HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0024.100 - Testimony - CA-9 - staff for PONC fund and Maintenance fundFrom: Debbie H <hecht.deb@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2019 7:28 AM
To: Charter Commission
Subject: CA -9 and paying 1 full time staff person
Please forward to all commissioners.
RE: CA -9 AND THE ABILITY TO PAY ONE STAFF PERSON
Aloha Charter Commissioners -
Our core group has reviewed the language the Commission approved on first reading for CA -9 and
we are asking for two additional changes.
Following is the language proposed by Commissioner Hopkins and approved at First Reading:
The existing language:
(3) "Pay for the salary, wages, and benefits of staff dedicated to advancing the Activities
contained within this section and Section 10-16 of this charter."
We do NOT support this. Why?
1. STAFF IS AN AMBIGUOUS TERM. Does the word "staff" mean 1 staff person or
3 or more? The problem: Staff costs could deplete the purchasing power of the 2%
Land Fund. Salary, wages, and benefits could be $100,000 or more for each senior
level staff person.
2. There is already a part time staff person provided for in the County Code to
assist the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Commission.
Please support OUR PROPOSAL for 2nd Reading as follows:
"Pay for the salary, wages and benefits of one full-time staff member, employed by the
Department of Finance dedicated only to advancing administering the activities contained
within this section and Section 10-16 of this charter. This is in addition to a staff person
provided in Section 2-215 of the Hawaii County Code."
Our proposed changes to CA -9 are important in order to retain the purchasing
power of the 2% Land Fund, to obtain more properties, and to provide more
Maintenance Funds to stewardship groups:
1. Our goal is to increase the amount of land purchased. We believe the Land Fund has recently
grown to about $20 million because there has been no staff person dedicated to work ONLY
on the land fund. Real estate deals are time -sensitive and require willing sellers. Willing
sellers want to be paid as soon as possible because the taxes keep accruing on property and
they may have a need for the money. It also takes time for the staff people to apply for
matching funds, get appraisals, do land surveys or surveys for endangered species, and do all
the due diligence required for property purchases by governments. Land acquisition deals can
fall apart if deadlines are not met.
1 Comm. No. 24.100
2. The Maintenance Fund grants have been granted to only 6 organizations in the 6 -year period
since 2013. The stewardship groups have received only 9% of all the money deposited in the
Maintenance Fund from 2013. Stewardship groups say the process has been very difficult and
they have had to apply several times before receiving funding. We believe the Department of
Finance is better equipped to facilitate this process and that a full-time staff person can assist
the non -profits with getting the funding they need to care for lands acquired through the 2%
Land Fund.
Our goal is to strengthen the 2% Land Fund Program.
Please support our proposed compromise language for CA -9 for Second Reading:
"Pay for the salary, wages and benefits of one full-time staff member,
employed by the Department of Finance dedicated only to advanGing
administering the activities contained within this section and Section 10-16 of
this charter. This is in addition to a staff person provided in Section 2-215 of
the Hawaii County Code."
I would be happy to discuss this with you. If you would like to see the entire ro osed
legislation please email me at hecht.debgmail.com or call me at
Mahalo for your service to represent the people of Hawaii County,
Debbie Hecht
Campaign Coordinator for the Save Our Lands Citizens' Committee and the
2% Land Fund Program since 2006
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