MINUTES OF THE COMMISSION ON THE 13TH FESTIVAL OF
PACIFIC ARTS & CULTURE (FestPAC) MEETINGFRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2023 AT 2:00 PM
VIA VIRTUAL APPLICATION ZOOM: VIDEO / AUDIO CONFERENCE
Commission Members Present:
Kalani Kaʻanāʻanā
Maenette Ah Nee-Benham
Snowbird Bento
Māpuana de Silva
Sylvia Hussey
Jarrett Keohokālole
Jamie Lum-Guests:
Brandon Bunag
Eric Chang
Mamiko Carroll
Hailama Farden
Chansen Fukushima
Lynn Martin Graton
Ngahiraka Mason
Monte McComber
Mālia Sanders
Jose Inigo SantosKaʻiulani Spencer
Pris Texeira- Public Member- Public Member- Public Member
Public Member- Public Member- Public Member- Public Member- Commision Liaison to CPAC
- Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association- Public Member- Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association- Public Member

Staff:
Elise Amemiya
Micah ‘Ākau
Maka Casson Fisher
Irina De La Torre-Apologies:
Richard Onishi
Kehaulani Puʻu

- House Speaker’s Designee- City and County of Honolulu Designee

Hawaʻi Tourism Authority Designee (HTA)
Governor’s Designee
Community Member At-Large
Community Member At-Large
Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA)
Senate President’s Designee
Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism(DBEDT)

Deputy Attorney GeneralHTAHTAHTA

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Friday, March 31, 2023 at 2:00 pm
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CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Chair Kalani Kaʻanāʻanā at 2:06 p.m., who welcomed
everyone present via ZOOM and Facebook Live.
Chair called upon Commissioner Snowbird Bento to provide the wehena (opening).
Commissioner Bento began by sharing her desire to reorient the commissioners and attendees tothe global view through Moananuiākea. The term means “great expansive ocean” and is acontemporary native Hawaiian term of reference of this oceanic space. Commissioner Bento
continues to share that it is the ancestral homelands of the indigenous people of the Pacific. It
includes every island and continental coast touched by Pacific waters. There are approximately
25,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. Moananuiākea is 60 million sq. miles – every land mass onearth can fit within the Pacific Ocean with room to spare. The longest stretch of Moananuiākea isapproximately 19,800 km – a length longer than 5 moons placed side by side. More than ½ of theworld’s volume of water is in Moananuiākea, making the Pacific Ocean responsible for every
other breath we take. Commissioner Bento concluded the wehena with the closing thought about
our collective responsibiltiy and that we, in Hawaiʻi, are part of the largest concentration ofpeople with shared heritage and culture in the world. We have the capability to look at real world
problems and to find solutions for it because it will be the people of the Pacific that will face thedevastation of climate change first. It will be the people of the Pacific that will turn to all thedifferent technologies whether it’s based on traditional wisdoms or moving forward that will findthe way to make the Pacific continue to be a place of people who are thriving. It is importantthat we are cognizant and share awareness of the finite resources of our plant because we live onislands and have this mindfulness. As people of Moananuiākea we have something to offer therest of the world in the way of thinking - how can we insure that this plant and this place that welive on will be around for at least the next 100 generations of our descendants.
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā thanked Commissioner Bento for her wehena and the reminder of our blessing
to call Hawaiʻi home and to be part of Moananuiākea.
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā conducted roll-call. Commissioners Benham, Bento, deSilva, Hussey,
Keohokālole and Lum responded that they were present and alone at their respective location.
Commissioners Onishi and Puʻu were excused. Chair recognized that there were no publicattendees at the in-person venue, at the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority offices, for the day’smeeting.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON AGENDA ITEMSNo testimony received in advance of the day’s meeting. Chair invited members of the public totestify on the agenda items. Hearing none, he continued with agenda items.
REPORT ON PERMITTED INTERACTIONS, PURSUANT TO ACT 103, SESSIONLAWS OF HAWAIʻI 2021
Chair reported that none of the committees met and asked if there were any other permitted
interactions. Hearing none, he continued with agenda items.

