2026-09-02 - County Council

01:28[laughter]

01:31Aloha kakahayaka. Good morning and

01:34welcome to the 48th session of the

01:35Hawaii County Council. The date today is

01:38September 2nd, 2026.

01:41And we are meeting this morning at our

01:43Hilo Chambers at the Hawaii County

01:45Building, 25 Alpuni Street. To begin

01:48this morning's meetings, I'd like to

01:50call on Kazunori Takahashi Ampa Hongan

01:55Hilo Betsuin to provide the invocation.

02:01Good morning everyone. Now I will share

02:04the invocation for the beginning of

02:06today's meeting.

02:11As we gather this morning, let us pause

02:14for a moment with gratitude.

02:17Each person here carries

02:20responsibilities,

02:21concerns, and hopes for our island. Each

02:25of us is also supported by family,

02:28friends, colleagues, neighbors, and many

02:31others. For all these connections, we

02:35are deeply grateful.

02:37As our island continues to recover from

02:40the recent storm, we remember those who

02:44have been affected and thank all who are

02:47helping with the recovery.

02:50A Buddhist teaching says, "Thousands of

02:54people may live in a community, but it

02:57is not one of real fellowship until they

03:00know each other and have sympathy for

03:03one another. A true community has faith

03:07and wisdom that illuminate it. It is a

03:11place where the people know and trust

03:14one another and where there is social

03:17harmony. End of quote. Perhaps this is

03:21the kind of community we all hope for.

03:26Although it is not always easy for us to

03:29fully understand one another, the

03:32Buddha's wisdom and compassion embrace

03:34each of us without distinction and never

03:38abandon anyone. We receive that

03:41compassion with gratitude.

03:43May today's meeting be peaceful and

03:47productive. May the work done here

03:50contribute to the well-being of the

03:53people of this island and of all beings.

03:57In gratitude, I recite the sacred name

04:00of the Buddha of immeasurable light and

04:03life.

04:17Thank you very much.

04:22Mahalo for starting us on that note this

04:24morning. With that, calling this meeting

04:27to order at 9:03. Mr. Clerk, roll call,

04:30please.

04:31>> Council member GMBA,

04:32>> here.

04:32>> Council Huis,

04:33>> present.

04:34>> Council member Kagiada.

04:37>> Council member Connie Kleinfelder,

04:38>> here.

04:39>> Council member Kirkowitz,

04:40>> present. Council Campbell

04:41>> here.

04:42>> Vice Chair Onishi

04:43>> present.

04:43>> Council Viegas [snorts]

04:44>> AO.

04:45>> Chair Nava.

04:46>> AO.

04:47>> Chair Nabi have eight members present.

04:48You have quorum.

04:49>> Thank you. Um for the record, council

04:52member Kagi will be joining us shortly.

04:55Uh if you would please, Mr. Clerk, lead

04:57the group in the pledge of allegiance.

04:59Please stand if you feel comfortable

05:00doing so.

05:24And before we jump into today's uh

05:26agenda items, we have a few

05:27presentations this morning. We'll get

05:30queued off uh with council member Kanye

05:33E. Kleinfelder.

05:36Thank you very much, Chair.

05:38So, we all have been watching this AI

05:42situation with uh with interest and we

05:44all use it in our different ways. Um,

05:47but I had the opportunity and and I'm

05:50very excited today. We had two of our uh

05:53Hawaii County youth, one from Hilo High

05:55School and one from Kamehameha Schools

05:57in Ko were asked to go to Boston at the

06:02Edward

06:04Make sure I get this right. The Edward

06:06M. Kennedy's Center for the US Senate to

06:09participate in the artificial

06:11intelligence symposium. It's conference

06:14that brought together 98 of our, you

06:18know, youth from across the nation to

06:20sit down in the Senate chambers and

06:24discuss how we are going to implement AI

06:28appropriately in the educational

06:30theater. and and by doing so, these

06:34youth were able to come together and

06:36create

06:38a law that they're going to provide to

06:41the AASA or the the school

06:44superintendents association which helps

06:46then kind of give the backbone to our

06:50legal framework on how AI will be

06:53brought into our school in more so how

06:57we allow it to be brought into our

06:59school, how it fits, what's good, what's

07:02bad, what doesn't work, what works. Um,

07:04so I wanted to recognize two youth

07:06today. Unfortunately, one of them is out

07:09with the flu. Uh, but we do have our

07:11other family here with uh their son,

07:15Kendall Tertoma. So, uh, and we have our

07:19our Kumo, I'm going call you Kumo today.

