2024-04-03 Housing Sustainability and Effectively being

well and good afternoon it is 2:31 on Wednesday May 1st 2024 with the committee on housing sustainability and health please come to order like to welcome committee Vice chair kiaa Committee Member Okimoto to.

The floor I believe council member tolba will be joining shortly and we'll also be keeping an eye out for Council marel Santos Tam online oh I see you there right now via Zoom uh also welcome Council M SE and tupola to the chamber as well uh Council M Santos Tam could you just identify anyone that's currently with.

You at your location there's nobody else okay moalo council member welcoming council member TOA as well to the chamber pursuant to section 92- 3.7 what revised statutes this meeting will be conducted as a remote meeting by interactive conference technology with the following procedures in effect for the meeting members of the.

Public will be allowed to provide oral testimony on all items on the agenda in two ways remotely and inperson in the council chamber remote and inperson oral testimony will be allowed when the agenda item is taken up before testifying each person shall State their name each speaker may not have anyone.

Else read their statement and is limited to one minute presentation on each item all persons who have registered to testify remotely by video conference will be called upon first where your name is called please monitor your screen scre and activate your audio feed when prompted I will then give persons who have not registered an opportunity.

To offer testimony please utilize the raise hand feature in Zoom to be called on for those joining us by telephone only please press star n to indicate your desire to speak I will identify you by the last three digits of your phone number when your number is called please press star 6 to un unmute yourself when prompted.

Some friendly reminders and tips please uh video conference from a quiet location if possible if you're also watching the proceedings on Olo please mute your television at the time you're called to testify when the timer on the screen reaches zero uh please conclude your remarks uh in a timely manner uh once all the in-person testifiers in the.

Council chamber have testified I'll proceed to remote testimony persons who have not registered will be given an opportunity to speak following the oral testimonies of the registered speakers HRS section 92 3.7 requires all votes at remote meetings to be conducted by a roll call unless unanimous therefore I will call for objections and if there.

Are any I will call for a roll call vote for those council members participating remotely from outside of the council Council chamber in accordance with HRS section 92- 3.7 the meeting will automatically recess if we lose audiovisual contact with you and cannot reconvene until we reestablish contact therefore please announce beforehand if.

You will be voluntarily signing out of the meeting written testimonies including the Test's address email address and phone number will be available to the public as described on the posted agenda as a courtesy please turn off all cell phones for the course of the meeting and we'll go to agenda item.

Number one one for Action resolution 24-13 um accepting a gift of travel and related expenses valued at $1,898 25 to the city from the American Association of Motor Vehicle administrators I believe we have program administrator yagi present and administ you just wanted to uh come up identify yourself and then.

Maybe just give a brief description of the activities that'll be going on uh good afternoon uh my name is Michael yagi I'm the assistant program administrator for customer services uh Motor Vehicles Division and um so basically this is a workshop that anva is putting on uh for the commercial driver's license sections so we'll be.

Sending uh we're we're looking to send our commercial driver's license supervisor um what they're going to do is going to discuss policies procedural changes um and basically uh create policy for the commercial driver's license offices across the country M appreciate that any questions from the committee or council members.

Seeing none thank you Mr yagi appreciate that we'll proceed to uh testimony my apologies members we also have a posted propos cd1 OCS 202443 442 24224 posted at :8 PM submitted by myself for your information those amendments are listed on the.

Agenda I don't believe we have any registered testifiers anyone wishing to testify that's in the gallery today can raise their hand and come up and seeing none will proceed with remote testify there are no remote register test fires on this item again this is the gift resolution I'm looking at the screen and see no hands raised and so seeing no.

Testifiers will close testimony on this item and members I'll ask if there's any discussion mollow for that so the chair is going to recommend that resolution 24-13 be reported out apologies I'm going to actually recommend first that 24113 be amended to the posted cd1 any objections discussion reservations see none the resolution has been so amended.

And then chair is recommending that the resolution 24113 be reported out for adoption any discussion reservations or objections to that seen none so ordered appreciate that so noting that that was a cv1 that was posted out for adoption okay members we're moving on to agenda item number two for Action this is resolution.

-103 initiating amendments to the revised Charter of the City and County of Honolulu 1973 amended 2017 Edition is amended pursuant to the mayor's executive reorganization Authority relating to the Department of ocean safety I believe we do have Deputy or managing director sorry um Michael for be.

Present Loa managing director if you wanted to um just identify yourself and you know share anything you wanted to at this time thank you committee chair wire Vice chair K and committee members Mike forby managing director so committee chair if I could I wanted to have just a minute to talk about this because there's been a lot of coverage in the.

Newspaper on the media and I think it's very important that the community understand the mayor the mayor's position and my position so I hope I can clarify that by by taking a little bit of time thought long and hard about what what I want to say today I want to be deliberate and clear in my words always respectful of councel and the important.

Work that you do and respectful of our constituency the voters the truth is though I don't understand all of the coverage and all of the discussion that is happening about the intent of the city and the mayor's office to move forward with the Department of ocean safety just briefly this issue has been around a long time precedes this.

Administration back when I was at the city from 2013 to 2016 this was an issue and this Administration received a resolution from this Council adopted 801 abena Carol fukunaga was not present supporting in 2021 that the mayor exercised his powers under 4-22 the mayor's reorganization EMP.

Powered to stand up a department of ocean safety and that resel was submitted by council member Sunni Yoshi and we took that passing of the resolution from this Council seriously and we thought long and hard about it and in 200 in 23 the mayor in his state of the city announced that he wanted to form a task force to weigh the.

Pros and cons of a standalone department and that task force was stood up the mayor and I attended the first meeting and we attended the last meeting of that task force and we received the recommendations of the task force which are now posted online at the H HD website while the task force was meeting in 2023 the legislature the house passed.

A resolution asking the mayor to stand up the department using his reorganization powers 4-22 and a concurrent resolution P out passed out of the house in 2023 asking the mayor pursuant to 4-2 202 to use his powers of reorganization to form a department all of that weighed on our decision after the task force.

Made its recommendation and that recommendation was unanimous to stand up a department of ocean safety and in 2024 in the mayor state of the city he announced his intent to do just that so here we all today it seems like everybody is in alignment the council the legis ISL although they really don't have a direct.

Say but they've indicated their policy preference the administration the department of ocean safety we believe the best thing to do is to drive execution and get it done and we can do that pursuant to the mayor's powers under 4-22 what the mayor cannot do and what I don't think everybody in the public.

Understands is he cannot appoint a commission to oversee a department but the voters can and so your office chair wire your office put forth a resolution to form a commission and we support that going to the voters so that they can in fact have a commission so it seems like everybody.

Is in alignment for a standalone department and a commission council member toola before the mayor state of the city offered a resolution that proposed an alternative and that was for the voters to decide on whether or not there should be a department and a commission and I've been working collaboratively with.

Council member toola we met again today I respect the resolution that she put forward but I let her know that we would like to drive this sooner rather than later and I'll share my personal reason because I've known for the three years and four months that I've been in this job that it matters to First Responders to have a seat at the table and right.

Now ocean safety is represented by by a man Dr Jim Ireland who was in EMS and basically although he wears two hats representing both he's EMS and ocean safety should have a seat at that table they should be there for every cabinet meeting and they should be there when we go through the budget and the.

Reason for that is the budget is a matter of prioritization among competing priorities we never have the budget that we need to do everything we want to do in a calendar year and if school year we never have enough money and ocean safety is not at the table year round to advocate for their staff for their facilities for their programs they.

Deserve to be at that table and if we all agree that's true and from the comments I've heard from the council members it appears that council members understand our First Responders need to be at that table why would we not do it sooner rather than later and not leave it to the possibility that the voters might say given our tight.

Budget that we don't need another department and you can read that online today if you go read the article today you'll see people commenting about put them under the fire department why do we need another department the mayor and I don't want to take that chance not that we don't believe things should go to the voters but the charter is a voter.

Document as well the voters formed the charter and they gave the M the the mayor the power of reorganization so if we all in agreement on what we want to do why do we want to take the chance that the voters might say no to a department so that's where the mayor and I stand and yet there's coverage in the paper and there's coverage on media and.

I don't even know what the disagreement is and one thing I did hear and I heard indirectly and I appreciate somebody Whispering this in my ear is that I heard that because the mayor and the manage director managing director had already picked a department head and that is absolutely categorically false we do not work that way I've never had.

Any discussion with anybody about them being a director of a future Department of ocean safety I have had discussions with people about they don't want to be considered the current chief has told me in writing and has told me orally that he will not be considered for the Department director or chief of the department when it's.

Formed I trust him and take him at his word when he says that but we've had absolutely no discussion with anybody about who would be the director of the department when it's formed and when we go through that process it will be a process where we accept everybody's application we interview everybody and we make the best choice because that.

Person will have to come to this Council for confirmation it takes the council and the mayor working together to get that done so I don't know what all this coverage is about I don't know what the disagreement is about I hope we can move forward and stand up ocean safety as a Department as quickly as possible and.

Then let the voters decide on a commission and I respectfully ask that you pass this this 103 out today thank you I'm open for questions yeah Mahalo managing director and with the communes Indulgence um I did want to ask you some kind kind of um procedural questions before opening it up just given all the questions that have come.

From the community and um there have been numerous and so maybe just kind of starting at the beginning um you you know you described inside it to the the charter right and so as I guess what we could call the city's Constitution it kind of outlines you know how departments work uh how elections work uh how commissions work and are.

Appointed um and you you referenced um reorganization Power so could you maybe just describe you know kind of how amendments are typically made to the Charter um specifically you know for example through a ballot initiative versus the specific efficiency mechanism I guess I'll call it that allows for reorganization yeah thank you for that.

So uh this is chapter two and chapter two of the charter which is our constitution our city and county Constitution chapter 2 Section 4-22 says executive reorganization power in the interest of administrative efficiency Effectiveness and economy the mayor and only the mayor May propose to the council that the.

Duties and functions of existing departments or agencies of the executive branch accepting departments or agencies reporting directly to the mayor and not including semi-autonomous agencies be changed or departments or agencies be created combined rearranged renamed or eliminated so in order to change this document we have to go to the voters.

Because the voters implemented this Charter and that is that is something that that we take seriously and so the mayor has the power today to form an ocean a department of ocean safety he can do that under the charter given powers from the voters the other way to do it is something that we.

Don't have the right to do pursuant to Charter and that is we come to council or Council can initiate a charter Amendment and typically there is an Charter Amendment commission which will consider the language that goes to to the voters and the voters have the option to change the charter and they have the option to.

Create a department or create a commission what we've elected to do is not go to the voters on creating the department because everybody is in alignment if we had one person standing before us saying we do not think there should be a department of ocean safety if the council voted no we don't want a department of ocean safety then we might.

Say take it to the voters but everybody's in alignment on this so we want to do it pursuant to this Charter power and then you put put a proposal you put forth a proposal and so did council member toola to go to the electorate on a commission and that commission would have the right to provide oversight of.

The department so to me there are options on how you can do it but both come from the voters that is the mayor's reorganization power or putting it to the voters one is faster and one is no risk and that is having the mayor do it pursuant to his powers and that's what we propose okay I I appreciate that and I.

Think too just understanding because all these are before the council in the form of of resolutions uh but that's of course the title of the document and the you know the document that we we vote on right we could vote on a resolution or a bill but in terms of the ballot Charter questions you know those those are you.

Know questions attached to resolutions and if passed out a council could be put on the ballot for the entire Community to vote on you know to decide if they want to amend the charter for the city right and then of course we have resolution 103 that we're talking about now which is notice from the administration um that you folks are.

Okay creating a department and want to go ahead and do that is that in accurate No we have been yes we we've always been of record as in support of an O Department of ocean safety and um the only difference between the original resolution that council member toola proposed and our resolution is we would do it pursuant to the mayor's power of.

Reorganization no risk guaranteed to happen in council member toa's original reso and I think she'll speak for herself today on what what she's proposing to do um it would go to the voters and and I can tell you if we all know what we want to do I don't know why we would take that risk when council member elante was on this Council he.

Proposed a resolution a charter amendment that we increase the the set aside for affordable housing and we all thought affordable housing is one of our you know Universal priorities everybody wants more affordable housing all the voters want more affordable.

Housing and it failed when it went to the voters and the risk of putting the formation of the department to the voters is that God forbid it fails the mayor is not going to come back against the will of the voters and form the department so if we know what we want to do we should move forward with intent deliberation and get it done and that's.

What we believe okay I appreciate that and again just just to clarify CU I know some folks may be watching and had a lot of questions but so 103 being noticed that the administration is wanting to proceed with creating a department the reason it sounds like the reason you're saying there's no.

Commission in that restructuring is because that's not something you're allowed to do Under the charter that's something that we'd have to put out to the voters for them to decide that's correct only the voters can form a commission with oversight Authority because typically on a department that reports to the mayor we get to appoint.

The director and and the deputy director when you form a commission and I know your reso says it and council member too's reso says it that commission could have the power to appoint a director that then sits on the mayor's cabinet and that's up to the voters and if the voters decide to do that we support that as.

Well so honestly I don't know I don't know why all this coverage in the paper I keep reading the Articles and I keep thinking everything they say in the paper is what we agree with okay and then one more question then I'll open up to members and then I'll ask because I I have some other questions from the community but mainly wanted this to be.

Helpful because when we hear testimony if it was a May mayor appointed yes sir if it's a mayoral appointee they come to the to the council and the council gets to uh confirm okay just asking because that question came up a lot too so essentially if it's the difference between a director or a commission essentially.

Mayor would appoint either Commissioners or director depending on the structure and then both would come to the council for approval where folks could testify that's correct okay Mahalo for that um Council M council member Tupa thanks so much chair and thanks for going slow through that I think that was super necessary and just for a clarification.

Because I'm getting a lot of texts like what's going on with 2450 so for clarification that we're moving in this same direction and I think ultimately what we really want is transparency we want to make sure there's a public process the Administration has now said openly they are not opposed to having the commission appoint the new head.

Which is what everyone was concerned about so I think with you saying all the statements you said today I hope that gives the public confidence that we're all trying to move the same direction and we hope we can because if we have one more vote on 2450 then we're done we'll see it on the ballot we can engage with the public make sure that if the.

Commission goes through that this process process that everyone wanted will happen and your Administration will have to work in the interim to kind of put pieces together which will still take a a process so it's not going to happen overnight but then the process will start and I think both um sides will be appeased immediacy will happen.

Public input will happen transparency will happen so thank you so much for listing this and thank you MD for being here thank you and and Cher If I could offer one more one more comment that might help the mayor and I have had no discussion question about when a department director would be appointed or when that process would begin so if.

103 passes out and we decide to form the department through the mayor's reorganization power we don't even know when we would actually appoint a director they have a current chief they're functioning fine we say no drama do your job and they do that they save lives every week every month so we have no intent to get in and disrupt.

Operations and we've had no discussion about if 103 passes out we're going to appoint a director immediately and it's going to be we have never even had that discussion model for that any other questions council member Okimoto no okay oh sorry coun Santos Tam thank you chair I have a question.

For the managing director I I appreciate your concern about the voters and specifically what happened with the affordable housing proposal in 2022 um it's very it was very close result there was about 25,000 votes uh that were blank but I think the key missing component here was the public advocacy around the ballot question and so MD.

You've been around the political process enough the mayor certainly been around the media long enough so my question is the ballot initiative to get it over the Finish Line it's going to require I think some public advocacy whatever that question is um is the administ is the mayor willing to get out there in the public and sell this to the voters to.

Make sure it gets over the Finish Line because I think the public sentiment is out there for it but I want to make sure like you do that whatever the question is we got it done council member I appreciate that question and the answer is absolutely we would never put a vote on the ballot for the voters without supporting it and the.

Mayor and I have already publicly committed that we will support any ballot initiative to form a commission if that's what the department of ocean safety wants absolutely Maho for that any uh other questions from from the committee before we go to testimony okay.

Maholo so we'll proceed to in-person testimony when I call your name please proceed to the podium and begin by stating your name um just make sure that the on button is is pushed and it'll be lit up on the on the microphone let me in person yeah okay so we have first um Robin Bond.

Jr and then if you folks I'm want to be close by next would be Cecilia Chang and then Kay Wilbur uh thank you Council um my name is Robin um with Hawai news now hav't introduced myself that way before for but I'm choosing to do that today and um I'm here to speak on behalf of uh John tisan and I think that it's important.

That the council understand the specifics of what took place uh the 16th I received a phone call from John Tian explaining that he had met with the mayor and the mayor conveyed 103 to him and as a result of obviously John's work with all of this he pushed back um the mayor told him F you get out of my effing office you're not a team player.

And sent him packing that was on the 16th is when I talked to John I immediately called my news director and explained to my news director what I what I've been told from uh John expecting that this would go this would be a big situation um they didn't want to touch it and they haven't touched it and no one's touched it um what they did.

Do was uh fast forward John got uh I believe on the 23rd John got canned and then on the 27th there was an article I I don't know if any of you saw it but on the 27th uh ha news now decided that they would and only Hawai news now decided that they would put out a statement regarding John needing John had a conversation and it required.

The police to be standing in front of the mayor's office um that is not true none of that I mean there were police standing there but I know Mr understanding that that was time do you have any specific comment on resolution 24-13 because that's that's what the committee is I apologize for getting off track um as far as that thank you for.

Giving up or not giving up but handing it off to someone else to get credit I really appreciate that um as far as 103 goes I think it's a I think it's an absolute sham because we're going to see somebody that's a yes person working as the Director and we're not going to have the transparency of a commission and it's going to be something similar to.

What we've seen in the past if somebody gets in that position and has the control of that of the decisions for that department and they all they do is say yes to the mayor we might as well just put the mayor in that position okay you know so that's thank you Mr P any questions and just for other testifiers um committee can't ask questions none of.

Them are Goa questions it's just making sure we understand um everyone's position because in terms of navigating the process and make sure it satisfies your wants and needs we need to understand that so just to make sure I understand are you saying that um you only want a department if there's a commission correct okay so if if um if.

There's no commission you wouldn't want a department at at this point if I could wish it I would wish that we put the brakes on heavy and we don't do anything we let this work itself out and we get what we want and I mean everyone wants a everyone wants a Department I agree with that the MD was correct but I mean at what expense though if we get a if we if.

We get that that's that's awesome we get the department but if we don't have the commission what's the point you know okay appreciate your your thoughts appreciate you sharing any questions council member tup POA just real quick for clarity I'm not giving up I'm working with um council member I know you didn't mean it but I'm working with.

Council member wi so we can take one last vote and make sure there's a commission and I think we both are in agreement on that but thank you for sharing I just meant the credit yeah thank you thank you thank you see no other questions thank you Mr Bond we have Miss changen and then Kay Wilbur and then Frederick.

Booth good afternoon chair wire commission members I mean excuse me committee members thank you for the opportunity to testify you know I was really pleased when I heard the MD testifying because I was thinking everybody's on the same page as well and in alignment I understand from what I read.

In the papers that the task force the mayor the city council all want the Standalone Department the task force the mayor and the city council all want commission oversight what I do disagree with and why I oppose resolution 103 in its current form is that I don't think personally and I'm speaking in my.

Personal capacity is that a mayor appointed director is the way to go for a public safety department and that is no criticism of the current mayor or the MD is just that I don't think that's the best system for the community I think that if we did that it's really just replicating the existing status the status quo right now.

All we're doing is creating it's almost like a mirror of what's already in place and without that kind of distance that a five member Commission of unpaid volunteers can offer it's really another mayoral appointment and a mayoral appointee can be replaced every four years um that's natural it's expected and they are.

Supposed to be answerable to the mayor and uh pass policies and procedures consistent with his or her vision that's what appointees do nothing wrong with it but there is something wrong with it in my mind when a professional opinion from somebody who's the department head of a public safety department if they're the department head what happen happens when.

Their professional opinion differs with the political perspective that comes with being a mayor right it it could be compromised thank you michine could you just identify yourself forther record sorry no no you're good I'm Cecilia Chang appreciate that any questions for for Miss Chen chair Waters also announcing.

Your presence in in chamber thank you quick question so what what system would well currently the mayor appoints the commission so and the commission would appoint the director yes and you're okay with that yes and and I I'm not saying that a commission is a foolproof guarantee that.

The department will be depoliticized or safeguarded from political influence but five unpaid volunteers sitting on a commission that's that's I think it adds the impart some impartiality and it eliminates some risk of being um compromised or or influenced.

By politics and again this is no criticism of the current mayor but um they are elected officials and they need to to carry out their Vision they they often and typically run for another term and their platform has to be implemented by the people they choose now what happens though when somebody in public safety is um not completely free because.

He or she's serves at the pleasure of the elected person what happens when that professional opinion differs that that's what it is and and sure yes the mayor by all means appoint the the Commissioners and the council Council uh you know examine and vote and approve but at least that's five people five people from the community whose.

Jobs don't depend on being or staying in an appointed position it's just a little bit more removed I think and it's I think that's healthy how do you distinguish with what you're advocating for and say Department of Perman and planning Department of customer service department of design and.

Construction should the should we be creating commissions for each of these departments so that the mayor doesn't have control over that as well no I'm I'm just at this point I'm just looking at the public safety issue so so like fire department so should creating a commission for ambulance as well their Public Safety that might be a very good.

Idea yeah um in a past administration I was asked by somebody um you know quietly on the side hey you know is it okay if we have our ambulances you know if we have the sirens on and I said absolutely it is okay you decide as the EMS you know as being part of EMS you decide what's best.

For Public Safety responding to you know Health and Welfare of the patients and and um I'm sorry if the mayor's getting complaints from my district where I live because I live next to a you know a firehouse it just comes with the territory but they can't be when when you're dealing with Public Safety you you they really cannot be compromising.

Oh don't turn on the ambulance really the siren if I'm if I'm the person having the heart attack or or or I need rescuing please turn on the that siren and everybody get out of the way okay I I just I appreciate appreciate you taking time and I know you came last time too so I know.

Everyone's time is valuable so appreciate your Insight um I'm just I'm just trying to wrap my mind around so right now o ocean safety is under htsd right and so they have an appointed director now right and so 103 is Mayor giving giving us notice.

Okay we'll create a department I can't he he said you know the charter doesn't allow him to create a commission so it seems like he's agreeing that if we pass out the commission reso it'll go on the ballot right so I'm just trying to understand why starting the process for a standalone department is not better than keeping it the same under hsd like.

That just is what I'm trying to R my mind around because because most folks have that's at least what I've heard from people they want us Al department but then yes and to his credit the mayor is responding to that but I'm just saying that it's best to have a commission appointed head yeah but totally that's.

And that's why I asked Mr Bond like and I'll ask you the same like so you're saying if there's no commission there shouldn't be a standalone department at all because yes okay because that's kind of I think where where I see today's conversation is 103 is say oh everyone agrees we're going to start the conversation um and create a department.

Understanding that we mayor can't create the commission now so we'll put it on the ballot uh you know if 2450 right is voted out but thank you for clarifying your position on I just wish our hands or your hands weren't TI I I wish the mayor could appoint a commission right away yeah appreciate that thank you thank you see no other questions we'll.

Go to um Kay Wilbur and then Frederick booth and then Christopher cam thank you chair uh K Wilber uh from the W night moku um uh also uh thank you City managing director for giving some insight on your guys um on how you guys want to move forward with this I I understanding that version of it um I.

Understand the agreement of um or coming within in agreement um as far as you proceeding now um and then allowing uh for a future resolution for voters to to put together a commission and stuff like that but um just point of clarification if if we're talking this if this goes in place or gets voted and it becomes the.

Mayor's um duty to appoint that starts immediately but if we leave it to voters how soon will that start once they decide to vote and that's I guess that's the the the margin that that everybody is trying to is is trying to figure out here is is we understand what the mayor in the city council and what I've been you know.

Advocating with with h with um ocean safety out on on the West Side um and yes I'm all for a department they they need to be a part a department that stands alone because their Dynamics don't don't quite align with hftd you know um I've questioned hfd on Ocean rescues and I've asked them because they take credit for all the ocean rescues.

And I've asked them well how many of those ocean rescues involved ocean safety and pretty much all of them you know but they can't give you that number and then when I ask a again about it all of a sudden that number disappears or that you know that they they don't take credit for it anymore because it is EMS.

And ocean safety is uh performing those those rescues and they're the that that it doesn't only go as far as watching a beach um I there's countless amount of times when parents don't watch their kids and kids go under the water but because ocean safety is doing a headcount constantly kids are saved okay on our side we have an open ocean we.

Don't have a there's Reef there but there's a lot of Big Surf and everything and of course on Northshore that's a Hally totally different animal but they also have to do recoveries and some of those these ocean safety gu they you know so the Dynamics don't I mean it you don't have hfd going out there and.

Recovering bodies ocean safety does that greed searches is ocean safety does the grid searches hfd don't really do grid searches unless they're along side with with with ocean safety so there's a lot of things that ocean safety does and they're the first eyes for any first responder such as illegal activity or people being you know unruly and stuff.

Like that so there's a lot that they don't get recognized for um and let's not even bring the tourists into this whole situation because that there's a lot of commercial activity that's out there that is obviously taking advantage so I I'm all for ocean safety becoming their own department and having their own um governing um oversight and stuff.

Like that uh as far as something happening now yes I would love to have something happen now but also with the understanding that was pointed out by a city managing director that the mayor and everybody is open to um the vote and I hope all the voters out there understand what the what it.

Was at stake here because we we definitely did uh ocean safety definitely needs their own Standalone Department appreciate that Mr wber and I'll take down these questions I think that one has come up a lot the timing and so during discussion um we'll see if we'll have managing director answer that one and then any other one ones that.

Folks bring up as well in their testimony thank you any questions for the testifier okay see none thank you we'll go to um Frederick Booth then Christopher cam then Jesse King aloh uh committee chair wire and committee members uh just so you know this is scary uh bear with me it's more.

Terrifying than being being a life on the North Shore um I've been a lifeguard for 22 years I'm here to potentially support 92 I want to start off by saying I strongly support 2450 and the reason is because I'm not afraid of it there's a narrative to be afraid of it and going to the public but if you simply remove the fear it's the.

Stronger more clear resolution and it's the superior resolution in my opinion um with saying that um I'm here on behalf of the the guys that do support 103 103 alone to me is an easy thing to be against um but they're my co-workers my friends so I'd like to educate myself and as far as 92 um if it was more clear on I.

Understand the the mayor appoints the D the the director and Mr w we may just um because since we're on 103 we'll do 92 right after I just kind of wanted to be up here one time so I'm going to Bunch it together well since you tied in the reasoning you can't I'll let you finish up um okay thank you the thought yeah um and I understand 92 will bring the.

Committee I mean the commission which I think will pass no problem the public obviously wants oversight and I don't think it'll get a no so if I could get a clearer on the mayor director transferring over to the commission will that guy have to potentially reapply with other people for the commission to choose which I think would be the way to.

Go if that was more clear I could potentially be before 92 and if that's not the case can a commission even oversee a mayor appointed director and I don't think it's confusing I think there's an overwhelming amount of support against I mean of people that are against a mayor appointed director I think that's pretty.

Clear and just that that clarification and kind of my hope is that this defers till the 15th so that everyone can make a more informed vote on that day on how we'd like to go forward if that was more clear I think more guys could be forward 92 but I'm Not Afraid at all of 2450 and I still think that's the strongest okay.

Way Forward appreciate those thoughts we'll definitely ask CER to to you have questions or we'll wait for managing director or yeah I just going to say We'll ask the question regarding that transition so what happened happens when the commission gets appointed and then what does that director then do step down do they have to be reapplied be.

Reinterviewed so we'll Ask MD okay thank you thank you and um just just so I can share a little bit too because I think this might be relevant to the testimony uh in terms of the timing so like we were advised by our attorneys um that for like ours is 92 right and we've talked about amending 2450 that's already on third reading that could pass.

Out at Nick's Council yes um but we were advised that because there's no Department approved yes um we shouldn't pass out the commission before um but if we say moved out 103 today and had a commission in 2450 and passed them out same time um that that would be more legally sound does that make sense because like if we're saying oh let's.

Put the commission on the ballot but we don't even have a department approved then there's not really a a ballot question there understandable okay I just wanted to clarify because that was what was explained to me but we'll throw the other questions to managing director more the guarantee that that the commission will go through and not go to.

The Wayside the question in November the more we'd want to support that okay appreciate that could you say your name I know I said it but for the record third okay Mahal see no other questions um we'll go to Christopher Camy and then Jesse King and then aaas shirro and then Tiana Wilbur yeah so do you want to um just.

State your name and proceed you're ready hi uh my name is Christopher cam um I just wrote this down because I'm not really good at public speaking um I'm here to testify against resolution 24103 resolution 24103 will grant dictatorship like Powers with no transparency and.

Accountability over to a director appointed by the mayor who will remain loyal to that person or face being replaced I my first I've dealt with this first hand dictatorship like Powers when I was a lifeguard in 2001 under Ralph goo and Jim how I was forced while on industrial injury to work manual labor while I was in a sling.

After surgery and no one was able to speak up in my behalf or face same same fate as me and being run over by this dictatorship I was forced to work Landscaping in a sling while all my lifeguard friends had to come and watch me do it I did heavy lifting I did hauling carrying telephone poles and we.

Had other people there that were doing the same thing with me also as a lifeguard at hanama Bay we instilled things that are there today like buoys that are there that we use for strong current markings and we were met with retaliation we also tried to close Ledges for safety of the public and we were met with retaliation because of.

That and that dictatorship completely shut shut me down and I was terminated on my day off for something I didn't even do and although I'm still a lifeguard now I got my job back I'm speaking on behalf of this because we cannot let the mayor appoint this there's no way these guys were loyal to the mayor and nobody stuck up for me I.

Had no voice no nothing and I was terminated on my day off or something I didn't even do and there's high ranking lifeguards right now that were witness to the whole thing that were there and present at the time and I was fired and they couldn't even say anything because they knew that they would get terminated too so I'm against.

24103 thank you I appreciate that I'm moalo for coming down and for sharing any questions for the test of fire C I thank you again thank you okay okay so Jessi King and then akat Shiro and then Tiana well oh okay well defer Tiana I believe she's online Mahal chair wire Vice chair K.

Committee uh my name is Jesse King I work for ocean safety um I want to express my gratitude for all you guys hard work and your unanimous support for ocean safety becoming a standalone Department it means a a lot um some of the concerns I have with 103 is um the mayor appointed director um currently that's what we.

Have right now under HD um a lot of us that work for ocean safety we see it as uh ocean safety becoming its own Department as a u a new department but that's it same thing new label so all of us I mean not all of us but a large portion of ocean safety strongly supports 2450 because of the.

Structure having a a commission with a Department chief um we currently have a chief we like our chief we want him to stay we want him to be our department head so having a director um that that creates an issue there for a lot of us I don't speak for everybody but I can say for a large.

Portion of me and my colleagues that's how we feel um with a commission you know that offers more transparency more accountability versus having a director mayor appointed a director without a commission um you know he answers to the mayor but if you have a commission there there's a there's another layer of.

