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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-01-10 (draft) Cost of Government Commission minutes COST OF GOVERNMENT COMMISSION c/o Office of the Mayor, 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 COST OF GOVERNMENT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES (DRAFT) JANUARY 10, 2019 HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL CHAMBERS – COUNTY BUILDING 25 AUPUNI STREET, SUITE 1401, HILO, HAWAI‘I CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Jones called the meeting to order at 9:16 a.m. ATTENDANCE Present: Jenipher A. Jones, Chairperson Margarita “Dayday” L. Hopkins, Vice-Chairperson Lenard Allen, Commissioner Barbara Ann Bongo Arthurs, Commissioner Ross E. Birch, Commissioner David A. Buehler, Commissioner Gregory Dale Larson, Commissioner (arrived 9:41 a.m.) Harry Lee McIntosh III, Commissioner Excused: Genevieve Puanani Woo, Commissioner ____ Also present: Dennis Kauka, Jr., Executive Assistant Aide – Office of the Mayor Angelic (Malia) Hall, Deputy Corporation Counsel STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC (none) Jones: Is there a motion to accept the agenda? Arthurs: I move to accept the agenda. Allen: I second. Jones: It has been moved and seconded. Sorry. Should we take a rollcall of who is here? Attending is: Mr. McIntosh, Mrs. Arthurs, Mr. Allen, Mrs. Hopkins, Jennifer Jones, Mr. Buehler and Mr. Birch. Mrs. Woo will not be in attendance today and Greg Larson will be a few minutes late, he should be here by 9:30. I would like to call for statements from the public. I don’t see any public. Move on to item 3, approval of the minutes. Shall we start with taking a moment here to take a look at least let’s get through September, okay, is that okay with everybody? Cost of Government Commission January 10, 2019 meeting minutes Jones: Ms. Hopkins has moved to accept the September 2017 minutes Buehler: Second Jones: It has been moved and seconded. Discussion Buehler: Under sanitation and waste removal, the first sentence or first line, doesn’t make sense to me, maybe it’s me, but ‘sub-committee member Hopkins sent an initial email was sent to Peter Buscher. Jones: Sent an initial email Buehler: Was sent Jones: So sent needs to be changed. Buehler: It should be said an initial email was sent? Jones: Oh there you go. Probably said, so sent changes to said. An initial email was sent to Peter Buscher, yeah. Any other notes to correct? Any other comments? So with the one correction if there is no further discussion all in favor? All: Aye Jones: Opposed? Motion carried. Let’s go ahead with the same process on the th next one. So we are looking at October 25, is that right? Is there a motion to accept the th minutes from October 25 2018? Buehler: so moved. Birch: Second. Jones: It has been moved and seconded. Is there discussion? I have a couple of notes off the top, paragraph under health education and welfare. The paragraph that starts “it was noted that Kulaimano Housing fund appears to be below actual revenues in some cases actual expenditures seem to exceed revenues and it may because of the relationship”. Maybe is that what it needs to be. And second thing I noticed was on page 3 paragraph that starts Roy Takemoto, let me find it. Yes the first sentence, Roy Takemoto of the Mayor’s Office commented that cost of government terms also finds translation to friends of programs. Just not quite clear on that sentence. Anybody have a clue on that one. I don’t know what to do with it doesn’t sound right. Yes, Mrs. Arthurs? Jones: Press your button, there now we are all hot I have to lean in. 2 Cost of Government Commission January 10, 2019 meeting minutes Arthurs: You had a question on page 2 about the health education welfare. What paragraph was that? Jones: That was it looks like a word is missing. It starts with “it was noted that the Kulaimano Housing…”. That sentence. When you get to the next sentence, in some cases actual expenditures seem to exceed revenue and it may because, it needs a “be”. And then the other one was on page 3, the first sentence that starts Roy Takemoto. Kauka: May I? Mr. Takemoto, I believe at the time was just trying to make a point that…he was trying to convey is that some cost of government, I know he said it translates but he was trying to say that if we may find ways to utilize such programs like friends of non-profits or friends of the zoo program is to take over to volunteer services at the county will otherwise provide. That sometimes translates to finding ways to find ways to save costs for cost for government. But it could be better worded, I could rephrase it. Jones: Yeah if you could just figure out a way to make it more clear. Jones: Okay, any further discussion? All in favor of the corrections as noted? All: Aye Jones: All those opposed? Motion carried the minutes are accepted for October thth 25. Last one is for December, is that right? December 27 let me find those Kauka: That’s not yet included in the folder Jones: Oh, okay so we’ll just move forward with where we’re at. Moving on to item 4 sub-committee reports. I would like to ask if anybody has had a problem or had a success with getting support answers and responses with the departments you have contacted. Any issues to