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Council approves $1.6M WIOA workforce grant; asks for clearer program metrics
Summary
Council approved Bill 112 at second and final reading to accept $1.6 million in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds for training and employment services; councilors pressed county staff for clearer program-by-program data and definitions of metrics such as employment and credential rates.
The Hawaii County Council approved Bill 112 at second and final reading on Feb. 4, 2026, to accept $1,600,000 in federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds and appropriate them across administrative planning ($200,000), adult programs ($650,000), dislocated worker programs ($300,000) and youth programs ($450,000).
Deputy Dennis Lynn (R&D) and WIOA lead Clinton Mercado answered council questions about the administration’s performance reporting. Mercado explained program metrics and data sources: "...68.2 percent of the total people that participated in the program found employment, for example," and described HireNet as the state database that tracks participant registration and outcomes. He said Goodwill Hawaii serves as a local service provider and that some participants leave programs early after finding employment, which affects "credential rate" calculations.
Council members pressed for a clearer program-by-program breakdown and better year-to-year context, noting a post‑COVID decline in registered participants (from several thousand pre‑pandemic to roughly 1,300 in the most recent year). Members asked staff to provide more granular reporting on participant counts, outcomes and employer referrals so the council can better evaluate program impact and spending.
The motion to approve Bill 112 at second and final reading carried by the recorded voice vote; the clerk announced the motion carried 8 ayes, 1 absent. Staff said they will provide additional program-level breakdowns and follow up with councilors on reporting refinements.