Accountability that would that would help with the things that we need and what how we try to progress as a department and the concern is doing the best we can for the public and uh so with that said I'm skeptical of 103 um and um those are my comments thank you very much no thank you um any.

Questions for the testifier chair Waters I thank you for coming today um not so much as a question I'll try to form it as a as a question but my concern is that that you firefighters and and many of us here have been advocating for and fighting for a standalone department for years and if we don't actually seize that opportunity and we put it up to the.

Voters and the voters say no I know people are testifying say hey we're willing to take the chance but if the voters say no that's like going 10 steps backwards because the mayor and the council would have be hard pressed to go against what the voters say and say okay now we're going to set it up through the mayor's.

Uh internal Powers um you have any comments about that we understand the risk um there's a great risk of it not passing on the ballot but to us the structure is much more important and when I say us I mean a lot of me and my co-work workers the structure is that important I would way rather risk it at the ballot than to.

Have it go through as it is now on 103 because quite frankly I'm not comfortable with having a director we don't know who that's going to be and we have a leader in our division now that we like we want him there and um you know I I think it's much.

Riskier going the route with a appointed director rather than going to the ballot that's good to know um because I think I had the same conversation with with uh titchen and he said the same thing that you did that he'd rather take the chances but in a sense we could craft it such that you get both so right now if we.

Um allowed the mayor to stand up uh Standalone department and put the question of a commission on the ballot in November and and we craft that question such that the commission gets to appoint the new director so whoever the mayor appoints now would only be interim until the commission is stood up.

And then the commission gets to appoint the the the director so whoever the mayor appoints would probably have to apply separately sure um don't you think that's a safer route to go yeah it way safer and if there was an assurance that that could be put in place um it would be a lot more appealing to a large M majority of the.

Workforce I think that's what we're we're trying to get to but it's so important to to hear from you folks to get your feedback um but it as one of the other uh testifiers mentioned that how long is that period going to be is probably a concern um and maybe that's something.

That we can hear from the administration how long that would take and and something that we got to consider going through the budgetary process right now sure because when you set up a new Department there's director salary deputy director staff that work in the office things of that nature.

So um no this is super helpful thank you thank you if I may add one more thing if possible sure um uh within our bargaining unit we did a internal poll asking the question of if you want to Standalone department and it was unanimous it was 100% 110 people out of the 220 or 112 people out of the 220 members all voted.

Yes um then the question was asked if you'd prefer to have a commission or a director and um it was 86% voted for a commission so I don't know if that's something that's been shared with everybody yet but um just important to note and that was just all ocean safety personnel chiming in on that that was in the paper today oh great yeah I need to.

Read up um but again if we can figure out how we could do both so at least well I'm hearing some people saying that unless you have the commission they don't want the stand the loan department would that be accurate for I can't speak for everybody but a large portion of us feel that way it's it's too risky having an.

Mayor mayoral appointed director without a commission thank you Mala okay can just to understand but that would mean it stays the same with the mayoral appointed director right right so you'd be with so are you saying it's better to be with hsd as a division under mayoral appointed director than to be a.

Standalone mayoral appointed director that I'm just trying to W my around but understand like I understand where it's coming from um it would be better to be a standalone Department no question about it so I think everybody's thrilled about the the idea of having a standalone department but if we're going to do this let's do it the right way and.

You know that was one of the things on my notes that I just overlooked at the beginning because the nerves but to me that's what's most important I mean we're on the cusp of History making us a standalone Department there's no other ocean safety agency that's not under a bigger Department umbrella look at all the other counties in the state they're.

All under Fire we have a CH chance to do this the right way and that's the point is if we if we have it with a director it's a new Department with this with the it's it's the same thing with the new label and that's why it's so important to get it done the right way and I somebody said this a while back but let's take this slowly let's do this the.

Right way and that's what I think we should do okay M for that thank you for oh coun same thank thank you very much excuse me thank you very much and my question is basically which I'm trying to really formulate within my mind at this point in time first name was Jesse Jesse I personally feel this is just me.

After three years four months here that being part of HD gives you the flexibility and the freedom to come here when you create a department the gatekeeper for all 20 departments are who who Who's the gatekeeper budget budget and fiscal.

Services because the mayor has to send us a balanced budget so three years ago you know we were we had tough times with Co but didn't you folks come to the Council to ask for support for the 28 positions yes didn't you guys come in 2017 to make the request for dawn to dusk yes that's the concern I have if.

You become a department you play by the rules that you'll be competing with the other 19 departments in formulating the mayor's balance budget that's number one number two Jesse I don't know wouldn't you rather come and see us rather than you know if if you have a department you submit your budget it goes to BN BFS and.

They don't make the cut they have to abide by the policy of an Administration with 20 different departments requesting the same dollars within our budget this way they can come back door that's my thinking chair that because we're not a department we're just a division Dr land director cannot tell us.

That we cannot go and see chair wire chair Waters Etc so have you folks thought that true too you know what I'm trying to get that Jesse yes sir um and my point is uh for the young man Mr cam I apologize I was there when the legislature created the bargaining unit on behalf of ocean.

Safety and that's the kind of stuff you know what what would you like to do once the department is created may I ask what would be the roles and responsibilities of ocean safety present responsibilities that's great but the big issue for all of us here at the council is that you'll be coming back making a request can our budget be increased on behalf of all of.

Our members of you know unit whatever it is that's why I'm so stuck in my thinking mhm if you get if you become the director or the chief of the department you're part of the cabinet you meet maybe once a week in the mornings or with other the other 18 or 19 the key will be your presentation or your budget.

Request to be incorporated into the mayor's budget I hope everyone understands that okay chief Tian that was his responsibility to to come the other way in getting things done interesting thoughts but I bring this up because we here have to come up with a balanced.

Budget and I apologize to the ocean safety officers I have a lot of friends who are all retirees that how much more can we help you folks in let's say we don't get the department but you get a commission but for me very honestly Jesse even the commission is political Miss.

Miss Ching of course and you understand that yeah yeah so in closing I have the other questions for the uh other measure that's before us in regards to what will the role of the commission be do they come before this body as far as being Advocates I don't get to see any of our commissioners from the other.

Respective you know First Responders it's just their Chiefs but my point what would be the role of the commission advocacy I haven't seen legislation dealing with advocacy for our First Responders and that's why I'm just saying I'm very honored to have this type of discussion and now the creation.

Of a new Department my only concern was three years ago no more money when there's no money what we're going to do so Jesse just wanted to say thank you and for Miss Ching no matter what we do about what actions that we take here it's all political hurdles that we've been running into as as an.

Agency trying to move the ball forward meet the demands of the public um you know ocean safety well Hawaii in general tourism is our biggest right so the main reason why people come to Hawaii right it's for the ocean right so as tourism grows local people like going to the beach as.

Well we have to meet those demands and a division Chief can only do so much he can advocate for his agency right but then he has to answer to the deputy director and the director who are appointed by the mayor so for us we it that that hurdle has been very apparent to us for a long time and it's.

Been a major frustration and so that's why we want to have our Standalone department so our division Chief then becomes our Department chief can advocate for us and he's the one answering to the committee to the council to the mayor M Council Okimoto I think have one more question thank you chair Al you.

Might have answered part of my question I first want to thank you for being here I I appreciate all of the discussion and grateful for my colleagues where we can have um again the discussion you mentioned um that you excited for the opportunity for this city for the county to do something that not done before and you mentioned the other counties they do.

It differently um under I um the ocean safety is underneath their fire departments could you explain to us and you kind of did right now but I kind of want to understand because that's different from what we have it set up right now so why do you think that that's the best um best option moving forward and compared to other counties.

Why is that not working for them or why are we different in this in this case um I can't speak to the depth of the other counties um but I do know that they're all under a bigger Department umbrella so with us I mean we have the highest population out of any island in the state we have the highest tourism in the state it makes sense for us to be a.

Standalone instead of having to answer to a department head that oversees other agencies as well um in a nutshell that's you know and we already have the leadership in our division and the top of that leadership should be able to answer to the mayor instead of having to answer to a deputy.

Director and a director that has to oversee other agencies as well thank you and you know I just want I I believe I was in the legislature when with council member say we actually voted to give you guys your bargaining unit so I want to let you know that i' I've been a supporter of you guys but I'm trying to understand when managing.

Director was up here and the the discussion has been that the mayor really has he has the authority to do this um to create the department and the department head and the testimonies I'm hearing today are saying that if you if it can't be done if it can't be done without without the meor input then you guys don't want it at all I'm a little.

Confused because from what I understood and you could correct me if I heard wrong that if you if the department can't be created outside of the mayor's um selection which right now he has the authority to do then you don't want to have it separate so I think council member wire or Council chair committee chair wire as so then that would leave.

Us a status quo I'm trying to understand where you guys stand on that so so we're we're extremely grateful for the support that we're getting from the mayor's Administration and and the unanimous support we're getting from everybody for a standalone Department it's more so how the what what a new Department how it would be structured that's the main.

Concern and we feel that it's so um critical to a successful new agency that that's why we're all willing to risk it going to the ballot as 2450 versus going through as 103 I mean we we all know that there's a lot of comfort and assurance with it being implemented immediately through the mayor's executive power but we want.

To do this the right way and we're willing to risk that because we want it the right way I appreciate that I agree with you completely I I think if we're going to do anything we want to do it the right way and I hope that as we go further with the discussion that it seems like a lot of the discussion is based on current people in positions but.

The reality is as we move forward when departments are created I mean we may not even be here so I hope that as we start putting things forward that it's not just based on people right now I mean and respect to Chief Tien who I respect and appreciate but it sounds like a lot of the discussion is based on him solely but the reality is that this.

It shouldn't be based on just one person or one commission or one body because we should create it so that's it's the right way for our community because none of us will be here indefinitely so hopefully as the discussion goes forward we can make those decisions based on that not just um select people or Personnel absolutely it's and the reason.

Why I think there is so much discussion around the current chief is because there's been so much forward progress in the last five years since he became our division Chief and um he has he has a long-term Plan and there's been so much Vision that's been executed so far and we have a good path ahead of us and that's why it's so critical to push.

This through the right way versus pushing it through the safest way thank you thank you so much for your input and thank you you chair thank you thank you guys thank you for your testimony we'll go to akat tamashiro um and do appreciate the committee's Indulgence I know um we've been letting people go beyond the one minute um I think just.