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Friday, March 31, 2023 at 2:00 pm
Page 3 of 5APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY 13, 2023 MEETING MINUTES
The minutes were distributed and reviewed by Commissioners. Chair Kaʻanāʻanā made a motionto approve the minutes unamended and it was seconded by Commissioner Benham. There wasno discussion. A roll call vote was requested with the following Commissioners approving themotion to approve the minutes: Chair Kaʻanāʻanā, Commissioner Benham, Commissioner Bento,Commissioner de Silva, Commissioner Hussey, Commissioner Keohokālole, CommissionerLum. Commissioners Onishi and Puʻu were excused. With the members present the minutes ofFebruary 13, 2023 were adopted unamended.
PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION REGARDING THE FESTIVAL
DIRECTOR REPORT OF FESTIVAL DIRECTORChair Kaʻanāʻanā shared that Festival Director Salā was called away to another meeting andunavailable to attend the day’s meeting therefore deferring this agenda item.
Festival Director Salā will submit a written report for the commissioners to consider and will bedistributed. Festival Director will be present at the next meeting.
UPDATE ON REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR FESTIVAL PROVIDER. THECOMMISSION ANTICIPATES GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TOHRS §92-5(A)(4) TO CONSULT WITH THE COMMISSION’S ATTORNEY ON
QUESTIONS AND ISSUES PERTAINING TO THE COMMISSION’S POWERS,DUTIES, PRIVILEGES, IMMUNITIES, AND LIABILITIES.
Prior to turning the floor over to Commissioner Lum, Chair Kaʻanāʻanā expressed that there is
not a lot that can be disclosed about the RFP due to the State Procurement Code in 103D and theassociated Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules related to procurement.
Commissioner Lum thanked the Chair for his comments. She also shared that the Department ofBusiness Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) did conduct a solicitation for a FestivalProvider for the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture. The RFP deadline was today (March31, 2023) at noon and responses were received. DBEDT will now go into the evaluation portionof the solicitation process and move on from there.
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā posed the question, “based on the timeline, when do you anticipate issuing anotice of award?” Commissioner Lum responded with “The timeline that was set in the RFP, thegoal is to issue an award by the end of next week, so the committee will have to spend some timeevaluating.” Chair Kaʻanāʻanā expressed his appreciation to the evaluation committee for theirservice. It was confirmed that the procuement was completed on HANDS(https://hands.ehawaii.gov/hands/). There were no further questions from other Commissionersand Chair moved on to the next agenda item.
UPDATE DISCUSSION ON HONORARY CHAIR POSITION FOR FESTIVAL OF
PACIFIC ARTS & CULTURE
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā reminded Commissioners of their homework, which was to think of potential
names for consideration for an Honorary Chair and his responsibility was to create a draft
Position Description related to the Honorary Chair. Staff shared screen and made visible theMinutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Friday, March 31, 2023 at 2:00 pm
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draft Position Description. Chair Kaʻanāʻanā read through the document starting from the topwith Position Title and Position Summary followed by Key Responsibilities and Qualifications.
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā paused for questions from Commissioners. Commissioner Benham asked
about the posibility of plural Honorary Chair(s). Based on feedback from previous meeting,Chair Kaʻanāʻanā tried to steer clear from the Honorary Chair having any directplanning/implementation type responsibilities. The Honorary Chair(s) responsibilities would
focus on promoting the festival, getting it out to community, stakeholders, and sponsors, being
like a spokesperson, serving as an ambassador. There is no compensation related to this.
Commissioner Hussey inquired if there is a budgetary line for modest support of this role andfunction. Chair Kaʻanāʻanā reminded Commissioners that in the September 2021 budget that theCommission approved, there is an admin line that could support reimbursements for travel andexpenses on behalf of the Festival. Commissioner Hussey suggested that a component of timecommitments and expectations be included in the Position Description.
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā requested that staff share out a word doc version of the Position Description toall Commissioners. He further requested that the Admin Committee take a swing at making edits
prior to next full commission meeting that can be presented for discussion. Support staff will
also create a separate document to receive and compile names for consideration to Festival
Honorary Chair.
PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION REGARDING ADMINISTRATIVECOMMITTEE UPDATE
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā deferred this agenda item as the committee did not meet.
PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION REGARDING VENUES AND
PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE UPDATE
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā deferred this agenda item as the committee did not meet.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON AGENDA ITEMS
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā invited the public to again offer comments. Hearing none, he continued withthe next agenda item.
ANNOUNEMENTS
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā shared that he recently saw a press release (March 30, 2023) from the SenateCommunications Office that noted an appropriation was added to House Bill 300 relating to theFestPAC in the amount of $5mil which was in the committee report that had come across fromthe House. Chair continues to note that the budget bill still has a road ahead of it, there is still
more vetting of the state budget that needs to happen but in the most recent hearing before theWays and Means (WAM) committee, it was included.
NEXT MEETING
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā confirmed that the next meeting will be held on April 24th.

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Friday, March 31, 2023 at 2:00 pm
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ADJOURNMENTChair Kaʻanāʻanā adjourned meeting at 2:27 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,Kalani KaʻanāʻanāChairApril 26, 2023Date