07:21Uh, Kumu Ko Kila,

07:26you are here today. Okay. So, you can

07:27come up to the front.

07:31Thank you very much. Thank you for the

07:32the family for being here as well. Come

07:35come. Come sit. Have a seat.

07:40And I wanted to give you a chance to

07:42just briefly discuss what what we both

07:45discussed as far as, you know, what what

07:47she what she got out of this, what this

07:50meant. and and specifically, I mean, we

07:52had of across Hawaii state, we had two

07:56of our youth selected to represent

07:59Hawaii at this symposium. So, I don't

08:03know who wants to go first. Maybe uh

08:05Kendall, maybe you want to lead us off

08:07or you want or you want you want Kum to

08:08go first.

08:12Okay. Okay. So, push push the button.

08:14should be the green button and just

08:15[clears throat] tell us a little bit of

08:16what you know how it felt for you being

08:18you know one of 98 students who got to

08:20excel at uh bringing AI implementation

08:24and policy in front of the Senate to

08:26create a law you know how did that feel

08:28what was it like what was it being like

08:29in this kind of an atmosphere with all

08:31your peers

08:33>> um hi my name is Kendall Tatoma and I

08:36was really honored to have been chosen

08:39for this um senate position as a student

08:42senator let alone to represent um not

08:45only just Hawaii County but also our

08:47entire um state.

08:50uh at it. We collaborated with

08:54very um I mean a lot of student senators

08:58from across the nation and they had very

09:00good things to say and we debated and

09:05um passed uh a draft a bill that I mean

09:11yeah bill that would be sent out to

09:13schools across the nation.

09:16I learned a lot about how um this like

09:20senate works and it was a really eye-

09:21openening experience for me.

09:24>> Beautiful. Beautiful. Thank you. Thank

09:25you for that. And Kolu, if you would,

09:28what what was your takeaways, you know,

09:29and then you I'm sure you're proud of

09:31our our our came with Hana. Sorry, not

09:35Hana Hana that came with us to

09:37represent. So tell us a little bit about

09:39your experience. Um you know the

09:43if you use

09:45a cell phone, if you use the internet,

09:48if you use a computer, if you use a

09:50television today, you are interacting

09:52with AI. And as we go into the future,

09:56it's just more and more pervasive every

09:58day. It just it makes leaps and bounds.

10:00And unfortunately, at the education

10:03level, somehow we missed the boat when

10:06it came to like cell phone usage or

10:09social media when it came to Kiki. And

10:11so nationally, the school system is

10:15worried because AI moves so fast that

10:18we're going to be not just left behind,

10:21but that our kei will be using it in

10:23ways that aren't wise, that aren't pono,

10:26you know what I mean? And here in our

10:28community, we're worried that it's not

10:30going to be used in a way that is

10:33serving [snorts] to our values, right?

10:35And so, uh, Kendall and Behea went up

10:40there and they represented, and we're

10:42lucky because we have two kids from our

10:45county who represented the entire state,

10:48you know, up there. And, um, they

10:50represented our interests. Uh, they

10:52debated in front of the the Senate

10:55Council Chamber. and to watch all of

10:57that happen. I was uh very proud to be

11:01witness of all of that because in the

11:03end you end up with this bill that was

11:05passed, voted on, passed, and now it's

11:08being uh disseminated and distributed

11:10through the uh 10,000 members of the uh

11:15national superintendence association

11:18that's going to be used as a scaffolding

11:19for [clears throat] the use of AI within

11:22schools. Because until six weeks ago,

11:24there was no national policy. So, every

11:27school was just left to come up with

11:29their own standards. You know, every

11:31teacher was just trying to figure the

11:33whole thing out on their own, right?