Uring that we get all the questions out is really the goal and so we'll definitely try to keep it on time um if you want to go a and say your name and proceed when you're ready hello everyone my name is akatas I've been with ocean safety for 18 years I'm currently one of the lieutenants over on the east aahu.

I'm here today to submit testimony testimony in opposition of 103 you know we keep hearing a lot of people talking about our future but nobody's reaching out to us the only person that's spoken to us is our recently suspended Chief tichon so that's what prompted the.

In-house vote which like Mr King explained everybody is to answer your question yes 2450 or nothing it's that simple with the actions that have been happening recently we honestly don't feel like we can trust the mayor's office we feel like it's being forced it doesn't feel.

Right and to revert back to everybody saying if it's not going to be right let's not do it at all we'd rather stay under Emergency Services as it is now than G gble and end up going back 40 years and this is actually planning for not just the next mayor the next 50 Mayors the next 100 Mayors so we are looking generally.

Generationally down the road I've tried to look at this with help from friends in every different possible way and when you just stick to the timeline and the facts of what we're hearing it just doesn't seem right and it doesn't feel right and the result founding General consensus on the.

Beach is no to 103 it's very simple and like Mr King said we appreciate the mayor being willing to try and push it through but forcing things through usually is not the right way to go and touching back to managing director for's statements earlier everyone seems to be on the same page obviously not because.

Nobody is speaking to the guys on the beach so we're here now I'm sorry it took us a little while but we rallied together and we plan on being here with more of us when it comes down time for you to make a final vote you know we have a lot of questions about 103 and now all of a sudden we a month ago we thought that 2450 was on.

Smooth sailing with no foreseeable speed bumps and then why is only 103 coming out out of nowhere it feels like what was wrong with 24 450 and if it does come down to putting it out to the public we feel strongly that it'll do just fine and if it does not we are okay with.

That appreciate that so just to make sure because I think that's a great question and at least I think in my mind the difference is 2450 is putting the department and the commission on the ballot yep and 103 is saying just put the commission because everyone agrees we need the department so I mean that's that's the difference I.

Understand that but to be honest the general consensus on the beach and again like Mr King said not everyone what Assurance do we have the 92 will actually get to the ballot and if it does fail which if things fail we're okay with that but then we go what a lot of us feel is Back 40 years then we end up back with 103 as it stands.

With a managing with a mayor appointed director and if we're going to be under a under a mayor appointed director we might as well just stay where we are as emergency services and Mr s to answer your question given a department with a commission we're more than happy to play.

By the rules of every other department has to we understand what it's like to be a a standalone Department we're okay with that we're grown men and women you know a lot of people put a lot of time and thought into this and as you can tell by our testimonies we're not used to coming up and talking to you guys so it is a little.

Nerve-wracking and we honestly can't believe that this whole thing has come to this like I said a month ago we're all thinking the 2450 was smooth sailing and we're like hey right on unreal but I think that's the point everybody agreed on that and that's why we're like oh no one disagrees that we should make a department so let's just move forward.

With allowing the department cuz if 2450 had people opposing it then we'd be like oh we should put it out to vote because we don't know like what people want but if if we're agreeing that the community and the council and admin want a department then it's like okay well let's do the department together but then we can't actually create the.

Commission without letting people vote on it and we understand that yeah yeah but I mean you're ask you're asking like oh why why why is it coming up and I think like that's exactly why because we thought everybody wanted the department but then now now people are saying like oh we don't want the department if there's no commission and that was just.

Kind of like a surprise that makes total sense and thank you um I think again it Taps back into who were you guys speaking to because now you have guys coming from the beach speaking for the people from the beach and now you're getting what I think is a lot clearer information well I mean like like andd mentioned folks testified at.

The legislature when they did our that resolution um my predecessor Heidi Sun she did a resolution folks testified on that so um just kind of explaining the thought process I appreciate that thank you very much yeah were there any other questions for the test fires I know we have a lot of folks appreciate your time and appreciate you coming down here so.

Please keep you know online if you can't make it in but appreciate everyone driving in and we are and that a big reason on why there's only a handful of us is again because everybody's at the beach and what it really boils down to that we always want to continue to hammer home is all of this is only for us to provide better Public Safety to.

Everybody that comes to our our shorelines that's our main goal you know whatever the outcome is lifeguards love being lifeguards we love helping people you know but that's our number one goal for all of this and I'm sure all of you guys are well aware of that so thank you very much for your time and I look forward to seeing you guys soon yeah.

Thank you any anyone else in person wanting to testify can come up um don't see any questions so thank you again for your testimony we'll switch over to online I believe we have Eddie fuoka online followed by Rael Chu and Christian hings Eddie if you're on you can go ahead and unmute identify yourself and.

Proceed oh president oh hello hi chair and uh members of the hsh committee thank you for allowing me to testify you have my written testimony uh my name is Edward fu Joka I'm a former first responder uh I'm here to testify in opposition to resolution 24-13 uh since you have my written.

Testimony I just want to uh go into more detail on the importance of the commission uh the importance of the commission is to be able to hire evaluate and help steer the canoe for ocean safety um having the selection of a head of ocean safety is critical to the success of the agency uh as mentioned in a news.

Article uh Chief tit mentioned that there are very few candidates out there that would qualify for this position the commission can conduct a national and Global search for the next candidate uh to get the most qualified person uh during my 40 years as a I've seen at least 10 different directors and the difference between an appointed.

Director and the commission is the commission can help U maintain the consistency of the mission of the department when the mayor's appointees come in they have their own ideas and they try to implement it and that takes time so having the I'm in support of having the commission and I'm in opposed to resolution ution.

24103 thank you for allowing me to testify Mr Fu see no questions from the um committee we go on to Raquel auu uh followed by Christian hings aloh chair can you hear me uh we can please proceed when ready thank you so much um wow um first and foremost I want to really extend my deepest and and most appreciative thanks to director uh.

Managing director fornb for his statements he very literally took the words out of my mouth I've been preaching those exact words for the past several weeks I've talked to many ocean safety officers um far and wide and I'm very comfortable in my statements and very confident in the position that I'm about to.

Share um it is frustrating to hear some of the um testimony today um first with the first gentleman that brought up um Chief Titan's situation um that's a hugely inappropriate testimony and I wanted on the record that um that was inappropriate and unfair that's a Personnel issue and it should not I don't want it to put a cloud over what.

We are trying to accomplish this department has been something I personally have been working on for years my family has been a part of ocean safety for over 50 years uh my family my extended family very dear friends um so again I'm very confident in that it seems to me that a lot of the opposition and the skepticism.

Is based on um dislike or dissatisfaction with the experiences they have had currently and in the past with the directorship being that ocean safety has never been under anything else um it's unfortunate that they've had a bad experience with that management structure I personally am not affected by.

Directorship or a commission I want whatever's best for the Department I think saying to have a commission or no department at all is absolutely Juvenile and irresponsible tantrum to make a statement of oh if we can't have a commission we don't want a department I take offense to those kinds.

Of things because we've worked very very hard to get to this point and I don't want to see it slip through the fingers because they have an opportunity now your Council and this Administration have been more inclusive and with more public input than any other Administration or councel that I have ever experience and I believe that they.

Have an opportunity at this point to be very part of the process to ensure that the structure they want whether in a director or a commission is met it's hugely disheartening to hear that they've had such a poor experience but I think that takes you back to have to look at how that director Chief and administration work together and I think.

It's a it's possible to um to improve that um to make a better workplace it's like saying the kids at the high school don't like their principal so we get rid of school so it does frustrate me and I'm hugely passionate about about this I'm absolutely in support of not risking this department and putting the.

Commission to the ballot if that's what ocean safety truly wants in a commission I support that um but please do not risk losing this department um I appreciate and very thankful to also council member tupola for her efforts and bringing this to light and being able to work so diligently with the administration and with you chair wire and um I'm very.

Supportive i' worked very hard with this and talked to a lot of the guards and I know that um unfortunately it these recent media attempts have just been structured around drama that does not um it's it's doesn't have anything to do with them so I'd like to to move forward and not have a cloud I appreciate the time and I'm happy to answer questions.

Mahalo Mahalo any questions for the testifier um C appreciate your time today I will go on to Christian hemings then Joy Kad is than just me horer hello counil um my name is Christian hemings I'm currently a lifeguard on the east side of Wahu and I'm testifying opposing resolution.

24103 uh we recently did a poll within our department uh most of our lifeguards voted for the opposition of 24103 and we're for 2450 uh we all believe that if we're going to do this let's do it the right way um if that means we don't get a department right.

Now we're okay with that U most of us on the beach are okay with that we just want to get this structured the right way and make sure that that this Legacy of us becoming our own department is there for the next mayor and the next mayor and our department will be strong again my testimony is in opposition of resolution.

24103 Mah appreciate your your testimony in time um seeing no questions we'll go on to Joey Cades hello council members can you hear me um can hello everybody um Joey Cadiz here I'm a life guard on the NorthShore I'm also one of the members who served on the ocean safety task force um I've also.

Served as a steward for the ocean safety labor union under hj5 and I've been in the advocate for ocean safety for the last several years and I know acknowledging the recent events and the media coverage created what seems like opposing views on this and I would just like to emphasize that everybody obviously is in alignment with.

Creating a standalone department for ocean safety separate from EMS um I'm here to personally represent myself along with many of my co-workers that may not be as vocal um in support of resolution 24103 and I'd also like to thank the mayor for offering this solution for us at this time um I truly do believe that.

Resolution three is the best and most secure way for ocean safety to be successful standing out ocean safety under this resolution with an appointed director has oan safety's Independence and I think that's just as important because this route um it allows a tacit pledge from the support of the.

Administration ensuring that ocean safety and the mayor can work together in this first years of Independence um and I believe that this Cooperative relationship is critical for ocean safety to thrive um I've stated in previous testimony that if down the road a commission or board is deemed necessary for the Department that that.

Can be achieved and and brought to the table but as of right now we would definitely like to see ocean safety be stood up as a department now um as a lifeguard we spend our days mitigating risk educating the public and taking action in rescue situations my support in resolution 103 represents the same process in educating myself.

Assessing the risk and taking action and 103 clearly is the quickest most least risky and most assured path to deliver this independent um Independence for ocean safety and uh I'd just like to add at the end thank you to the council members and the mayor Administration for all your guys support in all this like said.

Before um we've never seen this type of attention and support given to Ocean safety and it's really inspiring um I'd also like to commend my colleagues that are there in person and on the phone at this time um obviously we do have opposing views but um I I applaud you guys being able to come and put yourself in a vulnerable situation to testify on.

