Um I did want to share um they're going to be reaching out to u Mr. Banda about an idea uh for a youth version of the Narcan and the QPR training. I believe they offered this previously at the library um as a community event. um but they want to do a specialized training for for those students that it's appropriate for um and want that opportunity. So, there'll be more to come on that. Um I believe the date is likely going to be uh around late April, early May. So, just a heads up there. >> Cool. Thank you. >> Y >> Emily, good evening. >> Good evening. All right. Sorry, I don't have too many updates, but um first off, the student government started planning the spring pep rally and March Madness tournaments that are coming up soon. And they're also preparing for elections that are supposed to be in April.
Um, it's it's useful life and it is time to replace it. I mean, it's still it passed all the GMAX testing, but >> So, it doesn't >> Yeah, exactly. And I'll I'll just add that for the $7,500, you will get an estimate of probable cost from SLR as part of that as part of that process. So, >> and so we went so we went out last year without a Wait, did we have a Did we have a study done last year on the field before we put out what was it? $800,000. >> No, no, that was based on um you know, a couple years old an SLR proposal. And like ultimately you got you know we didn't put that in year one, right? The um >> No, we didn't. We didn't have anything to do with it. So, but that's also um for for you all to consider is, you know, if we're putting this in year one of this project, you know, going with our strongest foot forward and saying this is the most recent design that we we have.
Um and so, you know, I'm looking forward to, you know, the audit where we can feel like we've had our stamp on it and we could stand behind those that um pretty confidently. So, uh we're getting there. We're still digging. Um and but again, I just want to thank Angela and Mike and there's a whole team behind them as well who worked really hard to on the compliance piece. The the audits were all all consuming. They are all consuming, but on the the timeline that they were in, they they've done a great job. So, I just want to say thank you. >> And aside from audits, I mean, they do have their daily >> regular job. That was the hard part about this is that it's, you know, we're still operating. You know, Mike Mike has food service under his belt. We we went through a massive conversion last year in the midst of the audits audits.
Um are there any board members that have any questions for clarification purposes? >> Yes. Um so on page uh 25 of 31 I believe I just wanted to get clarification from um our business our CBO regarding like the timing of the payment for for the um Vicotta system. Could you explain that timing please? Uh I and I'm sorry that's on the Yes. The accounts payable. Yes. So that payment was related to the cameras that the board approved in December. Those were ordered in January and received at the end of January and then payment was issued February 10th. Thank you. Do we have any other questions? Would anyone like to uh would any board member like to pull a consent item for further discussion? Okay. So, at this time, um would anyone like to make a motion to approve the consent calendar? A >> motion to approve.
>> Thank you, Chair. Dad stands on this weekend testimony in support of this measure. >> Thank you, Senator. Uh, next is Department of Health. Department of Health will stand on his testimony comments. >> Comments. Okay. Uh Tommy Johnson from Department of Corrections and Rehab. >> Frank standing in for Dark Johnson, Department of Correction Rehabilitation. We stand on our written testimony and opposition of the bill. >> Thank you. >> Uh Keith Hayashi from DOE on Zoom. >> Not on Zoom. Chair, >> thank you. Offers comments. Brian Miiamoto, Hawaii Farm Bureau. Thank you, chair. The Hawaii Farm Bill will stand on its written testimony, supported intent. >> Okay. Carlin McFaden from the Hawaii Food Plus Policy Purple Maya Foundation support. Ann Frederick from Hapa Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Actions in support. Uh Khalani Nui Wilson in support. So we have a total of 11 in support, one opposed and three have comments.
>> At Monoa, there's about 3,000 beds. And how many vacant? >> Oh, very little. We We are at like a 97% occupancy rate and others Hilo. I don't know the details of Hilo's um inventory. >> You can get that to >> Yes. Yeah. Westahoo. West Oahu has no student housing. >> Do they need student housing? >> Yes, >> that's a question in this plan. >> Yes. >> Wasn't there an attempt to build student housing and at that point? >> Yeah, I think there is a study. Um there was a a more what I would say a more informal study that uh so student housing um I think I just want to put out there um there's housing and then there's the cost of housing. So when we do these studies to find out what kind of housing um should the university be providing the context to that is what are people will what are students willing to pay because if you say do you need housing most people would raise their hand if it comes back at market prices how many hands go down right so the study really needs we need to know truly what that price point is going to be so that when we a can we afford to build it at that price point and then B if that way do we get a 97% you know 98% occupancy >> but the stats don't mean anything if you guys do the study and don't do anything with it for 10 years.
