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Public access station celebrates community, introduces production goals.
Senate Bill would exempt TV stations from bidding process.
By Jennifer Smith
The State wants to put the job of providing public access television up for bid, a process which some say could take the community out of public media.
Public access stations in Hawaii hope to find shelter in the form of legislation. If passed, Senate Bill 1789 would exempt Public, Education and Government (PEG) access television stations from going to bid.
SB 1789 passed in the Senate and now heads to the House Finance Committee.
“This is the single most important event that has happened in the last 20 years, that if successful will preserve Molokai’s Akaku operation as we know it,” former Akaku board member DeGray Vanderbilt said.
For almost two decades, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) has held contracts with PEG access stations in each Hawaiian county. “PEG Access has a broad mission that involves community building, support for local programming and involvement of all of Hawaii's diverse ethnic and cultural communities,” Milianai Trask said in a written testimony to the Senate.
In 2005 the Attorney General’s office advised the DCCA to regulate PEG stations under the state’s procurement code by creating a request for proposals (RFP). However, an abundance of protests and lawsuits filed by PEG access providers placed procurement procedures on hold and led to the development of SB 1789.
“PEG is not a commodity that should be bought or sold,” Trask said. The testimony echoes the view of hundreds of other concerned citizens who regularly enjoy programming on public access stations.
Opponents of the bill in the State Procurement Office (SPO) argue that the Hawaii Public Procurement Code should apply to PEG stations. “Open procurement procedures assure that the State obtains value, and potential vendors/contractors are treated fairly and that no preferential treatment is provided,” SPO administrator Aaron S. Fujioka said in his testimony.
However, supporters say the proposed procurement process would not be truly open to the public, and that it opens up the bid for the stations to special interests. “I can think of no PEG selection process any less "public" or more harmful to the concept of using the television medium to engage each other for the common good than the secret, inept, punative and breathtakingly destructive RFP process now being used by the DCCA and SPO,” Akaku CEO Jay April said in written testimony.
Exemption from the procurement process does not guaranteed any of the current station administrators’ jobs, April said, explaining that Akaku regularly receives audits.
“The Department does not oppose the intent of this bill because we previously requested an exemption from the Code for its PEG access services contracts,” DCCA Cable Television Administrator Clyde Sonobe said in his testimony. The department does; however, have questions and concerns if SB 1789 is passed, including how to appropriately award PEG access contracts, and how to respond to public criticism about a lack of open procedures.
“No other state in the country uses the procurement code to designate or regulate access
Organizations,” Akaku attorney Lance D. Collins said in his testimony. “Additionally, where such vital public interests are at stake, the procurement code removes significant policy deliberations and considerations away from the public eye and the public process.”
Department of Accounting and General Services Comptroller Russ K. Saito said in his testimony that previous attempts by PEG stations to receive an exemption failed because the procurement code should apply to all government contracts.
“Disappeared News” blogger Larry Geller disagrees in his testimony, noting that the funds generated for the system are different than other public funds. “The procurement of services to provide public access television services is not the same as the state buying goods and services.”
Years of scrutiny have robbed public access stations of valuable time and money, Maui resident John Bruce said in his testimony. The money allotted to the stations comes from cable television subscriber fees and does not belong to the State of Hawaii. A competitive sealed bid process by the state would take the transparent review and public input processes out of the picture, he said.
“SB 1789 would ensure that changes for PEG access would be decided in the open, before the public, and under financially reasonable conditions for PEG access,” Bruce said.
“The idea is to help nurture and grow public access television and make it independent of political pressure as much as possible,” Geller said. “These are the people's television channels, they shouldn't be subjected either to commercial or religious pressure through bidding or to political pressure through the advisory committee.”
Supporters of the bill also argue that potential bidders could not replicate the years of community building the stations have committed. “`Olelo's almost 20 years of providing PEG access services has resulted in an enormous amount of social capital that can not be financially quantified,” `Olelo Community Television CEO Keali'i Lopez said in a submitted testimony.
“If you distill the essence of our services, you will find that we exist to enable people to exercise their First Amendment rights,” Lopez said. “This is not something that can be put out to bid, or something for which performance standards can be written.”
The Senate Committee found that “While an open bid process promotes the public interest generally,” the report said, “in this instance of selecting a PEG organization, open competition would be detrimental to the public.”
“Much of the quality of PEG depends upon the perception and sensitivity of the provider to the needs and wants of the community,” the Senate Report said. “The unquantifiable intangibles of social impact would be negated in an open competition bid process, resulting in rural districts being adversely affected."
A hearing date for SB 1789 has not been scheduled. The bill needs to be heard by April 4. 48 hour notice is given for upcoming hearings.
