STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1808

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 810, 811, 812

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 810, 811, and 812, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

Commission on Fatherhood

 

G.M. No. 810

DANIEL KITTREDGE,

for a term to expire 06-30-2025;

 

G.M. No. 811

ALLEN CARDINES, JR.,

for a term to expire 06-30-2025; and

 

G.M. No. 812

JEFF ESMOND,

for a term to expire 06-30-2023,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by Daniel Kittredge, Allen Cardines, Jr., and Jeff Esmond for service on the Hawaii State Commission on Fatherhood (Commission).

 

DANIEL KITTREDGE

 

     Your Committee received no testimony for this nomination.

 

     Upon review of Mr. Kittredge's qualifications, your Committee finds that Mr. Kittredge is a father of three children ranging in ages from five to eighteen, and currently the water plants superintendent in the operations division of the Kauai County Department of Water, where he has worked for more than eight years.  Mr. Kittredge previously worked at Earthworks Pacific, Inc., also in Lihue.  Mr. Kittredge served as Kauai County Commissioner for the Hawaii State Commission on Fatherhood, from July 2015 through June 2020.  He has also served on the Kauai Fatherhood Council and as a coach and referee for youth soccer in Waimea.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Kittredge's experience and knowledge of the issues addressed by the Commission will be valuable assets and therefore recommends Daniel Kittredge for service to the Commission on Fatherhood.

 

ALLEN CARDINES, JR.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this nomination from one member of the Senate; one member of the House of Representatives; P.A.R.E.N.T.S., Inc.; and one individual.

 

     Upon review of the testimony and Mr. Cardines' qualifications, your Committee finds that Mr. Cardines grew up in Nanakuli, where he has served as senior pastor of a church for the past seventeen years.  Mr. Cardines currently serves on the Commission on Fatherhood, where his efforts have impressed many and where he has built an extensive collaborative network of various church, community, public, and private entities in supporting his many worthy endeavors building healthy relationship inside and outside the family unit.  He continues to work with other community leaders to create a safe community of healthy relationships within families so children should not live in fear in their own home.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Cardines and his colleagues work with police and other community leaders to strengthen families, empower and grow vibrant communities, limit bullying and suicides in schools, implement evidence-based restorative justice practices, and create excitement around parenting classes.  Your Committee also finds that the nominee wants to serve on this Commission to partner with other men and organizations to promote safe and healthy relationships, families, and communities by emphasizing the important role fathers play in making this a reality in the lives of their children.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee finds that Mr. Cardines' experience and knowledge of the issues addressed by the Commission will be valuable assets and recommends Allen Cardines, Jr. for service to the Commission on Fatherhood.

 

JEFF ESMOND

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this nomination from Kāne‘ohe Elementary School and two individuals.

 

     Upon review of the testimony and Mr. Esmond's qualifications, your Committee finds that Mr. Esmond is the owner and president of Hawaii 5500 LLC, a financial and welfare plan services company since 2017.  Your Committee also finds that Mr. Esmond works in a dynamic and demanding field that requires critical thinking and problem solving to work within the limits of government compliance, financial demands of the client, and provisions of the plan document.  Mr. Esmond's work requires strong attention to detail and high sensitivity to confidential data.  Prior to his current position, Mr. Esmond consulted on financial and retirement services for three companies.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Esmond is involved in several ongoing community activities, most centered around providing guidance in his community for parents, teachers, and fathers.  Over the past six years, he helped with, led, and/or coordinated initiatives such as Eating a Rainbow, where families learned to prepare and eat simple, healthy meals; Halloween Treat Donation Drive, where students were encouraged to limit the amount of Halloween candy they consume by donating their uneaten, excess candy to partners at Marine Corp Base Hawai‘i; and Blue Zones, where Kāne‘ohe Elementary School revised its wellness policies to become a Blue Zones school.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Esmond's experience and knowledge of the issues addressed by the Commission will be valuable assets and therefore recommends Jeff Esmond for service to the Commission on Fatherhood.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services 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 Human Services,

 

 

 

____________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair