Remarks by Radiant Cordero
46 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 2
“Thank you, Chair. First off, I want to thank you as well as Paula and also the permitted working interaction group that works so hard. I know that it's just six departments out of the, I think, what, 19 that we have right now. And so, which leads me to ask, because there are a lot of agencies, I should say a lot, there's a few agencies that are, I guess, directed by other departments as well. And I guess, what methodology are you planning to use to address that because there's departments that do the direct work and then do the direct procurement while there's other ones that have to go…”
“I love that. Paula has one thing to add. Oh, sorry, Paula. Go ahead. Go ahead.”
“Exactly. Exactly what I'm asking. I didn't want to pinpoint a certain department, but yes.”
“I'm glad, yes, and I understand where I'm sure, as you mentioned, when everyone came together, a lot of the animosity and wondering how they can get past that ruffles in the feathers with the different departments and moving forward was probably the biggest obstacle moving in the beginning, I'm sure.”
“Thank you. And I know that this is probably further down the line, but looking at a process where an agency has to possibly go out for bid again or going through the procurement process again, were you able to discuss that with the PWIG? Just for clarification, we had a presentation from a department in my infrastructure, transportation, and technology committee, and so it came up, but I do see less rebids and re-procurements than I did, like, over the last 14 years in the beginning of like 2012 and 14, 15 years, I mean, 2015. So it's better now, but has that been addressed in this working…”
“Thank you. Chair, I just have one third question, and that will be my last, I promise. And just a clarifying question. Is RFI for timeline implementation for future environments, is that the same as determining the different application methodologies?”
“So thank you. Thank you for that. And Mahalo, Chair, for allowing me to ask the three questions.”
“Mahalo Chairwaters, aloha colleagues and community. First of all, I want to mahalo our colleagues for donning what we call Filipino attire, whether either Barongs or Filipiniana. October is also Filipino American History Month, which recognizes the largest ethnic group here in Hawaii. As well as a tidbit, Filipinos first arrived in what is now the United States about 300 years before or 250 years before the United States became a country. They landed in Morro Bay of what is now San Diego and settled mostly in where New Orleans or Louisiana is right now. So they have been a fabric, Filipinos…”
“Thank you, Chair. This is on Bill 59. I do want to note that when I proposed this bill, I didn't expect it to just go as is. I'm hoping to have a robust discussion in committee as well as with the department, whom I've already started talking to, about possibly formulating a program so that there are strict guidelines on where and what could be on possible transit, as well as transit areas, as well as how can we direct possible funding to as well. I wanna ensure that we are not having a free-for-all ad space on our transit spaces and vehicles as well. So I hope to have that discussion further…”
“Thank you, Chair. I'll be voting in support. I want to mahalo the discussions that we had. I think this project provides an opportunity or opportunities, whether it be starting with local labor jobs with construction, as well as construction stability, also local stability when the hotel is operational, but also opportunities for housing of different AMIs, as well as opportunities for increasing and updating our infrastructure in the area and updating our safety for pedestrian and transit in the area. So this project represents opportunity, and I really hope that my fellow colleagues will be…”
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
“Chair, can she state her name for the record, please?”
“Thank you, Chair DeSantis-Tam. Hi, Director Opunna. Thank you very much for the presentation. I really appreciate it. I have a question first off on the management phase. Where in the management phase tiers recognizes or duplicative requests and where does that get, I guess, taken care of?”
“Yes, and are there other parts during within this management phase that requests may, or applications may get lost by chance?”
“Understood. Yeah, I know sometimes it takes them a while to even just check back on their application. And speaking of checking back on applications, how many of the actual applications need actual corrections? I know that a lot of the times the corrections then are beholden on the applicants to make, right? And then that's what also holds up the process. So how many of those applications are needing? Do we have a percentage?”
“That was interesting. I was looking at a Building Industry Association survey. I'm sure you saw that too. The one that came just yesterday, I think. And I saw how maybe, I think, 60 respondents said that their plans were approved without comments. So I was just wondering, like, does it just mean they just got it through easily?”
“Okay, that's good. But also in the same survey, the respondents, albeit only 87 respondents of them, a lot of them said that it still feels slow and arbitrary and a lot of them, both commercial as well as residential, stated that it's 365 days and longer, yeah. So I guess if there were no corrections needed, I guess what's the issue there? Have we found that out through this process?”
“one cycle reviews and a snapshot of that would show that some of our longest times depending if it's a commercial project. Page 13.”
“Okay, understood. Thank you very much for those answers and clarification. Thank you, Chair.”
“Thank you, Chair DeSantis-Tam. Director, I have a question about the contracted systems that we have here. So I know for H&L Build, that's for this, we're within the three years that we're contracted for H&L Build right now, right? Are we on year one or two? Two, right? Three. Oh, three? Oh. We're around three to four. Oh wow, okay, yeah. I guess I time traveled or I stayed back in time. That's my fault. So I was wondering then with the rest of the funds that we're looking for, are they already in our, operating budget moving forward?”
“I see. I noticed that Project Docs e-plans upgrade is not transferred from page 21 to page 22. Does that mean?”
“Ah. OK. I see. Sorry, I'm just moving along with you. OK. And so I was wondering for each of these systems and contracts, are we able to, I guess, combine them as one system at all? Or are they just all just different systems that we just need to contract them?”
“OK, understood. And thank you. I think you actually helped me get to what I was going to ask, if it was one integrated system that we could contract with instead. But you're right. They're all its own individual vendors. So thank you. OK, I understand. Thank you, Chair.”
“Thank you. Hi, Captain Secuccio. Thank you very much for being here. I was wondering about is it a contract with the software program? And do you have a coordinator with that contract? And if so, are they the ones recommending updating or upgrading the software within the seven years? Or is this based off of just use?”
“And are there plans to combine those staff to then be within one division so that they can communicate better together?”