GREAT-21(1) Reso 24-49 RESOLUTION 24-49, RELATING TO AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 13 OF THE REVISED CHARTER OF THE COUNTY OF MAUI (1983), AS AMENDED, TO ALLOW REAPPOINTMENT OF BOARD OF ETHICS MEMBERS FOR ONE SUCCESSIVE TERM (GREAT-21(1))
I am Kathryn Shroder, a member of the Board of Ethics. Thank you Chair Nohelani U'u-Hodgins and committee members for your consideration of Resolution 24-49. The resolution would allow for the reappointment of Ethics Board members for a second term. This would not guarantee a member a second term. The resolution would permit a Board Member who has contributed greatly to be appointed to a second (successive) term. As you all know, it takes time to learn how to do a job well. With Board Members terming out each year, we lose dedicated people who have put the time in to understand all that the Board of Ethics does in its scope and practice. When we have 4 vacancies on a 9 member Board and cannot meet the quorum requirement (because one of us is ill or temporarily off-island), we feel as though we are letting people down. We cannot respond in a timely manner to requests for advisory opinions, complaints, FDS acknowledgements, etc. This resolution would help the Board to better do its job. Thank you.
Dear Chair Nohelani U'u-Hodgins and committee members: My name is Laurie Wong-Nowinski and I have been on staff with the Honolulu Ethics Commission since 2010. However, I am writing this in my personal capacity, and not in any official capacity nor on behalf of the Honolulu Ethics Commission. In order to effectuate lasting governmental change, it must happen strategically, gradually, and collaboratively. Ethics Board members should be allowed the time it takes to effectuate this lasting change. I urge you to pass this resolution, and allow the voters of the C&C Maui to determine whether Ethics Board members be allowed reappointment for one successive term.
Mahalo for the opportunity to this testimony in support of Reso 24-49.
Dear Chair Nohelani U'u-Hodgins and committee members: My name is Steven Sturdevant and as Chair of the Maui Ethics Board. I strongly support Resolution 24-49. If passed, it would greatly benefit the effectiveness of your Ethics Board. We just lost our chair Gerri Lewis and her outstanding knowledge. Boards and commissions on other counties and the state allow for reappointment for one additional term. I ask that you please approve this very important resolution.
Aloha Chair Nohelani U'u-Hodgins and committee members:
My name is Steven Sturdevant and as Chair of the Maui Ethics Board, I strongly support Resolution 24-95. Establishing full-time staff, including an Executive Director/Legal Counsel, secretary, and investigator, would significantly enhance our effectiveness in several ways:
1. Informal Advice: Staff could provide timely ethics advice to public employees and officials, reducing the current wait time of one to two months.
2. Training: we currently cannot train employees and officials on ethics rules, a gap full-time staff could fill.
3. Conflict Avoidance: Dedicated staff would eliminate conflicts of interest involving the corporation counsel.
4. Investigations: Full-time staff would enable independent investigation and prosecution of ethics violations.
5. Unbiased Adjudication: With staff handling investigations, the Ethics Board could remain impartial.
6. Information Dissemination: Staff could regularly update the public and employees on ethics issues.
7. Streamlined FDS Review: Full-time staff would manage FDS reviews, freeing the board to focus on significant matters.
I urge you to approve this essential resolution.
My name is Gerri Lewis and I served on the County of Maui Board of Ethics from 2019 through 2024. I strongly support Resolution 24-49. If passed, it would greatly benefit the effectiveness of your Board of Ethics.
Without passing this resolution, we will continue to have vacancies problems within this important Board.
At the end of my term in March 2024, there were 2 vacant positions open for over a year. This meant there only 7 active members with a mandatory minimum of 5 to meet quorum. Vacancies impact quorums of all boards and commissions. The BOE, for example, has on multiple occasions been unable to meet quorum requirements.
Passing this resolution means pressing ethics issues can be needlessly delayed.
Another current problem that this resolution will help is the loss of corporate knowledge. As your former Chair (2021 and 2023)and Secretary (2022), I gained extensive knowledge and experience by attending meetings, joining temporary interactive groups, and most recently, attending the 2nd State of Hawaii Ethics Commission Meeting. My departure not only created
an additional vacancy, but the knowledge I gained serving the BOE is now lost. Retaining board members for one additional term would greatly assist the
BOE in retaining experienced and qualified members on the Board.
Dear Chair Nohelani U'u-Hodgins and committee members: I am Michael A. Lilly, Vice Chair of the Maui Ethics Board. I strongly support Resolution 24-49. If passed, it would greatly benefit the effectiveness of your Ethics Board in two respects. First, every year we lose board members which creates a vacancy until a new member is confirmed. When we are unable to meet quorum requirements, we are unable to meet, thereby losing a month. Many times critical issues are thus unable to be addressed timely. Second, when we lose a board member, we lose his or her corporate knowledge of ethics rules, laws and procedures. We just lost our chair Gerri Lewis and her outstanding knowledge. Boards and commissions on other counties and the state allow for reappointment for one additional term. I ask that you please approve this very important resolution.
