From: Erin Tseu <erin.tseu@lejardinacademy.org>
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2024 12:20:43 PM (UTC-10:00) Hawaii
To: BFED Committee <BFED.Committee@mauicounty.us>
Subject: Fiscal Year 2025 Budget

Dear BFED Committee,

I am writing to request that you add $285,000 to the Lāna'i Feral Animal Control line item in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget and award it to the Lanai Cat Sanctuary so they can continue to provide feral cat services on the island.

Recently students from our school on 'Oahu went on a week-long educational experience to both Maui and Lana'i to learn more about the threats to endangered and native birds, the impact of free roaming cats, and how we can collaborate to help BOTH. The Lanai Cat Sanctuary was by far the most well-run organization of all of the organizations we visited. These are some of the impacts the LCS had on our students:

• Learning about how the Lanai Cat Sanctuary rescues so many cats, as well as maintains care for each and every one of them was very interesting. It was especially impactful to see how every member of the staff contributes so much to the sanctuary, and work so hard for the cats. It is also interesting to think about how a system like that could be when implemented on Oahu.
• It was impactful to see a cat sanctuary on a large scale. They are the home to over 800 cats. This is a goal that many non-profit organizations hope to reach. This includes the Pōpoki Place Oahu Cat Sanctuary. They take in street cats (and maui fire cats) and provide them with a comfortable home to live and thrive with other cats just like them.
• It was nice to see what a cat sanctuary on Oahu could be by seeing one on the Lanai on oahu could be by seeing one on lanai. It was good to see how their system works and how they do things with how many cats they have. It was nice to see how all the cats are well fed and cleaned.
• I was impacted by this i term because it was important as a kid who as always lived with cats either owning or fostering. To see how to prevent cats from affecting the natural world of Hawaii in a bad way and how to help the endangered birds. We not only learning important lessons about cats but also learning in a fun way and seeing how our campus takes part in these precautions for the cats and marsh and taking all that in was impactful for me.
• Throughout the course of the I-term, I not only learned more about a topic I've always been interested in, but also learned about myself. As a junior, I have recently been thinking about college, and trying to decide what I want to study. I've always had an interest in all animals, so Zoology or Veterinary services were always a choice in my mind, but this trip really cemented my decision, because seeing all of these animals in need made me realize that I could be a part of the solution.

The Lanai Cat Sanctuary has not only reduced the feral cat population on Lāna'i, but we saw first hand on our tour of many different organizations that they are the leader in the industry for their progressive approach to saving endangered birds by providing humane solutions for cats predating in protected areas.

Unsterilized female cats in Hawaii that are 6 months or older can have up to 3 litters a year, with 3-5 kittens per litter. Without the Lanai Cat Sanctuary, feral cats would overrun the island of Lāna'i.

If the Lanai Cat Sanctuary does not receive the funding needed to continue accepting all feral and unwanted cats, it will severely impact the progress the island of Lāna'i has made in controlling the feral cat population and protecting the native and endangered birds on the island. Also without this funding, students such as ours will lose a valuable educational resource - we all, and particularly our youth, need to learn about the most effective ways to deal with the free roaming cat crisis on all our islands.

Thank you,
Erin Tseu

--
Erin Tseu
Secondary Teacher/Science
O: (808) 261-0707 ext 3010

From: Chanda Hinman <chandahinman@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2024 7:40:17 AM (UTC-10:00) Hawaii
To: BFED Committee <BFED.Committee@mauicounty.us>
Subject: Please Add $285,000 to FY25 Budget for Lanai Feral Cat Control

Dear BFED Committee,

My name is Chanda Hinman. I visited the Lanai Cat Sanctuary last year and have donated regularly since then.

I am writing to request that you add $285,000 to the Lāna'i Feral Animal Control line item in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget and award it to the Lanai Cat Sanctuary so they can continue to provide feral cat services on the island.

The Lanai Cat Sanctuary has not only reduced the feral cat population on Lāna'i, but they are a leader in the industry for their progressive approach to saving endangered birds by providing humane solutions for cats predating in protected areas.

Unsterilized female cats in Hawaii that are 6 months or older can have up to 3 litters a year, with 3-5 kittens per litter. Without the Lanai Cat Sanctuary, feral cats would overrun the island of Lāna'i.

If the Lanai Cat Sanctuary does not receive the funding needed to continue accepting all feral and unwanted cats, it will severely impact the progress the island of Lāna'i has made in controlling the feral cat population and protecting the native and endangered birds on the island.