So, so you know for everybody as long as we can make the meeting hopefully later in the month everything will go similarly as it has in prior years. Any other comments or questions from Mr. Zepo operations? All right, Mrs. Hi, do we have a report force? >> Very good. take it away. >> We have a long report. Um it was a it was busy for at Somerset County Ed Services Commission. Um there were four presentations and the first one was the 2025 audit and overall doing very well with three recommendations. They were um payroll check. This is where all the um employees are verified. they have to come and sign for their check um just to make sure that everybody on is there alive and active. Um the other the other two suggestions were um paperwork submissions so for food services and lead water testing just that they get their paperwork on time.
So, by removing the team prep from the day, you're going to take and add another 36 sections to your school day. And that's going to thus bring down the class sizes to something that's a little bit closer to what fifth graders um experience now at our elementary schools. Um one other thing uh with with this is to understand and this is where it gets difficult and complicated. So anytime we take a student and they have something specific in their schedule, it puts them in this category. Well, if you add an another category to it, it makes it even more specific. If you add another category to it, it makes it even more specific. And one of those things is teaming. Um, so when a student comes in right now, if we have a movein student, then we usually identify a team for that student to be on.
>> It's a recap number. It's under under the 14. >> Right. So total state aid I see 14 million and then minus. So minus offsets, we wind up with 13 million >> of state aid. >> Let me think about a better way to explain this because it's not >> it's not how I'm explaining it is not working. >> Okay. >> Um so >> so I have two questions o other than that. So, if the if we do the override, we're saying we're going to do new growth of 900,000. >> Correct. >> But the 2026 recap, we're only calling for $754,000. >> Correct. >> Why? >> Because we're anticipating some of these buildings maybe to start construction. >> Okay. So, why wouldn't we put the 900,000 in the 2026 recap? Oh, I'm sorry. Never mind. Never mind. I just heard myself say that. >> It's easy to >> So the 2026 we're in currently the 20 Okay, never mind.
And as mentioned, gymnastics won their conference championships, which everyone is very proud of them for. And I know I mentioned this um at a board meeting, I think like two times ago, but um I'd like to say it again and emphasize how the grad party really needs volunteers and donations from families and communities in order to keep it running this year. and the years following. So, if anyone who can, please consider helping out the grad party so we can keep it going. And that's kind of that's all I have for you today. >> What's uh with the March Madness? What are you guys doing? >> Um last year they redid Bad Mitten. I think there was cornhole. There's like just some little >> different tournament type things. >> Yeah. I don't know what they do what they're going to do this year, but I think it's like more of like a surprise thing going on.
>> So, I just I want to be really clear about this like we stepped into this conversation and I completely understand. So, I don't know if there's any other like offline conversations. I understand completely where you're coming from, Emily, and I'm I'm not upset with you for doing this. I appreciate you trying to like take care of stuff. I think it'd be great if it got replaced and I also heard the voters speak only a couple months ago and so talking about spending more money on it right now, it's it's not something I'm like really excited about by any means. Just to be just to be totally clear about that. This is uh yeah, I I I don't think that I'm prepared like if we had a vote tonight, I don't think I'm prepared to say, "Oh, let's spend, you know, $7,500 or only $7,500 on it." I It's a more complicated topic.
We converted over to a whole new food service company. Um, which was a big shift. We hadn't done that in like 20 years. So, that was a massive conversion while we're opening a brand new buildings. There's so many things happening. So, um, there's a lot of layers to what folks do that people don't see often. So, uh, it's important to make sure everybody knows how much appreciated. So, I do appreciate you guys. >> Thank you, Cara. Appreciate that. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you, Cara. I mean, sometimes we're at the board and we don't see a lot of what happens behind the scenes, but um, you know, there's a lot of work that goes into putting all of this together and there's a lot of a lot of work to finances. This is not these are not little bucks. These are big bucks that you guys are working on.
>> Okay. We have a >> second. Yes. >> Okay. We have a first by um Vice President Olsen and a second by Lando, Mr. Lando. Uh any discussion at this time? Okay, let's go ahead and and vote. Um Oh, >> the consent calendar. Okay. Yes, we do have a quite a list. Okay. So, let's go ahead and vote. And um Mrs. Hayes, can we begin with you? H I >> Olsson I. >> Conan I. >> Lando. I >> Robinson I. >> Okay. We have um five in favor, none opposed. So, um, we this passes the consent calendar. Okay, let's go ahead and move on. Um, we're now on we're going to be talking about um, okay, so just to be clear here, this is a public hearingformational. Um, we're going to be talking about Wildflower Open Charter School uh renewal and let's see, uh, Heather Sufentes is going to be presenting.
Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure members? Any questions? [music] >> Yes. >> Corrections. >> Good afternoon. >> State your name. Uh, Frank Young, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. >> Okay. Um, you you came out opposed to this. Can you walk me through why you're opposed? >> Um, well, based on our testimony, we're struggling to meet the current percentage, I believe, at 10%. Um, upping up to 30 in in a couple of years. I just see a a steeper path for us to comply with that. And for you, what what is the obstruction? Where are barriers to get this in? >> Um, primarily it's the procurement process. Um, and then the quantities of the types of foods we're currently produ uh using in our meals, things like potatoes, carrots, celery, those kind of things, those items. >> So, and I don't want to put words in your mouth, that's why I'm asking you to explain it.
>> Yeah. So hopefully we will do the study that looks at um what the true market a true market study is going to look at not just who says they need housing but it'll look at all the other elements like um again the the price point um the type of unit uh apartment style living um versus more freshman dorm style living all of that gets factored in. So that is the study that needs to be done at West Oahu. That has not been that was not done. >> And for the amount of student housing that you that you have that are in use, >> what percent are um you know mainland students and what percent are local students? Do you have that count? >> I just know um because we have students from the neighbor islands that come to the university that we help. >> Yeah.
Um the BA um Jessipola presented the summary for the budget and they did a 10-year review of the uh revenue history, looked at enrollment trends. It looks like it might be going down a little bit this year because there are a large number of seniors who are graduating and students going back to district, which is always the goal. That's exactly what you want. Um the proposed budget has a a 6.5% increase and the largest components are salaries, benefits and special ed transportation. Um another presentation was on the um just a review of the 2526 district goals. Um the first goal is enrollment and again they decreased it. It was they wanted a 25% increase but because there are so many seniors and students who are going this year that they dropped that to a 15% increase. Students are working towards uh rewards and incentives. Um ESC has added three new classrooms this year.
Um, and sometimes the class sizes in those courses are already very large because of whether it be band orchestra choir or the student needs to have an honors course because they're an honors student or they need an ENL course because they're an ENL student or a special needs student, they have to have that support in their language arts and math course. So, every time you add a layer, you lose flexibility within your scheduling. So with teaming being removed from the middle school schedule, when a student comes in, we can then look at their schedule, look at our class sizes across the board, and better balance when we have new moveins throughout the year. Where right now it can drive up numbers, especially if a student is on an honors track or, you know, a sped track or an ENL track where they have to have a certain course, it's going to drive up some of those numbers, including our UA courses.
>> So I I like whenever I refer to this year when I'm talking about, >> you know, budgets at this time of year, I'm I'm always thinking of the next year, too. So >> um so in any case, that's that's the general fund summary. And so that's if the override passes. Um what the next sheet is is also just on the municipal side. It also has some of the um the other line items as well, but it has the increase associated with them. Um and I put notes next to some of the larger ones um on the municipal side and I can go through each of those that the the big ones that I've got notes next to. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Let's let's Let's um let's go through that. >> Okay. So, under the town manager account, it's going up 75K. Um Stephanie had some incumbrances in there which I didn't have a chance to ask her about um before she uh went on a short vacation.
But I'm excited. >> In case don't answer my question. Emily, did you see during ILT today the presentation for the grad party? >> Oh, yes, I did. >> Do you think it was well received or were kids scanning the QR code? >> Yes, at least at the ILT that I was in, I was in Miss Young's IT, everyone had their phone out scanning the QR code and was trying to get people cuz I mean, I was in a senior obviously, so all these seniors like really want it to work out. So, yeah. >> Juniors and seniors juniors know for next year I hope. >> Oh, yes, definitely. >> Yeah, we got to get them on board. All right. Thank you. All right, moving on to consent agenda. >> I move that the board approve the following items. New hires resignations. >> I secondary financials. >> January financials.
>> Yeah. >> I mean, I I understand, Tim, I you know, I get that the voters said no, and I was kind of surprised at that, but the reality is that at some point that field isn't going to test. and now we don't have a field and you know we've got a lot of athletes that are going to be looking for a place to play and we can't play and you know god forbid that you know it doesn't test this summer what do we do you know >> no and I I totally get that I get where you're coming from and I kind of wonder if has the council said anything about this like in response to us I haven't heard anything like I wish they'd be like hey by the way we really screwed up board of ed sorry about that like at minimum >> I think you know I think it's something that, you know, we I I I think we have to spend the 7,500.