discuss there or are we all happy with what we have got. No issues? I am concerned because we haven’t. We, from our sub-committee, have not gotten a response from anyone we have sent a question to. I did stop and see them, the golf course management again, and he had assured me that he had responded. That response is not filtering down to us. So I am not sure where to turn from here other than to just go forward without anyone’s input. We just go forward. If there is somebody that is having a problem or issue, please mention it so I can help or at least note that we did not get a response. Okay who would like to start with their sub-committee reports? Mr. Allen? Allen: I just wanted to mention that I brought just an example of a template that I mentioned in our last meeting that I tried to shrink down some of the items that we had discussed with Pam Mizuno over at Parks. Again this is just a draft and it is something that you can tear apart or utilize but trying to put everything into a single page as far as recommendations and I put in what we recommend and then an example and then what the outcome or result would be hopefully less cost to the county as far as revenues 3 Cost of Government Commission January 10, 2019 meeting minutes again it is a draft it is just an opportunity to change things. But the one thing I did like is to break it down to our Council Members and for our Mayor by how much money that facility receives in county funds and who we spoke to just to let it be known we did have a contact with an individual with that department and what their name is and their position and how that can be contacted. So that is it for me. Jones: I want to recognize that Mrs. Hopkins is noting that she received a response to her inquiries from solid waste management. And they indicated they are going to provide a response to the vehicle disposal program. So we, do we want to start with was that our full report for our sub-committee, that you gave? Allen: It was just a document for everyone to review as a potential template. Jones: Formatting, this will be the format of our report? Allen: It’s an option, yes. Jones: So shall we start with sub-committee reports? Mr. McIntosh would you like to start today? McIntosh: I don’t have much to say but I have a question about the format is this the one page is that what you want for each thing we investigate like less than one page or do you want one page from each sub-committee? Jones: I think a page from each sub-committee is reasonable but I would hope that we can keep it to one page. That’s the tough part if you have more than one page of recommendations that need to be discussed or that need to be brought forward. I think our, I think we will be able to keep it to one page don’t you? Allen: Page and a half. Jones: Page and a half. So the goal is one page do the best you can with that. The longer it gets the harder it is for anybody to get anything out of it. That is the tough part so you know really look at each word you put on the paper and minimize even just the words if you can do it in 2 words do it in 2 not 3. Also I think it is important to note you know the result is a very important part of this report. What do we expect to get out of these recommendations what do we expect the county to gain. Okay so please make sure that is included in your recommendation. Not just ‘I want you to do this’. What are they going to get out of it. Okay for sub-committee reports, I know Mr. Allen and I did not have an opportunity to meet because we have not been available over the holidays. The only thing I did do is go talk to the golf course one more time. And that’s when we had lunch. That’s been since the last meeting. And has lunch there looked at the room and a quick tour and again there was not a lot of input. The listening was good. That’s great. But we are not getting that much input back from parks and recs or any, any part of the group. At this point I think we are just going to move forward with our recommendations. Mr. Kauka has mentioned there is some wiggle room if we need to add a date past that. 4 Cost of Government Commission January 10, 2019 meeting minutes There is some wiggle room without going through so many hoops. So if we need it we can take it. I think we are making good progress. So that’s it for our sub-committee. Buehler: So the gist of your activity with the golf course is to offset subsidization with revenue and were are you kind of headed on that? Does it seem reasonable in your mind? Jones: It seems very reasonable. McIntosh: The mics turn off after a while on their own so you have to watch the red light. Jones: Oh do they? okay. It seems very reasonable and the management of the golf course has verbalized that the members are waiting for an increase since the rebuild they have all been they have verbalized surprise that the rates did not go up because some are paying as little as a dollar a game, depending on their situation however much they golf etc. The expectations are the rates should have already gone up so that’s why I am a little bit surprised that something like a few other things that the county has worked toward that hasn’t already happened without a recommendation or comment or discussion. Buehler: What is our subsidy amount from last year? Do you recall? Jones: 100 and 80. Allen: Yeah just under 800,000. Buehler: 800,000? Allen: Just under. Jones: Serving 1,100 members Buehler: So you figure you can cut that in half? Jones: At least. Buehler: Okay good. Jones: Within 5 I think it should be cut to 0. I think we should be at net zero at the golf course if they are going to maintain those facilities doesn’t make sense not to. Buehler: Yeah it’s also not fair to the rest of the people that don’t live here, which would have to travel to gain the benefit that is currently offered. Jones: Correct. 