I am Kathryn Shroder, a member of the Board of Ethics. Thank you Chair Nohelani U'u-Hodgins and committee members for your consideration of Resolution 24-49. The resolution would allow for the reappointment of Ethics Board members for a second term. This would not guarantee a member a second term. The resolution would permit a Board Member who has contributed greatly to be appointed to a second (successive) term. As you all know, it takes time to learn how to do a job well. With Board Members terming out each year, we lose dedicated people who have put the time in to understand all that the Board of Ethics does in its scope and practice. When we have 4 vacancies on a 9 member Board and cannot meet the quorum requirement (because one of us is ill or temporarily off-island), we feel as though we are letting people down. We cannot respond in a timely manner to requests for advisory opinions, complaints, FDS acknowledgements, etc. This resolution would help the Board to better do its job. Thank you.
Dear Chair Nohelani U'u-Hodgins and committee members: My name is Laurie Wong-Nowinski and I have been on staff with the Honolulu Ethics Commission since 2010. However, I am writing this in my personal capacity, and not in any official capacity nor on behalf of the Honolulu Ethics Commission. In order to effectuate lasting governmental change, it must happen strategically, gradually, and collaboratively. Ethics Board members should be allowed the time it takes to effectuate this lasting change. I urge you to pass this resolution, and allow the voters of the C&C Maui to determine whether Ethics Board members be allowed reappointment for one successive term.
Mahalo for the opportunity to this testimony in support of Reso 24-49.
Dear Chair Nohelani U'u-Hodgins and committee members: My name is Steven Sturdevant and as Chair of the Maui Ethics Board. I strongly support Resolution 24-49. If passed, it would greatly benefit the effectiveness of your Ethics Board. We just lost our chair Gerri Lewis and her outstanding knowledge. Boards and commissions on other counties and the state allow for reappointment for one additional term. I ask that you please approve this very important resolution.
Aloha Chair Nohelani U'u-Hodgins and committee members:
My name is Steven Sturdevant and as Chair of the Maui Ethics Board, I strongly support Resolution 24-95. Establishing full-time staff, including an Executive Director/Legal Counsel, secretary, and investigator, would significantly enhance our effectiveness in several ways:
1. Informal Advice: Staff could provide timely ethics advice to public employees and officials, reducing the current wait time of one to two months.
2. Training: we currently cannot train employees and officials on ethics rules, a gap full-time staff could fill.
3. Conflict Avoidance: Dedicated staff would eliminate conflicts of interest involving the corporation counsel.
4. Investigations: Full-time staff would enable independent investigation and prosecution of ethics violations.
5. Unbiased Adjudication: With staff handling investigations, the Ethics Board could remain impartial.
6. Information Dissemination: Staff could regularly update the public and employees on ethics issues.
7. Streamlined FDS Review: Full-time staff would manage FDS reviews, freeing the board to focus on significant matters.
I urge you to approve this essential resolution.
My name is Gerri Lewis and I served on the County of Maui Board of Ethics from 2019 through 2024. I strongly support Resolution 24-49. If passed, it would greatly benefit the effectiveness of your Board of Ethics.
Without passing this resolution, we will continue to have vacancies problems within this important Board.
At the end of my term in March 2024, there were 2 vacant positions open for over a year. This meant there only 7 active members with a mandatory minimum of 5 to meet quorum. Vacancies impact quorums of all boards and commissions. The BOE, for example, has on multiple occasions been unable to meet quorum requirements.
Passing this resolution means pressing ethics issues can be needlessly delayed.
Another current problem that this resolution will help is the loss of corporate knowledge. As your former Chair (2021 and 2023)and Secretary (2022), I gained extensive knowledge and experience by attending meetings, joining temporary interactive groups, and most recently, attending the 2nd State of Hawaii Ethics Commission Meeting. My departure not only created
an additional vacancy, but the knowledge I gained serving the BOE is now lost. Retaining board members for one additional term would greatly assist the
BOE in retaining experienced and qualified members on the Board.
Dear Chair Nohelani U'u-Hodgins and committee members: I am Michael A. Lilly, Vice Chair of the Maui Ethics Board. I strongly support Resolution 24-49. If passed, it would greatly benefit the effectiveness of your Ethics Board in two respects. First, every year we lose board members which creates a vacancy until a new member is confirmed. When we are unable to meet quorum requirements, we are unable to meet, thereby losing a month. Many times critical issues are thus unable to be addressed timely. Second, when we lose a board member, we lose his or her corporate knowledge of ethics rules, laws and procedures. We just lost our chair Gerri Lewis and her outstanding knowledge. Boards and commissions on other counties and the state allow for reappointment for one additional term. I ask that you please approve this very important resolution.