Such a sensitive subject so thank you to everybody um for being able to come together to have these conversations M Mr CIS no questions for the test part we'll go to JM horer Aloha my name is jessame town horer I wish to submit personal testimony in the form of.

Comments I defer to the Lifeguard on the floor that have testified um as far as the mechanism um as a longtime advocate for ocean and water safety representing the perspective of those who have lost loved ones to Drowning I would like to offer my perspective I'm testifying in support of.

A separate Department of ocean safety overseen by a commission this process has become very complicated and I think it is important to refocus on the core mission of ocean safety which is to perform rescues but also to offer more proactive drowning prevention Outreach and education the new US National Water.

Safety Action Plan recommends foregrounding drowning prevention Outreach and education at a scalable level to reduce the need for on-site rescues the current configuration of ocean safety under EMS has not allowed for that more proactive approach as there's no mechanism for community outreach and Community input with the.

Department a commission would oversee ocean safety and it would also allow for more more robust community engagement much like a nonprofit's board members I also believe a commission would be more responsive to lifeguard concerns which ultimately benefits the public the efficacy of drowning prevention efforts are well established.

And lives will be saved by educating people before they even get to the beach the burden of drowning is profound affecting lifeguards First Responders doctors and of course the families of those we have lost we have an opportunity to make a difference by creating a department of ocean safety with a commission thank you for your.

Time Mahal for your testimony I'm see no questions for the testifier oh I'll ask if someone is online still by the name Tiani if you could just identify what item you wanting to testify on again that was for Tani if you're testifying on 103 please identify yourself and proceed chair testifier is not.

Responding okay testifier is not responding we'll try one more time after I'll go to uh phone number ER code 808 last three numbers is 483 if you're wanting to testify on resolution 24103 can you press star 6 to unmute yourself and if you're able to identify yourself uh and proceed or identify.

Which item you're wanting to ttif hello my name is John hooked can you hear me uh yes we can I'm testifying on 103 and I just wanted to um say that I am currently a um lifeguard with the city and county Honolulu I've been with the city and county since 1987 I think currently I am the second most senior lifeguard in the.

Division and I just wanted to Echo um Raquel shoes comments and Council and W's comments about the opportunity that we have to create our own department and um I don't want to see this Fritter away and be wasted I think there's um the measures that are being introduced will allow us to have a department um that concerns about the politicization of.

Having a mayor appointed director I think they're overstated um and I just wanted to share those comments with you guys appreciate your testimony we did have one question from council member Oki Modo thank you chair Aloha I'm sorry I missed your first name John John thank you John I just had a.

Question because there are several of you who who have spoken up and on behalf of the lifeguards and it is um different from those who have come in person so I just wanted to be clear because I think it was you and Joey who mentioned that there are a number of you who are in support of this 103 is that what I'm hearing.

Correctly that's that's correct okay I just want to clarify that thank you thank you chair okay thank you see no other questions um Mah John for for your testimony we'll go to phone number area code 714 last three digits 175 if you're still on and can press star six to unmute yourself again that was last three digits 175 Madam.

Clerk were they still on good afternoon can you hear me uh we can go ahead and proceed and identify yourself maholo yes good afternoon my name's Tim Gary um I'm in support of a separate Department with the commission and as managing director forby laid out the process that the mayor can't uh uh set up a.

Commission uh and explain the process I agree with chair waters on his analysis of it so I'm for a standalone Department and having the commission be put to a vote in November I strongly believe it will pass in November and that would set up a January.

1 date of establishing the commission um so I'm I guess I'm in agreement with it because um I'd rather have a standalone department anyway part of the problem that has developed over the years is a perception of the lack of advert from the director that oversees.

Ocean safety that's where a lot of this Rift has come ocean ocean safety feels he did not represent them properly and uh that's kind of the Genesis of why they wanted to be their Standalone department so I'm very sad with what has transpired from all this it's kind of.

Turned into a soap opera I respect both the mayor and Mr titchen and I consider both of them my friends and I'm really sad with what is developed and I'd like to offer my services and get both of them in a room and put this to a handshake.

And cut out with the with the pettiness that has transpired in the in the in the in the media the whole question was to get ocean safety as their standal home department and now it is turned into drama City and I'm really disappointed with that as for appreciate and Mr wat stated appreciate.

Your sentiments Mr Gary if you could um just kind of summarize or wrap up yes you you all understand my position I'm in agreement with standing up the department and also with budgeting it as a standalone Department we need to put the money in this year's budget thank you Mahalo Mahal for your testimony see no questions from the.

Committee we'll go to Tiana Wilbur and then Angela Melody young would be on deck Tiana if you're on you could unmute um identify yourself and proceed when you're ready Mahalo Aloha this I'm Tiana wber um I do serve on my neighborhood board but I am speaking on my own capacity um as a.

Community member so and I just want to address really quickly that I tried to submit online test testimony and it wouldn't let me uh do anything but support and then also to to send in something for 902 it didn't it it didn't even let me submit anything so um I kind of echoing everything that has been stated so far there's just a lot of.

Things I think 2450 was a little bit more direct and structured um but again just advocating for ocean safety to have their own department and for to not be mayor appointed in the last 5 years we have continuously seen overreach of government and things in so many different facets of our lives and I.

Don't think that that's completely transparent and that's what the people want I understand the voter situation is is another um hindrance possibly but it is our jobs as Leaders um or even elected officials to make sure we let the voters know what exactly they're voting for um and I don't think not having pulling.

Places is is the best for that either I thank you moalo thank you for your testimony see no questions from um the committee appreciate your time we go to Angela Melody young Aloha housing and sustainability committee Angela Melody young testifying wishing to.

Comment um I am neutral and I do not wish to show favor to one side of the argument or the other uh just wishing to comment so um I read the ocean task force stud study report I did a little snooping around and it talks about a house resolution so um you know did the house concurrent resolution start the discussion about the new office and.

Initiating the charter amendments um I think it'd be interesting to um look into this and um you know should there be a planning process with the state um is everyone going to sit at the table are they going to work with DNR haai is very unique because of goals to preserve natural resources and um because there are.

Territorial ocean um like boundaries of the city and state offices right so um also um when we look at the house concurrent resolution and those that testified hgea Robert Le of the Hawaii firefighters Association DNR division of state parks and ocean safety Chiefs testified in support for the creation of a new office um and so uh the planning.

Process should be directed by um city and state offices and also the First Responders team and also perhaps the supervisors of the budget and fiscal aspects of this discussion um there are internal discussions about logistics that should not be debated by the public but internally um because I'm reading the task force report and it says.

Physical implications ocean safety is currently a division within the um Honolulu emergency services department and the budget is 20 million the Frid cost for the division is 11 million just wanted to confirm um that was in support or opposition or that was just comment you said yeah wishing to comment oh M Neal so appreciate that resour questions.

For the testifier no questions okay thank you so much Angela for your time we'll try T once more um if you're on looks like I iPhone you can unmute um otherwise we'll come back to in person I don't believe we have any other registered or unregistered.

Testifiers okay M everyone we'll come back to in person we have Jordan Anthony Mahalo if you want to um come up to microphone uh turn it on identify your name in then proceed when you're ready okay I think it's so hey Aloha uh Jordan Anthony honestly I wasn't even sure if I was in the right building or in the right place I was just coming to.

Educate myself on what is going on and how to change I make this quick too first of all I want to say uh thank you it's an honor to be here and to be amongst you guys who are doing that out there every day you know I've served this country and I stand alongside the kingdom of Hawai but before all of that I put righteousness first and like I.

Said I don't know exactly about these bills um or any of the politics that goes with it but whatever is righteous because I'm out there every day I Spear Fish I boat my children are out there my cake are out there and uh I I just want to come here in the future to educate myself on everything that's going on in havai cuz it's traumatizing to me to see.

Us lose the island and to see us lose America and the entire world so hopefully we can all come together and I see you again in the future to handle that and as far as this bill goes again it's just an honor I haven't had the chance to work alongside HPD or um or the fire department here but hopefully in the future I get a chance to because.

I'm I'm partially retired in all my off time hopefully I can help you guys save lives and save the AA Mahal Mahalo any questions for the test fire see on anyone else in the G wishing to testified please stand up identify yourself and come forward but see none will close testimony and go into discussion I'll just note that my.

Recommendation um given that uh you know the nature of it being a reorg reso uh even you know if we didn't pass it out it wouldn't really have an effect because you would need twoth thirds of the council to reject it um for it to not you know be allowed and so our our inclination was to pass it out today and allow the conversation to continue um.

But we'll open it up to discussion on uh questions that we wanted to ask the managing director or anything we need to clarify yeah Council tupola thanks um just we'll just ask the one question I think that we said we would do managing director so I just want to continue to reiterate that you know thank you to chair thank you to yourself we're going.

To we're going to work together so we're saying that publicly so that everyone knows we're moving in that direction and I would agree that maybe granularly we might have differences but broadly we don't broadly we don't so the question that was asked by one of the testifiers was what do you foresee with the timeline and you guys have done a lot of.

Commissions you've stood up the um pres uh preservation commission that we never had for a while so could you just let the general public know if it passes in November what do you see foresee as the timeline of appointing the um commission members and um getting a chief uh appointed yeah thank you for that question so um I can't give you a.

Specific timeline but I can tell you that we'll move as quickly as possible once the voters speak and by the way I'm very confident that if the voters get a question of whether or not to form a commission they will pass that I believe it and we'll move very quickly so I need to talk to Corporation counsel to see what what specific rules might be.

Necessary to do that but you know I just think we're not going to drag our feet we're going to do it as quickly as possible so if we can do that in one month or two months we'll get it done thank you and I think that should give a lot of people Comfort to know that you guys are trying to do it as quick as possible secondly you know council.

Member Waters uh mentioned the budget which that's something we all have to take into consideration we're actually almost done with this year's budget so we'd have to take that into consideration for next year which would give the you guys time to outline what more the department would need and at that time it might be the exact same.

Time the commission is choosing a chieve so it could align in a good way and to your point council member um wire I I do think that's why I didn't want to sever the reszel is because we didn't have a department being suggested so you can't just sever it and suggest the commission for a non-existent department so I was kind of waiting to see if it was.

Actually going to come to reality which it is so I do think that the sewing together of it would be great and I hope that we can take final vote in May for all of this thank you appreciate that sentiment any um additional thoughts or questions okay Maho and share those sentiments I think that um I'm hopeful that it seems like everyone is on the.

