Item EDB-85, I must share that of course, again, I am pleased to see this item on every Committee's agenda. I believe my Council knows my frustration on lack of direct action during a pandemic to safe guard and support the needs of our less fortunate. I will reiterate that the State Civil Defense and the Department of Health (DOH) are tasked to serve the unsheltered during an emergency, this pandemic being considered an emergency. I learned that while DOH District Physician can make recommendations, they have no enforceable authority. This being understood and having asked, begged and repeatedly informed the Mayors office, the Maui Police Department and the Maui Emergency Management Agency about the needs of Central Maui unsheltered, besides a long awaited statement that no 'sweeps' will commence, no real action has been taken and it continues to sadden me, frustrate me and actually anger me.
My calls to the Mayors office, messages through Zeke, Sandy Baz and the Mayors team player, Kimo Apana have circled me back to where I began in my inquiry in early May. I had received a verbal commitment from Sandy Baz and Kimo Apana to join in a conversation regarding solutions for the unsheltered and neither opened the read-receipt email I sent. I am horrified and frankly more than embarrassed at this administrations lack of compassion. In trying to explain to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty I created a graphic to visually explain how many County entities that I have monitored that have failed to serve the needs of this vulnerable population, I have attached it to this testimony.
With regards to the MEO pandemic assistance, I feel it was limited in its scope of outreach. When there are middle class citizens returning to MEO for support 4th and 5th time and even the Foodland grocery cards being mailed to “HOUSES”, it is atrocious that the reach did not make those most in need. How is someone who doesn't have an address expected to be able to receive these benefits? I said it from the beginning, that the digital divide does not afford the many in need the ability to check the MEO website or any other website regularly. The outreach absolutely failed and quite frankly, while I wish not another emergency of this kind, the failure of performance of disseminating County, State, Federal funding must be remembered when appropriating monies in the 2021 Budget deliberations.
Testimony Update based on viewing Committee meeting via Akaku: I agree with and appreciate Chair Alice Lee in her suggestion to distribute grants more widely to other organizations to help disperse the large amounts of pandemic support funding.
In closing, I am also attaching another request for essential provisions from the organization Share Your Mana made to the Parks and Recreation Department. I pray in this final hour, as the winter rain season approaches, that someone, anyone, helps this population of Maui residents who have done amazingly well with so many obstacles.
To answer Council member Tasha Kama question, “What are we doing to help families for Christmas” I would ask this …. What are YOU doing for this population that falls under YOUR Committee purview? I am still confused why your position and initial testimony on the Commission for Healing Solutions on Homelessness was negative in nature, uneducated in form and inappropriate and disruptive by your Homeless Alliance conversation contributions where you insulted fellow council members.
Testimony Update based on viewing Committee meeting via Akaku: Council member Tasha Kama, you are wasting the Council and Community's time by asking questions that were clearly answered. I am concerned about your health and well-being because this is not the first time this has occurred. I have multiple recordings of you falling asleep and then asking questions that were just clarified. Please make considerations on your ability to perform your job.
Item EDB-85, I must share that of course, again, I am pleased to see this item on every Committee's agenda. I believe my Council knows my frustration on lack of direct action during a pandemic to safe guard and support the needs of our less fortunate. I will reiterate that the State Civil Defense and the Department of Health (DOH) are tasked to serve the unsheltered during an emergency, this pandemic being considered an emergency. I learned that while DOH District Physician can make recommendations, they have no enforceable authority. This being understood and having asked, begged and repeatedly informed the Mayors office, the Maui Police Department and the Maui Emergency Management Agency about the needs of Central Maui unsheltered, besides a long awaited statement that no 'sweeps' will commence, no real action has been taken and it continues to sadden me, frustrate me and actually anger me.
My calls to the Mayors office, messages through Zeke, Sandy Baz and the Mayors team player, Kimo Apana have circled me back to where I began in my inquiry in early May. I had received a verbal commitment from Sandy Baz and Kimo Apana to join in a conversation regarding solutions for the unsheltered and neither opened the read-receipt email I sent. I am horrified and frankly more than embarrassed at this administrations lack of compassion. In trying to explain to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty I created a graphic to visually explain how many County entities that I have monitored that have failed to serve the needs of this vulnerable population, I have attached it to this testimony.
With regards to the MEO pandemic assistance, I feel it was limited in its scope of outreach. When there are middle class citizens returning to MEO for support 4th and 5th time and even the Foodland grocery cards being mailed to “HOUSES”, it is atrocious that the reach did not make those most in need. How is someone who doesn't have an address expected to be able to receive these benefits? I said it from the beginning, that the digital divide does not afford the many in need the ability to check the MEO website or any other website regularly. The outreach absolutely failed and quite frankly, while I wish not another emergency of this kind, the failure of performance of disseminating County, State, Federal funding must be remembered when appropriating monies in the 2021 Budget deliberations.
Testimony Update based on viewing Committee meeting via Akaku: I agree with and appreciate Chair Alice Lee in her suggestion to distribute grants more widely to other organizations to help disperse the large amounts of pandemic support funding.
In closing, I am also attaching another request for essential provisions from the organization Share Your Mana made to the Parks and Recreation Department. I pray in this final hour, as the winter rain season approaches, that someone, anyone, helps this population of Maui residents who have done amazingly well with so many obstacles.
To answer Council member Tasha Kama question, “What are we doing to help families for Christmas” I would ask this …. What are YOU doing for this population that falls under YOUR Committee purview? I am still confused why your position and initial testimony on the Commission for Healing Solutions on Homelessness was negative in nature, uneducated in form and inappropriate and disruptive by your Homeless Alliance conversation contributions where you insulted fellow council members.
Testimony Update based on viewing Committee meeting via Akaku: Council member Tasha Kama, you are wasting the Council and Community's time by asking questions that were clearly answered. I am concerned about your health and well-being because this is not the first time this has occurred. I have multiple recordings of you falling asleep and then asking questions that were just clarified. Please make considerations on your ability to perform your job.