11:35Hundreds of thousands of teachers trying

11:36to figure this whole thing out on their

11:38own. And it was just it was a mess. And

11:41um unfortunately on the national level,

11:44Congress was kind of being congress. And

11:46so the uh the uh the school attendance

11:50uh school superintendent association MIT

11:52and the Kennedy Institute decided, hey,

11:54let's make a scaffolding that we can

11:56distribute out uh while we wait on

11:59something to happen uh from the big show

12:03that we can just do now to get it into

12:05the uh the school system.

12:08>> Amazing. Amazing. Okay. Um I'd like to

12:11yield to any questions from the council

12:14for comment.

12:18I just want to say mahalo for your

12:20leadership, for your support of these

12:23young people, validating their insights,

12:26their wisdom, their knowing.

12:29Congratulations, Kendall. Thank you for

12:32representing not only our county but our

12:35state and your generation to have an

12:38opportunity to

12:40provide insight and wisdom to adults

12:45[laughter]

12:45um for issues that we've created. But

12:47you will be left to navigate and figure

12:52out and um how to make sure if possible

12:58that this technology does more good than

13:00harm. So thank you for your courage and

13:04um leaning into this opportunity and

13:06representing us so well and making us so

13:09proud. Appreciate you guys

13:10>> very much.

13:13>> Council member Houston.

13:14>> Thank you chair. Thank you, Council

13:15Member Mini Clenfelder for recognizing

13:17Kendall, our homeowner and community.

13:19It's important that our kei, our

13:22homeowner, are having this conversation

13:23themselves and trying to drive change

13:26within within their own space rather

13:28than kind of that that top down sort of

13:29enforcement and some of these policies.

13:31And it's I see schools trying to grapple

13:33with cell phones and make some of that

13:35transition, that change. And it's it's a

13:38it's a glaring change for a lot of them

13:39and what they've been used to day in day

13:40out. So it it's it's a great opportunity

13:43for for them to really get involved in

13:45the policy themselves and see how their

13:48peers are being affected by it. So thank

13:50you for recognizing them.

13:54>> Thank you members. Yes, on behalf of the

13:56council, we extend our congratulations

13:58to you. And as we prepare for our own

14:00county uh HSAC conference next week on

14:04Maui, Council Member Kimell shared that

14:06there are um there is a panel on AI. So

14:11you know it's obviously a very important

14:13discussion that needs to happen not only

14:16in government elected positions but

14:19early on as you are right now. So a lot

14:22of what we do moving forward can be

14:24informed by these great conversations

14:26that you folks are having. So my kite to

14:29you and vice chishi I believe you have

14:32the

14:34certificate

15:17Thank you very much. We're going to

15:18proceed into our next um two

15:20presentations and we'll take photos um

15:22with everyone in that order at the end.

15:24Um, so we'll roll right into our We're

15:28now in the month of September, but over

15:30the last couple months, we've had some

15:32storms and things have needed to be um

15:36shifted over. So, we have our August

15:382026 Hav award recipient from the Hawaii

15:42Police Department. So, I'd like to call

15:44forward um our leadership to introduce

15:47our awardee this morning. Believe that's

15:50Captain Kalifi.

15:53and you can also come forward.

16:00>> Good morning, Cherry Naba and council

16:03members. Uh, I believe everybody knows

16:06me, Ranold Kahali, the captain of the

16:09Hamakua district. This morning, we'd

16:11like to introduce Officer Blake

16:13Bragokos. He's a 17-year veteran of the

16:16department and um has been in the

16:20district for about

16:24about nine years. um eight of those

16:27years he served as the school resource

16:29officer and um but today we um

16:35appreciate

16:37his

16:39focus on traffic enforcement and keeping

16:42our roadways safe. Um,

16:46you know, during the last fiscal year,

16:48he issued nearly 400 citations,

16:51117 for speeding, over 50 for seat

16:54belts. And he's not citing everybody

16:56that he's stopping in the district. When

16:59uh counseling is warranted, he documents

17:02um the warnings that were given. And

17:06the funny thing is, you know, having

17:08been the school resource officer for

17:10eight years, he's now sometimes stopping

17:13former students as young adults and uh

17:17you know, he continues to be a mentor to

17:19them. Uh and

17:23um we we he's wellrounded and we just

17:27thank him for everything that he does in

17:29the district. And we want to also

17:31express uh thanks to his family as well

17:34for the support um that they give him.

