16 Budget and Finance Committee - Regular Meeting

Welcome to the Budget Finance Economic Development Committee. It is now 09:06 a. M. And we're on April, getting down to the crunch and countdown for this BFED committee. I'd like to welcome everybody. My name is Yuki Lei Sugimura. I'm the chair of this committee. This meeting is being conducted in accordance with the Sunshine Law. If you are not in the chambers, it looks like everybody is here. If you do leave this and join our meeting again, please identify if there are any minors with you in your workspace and or people in your workspace, but minors do not need to be identified.

Good morning, Vice Chair Batangen. Aloha Kakahioca Chair members. Good morning. Member Cook, good morning.

Aloha, good morning, Chair.

Good morning, Mr. Johnson.

Good morning, Chair, Councilmembers, Committee members. There's no testifiers at the Lanai District Office. I'm here and ready to work. Thank you.

Chair Lee, good morning. Bonjour. I'm learning how to speak French. Good morning.

Member Palton.

Aloha and bonjour Kakou. Member Rollins Fernandez.

Day four of decisions week. No testifiers at the Molokai district office. Mahalojar.

Good morning, member Senensi.

Good

morning, member Oh Jens. Aloha, Bonjour, everyone. Good

morning. Assisting us with today's meeting is the BFED committee staff. Thank you very much. I'm not too sure what time you all slept last night but after we ended our meeting at about 09:00, they continued on working to get ready for today. We have also invited resource persons from the administration including budget director and deputy court counsel Wigglesworth.

Thank you for being with us. Please see the last page of the agenda for information on meeting connectivity. Thank you members for attending today's BFID committee meeting and we have one item on the agenda. It is BFED one proposed fiscal year twenty seven budget for the county of Maui. Today we will continue deliberations for the fiscal year twenty seven budget.

We will start our discussion by revisiting Department of Water Supply to correct two discrepancies and continue on with the office of the mayor followed by the Department of Police and works. Once we finish all departments, I would like to take up revisits, followed by countywide costs, general budget provisions, and additional legislation. I have asked staff to distribute exhibit one or provide a summary of where we are from our last few days of meetings. Would you like to give a summary, staff?

Yes, Chair. So just briefly, as the exhibit one's being passed out, I guess we just wanted to talk a little bit about, where the committee is in terms of, ads and cuts. So, by staff's current, calculations, you know, and this is just just to be, transparent. It's the these totals account for all cuts and all ads. So even those related to like the water fund that the committee did yesterday and bond fund, things like that.

So right now, the committee stands at just about $30,000,000 in cuts and just over $40,000,000 in ads. So about an $11,000,000 difference right there. But again, just so the committee is aware, it's that accounts for all funds. So there's still an imbalance in the general fund that the committee will need to address once well, depending on what the committee does today, get

that done. Done. Accompany it and more. So I am hopeful able that we're going to end up with a budget that's lower than the one proposed by the mayor as we go through all the departments. We still have not gone through all the departments. As you know today we're going to revisit Department of Water Supply and then continue on with Office of the Mayor followed by Department of Police and Public Works. So I'm going to open public testimony. Yes, Member Johnson.

Can I ask James if he has a general fund difference?

Yes, you can.

Yes, sure. So, admittedly, so staff does balance, every night, but just, you know, just to make sure that we still need to do like a final review once everything's said and done. But right now, our calculations is the committee is about $17 over in the general fund $17 $17,000,000 in the General Fund, sorry. Thank you. Okay.

So we have more work to do. I'm going to read the testimony instructions because I can see some of our friends in the chamber. So I'm assuming they're going to be have signed up for testimony. So testifiers wanting to provide testimony should sign up with staff and join the online meeting with the team's link or call in the phone number noted on today's agenda. Testimony is on the budget and is not limited to the departments that we have scheduled today.

Written testimony is encouraged and can be submitted via the e comment link at mauicounty.us/agendas as well. Under the sunshine law, the chair will receive oral testimony for agenda items at the beginning of the meeting. And 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 prompt via phone 5 to raise your hand or lower and 6 to mute and unmute. Staff will add names to the testifiers list and 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 your phone number when it is your time to testify. At this time, staff will also encourage you to enable your microphone and video. Please ensure your name appears on 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. Oral testimony is limited to three minutes per item and if you are still testifying beyond the time, I will kindly ask you to complete your testimony. You'll be given another thirty seconds. We have one item on the agenda so you have three minutes to testify. Once you're done testifying or if you do not wish to testify, you can view also view the meeting on Akaku, Channel fifty three, Facebook Live, or maulicounty.us/agendas. We will do our best to take each person up in an orderly fashion and will now call on testifiers wishing to testify. Staff, please call the first testifier.

Chair, the first testifier is Peter Cannon to be followed by Tapani Viore.

Good morning, council.

Good morning.

My name is Peter Cannon. I was born in Pa'ia, raised in Malaya. I'm going to be 80 years old this year. Uh-huh. I'm a local Hawley. My mother and my father both graduated from Maui High. My grandmother, over a hundred years ago, was in the first graduating class of Maui High. I'm in generation five. I know a little bit about Maui. I wanna leave the wastewater testimony to my colleagues.

I wanna talk about the history of Malaya. After World War two, Iluka Sugar made maybe a dozen one acre lots down a dirt road in Malaya on sugarcane land that was too salty for cane. We had 10 houses there when I was a kid. My great grandmother lived four doors down. We had a grand uncle, grand aunt, and another grand aunt, three and two horses houses down. We had family there. Had We a beautiful home. My parents put two plantation houses, surplus houses from the camps together and made a nice three three bedroom home. Life was beautiful. We had sand on the beach.

We had all the limos you can you can think of. We had exotic corals. We had opi right on the shoreline in the in the in the limo. We had shells, baby fish, crabs, lobsters, octopus. We had sea life everywhere. Malaya was much better than a hee hee or Molokini because we had all the corals. We had a protected fish incubator there. What happened? Old decision makers, bad decisions. Admiral Cravaggio in the sixties wanted to build infrastructure for tourism.

Our property was his own apartment from being a home. So what happened? All the owners in Malay were taxed as if we had a resort on our property. Everybody in my life had two choices, sell or or build. They they they weren't building workforce housing. They weren't building millionaire homes. They were building infrastructure for tourism. They were building hotel rooms for the kitchen. We were taxed out of our home. The condos came.

Each had its own injection well wastewater system dictated by the county and the state, and injection well wastewater system. How does injection well work? At the time, this was high-tech. This was top of the line technology. In hindsight, it was a disaster. How does it work? The plant separates the solids from the liquids. The liquids get pumped on a hole. The hole's 80 feet, 60 feet from the from the ocean. Sewer water is going directly into Malaya Bay. Why did tourists come here? This is the economic engine of Maui. Why did tourists come? What do they do when they come here? Fixing this problem should be a very high priority for this council.

And one final thought, the condominiums of Malaya have all the permissions and permits that we need from the state of Hawaii to flush our toilets, human waste, into Malaya Bay for as long as we want via injection wells. Thirty seconds. We can flush all we want. We don't have to care. We prefer to do the right thing. The MVA and the regional wastewater system is the right thing. And we should have champions on this council to do the right thing. This is like getting rid of 600 cesspools. And what we've learned and the technology that we've come across can help eliminate cesspools all around Maui with small little regional systems. Work with us.

We can tell you how to fix Hailee'emaili and other places where there's clusters of homes. Thank you.

I have a question.

Thank you, Mr. Cannon. Member Coke has a question for you.

You, Mr. Cannon. A ballpark, how deep are the injection wells? I'm just curious.

They're into the groundwater, somewhere like 50 feet, 60 feet.

Yes. I mean, it's like so right now, for clarification, everything is technically legal as far as the State Department of Health is going.

We have no incentive to do anything but flush our toilets away. We're flushing it.

That's correct. Well, I wouldn't put you in that. We don't have any

The timeframe has been laid out by the MBA and their timeline there, but we're falling behind because of certain things happening that have been roadblocks for us. But the timeline is, I think, we could have a if we had all the permitting today, could be done in two years. We had a survey done and we learned that it was far cheaper to build a regional plant right there in Malaya than it was to take the water uphill to Wailuku, the Central Maui system is going to be. We have that study from 2014.

Thank you, sir. Any

other questions? Seeing none. Thank you. Nice

Thank seeing you, Greg.

Next testifier. Chair, the next testifier is Tapani Viore to be followed by David Whitney.

Morning. Honorable chair, vice chair, council members. My name is Tapanik Vouri. I'm the board member of Malay Village Association. Many of you may know me as the general manager of Mahoyalcen Center as well.

I actually have multiple roles in the community. I'm also the founder and president of MOC Marine Institute. I was very involved with the Mala Amauka trust land issue, which do own. And able to to part of the state of Hawaii coral reef task force. I'm currently working with TNC, the nature conservancy and the state of Hawaii, setting up parametric insurance policy for the state of Hawaii for the protection of coral reefs for the entire state.

I watched the video on the hearing on the twenty first and some of the things I wanted to clarify. Number one, this is a holistic ecosystem restoration project. Instead of transactional, very myopic solution, this is actually generational solution. It will benefit future generations and it addresses the entire ecosystem issues. Excessive sedimentation, excessive nutrients are the two main drivers for nearshore marine ecosystem degradation.

We have now addressed the excessive sedimentation. I had discussions with Doug Spencer when he owned the land and multiple conversations with Peter Martin when he owned the land. Gratefully, he decided to sell to Maui County through TPL and now it's under DOFA. So Scott and Lance are writing a restoration plan for that. So that's step number one. Step number two is addressing the excessive nutrients. SRF funding came up. We met with Mayor Victorino. He actually specifically asked us to forfeit our number six place on the SRF funding that the state of Hawaii and EPA provided for us for the Maui County to do the projects under SRF. That was $9,500,000 That is the commitment that Mayor Victorino did.

Mayor Bissen has committed to covering that on the budget line items. I realize it's up to the my county council of course to approve this if they see value in it. He put as we know 1,250,000 last year. And that along with the federal EPA grant of $1,000,000 with a private donation of quarter million dollars allows us to go shovel ready. That money has been delayed.

