16 Budget and Finance Committee - Regular Meeting

Well, Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee meeting of 04/16/2026 come to order. It is 01:05PM. I am the vice chair of this committee, Kamrani Patongen, and I will be acting as chair for today's meeting. This online meeting is being conducted in accordance with the Sunshine Law. As a reminder, when your name is called, if you're not in the council chamber, please

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at the Lanai District team. Office, and I'm think here and ready to work. Mahalo. That's

Thank you. Council Chair Alice Lee.

Good afternoon, Chair. I'm home I'm here in my office in the building with my little kitty named Jill Lee, and she's playing with her friend, Matilda. Ready to work. Thank you.

Council member Tamara Palton.

Aloha, we no loss streaming live and direct from the council chambers.

Councilmember Keani Rollins Fernandez.

Aloha, chair. There are currently no testifiers at the Molokai District Office. Mahalo again to member Johnson to the community on Lana E for hosting us last night.

Council member Sheen Senensi.

Hello and good afternoon chair. Here at my home office, myself and there's no testifiers in Hanaju.

And council member Nohileni U'uhajans.

Good afternoon chair. Good afternoon everyone. I'm at my private residence. I do have my husband, William Cole Hodgins, home with me now, but he would be leaving shortly to pick up our child from school. And at that time, I will have a miniature version of my husband and the big version.

Thank you, members. Assisting with today's meeting are the BFA committee staff, and our invited resource persons from the administration include the budget director, director of environmental management and his staff, and deputy corporation counsel Wigglesworth. Of of '27 budget for the Board county Board of Maui. The Members, I will be taking testimony after opening comments today. Before we begin, I would like to recognize council members Cook and Johnson for comments on the South Maui

and Lanai Residency Era meetings respectively. Member Cook? Thank you, Chair. Local council members, thank you all for coming to our South Maui community meeting. Mahalo in welcoming us at the budget meeting night before last. Here is a summary containing some testimony highlights for your consideration and use and your recap of

BFED day after tomorrow morning. 28 individuals testified orally. We also received some written testimony.

The meeting was called to order at six p. M. And adjourned at 08:10 p. M. Testifiers expressed gratitude and support for the funding for a variety of organizations, including Maui AIDS Foundation, wraparound services, including homelessness prevention, sexually transmitted disease, education and free testing, insurance assistance, medical clinic, food pantry, housing, case management, jail outreach, MEO, transportation services, Spanish translation services, head start, youth services.

Also, Maui Green and Beautiful citizens forestry project. And the Kahumanu church restoration. The church is on the National Historic Register, part of the royal compound of Kehiliki II, built in 1876, needing restoration. The Kahu shared that the ground floor is completed and the upper storeys still need work. Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, restore healthy coral reefs, protect natural fish, monitor water quality, reef landscaping program for hotels.

The Aina Kukua o Waihu Kuli Kai cares for two waterways, restores wetlands and native plants, provides keiki education, instills cultural and traditional values. The Marine Institute at Maui Ocean Center, Education to Restore Ocean Health, Marine Conservation, Sea Turtle Rehabilitation, Coral Restoration provides volunteer and career opportunities, Maui Mediation Services, Pre Eviction Mediation, Conflict resolution, parenting plans, child custody disputes collections. Boys and Girls Club of Maui, Club on the Go program, Wellness Department to address behavioral challenges, workforce development. Also Project Vision Hawaii, increasing access to health and human services. In addition, several individuals asked for South Maui infrastructure improvements, including completing the North South Collector Road, taking over the Wailuku water system, acquiring wetlands for preservation, and addressing the Cove Park injection well ocean pollution.

In general, it was a very well attended meeting, and I thought our community spoke out in favor of all of the nonprofits. It made me feel really good. The amount of money that we're allocating is appropriate and doing really good service. Thank you, chair.

Thank you, member Cook. Member Johnson.

Thank you, chair. Team. We to

the

information

Development Committee held a budget residency area meeting on Lanai at the Lanai High and Elementary School cafeteria. The meeting began around 06:03 p. M. And the committee heard from 10 testifiers. Individuals shared their positive experiences and asked for continued support of the Maui Economic opportunity, incorporated especially the Lanai Grown Food Stimulus Program, which I am not a part of, Lanai Kinahole, Maui College, Lanai, and the Lanai Farmers Market.

Other topics also include requests of support for farmers, Hawaii Farmers Union United, boards and commissions, especially the Ala Naii Planning Commission, an independent nomination board, acquisition and rehab of the First Hawaiian Bank, building a commercial kitchen, a multipurpose and community center that can be used as an emergency center. The meeting was adjourned at 06:40 sorry. 06:52PM. And then during our dinner, folks came up

to us and talked to

us about sports facilities. So we're all and I just wanted to add that up. So thank you members. Really appreciate you guys come and visit our little community of Lanai, and see you again next year. Mahalo. Thank you, member

Johnson. And I'm sure I speak for the rest of the members when I say thank you to you both for your hospitality, while we were in your moku. It meant a lot that you were able to introduce us and nourish us and help facilitate, meaningful discussion while we were in South Maui and on Lana E. Members, today we will continue our deliberations on the FY 2027 budget. We will begin with comments from the Department of Environmental Management. At this time, I would like to invite the Director of the Department of Environmental Management to introduce his team and provide opening remarks.

Thank you, Vice Chair Batongun. Hi, everybody. Good to see all of you again. Shane Agawa, Director of Environmental Management. I'll start off by introducing our team. To my left is our Deputy Director, Mike Peterson our Administrative Officer, Marci Glassford and then we have Eric Nakagawa from our Wastewater Division Cecilio Powell from our EP and S Division Mike Kehano from our Solid Waste Division and everybody knows Troy Kahalekai from our solid waste, and he's our operations superintendent. So good afternoon, Vice Chair Patonga and BFIT committee members. I'd just Directors

the

Board Directors of So DEM is proposing of an increase in our overall budget of 13.5% as compared to our fiscal year twenty twenty six budget. The major increase of that 13.5% is mainly due to capital improvement program budget with a proposed budget of 01/2023 about January for fiscal year twenty twenty seven as compared to about $111,000,000 in fiscal year twenty twenty six. Notable projects under our CEP plan is our Central Maui Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility, of which we have budgeted about $128,000,000 in fiscal year twenty twenty seven, various budget funding sources. We also have West Maui recycling infrastructure, 3,600,000. That's for materials management and collection infrastructure.

We have organics processing, 2,000,000 That mainly is for the FOG recycling system and composting. And we also have Neighbor Island Landfill improvements, 1,700,000 for the Molokai Landfill scale house and another $1,100,000 for the Lanai Landfill Office trailer. Next is operating budget and revenue changes. So the proposed fiscal year twenty twenty seven operating budget for our administration office is approximately $3,350,000 I do want to make a note that out of that $3,350,000 $2,500,000 is dedicated as grant funding to support the Malaya village association. Our wastewater operational budget also increased by approximately $1,600,000 due to various reasons.

And on solid waste request for equipment replacement and expansion is approximately $2,800,000 more than our request for fiscal year twenty twenty six. The second item under the guidance was new or discontinued positions or programs or services. DEM is proposing two new expansion positions under the '27 budget along with funding for an expansion position that was approved in the fiscal year twenty twenty six budget but was unfunded. These EPs are to support the expanding programs and responsibilities of our EP and S division. So the first position is a recycling progress

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the we've in made. The we've And this position will manage and facilitate the organics related programs. And the third position that I mentioned was the one that was created under fiscal year twenty six, but was unfunded, which is a recycling specialist three position also for our EP and S division. And this is to assist with the CARP updates. New and expanded programs.

We have our, as I mentioned before, our Central Maui wastewater reclamation facility in Waikapu. We also have Westmoor recycling waste diversion infrastructure, which I also mentioned, dollars 3,600,000. And we also have a refuse collection cloud based routing and accounting software. We're asking $150,000 for the hardware and another $180,000 for the software and continuing funding year after year of $180,000 for a total of $330,000 this year. The third item under the guidance, changes in grant funding.

So we have four major grant funding requests and increases. They are all under our EP and S division. So the first one is for environmental protection grants. The previous allocation in 2026 was $300,000 We're asking for an increase in $500,000 this year for a total of $800,000 The second one is our green grants. We had $160,000 in fiscal year twenty twenty six.

We're also asking for an increase of 440,000 in fiscal year twenty seven for a total of 600,000. We also have our Maui County wetlands grants was previously 800,000. We're asking for an increase of 150,000 for a total of 950,000. And the last one is our go green West Maui recycling, which is a proviso grant. The other three were competitive.

Previously, it was $800,000 and we're asking for an increase sorry, 80,000 and we're asking for an increase of $160,000 for a total of $240,000 in fiscal year 'twenty seven. So the grand total of grant increases we're asking for is $1,250,000 on top of what was allocated in fiscal year 'twenty seven sorry, '26. Thank you. The fourth one is activity and adjustments in special revolving funds. So DEM continues to shift its fiscal strategy towards self sustaining, models and major infrastructure expansion.

So the first fund is our sewer fund. The department is increasingly relying on the sewer fund to fund major capital improvement projects. In fiscal year twenty twenty seven, we anticipate approximately $10,100,000 of these projects to be funded by the Sewer Fund. This is supported by a multiyear rate strategy, including a 9% increase that I will talk about at the end. That started in fiscal year twenty twenty six, and that's to ensure wastewater system infrastructure remains operational and efficient.

In solid waste, we have our solid waste fund proposed for fiscal year 'twenty seven. Our CIP projects include $7,200,000 that is intended to be funded from the solid waste fund. And for EP and S, in fiscal year twenty twenty seven, the proposed earmarks is approximately $2,000,000 from the EP and S fund. And this is to fund capital improvements, specifically focusing on organics processing. Next, we have revolving funds.

So we have a highway beautification and disposal of abandoned vehicle derelict revolving fund that's managed by our EP and S division. The fund specifically finances the removal and disposal of abandoned vehicles and then also for litter control. Have lot of do clean water state revolving fund. This And is to secure low interest loans for major wastewater infrastructure and water pollution control projects. Under the fifth item under the guidance, capital improvement projects, we were asked to give an emphasis on fiscal year twenty twenty five projects and readiness to proceed with twenty twenty six projects.

So under fiscal year twenty twenty five, we had a total budget of about $47,000,000 We had 14 CIP projects under wastewater. The status is all of those projects are in various stages of design and construction. We had seven solid waste division CIP projects. One of those projects is 100% completed. Five of those projects are in various stages of design or construction.

And one project from fiscal year 'twenty five was deferred to this current fiscal year 'twenty seven budget. In fiscal year 'twenty six, our total CIP budget was about $111,000,000 We had 23 wastewater CIP projects. All of those projects are in various, stages of design and construction. There was five solid waste division projects also in design and construction. And there were two EP and S projects, all in various stages of design and construction.

And in our 27 proposed budget, the ask is about $124,000,000 Wastewater, we are proposing 12 CIP projects for a total of $112,000,000 Solid waste division, 13 CIP projects for a total of just over $11,000,000 And to make note, three of those projects have been moved from EP and S under our solid waste division. And we have no CIP projects in fiscal year twenty twenty seven for our EP and S division. And the last item under the guidance deals with rates and fees. So as I mentioned earlier, in our wastewater budget, we proposed an overall average rate increase of 9%. This reflects approximately $2,200,000 in additional revenue.

How it affects single family residents? The average monthly fee in '26 was $92.4 a month. Under this 9% rate increase, the average single family resident monthly would be $103.75 a month. For multifamily residents under fiscal year '26, year. And have a foundation the the company.

Company. Excuse me, $1 a month, for Maui and Molokai. This is for refuse collection from $36 a month in fiscal year twenty six to $37 a month, in fiscal year twenty seven. The we are

pleased

made And are very from our EP and S budget to our solid waste division budget and that's due to the moving of recycling section under solid waste. So in closing, I would like to again express my thanks for this body in allowing us to share a brief overview of our fiscal year twenty seven budget. And we're happy to address any questions at the appropriate time. Thank you, Vice Chair.

Thank you, Director. At this time, we will now open the floor for public testimony. Testifiers wanting to provide testimony should sign up with staff, join the online meeting via Teams, or call into the phone number noted on today's agenda. Testimony on the budget is not limited to the department scheduled today. Written testimony is encouraged and can be submitted via the e comment link at mawecounting.us/agendas as well.

Under the Sunshine Law, the chair will receive oral testimony for agenda items at the beginning of the meeting. Again, is only one item on today's agenda. It's the proposed fiscal year twenty twenty seven budget for the county of Maui. For individuals wishing to testify via Teams, please raise your hand by clicking on the raise your hand button. If calling in, please follow the prompts via phone, star five to raise your hand, star six to mute and unmute.

Staff will add names to the testifier list in the order testifiers sign up or raise their hands. For those on Teams, staff will lower your hand once your name is added. Staff will then call the name you're logged in under or the last four digits of the phone number, that you're calling in from when it is your time to testify. At that time, staff will also enable your microphone and video. Please ensure your name appears in Microsoft Teams as the name you prefer to be referred to or as anonymous if you wish to testify anonymously.

If you're in person, please notify staff that you would like to testify anonymously. Otherwise, please state your name for the record at the beginning of your testimony. Our testimony is limited to three minutes per item. If you're still testifying beyond that time, I will kindly ask you to complete your testimony. Once you're done testifying or if you do not wish to testify, you can also review the meeting on Akako channel 53, Facebook live, or mauicounty.us/agendas. Will do our best to take each person up in an orderly fashion. We'll now call on testifiers wishing to testify. Staff, please call the first testifier. Thank you, vice chair.

The first testifier is Hallie Hunt to be followed by Allie McKeon.

Hello, Vice Chair and Council members. Thank you for your commitment to our community and for hearing testimony today. My name is Hallie Hunt, and I'm the artistic director for Adaptations Dance Theater, which is Maui's only contemporary dance company. I'm here today to testify on behalf of bill 55 and continued county funding for Adaptations Dance Theater. This year, ADT celebrates its thirteenth anniversary as a nonprofit arts organization.

For over a decade, ADT has been committed to making Maui a place where professional dance can not only exist but truly thrive. Through residencies and performances, we've built a homegrown ecosystem that supports dancers from pre professional to professional right here on Maui. I want to share my deep gratitude for the county's investment. Because of this support, we've been able able to double our programming, doubling opportunities for artists, and expanding access for our community. This funding has directly increased the amount of time that artists can live and work on Maui, providing more contracts, more creative time, and more stability.

At a time when across The United States, long standing dance companies are closing their doors and shutting down due to lack of funding, we are incredibly proud that you all, that Maui County is investing in keeping Maui's only contemporary dance company alive and growing. This funding has a real impact. It creates viable professional pathways for artists and shows our youth that their community supports the arts as a meaningful and sustainable career. Young dancers here can see that an artistic life is something they can pursue at home. They see their council members, their mayor, and their community valuing the arts, and that message really matters.

It also helps us retain the incredible talent that is from Maui. Young artists shaped and educated here. I know a lot of these young artists. I teach a lot of them, and I know that they carry a unique and deeply rooted creative voice. Supporting ADT means those voices can stay here, contributing to the cultural fabric of our island. The performing arts are essential to a healthy, vibrant community. They foster connection, reflection, and a strong sense of belonging. Mahalo for your past support. We respectfully ask for your continued support so we can keep expanding opportunities and serving our community. Thank you all for listening, and thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank

you. Members, any questions for the testifier? Seeing none, I will ask that you call up

the next testifier. Thank you, Vice Chair. The next testifier is Ally McKean, to be followed by Tara Siyako Summers.

Aloha, Co Chair and Council Members. Mahalo for being here and for your continued commitment to our community. My name is Ally McKean, and I serve as the Executive the a

the member

team. E. L. Theatre. Over the years, I grew with the company, returning as a choreographer and eventually participating in every single Bring It Home season.

In 2021, after becoming a mother and moving back to Maui after thirteen years in California, I joined the company yet again, this time as artistic director, and I'm now going into my second year as the executive director. My story is not unique within ADT, and that's exactly the point. Because our mission is to create a permanent home for world class professional contemporary dance on Maui and to contribute to the cultural fabric of Maui arts scene. Artists like Katie Whitaker, Emily McKeon, and Matti McGain all trained on Maui and have been able to return home after college and professional careers on the Mainland and continue their work as artists here. Ella Kraft graduated high school and has gone through ADT's education pipeline to full company member.

ADT creates a pathway for dancers to come home, to contribute, and to belong. Through, county support for the past three years, our Giving Ohana, private grant funding, and community partnerships, we have been able to offer a growing number of paid artist contracts each year, providing real, the seeing opportunities of a for the broader Maui economy and allowing our community from Keiki to Kupuna to witness world class professional contemporary dance without leaving the island. Without this kind of support, artists like myself and so many others would not have had a reason or the ability to come back. And the community that invests in these artists would lose the ability to remain intact. ADT is building something rare, a full circle ecosystem where young dancers can train here, leave to grow, and return home to contribute at a professional level.

I'm standing here today as a direct result of that ecosystem. And now, in my role, my goal is to make sure that more stories like mine are not only possible, but sustainable for generations to come. Mahalo for investing in a future where the arts continue to thrive on Maui.

Thank you. Members, any questions for the testifier? I guess I'll first recognize members of you, Mora.

Thank

you. Welcome this meeting. And then go ahead and ask

First your of all, apologies for being late. I did around the world in forty five or two hours. I went all the way to Kula and did work and came back. So sorry I'm late. So question for you then is you're in the budget for how much?

For $90,000 And under? That is a good question. I can look that up and

send that I to just thought you'd have

it handy. So 90,000. And this is how many years have you

been in the budget? We've been in the budget for three years, and so we're asking for our fourth year.

Thank you. Thank you. You.

Did I see member Uou Jin raise her hand?

Thank you, chair. I was just gonna tell chair Sugimar that this has been a priority of mine, so that's where they get their funding. Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay. I get it. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you, member O'U Hajjens, member Sugimar. Thank you. Any other questions? Okay. Seeing none, staff can ask that you please call the next testifier.

Chair, the next testifier is Tara Siyako Summers to be followed by the One Foundation on Teams.

Aloha, everyone. My name Tara Suyako Summers, and I'm the Maui community coordinator for Mental Health America of Hawaii. So Mental Health America of Hawaii is a five zero one c three nonprofit and state affiliate of a nationally recognized organization serving Hawaii for nearly eighty years. Guided by our mission to promote mental health and wellness through education, advocacy, and service, we work towards a vision of mental wellness for all. Since 1942, Mental Health America of Hawaii has played a key leadership role, in expanding mental health awareness, preparedness, and access to resources across the state.

Our efforts focus on reducing stigma associated with mental health conditions through education and empowerment for those living with mental health challenges and support for their loved ones. We have now been serving Maui County residents for over fifty years, and through our programs, we have positively impacted, at least 9280 residents each year through the following initiatives. So we provide, suicide prevention trainings, Safe prevention 101, mental health first aid, and youth suicide and bullying prevention programs. We also offer a daily telephone assistance, so we connect callers to help they may need for mental health problems. We also support the Maui County Police Department and their crisis intervention trainings.

And we also advocate for better mental health care at the state legislature. In fiscal year 2025, our Maui office achieved the following outcomes. 898 youth were trained in self care, bullying, and suicide prevention. So it was fun to go back to my alumni schools, Eau Intermediate and Baldwin High School. That was fun.

280, Maui County DOE staff were trained in suicide prevention one zero one. Over 200 community members were reached through our free education programs, mental health first aid, safe talk assist, and help calls. Nearly 2,000 Maui County residents were reached through community outreach events, and 62 Maui police officers were provided with personal testimonies of lived experience during their crisis intervention training. In conclusion, Mental Health America of Hawaii, Maui's office continues to prioritize accessible support, advocacy, and resources for those affected by mental health challenges. Mahalo to the Maui County Council Budget Committee for the opportunity to submit this testimony.

Thank you very much. Members, Member Palton.

Thank you, Tara. Thank you for your testimony. I was wondering if you're offering your services countywide. I think in past years and in this year, we heard, from Hana and Molokai that they need more assistance. What, kind of assistance do you give to those communities?

Yeah. So we went to Molokai this past year to provide, DOE staff with suicide prevention training. So I know there was over, 100 teachers who got trained in that. And then for Hana, we have done outreach events. It is a little bit difficult to do, the suicide prevention trainings at that school, but that is a goal of mine, to get out there as much as possible, but we can

make that our priority. Yeah. Because I thought I had heard in your testimony about accessibility and Yeah. You know, it's more accessible for, like, Baldwin, Maui High to get services, and it's harder for, like, rural areas. For sure. Just wondering why there's not more focus on the rural areas because they have a a more difficult time overall. Yeah. It's great to do low hanging fruit, but, people that are originally having hard time with accessibility are having a harder time.

Yeah. Definitely. I could definitely bring that to our team and make that a focus for the future. I love waking up at 4AM.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Any

other questions? Seeing none, staff may ask that you please call

the next testifier. Vice chair, the next testifier is Oni Foundation on Teams to be followed by Audrey Tomashiro Kamihi. Oni Foundation is unmuted on our end. They would just have to unmute themselves and then begin their testimony.

Aloha.

Hi, my name is David Whitney from Oney Foundation. I'm the Executive Director. I want to say aloha to Chairman Sugimura and Vice Chair Batangen, and the committee members. Thank you for giving us this opportunity. I want to let you know that there will be three of us that are presenting our testimony here online, and I'll be the first, followed by Kalai, one of our cultural ambassador trainees, and then our vice president, Kukulei Pridjin.

So, I want to also note that we'll be submitting a packet of our testimony along with a brief video. I hope you'll watch. I'll give you guys a link to that. So I'm going to highlight a few key points today, and then I'll be available for any questions you have. We are a multicultural dance and arts center, a wonderful world of aloha, and Kouin Kahumana Shopping Center.

You may remember us introducing ourselves last year. We our mission is to perpetuate the multicultural heritage of Hawaii, and we recognize that this is an incredibly difficult budget year between rebuilding Lahaina and recovering from the storms. We understand that the county is bearing a heavy financial and emotional burden. But in a time of crisis, it is understandable that the arts might be viewed as secondary priority. However, cultural awareness and the preservation of Maui's heritage are at the very foundation of a community's wellness, identity, resilience.

The Honi Foundation's objective is to safeguard the unique legacy of native Hawaiians alongside Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Portuguese, just to name a few of the diverse cultures that make up our island's true melting pot. To sustain Maui's cultural recovery and economic resilience and regenerative tourism, we are respectfully requesting a total of $161,000 $89,000 from the Office of Economic Development. That's a 30 percent increase in what we're currently receiving from OED. And we're also hoping and asking that the County Council provide another 72,800 for us to bring on an educational curriculum coordinator to help us improve our community engagement. As Chief Financial Officer of Amoco Productions, I understand the importance of financial stewardship, and in the service of that responsibility, Oney Foundation has recruited Madeline Pasquale to join our financial committee as an auditor and consultant.

The Oney Foundation has built on fiscal responsibility in the past six months. We have so far successfully managed 26,000 of our $64,000 OED grant, and we've used that to generate more than 55,000 in additional income, providing economic benefit to the staff and supplemental income to our cultural instructors. We have a proven capacity to stretch the county dollars and serve both the community benefit and as an economic driver. And just one last line, we intend the wonderful World of the LoHA Center to become a premier hub for cultural resources. Together, we can ensure that the Maui County recovery includes not only rebuilding structures, but improving Maui's regenerative tourism experience that fosters future cultural ambassadors.

Thank you for that excess time, and I'm going to introduce Kalai and take your questions after the three of us give our testimony. And here's Kalai. Okay.

Thank you, Kalai. You have three minutes.

So my name is Kailai, and I can say that I am a proud oh, sorry. I'm proud to be a youth cultural ambassador with the Oni Foundation, and the wonderful world of Aloha Center. Growing up on Maui, especially in the wake of the wildfires, has been very heavy on my generation. So much has changed, and being a part of the Oni Foundation has given me a safe a safe place to celebrate and practice our cultural healing, especially from the shock of the twenty twenty three wildfires. It's a place where I can learn about my heritage, practice our traditional arts, and share the mo'olelo of our ancestors confidently, accurately, and professionally.

Right now, our youth culture ambassador program is working to recruit more haumana to become trained, like, cultural ambassadors and representatives. We aren't just learning how to dance, make crafts. We are learning how to be leaders. We are learning how to share our island's real history with visitors to, respect our home. I know the county has a lot of important things to pay for right now to rebuild, but please support the OED Foundation funding requests from the OED and the council. Young people like me need a place to stay connected to who we are so we can be the ones to help Maui heal and move forward. Any questions? I'm all over you, Tai.

Thank you. I believe mister Whitney said that your group would take questions after all three of you testified. So we'll hold on, and then I'll open it up, for questions at that point. Because the last individual I remember Ku'ule, but I can't okay.

Ku'ule, aloha chair and committee members. We respectfully request $89,000 in continued core support from the office of economic development and 72,800 from the Maui County Council to launch a full time educational curriculum coordinator. As vice president and head head docent of the Oni Foundation, I bring more than thirty five years of experience in Polynesian dance, culture, and education. My family, going back generations, has been born and raised in the dance and music of Hawaii, and we have committed our lives to giving those arts back to the community. I was born, in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, but raised Maui.

Our family is from every parts from Lahaina to Hana, so we definitely love sharing the culture. I'm very passionate about retaining the culture integrity and our collective memory. This passion for the arts is more than just entertainment for us. It is the backbone of our local economy. The ONI foundation plays a direct role in the economic and emotional health of our community through workforce development.

Our youth cultural ambassador program currently trains young people in performing arts and crafts, positioning them directly for careers as dancers, cultural advisers Maui's number one industry. In fact, that's where Kalai just went back to, teach more culture crafts and activities in our cultural center. For example, our youth who complete our training are equipped to step into well, paying roles within the hospitality sector, ensuring that visitors are guided by authentic local voices rather than outside interpreters. The program provides economic opportunities, for local artisans, cultural practitioners, and performers directly benefiting the community by supporting careers in the creative and cultural sectors. Our program at the Queen Kahumanu Shopping Center bring much needed foot traffic to this Central Maui gathering place, benefiting other merchants here.

Also, bringing youth together, creating a safe place and a place where you can find resources of cultural information, a great central place linking these communities together. Your continued support ensures that Maui's recovery is led by its people, its stories, and its youth. Mahalo so much for all your time. That's that's all for me.

Thank you very much. Members, do you have any questions for any of the three testifiers, with the Oney Foundation? Member Palton.

Thank you. What would the funding that you're requesting be used for?

Aloha. Thank you for that question. We would are seeking hiring a full time staff member that would do community engagement, so connect us to the school system, to the community college, and other resources where we could enlist professionals and cultural teachers, as well as developing our youth cultural ambassador program, which is to generate the pipeline of learning to professional And

in

Halena Yes. Right now, through OED, we have Gazelka: a few cultural ambassadors, cultural instructors, professionals in the industry who come into the center and teach lahala weaving or ukulele or any other crafts that

we offer. How much money do the youth ambassadors receive?

Right now, the youth ambassadors are not receiving funding. Okay.

What are your other funding sources besides the county?

We've gotten an Atherton grant. We've gotten World Indigenous Science Network. They're a local Lahaina based private foundation. They've funded us with several grants. We've gotten funding through like we're joining Charity Walk this year. We've done fundraisers, and we just get general donations that are both in cash and online. We receive funds from the programs that we offer. People pay $20 to

What percentage to the county money are you receiving? Is it one to one or is it a one to one match? I I no. I don't think it's it

wouldn't it's not a one to one. I to get the exact amount of that, I would say that it's actually about a third.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Member Paltin. Does any other member have questions for the Oney Foundation? Okay. Seeing none, staff, before you call the next testifier, can I ask that you check with anybody else on the list to see if there are multiple people signed up to testify under the same I don't know? Is it a reservation name? I don't know how you keep track. But call the next testifier, and then can I ask that you go through and see if there's anybody else who has multiple people signed up to testify under the same name or reservation or whatever it is? Thank you.

Yes, sir. So the next testifier is Audrey Tomashiro Kami, to be followed by William Spence.

Can you hear me?

Yes, we can.

Okay. So sorry, I was clicking the wrong button. Thank you very much, chair, vice chair, and committee members. My name is Audrey Tomashiro Kami. I am a resident of Makawao, and I am the program assistant for Uhi Bai Ohayaka Law.

We are a nonprofit organization established in 2018 with a mission to protect and restore the watersheds of the leeward slopes of Kalla'akala. Our work advances critical priorities for our state, which would be strengthening freshwater resources, preserving native Hawaiian cultural practices, supporting rural economic economies, and fostering community stewardship of our natural resources and our landscape here. Excuse me. I am respectfully testifying today in support of the proposed EPNS green grants funding for the Nauulu Cloud revival. This would not only support Muhiwai, but multiple organizations, such as Kahoolawe Island Reserve, projects in Kahikinui, Hawaii our agricultural research center, Pu'amahoe Arboretum, Molama Haleakala, and other partners that are working to mitigate climate change.

And these projects will be working to increase outplantings on both Maui and Kaho'olawe, collect native seeds, especially those that are keystone species, like koal, koaia, on this side of the island. And engage the community by sharing with them cultural the cultural value of the and getting them actively involved in stewardship. We all know that climate change is already impacting our environment, our natural resources, our economic stability, and our community well-being. So, it is important to have place based solutions like watershed restoration to build long term resilience and prevent further degradation. The leeward slopes of Haleakala are historically associated with the Nauulu, which is often described as a cloud bridge.

And it once carried moisture across the channel to and beyond. However, due to extensive deforestation on that side of the island, it has disrupted the natural system. And as a result, the Nantulu has become less consistent, and rainfall in the region has significantly declined. So, by restoring our native forests, forests is not only an environmental priority, but it is a cultural, economic, and climate resilience strategy. And by supporting the EPS green grants for the Nulu Cloud revival.

He will be investing in proven community based efforts to mitigate climate impacts, restore our watershed function, and revitalize the natural systems that sustain our islands. So, thank you very much for giving me the time to testify today. Mahalo very much for your time and your consideration.

Thank you very much. Member Johnson.

Thank you, Chair, and thank you, Ms. Tomashiro Kami'i, for your testimony. I just have a clarifying question for you in regards to your statements about the degradation of our forests. Do you think that, funding the new Blue Cloud Bridge would reduce our climate change emergencies, like the flooding?

It's going to be something that we need to start now. It's a long term we have to look at the long term effects. I think it's it'll just be compounded as we plant more. And the only way to actually, you know, retain our watershed function is to restore our forests. And the forests will bring back hopefully the moisture, the rain, and those clouds can continue to carry the rains to Kahoolawe and beyond.

And if we plant on both ends, if we work together to collaboratively, which is what we are hoping to be able to achieve through this, collaboratively work together, you know, I'm nervous, yeah. You know, we will be able to find more and efficient ways to help foster B4a Station on both sides.

It's all interconnected. Thank you so much for your response. Thank you, Chair No, for the questions.

Thank you, Member Johnson. Any other questions? Member Sugimura or Committee Chair Sugimura.

Thank you, Vice Chair. So, in the budget, how much are you in the budget for?

Well, we are looking for we are looking for up to $600,000 And what this would do is it would allow us to increase our capacity to bring we're creating five new positions. Three of them are 100% field. And then we'd have a GIS person to help us with all the data so we can make sure that we can be accountable for, you know, whatever we do and be able to bring that data to show, you know, what's working and what's not. We also need, like, a 50% operations manager to be solely dedicated to this particular project. We would look at also bringing on two interns, the year long interns.

And what this core group would be doing would be really looking at seed collection so that we have seed to propagate and ensure that we can outplant the species that are native to that area to make sure that we have the best survival rate for those species. And part of the whole the propagation, it would go from propagation and then invasive species control all the way to out planting in the end. Because in the end, that's what we need. We need to get the plants back underground.

Thank you. So who is your executive director?

Our executive director is Andrea Buckman, and she will be testifying in just a bit. She's

So you're in department of water Supply. What department are you in for your 600,000?

We're not in Department of Water Supply. We are looking I'm sorry if I misspoke. We are looking at the EPNS, the environmental protection and sustainability. Oh, so you're not

in you're not in the budget right now. You're asking to Chair,

if I may. I'm sorry. Point of information, councilmember member Johnson. This is one of my prior thank you, sir. This is one of my priorities. Wanted to let you know before you go down this line of questions

because I can't find you. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Member Johnson. Thank you, Committee Chair Sugimura. Heads up, your mic is still on.

Thank you.

Chair Lee.

I have a question for you after, clarifying questions are done with this testifier.

Thank you. I'll circle back. Members, are there any other questions for the testifier? Okay. Seeing none, I'll recognize Chair Lee, and then I recognize that, we have, Mr. Spence in the wing waiting for his opportunity to testify. So go ahead, Chair.

Thank you. I think it might be easier, if the testifiers knew it would be simpler if they just mentioned how much they're asking for and whether or not they're in the mayor's proposed budget. And if they can, if they want to mention, if they're not in the mayor's proposed budget, what amount they're asking for. If they could say that upfront because it sometimes they go through a long explanation, and we still don't know what they're asking for. K? Thank you.

Thank you, chair.

I apologize. Thank you.

No. I I apologize. Necessary. I could have said that upfront and did not. So thank you very much, to you and to chair. And then, member Rollins Fernandez, did you wanna add?

Mahalo chair. Yeah. And if, any of the organizations are working with a specific council member. I know that, you know, folks don't necessarily understand or know what our process is to know to say priority proposal or something. But to just say that you've been working with a specific council member on this and then we'll know. Mahalo.

Thank you, Member Rollins Fernandez. Anybody else? Seeing none, thank you very much, Ms. Tamashiro Kakii. Thank you.

Staff, can you call up the next testifier, please? Yes, I sure. The next testifier is William Spence to be followed by Andrea Buck Buckman.

Good afternoon, Chair, members. I previously think, the mayor's budget and amounts and everything. I got that for you. So I'm here today to support the the mayor's proposed grants to the Huey Noyal Visual Arts Center. And there's two grants.

The first one is art with aloha that goes through the office of economic development. It's for $50,000. And what this does is it helps support cultural practitioners, teaching their skills to people who want to learn. The last year, we had 339 students involved in the classes. And, of course, they did lei making, but also Ulana Lauhala excuse me.

Lauhala, weaving, pupu o ni ihao, where they made earrings, lehulu poipoi, which is feather lei making. And I'll say I've met some of the practitioners, and their depth of knowledge and their aloha have just honestly left me speechless. The quality of the education they provide is amazing. The other, grant is for 75,000. That is for youth and family arts through the department of human concerns.