17:37And even during previous years when he

17:40used to um put on fishing tournaments,

17:44his family would be there as well to to

17:47support support us. Um officer,

17:55>> hi. Good morning, council members. Good

17:57morning, everyone. And um I just want to

17:59say very humbled to receive this

18:01prestigious award. A lot of us in law

18:03enforcement know it can be a thankless

18:05job. So much mahalo captain to recognize

18:10just the service we provide to the

18:12community every day. Cannot forget Major

18:14Armal for being their support. Mentioned

18:16on the side that was my mentor. So made

18:19me the officer I am today. Thank you

18:20sir. Um definitely cannot forget my

18:23family. I know a lot of times we work

18:26long hours in law enforcement. sometimes

18:28I'm away from home. So, thank you to my

18:30family for holding on the fort when dad

18:32is away from home. Love you guys. Um

18:36yeah, just collectively I just a part of

18:38a small team with um our brothers and

18:40sisters in blue, you know, unfortunately

18:42with the unfortunately increase with a

18:45lot of traffic fatalities on Hawaii

18:46Island. I just want to do our part to

18:48keep um the roadway safe whether it's

18:50through, you know, law enforcement as

18:51the captain I mentioned too, through

18:54education as well. Sometimes I do see a

18:56lot of former committee members that was

19:00at the school. I uh communicate on

19:03traffic stops, but you know I use

19:05discretion as well. Even through

19:07education, we can teach the community to

19:10drive in a safer manner. Hopefully that

19:13in turn is a direct effect of trying to

19:15keep our robies a little safer. Thank

19:18you guys.

19:20Mahalo. We'll start off with the council

19:22member of the district, council member

19:24Kimble.

19:25>> Thank you so much. Um, you know, I I

19:28just really want to appreciate the

19:30importance of highlighting this

19:33particular aspect of police work. As you

19:35mentioned, we've seen highway fatalities

19:38increasing in the county. And as

19:41somebody who traverses the home district

19:44pretty frequently, I am grateful that

19:46you're out there making sure that people

19:48are driving safely and following the

19:50speed limit. It is a very dangerous road

19:53because it's a two-lane road and when it

19:55gets wet or it's dark, um we need people

19:58to adhere to the speed limits and and

20:01protect each other. So I really want to

20:03mahalo you for your efforts here and

20:05keeping all of us safe on on the

20:07roadways in Hamaku and all the work that

20:08you do. So, congratulations. Welld

20:10deserved.

20:11>> Thank you,

20:13>> Council Member Viegas.

20:15>> Oh, aloha and mahalo for being here. Uh,

20:18congratulations on this award. And

20:21something that just really touched me in

20:25you're talking about 8 years and all

20:27these young people that you had an

20:29opportunity to establish relationship

20:31with and trust and as an authentic

20:36source for guidance and support. Um, and

20:40so many times I think we uh we don't

20:43want to get in trouble from the police

20:45or busted, right? But there's something

20:49even more special and unique when you

20:52see somebody you know and I know for

20:55myself some of my best mentors it was

20:58more about I didn't want to disappoint

21:00them and you having that opportunity to

21:03interact with people who you engaged

21:05with and had relationship with in a

21:07different arena but then to come in

21:10contact with them in a car or you know

21:12they're speeding or whatnot but that

21:15relationship and it just Um, it just

21:17landed with me that that's a part of an

21:21accountability and kana is not wanting

21:23to disappoint someone who had been a

21:26supporter, advisor, and mentor. And that

21:30inspires changed behavior,

21:33ironically, sometimes more profoundly

21:37than fear of being in trouble. So, thank

21:40you for really

21:43authentically connecting yourself and

21:47your relationships in your community

21:49that will has and will continue to um

21:54inspire greatness and better choices

21:58from those you've come come in contact

21:59with. Appreciate that.