Actually that was voted last year. A month ago, we got the first tranche of $400,000 on that. So I will ask our wastewater engineer to talk a little bit more about that. Central Maui came up and we work with Shane on issues. I read the ten twenty four pages of EA recently and there is no conveyance coming to Malaya.

There is no R1 reuse water, which we are also providing. Plus we have been in discussions with the fire department and DOFA lands on managing the land. So we will have enough water to create a fire breaks and really have that more holistic solution. There's many, many things to add to that. So I yield my time back to the council.

Thank you.

Thank you. Any questions for Mr.

See none. You

the for work you do in the community as you mentioned.

Thank you. It's a community working together. Thank you.

Next is a choir.

Chair, the next testifier is David Whitney to be followed by Jeff Yoka.

Good morning. Thanks for having me.

Good morning.

I wrote my comments down because I tend to ramble. So my name is David Whitney. I'm a civil engineer. And my company, ECO Solutions, is based here on Maui. I've been working in wastewater, in the wastewater industry, over twenty five years.

I also teach two wastewater courses at Maui College. I've worked with the Ma'alai Village Association for approximately three years now on the Ma'alai Regional Wastewater Reclamation System, of the Directors It of currently has less than 5% living coral on its reef and the ecosystem is severely degraded. The primary stressors impacting the water quality within the bay are sentiment resulting from storm water runoff during rain events such as the recent Kona lows that we experienced, and nutrients. Nutrients such as nitrogen are found in the stormwater runoff and they flow on the ground surface. Additional sources of nutrients

sorry, additional sources of nutrients

are are found wastewater in groundwater. That groundwater also flows into the ocean. The primary sources of those nutrients are wastewater from injection wells and other disposal methods such as leach fields, cesspools,

We

have a significant significant significant impact impact on the achieved here in Hawaii or elsewhere in The US to my knowledge. DLNR's Division of Forestry and Wildlife is actively restoring the dry land forest on the Mauka side of the highway in their Pohoka restoration project. This helps to address much of the sediment that flows in storm water. Maui County is also working on the Cano Stream restoration on the Makai side of the highway, which would eliminate the concrete line channel that currently directly discharges storm water into the ocean. And instead, they would restore the historic natural flow path back to its previously existing discharge toward Calia Salt Pond.

Our wastewater project will eliminate the flow of wastewater into groundwater and repurpose it for irrigation to support a greenbelt and firebreak that will be planted with native plant species and can function as a riparian buffer to protect and enhance the redirected canal stream. Maatlaia is rated as one of the highest risk challenges do. A to the We're a we can optimize the orientation that of that basin challenges so that it can be accessed by helicopters fighting wildfires. And we plan to also add two dry hydrants so that the tanker trucks can utilize the water within the basin to fight fires. These combined efforts will not only help to regenerate Mauna Lai Bay, they'll also minimize the potential impacts from natural disasters and emergencies from occurring within the Mauna Lai community that would be similar to what we've witnessed from recent storm damage in Kihei and the devastating loss that was observed during the COVID-nineteen We're going continue see

COVID-nineteen the How's We're your relationship and their integration to into this? They're excellent. Yeah. We've had great communication, great overlap. Supportive. About the Department of Health? Permits and whatnot, have they been supportive? Are there any issues?

Department of Health is they're working with us. Nice.

Yeah. What's the current status of the project?

So as Tapani mentioned, we received our initial funding from last year's appropriation this March. We're currently working on the DOH permit plan set. We have a one year timeline for design and permitting and then a one year anticipate timeline for construction. That's all pending funding.

Thank you. You're welcome.

Any more questions? Member Paulton followed by Member Cook I'm sorry, Member Johnson then Rollins Fernandez.

Thank you, Chair. Thank you for your testimony. From Mayor Victorino and Mayor Bissing's commitment, I believe there's a gap in the funding. How do you propose to make up that gap?

Sure. So, you know, we actually have a frequently asked questions packet, that's available.

Did you turn that in as testimony?

No. I don't know how to do that, but I I have it and I can't

Maybe just try give it to that lady with the glasses.

Sure, I can leave it after I answer these. All right. So for just the financial status on the project, for clarity, the total cost is estimated to be between $12,480,000 and $16,140,000 So this is increased from the original SRF, which was $9,500,000 I watched yesterday's testimony and I agree that the longer that this project gets kicked out, the higher the project costs will be, which is part of our $2,500,000 ask, which is to purchase long lead equipment items so that we can we have a known cost now as opposed to waiting and purchasing that in the future. We have a breakout we're

question.

Then And with with dollars match from the donors. So that's $2,500,000 then We're asking for $2,500,000 which would be $5,000,000 And we also submitted a NIFWIP grant with other regional partners that addresses the holistic ecosystem restoration. We have $1,500,000 in there. So if I did my math right, we're at $6,500,000 So we are working with the EPA's COAG group, which is closing America's wastewater access gap. They are working with us to do a fiscal impact study, one, two, so that we can come up with a financial plan so that the cost that will be paid by the Ma'alai'a community members to operate the system in perpetuity is comparable to county costs for wastewater.

They are helping us to find finance funding through USDA and other federal grants. We're also pursuing additional private donations and other grants that come up. If you know of anything else.

And so you're leveraging the county's contribution with these other partners?

We have leveraged the initial $1,250,000 for the NIFWF grant. So Amy Hodges wrote a letter in support of this this morning where she acknowledges that in that NIFWF grant, the NIFWF grant, our partners are DOFA, Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, Hawaii Wildlife Foundation, MOCMI, and then Ma'a'a Village Association.

Thank you so much for your work.

You're welcome.

Thank you. Member Johnson followed by Member Rollins Fernandez.

Thank you, Chair. Thanks for your testimony. You seem very question. Question. Ir And that's that's

Feds use? Not necessarily. Okay.

So the NIFWIF is Fed money?

It is. So is the EPA. Right.

So you do have some Fed monies. Does that is there a season for that? Like I always thought October was the time the NIFWAF issues monies and accepts applications. Is there a season to the to when you can act get the money and access it?

I personally don't know. I mean, I'd have to rely on our coag counterparts, which they kind of direct

us and give

us a heads up. Yeah. Wish all of our budget times aligned. It would make it a little bit easier. Yeah. But I I it's hard to apply for one and you don't know because the timing is off on everything. So the total thing is between 12,000,000 and $16,000,000 and you're going to pass out the frequently asked questions. Forward look to that. Thanks for that. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Member Rollins Fernandez.

Aloha, Ms. Whitney. Mahalo for your testimony and for whatever written Q and A you provided, to our staff for us to review later. I was the one that made the motion to remove the the funding, and, I'm happy to hear you share with us, exploring different funding pots. One of the things one of the reasons that I, moved to, remove the funding is because of the privatizing the profits and socializing the externalized cost to taxpayers.

So I guess to clarify, the 9,500,000 in SRF that mayor former mayor of Victorino asked that you not pursue, I guess when it was alluded to that, the full picture of it, it would need to be owned by the county, and then the county would pay the debt service on that. So it's not like it would have been cost that Ma'alaya Village Association and residents there or the property owners there would have paid themselves, correct?

My understanding and once again, I wasn't a part of the SRF funding award, but I came in at the tail end of it. My understanding was that Mayor Victorino was going to offer a grant in the amount in the equivalent amount to the SRF funding, which was $9,500,000 to Ma'alaya so that they could privately do the wastewater treatment.

Yes. So that would have still been taxpayer dollars, not the owners of the units paying for the cost of the conversion from injection injection wells, right? Okay. So you're supportive of increasing property tax rates to generate the revenue necessary to cover some of that cost?

A civil engineer testifying on how to address wastewater treatment.

Mahalo for your testimony. Mahalo, Jair.

Thank you. Any other questions? Seeing none. Thank you very much for the education. So we look forward to your pass it on. Thank you. Next testifier.

Chair, the next testifier is Jeff Yoka. Will be followed by Kekai Robinson.

Good morning, everyone.

Good morning.

Keep it quick. I know you guys have a couple of things to do today. Jeff Uioca was kinda monitoring yesterday about Honani Village. Just wanted to clarify, the Honani Village perspective and the timing of everything. So, we're really hoping to get that water, system developed and brought up parts in existing well that we're hoping to convert. There's gonna be a lot of, you know, work and testing just to get the, you know, everything going. Then you gotta go to see worm. There's a whole bunch of steps. We're just hoping to start that process. As those guys mentioned, you know, anytime you need governmental approvals, you know, it takes time. The quick the sooner fact not

We're not to do going

that. Push do that back a little bit. The other to interesting thing about this system is the goal is to develop it with the county. So we're gonna hopefully get this grant, do a lot of the legwork, and then work with the Department of Water Supply to put it onto the county system. So even if for some horrible reason, Honani Village does not proceed, the county's 23 acres is right there, and this water system or this water source and storage and all that stuff and transmission lines eventually.

But this isn't for transmission lines. This is just for the source and the storage and the pumps and the brains that run the pumps. That would all be county assets. It would connect to the central system, and, you know, the Department of Water Supply could utilize the source and transmission. So so I wanted to clarify that for everybody.

Thank you. Any questions? Member Palton.

Have you begun, like, just clarifying, you said you hope to develop this project with the county as partners. Have you begun speaking with the Department of Housing as a partner?

The Department of Housing for this water system. We talked to the Department of Water Supply, and very high level, said, Sure, of course we'd be interested, but, we wanna see the numbers first, of course. And that's what we're hoping that this will help us get those numbers, design the whole system.

Very high level. I thought you spoke with DEM, and they had capacity, and then they told us yes the day before yesterday, there wasn't. So just So maybe talk holistically with everybody. But that's my thoughts on high level conversations.

I I guess, if I may respond. Respond. Sure. So I I would say DEM and DWS a little different. I'm fairly confident housing is always gonna tell me they would like workforce housing on the market. So I think we can work with them. I'm not really worried about the department of housing coming and telling me. No. We don't need anymore.

I think you should Of course. I'll be

Oh, okay. Sorry. And I mean

DM, I just in the details.

Yeah. I was I was listening yesterday and just there was comment and a letter submitted when we were in your committee from DEM. And I think consistent with the message, I think director testimony and in the letter to, your committee in response to the question was, in 2029 and 2030, they are anticipating central to be online. Once that happens, there's gonna be a lot of capacity. And then, therefore, we're supposed to be online in around late two thousand twenty nine, mid two thousand twenty nine for Honani Village for the first phase only. Right?