That yeah. For 75,000. Last year, we served more than 10,000 young adults and keiki, reaching out to public schools through other nonprofits. We have partnerships throughout the islands. We're reaching out to Molokai and Lanai.

One of the favorite things that we do with the Keiki and the young adults is we we every time we have an exhibit at the Hooey, we share space. We provide space for the kids to showcase their work. And it's one of my favorite things because they're so honest and they're so excited by being able to exhibit. The skill set and everything is just amazing to me. But it does something for them as well.

It, their self esteem gets lifted up. Last year, we had, we do work with the excuse me. Hallet Kehaliaka Ola, where we have a an instructor go out three times a week. And one of those kids there entered the actually, a number of them entered the Malama Wa'au Akua show, and one of the kids was selected as the juror's choice for the elementary level. And if you can only imagine what that would do for a kid's self esteem, I I think it's all worth it.

And then I'll just wrap this up. If you ever get a chance to go to the Hooey and meet some of the staff, they're the ones that drive this. They're the ones that have the vision for reaching out to the community, for reaching out and, you know, for the practitioners to come in and teach. An amazing crew up there from the executive director to the the teaching staff that that goes out to the islands and and to the rural areas. So thank you very much.

Thank you, mister Spence. Members, any questions for the testifier? Seeing none. Staff, can you please call the next testifier? Thank you.

Chair, the next testifier is Andrea Buckman to be followed by Travis Leggate.

Aloha, Winona Law. I'm really grateful to have the opportunity to speak with you folks today. Thank you for everything that you've been doing in this session, and thank you for the presenters even before. These are all very important issues, and I appreciate the types of decision making you folks are facing right now. It has to be hard.

I am the executive director of Ujibail Haleakala. I've been doing conservation work on the leeward slopes of Maui or in the marine environment at the very beginning for almost twenty years now. We do have a collaboration, I guess, initiated by council member Johnson to restore the Nu'ulu Cloud Bridge. I'm really grateful to be a part of this. I think our request is about 600 k, but it does include other partners.

The whole entire initiative right now, I think, is slated for about 2,900,000. I really wanna give council member Johnson and all of you folks my appreciation because your leadership at the council level has been historically extremely important in us resolving and addressing a number of Maui's watershed, natural resources management issues. This initiative has given me personally a really exciting opportunity to look at things not only from a higher elevation watershed perspective or a landowner based perspective, it's really enabled us to look at things from Malkato Makai to engage with partners all the way from Hilo and looking at the science behind it, to my friends and colleagues at Kaho'olawe, to our visitor industry partners at the Fairmont Kehlani. This initiative really brings a lot of pieces together that we need. And looking at the the scale of climate change, the pace that it's happening, We've done a lot of work over the years, starting with 10 acres fenced to tens of thousand acres fenced.

And these these areas need now the management money. They need to be planted. They need to be engaged with by our community. We we also have opportunity with this specific initiative to look at things in a riparian corridor perspective. We can address the middle elevations, which have been largely, you know, unavailable to traditional funding mechanisms.

So in we can do things like build seed seed sources across the slope in a contour mechanism. This will establish seeds for future restoration, enable community engagement, and it'll slow the rate in which all that rainfall that we've been getting transfers down the mountain. It'll reduce the amount of erosion that we get. It'll enable our aquifers to hopefully have even a fair chance. With all the disasters that we've seen, I think it's over $2,000,000,000 in the last three years of disaster and loss of life, we really have to look at things in this proactive, innovative, collaborative approach.

And I really think this in this initiative is something that, I hope our council and our community can be behind. Mahalo for your time.

Thank you very much. Members, any questions for the testifier? Member Palton.

Thank you, Ms. Buckman, for your work. I just was reading through the responses, and it said that applied for 88,000 for fencing and watershed from the environmental protection grants in fiscal year twenty six. Is that correct?

I I believe that if that's the grant, we didn't we didn't receive.

Yeah. I was wondering, if you were appointed to the areas where the fencing, was was allocated, I think was it under agriculture? Did anyone I think the Locahi Pacific was managing the distribution of $100,000 increments. So, when you submitted your grant, did anyone point you in that direction as that's where the fencing watershed pots of money were?

I know we've had really good communications with there's been a lot of change at the county level and we've been trying to build connections with each each individual agency again. But I I don't honestly specifically remember being directed to local he Pacific. So thank you for that very much, and I'll I'll look into that.

And also, Department of Water Supply gives out, watershed grants as well.

Thank you. The issue that we've had in working on Leeward Haleakala is that a lot of the revenue generated that funds the Department of Water Supply grants is by taxpayers that receive the water from the county infrastructure. So a lot of our work is more directed towards the future. We don't really supply a tremendous amount of the water. And so you're not So it's been difficult in the past.

You're not the Oahu recipient. Right?

No. That's where I started. I mean, worked for many years, but no. We're working in a

So and this cloud Get back to 600,000 is separate from the fence project. You could, in theory, reapply in fiscal year twenty seven to, under the Department of Agriculture fencing. What is the acreage that you're looking to fence or you were looking to fence?

Well, I think we we've shifted from that that project in the scope of what we've been working with council member Johnson and and his team on. We don't we didn't request fencing in this. It's more capacity building and accelerating seed source availability, hiring so we can get more staff and training on the ground so that we can build build the capacity that we need to plant these areas. Whether it's for the Oulu initiative or not, needs, and we have fenced very large areas. Seed source availability is one of the hugest limiting factors, as is water.

So this proposal helps us build our capacity in terms of staff, water, seed collection, and making sure we have that that availability so we can continue to build on this initiative for for years to come. This is a lifelong pursuit, you know, that Maui needs.

And and you don't have But

we did have partners at at Malama Haleakala, I believe, that applied for some funding for fencing, and maybe that's, what some of our colleagues are working on.

So you're not reapplying for fencing, grant and you don't think that you'll need them with the access to your population or the feral animals, you're good?

I mean, this what we've been discussing right now is FY '27. So we have only, you know, with one year of work, fencing requires, you know, lots of approvals. Right now, the what we've proposed is working within areas where we've already got fences and that require management now that the fences are built to to make sure that we stop that erosion, that we stop that rain, that we capture it when it does come, and that we get the cloud moisture when it's available. So don't get me wrong. Fencing is always important and I could name, you know, 10 projects right now that needed and deserve it.

I don't mean to I don't mean to say that it's not important, but in terms of our request for this particular item, we didn't we didn't put a lot into fencing except for repairs because as we've seen, the scale of of storms and the recurrence of storms has. Just been tremendous and so we're constantly going back to fix fences and repair them and have to inspect them over and over and that stuff that you can't get in grants and nonprofits don't have savings accounts. We did request funding for fence material in terms of being able to have the capacity when we need it to repair the fences that we already have. And then we're hoping that this is going to be a long term initiative that we can continue to look at repairing corridor fencing and adding more for to that.

We're to

else have any questions for the testifier? Member Johnson.

Okay. Thank you, Chair. I just want to let you members know and everybody in the public that, you know, as this being one of my priorities, work closely with Ms. Buckman, but we also worked with the Department of EPNS on this. You know, they were with us side by side as we discussed this with Ms. Buckman. And maps, are a good point, and we'll be submitting them when we when during the priority time. So we'll we'll be ready, and, I really appreciate you, miss Buckman, for all the work that you do. You know, you you said it that slowing down the erosion and all of that. At the end of the day, do you think that all of this work is gonna stop, address a lot of the emergencies that we're having, the flooding and the fires?

That's really I know we're all here for conservation. We're all here for keeping those watersheds the way they should be. At the end of the day, how does that affect our floods and the fires?

I think it's a long road ahead, if we. We should have started a long time ago and we need to use the infrastructure that has been publicly funded and invested in in terms of fencing. We we need to protect our responders, our helicopter pilots, all of our community. And planting is really a nature based solution it's a culturally sound based solution.

It

has. So many economic and community benefits to just get plants on the ground. I mean, you can you can coexist native plants and seed infrastructure and erosion mitigation efforts with with grazing, with education, with cultural continuum of practices. Nature knows how to do it best. They know how to do it better than I do.

Repairing something is a lot harder than protecting it in the first place. Unfortunately, the areas we work, we're past that. Want to make sure that we really do protect these last remnant native, sources and then that we really accelerate and are strategic with how we do restoration. I I really think that this initiative has given, like I said, me an opportunity to cross collaborate in different ways, where we can really look at it like that. And it doesn't matter if you're talking fire, flooding, erosion, food, culture, all of these things.

What we offer, I believe, is a solutions based approach. It will definitely help. It will definitely help, and it's it's gonna take time.

Well, thank you so much for your testimony. Thank you, chair. No further questions.

Thank you. Members, any further questions for the testifier? Seeing none, staff, before you call up the next testifier, can I just let the members know my connectivity has been spotty again? When it goes opaque, when, teams just goes opaque, I I know the connection's bad, so I look to the right. But when it's not that bad and it just freezes, I don't always know if you're trying to get my attention. So especially for those of you who are joining virtually, you may have to audibly try to seek recognition so that I can recognize you. Okay? With that, staff, can you please call

the next testifier? Thank you, vice chair. The next testifier is Travis Liggett to be followed by Scott Warden.

Good afternoon, council members. I hope everyone is doing very well today. I don't know if you're allowed to share a screen, but I submitted pretty significant testimony today. Is a proposed amendment. And let me just really quickly go over what I'm proposing.

So the idea would be to get the design work for the Kahului Wastewater Reclamation Facility, disinfection so that that effluent can be sanitary as soon as possible. So right now that's slated for fiscal year twenty twenty eight, the design work, and I'm proposing that it's a really good idea to put funding in that for fiscal year twenty twenty seven because, that's actually not a commitment to do the work. But if the funding's not in the budget, that locks in that no one can do the work, and that does not acknowledge the, uncertainty with not knowing who will be actually making these decisions as of January. The So idea would be to hedge our bets. It's a good idea to put the funding in there.

And I have a couple places in the budget where we could maybe do this at, no net cost. The first would be to, basically withdraw the contested case for the Lahaina NPDES NPDES hearing. And by the way, this 2020 Supreme Court decision decided, basically, if it goes in the ocean even indirectly, basically the idea is that the effluent must meet the ocean water quality standard. And what falls out of that analysis is a reduction from about 105 pounds a day of total nitrogen, dissolved solids, down to eight or 13. So I've been thinking about this for a very long time and have worked with top researchers to develop a ready to execute plan.

It's not a compliance schedule. It's a phased schedule that allows basically not to fight the very hard won, very high water quality standard, but to actually catapult Maui into global leadership for a new system that's based on just about the oldest system, which is Streamlimoo. If you've ever been to a waterfall, it's a beautiful green filamentous algae. And it basically does that function in nature that we're looking to do with our systems, which is to take surface water that's been collected and polish nutrients from it before it hits the reefs. It's just this elegant solution.

And I've submitted both a two page filing that the county could file to say we withdraw our request to suspend the, limits conditional upon, accepting the plan, which I've laid out in an extensive motion. I haven't filed it yet because I really think this could should be something that elected officials could talk about. But really packed into this. Very small amendment is maybe a vote by our elected officials to say does it reflect the people's will to just continue to fight these very hard won limits? Or it's not even a gamble.

It's, just acknowledging that, in fact, the argument that no solution exists is not valid. I presented it, and this is, like, really vetted. There's not just one, but two Sandia principal investigators. And the second source of funding would be the MVA grant for 1,250,000. I did my due diligence, and there were some things that convinced me that it's just not a system that's well suited to government funds.

A couple examples is, pointing out a flaw in a contract and asking it to be corrected and that being a problem or not allowing, like, federal grant people to vet whether or not like a core competitor for competition could, appear at like a major mayor's meeting.

Thank I'm you, sir Lee. Not Can you please wrap up your testimony?

For it with philanthropy.

