See where the state Senate is holding a public hearing on the Stevie Wonder blunder? This make me think about our own fiasco.
Wailuku Main Street Association received more than $2 million from us (county) over the past 10 years under false pretenses, and what are we (county) doing to ensure that this does not happen again? Is the administration reviewing its process and procedure to have measurable goals and objectives accompany each request for a grant and have the nonprofits submit progress reports? With so many departments involved in handing out grants, will the administration assign a single department to receive and review reports submitted by nonprofits? Will the council hold public hearings to review the attorney general's preliminary findings or is it waiting until the final report is received?
Being the most generous county in this state must be accompanied by greater responsibility in transparency and accountability in the use of taxpayer money, and clearly that has not been the case over the years.
The administration and council must establish clear, measurable goals and objectives for each nonprofit to which a grant is awarded and a public report on progress of these nonprofits.
Ken Taira
Haiku