5 Cost of Government Commission January 10, 2019 meeting minutes Jones: The entire Big Island community needs to see some benefits here, that’s what I am looking for. Ok, public safety miscellaneous. Mr. Buehler, would you like to share your notes with us? Buehler: Yeah, It’s all in my head, I just have to get it on paper. As it relates, the county police fleet idea, I think the numbers are pretty solid. I am sure there are other factors that are involved in that decision process by the police department. But I think we are just going to have to make some assumptions and throw it out there and hopefully look at subtraction. I think there is a good share of money to be saved also to improve the safety and performance of the public safety or police department. Jones: Have you come into any issues with union contracts or what they have already been told what they can or cannot do? Is there any conflict there or is this something, the car thing can be handled with or without bringing the union into it. Buehler: I don’t specifically, I have not had asked that question of the police chief. I think that’s something, if they can see the reasonableness and the savings and the safety issues then they can work around that. Jones: That’s good much appreciated. Thank you for your input. Mr. Birch do you have anything that you would like to share? Birch: Sorry nothing to share today. Jones: We will look forward to next meeting. Mrs. Arthurs? Arthurs: Let me just share this with you. This isn’t really…can I just pass it down or maybe Lenard can Ms. Woo and I have been gathering information I just thought it might be helpful for the commission to look at some of our finding so that as we craft our recommendation hopefully the other commissioners can give their input. You know after doing this I realize that we haven’t really looked at the budget issue as closely as we should because the housing department has their budget it doesn’t separate out the cost for revenue and expenditures for senior housing only so we are focusing on that so I need to go back to Neil Gyotoku to see if he can provide that information because it’s not separated out. In any case, you can see that the information that we got from Kimo Alameda at the Office of Aging is clearly indicating to us that the senior population is growing. So if it is growing that rapidly I’m not so sure I guess I have to be kind of a cool mathematician to figure out some projection in terms of what it could be now if you look on page 2 and this is just the Office of Housing and so there the projections of revenues from the federal government basically HUD and rent revenue and other sources of revenue so if I were to hopefully get from Mr Gyotoku how this plays out not only for the entire office of housing but the component that is specifically dealing with senior housing then we can sort of look at it and their projections across and the fiscal year 2020 and 2021 and see if the rate of expected increase, which is like 3.8% per year, is the projected increase of seniors, if that sort of falls in line so the math part is something 6 Cost of Government Commission January 10, 2019 meeting minutes that it’s…I’m not a mathematician so I am going to try to struggle with that with Pua. In the meantime I think that when we look at the recommendations just having a sense of what might be helpful on page 3, start with the Office of Aging and I want to run this by all of you because I think it would be helpful to us to see if our recommendation to use needs to be tied, again, as was recommended, you know with a cost factor and whether it is going to help with reducing cost or keeping cost at the same level. So here is the first one since the Office of Aging has no budget for senior housing. This office should continue its important role of providing senior family members and their care givers with housing information and referral so it was really kind of interesting because when Pua and I went to meet with Kimo Alameda I think it was really for me the first time that I realized that they had no funding for housing but they had funding for information during referrals and those kind of things. I don’t know if our recommendations we should or could include recommendations that support what they are already doing, in other words, we’re not making a recommendation for a change but a recommendation so this can continue. Because it’s helpful. So maybe we can decide whether we want to include stuff like that or not. Part of my thinking is that for me anyway I tend to look at positive things and want to reinforce that but again if we want to keep it really brief then we target only those things that we think should be considered for change. So any way, last time I am bringing this