22:05Uh with that then uh again on behalf of

22:08the council and the entire county we

22:11extend our congratulations to you as

22:14being the August 2026 Hav award

22:17recipient. Uh and we do extend our

22:20mahalo to your wife Lewa and your kei as

22:23well for being that backbone at home um

22:25to allow you to continue servicing our

22:27community so well. Uh so with that if we

22:30would rise please for the presentation

22:32of the award.

22:43[singing]

22:50Fore! Foreign! Foreign!

22:52[singing]

23:07>> [singing]

23:17[singing]

23:19>> Oh my.

23:27Mahalo again. HPD and then we'll roll

23:30into our last presentation of the

23:32morning. I'd like to call forth uh

23:35Pastor Renee Gadoi

23:38um for her work with our friends of

23:41first responders and making sure that we

23:43never bypass a special week um

23:47appreciation weeks across the calendar

23:50to recognize our first responders. Good

23:53morning.

23:56>> Good morning. Uh um do I do do I need to

23:59introduce myself again on the microphone

24:01or just go ahead?

24:02>> You can go ahead.

24:03>> Go ahead. Okay. Well, um thank you very

24:05much first of all for the county council

24:06members of AO awards and all that you do

24:09to recognize them and really excited

24:11about uh recognizing the lifeguards this

24:14time and the important contribution that

24:16they make to um our county. Um, and it's

24:19an annual observance that honors the

24:21hard work and the daily rescues, the

24:24first aid and community education that's

24:27provided by Hawaii's water safety

24:29professionals. Their diligence is

24:31especially appreciated by us who live on

24:33an island and are surrounded by water.

24:36And so much of our activities with our

24:38family um, and our community is at the

24:41beaches and it's at the swimming pools.

24:43Our county pools provide muchneeded

24:45recreation as well as therapeutic

24:47activities for seniors and those who can

24:50benefit from water therapy. Mahalo to

24:52our county lifeguards both in our parks

24:54and wrecks department and our fire

24:56department. We appreciate their courage

24:59to get out in rough waters to rescue

25:01swimmers in distress and being present

25:03at our pools to guarantee the safety of

25:06our community members. I know as a as a

25:08nana, we always feel safer. Yeah. at the

25:10pool or anywhere else when we see that

25:12lifeguard tower tower and their visible

25:14presence uh that makes us feel safer to

25:17enjoy the water together. Mahalo. Also,

25:20I want to give a shout out to the

25:21clerical staff, Jordan Mance back there,

25:24Amy Bautista from Parks and Wreck and

25:26Leyana Nakushima as we met and they were

25:29so um put their heart into wanting to uh

25:34put together appreciation kits that were

25:36things that the um lifeguards could use

25:38and and uh designed the banners and just

25:41put their whole heart and soul into

25:43really wanting this to be special and

25:46wanting our lifeguards to know that

25:47they're appreciated and that they are

25:49honored. I also want to um honor

25:51Battalion Chief Bradley Young for his

25:53devotion to all the lifeguards that that

25:56serve under him. He's just very um

25:59caring about his personnel and so I just

26:01really appreciate him. Mahalo Hka and um

26:04all of you council members for making

26:06this possible that we could honor them

26:08in a special way today. Thank you very

26:09much.

26:10>> Thank you, Pastor Gdoy. and we'll take

26:13um perhaps Battalion Chief Young if

26:16you'd like to come forth and say

26:18anything on behalf of the ocean safety

26:21lifeguards. And again, uh the lifeguard

26:25appreciation week was August 17th to the

26:2823rd. Um so that's where we're meeting

26:30today after Hurricane La came through.

26:36>> Yes. Thank you. Thank you, county

26:38council members, uh our fellow first

26:40responder agencies. Uh I know it's been

26:43a busy uh few weeks for us here in

26:46Hawaii County and uh thank you for

26:48taking the time to reschedule this

26:49special uh celebration and appreciation

26:53for our water safety officers and uh our

26:56uh coal lifeguards at our uh county

26:59pools.