Thank you very much.

Sorry. I I didn't hear

I was asking you to wrap up your testimony. Your 30 Yes. Second Thank you. Additional time

had expired. Just sign and, implement the solution rather than fighting it.

Members, any questions for the testifier? Seeing none, thank you very much. Staff, can you please

call Yes, the next by sure. The next testifier is Scott Worden on Teams to be followed by Lucy and Denae. Scott, you're unmuted on our end. You would just have to go to the top right corner. Oh, you're unmuted

now. Okay.

My name is Scott Warden, and I am testifying as a resident of HYCU, and a board member of the HYCU Community The proposed budget includes money for a chest well in Haiku. This well is partly to fulfill an obligation in the 2003 consent decree between the county of Maui and the Sierra Club and the Haiku coalition. And of court but according to a feasibility study performed by Brown and Caldwell in 2023, this feasibility study was contracted by the of Water Supply. Ku is going to be a major focus on providing potable water for other parts of the island. It is extremely important that this, well be done correctly so that the aquifer is not overcommitted.

To that end, the freshwater lands is a critical part of the aquifer, and this requires a deep monitor well to fully understand the capacity of the aquifer. However, we have been told by the Department of Water Supply that it is not going to drill a deep monitor well, and we think this is a huge mistake. You know, the bulk of the cost for drilling a well, whether it's a deep monitor well or a more simple testing well, the bulk of the cost is in drilling the actual channel down to the water lens. So, what we're talking about here is just an incremental cost to properly finish up the well and have it be a deep monitoring well. This concept of a deep monitor well comes from sea worm, so this is not a term we're making up.

It is the preferred way to fully understand the thickness of a water lens that underlies an aquifer. So, the more we know, the better prepared we are. So, I am advocating today that the Department of Water Supply budget be adjusted to make sure that the test well, as per the consent decree, is in fact a deep monitoring well. So, I don't have dollar figures for that, but, you know, the Department of Water Supply is the one to really come up with that. But I think that the budget committee should work with the department to figure out what that is and make sure that increment is added so that the well is fully funded to do the proper job of it.

I would also like to advocate this is going to be a simple one because I believe our ask here has already been granted. But I would also like advocate for a line item in the 2027 budget to continue water quality testing of Haiku and East Maui streams. Both residents and visitors use those streams, and it behooves us to keep an eye on their quality. So, our understanding is that our council member, U'U Hutchins, is going to propose that this line item be inserted in the budget. Mahalo for that, council member Oulu Hutchins.

And, that concludes my testimony for the day.

Thank you very much. Members, any questions for the testifier? Member Palton.

Thank you, mister Worden. We already had our deal with the water supply. Have you asked why the test well is not going to be a deep water monitoring well?

No. As part of the consent decree, there's a bit of negotiation going on as to where exactly this test well will be located. And part of that depends on whether it's a simple test well or a deep monitoring well. When we asked which one was going to be, we thought for sure they're going to say deep monitoring well, but they said no, it's going to be a rather simple testing well. So that has been the extent of our interaction with them. I'm waiting for us to check for our

Didn't see why it was gonna meet. Like, do they have another deep monitoring well somewhere? I know they were working with DHHL up there.

They did not say specifically, but I have I suspect they are going to be drilling other monitoring wells, but they should know, as aquifer, the amounts of water that are going to be pulled out are significant, the amounts they're proposing, and the more wells we have, deep monitoring wells, the better off we're going to be. So there's no point of having two deep monitoring wells and one simple well

So you don't know that there isn't already a deep monitoring well up there. They didn't say why the test well wasn't going to be a deep monitoring well.

The I'm only aware of a single existing testing well in Haiku, and it is not a deep monitoring well. Okay. Thank you. I'm not privy to how many the Department of Water Supply are planning.

Cool. Thank you, Pember Paulton. Any other members have questions for the testifier? Seeing none, staff, can you

please call up the next testifier? Yes, I share. The next testifier is Lucy and Denae to be followed by Gretchen Lozano.

And

members. My name is Lucienne Dine. I'm speaking on behalf of the Haiku Community Association, and we appreciate the consideration you're giving us to restore the $40,000 line item for our continuing into year four of our Haiku stream testing program. We were informed this morning that our council member, Uht Hodgins, is making this a priority item. So full disclosure, we just found this out.

We're very grateful for that. We're just testifying here, to support that wise decision. We did submit, we gave oral testimony at your, local Paiya Haiku meeting, and we submitted via the portal, the e comment portal, comments giving some details about this program. In essence, it's important to support this because it's actually a partnership with a number of different research efforts. And we're the kind of boots on the ground because we're people that live right where these streams are.

So we have folks that, are young scientists that were making jobs for our young scientists that have graduated from Kamehameha Schools and gone to and gotten their master's degrees, and now they have something that they can do that's meaningful in our community. And they're running this program, and working on other programs too. But it's important that this partnership with the Division of Aquatic Resources, with Manoa, a water resource research center with Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, all of us are pooling data together that will allow us to better manage this watershed that provides water for most of upcountry right now, and it may not always do that. I mean, we're gonna get more wells upcountry, but this is gonna be a source of water for a long time. So it is good to understand about the quality of the water.

And, of course, it's a major recreational area. How many people drive to Hana looking for waterfalls? And most of them stop at Hoholava Stream known as Twin Falls. So we've been able to help do more regular testing there. We've been able to get a stream flow gauge, at no cost to anybody installed there, which helps the, state water commission stretch their budget.

Just through putting partnerships together. We also are able to, have, baseline data for our own, community water authority. When they come to manage this system, we'll have five years of baseline data for them about how the stream quality fluctuates with stream flows so they'll be able to understand better how to make any adaptations in the system. So all in all, this is a very worthy program, and we're very grateful for your support.

Thank you very much. Members, any questions for the testifier? Seeing none, staff, can I ask that you please call up

the next testifier? Yes, vice chair. The next testifier is Gretchen Lozano to be followed by the Royal House of Hawaii. Gretchen, we've unmuted you on oh, I see you.

Aloha.

Aloha, Nui, everyone. My name is Gretchen Lozano. Mahalo for having me. I am here to give support, to show support for the increased budget requests for the Department of Environmental Management. We're included in the budget this year.

We're so excited for our school compost program. Yay! And, you know, this is going to be a really big year for composting all over the island as we start to transition to more regional compost facilities. And regional management of compost of our of our food waste or green waste, and also mitigating invasives. I don't know if you all saw the press release this morning, but last week, or actually a couple weeks ago now, they did find a CRB by the airport.

And so it's go time. And compost facilities, especially with the technology that we utilize, we can be an awesome mitigating ground for stopping the spread and containing CRB and eradicating CRB because they die in our compost in our compost, heat that we utilize. So, at our base yard, my partner and I are both like meeting, we're meeting with Department of Ag next week, like we're on it. So yeah, regional compost facilities are going to be super important to support moving forward. So yes, please do support the increased budget requests from the Department of Environmental Management and the EP and S division.

I also wanted to share my support for NOLU Cloudbridge projects. I think a lot of times we think about the Nalulu cloud as originating in Honoa'ula or is the cloud bridge we see right from Honoa'ula to Kahoolawe Bay. But there's also the Leina'ulu, which extends all the way around Lanai, back to and back to Haleakala. So this is something that, you know, as we're looking at all these different fire mitigation programs as well, understanding, you know, comp osting is is a way to deepen the root systems and the soils and supporting this now to Cloud Bridge and the Lei now to will will help us keep the islands green and these areas safer from from the risks of fire if we plant more trees on West Maui we will get more rain that's how that's how it works so we're trying to bring that Lei now back around to to West Maui. Certainly, actively with composting.

So, yeah, I just wanted to

share my support. Mahalo Nui for always supporting West Maui Green Cycle, and I I really appreciate you guys. So, mahalo.

Thank you very much for that testimony. Members, any questions? Members of I

just want to say congratulations to you. You work really hard every year to get into the budget. I feel your glory. Congratulations.

Mahalo.

Any other questions for the testifier? Staff, can you please call up the next testifier?

Thank you, vice chair. The royal house of Hawaii was signed up, but they have dropped from the meeting, so we will move on to the next testifier. And currently, last individual signed up, it is Christopher Salem. Oh, I actually do see him on, the Royal House of Hawaii joining the meeting again. Yeah. So since he was yeah. He was signed up first.

We'll go with, mister House, and then we'll go

to mister Salem. Got it. Thank you, chair. Royal House of my turn.

Oh, yes. Aloha. This is this is a member of the Royal House of Hawaii and and a loyal land royal pats in holder. And anybody so are any of the people or foundations or whatever, have they how to put this into words? Because I noticed many violations that, these funds and what these foundations are doing.

There are many high violations that there is that they're doing on an international level because the lands that are being used for any kind of development, anywhere in Hawaii and any other development that they're planning to do is all illegal because, in fact, all of Hawaii is all royal patented, allodial titled, and and yeah. It's royal patented and alodial titled, and they haven't contacted the descendants of the original title holders, which is a violation of Hawaii revised statue one seventy two dash 11. And, these lands already have been claimed by those original title holders, so it's their descendants that are now the holders and the steward, that are supposed to be the stewards of those lands but haven't not been contacted at all and have should be contacted because I've noticed recently that many of the TMKs have erased those royal patents, the RPs and LCA land commission awards, and that is a violation on the international level. And, which is supposed to be recognized because it's a logo title and royal patented, and it assigns forever. And, yeah, I'm can I have a clarification on that?

Because, there's many other violations that are happening also because all those lands are fraud being by, all those people that haven't contacted the descendants. And, yeah. So I request that you contact the descendants of the royal patents of the of the original title holders because the lands are being frauded and, going to many wrong people that are trying to steward it when the stewards are supposed to be the descendants again. And, I mean, thanks for the restoration and stuff like that, but, yeah, please contact the descendants because you're supposed to, and it's royal patented. So those descendants of the royal patents owe them forever.

Mahalo.

Thank you very much for that testimony. Members, any questions for the testifier? Seeing none. Staff?

Chair, the last individual signed up to testify is Christopher Salem.

Thank you, chair. I just want to confirm that the microphone is working today.

Yes, we can hear you.

Okay, thank you so much. Certainly there's been a lot of testimony today that could sort of, you know, head out a lot of branches of the tree, I'll try to stay on what was the purpose of the testimony today. I'd like to address what's occurring in these chambers during this budget process. Know, many of these individuals come forward with heartfelt stories about how programs funded by the county, often through nonprofit organizations, have such a positive impact on their lives. Those stories are important and they reflect community support.

I'm speaking quickly today because I have 30 children waiting for me that I coach in the youth programs and I have done so for almost three decades. But there's another side of the ledger and it was spoke very well by one of the testifiers repairing something. Is far more expensive than preventing it in the first place. Isn't that the point. Of our side of the ledger.

What we brought forth and I brought forth over the last thirty years is. Probably tens of millions of dollars of termination of financial harm and destruction. On a parallel environmental side. But as a reward for that. I thank and support the organization that deals with mental health Hawaii.

I'm gonna shift to another topic that I wasn't prepared for today, but you can hear my voice breaking. There was a period here a couple years ago when I testified before this council under. Immense duress that was inflicted upon my family and myself by corporation counsel. At the end of that testimony there was a policeman to policeman. And a paramedic at my door.

And I hello good afternoon gentleman. They said well we received a call from someone who's concerned. For potential suicide. At this residence. So standing in front of the policeman in the paramedics with my two children wife and an 85 year old. Father-in-law that we care for. Was one of the most humiliating experiences certainly of my life but one I can attest I'm sure a lot of people in Lahaina are dealing with. I'll say for the record that was a low point well. What was lower is that the policeman told me. It's mandatory that I have to be taken to Mallory Memorial Hospital.