up because maybe we don’t need to say that. At the same time personally I don’t know this is where the commission has to decide whether we should reinforce what they are doing because, Kimo’s office, they are amazing in terms of putting up information to seniors providing their referral services and those kinds of things. Just keep that thought in your mind. The question that I have is whether we should include positive things and reinforce what they are already doing. Number 2, since nearly 90% of seniors prefer to remain in their homes again you know this would be its not just saying recommend that we have xyz but to say the basis for this recommendation would be say nearly 90% of seniors prefer to remain in their homes, therefore, programs should create service components were students, this is a recommendation where students practice caregiving skills and are paired with seniors who prefer to remain as long as possible in their homes. You hear what I am struggling with. Jones: Yes and what I want to mention right here… Arthurs: I want to give the basis for our recommendation… Jones: Well it is almost like number 2 is your recommendation at least when you go in to programs to create service component and number 3 is your result. So between 2 and 3 this is the whole this is one recommendation of this is what we are recommending and this is the result, which is it costs less for seniors in the county in other words. Than the housing cost that the government or population bears for senior housing becomes less so, to me, the number 2 is the do this and the number 3 is the here is the result, here is the win. So again we always want to try and one thing I want to mention to about number 1 I think it is valid to give positive reinforcement but because we are limited on space and attention span I think it is important to look at, ‘is what they are doing in jeopardy?’. Is someone or some agency or budget line that says 7 Cost of Government Commission January 10, 2019 meeting minutes we’re going to take something away from them then I think that is important to support the level they are at right now. Don’t take away from that group so you know think like that in terms of the budget we got to start with cost of government and move down from there. Okay? Arthurs: Okay, So basically if you look down you will see the sort of just our thoughts there on the Office of Aging and then the housing department this is where we need to get the specific numbers from Neil with regards to separating the costs for senior housing out from the overall housing budget and that’s it for now. Jones: I do want to say I really like number 4 I think that starting the planning process before they get to be 50 year olds starting it in kindergarten might be a really good idea to start giving the population because there is going to be growing numbers to me that’s…I’m going to have to say I don’t see how it saves money other than down the line you are saving by getting people to plan in advance. Arthurs: It is going to be a challenge if we just look at the growth and looking on page 1 and 2 were we have listed the rental units available in these specific senior housing programs if you add them up they are not going to come near 10% of the number of people that might be served if you say 90% prefer to stay at home and 10% maybe would be somewhere else, these numbers would not meet the 10% so in that respect it’s a challenge because, in my mind, if 90% of the people prefer to stay at home, is the county facilitating that option and so we are saying things like which is already being done where the county planning department resurrected the ability to go ahead and build ohana homes, pre-permitted housing plans and then there is one that the county has through the department of housing and this is for repairs of homes, but we are not necessarily looking at repairs but making modifications to the home to accommodate the seniors needs for mobility and access so those are the kinds of things you know again this is a recommendation what would be the expected result and in terms of the cost so we will work on that. Jones: with number 8 I want to mention just as an example in bringing down the number of words you could take out everything from ‘the office’ to ‘want’ and trade that to ‘explore avenues to collaborate with charitable foundations’ to lower a few words. It will make it more concise and easier for the group to get. Okay? Arthurs: Okay, thank you Jones: I would like to acknowledge that Mr. Larson has joined us. Thank you for attending. So we covered culture recreation, health education welfare, public safety miscellaneous, and I am going to acknowledge Mrs. Hopkins she is drafting her recommendations for sanitation waste removal base on the responses of Mr. Goodale and the final county of Hawaii indicated resources and solid waste management since December 9. She is waiting for the response from the waste water program. She is shooting to have the recommendation draft shared with the commission members by the next meeting. Sounds great. Mr. Larson would you like to add anything to that? 8 Cost of Government Commission January 10, 2019 meeting minutes Larson: Sure, I just drafted some bullet points basically to give an overview. My only bullet point that I have