27:01uh you know uh fighting the fight

27:03against drowning. The number one cause

27:05of fatalities for our youth ages 1

27:07through 15. Uh and for here in Hawaii

27:10County, half of those drownings are

27:12residents. So, um it's really nice to be

27:15able to have a career um fighting the

27:19fight against um those statistics and uh

27:23really pleased to align with uh the

27:26other counties and the state

27:28proclamation as well for for the dates

27:30of August 17th through the 23rd. So, uh,

27:33just want to mahalo everybody involved

27:35and, uh, you know, as we look into the

27:37near future, um, we're learning, uh,

27:40together as a county, uh, the challenges

27:44of, uh, these natural occurrences we're

27:47facing and, uh, I look forward to, uh,

27:50ensuring that we do everything we can to

27:52continue our mission to serve with

27:53Aloha. Yeah. Thank you.

27:56>> Thank you, Battalion Chief. Uh and now

27:58for our parks and recreation, we do have

28:00Deputy Director Melissa Samura in

28:02chambers if you would like to come

28:04forward to share anything on behalf of

28:06our parks and recreation lifeguards.

28:22Aloha and good morning. Um,

28:27on behalf of the Department of Parks and

28:29Recreation, we extend our Alohan mahalo

28:32uh

28:36[clears throat]

28:39for this opportunity

28:44[clears throat]

28:49to express gratitude and thankfulness.

28:54to our lifeguards.

28:57[clears throat]

28:58[snorts]

29:00You know, one of the struggles that

29:02[clears throat]

29:03our department faces is getting more

29:06lifeguards.

29:08But through that,

29:11we're able to do our best.

29:14[snorts] Even for ocean safety, I know

29:16they're doing their best for the public.

29:21I think [snorts] it's really important

29:23that everybody

29:26realizes those who are watching online,

29:29those who are present here

29:34[snorts] that are essential

29:36people,

29:38our staff is so important for the safety

29:42[snorts] of everyone that uses our

29:45facilities,

29:47whether it's our pools,

29:50or ocean and that safety is a priority.

29:55[snorts] We appreciate the collaboration

29:57that we have with ocean safety and that

30:00we're able to provide the necessary

30:02space that they need and the [snorts]

30:05offices to operate.

30:10Sorry.

30:13When I share appreciation,

30:16I really [snorts]

30:19share it from the bottom of my heart

30:23in the position that we hold

30:27as [snorts] administrators. On behalf

30:31of director Clayton Hua and our

30:33department, we are very very thankful

30:36and I express this mahalo to everybody.

30:39Aloha.

30:41>> Mahalo, deputy director. Um, and before

30:45we just hand out the certificate, just

30:47wanted to give the council an

30:49opportunity if anyone would like for

30:51like appreciation week, vice.

30:54Thank you, chair. Yeah, I just want to

30:56say congratulations to ocean safety and

31:00also with the aquatics PNR. I've worked

31:03closely with with BC Young and I want to

31:08thank that the mayor, finance director,

31:12fire department chief will be in

31:15supporting in getting more permanent

31:17lifeguards for our beaches and this is

31:20islandwide. So, it's really great and

31:23you know talking to BC the stories that

31:26they have where the lifeguards went out

31:28to save someone that was drowning and

31:31then they brought him back in and they

31:34revived the person and so they brought

31:36him back to life and there's these great

31:40stories and it's like their percentage

31:42to me I think it BC you can correct me

31:44I'm wrong but I think it's over like 90%

31:47the victims or the person you know gets

31:50revived which is awesome right so thank

31:53you very much for all you guys great

31:55hard work and to all your staff thank

31:57you I yield

32:00>> council member Houston

32:01>> thank you chair just want to echo those

32:04sentiments as well and mahalo our

32:05lifeguards in community both in our in

32:08our pools recreational facilities and on

32:10our ocean safety side of things um it it

32:13is amazing that we there you know an

32:15island community and we we grapple with

32:18those challenges of ocean safety

32:21um and we don't necessarily have all the

32:22skills uh in community to to be ma and

32:26smart about about the ocean and

32:28awareness of that. So it's through

32:30through your work um through your staff

32:32and through the partnership in

32:34community. It's really amazing to see uh

32:36that that move forward in partnership

32:38with the SER foundation and the

32:40resources that are being delivered in

32:41those spaces as well as the training

32:43education delivered through our kei with

32:46Alex and Duke foundation other

32:48entities like that that are they're

32:49actively working with community and kei

32:52and and just really delivering on those

32:54on those efforts there uh so that we are

32:57safer in those spaces uh and really look

33:00to our lifeguards to really lead that

33:01charge and the stories that we hear are

33:04quite quite amazing and the work that

33:06they do uh the rescues that they perform

33:08in a lot of some very dangerous

33:10situations too. So big mahalo to all of

33:12them um and the work that they do. So

33:14thank you chair.