How often do we re do we hit our timelines, target timelines in in your experience?

I have no comment on that. No. Thank you. But I will say he also did comment in the letter that and I I have had discussions with people in DM that currently they're looking at other efficiencies at the colloid treatment plant. So there is the potential for an increase in capacity in the next few months. But no

one will give

me a rock solid answer on that until they have good data, and they are they're in the process of it right now. I think they're they're trying their best to make things happen. I truly believe that.

Oh, yeah, I agree. Thank you.

Thanks. Okay. Member Batang and then Lee.

Thank you, Chair. Mr. Ruoka, can I ask whether or not this water project is necessary for the subdivision of the TMK that Ho'angani has proposed to be built on impact first

see impact And transportation base yard is? So currently, the whole Nani village team is pursuing a large lot subdivision for those five lots, I believe. One belongs to a and b, which is like a basin. The county's 23 acres is in there. Khoenani Village is a 165 acres and Emio.

And then there's that you know what a sugar museum is? That's another condo unit. So it's all gonna be subdivided. This project, no, it has nothing to do with that large lot subdivision. If we were to try and get that large or we are trying to get that large lot subdivision, we're trying to work to defer the improvements because for the large lot subdivision, you just need to run utilities for one dwelling. And even though we could do that, it makes no sense because we're not going to build one dwelling on the 165 acres. And MEO already has their meter. So nothing to do with it. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you, members. I don't think I made the connection between the projects and potential conflicts when we were discussing this yesterday. But based on the conversation we're just having now, I still don't think I have a conflict. I will ask my staff to reach out to Board of Ethics just to confirm that.

Okay. Shirley.

Hello, Mr. Uyoka. I'm wondering if you have time. I'm not sure when this is going to come up, but it would be helpful to have you in case we have any additional questions.

I can be available. I can't stay here all day,

though. Okay.

Well, you had your chance.

Thank you.

Well, if you can, I mean, you just monitor, I

mean Absolutely? I'll be available, but I got to go do some things.

Okay. Thank you. Else has questions? Member Rollins Fernandez. Chair, just a question for you. Hello for your testimony, mister Oyoka. But we haven't had resource folks just budget director. So if you're gonna open that door

That's true. That's true.

You can just text, Charlie.

Yeah. Like, the rest of

our resources do text us, and then we convey the information ourselves.

So we can text you.

That sounds perfect. Thank you all. Best of luck.

Go back to work. Any more questions? Seeing none. Next testifier.

Chair, the next testifier is Kekai Robinson, by Dean Callahan.

Morning,

Robinson, deputy OEV Resources. Here to testify in strong support of Makahiki and the funding request for Makahiki. Makahiki marks the time of year aligned with the rising of the Makali'i. It is traditionally a season dedicated to community recognition of peace and abundance. It also functions as something practical.

It organizes people. It activates space. And in with county support, it can also, be a driver for economic activity. Makahiki is a comprehensive cultural system encompassing spirituality, governance, environmental stewardship, and community cohesion. Makahiki is not a single event asking for funding.

It is an existing countywide seasonal opportunity that we can choose to support. The request is an opportunity for the county of Maui to support a cohesive Makahiki driven by community grants that celebrate and elevate Makahiki on all four of Maui Nui's islands. It is a direct investment into the community leaders who already conduct ceremony, education, and seasonal programs. The question, is it just games? Highlights a gap in understanding and exposes a common misconception that reduces Makahiki to its most visible components.

While the athletic competitions are often what people see today and enjoy and have fun with, they are only one part of a much larger, highly structured cultural, spiritual, and governance system. Makahiki historically governed cycles of resource management, tribute collection, collection, and accountability between leaders and community while reinforcing a reciprocal relationship with Aina. The celebrations are expression of discipline, preparedness, ancestral and environmental connection, and communal identity. I mahalo you folks for considering that.

Nice to see you here. Thank you for your testimony. Lovely see you all. Member Rollins Fernandez. Member Bolton.

Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Deputy Robinson. I just wanted to clarify because I think Makahiki season is under both the as well as your department budget. And I think we've left your department, but we may go back for corrections tomorrow. So the Makahiki season funding that you're specifically testifying about today is the one under the mayor's and not the one under yours? That's correct. The Makahiki appropriation under Department of Wavy Resources is, I believe, $20,000, and that is a a county employee celebration that we have on the lawn where the public is also invited if they so happen to be in

the area. But it's mostly to create cohesion amongst our our colleagues here at the county inviting everyone out of their offices and into the sunlight. The funding that I am referencing is for the office of the mayor. It is a larger approach to Mankahiki that we are working in collaboration with.

The one on the lawn in your department is only for the Waileuku employee?

Kinda sorta. But, you know, we had a winner from Molokai of the Kui contest. Shout

out. I shout out.

Yeah. Yeah. Molokai has been training for Makahiki for generations.

I I did see the the water department giving hard rubs.

Oh, yeah. Water department. Or if you had a rep, we'd like to see more of our council members out there, we appreciate you for its time. Everybody came out to celebrate. It was really nice. So, yes, it is in Wailuka. We hope that this larger approach to Makahiki will allow us to give community grants to folks that are celebrating Makahiki on all the islands, and if they're not, to help organize that on all of the islands and in a lot of our districts. Not just games. It will be ceremony as well, front end and back end.

And it's completely separate from anything the emerging schools do because we cannot mix random adults with other people's children. Separate. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Any other questions? Member Rollins Fernandez. Mahalo, chair. Mahalo, deputy director, for your your testimony this morning. So, it sounds like what you explained to us in your testimony, the lack of understanding of Makahiki is kinda underscores the necessity of the funding itself.

Correct. Yes. We very much believe that and look at this as an opportunity to educate our community on the movement of the seasons. Our traditional people here, our indigenous people, we move by those seasons. We live by those seasons.

We are directly connected to those. Being good observers of the environment can allow us to to be a better community altogether. You know, the accountability portion of leadership for Muckahiki is so it has been so important in the past as well, And the ceremonial recognition of that, the, you know, creating a specialness, a respect, and a sacredness of the season, of the acknowledgments, I think, you know, it will it will encourage that direction in our in our people. And so, you know, the county has this opportunity to, you know, provide for that cohesively and guide that, or we can, you know, continue to just leave it under resourced, and everybody's kinda doing their separate things. So Kaho'olawi has been celebrating Makahiki for years since the return of, Kaho'olawi and from before that.

Celebrations have been taking place on Molokai. Here in Wailuku in the valley, Makahiki season is opened and closed. I'd be happy to share some amazing stories about ways that have moved the guidance they have received during the season.

Mahalo for that. Mahalo for that mana'o. So important as we watch America bomb the Middle East and fund the bombing throughout that region. That what I understand you saying is that Hawaiian culture, culture is not just ornamental in the games that people see. That there is a deeper importance to it. Mahalo. Polalehiq. Mahalo, deputy director. Mahalo Jaram.

Thank you. Member Oo Hajans.

Aloha. Thank you for being with us. I'm looking at the answer that was requested, and I know it's not your guys' office, that we asked this to because you guys had the smaller budget. This is a million dollar budget. A 150 for marketing and then $8.50 for, I'm assuming, the events or whatever may come. If you can answer, I would appreciate it. If you cannot, that's okay. I didn't see where somebody was assuming it was just games. I think I was trying to figure out how this money was gonna be spent down. So do you know, like, what the $1.50 and if you don't, that's okay. We'll cover and then what the $8.50 will cover?

Mahalo for that question. Yes. I think that the office can probably answer better than I can. My understanding in our coordination work with the office, the mayor is that the 150 is for marketing and that the $8.50 would be distributed in the form of grant funding to community organizations that are conducting Makahiki and to grow that.

Okay. Do you know and I can ask, but do you know how many grants they're planning on doing with the eight I don't know. Okay. That's okay. Thank you.

Thank you. Any more questions? Seeing none. Thank you very much for being here. Appreciate Next testifier, please.

Chair, the next testifier is Dean Callahan to be followed by Travis Liggett.

Hello. Thank you. My name is Dean Callahan, and I'm coming to you from Baltimore, Maryland, of all places. And the reason for that is because of Travis Liggett, who, as it turns out, is coming on after me because, I guess, I was a little bit too eager to talk, which my friends will tell you is always the case. But what what I wanna talk about is is algae, or as I've heard from Travis, a lot of people call algae limu, a native term.

The kind I'm talking about is freshwater limu or algae. And what I really wanted to leave you with is sort of a feeling for what algae can do. I guess the main background for this is there's an industrial process that I call and many people call algal turf scrubbing, works great with nutrient rich water like R1 water. Algae a highly biodiverse classification of organisms. The ones I'm talking about are ubiquitous.

If you ever work outside in the sun with nutrient rich water, you'll know that algae are practically impossible to get rid of if that's what you want, which if you turn that around, algal turf scrubbing, which is my professional interest, is a way of capturing algae or freshwater limu in this case, the photosynthetic kind, keeping it trapped in place while it rapidly grows in the nutrient rich water. It's you can think of it as a solar powered bio filter, if you like. And I know many of you must know this. Travis has been working on this project for many years and has been trying to encourage people to adopt this technology. It's not radical.

It's not new. It's actually very low tech, very reliable. There are a few people queued up in the testifiers log who were my colleagues and have done actually much more than I have in this area. But essentially, algae their professional interest, if you want to put it that way, is they eat nutrients from water as fast as

they

can until there's essentially almost nothing left for them to eat. And so they can they can take your r one water down to extremely low concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus. In fact, my my last project, I I built a test system at a campus in Germany where we had essentially what you might call German R1 water. It's a secondary treated sewage and the algae just grow like like mad on this stuff and produce, you know, potentially useful, but not not required to be used. It could be just, you know, disposed of, but nontoxic solid waste biomass.

And so I'll also are going to talk about this. This is all Travis will probably explain this all as the next speaker. Thank you.

Any questions for the testifier? Seeing none. Thank you very much. Next testifier, please. Thank

you. Chair, the next testifier is Travis Liggett, to be followed by Stevie Catherine Chung.