here because we don’t have good data is from the last time we could act on to reduce cost from the sanitation. My only statement is just landfills until net county budget is 0 in sanitation is still funding to support that I say many states have private companies controlling all landfill and collection activities. Their fee is similar to Hawaii commercial collection costs that result in profitable observations. This would result in reduced county expenditures, I have this electronically that we can forward. Jones: Please. Sounds like you are making good progress. One step at a time. Okay now we are going to go back, that is it for general number 4. Item number 4. We are going to number 5 for review and the final format. So let’s go back to the copy that Mr. Allen provided this morning. Does everybody have a copy of that? I don’t know if I have another one let’s see. We all have one of these? So I don’t have another copy of this I will give you mine when I leave and you can shoot me a copy email. Allen: If anyone needs mine now I know what I did. Jones: You want to do that and I will take one down. Okay so I will provide you with my copy. Yes she has one but now Mr. Larson doesn’t have one so you have to share it with him. But I will give you mine before I leave. Allen: Just a quick note I passed out my overview notes that I collected from the last meeting and kind of a put it in my organization so these are just ideas that I pulled from the last meeting made notes put them down and expanded on them and I will put an electronic copy out now. Jones: This is great thank you. Okay, so in formatting I think a goal needs to be is figuring out what date we want to be done with this. Okay. (unidentified): March? Jones: Well we need to turn it in at some point so we don’t want to do all this th work and then have it wasted. I think it was, wasn’t it Feb 27, what was the end March th 27? I think was the end date for this commission although like I said we may have a 1 week wiggle room kind of a thing or 2 weeks if we had to have it. But I think we need to put a hardcore date I really would like to have you guys if you can email me your drafts organize after this discussion in the ways that we have discussed with recommendation result so that we can put it together so then we can have an opportunity to really go over each-others recommendations. Which is critical to this whole commission okay? So if you give them to me by the next meeting I will have it at least a page or 2 pages each of sub-committee to review at the next meeting to really start formalizing our th thoughts so if we’re saying that the last date of this commission is March 27 I would th really like to have everything done by Feb 27 with a month wiggle room to make any changes or add any additional items or whatever. Anybody have a problem with that? 9 Cost of Government Commission January 10, 2019 meeting minutes th Okay do I need to move that we have our reports in to me by the 27 is that something that needs to be done? Arthurs: I just have a question with regards to the final formatting. I liked what you and Lenard has together and it is very concise it has the budget figures it has the recommendation and the result. Do we need to add what Roy kept referring to as an operating principle or is that over-arching thing or because like for our particular area I just put this together the operating principle the citizen rate of Hawaii county bears some level of responsibility in seeing that seniors age in adequate housing accommodations according to their level of independence in able to drive and level of dependence or unable to drive and those are definitions of the Office of Aging. So do we want to do something about some principle? Jones: Well I had thought we were at least going to start with a paragraph for each of our sub-committees in terms of that overarching so in other words all of these recommendations from parks and rec, there probably should be a paragraph about that that addresses that overarching theory that Mr. Takemoto was talking about I think there is room for that and I think that is also where the personality of this commission comes through and how we are responding to that overarching theme. Arthurs: And then also to indicate perhaps the individual that we spoke with. Jones: I am a little nervous about that. Only because there has been different levels of acceptance of cooperation so I don’t really want to put anyone on the hot seat because I asked and they didn’t come back to me. I’m really trying to keep this down to a very specific report from this commission on what we recommend and why if you want to acknowledge someone’s assistance again that first paragraph of this is our sub- committee and this is what we have reviewed and these are the overlying principles that would be the place to do it. I would think but, again, few words. The fewer words the better. I wanted to first acknowledge Mr. McIntosh do you have something you wanted to say? McIntosh: No you covered it. Arthurs: Oh okay. So that would be the basic format. Thank you. Jones: Can you read Mrs. Hopkins notes into the records for us? Arthurs: Yes I’ve read that. Yeah so any acknowledgement of the individuals that we might have spoken with if we include those to be in the appendix is that