For a mental evaluation unlike come on guys. It's not really necessary is that they said it's no it's mandatory. So he said you only have two choices you can ride in the ambulance or you can ride in the police car but if you go in the police car. Anyone who gets in a police car has to be handcuffed. So I'm sitting next door to the blend bins and all the local families I live next to thinking I'm gonna get in a police car handcuffed. So I chose all I'll wrap it up. I chose to go in the ambulance. Well when I went to that thank God there's always a blessing in this I was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat. Which I attest to was caused by Mike. Multiple coverts working in the mayor's office.

Here's the end of the story. I now got hit with a $3,000 ambulance bill. That I pay $50 a month for because I had the time. After losing my position with the mayor's office for blowing the whistle on court counsel. I have to. Had no inch I had no insurance all wrap it up chair. So I guess I say I support immensely. The mental health side of this but the point being is. That was a low point. That was a low point. Those days are over accountability is now in play which is the other side of this ledger. Thank you. I need

to go coach children. Thank you. Any questions for the testifier? Seeing none, staff?

Chair, I see one individual approaching the podium.

Thank you, Mr. Law. You have three minutes.

Thank you, Jared. Thank you, Yeah. Thanks for doing the work for Tasha. JC Long from Kulaoka, Waakaua, Ahopoa. I think we're the only district up there without recycling. You guys know who we are. Cardboard dumpster at Kula Community Center. Oh god. Councilmember Rollins Fernandez. I I distinctly remember her asking for that last year.

Man, if it takes a if it takes a year for a for this one dumpster. So, yes. Over in, council member Rollins Fernandez's, territory, I saw down on the bulletin board on the 2nd Floor. I know it's not your fault, guys. You just gotta try to keep up with the the trash, I ask everybody out there in TV land, please take care of your own trash.

We only got limited, employees here. Guys with the with the trash can stacked higher than the bins, that's actually, illegal. Please keep your trash to a minimum. Would and speaking of that one, I would like to request an additional position of trash inspector. They have some they have that in some municipalities.

Someone rides around and looks in in your trash can legally, and they put a a piece of paper on it. If you have any recycles or anything that's not supposed to be in there, then the trash man doesn't pick it up, and then they gotta take care of it themselves. So back with Molokai. Notice of sole source chief procurement officer is in the process of reviewing a request from the department of parks and recreation for the sole source purpose of the following goods, services, or construction. Refuse collection for three three yard refuse bins and one six yard refuse bin for various parks on Molokai.

Island refuse, $87,000. I'll and you send me to Molokai, I guarantee I'll take care of for less. I know you gotta go through all the government process and everything, but, yeah, let's figure something out, guys. This this, the The United States has given us money, money, money, but it ain't enough that we're gonna have to look for other countries. So I guess that's about it. Yeah. And thank you for all the testifiers ahead of me there. There's people out there listening. I'm listening. And and thank you, mister chair.

Oh, yeah. One more thing. The cardboard stuff up in Kula. I'm glad that council member Yuki Lei Sugimura was kinda late because of Europe there, and she would probably object over me. The holy ghost yep. I got you. Thirty holy ghost church is having their their feast or their whatever they call that, the holy ghost feast. And I started I tried to get him to recycle their cardboard and I got kind of like in trouble for that with the with some of the people volunteer, especially a guy named Alan Barres.

The only holy ghost chair. Just don't name people.

You, madam. Ask that any remarks be made to the chair.

Thank you. Any questions?

Any questions for the testifier? For the record, I had asked to present over this meeting, several weeks ago. I wanted the opportunity to practice presenting over over these meetings. And council chair or committee chair Sugimura, I apologize for not bringing that in. That was against our council rules, and I should have reined it in. Member Rollins Hernandez.

Mahalo, chair. Why did you ask to practice for this practice?

I wanted an opportunity to preside over noncontroversial meetings, so I looked at her calendar and said DEM probably doesn't have anything controversial coming up, so I would like to sit in this seat for that meeting.

For what purpose?

I just wanna be comfortable presiding over these committee meetings before we take up controversial stuff after budget.

Thank

you, member Rollins Fernandez. Is there anybody else wishing to testify at this time?

By sure. That's all the individuals signed up to testify. If anyone in the audience or teams would like to testify, please come up to the mic and begin your testimony, or use the raise your hand function on teams and staff will unmute you. Here's a brief countdown. Three, two, one. Seeing none, chair, no one has indicated that they wish to testify.

Members, is there any objection to closing public testimony and accepting written testimony? No objections. Okay. All right. At this time, we will close public testimony for beef at one. Members, it is 02:51. We've been going for almost two hours at this point. I would like to ask that we entertain two rounds of questions. The first being three minutes for the first round, two minutes for the second round. I would like to ask for a break though.

So if you're okay with that, I'd ask member Cook to lead off questions of the department since the why committee has primary jurisdiction over the Department of Environmental Management. I'll ask for a recess. And then, I'd like to start off the when we come back, I'd like to move to member Johnson, since ADEPT has secondary jurisdiction over the Department of Environmental Management. Does that work for you guys? Sorry. I had to look at the screen to make sure that the members who are not in the chamber are also nodding their heads. Okay. Member Cook, you have three minutes.

Okay. Thank you. So welcome, environmental management team. It's good to see you all here. Thank you for your patience through our testimony phase.

With with

first

we very pleased progress we south? 7.5919052B. So much for my quick questions.

I had to find it. Thank you, Vice Chair. Thank you, Member Cook. Yes, that is for professional service to look at our one water going south.

Okay. So I think there was $500,000 was allocated for that. Is that the balance of that goes somewhere? And you can tell me, don't get nitty gritty right now. I'm just, I'll put that in writing. My other question was the disposal of equipment, and I'm totally supportive of replacing equipment, stuff that lasts especially as hard as you use it. How is it replaced? And we're going what the county has to for done. Disposal.

Thank you. Thank you, Member Cook. I can't say specifically on what the county policy is, but there is a combination of both. Sometimes we repurpose as much as possible, sometimes it's resold and then sometimes it's scrapped. It depends on the condition of the equipment that we're disposing of. Thank you.

I just thought that was important clarity for the public. We're spending millions of dollars on replacement. So that's logical thing to do with it. On page seven-thirty three, electricity, 2,355,646 for the wastewater plant. There is solar. A few years ago, there was solar at the Keay wastewater facility, Lahaina wastewater facility, Keay Aquatics. I assume just for clarity, I assume that they're mostly for offices and stuff.

It's is in my plan. Is there plans or discussion for the county to become more energy self reliant since we have such large electric bills? Thank you for that question. So we are the second largest user of electricity in Maui County. And the majority of the electricity goes to the equipment, the process, the aeration and treatment of the wastewater. We already have the solar panels that you mentioned. And we always are looking at different types of equipment and technology to better use electricity and be more efficient. I think that watch they broke it.

That was not three minutes. Thank you very much. Thank you, Member Cook. Members, is

there any objection to taking our, taking a recess at this time? Okay. So I would like to call us back in at 03:10. K. So this meeting will be in recess until 03:10.

Thank you, members. It is 03:11 now, and we are back. We're back in session. I believe I told member Johnson he could kick us off after the break, but I don't see him on at the moment. Am I just missing him? Or okay. So we'll give member Johnson a few minutes to get back. And guess that being the case, I'll start to remember Rollins Hernandez, and then I'll work my way down the docket so that he will be next.

K. Mahalo, chair. Okay.

And aloha department. Mahalo for being with us today. Alright. Okay. For the village association, I looked on the responses, to see if it's the same funding or if it's different funding? Or can you explain why the $1,250,000 is there again?

You, Rollins Fernandez. So the amount is actually 2,500,000 in the fiscal year twenty twenty seven budget, and it's a continuation of grant funding to support them getting off of injection wells. So last year, it was 1,250,000 and this year is 2.5%.

Okay. So 1.25%

plus the 2.5% for FY 'twenty, this 7%. Thank Thank you, Councilmember Roland Fernandez. Yes, that's correct. The fiscal year 'twenty six funding was for design and permitting, and the fiscal year 'twenty seven funding is going to be for purchase, delivery, and staging of major equipment, including mechanical, water quality monitoring, and other long lead time procurement items that are critical to the successful operation of the plant.

And did they get the matching funds, which is the purpose of putting the 1.25 in there?

Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Councilmember Rollins Fernandez. Yes, know they have received some matching funds, if you want to send that in writing, we can get you exact numbers.

Okay. And then how much in total are we expecting to allocate for this project?

Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Councilmember Rollins Fernandez. I'll confirm that with the managing directors. I know he's had direct conversations with them.

Okay. Because I'm gonna have to go look back in our meeting minutes from last budget session because I I thought we're only gonna stop at 1.25.

1.25 was the initial investment. They had said for this year, they were going to need 8,000,000, if I remember correctly, but not all from the county. So I can get the total project or I guess one of us can

get total project cost as well. Okay. I can try. Yeah. But not the total cost.

I just want the total expected from the county because I remember taking this out and then putting it back in because there was, an expectation of matching funds, and then I thought we were only gonna put in x amount. So I have to look. I I don't remember exactly. Okay. And then for, the Maui County Wetlands, in the details, it says to support restoration of save the wetlands hui, Aina Kukoa, O Wai'o Hulikai, Rooted Kekahi Meka 'aina, and other organizations doing wetland restoration.

But the Maui County Wetlands funding is, a competitive pot.

I shouldn't where did I put it?

I lost it. Oh, here it is. Okay.

Go ahead and finish. Go ahead and finish your question. Hold Fernandez.

So it's competitive pot of funding, 950,000, page two forty six on program budget. So is I guess, last year, we put 200,000 for, Aina Kuo, Kuo Kuoa under OEV department. And so I know there's, is there an expectation of the Aina Kukoa applying for this fund under EPNS instead for FY 2027?

Thank you, Member Rollins Fernandez. I would like to defer to Cecile Powell from EPNS.

Testing. Thank you, Director Agawa and, Councilmember Fernandez. I'm not certain that they're going to, apply for the competitive grants since they do have the OEV one, if that's gonna continue or not. We talk stories with each other, prior to, reviewing all of the grants applicants. And, you know, I believe this year, we're including OEV guys on the grants review committee. So we make sure that we're not like, nobody's, like, double dipping in funding sources. That makes sense. Oh, it's just that they're named here. That's why.

And so they were under the mayor's office, and then we put them under EPNS. And then there was, just that transition, the growing pains transition for them, and they didn't get that funding.

That's that's anti Clair guys. Yeah.

Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Malama Kakanilua was their physical sponsor.

Okay. I can I'm I'm not anticipating, my understanding is is they wanna move forward with the Weavee guys at this point, but they're welcome to apply for the wetland restoration competitive fundings as well, either way.

It's just that their names here. So that's usually not how we do competitive pots, naming organizations like that, unless we're gonna do a line item specifically to them.

My understanding is this it would be a a line item if it is named. I don't see where.

Page two forty eight in the program budget under Maui County Wetlands. Grets. So it's Maui County Wetlands is the competitive pot, and then it says to support the three organizations and other organizations doing wetland restoration work.

Budget Director.

Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Councilmember Rollins Fernandez. Yes, those if I remember correctly, those organizations are listed as examples. But because the competitive process hasn't occurred yet, it's not definitive that those will be the awarded entities.

That's normally not how we do it, though. Yeah. Which? Naming organizations as examples under a competitive pot.

Well, I know in Department of Human Concerns, they do, but they've also already done their competitive process, so it's a little different. But because they are not named in the budget ordinance and the competitive process hasn't occurred yet, that's not guaranteeing funding for those entities. And we will update that for next year.

Mahalo budget, Doctor. Fusen. Thank you. Mahalo, sir.

Thank you, Member Rollins Fernandez. Member Johnson, I apologize. I know I said we would kick to that be that.

