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HERBERT T. MATAYOSHI * WILLIAM TAKABA
MAYOR EXECUTIVE ON ABINO
COUNTY OF HAWAII
OFFICE OF AGING
34 RAINBOW DRIVE
HILO. HAWAII 96720
Telephone: (808)961-3794
February 9, 1979
Mr. Kimiaki Sokoto, Chairman
Charter Review Commission
• County of Hawaii,
Hilo, Hawaii
Enclosed are copies of written testimony that will be
presented to the Charter Review Commission on Tuesday,
February 13, 1979.
Because I will not be in Hilo on the 13th, I have
asked Dennis Shigeta, Program Coordinator, to
represent me. Thank you. - •
fi Writ Wit
William a aba;
Executive on Aging •
Encls.
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COMM. NO..._.. 7
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TESTIMONY BY WILLIAM TAKABA
EXECUTIVE ON AGING
OFFICE OF AGING
COUNTY OF HAWAII
February 13, 1979
eb y
Hilo, Hawaii
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Members of the Hawaii County
Charter Review Commission:
Introduction
My name is William Takaba, Director of the Hawaii County
Office of Aging. I appreciate having this opportunity to present
testimony on the functions ,and operations of our office, and on
the Hawaii County Committee on Aging.
Background
In 1963 the State Legislature of Hawaii passed a law
establishing a State Commission on Aging, which authorized each
County to form County Committees on Aging. Members on Hawaii
County were selected and sworn in on July of 1964.
' In May 1965 Congress passed the Older Americans Act to fund
programs on aging in each State. Hawaii County used part of
this money in 1966 to fund its Office of Aging, which was created
to study .the needs -of the aging and plan, develop, and coordinate
programs on their behalf. Later that year, the Office of Aging
obtained more Older Americans Act funds for an Information and
Referral Service.
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In 1967 the Pomaikai Senior Center opened under another
Older Americans Act grant. Pomaikai was placed under the super-
vision of the Department of Parks and Recreation. 1967 - 1970.
were years of growth for, these programs. Using data retrieved
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from the Information and Referral Program, other agencies were
then able to improve their services to the elderly.
In April 1971, the_ Kona Homemaker Service, now called the
Kona Coordinated Services opened to offer a wide range of in-home
services to the elderly of Kona. The RSVP and Nutrition programs
followed soonafter in 1972. The first Nutrition meal site
opened at the Hilo Salvation Army in November of 1973. Also in
1973 the Offices of Aging in, each County became designated as
Area Agencies on Aging by the State Commission on Aging.
With the rapid growthof programs, it then became necessary
in 1974 for the State Commission on Aging to have developed a
statewide Master Plan for aging programs. This Plan was completed
in December 1974.
In 1975 the County of Hawaii developed the Elderly Activities
Division under the Department of Parks and Recreation to operate
programs previously run by the Office of Aging. The Office of
Aging then maintained its original functions of planning, coordi-
nating, and pooling programs on behalf of the elderly. Several
other funds were later received to improve the network of aging
services. The Office of Aging currently obtains about $750,000
in annual grants.
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Staffing
The Office of Aging is staffed by an Executive on Aging (civil
service) , Program Coordinator (exempt) , Program Specialist (exempt)..,
Accountant (exempt) , Senior Clerk—Stenographer (civil service) , and
Assistant Account Clerk (exempt) .
Committee on Aging
The Hawaii County Committee on Aging serves in an advisory
capacity to the Mayor and the Office of Aging. It is composed of
not less than 15 members, the majority being 60 years or older.
Each member is appointed by the Mayor for a term of four (4) years.
The Hawaii County Office of Aging as well as the Committee
on Aging are currently not mentioned in the County Charter.
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HAWAII COUNTY OFFICE OF
AGING •
TABLE OF ORGANIZATION
February 13, 1979
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Mayor ��- ------------�
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Advisory
• Hawaii County Office of Aging < 1Committee on Aging,
Executive on Aging
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Program Specialist {Program Coordinator jSr. Clerk/Stenol 1 Accountant I
' Ass't. A/C Clerki