Hello, good morning chair and council members. Thank you for hearing me yet again. I brought some friends this time. And yeah, we're here representing LIMO. And yeah, I think it's really exciting because I just want you to know that these researchers in this field, it's not a high paying field. It's not the oil industry. It's LIMO. Patents have been just surrendered. It's closer to a social group and like people who are really into a certain organism and there's just a real counterpart to that in Hawaiian culture. And yeah, I frame it like well it's either algae getting or lemutopia.

You either get this process in the ocean or you do it in a controlled burn. That's the basic idea. And in nature, we have the freshwater limu onshore. And it's just a really elegant solution to the nitrogen, TN daily limit and the NPT ES permit. And just so people understand, what does that Supreme Court ruling say? It says if it goes in the ocean, it has to match the water quality standard of the ocean. That's it. And the ocean has very low nutrient standards. And I remember when I talked to Doctor. K Aloha, she gave me that MPDES permit.

We were like, does this insanely low limit come from? We didn't understand it. Had to back out the math. And we were like, Wow, the activists did it. Design flow times 8.34 times the ocean water quality standard. It's beautiful. It's just like you would model an organism when you're connecting two organs. If it's going into the liver, it has to match the liver. That's how an organism works. And so, yeah, a personal story. When I lost my best friend, twenty fifteen, there was really only one way to go but up. I called an old NASA colleague. I said there's gotta be a solution to this algae, this nutrient problem. Turn beyond deter scrubbers. I just called Dean, who you just heard from.

Didn't really tell him what was going on with me personally. It was just so emotionally weighty. And he was just the kindest person to me ever. He gave me all the time in the world. Had no idea what I was going through because it was a professional setting. It kind of saved my life. I haven't given up. That was 2015, and it was seven years ago today I marched up in here with that bottle of limu, which has now gone to Sandia. And you're gonna hear from, I believe, a Sandia researcher in the room. And, yeah, this project was grown under a Sandia contract in Ma'alaya.

We're now scaling it up to municipal scale. The work is already in play. So the seven year plan proposed in the PERC AF, P R C A F, in the motion that I have given in previous written testimony. It's just a seven year plan. It's very normal for municipalities to take that much time to implement a solution to a very stringent new limit, and it just meets the moment.

All these activists, they wanted to see innovation. Here's the innovation served up on a platter. You just have to, select to pursue it and take a little risk even though it may on paper in a spreadsheet increase theoretical exposure in other areas. It's just a way forward which is to solve it. Thank you.

You Mr. Leggett. Any questions? Seeing none. Thank you. Member Coke has a question for you. Mr. Leggett, are you still there?

Hi, Mr. Leggett. The the limo eats and digests nitrogen. What do you do with the limo? What hap I'm just curious what that cycle is. It's a great question.

Sandy, So, from the lab, yeah, very briefly, you can do almost anything with that biomass, including if you calculate how much wastewater is produced in the world, and you calculate how much nutrient pollution is ruining the environment, and you calculate how much biomass can be produced by that, it actually is a very significant source globally that could significantly take a bite out of the requirement or even interest in taking it out of the ground because fossil fuels is not dinosaurs. It's plant biomass and a specific type because of how it forms and deposits. I definitely believe it settles

bottom of

the water

I interrupt you, I don't have time for chemistry class.

You can replace the

I said briefly. His question.

I don't mean to be rude. I just I just a brief question. So does it go in the soil and the soil digested? Mean

That is one of the things that we can do in fact when I first started thinking about the greenbelt in Ma'alaya.

So Mr. Lee, let's talk to you. We'll have a future conversation. This is just a clarifying question. All my colleagues are encouraging me to call him. I'll talk to you later. Thank you.

Thank you. Next testifier.

Yes, Chair. The next testifier is Stevie Catherine Chung, to be followed by Peter May.

Aloha County Council. My name is Stevie Catherine Chung, and I am running for District Thirteen's County Council Chair in this twenty twenty six election. There have been a good number of people in our community who have reached out to me to express encouragement for the county to increase funding. Wait.

Just a second. One moment. One moment. We're we're county of Maui. We're talking about our budget. Yes. We're not

talking about running for office.

Not sure.

Of course. I'm following up with everything else. Yes. What is your So I will be speaking on two things. One is wastewater management and the other is the water lens in Haiku.

Okay. May I continue?

Yes, you may continue. Thank you.

Yes, mahalo.

You can

start the clock.

The first thing

is our wastewater management system here on Maui and how they are not disinfecting the effluent going into the ocean properly at any of our facilities. It has been mentioned time and time again quite simply that the lower the level of pathogen and nutrients in wastewater, the lower health risks there are for swimmers and the marine ecosystem. When pathogens in these wastewater systems are released into the ocean without the crucial step of UV disinfection, the water remains risky as the spread of bacteria and various diseases runs rapid in our shores, putting both the people and marine life at risk. The health of the people and the marine ecosystem should be our number one priority, and one cannot say that they care about making positively impactful changes until safety oversights like this are resolved, Especially since I can't think of a more common pastime in Maui than swimming in the ocean as a hobby of all ages from keiki to Kupuna. The second thing that I want to talk about is the Haiku water lens.

We don't know enough about the quality of the water you're trying to transport out of Haiku for the benefit of resorts and luxury estates south of the island. And in order to reinforce care about public health and safety, it only makes sense to allocate more resources to get the water research teams the deep water monitoring well that they ask for, not the next best thing. Because the next best thing is a well that doesn't test the water at the same depth that you plan on drilling the pipeline against the wishes of many the people in the very community of HYCU who we aim to advocate for as valuable members of our community. Of the different ways public safety can be elevated in priority, these two areas would be very ideal paths to take to enhance our unwavering care and concern for the well-being of the people and the environment. You have NASA scientists and research specialists sounding the alarms on issues that are not just about upgrades that would be nice to have.

No, no. On the contrary, these upgrades are necessary for protecting the health of the people and making sure that new projects and previous flawed infrastructure plans can be corrected and optimized in the ways that make the biggest impact moving into the future. Mahalo, I yield my time.

Thank you very much. Any questions for the testifier? Seeing none, thank you for testifying. Next testifier, please. Chair,

the next testifier is Peter May to be followed by David Blersch. Peter, you have been promoted. You may need to unmute your camera and mic. If you see two icons in the top right hand corner, if they have a line through them, you'll have to click on it to unmute yourself.

Good afternoon. I'm, Doctor. Peter May, head of the Algal Ecotechnology Center at the University of Maryland, the flagship University of the State of Maryland. I've had the pleasure of visiting your islands and your state. It's a really wonderful place.

I lead the Algal Ecotechnology Center, which is academic unit that supports research and and supports the the use of algae in treating water and wastewater is one of them. I ran a project for about five years for the City Of New York's DEP on their Rockaway wastewater treatment plant using algal turf scrubbers to do some tertiary treatment. They're very effective. There's a long list dozens of peer reviewed research papers supporting it as an eco technology that works. It's low power.

It primarily uses the sun and algal photosynthesis to do the work. And it it's effective and very effective at shaving off very minute quantities of of water of wastewater nutrients, especially in wastewater. So I'm just here to advocate for for this eco technology that's being proposed as one of the solutions to to this problem. I'm currently working on a one acre algal turf scrubber system in outside of Washington DC with regional park system to help clean local waterways. I've done this many times in Baltimore City for the Port Of Baltimore as a method for them to improve their nutrient load reduction.

Spent three years with the U. S. EPA Chesapeake Bay Program on an expert panel for this eco technology, and we had it approved by the EPA as a best management practice for use in the Chesapeake Bay. And and the state of Maryland has permitted it. It's a a well used and and well accepted in in this coast on this side of the world here. I believe it could most definitely apply especially with all the sunshine and warmth that you have out in your state. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Any questions for the testifier, Ms. Member Johnson?

Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Doctor. May for your testimony. Because of your expertise, have a quick question for you. Do you have a particular algae that does this job well? Because we have in our budget a lot of money for invasive species control. We don't want to import any kind of bad algae that's going to make the problem even worse.

Yeah, that's a great question. No, we let nature choose the algae. We let the whatever the algae that's inherent in the wastewater itself and the surrounding algae can be deposited by air spores, believe it or not. So it's algae that is in it. We do not introduce any new algaes. It's whatever happens to emerge from the system itself.

Thanks for that clarification. Thank you, Chair. Sure.

Thank you. No other questions. Next testifier, please.

Chair, the next test

Gazelka: Hello. Can you hear me? Doctor. Halena Yes. Doctor. Hello. Yeah, hello. It's a pleasure to talk to you. My name is Doctor. David Blerish, and I'm an associate professor of ecological engineering in the biosystems engineering department at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, where I also serve as the director of the Algae Systems and Ecological Engineering Laboratory.

And I'm here to also testify in scientific support of the proposed algal cultivation technologies, the LIMO, I think I've heard it termed, for the wastewater issue mentioned by the prior testifiers. Just so you know, I have over a decade of experience in conducting research in biologically based wastewater treatment and nutrient recovery systems with specific emphasis on engineered algal and algal microbial technologies. And my work spans fundamental process understanding, pilot scale demonstrations, and integration of these technologies into real world water and wastewater treatment applications. And a significant portion of my research is focused on these attached algae systems, like the algal turf scrubber and other flow way systems, as platforms for nitrogen and phosphorus removal and recovery from multiple waters and wastewaters. In both past and ongoing projects, my group has examined ATS performance across a range of nutrient loadings and hydraulic conditions in many different conditions and environments, including wastewater derived streams, agricultural effluents, and blended nutrient sources.

And this work has addressed nutrient uptake rates, biomass productivity, system stability, and linkages between the algae cultivation, the flow rates, and how to best optimize the process for a particular condition. So based on, you know, the body of my research, and the research of some of the other colleagues across the field, and the peer reviewed literature, I believe that algal turf scrubbers have a strong potential as a complementary technology in municipal wastewater treatment, particularly for pollutant nutrient recovery from waste streams. ATS systems offer these advantages, including robust nutrient assimilation, resilience to variable loading, low chemical input requirements, low power requirements, and the ability to convert dissolved nutrient pollution into a harvestable biomass that can support downstream valorization pathways. And so, I will note that while site specific design and integration are essential at this point, It's my professional assessment that a well designed algal turf scrubber system can perform reliably in many municipal contexts, especially where the facilities are interested in sustainable technologies and biological technologies for nutrient management. And so, the process would be continued deployment of a pilot and moving 30 to a full scale, and then but the underlying science supports algal turf scrubbers for nutrient recovery.

