Hello, hi, good morning, everyone.

It is Tuesday, February third, twenty twenty-six, and the time is nine.

Oh five AM.

Well, the committee on budget please come to order.

I'd like to welcome to the chamber, committee members who are present, committee vice chair Nishimoto, Council members, Kia Aina, Councilmember Tolba, and Council Chair Waters.

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Members, for your information, agenda item number one, resolution 26-10 on page three of the agenda has been canceled and will not be considered.

Moving on to agenda item number two, resolution 26-21.

This resolution authorizes a transfer not to exceed $350,000 in general fund monies in 181,438 from the housing development activity, salary character of expenditure, and 168,562 from the land transactions activity, salary character of expenditure to the administration activity, salary character of expenditure.

And with us today, we have from the Department of Housing and Land Management Director Kevin Ajay.

Good morning, Director Auger.

Good morning, Committee Chair Acomoto.

A little bit of background on this.

At about this time last year, uh the department's budget had been largely completed, but our org chart did not get uh approved until May of last year.

So there was a little bit of a disconnect between the budgets.

There was there were some salaries that were incorporated as placeholders that weren't aligned ultimately at the once the org chart was approved.

Um so what we're requesting is a transfer of 181,438,000 from the housing development division's salaries budget to the administration division's salaries budget.

168,562,000 from the land transactions division's salaries budget to the administration division salaries budget.

This will align appropriations with the functions performed by the department.

And then a transfer of 241,680,000 $680 from the clean water and natural land monies currently in division expenses to the new conservation office current expenses.

And again, that will align funding with the specific functions performed by the conservation office.

We wish to emphasize that this is not a request for an increase in funding.

It's merely a request to transfer funding within the current DHLM approved fiscal year 26 budget within divisions within the department.

Happy to respond to any questions you might have.

Thank you, Director members.

Do we have any questions for the director?

Chair Waters.

Thank you so much.

Good morning, Director.

Just a quick question.

So the 241,680 in the Clean Water Natural Lands Fund goes to the Conservation Office.

But I'm assuming the Clean Water Natural Lands Fund monies would come under the Conservation Office.

So it's still within the purview of the Clean Water Natural Lands.

You are exactly right.

It's currently with administrative expenses, and it should really be in the conservation office.

We're just seeking to make that a transfer.

Okay.

Terrific.

Thank you.