate follows: "As an Area Coordinator, you are to be commended for your unwavering dili- gence in helping your community be- come a safer place. The success of the Neighborhood Watch program in your area rests on your shoulders. "Your responsibilities include acting as a liaison among Neighborhood Watch members, the Hawai'i Police Depart- ment, civic groups and block captains. "You preside over community meet- ings; you maintain the registry of mem- bers; you represent your Neighbor- hood Watch program at Puna Watch meetings. You are the local reference point for your community. You make Puna safer and a great place to live. "The Hawai'i County Council extends to you its heartfelt and deepest apprecia- tion for your vigilance for the safety of the people of Hawai'i County. Mahalo!" APPROVED COUNTY BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015 The County Council has approved, and Mayor Kenoi has signed into law, a $438.8 million operating budget for the fiscal year that be- gan July 1 and ended June 30, 2016. This budget comprises the general fund, which covers the day- to-day workings of the county gov- ernment, including salaries, wages, and operating expenses, and 11 other special funds. The largest source of revenue in the $355.4 million general fund is real property taxes ($245.5 million). The special funds include the $36.8 mil- lion highway fund, which funds coun- ty roadway repair, traffic signs, and the operations of the Traffic Division. There is also the golf course fund, the solid waste fund, and the $1.7 million geothermal relocation and commu- nity benefits fund, among others. Following three days of reviews of the budget by council members on April 22-24, the County Council approved the capital and operating budgets on first reading at a special meeting May 18. The County Council approved the budgets on June 1 and sent them to Mayor Kenoi for his approval. The public has had multiple opportuni- ties to comment on the budget at each step. Council member GreggorHagan intro- duced two amendments to the operating budget. One took $90,000 from the Department of Re- search and Development to provide an additional $10,000 to each coun- cil district's contingency relief fund. This was ap- proved so that each coun- cil member is allowed to use $100,000 for projects in the district, or grants to nonprofit organizations. An - other amendment, which would have funded the com- =1 6 munity emergency response teams and provide funding for the installation of Neighborhood Watch signs in the Civil Defense bud- get, was not adopted. Also approved is the capital improve- ment project budget, which is largely funded by bonds that are issued sep- arately. All of these budgets are available for public inspection at all council offices. Councilman (lagan reviews the County budget books. RAT LUNGWORm DISEASE Public education about the dangers .............................. of Rat Lungworm disease remains "I am glad that the a high priority for Council Mem- ber Greggor (lagan, and he will be working to set up public informa- Health Department tional meetings in conjunction with Sign—up the Hawaii Department of Health. is focusing its efforts In a previous progress report, Ilagan's office had said he was bringing forth a resolution asking the State of Hawaii Department of Health to give greater attention to the public health threat of Rat Lungworm disease. However, in his discussion with officials from the Department of Health, Ilagan has learned that the points he wanted the State to address are already being ad- dressed. Marlena Castro Dixon, an Epidemio- logical Specialist with the Department of Health, says that when the hospital laboratory informs her office of a case, she or the specialist in the area contact the individual and begin an investiga- tion, which includes interviewing the patient and others to determine ex- posure. When needed, she visits the affected properties to assess the area and see what the potential risks are, and answer any questions that resi- dents have. Her office also provides rodent control through the Vector Con- trol Branch when necessary. Dixon also said the Department of Health is currently consulting on a comprehensive website for Rat Lung - worm disease that will also contain in- formation about other illnesses such as Leptospirosis and foodborne illnesses, and is also exploring other venues such as social media to get the word out. Among other things, DOH is also avail VOTE BY MA Do you vote absentee? Or would you rather receive a ballot mailed to your home? It's a trick question; absentee ballots can bereceived and sent by mail. Although many people are aware of on this disease that has had such a devastating impact in Puna." — Greggor Ilagan able to provide educational presen- tations, when requested, at no cost; give out information about rat lung - worm designed specifically for resi- dents, issue health advisories in the local newspapers. The department is also working with the farmers' mar- kets to provide information to cus- tomers by posting fliers around each market and also on their websites. The Sanitation Branch works with food estab- lishments by ed- ucating them on Rat Lungworm disease and by doing periodic inspections. "I am glad that the Health De- partment is fo- cusing its efforts on this disease that has had Hawai'i County Civil Defense Alerts and Notifications Self Enrollment. Go to the following website: www.hawaiicounty.gov/ civil -defense/ 808-935-0031 civiI_defense@hawaiicounty.gov such a devastating impact in Puna; Ilagan said. "My hope is that people make use of the resources available and learn about how to prevent rat lungworm disease from spreading." More information about the public meetings will be announced when they are scheduled. 11110 ay 1 ,•l ;i. ' this, it's not always clear that the term"absentee voting"can mean "vote by mail" and that an "absentee polling place" means "early walk-in polling." Council member Greggor Ilagan would liake to encourage the Chief Election Officer to use plain language in com- munications with the public for the purpose of improving clarity and in- creasing voter turnout, which ultimate- ly should lead to more representative government. He is introducing a resolution that will be heard at the Council meeting on July 24. Resolution 209-15 states that "the word absentee has a misleading connotation that suggests voters must be absent from their residences in or- der to be eligible to vote by mail, when that is not the case," and "the word ab- sentee refers to a voter's absence from a polling place on Election Day" Council Member Greggor Ilagan 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Phone: 1-808-965-2712 greggor.ilagan@hawaiicounty.gov www.hawaiicounty.gov/district4