The science is pretty sound, it's continuing to advance on that.

Thank you. Any questions for the testifier? Seeing none. Thank you very much. Next testifier, please. Thanks.

Thank you. Chair, the next testifier is Robin Knox to be followed by Mark Suvinovich. Apologies if I mispronounced your name.

Doctor. Good morning, committee chair. Members. I am testifying in support of funding for the Ma'alaya Regional Wastewater Treatment System. This system is extremely important to improving quality in Ma'alaya Bay, which is an area that the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources has identified as the poster child for coral reef decline because so much rare and precious and abundant coral has been lost there.

One of the contributing factors is wastewater, which comes from more than a dozen small wastewater treatment units and shallow injection wells at condominiums located at Ma'alaya. These are systems that are operated by the condo associations. They are not state of the art. Many of them are aging, and they don't achieve, even on their best day, even when they're brand new, the level of treatment and nutrient removal that's really needed to protect water quality and support the health of coral reefs in the Bay. They Mr.

WARS, the Myalaya Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, will provide an advanced level of treatment with polishing to remove nutrients and will therefore provide the highest possible level of nutrient removal and support of attaining state water quality standards and supporting the health of coral reefs. So, is in the interests of the entire community, not only the folks that live in Mailea or who own properties there, but of the entire Maui County community and all of our visitors that water quality be improved there. It also is a chance to demonstrate technologies. The County Of Maui at its own wastewater treatment plants is now expected to meet these stringent water quality standards. And the Mr.

Wahrs plant would be a demonstration of technologies that are available to do that and meet those levels. I think that's all I wanted to say, but I'll just add that this comes from my experience of forty years as a water quality specialist who is trained at the graduate level in wastewater treatment system design and who is a former regulator who wrote NPDES permits that control the discharge of pollutants, including nutrients. Mahalo.

Thank you. Any questions for the testifier? Seeing none. Thank you very much, Mrs. Knox. Next testifier.

Chair, the next testifier and currently last person signed up is Mark Subinovich. Mark, you have been promoted. You may need to unmute your camera and mic on your end. They are located in the top right hand corner.

Sorry about that. My name is Mark Jovanovich. Our company has spent the last thirty years designing and operating attached algal treatment systems for nutrient removal. These systems are not theoretical. You can see behind me 10,000,000 gallon per day system that's operating in South Florida and it's been operating for fifteen years.

It's sister plant that's very similar to it located about 10 miles away. As others have described, these systems basically are attached to algae, native to the local area and that algae is going to remove nitrogen and phosphorus. As Travis had mentioned, the differences between whether or not that algae is going to grow in a controlled environment where you can produce products such as container media as a substitute. I know the question was what could you do with the product? And it's an outstanding USDA has shown that it actually exceeds peat moss as a container media.

And then there's all sorts of other opportunities for it. But in its simplest level, that's where you would probably go at a facility like this. The difference is very few technologies can treat down to these incredibly low levels that you're trying to achieve down to nitrogen below one milligram per liter. Other than reverse osmosis, there's no technology currently doing it. The facility that behind me, the starting concentration of nitrogen is often below one milligram per liter.

So this is a really unique application and a really unique opportunity for you to meet a goal that very few technologies can do. And so from an engineering standpoint, the key point is that this is a phased and testable pathway using pilot systems initially and then demonstrating performance before you move on to compliance. It's technically a plausible approach that can be evaluated without changing your underlying permits. And if anyone has any questions, I look forward to answering them.

Thank you. Any questions for the testifier? Seeing none,

thank you very much for testifying. Next testifier, please. Chair, the next testifier is Christopher Salem to be followed by Jim Laneford.

Morning chair, just verifying the microphone is on.

Yes it is.

Morning chair and members of the Maui County Council. I want to start by thanking the council member for addressing the quote high level conversations referenced by the former court counsel attorney who now represents Greg Brown. Maybe those high level conversations should be conducted on the 45 foot tall hotel structure in Napili. Sorry for the visual. That said, my testimony this morning relates to the county budget, specifically capital improvement projects, and the continued awarding of contracts to unscrupulous private civil engineering firms.

Inspiring and intimidating to hear some of the amazing experts who have just spoken on previously during this testimony. But in response to the Spire Hawaii broad risk assessment, Managing director Josiah Noshida stated, we take this matter very seriously to ensure we maintain trust and integrity in government and properly protect the public's resources. You can't be serious. I ask you to measure that statement again. What is actually happening?

The county continues to award millions of dollars in contracts to engineering firms that have previously and purposely submitted silver engineering plans in violation of Maui County ordinances. Then the director approves them, and off we go down the street to citizens' complaints and the litigation trail. The engineer that caused the $20,000,000 debacle at Paloma Drive is the same engineering firm that was involved in Pu'u Kana subdivision involving Kent Smith, David Goode, and Michelle McLean. The project was ultimately denied by the Planning Commission, but only after I spent $50,000 in legal fees to help stop it. That is your system of preventing fraud.

The project moved a good move forward given the recent torrential rain events the consequences could have been catastrophic. And by the way. After the denial. Was implied in the I was sent implied death threat to cost me another thousand dollars in legal fees the police record reflects the history. It gets worse. The same firm you're awarding contracts you authored falsified order of magnitude valuations for SMA permits that is currently in litigation. How many other times have these engineers facilitated this fraud in the county? That's three strikes on the record. How about an investigation before we can grant them more government contracts? But the issue is is is really actually facilitated by public works.

Public works has acknowledged that these engineered submit engine of evaluations have not once been independently verified over twenty years. How many SMA permits and exemptions have been issued through fraud? What are the cumulative impacts on the coastal resources that we're speaking about today? It's massive. But there are solutions.

A simple mandatory review of developers' SMA permit valuations would slam the door on the fraud. But no one wants to hear the solutions because they expose the problems. That is the philosophy of I'll wrap it up. So I state for the record chair if you desire to climb the stairs of the county building to the 9th Floor maybe you should consider shifting your tone towards appreciation for the dedication of citizens who address fraud within the county. We're not your enemies. We're the ultimate public service for doing your job at an immense personal and public experience.

Thank you very much.

Thank you

for your time.

Thank you. Any questions for the testifier? Seeing none. Next testifier, please.

Chair, the next testifier is Jim Laneford to be followed by Kaini Shiki.

Aloha, Chair. Aloha, Counsel. Oh, sorry, you guys are busy. I also have a bunch of PhDs in in computer software and Ivy League level super fancy. I don't want to sound like a bummer like the last guy because I was fascinated with all of the testimony this morning.

And I just have to get on the record in order to protect the community. You know, I've been auditing the software and how money has been spent. And and for the past, know, so we'll just say since the wildfire but much longer than that like I said my software since '98 is provided about $20,000,000. On average to you folks a year. So I'm calling from a guy that makes you money.

And I just want to say my experience. You know not quite as I'm not as targeted as the last testifier I don't know the guy. I don't want to make it personal like that and put you folks on your heels with defense. Because that's not. How we do things with the low but I noticed that a lot of my work.

That I publish publicly does show up as solutions with other organizations. Except when my audit showed. Why people weren't getting hired for example And slowdowns in certain departments. So I don't want to take offense you know I'm aware of how the world works the whole world The Japanese syndicate real estate syndicate the largest one in the world. Makes billions and billions of dollars with me.

With their software and they're wondering why I get treated differently. And I make you folks money so I I've sent a lot of proposals and I haven't heard back. I just want to inform you that those Japanese syndicate folks and some folks in Las Vegas are suggesting that maybe going through the courts as a you know and to define who's talking to whom about me and what they're saying. So the police station they've been filing and working with people and bad actors in the community pushing narratives that turn out not to be true at all, is gonna I ideally would hope that it doesn't get litigated and that I can take all my energy

Thirty seconds.

Put it into Protecting our community with the things I've experienced instead of calling out individuals for who they do business with and who their phones. Have talked to because I have access to all that with my awesome security software levels of being. So so I would love to hear back from one of my emails or or any of you folks that would like to work with me as on the solution side for our community to continue bringing in millions and billions of dollars that I

Thank you very much. Any questions for the testifier? Seeing none. Thank you very much. Next testifier.

Chair, the next testifier currently last individual signed up is Kainashiki.

Aloha Chair, committee members. I am testifying today about wastewater and recycled water opportunities. And a few months back, I was at Planning Commission and there was a SMA approval from the County Of Maui being considered for a sewer line upgrade between Sprinklesville and Kahului Wastewater Treatment Facility. And at that time, I suggested that since a new sewer line was being put in, and this is for folks who are just to orient you, this would be running from to the wastewater treatment facility, which is which runs on that back Stable Road area. And that why not take this opportunity to drop a R R1 distribution line in that same area and do R1 distribution.

And I understand there needs to be an upgrade at the Kahului treatment facility and run it back along Stable Road so that end users on that side could utilize that. It's 5,000,000 gallons a day are being injected at the Kahului treatment facility at this time and for years. Obviously we want that wastewater treatment well I want no wastewater treatment facility not to be on the shoreline where it is- however the county has other plans. And if they are going to continue to use that wastewater treatment facility and do the upgrade, put in the transmission line. And the reason why I bring this up is because the end user said that they would happily do a public private partnership to pay for a sizable amount of that line being run.

The county really needs to take advantage of these sorts of offers of partnering on one, getting 5,000,000 gallons a day of water that is much needed for agriculture. On the end user at Stable Road. Then that can also you know possibly help out other folks with potable water because our one usually displaces potable use. You know there are creative solutions happening or possible and with the wastewater treatment facility. I mean, come on, we know it's not going to happen by 2030.

You know, in Kahului. Sorry for my dog. So, you know, this is something that could be implemented much sooner and have a number of benefits. I just urge the council members to urge the administration to look at creative public private partnerships. And I have spoken to some council members about this and some within the administration and obviously the end user as well.

And so there's great opportunities. I think that we need to stop just thinking about like, hey, no, we already have plans for, you know, the Kahului treatment facility and like we don't want to deviate from that and all fine and dandy and still do the Kahului treatment facility. There will

So, to we're we're not not creating going more and more and more R1 that. Water. Member Palton.