Thank you,
Chanda Hinman

From: MRS. OS Counselor <jessica.osborne@lejardinacademy.org>
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2024 11:20:51 AM (UTC-10:00) Hawaii
To: BFED Committee <BFED.Committee@mauicounty.us>
Subject: Please Add $285,000 to FY25 Budget for Lanai Feral Cat Control

Dear BFED Committee,

My name is Jessica Osborne. I am writing to officially submit a testimony requesting that you add $285,000 to the Lāna'i Feral Animal Control line item in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget and award it to the Lanai Cat Sanctuary so they can continue to provide feral cat services on the island.

The Lanai Cat Sanctuary has not only reduced the feral cat population on Lāna'i, but they are a leader in the industry for their progressive approach to saving endangered birds by providing humane solutions for cats predating in protected areas.

Unsterilized female cats in Hawaii that are 6 months or older can have up to 3 litters a year, with 3-5 kittens per litter. Without the Lanai Cat Sanctuary, feral cats would overrun the island of Lāna'i.

If the Lanai Cat Sanctuary does not receive the funding needed to continue accepting all feral and unwanted cats, it will severely impact the progress the island of Lāna'i has made in controlling the feral cat population and protecting the native and endangered birds on the island.

Thank you,

--
Jessica Osborne
Secondary Counselor
https://www.ljacounseling.org/
O: 808.261.0707 ext 2010

From: Daniel Southmayd <daniel@mauiaids.org>
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2024 10:08 AM
To: BFED Committee <BFED.Committee@mauicounty.us>
Subject: Testimony in Support of Maui AIDS Foundation’s grants from the COUNTY OF MAUI Mayor Richard T. Bissen Jr.’s Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2025

Aloha Council Members Lee, Rawlins-Fernandez, Sinenci, Sugimura, Kama, Johnson, Paltin, Cook, and U’u-Hodgins,

Maui AIDS Foundation (MAF) is a nonprofit health and social service organization serving the residents of Maui County for over 37 years. The basic goals of the Maui AIDS Foundation’s Treatment Core Services programs are to minimize/eliminate HIV/HCV/STIs through testing, education, and to extend a linkage to medical care. MAF also provides Harm Reduction services including Narcan training/distribution and Syringe Exchange services and access to our food pantry.

Free clinics unburden public resources at a rate of $34 per $1 invested. We are asking this Council to invest wisely in our organization, which will prevent long-term increases in health care treatment, opioid overdose, and food insecurity for houseless residents.
MAF assists those incarcerated, those living with Hepatitis and other STIs, people living with HIV, those suffering with substance use issues, LGBTQIA+ and Mahu populations, women and youth at-risk, Native Hawaiian communities, and those with mental illness disorders by offering a wide-range of linkage to care that promotes wellness and enhances quality of life.

MAF is requesting expanded grant funding to assist the agency with the following objectives:

• Expansion of MAF’s free clinic services to offset the increases in Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI); especially since the Maui Wildfires in August of 2023.

• Expansion of MAF’s prevention and harm reduction education to set a path toward elimination of HIV, Hepatitis, and other Sexually Transmitted Infections and in effort to reduce stigma.

• Increase efforts in harm reduction by the training and distribution of Narcan to assist Maui County residents with the ability to administer life-saving opioid overdose treatment

• Expand capacity to enable staff to begin some vaccination services by hiring an RN or LPN to support our one Provider, Dr. Bryan Chin.

MAF has always actively pursued a combination of funding mechanisms. This expanded County funding would provide MAF resources to provide the services that Maui County desperately needs at this time.

Mahalo for consideration of increasing the funding for our County Grant Proposals. The goal is to eliminate STIs and Opioid overdose. We can affect this outcome with your help.

Mahalo, and best,
Daniel J. Southmayd, Medical Case Manager
Maui AIDS Foundation
1935 Main St., #101, Wailuku, HI 96793
Telephone: (808) 242-4900 Fax: (808) 242-1968

From: County Clerk <County.Clerk@mauicounty.us>
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2024 7:24:08 AM (UTC-10:00) Hawaii
To: BFED Committee <BFED.Committee@mauicounty.us>
Subject: FW: HARF Funding


From: lepatriinu@gmail.com <lepatriinu@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2024 1:03 AM
To: County Clerk <County.Clerk@mauicounty.us>
Subject: HARF Funding

As a resident of Maui I strongly support HARF receiving continued support from the county. Their work is vital. They are Maui's kahu.

('The Hawaiian word "kahu" is used to refer to someone who has a pet, rather than the term "pet owner." This word has a deep spiritual meaning, as it implies that the person and their pet are connected on a spiritual level. " Kahu" can be translated as "guardian" or "protector."')