33:15>> Thank you council member Viegas.

33:18>> Yeah I just want to express

33:20[clears throat and cough]

33:20my gratitude and congratulations

33:23for the allocation of this time to honor

33:25the work that you do. uh having grown up

33:28at Kohaniki and um we went for decades

33:33without a tragedy there. Um and I want

33:37to thank the department parks and wreck

33:39and um lifeguards and fire

33:43for recognizing the need and allocating

33:47a lifeguard station for Quaniki. And

33:50that's just one example of stepping up,

33:54leaning in, and allocating resources to

33:57support community in places that have

33:59become so well-loved and wellused that

34:03just statistically you're more likely to

34:06have um a potential accident. Uh you

34:09guys are front lines, the men and women

34:13who interact daily with people

34:17visiting our beautiful oceans and pools

34:20for whatever reason. Um for all, you

34:23know, they have a gazillion different

34:25reasons. I'm sure along with the stories

34:28of um harrowing saving

34:32um there are probably some pretty funny

34:33stories about the humans

34:36[gasps] that um play by the sea or in

34:38our pools. And just a quick shout out

34:41and thank you Melissa for your heartfelt

34:47sharing and and vulnerability and really

34:52caring. And that struggle to find

34:55lifeguards for our pools is real.

34:58Community gets grumpy about it because

35:01sometimes pools have to be closed

35:03because we don't have enough lifeguards.

35:05And with that, I would put a shout out

35:07to community and anybody watching. If

35:10you have the capacity and the time,

35:13please consider leaning in and joining

35:15these teams of brave men and women

35:17serving our community in that role. But

35:20we appreciate you deep and beyond. Thank

35:23you.

35:26>> Thank you, Council Member Viegas, for

35:28that plug. We especially appreciate it.

35:30I believe in parks and recreation. Um,

35:33so with that, yes, again, we honor all

35:36of our ocean safety and parks and

35:37recreation lifeguards. Um, recognizing

35:41lifeguard appreciation week, which was

35:43August 17th to the 23rd. We're going to

35:46be in a brief recess. We'll be back at

35:489:45 a.m. We're going to take photos in

35:51order of the presentations this morning,

35:53starting with our students, then our

35:56havail, finally ending with our

35:58lifeguards. We'll be back at 9:45.

36:01Mahalo.

36:10>> [clears throat]

45:41>> Aloha again. We are back out of recess.

45:43It's 9:45 a.m. and we will proceed this

45:48morning with statements from the public.

45:54Thank you so much, chair. Noting that we

45:56do have testifiers

45:59in our remote sites as well as via Zoom

46:02and here in the Hilo chamber. What we'll

46:03do is we'll start with our testifiers in

46:05Kona, take our testifiers via Zoom and

46:08then close out with our testifiers here

46:09in Hilo. So with that, Scott, if you

46:12could start us off, please with the

46:13testifiers in Kona.

46:18Okay, Really? One second here.

46:22We've got one that left the building and

46:24then one's ready to come. Sorry about

46:26that.

46:34This morning we do have Josephine

46:38Kellyio

46:43in opposition of resolution 633-26.

46:48Josephine, go ahead and state your name

46:49for the record and proceed. You'll have

46:50three minutes.

46:53>> Good morning. My name is Josephine

46:55Kilipio Kyua Kona and I'm here regarding

46:59resolution 63326

47:02uh where

47:04um the D Finn Foundation

47:08is apparently

47:10um

47:12asking for a grant or might get a grant

47:16from the council services contingency

47:19relief account council district 6 uh for

47:23It's Kona Cats Common Sanctuary Project.