Same page in what they want to see come out of this process uh and it's just the the mechanism to get there and understanding that uh you know there has been a lot of work over the years on creating a separate ocean safety department and just want to acknowledge the work of of those in our community my predecessor of course the community.

Members and the lifeguards every day that are out there serving our Comm because I think ultimately that's what this is about it's about both better protecting our community and also supporting our First Responders that are out there you know on our Shores and in our Waters protecting our community so I am going to.

Recommend that 24103 be reported out for adoption any discussion objections or reservations okay hearing none so ordered and then we'll go to agenda item number three for Action resolution 2492 initiating amendments to the revised Charter the city and county of honolu.

1973 members we have a posted propos cd1 OCS 2024 0409 d423 d224 posted at 2:47 p.m. submitted by myself for your information the are listed on the agenda we have managing director forby here today I know we've kind of gone in depth on the broader discussion so I'll def if do you want to.

Add anything else at this point to the conversation chair Mike forby managing director nothing further we stand in support thank you um appreciate those sentiments we'll note that um there are some differences uh in the various results that we've had and so just for purpose of discussion we have both both the initi initially.

Introduced resolution as well as the committee draft um and as council member TOA mentioned I think there are conversations or possible intentions to amend 2450 so it can be passed out possibly in conjunction with 103 if that's the path that collectively everyone agrees on and so um welcome any.

Discussion or questions from committee at this point of managing director but council member Tupa yeah just for clarity I'm also meeting with core and OCS because I think legally we just want to make sure that everything aligns and that there's not a conflict after the ballot resolution is passed so um just yeah deferring to you I think moving.

This forward as well making sure that we have all the right pieces I did look at the differences and we'll be working collectively together with everyone thank you okay appreciate that Mahalo so we'll go to inperson testimony uh we have no registered testifiers anyone in person wanting to.

Test on 2492 oh sorry the additional sheet we do have Cecilia Chang again and then Kay Wilbur yeah so um please come up identify yourself anyone else that's not registered that wants to testify on this item can also make your way up to um Miss Chang go ahead and proceed Malo thank you Cecilia Chang thank you again.

Um I'm just going to incorporate my previous testimony and um I think it's well written I was just looking under uh ocean safety commission it says um the commission may appoint such staff and I wasn't sure if that included the chief so that's that would be my own that would be my opposition to it but otherwise I get what everybody's doing.

And really really appreciate the hard work um of council members the community and and uh the task force and the mayor's office so I'm hoping that that can be woven in thank you Mahalo for that we'll have K Wilber and then uh Mr Booth I think you wanted to oh hello everybody akat once again um.

When 92 first came to our attention it seemed like a really nice happy middle ground and when we were under the impression that it was a third option I think it seemed like oh okay let's meet in the middle like most negotiations usually end up uh I think what scares myself and majority of everyone that I've spoken to at work is that it's.

Attached to 103 and that if it goes to a vote then and fails then we're back with 103 again which is the large large sentiment biggest fear so thank you very much for trying to kind of meet us halfway I do acknowledge that and appreciate it very much but again the fact that it's attached to 103 and we understand why especially after you.

Explained to us earlier that's what where a lot of us have opposition to it thank you well appreciate those sentiments Mr Wilbur colle Wilber thank you again chair for allowing me to come up and speak again um the the big question and it's been mentioned by just about everybody's transparency um I know C.

Managing director mentioned earlier that there was prior to this becoming a an actual reality or close to it um they've had sit Downs or they had meetings and where there was no shows um if was he mentioned something about a sit down and then nobody showed up but a lot of it is disbelief where I.

Mean growing up in Hawaii and stuff like that there's a lot of false hope and when these these carrots get dangled and we're like ah I'm not gonna buy into it and then all of a sudden when it comes close to reality was like wait wait what happened you know um such as the gas cap right you know everybody didn't realize.

What that was going to come about but um again you know getting to um the the reality of it and transparency is there a possibility where City managing director the mayor can have a sit down with ocean safety workers and and and leaders in that um and then have a a meeting involving just them so they can get full clarification and the.

Ramifications of us leaving it to the the general public to decide the fate of the this department um you know whereas if the mayor steps in now and they're still willing to you know they're they're in agreement along with Council to create and have this oversight and having the directors in their over their own Department and and just have that.

Full transparency and understanding that hopefully by next February if it does get you know put into place with the 103 by next February the oversight will be fully in place the department will be fully functional on their own and given enough time to submit their budget by next fiscal year um and then this is this is where I asked for point of.

Clarification in the beginning um as far as the the full ramification how the process is um we we talk about today for something we want tomorrow but it ain't going to happen till next year so that's and that's what everybody kind of fails to to understand how budget process and and the whole uh resolutions that you're talking.

About here um but me that's suggestion if could if that be possible if the City would like to sit down and actually talk with their workers and um and um I just like to say how's it ocean safety I know you guys are all living uh listening in on this and good job thank you for your service thank you all of those recommendations are well received um.

Yeah Nick Mr boo if you want to come up testify hopefully I got rid of some of the nerves um I just wanted to clarify we are aware that commission is still some politics but it's less and um I want to say it's that it's critical that we get a commission that's kind of what um I'm fighting for and as a lifeguard this.

Isn't personal we deal with preventative action so it's not it's nothing personal to the last mayor or this mayor or the next one but a commission is Nationwide best practice mayor director to the to the um commission director has clarified more I think we could get that could be attractive to a lot more lifeguards and I just kind of wanted to.

Clarify that Mahalo appreciate that Insight he did I think yeah he never did oh could you also State your um name for the record I'm not sure if the clerks caught it yeah apologies I know I said it but Frederick Booth Mahalo and then um anyone anyone else wishing to testify please please come.

Forward yeah um and then yeah anyone left can just line up and then proceed after the other and identify yourself um as you wish a chair committee thank you again um so I wanted some clarification about the process uh um kudos to Raquel she educated me a little bit on the process to the city council and um if if resle 9.

Two were to proceed forward what is the how many hearings and or process you know how many committee hearings are there before it would be passed on to the ballot in November versus 2450 and you know like and I will answer that just I know folks might be watching too so it's a similar.

Charter Amendment as 2450 so it would still need to go through two additional full readings at Council so it could potentially be on agenda at the next Council then would come back to committee and then go back to council um and so that's just so everyone that maybe is coming up to testy as aware to so my inclination was probably to um.

Pass it out unamended and then we can work on language on 2450 continue to take input if there's a reason to use this one we can look at additional language yeah um you know with 92 it's a it is it's appealing middle ground for all of us that are headstrong about a commission um you know we just we wonder if it's if it's compromising the.

Viability of 2450 you know because the commission is is a key component for a lot of us um so I just wanted some clarification on that no appreciate that and could you say your name for the record as well Jesse King perfect M thank you see no questions um we'll go to the next testifier Robert Bond um I just wanted.

To clarify I am not a employee of Hawaii news now I'm a credential person I have a badge from them but I do not receive a paycheck or any payment of any kind I've been working with them for decades now but it's because I like their reporting and I believe the people that are behind what they do um and I just wanted to make sure that everybody do that because.

It's I I was told that I was portraying myself as an employee and the voice of the uh station perhaps and apparently the news director is getting a lot of phone calls about my statements um it was my intention to have that take place because I think people need to talk about this and we don't have jobs attention any longer at the table.

Discussing anything because he's been put on administrative leave and he has a for up until now he's had a lot of answers for us you know and he's that did you have any um testimonies specifically on 2492 uh nope I'm here to go thank you okay thank you for your time any anyone else wishing to testify in person can.

Come forward I'm seeing none we'll go ahead and go over to uh remote testimony we have Sarah Fairchild Eddie fujioka and melu Miss Fairchild you can go ahead and unmute and proceed when you're ready identifying yourself Mahalo hello I'm Sarah Fairchild um I just want to thank all the lifeguards.

For everything you do and I I too I'm sorry that you're uh you've been dragg through this process for years um I didn't testify on 103 I don't have a position on it yet um because it just there's so many questions I'm in support of um 92 if 103 passes but would prefer 2450 um following what an earlier gentleman said I think it would be good.

For the mayor to have a sit down with the lifeguards at this juncture and and have more of a conversation about this um and then from that really clear up a lot of these vague areas I think um if the May would stand up a separate Department the um deputy director said earlier that they didn't even know when they'd.

Appoint a director they haven't had that discussion yet well how about have that discussion and lay out that plan and if you're willing I think someone else suggested could we have the promise in writing to the lifeguards that Council Santos Tam are you going to be uh logging off at this point just wanted to make an opport I'll.

Be logging off after the uh vote on this one okay perfect I'll vote on this one okay Mahalo we'll go to Eddie fujioka please proceed when you're ready good afternoon chair Vice chair K and members of the city council uh you have my written testimony I stand in support of resolution 24- 92 after reviewing the document the only question I had was I.

Didn't see language in there that spells out the powers of the commission as far as hiring uh terminating or disciplining the chief um and the other thing I like to touch on is I appreciate chair waters's uh question to one of the previous testifiers I believe it was Miss Chang on if we establish a commission ocean.

Safety should we have one where EMS and it respons us absolutely and I fully support that uh thank you for your time moal see no questions for the testifier we'll go to Rael ala Rael auu Northshore um thank you for this resolution um I stand on my previous testimony on 103 I support fully uh.

Resolution 92 is um I like how it's written although I do have a little bit of question with regard to commissions being that they are non-paid and the perview that uh this commission would have um what kind of structured formal meetings and whatnot and when it come being that they're a volunteer basically.

A volunteer position um when it comes to uh HR type of situations and Personnel things um I realize the commissions are basically recommendations that get submitted um so I just want to be sure that we address the more sensitive aspects of that commission's purview thank you Mahalo missu any questions from the.

Committee see none anyone else online wishing to testify please raise your hand via the raise hand function I'm seeing none I don't believe Madam click there is anyone else okay mollow so we'll go ahead and close testimony um was there any other discussion or questions committee members um uh that resolution 2492 be.

Reported out for second reading and scheduling of a public hearing any discussion objections reservations seeing none so ordered okay and then appreciate everybody coming down and the time you spent and everyone listening online as well joining us today we'll go to agenda item number four for Action resolution.

2481 urging the Department of Environmental Services to provide 247 operational service at the white and I convenience center and urging the Departments of Park and Recreation to provide increased maintenance at Lew Wahoo parks and recreational facility um I'll first go over to council member tupola if you wanted to add anything on.

This resolution yeah thank you so much chair first off thanks for listing it you know with our discussions about the landfill and really no definite date on any time of when it will be decided where it will be or when it will be relocated our community still stands in need of some type of compensation for what is going on as far as us hold.

Hosting not just this one but the previous landfill as well so in relation to that EnV is actually the provider for our Convenience Centers so we do believe that it's reasonable that we get heighten Trash Services in our area so that it's not a I or across the coast because we already have the landfill so I just you know proposed it as a thought.

Thought if we could work with the administration on this that it would actually benefit the whole entire community so thank you chair um appreciate those thoughts and I'll um recognize that we have director Babcock and also director thin uh if you have any initial thoughts or anything you'd like to share from the administration.

And I'll defer if to who wants to comment good afternoon chair chair wire and uh board members council members Roger Babcock director of Department of Environmental Services um so um EnV you know we really and the administration we really understand the concerns of the community on the w i Coast on the west side and.

Um we will um we understand the need for perhaps uh perhaps additional hours at at some of our facilities so we'll consider that very carefully um I did want to uh point out I I think as you know we've we've tried to for for you and for the and for the public that we have tried to do some additional things on on the West Side um we have made some.

Upgrades to the Wi I Convenience Center um and we've opened a brand new convenience center in cap our newest Convenience Center so there now seven and the coua one was meant to try to take off some of the load of the Y Andi convenience center and um you know all the convenience centers are are open um 11 hours a day 7:00 a.m. to 6: pm and.

They uh and it's free to drop off uh rubbish uh bulky items uh white goods uh tires there's a there's Metals bins there you can drop off batteries um and and and lots of and just about anything except for hazardous waste um so we um you know we continue to try to uh.

Increase the amount of service that we have and so you know there's a couple of things with the convenience centers there's convenience which is really about the hours that a place is open but then there's capacity right so capacity is really the important issue so you could have um a facility open 24 hours a day but if it's full when it fills up um.

It has to close right you can't take any more materials so so to address capacity that's why we open additional centers um as well as at at y specifically we added a a compactor so we now have a compactor there which is new it just opened in December and that uh takes up the space of two large rolloff bins but it has a capacity of four so it doubles the.

Capacity there so so now we actually have the at Y and I we have the capacity of um we have six um we have three um uh sorry we have six six bins and one compactor so six bins plus essentially four bins so the equivalent of 10 bins there and so seven of those are for rubbish and bulky items.

One for green waste one for metals one for tires and uh so that that adds up to to what we're doing there so so we're trying but we definitely will look into seeing if there's more that we can do Malo and um did you I know director th was gonna make a comment to did you want to ask director BC I'll just do a followup and then I'll have director.

Theing go so um director Babcock I'm aware of the compactor there's been problems with that because it does take up that space and I would say it hasn't been as helpful as we thought as far as us having more capacity load but I hear what you're saying saying I would also share that from CA to the farthest part of my district is still 45 minutes.

Without traffic from CA to my house during traffic still hour and 20 so that's still not really convenient and the landfill is inside white and I and so the one prior to that was in white and I so I I get it that people consider maybe Eva all the way down as the west side but I'm talking like the deep deep west side and we are the ones that have.

Been asking for this this alevian because we're hosting the landfill so I'm looking forward to working with you so that we can come up with solutions that I think will actually help which may mean that we might need to host it at other locations because it is Tiny inside there and that might be the problem so thank you director yep thank.

You loha director thin Aloha Council Members good afternoon uh Laura thin on behalf of the Department of Parks and Recreation um we agree that the Westside and Eva do need more support for Parks maintenance and cleanup and that's why the administration did put into the budget this year an additional 12 maintenance staff and an additional four.

Trucks to be able to do uh afternoon and early evening cleaning at parks and um we also added in containers to be able to store rubbish out of you know get rubbish out of the parks and centralize it um and in a prior budget we asked for a additional 10 staff and a rubbish crew and a mowing crew so Leeward and Eva no longer need to share a rubbish and.

Mowing crew with Pearl City at Milani and we would be able to provide the same level of services as the other uh districts in the island so we feel that the Administration has been uh putting a lot of effort towards additional resources um and we also are using our current staff um having other districts help with fairly large cleanups and.

Respons and thank you councilwoman for recognizing the work that the parks department did at the recent onewe closure and Beach cleanup on the West Side um we've really picked up in the efforts over the last three years there and so um I don't know I guess I'm a little perplexed at the um inclusion of parks department given the efforts that.

Have been going on in the administration and the department um we are in agreement on it and so this I'm not quite sure what else um would be required under the resolution thank you council member tupo thanks chair um yeah um director I knew already that we're moving in this direction and I.

Think just in general trying to come up with something and I'm not sure if you guys were aware that previously our discussions were because we're hosting the landfill what is our community then going to get and this was PRI prior to all of your proposals in the budget that to me have just been long awaited so thank you for doing that I I'm not.

Requesting anything additional there I I want to see more from EMV but DPR has stepped up to the plate like none other and I'm so glad to see these changes and I thank you for all your efforts so nothing more that's needed per se from this resolution but I wanted to include that because that also is kind of visible trash that I'm trying to explain.

To the community that we're trying to address so that it doesn't just look like it's physically The Dumping Ground thank you chair thank you any other questions from the committee um if not Mahala directors and we'll go to testimony I don't believe we have any registered in person anyone wishing to.

Testify please come forward see no one in the gallery will go to online testimony remote testimony we have Angela young registered I don't see her online uh but if you are not present she's not online correct clerks CH is not present okay um I see Tiana's iPhone with a hand raised if you want to unmute and proceed when.

You're ready okay anyways Al my name is Tiana wver um I am from the Y and mopu and I do serve on the neighborhood board I am speaking on my own capacity um so I want to say Mahala to the council um and and our Council woman TOA for this reszel um we are in support for your advocacy in our community um and thank you for.

Raising those concerns because even though there's supposedly all this access or um improvements it hasn't necessarily improved the legal dumping or the other um things that has already been mentioned so I just wanted to to come on and just quickly State um an echoing council members um concerns that she is voicing the concerns of our.

Community from Mahalo molo Miss wiber see no questions with the test fire if anyone else online is wishing to testify please use the raiseed hand feature on Zoom I'm seeing no one will go ahead and close testimony and I'll open it up for further discussion if any uh I think my recommendation was going to be um to.

Defer at this time for a further conversation but welcome input um from the committee or any council members present is your deferral to have conversations with EMV or what is your thought on that um I think toart um both with EnV about the services and scope of of what could be offered and then I do think there's maybe further discussion.

Needed about the um sighting question too right I guess my question is is um Oh you mean the landfill sighting yeah so when we're talking about the as a as a body discussing ceasing operations at 2028 do you think there's more discussion that um we want admin to come and present on on what their plans are so we could make a fuller request um.

Depending on what we know I can work with your office on that I mean I had suggested to the admin somehow trying to put it back in the landfill advisory commission so we can maybe have a leadup to what the sighting uh timeline would look like but yeah I'm open to working with you guys and with EnV if you want me to kind of further flesh out like the.

Details on that because I'd rather not pass something that no one's going to even do I'd rather do something that yes we can follow line by line and execute it so thank you yeah we can keep working on it okay I appreciate that um any further so chair was going to um recommend that action on resolution 2481 be postponed to date and time to be.

Determined by the chair any discussion objections reservations hearing none so ordered and that brings us to action item number five for Action the committee will Rie and evaluate the childcare Advisory Board and make recommendations to the Council on whether the ordinance establishing the board should be.

Retained amended or repealed believe we have D deputy director Los Banos present thank you for joining us today I'll turn the floor over to you if you have any thoughts on this matter hello and good afternoon Edward Los Banos deputy director Department of community services so just to be clear because we're talking about.

Backtack to two similar advisory boards addressing Child Care uh the childcare Advisory Board is associated with chapter 11 of the revised ordinances of Honolulu of Honolulu um this chap this chapter also includes the um child care coordinator that we've been advocating for and the Department of community community.

Services and administration believes that child care still plays a significant role in the quality of life for residents of the city and there are opportunities that the city can uh provide to better serve our community and have support and have supported the child care coordinator position that's attached to chapter 11.

But relative to The Advisory Board itself it's it has been inactive and um you know seeing the SE change um Lieutenant Governor's initiative and how where she's going and convening a lot of the similar stakeholders that would participate in this Advisory Board and she convenes them on a regular basis and having only one staff person um that.

Would report to this currently that would report to the Advisory board at this you know precise minute um we think you the Department of Community Services would be would respectfully recommend revisiting the necessity of this Advisory board at a later date okay appreciate that um deputy director uh that was going to be the chair's uh.

Recommendation any discussion we'll go to testimony uh I don't believe we have any registered in person or online testifiers anyone in the gallery wishing to come forward please identify yourself but seeing none will also note that anyone online that wishes to testify can use the raised hand feature on their Zoom see no one identifying themselves.

We'll go ahead and close testimony and uh chair was going to recommend that action on this matter be postponed until the next scheduled meeting of the committee on housing C sustainability and health um or is otherwise to date to be determined by the chair in the interum the chair will take the matter under advisement and.

Prepare draft report and recommendations for consideration at that meeting any discussion objections reservations on that okay Mahalo Mahalo deputy director will come up to um action agenda item number six for Action the committee will View and evaluate the Wahoo committee on Children and Youth and make.

Recommendations to the Council on whether the ordinance establishing the committee should be retained amended or repealed oh uh please go ahead similar thoughts I believe believe yeah so this one's actually a little bit cleaner and simpler um this Comm this aahu committee on Children and Youth was established in 1970 to address um to comply with the.

Requirements of Poe revised statutes chapter 352d um that law was subsequently repealed in 1976 um and replaced with HRS chapter 581 um the State Office of Children and Youth with that absorbed a lot of the responsibilities that had been delegated to the county in 19 70 actions so this.

One the administration recommends um deleting the chapter in its entirety appreciate that any questions discussion from the committee uh we'll go ahead and go to testimony don't have any registered in person or online anyone in the gallery wishing to testify may come forward but see none will also note that anyone.

Online can use the raise hand feature to identify um w to testify see no one will go ahead and close testimony we'll also be recommending that this matter be postponed um pending the current legislation and so would note that chair recommends action on this matter be postponed until the next schedule meeting of the committee on housing.

Sustainability and health or to another date to be determined by the chair in the interim the chair will take the matter under advisement and prepare draft report and recommendations for consideration Mahalo committee members uh and at this time the committee on housing sustainability health is adjourned.

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