For my, extended break. I'm It's it goes as fast as our three minutes. But okay. Let's get started with my three minutes. First off, to, department, I really appreciate all you guys do. You're willing to work with the council, and I I really like, I think your services are invaluable. So my three questions are pretty basic. It's bay the main question, and you if you need to do it in writing, can. But basically, wanna know how many people applied for the grants, all the grants that are in there. And then how many did you know, how how much did you guys deny? Was there a number of, like like, we learned that there was, 3,000,000 in asks in one department, but they only had a budget of 1.5 mils. That's

an example.

Information member Johnson, that that's question. Question.

The one question I wanted to bring up was the we're supposed to look for cuts. Can we talk about vehicles? Are there specific any vehicles that could wait of to going

the

we're get better

sense impact

first

is no. In Clearly Okay. Not. And

Thanks. And then the last question, and forgive me if you did respond, it's the programs under the recycling grants program are successful progress to And

the

development

we're able do previously had that three can plan project. At some point in time, there was a fee associated with that. To

Existing fees or creating new ones? It would probably be dependent on the service. Is that correct?

Yes. So once we initiate the pilot project, then we would have a consultant as part of our rate study under solid waste, and they would do a recommendation on the fees

for explaining the process and thank you chair. Have no further questions.

Thank you, member Johnson. Members, I apologize for not doing this earlier, but in Gronikis, we have two letters. The initial letter and response, EM one, is item number 34. The second letter, EM two, is both the department questions and responses. That's underground case as number item number 100. So we did get the responses back from, environmental management. Okay. And next up in the order that I had been going in is Member Before

my time starts, I just wanted to give a disclaimer. I might, interrupt you and cut you off if I got the answer. And I don't mean to be rude, but three minutes goes by pretty quick. I did notice you guys have a lean budget. However, I noticed some inactive vacancies that were fully funded.

Some of them have been inactive and unfilled since 2019, 2021. Three of the expansion positions from last year have not been created yet, although they got funding last year, and they're asking for twelve months of funding this year. And then you're asking for another couple expansion positions with funding, but your creation of the positions or filling of the vacancies are not keeping up with that. So just anything to comment on that?

Thank you, Vice Chair. Thank you, Member Palton. So my understanding is we have about 32 vacancies in our department. However, I want to say about half are a what to And we're to to I'm assuming those positions are kinda hard to get fill with certify a certification required,

but we But if you're not in recruitment, there's no way they're gonna get filled unless you DM 89 or something. And if they haven't been filled since 2019 or 2021, why should we keep funding them? Sure. I can give them to you. From 2019, civil engineer three for solid waste division.

From 2021, wastewater treatment plant operator training. Then there is one from 2025, inactive. Trainee as well, wastewater source control technician inactive. Refuse collection crew leader two inactive. And then meanwhile, we're trying to create a civil engineer five position last year, but we have a civil engineer three team

nineteen. Working team team a

progress And we're was planned for reallocation, the which we are continuing to do and working very with the divisions. Yeah. So that's our plan moving forward is not to recruit those, but reallocate those to positions that are needed more.

Do you know if those reallocations require a reorg?

I believe some of them do and some of them don't.

And yet you're asking for the funding you're asking for regardless of which ones have reorgs and which ones do not because a reorg will take a lot more time, but it's not reflected in the months asked for.

Yeah. Understood. I have to be transparent, but some of those vacancies are used to cover other costs like over time. So that is not the correct use of the, vacancies, but that does help cover our unintended costs.

And if that's the point, are you adjusting the fringe benefit request? Because I think fringe over time versus fringe for hiring or filling a vacancy is, like, 30%. So if you know that you're gonna use some of the money for overtime, have you said we need less fringe benefit money?

Thank you for the question. I understand it. I'm not able to answer that right now, but we can follow-up in writing on that. Thank you.

Thank you, Member Palton. Member Sugimura.

Thank you. So nice to see all of you, and thanks for your patience. I wanted to just ask you about rates and fees. And in your synopsis, you did say that there's a 9% increase. I think it's sewer. Can you explain that please? Because it's going to impact every resident that is a customer.

Yes. Thank you, Richard. Thank you, Member Sugimura. Yes. So the 9% rate increase for Sewer covers increase mainly in operational costs and in CIP. So operational cost increases year over year, electrical costs, fuel costs, salaries and wages. So 9% via our rate study is keeping us in pace for those increases in operational costs.

What about CIP? You said

first of twenty had 19. A of

to pay for and you don't have any other grant funding or any other funding sources? It has to be from the ratepayer? Maybe you can tell me what projects. I can look it up myself, but whatever you feel comfortable with.

I don't know if I can speak on specific projects, but we can look into it and follow-up in writing. We do have projects that are paid with cash and some that are using federal

then,

do that. To had

first

quarter

had very 19. Pretty much we have strong one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine out of the 12 projects are

cash projects. And the rate increase And it's oh, sorry.

And it's roughly about $10,000,000 right, in cash projects. But I think you so I think I explain every year, right, that and what Mr. Gallo said is that our rate increases pretty much are from CIP, right? And we balance that out with debt service and cash. Right?

So if you if we try to put all bond, right, we you still are gonna have the rate increase because you're just deferring that cost, right, first we've got with of the Hey. We stay on track. Because if not, what's gonna happen is you're gonna get let's say, you save a couple percent this year, but you're gonna jack it way up next year. You know what I mean? So we try to it's complex.

And we just simplified ways. We just try to smooth that thing out so that everybody is is kinda normal. They get used to paying the $10 more or whatever it is over that time. You know what I mean? Because if not, when you start messing around with all the different funding sources and we gotta put it back in the rate raw rate model and then all of a sudden, you get these spikes back and forth. So, like, in the we did it twice in historically ten years ago, twenty years ago. Right? People were getting, like, 30 or 40% rate increases one year, and that's all we could do. We couldn't and then all of sudden, it comes back down, and then then jacks back up, I think, 20 something percent, and then it goes

back down. You know what

I mean? So our philosophy has always been for the past kind of since I've been here twenty plus years is kind of like keep that nice and smooth and then a little bit here and there.

So the 9% you're saying

is not unusual? It's not going be as that. That was last year. And if we continue with the projects that we already did, you guys approved the past six years and you guys want the projects for the next six years, it'll probably be smooth at 9% for the next couple more years, and then it'll slowly go down to six and then five and then four. So that's just kinda we're in that, what do you wanna call it, cycle where it's a little bit higher these these years.

And kinda honestly, just to be frank, because he's no longer here. But I mean, administration, like, couple ago, he gave us 0% for, like, his last four term four years. That kinda messed us up because now all of sudden, with that 0% every now we have to play catch up every time coming forward. So hopefully, that makes sense.

Interesting. And there's only been one because it's kind of a year that was consecutive. I thought it was three to five, but you're saying last year was 9% also? Yeah.

And you're gonna get nine. I just if all goes according to our little rate model, crystal ball, you know, all the projects we wanna do, we're gonna get another couple. But just realize, like, every other county is in the same. They're jacking everybody's up. City Honolulu, like, theirs is they're gonna be $150. They're gonna go up to almost $250 in the next five years and even Kauai and Big Island. Every everybody's repairing all And other

to that.

Do

Sugimura. Just really briefly on Page eight fifty five and eight fifty six of the budget are the funding sources for the DEMCIP projects. So wastewater fund for this year total is $10,100,000

Thank you, Chair. Just as he predicted. Page again? Have a look.

Eight fifty five and eight fifty six. Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Committee Chair Sugimura. Counsel Chair Lee.

Thank you. Just a few simple questions. Director, did the removal and transport of debris after the fire to the new landfill, did did we stay within our budget on that? How much did it cost?

I remember.

Thank you very much. Thank you, chair Sugimura. I'm sorry, chair Lee. My apologies. Don't have the exact exact amount. We can get that for you. However

Was it around $64,000,000

I want to say that's in the ballpark. The cost for that was covered under the tipping fees that Army Corps paid for us for the debris to go to the Central Miami Landfill PDS.

Okay. So that was my second question. Let's say it was in the ballpark of $64,000,000 the cost. Did we collect about 64,000,000 from the tipping fees?

Yes. We did. And, our solid waste division chief confirmed that it's $54,000,005.04.

54. I could have sworn because I heard that number so many times after the fire. But anyway, in South Maui, are we progressing with retaining more potable water as our R1 use becomes more widely available for irrigation?

Yes. So there is almost a direct correlation of the amount of R1 that we distribute versus how much we save in potable. It's almost gallon for gallon.

And a few years ago when we first started the project with Eric Nakagawa, we it was kind of voluntary. Remember, Eric, when you said, well, some people would are okay with using it and other people are not, especially those there was one condominium project that had a well, so they didn't necessarily need R1 water. How is that going? Are we picking up more customers for R1 use?

I can speak first and then Eric can clarify anything. So per the code, if we bring the r one distribution infrastructure in front of a commercial property, you are required to tie in. However, I'm not too familiar with that property. Maybe chief Nakagawa can explain a little bit more about the one that had the well.

I'm your chair. Right, Shirley. Hi. Nice to see you. Hi. I guess your answer is, I know you like straight answers, yes. Yeah.

And

we're

to that. Able

Want me? Okay. Thanks, chair.

Our our director. I just assumed it was still to you.

Chair Lee. I mean, I I I don't work for water department, so I'm not too

sure. But

mister Yao was right. Like, so if they were using it for what I guess you can say it's it's one for one because whatever we're delivering right now, own right? And so historically, certain places like the golf course might have their own well. But other than that, like all the commercial residential I mean, not residential, commercial properties, they're using potable water.

Okay. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Chair Lee. Member Senensi?

Thank you, Chair. Mahalo, Director Agawa and TEM staff. Also, mahalo for answering all of my questions. Some of my questions have been answered. Also, mahalo to your regular metal collection events out in East Maui. It greatly decreases the illegal dumping that we normally get on highway. So it's very important. Do you have how many do you plan to have in the next fiscal year?

Thank you, Member Sannitsi. I defer to Ms. Powell. I know that we are planning to increase these collection events in the upcoming years. Maybe Ms. Powell can give you an exact number.

The very very But if you like more, let me know and we can accommodate.

All right, great. Thank you for that. And then my last question, Cher, was following up on one of your responses in EM two, it mentions that for to increase the towing of abandoned vehicles that applicants would not need to follow the tow truck out?

Yes. Thank you for that question, Member Senningci. Yes. So the process has been upgraded before the registered owner needed to make

first And

to to to the disposal site. What do you mean the DMV? I think Ms. Powell can elaborate more on that process.

Thank you, Director. Yes. So if folks the registered owner does need to junk the vehicle from in the DMV. And then after that, they need to be there when the tow driver arrives to confirm, but they would no longer need to follow the tow truck all the way into town, especially folks on the West side and Honda side. We fine tuned the system to streamline it for folks to utilize the program rather than dumping the vehicle on the side of the road.

Okay, great. Thank you. Thank you for that. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Member Senetti. Member O'Hodgins.

Thank you, chair, and thank you, Dee. I appreciate not only you folks being with us, but answering our questions very thoroughly and providing all that information. One of the questions I have after reading some of your responses is for the central Maui wastewater facility. You gave us, which I do appreciate, a potential high cost, a mid cost, and a low cost. And it's like about a 100 something million dollar delta between the low and the high. When do you think we may know, better what it's gonna cost so we can plan?

Thank you, Vaisher. Thank you, Member Woo Hajins. So you are correct. The cost that we answered with is based on fiscal year the ending of fiscal year calendar year 25%, 30% design. That had a wider contingency because we're only at 30% design. We don't have enough detail to come up. So to answer your question, we are working with our consultant on estimated cost based on the 60% design, which has already been completed. So we anticipate a more accurate cost within, I want to say, a week or so.

Okay. Great on. Okay. Thank you for that. And then we've been hearing from one of our testifiers, Mr. Travis DeGette, about every day now for the budget. So I just wanted to give you an opportunity to respond concerns or let us know about what we've been hearing from him, but I would like to hear from you, please.

Thank you, Member Woo Hajins. Mr. Liggett's concerns are valid. However, what he's asking is for a shift of funding of our CAP project from one fiscal year to the other. Now I liken that to say uncle down the road whose road is bus stop saying, I like you fix my road this year, but there's other roads that have higher priority, I should say. So it's not that the able

own

so,

to to about do to that. The we're There's resources and how that project is compatible with other projects in our six year CIP plan.

Okay. Thank you. I appreciate that answer. So do we have capacity in the current Central Maui until the Waikapu one comes along? And if not, what's our plan?

Thank you for that question. So currently, we do have capacity. We are reaching a limit, right? And it's not based on volumetric capacity. It's not the amount of wastewater coming in. It's more of the strength or density of the wastewater coming in. But we are working on pilot projects, two of them to see if it has a beneficial impact on our capacity treatment capacity. We don't have that numbers right now, but we are hopeful that, that increases our treatment capacity.

Thank you. Thank you, Vice Chair. I heard the bell.

Thank you, Member Ujjens. All right, Director, my turn. Okay. So I would like to follow-up on the own. Good think a Can I ask why you guys are proposing to decrease, the amount of premium pay you're requesting, by 20% if you guys anticipate the need for additional overtime pay?

And if you need to respond in writing, I'll accept that too.

Thank you, vice chair. So the current way it is funded is that vacancy time will be used to fund the overtime. So it is not in premium pay. It's under salaries and wages. There is an option for the body to reduce salaries and wages and put it into a premium pay instead. But at the end of the day, it will all way

we're doing we're project it description because And it being I don't know. If we're fund I would rather just see it in overtime so that we know that we're looking at overtime rather than looking at unfunded or positions that are funded but not filled. It's just more difficult for me personally.

Thank you, Chair. I would just maybe add that ideally, perfect world, the vacancies get filled and then it does come out of future. What

seeing then And rates we're for payers are calculated in and then it's largely tied to your CIP projects. What I don't understand is how your cost of processing is calculated. So on page two twelve of the budget narrative, in FY 2025, the actual cost of collecting, transporting, treating, and disposing a thousand gallons of waste water is $6.95. Your estimate for 2026 was $5.79, and then your estimate for 2027 is gonna be $7.00 2. So while I think I understand how you set rates, I don't understand what determines costs for the department.

Can you help me better understand that? Because that is not a smooth curve. That is up, down, up by a lot.

Was part of it about the volume people get charged by volume? It's not a

Yeah. But the this calculation is on a $1,000 gallon basis. So you would still think that even if it volumes change that on a per thousand gallon basis, it would be more.

I think last time when I tried to cut the percent, they said that you gotta you gotta everybody gotta pay their fair share. And maybe mister Nakagawa can

Yeah. Can you help me understand how costs are calculated?

Alright. Thank you, chair. Good question. So cost is cost is generated, right, on based on ABC budget and our And half with the year. Half to And a sense then of like, hey, are we continuing to do provide effective division management, Are we managing our manpower resources effectively because we should be doing well every year, right?

But the fluctuation in flows, so like for 2026 is really because we anticipated there was a reduction in flow that year, right? And so that's why we assume that there is going to be less and that was due to the fire and that kind of stuff, right? So when you come out with the estimates, we pretty much understand in 2017 that we're expecting like those flows to come back up, right? And so it's really that's the divisible, right? So if you it's going to fluctuate based on the denominator of your equation. Yeah.

Yeah. I I think I understand, but I might have to follow-up with you offline.

So this has nothing to do and just kinda for everybody. Right? These are just the goals and measures that we measure that we came up with. Like, I think it was sixteen years ago. Like, hey. How can we show that we're managing the monies you guys give us properly? That's all it is. So this has nothing really in a way, like, has nothing to do with rates and fees. Right? Because rates and fees are calculated in in in your yeah. That was one of your guys' questions. Like, hey. How do you guys calculate your rates and fees? And the rates and fees are calculated on, hey. Here's our projected cost, which which is projects.

Here's our inflation. Here's our certain inflationary, you know, based on tariffs or whatever we expect throughout the year. And that's what the cost is just for the budget. And based on that budget, based on the amount of accounts we have and everybody's rates, the algorithm goes through the rate model, and then it generates, okay. Here's roughly what everybody needs to pay and what remember, Paul thing was getting at is based on our code of federal regulations.

Right? Every sewer user has to pay their fair share of their wastewater, and that's just the federal regulations. And so that's kinda hopefully helps you understand, like like, this is just more of goals and measures versus and then this is rates and fees on this side. And I wanted to kinda just touch a little bit about so you guys don't cut all my funding for positions. Right?

Like, we have no control, right, of when we hire people when we don't. Right? And so we we would like the ability when we get somebody that's actually interested and is good to hire that person. Right? There are all these processes, reorgs, whatever it is, in order to make that happen, which Marcy's great at, and she works with DPS, right, and gets that very efficiently, very quickly. But I want everybody to realize also when we when you fund wastewater and these guys can defend themselves, you know, I was just joking. Like That's right. It's our money. Yeah. So you get it's not gonna go anywhere.

So to put it this way, so even if you take that money, you still need to give it back to us. It it it doesn't do anything. So even if so always remember at the end of the day, because there's questions about caravas, I mean, that kind of stuff. All this does is think of it more as a bank account that you guys have and all you guys have. You manage. This is what you guys' normal fees are. You try to cut over here. It doesn't do anything because, really, it's just helping you. You don't have to fund it again next year. You know what I mean? Because it's there. It doesn't move. It doesn't go away. And that won't really fluctuate the that won't help you reduce the amount of sewerage because that's a bigger scale, which is really CIP stuff there. So this kind of Bolton.

I think the vice chair wanted to clarify possibly what the act for for 2025 was for a category and b c category for the sewer fund and the solid waste fund and the DEM general fund, and that would help us see how far off or on we are maybe. Is that what you meant,

It was not, but I would love to know that a part of process.

That's that's And two, the Department of Finance did send a breakdown part for every department of their carryover in their a and b c account. Just as an FYI, you can find that there. But I'm happy to state it on the floor as well, provided I can get my eyes to line up. Environmental management general fund carryover a budget, 48,615. Wastewater, 1,973,376.

Solid waste, 327,572. EP and S, 251,708. For BC account, environmental management. For some reason, is not listed alphabetically, which also doesn't help. Let's see. 460 453269. Sewer, 9,840 thousand 665, solid waste 1,131,152 EP and S 555,497.

Thank you, Budget Director. And thank you, Member Palton, for articulating the question that I did not know how to ask. Okay, members. That concludes the first round. I do want to note the time. It is almost 04:00 and we do have the public hearing here at the chamber later this evening. By show of hands, who has second round questions? Okay. So there are a few. Before we get into second round, I do want to remind the members that there are a few bills beyond bill 55, which are related to to the Department of Environmental Management.

I know we have bill 62 which would allow the solid waste management fund to be used for recycling programs and remove recycling programs as an authorized use from the environmental protection and sustainability fund. It also allow the solid waste management fund to be used for landfill diversion, grants or loans for authorized fund purposes, and leveraging funds to further the fund's purpose. I also know we have two other bills both introduced by council member Johnson, bill 66 to establish a climate action and resiliency revolving fund, and bill 67 to allocate 20% of the county's TAT to be deposited into the EP and S fund and require the director of finance to consult with the departments of environmental management, we view resources, and agriculture. To to that the extent extent particular department, it's not just bill that to 50 that five that we need to consider. I will start with member Cook again and then my work my way down the bro, I don't know what it's called here, but the role first to question.

Question.

You

you a

you status of availability for contractors and material supply houses to keep up with your CIP projections?

Thank you, Member Cook. I don't have the exact numbers, but there is a concern about availability of contractors because of our upcoming CAP load. Specifically related to CDBG Doctor funds. We are on a timeline for CAP projects funded by that fund. And other departments are too. So there is a concern, but I don't know the availability. So I'll throw this out there to you guys.

If you could help us with that. If you see that there are constraints beyond your control to implement the programs that you have planned that would more than likely end up in carryover savings, understanding we want you to do the programs, we want to fund the programs, we're supportive of them, but carryover savings is something that is just blown way out of proportion. And this is an example, through your fault, not through your lack of attention and trying, but because of the simply inability, because of the Lahaina issue and everything else. I just want to leave you do to we're going to be able to do accomplish. I have one question for EP and S.

For the wetland grants, is that something that you're doing that's new for your department?

The

of we're make sure

we're

I'm not looking to cut the funding. Would like and you won't have the answer now. But clarity, when they're talking about the wetlands, my understanding a part of that is for flood mitigation. And there's been so much sediment over the years that has been deposited. And I don't understand the wetland management, how much of it is removing the trees and the plants and everything like that, and the sediment to be able to then put the appropriate vegetation in and manage it.

Depends on the grantee. There's a combination of projects that do reforestation. They do fire mitigation. I can give you the scope of work for each project if you want. It will take a lot more than two minutes.

Okay. No, thanks. I'm just putting it out there that willing to fund it, but hoping that there's a comprehensive overview of where we're striving to go, interaction of all the different players that are doing that, so that we are ending up with a better environment,

to be be we're And what

a to

I went and looked in the meeting minutes. And, on 04/25/2025, I said I did receive the information clarifying the funding. There's also the million dollar EPA grant they were able to secure that they would lose without this funding. This is not a commitment for multiple years. So I made that clear last year.

So this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone because I said it last year. I'm saying it again this year. And I also said that we there's no disagreement on the impact that they're having on the bay. The disagreement is how it'll be paid. And I asked, the representative from Alaya Village Association about a CFD.

And he said that at the time that they didn't have any serious conversations on a CFD, that it didn't happen that yet. So do you know if a serious conversation was had yet about a CFD for this project?

Thank you, Richard. Thank you, Member Rollins Fernandez. So if my memory serves me correctly, when we first met with Malaya village association, we were trying to support them with funding in general and trying to kind of brainstorming different ways that the county could support. And if I recollect correctly, a CFD was proposed as an option for them. And at that time, it was not favorable to MVA.

Okay. And so I, looked back in my emails and I found an email from the Malaya Village Association and a presentation dated 05/14/2025. And it has that that this, is shovel ready for the 1.25, but omits the $8,000,000 total projected cost and what would be expected from the county. So are we am I to assume that they are expecting the county to, fork over a majority of the $8,000,000 for the completion of this project because it sounds like every year it's just gonna be in the budget because if they're gonna not approve CFD and they got the EPA $1,000,000 grant. And that's why I supported the last year because there was going to be funding.

I don't support the county fully, funding this whole the entire project. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, councilmember Rounds Fernandez. Based on my discussions with the managing director, I

don't believe it's the administration's intent to fully fund this project. It's Or even, like, 90%. Yeah. It is not a county facility. So, no, that is not the intent. But as I said, I can talk to him further if he said that in writing and really get you the intended breakdown. Obviously, we can't commit for future years because that at the end of the day is up to this body. Thank you, Chair.

Can I make sure that that question gets transmitted?

You want me to send you my notes?

Okay. Okay.

Thanks. Thank you, member Rollins Fernandez. Okay. Member Johnson, before you go, I just wanna recognize that I saw you had questions and that you have, you know, two bills that you proposed. I'm I'll recognize you after the second round so that you can provide comments on the bills. I don't want you having to spend your allocation on that since I know you have questions on the department. Okay. Go ahead, member Johnson.