SSCR1991

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1991

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: GOV. MSG. NOS. 537, 539, 540

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 537, 539, and 540, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of:

Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority

G.M. No. 537

MICHELLE WONG-WILSON,

for a term to expire 06-30-2025;

G.M. No. 539

JOSHUA MANGAUIL,

for a term to expire 06-30-2024; and

G.M. No. 540

POMAIKALANI BERTELMANN,

for a term to expire 06-30-2024,

begs leave to report as follows:

Your Committee reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by Michelle Wong-Wilson, Joshua Mangauil, and Pomaikalani Bertelmann for service on the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority.

MICHELLE WONG-WILSON

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Michelle Wong-Wilson from one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, Canada-France-Hawai‘i Telescope Corporation, Kūpuna for the Mo‘opuna, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Hawaiian Civic Club of Hilo, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Kāko‘o Haleakalā, Waimea Hawaiian Civic Club, Kamehameha Schools, and seventy individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to the nomination for the appointment of Michelle Wong-Wilson from seven individuals. Your Committee received comments on the nomination for the appointment of Michelle Wong-Wilson from one individual.

Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Dr. Wong-Wilson's background, experience, and dedication to community service qualify her to be appointed to the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority. Dr. Wong-Wilson has been serving as an interim member of the Authority since her appointment in September 2022. Dr. Wong-Wilson was selected from a list of names submitted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Dr. Wong-Wilson is a Native Hawaiian educator, cultural practitioner, and community leader. Dr. Wong-Wilson retired in 2016 as an assistant professor in Hawaiian Studies and longtime coordinator of the Hālaulani Transfer Success Center at Hawai‘i Community College, where she helped numerous Native Hawaiian and other students successfully transfer to the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo or other four-year baccalaureate institutions to achieve a degree. Dr. Wong-Wilson has dedicated her career to Native Hawaiian issues and has taught, lectured, published, and presented on topics related to Native Hawaiian culture and history. Dr. Wong-Wilson is also involved in community organizations, such as the Kohala Hawaiian Civic Club and ‘Āina Aloha Economic Futures Initiative, and was formerly involved with Kamehameha Schools Trustees Advisory Board and the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Wong-Wilson was also a former member of the Mauna Kea Working Group.

Your Committee finds that Dr. Wong-Wilson, with her extensive background in education and Native Hawaiian culture and history, possesses the qualifications to serve as a member of the Authority. Dr. Wong-Wilson has demonstrated her dedication to serving the Native Hawaiian community and her perspective will enhance the work of the Authority. Your Committee finds that Dr. Wong-Wilson has a thorough understanding of the role and responsibilities of Authority members and therefore recommends that Michelle Wong-Wilson be appointed to the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority based on her knowledge, experience, and commitment to public service.

JOSHUA MANGAUIL

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Joshua Mangauil from one member of the Hawai‘i County Council; Kamehameha Schools; Ho‘omana Pono, LLC; Canada-France-Hawai‘i Telescope Corporation; Kūpuna for the Mo‘opuna; Hawaiian Civic Club of Hilo; Kāko‘o Haleakalā; Waimea Hawaiian Civic Club; and seventy-four individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to the nomination for the appointment of Joshua Mangauil from five individuals.

Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Mr. Mangauil's background, experience, and dedication to community service qualify him to be appointed to the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority. Mr. Mangauil has been serving as an interim member of the Authority since his appointment in September 2022. Mr. Mangauil was selected as an individual who is a recognized practitioner of Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices. With that in mind, Mr. Mangauil is the founder and director of the Hawaiian Cultural Center of Hāmākua, a multicultural and multigenerational community center situated in the heart of Honoka‘a, which serves as a space for residents to deepen their connection with Hawaiian culture through community classes in art, hula, language, history, agriculture, and philosophy. Since 2016, the Center has hosted special events, guest speakers, community service projects, and cultural exchange programs to create a cultural foundation for the community. Before then, Mr. Mangauil worked for the Department of Education as the ‘Ike Hawai‘i Resource Teacher for Honoka‘a, Waiākea, and Laupāhoehoe, where he provided culture-based education centered on traditional Native Hawaiian practices to pass on such knowledge to the next generation. Mr. Mangauil graduated as a Kumu hula in 2020 with Uniki rites and is also active in kalo (taro) farming in Waipi‘o, Hawaii island.

Your Committee finds that Mr. Mangauil, with his extensive background in education and Native Hawaiian traditional and cultural practices, possesses the qualifications to serve as a member of the Authority. Your Committee believes that Mr. Mangauil's leadership, knowledge, and dedication to Native Hawaiian issues will enhance the work of the Authority. Your Committee finds that Mr. Mangauil has a thorough understanding of the role and responsibilities of Authority members and therefore recommends that Joshua Mangauil be appointed to the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority based on his knowledge, experience, and commitment to public service.

POMAIKALANI BERTELMANN

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Pomaikalani Bertelmann from the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Kūpuna for the Mo‘opuna, Hawaiian Civic Club of Hilo, Kāko‘o Haleakalā, Waimea Hawaiian Civic Club, Kamehameha Schools, and twenty-six individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to the nomination for the appointment of Pomaikalani Bertelmann from three individuals.

Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Ms. Bertelmann's background, experience, and dedication to community service qualify her to be appointed to the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority. Ms. Bertelmann has been serving as an interim member of the Authority since her appointment in September 2022. Ms. Bertelmann was selected as an individual who is a lineal descendant of a practitioner of Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices associated with Mauna Kea. Your Committee finds that Ms. Bertelmann was born and raised on Hawaii island and her family has been a part of the world-famous Hōkūle‘a's legacy from its inception. Further, Ms. Bertelmann's family, along with the community of Hawaii island, was responsible for building the double-hulled voyaging canoe, the Makali‘i, that was used to educate communities around the world about the voyaging traditions of the ancient Native Hawaiians. Ms. Bertelmann has sailed on multiple deep sea voyages on the Makali‘i, Hōkūle‘a, and the Alingano Maisu, and she has shared her experiences and culture with students through her past work at Nā Kālai Wa‘a and through Kanu o Ka ‘Āina New Century Public Charter School, where she is currently employed as the Ho‘okele Haumana Counselor. Previously, Ms. Bertelmann served as the Statewide Sail Coordinator for the Polynesian Voyaging Society.

Your Committee finds that Ms. Bertelmann, as a lineal descendant of a world-renowned voyaging family with extensive experience in traditional and customary Native Hawaiian navigational and astronomical practices, possesses the requisite qualifications to serve as a member of the Authority. Your Committee believes that Ms. Bertelmann's unique lived experience can serve to bridge the ancient Hawaiian study of the stars by master navigators with the modern scientific discoveries being made through the observatories on Mauna Kea. Your Committee finds that Ms. Bertelmann has a thorough understanding of the role and responsibilities of Authority members and therefore recommends that Pomaikalani Bertelmann be appointed to the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority based on her knowledge, experience, and commitment to public service.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair