Aloha kakou!
May this message find you and your loved ones in good health and spirits. The purpose of this message is to provide our members with updates on the status of our Chapter.
- Tax exempt status reinstated
The IRS granted our application. Our tax exempt status was reinstated back to the date of revocation, May 15, 2018. Contributions to our Chapter under IRC Section 170 remain valid and may be deducted just as before. We are now tax exempt as a separate, independent, entity and no longer fall under ACR’s group exemption.
- Recommendation to become a separate, independent organization
The Board recommends that our Chapter be established as a separate, independent, non-profit, tax exempt organization, and that its Chapter status be terminated by the end of calendar year 2020. The vote by members on this issue may be taken at the next annual membership meeting scheduled for November 22nd, 2019. A Transition Committee (composed of Dick Mosher, Lisa Nakao, Jose Barzola, and Sky Kau`i Chun-Matsukawa) has been appointed to provide members with specific information before the vote and to oversee the process.
- Reasons for becoming a separate organization
Our recommendation followed many months of deliberation, discussions, and debate. The basic reasons for establishing a separate, independent, organization, may be summarized as follows:
a. Our limited time, energy, and attention may be better utilized locally. By focusing 100% of our energy and resources here, our organization will be able to serve our local community more effectively.
b. Our Bylaws require our officers and directors to be ACR members. Many Board members do not meet this qualification. We considered the option of continuing in this way. However, it may be unwise to settle upon a long-term practice of choosing which Bylaws will be followed and which ones will not. We can, and should, do better.
c. The existing individual ACR memberships will be unaffected. ACR membership remains an option for those who wish to gain experience beyond a local level.
d. We share with ACR the goal of enhancing the conflict resolution field. When it makes sense for both organizations, we would still seek to collaborate with ACR.
We appreciate our Board’s and the ACR Board’s dedication through many years. Their efforts made it possible for our Chapter to exist and to establish itself as a contributing element within our local conflict resolution community. We think it is time, though, that our organization streamline its focus toward our local community.
As mentioned above, the Transition Committee will be providing more detailed information to our members. I (Owen Tamamoto) will be available to answer questions at the Talk Story session scheduled for Tuesday, October 29th, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm at the Hawai`i Supreme Court building, Ali`iolani Hale, Room 101. In the alternative, inquiries may be sent to acrhawaiichapter@gmail.com. Thank you all for your patience and understanding, and for your continuing support of our Chapter and our local conflict resolution community.
Owen Tamamoto, President ACR Hawaii