Thank you, Chair. I just wanted to clarify, you're saying Stable Road is gonna get redone for water transmission and just to drop a r one line in there. But the wastewater treatment plant needs to be upgraded to produce R1 and then transport the R1.

Everything that you stated is correct except for that it's a new sewer line that's being dropped in. From SPREX to the wastewater treatment facility in Kahului. So just drop the hay, know, due to county's coming.

That's a county project. That's correct. Do you know what page it's on? Yeah. Or like this?

I am so sorry. I had I haven't been following along, with all of my budget papers. I'm so sorry.

Don't have to Oh, be right I mean, do

you know what the project is called or the title of the Let

me just go in my email. I have or if you want, I can email to the committee.

Yeah, that works. Or text me, either one. Thank you. Okay. Will do.

Thank you. Any more questions for Ms. Nishiki? Seeing none. Thank you. Next testifier. Have a great day. Same to you.

Chair, there is currently no one else who has signed up to testify. Would you like me to do a last call? Yes, please. Oh, I do see somebody approaching the podium.

Thank you, Clarissa. JC Law from Kulaoka. Ohio Luna, Ho'omolo, Kashiwa, Kimura, and Ke'a'a, Kei Kolana, and all the Maka'inana out there in TV land. So I'm a say all all the minutes I save for the Hawaiians, I'm gonna use a couple of them now. This is from the Internet.

Kaano e walk, w a l k. And I'm speaking about the budget of the, I heard the the mayor's office budget wants to cut that, makaiki stuff, the money for that. I don't I'm I'm opposed to that cut. The rising of Makali'i, the constellation Pleiades at sunset marks the beginning of the Hawaiian New Year known as Makihi. Makihi usually begins mid November and ends in late January or February, aligning with the rainy season.

It is a time set aside for tribute, harvest, sport, and play. The word makahiki can refer to a time of celebration, the ceremonies, activities observed during this particular time of year, or a complete calendar year. Traditionally for Hawaiians, our calendar year is divided into two seasons, kao, the dry season, and ho Ilo, the wet season. The month of Ikua, which means noisy, usually begins in September or October. This month is characterized by roaring surf, thunderstorms, rain.

This boisterous personality of Ikua signaled the approach of Makahiki. The roughly four month period of Makahiki was a time of peace and plenty, relaxation and games, and for harvest. It was also a time to honor the deity Lono, one of the four major deities recognized not only here in Hawaii but throughout the Pacific. His domain includes fertility, agriculture, and peace. During Muckahiki, the qualities of Lono were celebrated by feasting, competing in sport and games, hula, and storytelling.

War between the was forbidden. Some of the games that were enjoyed are heihei kukini racing, mokomoko boxing, koko, a wrestling style similar to sumo, Pu Hene Hene, a skilled game of deception. A lot of people in the county are good at that. And a ko nane, a board game most resembling chess. Makihi also signifies a time of rest and rejuvenation for both the land and the people.

This period served as an opportunity to both fortify existing bonds and forge new relationships. Aohau taxes, and ho'o kupu offering were collected during Makahiki. Each ahupua'a gathered its auhau to be given to the ali'i nui, the high chiefs of the island. The the Ali'i Nui yes. I got it.

The Ali'i Nui acted as the deputy to Lono. I that might be you guys, the Ali'i Nui, who was represented by the Akua Loa. The Akua Loa is a long staff with Lono carving at the peak and a crosspiece with pieces of polyfern, feather lay, and skins of the cow upu bird fastened near the top, from which also hung a square of white kappa. And, yeah, that's about it. I'll get the rest later on.

Thank you. Any questions for the testifier?

Tune in next time.

See none.

Same time, same channel.

Thank you. Next testifier, please.

Chair, there's currently no one who signed up to testify. Would you like me to do a last call? Please. If somebody would like to testify in the chamber, please let staff know or Microsoft Teams, please raise your hand. This is final call. Three, two, one. Chair, it appears that nobody wishes testify. Thank you.

With your permission, I'm gonna close public testimony and receive written testimony. Members? Thank you. Okay. So I'm gonna start off with, revisits for Department of Water Supply, which we took up last night. And then we'll take a break. It's now 10:37. So I'm going to do this. So under the CIP budget bill, page 27, members there are two discrepancies flagged by staff and the budget director for two CIPs under the department. Please refer to Granicus 177, the department's amendment request correspondence.

So therefore, I move to amend Section four, J, one, A, two, two to change the project name from countywide upgrades and replacements to countywide facility improvements. Thank you.

Do you mind repeating the motion? I'm sorry. What? Do you mind repeating the motion?

I move to amend section four paren J, paren one, paren A, paren two to change the project name from countywide upgrades and replacements to countywide facility improvements.

Okay. Got it. So

motion made by me, second by Member Woo Hajans. Any more discussion? So what this does, it corrects the project under bill 55 to be consistent with bill 60, the state revolving loan fund for water supply projects. Okay. All in favor, raise

your No, I'm not ready to vote. Sure.

Okay. What page on the departmental request? Do you have that? On Granicus 155. 155? No, no. Granicus 177. 177 is the departmental request. What page, please?

Chair, it's on page three of the department request. It's the second entry from the bottom.

4J2A1I1A2. Well, that's the fourth item. Replacement to countywide facilities. Oh, I see. He said second from the top. Oh. Second from the bottom.

Yeah. Second from the bottom. Apologies.

Oh. Oh. Okay. Okay. Mahalo, Mr. Krueger. Suggest this item.

And I have another one.

That's the only item being affected right now by the motion. Yes.

Yeah. Okay. Okay. Any discussion? All in favor, raise your hands say, aye. Thank you. So this is member Cook. This is nine ayes. Yeah. Thank you. Member Palton? We're voting. Chair Lee? Everybody? Oh, you did. Okay. I didn't see. Nine ayes. Thank you. I have one more. So I move to amend Section 4J3A1 to change the funding type for Molokai reliable capacity from Water Fund, unrestricted to Water Fund restricted.

Chair, before you read the motion, can you tell us

I think it's the same. Granicus one 177.

Yeah. Isn't the item right under the one we just acted on?

Yeah. I think it was read before.

4J3A1? Yes. Section four.

Yes. This one was on

the email that we received last night. The 900,000.

Member Palton.

Think it was listed on the, paper from last night, but it wasn't listed as a motion, and didn't so I didn't make a motion because it was just reference. Director

Milner.

Aloha chair. Aloha council members. Yes, it was listed on the sheet last night to indicate that it is a project that is still being funded by restricted water funds, but there was a typo in the bill and it says unrestricted. The request is to update that to the correct funding source. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Chair budget director, all three of the items that are were in the chart from the attachment last night?

Thank you, Chair. No, The only one

that needs corrected is Molokai Reliable Capacity. Mahalo. Mahalo, budget director. Any more questions? Seeing none.

Chair, apologies. Can we confirm the second for the motion?

Oh, sorry. Thank you. So I made the motion, and member Cook is the second. Thank you. Ready to vote? Member Cook.

Don't vote.

Oh, okay. All in favor, raise your hand and say aye. Aye. Okay. Very good. Nine ayes. Motion carries. Okay. So we're gonna stop then. I'm gonna take a ten minute break. Is that alright? Yeah. Yep. So we'll come back at well, let's come back at 10:55. Thank you.

Hey, welcome back to the Budget Finance Economic Development Committee. It is now it is now what time is it? 11:05. And I have one more correction for Department of Water Supply. If you look at Ramseyer rates and fees on page 54 towards the top.

I move to amend Appendix B rates and fees account 3475 water service rates general water consumers by replacing the fourth fee range from greater than or equal to 35,000 gallons to read as 35,001 to 50,000 gallons and to replace the fifth fee range from greater than or equal to 50,000 gallons to greater than 50,000 gallons. Thank you. Motion made by me, second by Member Yes.

So it should be on the last year, it should be 50,001.

Okay. We forgot one. Forgot one. For finding that correction. No.

Shouldn't that be still 50,000? Because if the greater than sign is there, wouldn't that mean 50,000? Like point one and more?

Because it goes to If

it's thirty five zero one to 50,000

Chair, if you look at the previous tiers, they do have that one in there. I think for consistency's sake, we should have that little one gallon.

Yeah, but the previous tiers don't have the greater than signs in them.

Okay. I'm sorry, Chair. I think after

Member Antangon, what he just said, I think I agree with him.

Okay. So no one? Yeah, no going

We're correct. Able to We We're do need to update do do it because it's currently greater than or equal to. So now we just want it to be greater than.

Yeah.

So the way that you made your motion should be correct.

Okay. So greater than 50,000. Okay. Any discussion? We're to

half of to just a single number and it needs to be a range that can't overlap with the fifth line. So what we're doing is creating a range from $35.00 1 to $50,000 and then anything over $50,000 will be the next category.

Thank

you, Jared. Just we're that.

Able to greater than sign, I am happy to accept do the one. But either way, we cannot have a gap.

Corp Council. I guess what we're if you look at the example that we got, it has for the last year is greater than 50,000 gallons on the top two. So that's correct. So we're fine. Greater than 50,000. Okay. All in favor raise your hand and say aye.

So I

have eight ayes, one excused. Member Leonard have a

is with same thing has to be applied to that one as well.

Okay. So the water shortage rate, one, two, three for the fifth tier is to leave it greater than or is going to be consistent then? Yes. Okay. But that's what it says, greater than 50,000 on the sheet. Oh, the fourth tier, too. Okay. So for the fourth tier would be 35,000 gallons to read 35,001 to 50,000 gallons as well as the last tier which says greater than 50,000. That one is correct. So just correction of one, correct?

With adding the range. Got it.

I think so. So essentially we're doing the same thing under the next line for account 34.75. Is that correct?

Correct.

Okay. Thank you.

Okay. Any other that of we that Motion And carries eight lot ayes, one excused. Member Rollins Fernandez. Any more corrections? Court counsel, member

are you No, chair. Thank you.

Okay. So now we're going to go to the Office Of The Mayor. Just everybody after this we're going to do police, public works and then revisits ending with countywide. So the office of the mayor members priorities, we have 12. Three involve the department's revolving fund.

There are 12 total. Okay. So first we'll go down in the order that's in the matrix and we'll follow this order as it is with the budget bill. So starting with the first person is Member Senensi Countywide three to add 250,000 other one one do to we're going do discussion?

Yep. Thank you, Chair. This was, through the conservation committee. It seems like I keep putting it in every year. And it's always carried over. This was a request Chair. Of some of the

I'm sorry. Oh. We we've been ordered to evacuate the 9th Floor. I have to go. I'm sorry.

Yeah. Please go. Goodbye.

Where you going?

You have to evacuate the 9th Floor. What about us? We have not been asked.

Who's our

I'll text as soon as I have more information. Our our lights are going off. Sorry, chair. Oh. David.

Brian, what's going on?

Chair, can you call for a recess, please? Recess. Welcome back to the Budget Finance Economic Development Committee. We are back to starting the priority with Member Senensi for his to add $250,000 to administration program category B. Member Okay. Senensi made the motion and Member Woo Hodgins. Second. Go ahead.

As you know, I'm the council representative on the conservation planning committee. And so it seems like we've tried to put in the money before, but we're doing it again. Of course, we we are experiencing some quorum issues and haven't met in a while, but the board requested that we put it in the budget, so that we can, we have the funds, at our next meeting so we can vote for the green print. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Any other discussion? Member Bolton.

Do we know why what the reason is that the this wasn't put in, in the marriage proposal? Like, are they are they gonna do it? Are they not gonna do it? Like, I mean, I don't mind putting the money in if it's gonna get done, but I don't what has changed since last year when we put the money in that it's gonna get done, or is it gonna get done with the remainder of this fiscal year kind of thing? That's that's my question if you know the answer.

Members and then see.

Maybe, budget director because I I know the request was to wait and then maybe possibly come back with a budget amendment, but I'll refer to budget

director. Director, you're fine.

Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Councilmember Baughton. I spoke to our Boards and Commissions Coordinator here in the Mayor's Office about this actually starting in last August when the commission was beginning to discuss going out to bid for the green print. And I told her at the time, you know, we're happy to support it. And if we need to, we'll come in for a budget amendment. And I haven't heard any updates or progress since last August. So nothing was included because my understanding is no progress has been made toward it by the commission. If the commission does vote to move forward, we are in support and we've utilized these funds for that RFP process. We're really just following the lead of the commission. Thank you, chair.

Oh, very good.

Can can you repeat that last part? If it moves forward, you would utilize member Sinensis funds or you have other funds source?

Thank you, chair. Thank you, councilor. We would utilize the 250,000 specifically earmarked for that purpose. By members in NC.

By council member Senensi. Okay. All right. Got it.

Thank you. Thank you. Any other discussion? All in favor raise your hand and say aye. Aye. Nine ayes. Motion carries.

All over.

Next we have councilmember Uhu Hajens, countywide number one to increase three stewardship and maintenance of county owned lands by 400,000 and condition up to 50,000 for Namaka o Maliko. Member Ugul.

Is it second? So on page 14

Is it your second? Is this your motion?

Yeah. This is my motion. Do you want me to just second it? Did you make the motion?

Oh, no. You make motion.

Okay. On page 14, number 12, small a number three, stewardship and maintenance of county owned land increased by $400,000 for a total of $700,000 and add a new condition to read as follows. Up to $50,000 must be for Namaka Omaliko for disposal, recycling, testing, and remediation of environmental contamination. If I have a second, can Mister Nancy, proceed.

Discussion.

Thank you very much. Please note that I'm increasing it by 400, but I'm only requesting 50 because there are so many county owned parcels that constantly have to come to us and ask for funding when we do some sort of agreement with them, like Ka'ehube, the next project I'm gonna discuss after, and this as well. So hopefully, this is a fund that more people can take advantage of, and so they don't have to constantly ask us for the money we're requesting them to do the work that we want them to do. That's the first thing. The second thing is Namaka o Maliko is made up of a bunch of Paiya and Kuau and Haiku residents and Maliko residents to clean up the bay and hopefully restore it to what it used to be used for.

There's a bunch of issues down there that I'm excited to see them cleaned up, and I ask for the member support of my motion. Thank you. Very good.

Member director. Budget director, then member Ros Fernandez after. Go ahead.

Thank you, chair. Thank you, council member Hodgins. I'd like to ask, corporation counsel if they could weigh in on this because this is for stewardship and maintenance of county owned land. I don't know that we can name an entity to do it. I think it might need to be a contract that goes out for RFP. So it may be more appropriate to name a parcel, and then we can issue the RFP. But I'll defer to corporation counsel because there may be some nuance I'm missing here.

Thank you, chair. Thank you. I'm happy to the parcel. If you give me a minute, I can find that information if that's required for sure.

Court counsel.

If it's county yes. Thank you, chair. If it's county owned land that normally the county would, take care of, it would need to be contracted out, that service.

Okay. And if we have they have a lease with us, how does that work? Like, they have a lease with us, Ka'ehu has a lease with us, or a right of entry, how does that work? For the same parcel of land? For different parcels. This happens all the time.

You'd have to look at the specific document that you're talking about the lease and who's responsible for what because each lease is different.

Okay. If we do an RFP, let me think about if I want to do an RFP with a contract because then I can't guarantee that these are the people who's gonna get the monies and that the vision is going to be carried out in the way that I expressed.

You wanna pause?

I'm okay to put a pin in it right now. Okay. And that's gonna be the same thing for my next one as well. So we'll put a pin in this so I can figure

to time be do that.

Thank you, I'm sorry. Point And of order. Yes. Do we have a motion on the floor?

We did, but I don't know

if I got a second. Yeah. You got a second.

Oh, okay. So I wanna withdraw that? I'll withdraw my motion. Okay. Thank you.

Okay.

Okay. So right now, then we're on my my third one because I'm four in a row. On page 12, no. I'm sorry. Page 14. 12, Office of the Mayor, small c, grants, division program. I move to insert a new line entitled Adaptations Dance Theater for $90,000 Okay. Motion made by member Woo and second by member Cook. Thank you very much. This has been one of my priorities for a couple of years.

This helps support the bring it home program, where we have Maui trained dancers that live throughout the world come home and help the new and up and coming dancers and train them and put on performances. Okay. Any more discussion? Seeing none,

all in favor, raise your hand. Say aye. Eight nine ayes. Motion carries.

Do you want me to do my offset by reducing the small grants right now, or we'll come back

to that later? So you don't need to

do that now. Okay. Sounds good. Then I'm I'm up again. Next page. Page 15. Number 12 again, office of the mayor, small c again, grants division program. Number 22 in small grants, I moved to add a condition to small grants to read as follows. Up to $25,000 must be a grant for the Poya Hawaiian Protestant Church for repair and maintenance to the steeple and the church.

Oh, very good. Is there a second? Member Cook, second. Member Guhajes and second by, member Cook.

You, members. So this is a well, they celebrated a 145 years last year. So now it's a 146 year old church. It's one of the mainstays of Poya Town, and the steeple is not structurally sound, and parts of the church are obviously, as I just described, quite old and need, support, and they need maintenance. Thank you, members.

Very good. Member of Bronze Fernandez has a question.

No. Discussion. Okay. I support the motion, and, I think a lot of our older Hawaiian churches, need need help because they're really old. So I'm very supportive of this. And then, was this the church that had the hundred year time capsule?

It's not, but, that one was the holy rosary church that's across of Paya school. And, but what I will say is there's so many churches in Paya, and they have such a cute relationship. They're all very supportive of each other, like the church I was talking about yesterday, this church, the holy rosary church. There's so many, and

it's so cute. Thank you for has a a church row Oh, we don't. In Kalama'u. It's beautiful.

I love to see it.

All denominations in one row playing well, playing nice together. Support the motion. Mahalo member Uhaja's. Any more discussion? Seeing none. All in favor say aye.

Aye. Nine ayes. Motion carries. Very good. Next is cheerlead grant two to add a new condition under three, grant of Festivals of Aloha Inc. For Maui County Fair of up to 54,000 to be used for the creation of Maui County Fair book. Moved. Is there a second?

Second. Member Oh Hodgins, cheerleader. Discussion? Well, I think, everybody's aware of how popular the Maui County Fair is and, how it's, you it's really part of our community and culture. By having a book, it'll memorialize a lot of the history. Yeah, I agree. Thank you. Member Rollins Fernandez.

Mahalo, Chair. Question for Charlie. How did you come up with the 54,000?

I don't know, actually. That was part of the request to me. So I don't know how that person came up with 50%.

Someone who's going to do the book Yes. Gave you that quote.

The Festivals of Aloha Inc.

Okay. Darrell Fujiwara. Was it mister Fujiwara? Do you know how many books will be produced?

No. I don't. We can find out.

Do you White paper.

White paper coming up.

Okay. Very good.

Yeah.

All right. Any more discussion? All in favor, raise your hand and say aye. This is nine ayes. Motion carries. Very good. Great idea. Next one is council member Cook Countywide 2 to insert a new line item in the amount of 1,500,000 and condition it for the Kahumana Church for its restoration project. That's your motion.

Yeah. Can I get a second? Second.

Second by Member Woo Hajans. Kate?

Thank you, members. So this is 12, office and the mayor, item D, economic development program. Insert a new line item in the amount of $1,500 and add a condition to read as follows up to $1,500 must be a grant to Kahumanu Church for its restoration project. Testimony was provided at the BFED South Maui very we've world. Rest with Compound of Keikahiki Lee, thank you.

And, anyway, it's an ongoing project. Across the street. We all love it. And I hope to ask the members for your support.

Do I move to amend his motion to say $1,500,000

Yes, 1,500,000.

What did I say? You said $1,500 Oh, welcome

and appreciate

that. Okay. Thank you. Go ahead. Oh, Director Millner.

Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Councilmember Cook. Just a request that this go under the Grants Division instead of under the Office of Economic Development. We think it more correctly fits there. Thank you, Chair.

Okay. You're fine. Member Cook.

So fine. So, staff can keep track of that?

He accepts Ms. Milner's suggestion as a friendly amendment, as do I to my

amendment. So, apologies to interject. So, staff's going to interpret this as a new line item under the grants division. Under the grants division program, it's going to be grant to Kahumanu Church for and underneath we'll put a condition up to $1,500,000 must be for its restoration project.