To voice your opinion on the senate bill contact Representative Marcus R. Oshiro, by calling 1-800-468-4644 (ext. 66200 Oshiro’s office), faxing 808-586-6201, or mailing in testimony to 39th Representative District, Hawaii State Capitol, Room 306, 415 South Beretania Street, Honolulu, HI 96813.
Maui optometrists provide vision screenings for Friendly Isle youth.
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Ohana night showcases book fair.
Lieutenant Governor participates in literacy program on Friendly Isle.
Some of the Lieutenant Governor’s biggest fans were the students.
The Lt. Gov. first participated in the literacy program four years ago as a guest reader. “I came and I read and I was amazed at how many people showed up,” he said. “I said this is a program that needs to stay.”
Since then Aiona has helped to secure funding and participated regularly enough that he has a Read Aloud chair with his name on it.
After speaking to the adult attendees at Kualapu`u, the Lt. Gov. sat in his chair and read from Alan Brennert’s “Molokai.”
“We would not be here tonight if it wasn’t for this man,” Read Aloud America founder Jed Gaines said. Aiona introduced the program to the Department of Human Services for funding, Gaines said.
Since then the program has expanded to include six schools. Next year the Read Aloud Program will be in seven schools, including Kaunakakai and Kilohana Elementary Schools.
Aiona also works with the Uplinks program on Molokai. He said he worked with the Department of Human Services and the Office of Youth Services to establish the after- school program that also offers counseling services. Focusing on preventing underage drinking and drug use, Aiona said the program “tries to take away risk factors.”
The Lt. Gov. said he would like to return to Molokai soon, and he hopes that families will keep on reading.
Read Aloud Program sessions will resume after spring break. Maunaloa will host sessions on April 22 and May 6. For more information contact the school liaison Kimberly Kaii at 552-2000.
Kualapu`u Elementary School will host sessions on April 23 and May 7. For more information contact the school liaison Leila Elia at 567-6900. Families can also contact the Kualapu`u Family Facilitator, Tarrah Horner, for more information on how to get involved. Horner can be reached at 567-6900 ext. 231, or email tarrah_horner@notes.k12.hi.us
For more information on programs Lt. Gov. Aiona is working on contact his office at 808-586-0255. For assistance or referrals to support groups call 211.
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Resource Day provides Business Know -How.
By Jennifer Smith
Thinking about starting your own business? Have a great idea for a new product or service? Want to be your own boss? The Kaha`o Business Center (KBC) can help.
An extension project of the County of Maui’s Office of Economic Development (OED), the KBC provides the resources and business know-how for new or existing business owners on Molokai.
In addition to offering a wide range of everyday services, including computer resources, a library of business publications and research, and a meeting space, the KBC also offers workshops such as last Friday’s “Starting a Business in Maui County.”
The workshop sponsored by the OED featured Small Business Advocate Anna K. Ribucan and Business Action Center (BAC) Manager Jayna Uyehara. Both shared expert advice on what people should know when starting a business.
Workshop attendees were interested in finding ways to capitalize on their skills in the construction and agriculture fields. Each future business owner received a full packet of resource information on how to get started.
Having opened and ran several successful businesses, Rubican spoke from experience. Her personalized view provided information on everything from forming a business plan to developing a marketing strategy, and figuring out finances.
Uyehara described how the BAC can assist people with business registration, tax licensing, and employer registration services. The BAC can also provide information on other government permit and licensing requirements.
"We like to try and give people the whole picture," Uyehara said. The center can tell people why they are filing and how each form relates. “We try to minimize chances of documents being rejected.”
Business owners on Molokai must register online or download forms and send to Oahu. However, a visit to the BAC office on Maui can provide business owners with personalized assistance.
The BAC services are free. The center is also partnering with the Hawaii Bar Association to offer free business legal counsel on Thursday’s between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Business owners can call the BAC at 808-536-2534 to schedule a phone appointment with a lawyer.
Business Resource Guide
Kaha`o Business Center is located in Kaunakaki across from the Molokai Drive Inn. In addition to the services listed above, the center also offers scheduled assistance and services from any of its partners, including micro-loans, entrepreneurial training, business-operations classes, financial literacy, and business-plan development. To make an appointment call 660-0004, or come in Monday to Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Business Action Center can assist business owners in obtaining a general excise tax license, business and trade name registration, employer registration, and a federal employer’s identification number. Centers are located on Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii. For more information call 536-2534.
The Maui County Resource Center provides public access to government resources and access to assistance and consultations from non-profit partners. For more information call Small Business Advocate Anna Ribucan at 873-8246.
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Resource guide provides tools for accessing financial aid.