what I am seeing? Jones: Oh I see what she means it says the issue that Barbara brought could be articulated in the introduction of the report and we could include the sources as appendices at the end of the report. So that is not a bad idea either. Especially if you quote somebody or someone gave you specific information I think and appendix at the 10 Cost of Government Commission January 10, 2019 meeting minutes end saying who are sources were or who we spoke with whatever we think at the end is important to include that is the place for it. Okay? Arthurs: Okay, thank you. Jones: Are there any other comments or questions about the format? Are we all clear on how we are going to do it and do we all agree we are all comfortable with this type of formatting? I am very happy with it. It is straight forward, it is clean, it gives us a path to follow. All good? Yes? Buehler: I would just like to add to possibly a number after the bulleted item to say what the projected cost and savings will be. Just one number and if they want to know the details of how we got the that number we will provide that subsequently Jones: I agree I think that is a great idea, projected savings. Okay that ends Item 5. Number 6 does anyone have announcements? Not today? Okay someone want to move that we adjourn. Kauka: Sorry, one announcement regarding reimbursements. I’ve received from 2 commissioners so far but I will be happy to process them if you want to turn them in. We passed this out at the first meeting. I have copies at that table there and I can provide them to you we just need to claim for mileage. It is pretty cut and dry the question might be the rate and that was increased for 2019 so you will use 58.0. Jones: Starting 1/1? Does that start 1/1? Kauka: Correct, and if any of you are going to submit retroactively for 2018 than it is 54.5. Finance needs this request for information for vender form which is also there. I prefilled it with the information as much as possible from the experience of the last 2 commissioners. It is for them to establish an account with finance to pay the reimbursement so that is why the vendor form is there. And I filled in where it asks for your social security number actually I didn’t but you can fill in that line and establish that you don’t need to fill in your social security number because it is not subject to withholding. At first they thought they needed it for the account but that is not necessary. And then the mayor’s office address is in the payment name box you can just draw a line and then include your own address. There was a time, apparently where they had to mail it to the office listed to host the commission but they can mail it directly to you now. If anyone wants to submit I can take that in anytime. Jones: Great, Thank you for your help Mr. Kauka. (unidentified): I would like to request that the future meetings be put in the minutes if you could review those with us real quick. What the next meeting dates are until we are done. Jones: Oh absolutely. 11 Cost of Government Commission January 10, 2019 meeting minutes Kauka: I am sorry before that I have one more thing on the mileage, they also ask for the odometer reading. Jones: That is a tax thing that the government requires. Arthurs: Is it the second and fourth Thursday? ndth Jones: Yes it is the 2 and 4 Thursday we stuck with that. Arthurs: Okay. Jones: But I do have to get them on my calendar. From this point forward we did secure the smaller room so this is the only time we are going to have to meet like this, so we will be across the hall in Hilo every time. And right now they are booked through the end of Feb as far as I know. th (unidentified): So next meeting is 24? th Jones: Yes 24 of January 9am in the Puna conference room right? Buehler: Yes, could you clarify the date of the last meeting? th Jones: I believe it is the 27 let me look at my phone. th (unidentified): The 28 of March is a Thursday. Jones: If we need that, that will be the final meeting. If we could have the report th ready by the 27 then I could give it to you guys by the second Tuesday of March then we may or may not need that final meeting. If we are complete if we are not complete then we could spend the final meeting yet another 2 weeks to add that beginning of thth April. But I would really like us to be done with this. I have January 24, February 14, thth February 28 and March 14 are the meeting dates right now. Any other questions, concerns, problems, issues? If not somebody want to call. Oh I acknowledge Mr. McIntosh. McIntosh: I had a question about one of the pages that was handed out that talks about the Hawaii county bands what is this page for? Jones: That, is that one from my name/ McIntosh: Yes Jones: That was just an original draft or format outline. As an example. McIntosh: okay so nothing 12 Cost of Government Commission January 10, 2019 meeting minutes Jones: No, that one you can toss because we have created the more clean version. So we have moved on to that particular format. Which I will get from Mr. Allen and I will use that to create our document at least. We’ll initially start with that. Sorry. Somebody want to call to adjourn or I just say. Motion to adjourn. Buehler: So moved Allen: second Jones: Moved and seconded, we are adjourned (10:11 a.m.) 13