Yes. Thank you. Yes. Okay. Any more discussion? All in favor raise your hands say aye.

Aye.

Member Senanci yes. Nine ayes. Motion carries. One more. Council member Ron Fernandez, county wide number three to lot of

COVID-nineteen

the

And seeing five up to $250,000 for film production and promotion in Maui County. I up to $50,000 must be for film production and promotion on Molokai. Second.

Okay. Motion made by member Rollins Fernandez, second by Shirley. Any more discussion? Mahalo,

Chair. At the Molokai hearing, you heard from Mr. Matt Yamashita on, the progress of the pilot pilot program, that we started on Molokai, with the new film commissioner, Brian Cohen, who I guess he's still new. But one of, the visions that he shared with me was, investing in our in in the, smaller projects because that's more of the bread and butter, more of what is sustainable, rather than huge, productions that we don't have enough staff and equipment for. And, for the $50,000, film project that, we piloted on Molokai.

It was to help community organizations, like, tell the story of the work that's being done, just whether it's the legacy of the place or the progress they're making toward improving something, that it would be a grant to our film producers the working

on half 20. Member Johnson followed by Merrim the Gold.

Thank you, Chair. I rise in full support of this motion. I often say that I quote a stat. Every dollar spent from federal funds into the arts is $9 economic activity given back to the community. I don't know any studies that do it for a local level, but definitely the money you put in for arts and film creates a clean industry, you know, and that's and that's really important to diversify our economy with clean options and filming being one of those. So thank you for that, and I rise in full support. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Member Bolton. Oh. And

just needed to clarify that the pilot was for Molokai, and so as you heard when I asked mister Yamashita about whether it's ready to expand to all of Maui County, and he said yes. And so that's the intention. And then like we heard from member Paulton about Lahaina right oh, okay. Sorry. No. No. Go ahead.

Okay. Member Paulton. Thank you. I speak in full support, strong support of this motion. One of the films that we funded last fiscal year on just the finishing up of their work that they had fronted the money themselves, went out, begged, borrow, steal from others, themselves is now being shown at the United Nations.

And this is right in alignment with our current NACO president, JB Clark's, theme for his, year of presidency, which is, county storytelling. And so, you know, the rising from the ashes film that we funded last year, we will be showing it, at the weir, because even though they have limited audiences because they're, in line for film festival awards, awards. They are partnered with a project impact where they wanna show that film specifically to decision makers. So as, the recipient of them being able to show that film to where, it just shows, like, what a little bit of kick start or finish funding can do for our local storytellers. Thank you.

Yeah. I heard it on the radio this morning too. Good job. Alright. Any more discussion? All in favor, your hand and say aye.

Chair, if I could if I can do a add a condition to this, add 30,000 to it and have that 30,000 go to Lanai in addition for the film, filmmaking. Second.

Okay. So the total would be 280,000.

There there are

Are we allowed to

do that? Okay.

We're adding to a condition. I think that happened yesterday, and

I got a complaint from somebody. It's our point of order. We're the body that makes the decisions on our rules, so it's up to us how we wanna proceed. Think we had said that we would have a certain amount of conditions and priorities I

mean priorities and adds. And so this was being perceived as being another one. And so yesterday I got a concern. I just want to be consistent with the other members.

And Chair, I flagged that concern when we added a third grant item for Member of Batanggan, and I said I supported that as long as we're going to be equitable about being flexible on the rules.

And Chair, I did not submit two conditions.

Okay. Are you all fine? You're all fine. Okay. Go ahead.

That

was you're adding $30,000 for Lanai.

And member of And I second that motion. Okay. All in favor, say aye.

Chair apologies. Could staff just clarify it? So the line item would be up to $30,000 must be for film production and promotion on Lanai?

And changes the total amount to $280,000

Okay.

And the purpose, members, is, because, as we know, it's hard for, the smaller community to compete. I want Maui to have a good amount because I know there's more filmmakers on Maui Island than, Lanai and Molokai. And so by having pots of money for them to be able to, have a chance at, some of the funding to tell the stories of our of our places, just giving our, rural communities more of a chance. Okay.

Chair, can can I just clarify since it was taken up as a motion and then a second, we are only voting on the amendment to add Lanai, correct?

Right. And then we'll go on the motion as amended. All in favor, raise your hand and say aye. Aye. Nine ayes. Motion carries. Then we vote main motion as amended. It will now be 280 Aye. That's nine ayes. Mahalo members. Good idea. Okay. Now we're going to take up the OED conditions. If you look at the spreadsheet that was given to you, look on page 24, residency area conditions and it has all of your residency area conditions that you put in and submitted. So I think does it all look agreeable to you?

These are your residency area conditions, Istar. Yours is agreeable? Okay. Have a question, Chair.

For Member Lee's a condition, area council member must be consulted. Is that language we need to add to every, residency area?

Oh, yes.

I guess that's my first question. Then two, is it are we able to change it from consultation to review and approval?

I think it was whatever you put in as your

No. No. I mean Oh. Does the budget ordinance allow point. Point.

That's that's I about that? You know, reason we started putting that in is because OED would take whatever was in the buckets and if it was not allocated, it would start granting it out. So we put that in so that the member would be consulted to be sure that it's used appropriately.

Shirley? The director is on the call. Oh, I think she wants to say something. Director Milner.

Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Councilmembers. Yes, I will defer to Corporation Counsel or Mr. Hernanno. The language included here, the Residence Area Councilmember must be consulted before any changes or request for use of the funds, is what was agreed upon with the attorneys over the last few years. Review and approval, I don't believe, is allowable language due to the charter restrictions on council members making requirements of the administration. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. So has the consultation been interpreted to mean that the administration just needs to tell us what's going to be done with any unconditioned money within that pot?

Can I answer? From my experience and probably the experience of most of the members, if not all, it's it has been a a mutual agreement, and it's it's worked. They they let us know. And if and if we don't like it, they generally, you know, abide by our wishes.

Thank you, chair. I I guess I'm asking because I did not condition very much of my pot, and so I would like that language added to mine. I think it would probably be prudent to add it to every single one of the residency areas, but I'll defer to the body. Chair.

Very good. Member Cook and member Rollins for now.

The reason that I did that was because I didn't allocate a major percentage of my allocations. And it was basically for the ir think

question. That's question. If it's not on all, then it's kind of hard for the administration to track which one had the requirement. In my experience, as Chair Lee explained, it's been a good working relationship with administration in using the funds, in the way that, we have heard from the communities. I don't know if that was member Cook's, experience, but for me and sometimes so my office, we track these funds very, very carefully, because in the past, some of the organizations didn't apply for it or then they changed their name.

And then we have to do a budget amendment to change the fiscal sponsor. So there's just a lot that goes on because these are, like, community nonprofits and community organizations. It would behoove all council members to track it very carefully as well to ensure that it's used, that it's applied for, and then it's, the the the grant contract is executed, reporting and reimbursements are done, it really is a lot of handholding if you want it to be used in the way that you intend it to and not just because of the administration. It's because community groups are may be small and may not have the experience to apply for the funding. And starting July 1, I understand that the administration for $20,000 and less grants has a more streamlined approach and process for this, which I'm really looking forward to so that maybe there would be less handholding with our organizations to ensure that all the funding is expended in the way that we intend when we pass the budget.

Mahalo chair.

Thank you. Member Paul Tin.

I experienced similar. That's why I'm only doing this one on my residency area. And, I mean, I I would wanna know who they give the money out, and I would like them to kinda spread it around in the community, not giving it to the same people. But, you know, if they don't, I'll live. The question I had was, I think the total amount is for 140,000. And so if the amount, is over $140,000, how do they interpret that?

What what are you saying? In other words, the member allocated more than the 140,000? Is that what you're saying? Who interpret Yes. Is that a court counsel?

I see one for a 100

of information. 100,000. So, last Friday, member Batanggan chaired the meeting. And I asked for us to have the discussion, but that would have been controversial. So we did not have the discussion. And I would like to have that discussion because I would like for all of our residency areas to have the 200,000. So if that requires a motion, I move that $200,000 be allocated for each residency area for this pot of funding.

We need a cut. Right? It's not only add, it's cut

No, it's not just cut. Some of the offsets do say raise property taxes in specific areas.

That's up to the members. It sure is. Members, you heard the motion. You want to increase the pot to 200,000.

As it was last year.

And that was my first time. Member Senancy.

Thank you, Chair. I had additional requests even though mine has a lot of smaller grants, not the larger grants, but I did have additional requests. I think these are the for my community anyway, these are the the small the community people that are in our community doing all of the this work. So in anticipation of a lot of the federal cuts that we've been seeing, they're they're feeling it too. Part of the reason why I asked the administration for a budget amendment with some of the funds, last year that wasn't being used or couldn't be used to go back into the East Maui community.

So, I would I would be supportive of the additional funds here. Just having it even, a little extra so that if people did come and needed some emergency funds, whether it be for travel, with anticipating gas prices, travel prices, we have that for our community. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other discussion on the motion? Okay. So Member Senensi made the second. So Member Rollins Fernandez made the motion, second by Member Senensi. So the motion is to increase the residency area funds from 140, which is what's in the budget, and increase it to 200,000. Member Woo Hodgins.

Thank you, Chair. I understand how Member Rollins Fernandez feels and Member Sonensi feels. I'm okay with that being at $1.40, although probably I could find ways to spend money. I'm really good at that. With the new as you said, with the new section of the small grants, I'm hoping that's kinda where some other people may pull out some monies that they may need.

I'm okay with, like, increasing it to maybe one fifty, but probably that's all I'm okay with. This morning, we heard we added already $11,000,000 to the budget. So, I'd be okay with $1.50, not 200, but I'm also okay with leaving it at $1.40. But, also, can I have a request even though I know we're in the middle of a motion? I have to leave at lunch, and I would like to quickly talk to corp control about my last two things that I couldn't do. If we could maybe take this up, and then I could have a two minute recess before I have to leave and pick up my kids so I can kinda confer, I would appreciate it Yeah. If that's okay

with the members after this, obviously. Okay. Sounds good. Member Ramos Fernandez. Sure.

I I would be okay with withdrawing the motion. We can have the discussion after lunch. Maybe I'll be less hungry.

Girl, please

do us

a piece.