By Jennifer Smith
Finding the funds for school is often a difficult hurdle to overcome. However, Molokai students of all ages have an abundance of options to assist them in reaching their academic goals. Several organizations and individuals are offering funding to give Friendly Isle students a foot up in their college careers.
Whether you are a high school, undergraduate, or graduate student, the Educational Opportunity Center located at Maui Community College can help students access the necessary resources to obtain financial aid.
Financial Aid Advisor Sybil Lopez helps students of all ages through the sometimes complicated process of finding scholarships and grants, and filling out applications. Lopez said there is a lot of funding out there, and encourages students to visit her office. She also highly recommends students to look at a school’s website for available scholarships.
Some of the local organizations offering scholarships for students include Molokai Credit Union, Lions Club, Josh Jerman Realtor, and the Molokai Filipino Community Council.
The following are just a few of the resources available to current and future students:
Molokai Health Foundation/Molokai General Hospital Scholarship
Scholarships are available to students pursuing careers in health care and/or human services fields. Applications are available at Molokai General Hospital’s Administration Office and Maui Community College’s Education Center. Application Deadline: Postmarked by March 31. For more information contact: Punahele Alcon at (808) 553-3123.
The Molokai Dispatch Excellence in Writing and Media Scholarship
The local newspaper wants to empower at least one local high-school student through the recognition and appreciation of their writing and/or visual art skills.
The Dispatch and the Friends of MHIS will present a Molokai High School student with a scholarship of at least $500 for excellence in the fields of journalism, creative writing, and/or visual arts.
The recipient will be asked for two submissions per month for publication in the Molokai Dispatch. The submission can be any combination of fiction, non-fiction, or photography pertinent to the Molokai community, contemporary youth culture, or Hawaiian culture.
Deadline is April 1. Download a scholarship form at www.TheMolokaiDispatch.com/scholarship.pdf or pick one up at the Molokai Dispatch, 2 Kamoi St. Ste 4, Kaunakakai.
Interested donors can make a check out to Friends of MHIS for “Writing & Media Scholarship.” Donations can be sent to Friends of MHIS c/o The Molokai Dispatch, P.O. Box 482219, Kaunakakai, HI 96748. All donations are tax deductible and 100% of collected funds will go toward the student scholarship.
Native Hawaiian Scholarships
Some of the current native Hawaiian scholarships include Kamehameha Schools scholarships, beginning at $1,500. The application deadline is April 21. Prince Kuhio scholarships, deadline for applications is April 1. Liko Aie scholarships, deadline for applications is June 1.
Know Your Forms
Filling out a FAFSA
Knowing how to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can make the difference in most people’s ability to receive funding for school. The form helps institutions, both federal and non-federal determine how much financial aid a student qualifies for.
Once the FAFSA is completed and submitted the student receives a Student Aid Report, which most institutions require to award funding.
The deadline for FAFSA applications at MCC is April1.
For more information on the FAFSA visit www.fafsa.ed.gov.
For more information, or for assistance seeking financial aid please call Sybil Lopez at 553-4490, ext. 24, or email her at lopezs@hawaii.edu.
Lopez is available at the community college Mon., Wed., Fri. 8 a.m.-3 p.m., and Tues. and Thurs. 8-11 a.m. She is available at Molokai High School Tues. and Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
A FAFSA Weekend
The first weekend in March students from the marketing, accounting and business ethics fields at Chaminade University provided tax and FAFSA assistance to Molokai residents.
“The most important thing is to let them know they can get money,” Chaminade accounting student Peter Hsu said. This is the second year Hsu has participated in a service learning project to provide tax and FAFSA assistance. “We realized a lot of students want to go to college, but don’t have the money.”
Chaminade professor Peggy Friedman said the program benefits her students almost as much as the families they are assisting. She said the students gain hands on experience, while helping families to take some of the sting out of filling out the forms.
This is the first year Chaminade partnered with Maui Community College (MCC) on Molokai. Friedman said she felt as though the visit was a success and she hopes to return with students next year.
Friedman made a point to thank MCC representative and Chaminade graduate Kelly Tachibana for all of her hard work. “Without Kelley it would have been very difficult, she spent a lot of time making this happen.”
Tachibana said the services were meant to provide a “one stop shop kind of deal.” She said whether people are planning to stay on Molokai or have intentions to go off island, “there is so much federal financial aid out there for students.”
Students who were unable to make it to the FAFSA workshop can call Sybil Lopez at 553-4490, ext. 24 to make an appointment, or email her at lopezs@hawaii.edu.
Mahalo to Gear Up, Aloha United Way, Chaminade University, and Maui Community College for providing funding for the event.
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