47:28I understand that this foundation is a

47:30registered entity with the state since

47:33January 2025, which indicates to us that

47:37this entity has been registered for less

47:39than two years.

47:42And we really don't know much or have

47:45much

47:47um history about its cat sanctuary

47:52operation.

47:53Not even Advocates Hawaii and

47:55established a very established spay and

47:58neuter organization for over 30 years

48:01here in Kona

48:03who had been spaying and neutering

48:04thousands of cats from mostly the west

48:07side of the island did not know about

48:10this this group um this foundation when

48:14I sent this resolution to its president

48:17two weeks ago. So unless the sanctuary

48:20is being set up to receive the

48:23many abandoned cats that we cat feeders

48:26feed

48:28in the Kona area unless unless it's

48:31being set up to receive these abandoned

48:33cats from the Kona district at least the

48:36Kona district I really think that you

48:38should reconsider this funding and

48:40perhaps not fund this entity at this

48:43time.

48:45Thank you.

48:47Our

48:49next testifier here in Kona,

48:52Nicole Sasaki Simmons

48:55in support, a resolution 650-26.

48:59Nicole, you'll have three minutes.

49:00Please go ahead and state your name for

49:02the record.

49:08>> This one.

49:09>> Thank you.

49:11>> Aloha. I'm Nicole Sasaki Simmons, the

49:13County of Hawaii Parks and Recreation

49:15Elderly Activities Division. Um, I'm

49:18testifying on behalf of the Hawaii Kuno

49:20Hoola Festival. This is an international

49:23festival that has been running for over

49:2440 years. And the main purpose

49:28um is to honor our most treasured

49:30resource, our kuna, while perpetuating

49:32the culture of Hawaii through mele and

49:33hoola. Our main goal in our division is

49:36to have seniors age in place and

49:38maintain their independence by providing

49:40them opportunities and programs that

49:42enhance their quality of life. And I'd

49:44like to mahalo council members Ha Enava,

49:49James Hustus, Fresh Onishi, and

49:52Councilwoman Rebecca Vgas for your

49:55continued support for Kunabula.

50:01>> Thank you, Nicole.

50:04Mahalo.

50:05>> Thank you.

50:06>> That's it for call.

50:08>> Thank you so much to our Kona

50:10testifiers. Chair, our next testifiers

50:12will be via Zoom. The first of which is

50:14Julie Elias testifying on bill 173 and

50:17175 to be followed by Stephanie Bath.

50:20Julie, when you're ready to begin, you

50:21can unmute, introduce yourself, and

50:23you'll have three minutes per agenda

50:25item if you clearly transition. If you

50:27do not transition, it'll be three

50:29minutes total.

50:36Oh, hold on. Let me send you a notice.

50:39If you could click that, you should be

50:40able to unmute. There you go.

50:41>> Okay, now you can hear me.

50:43>> Yes, we can.

50:43>> All right. Good morning. My name is

50:45Julie Eliasen and I'm here to testify on

50:48bills 173 and 175.

50:51My husband and I live in Kohala Ranch,

50:53which is zoned agriculture.

50:56We have operated a hosted transient

50:58vacation rental or TVR since 2017. We

51:02live at our residence full-time and rent

51:04out a portion of our primary residence.

51:06The income generated from our rental is

51:09critical for assisting us to pay for our

51:11mortgage and monthly expenses.

51:13Our main concern is the increase in

51:15property taxes that we have experienced.

51:18It increased significantly from $2,692

51:22in 2018 to $6,732

51:27in 2019 due to the tax adjustment for us

51:30operating a business. This is an

51:33increase of 150%.

51:36In 2025, we paid $10,116

51:40in property taxes. This is an increase

51:43of 275%.

51:46Our taxes increase every year because

51:49there is now no limit on what we can be

51:51charged. We would like the county to

51:54pass bill 173 to provide a bed and

51:57breakfast tax classification that is

51:59lower than the business tax

52:01classification we are currently in and

52:03to provide for tax amnest amnesty for

52:06bed and breakfast homes. Since we only

52:09rent out a portion of our home, we do

52:11not believe that we should be penalized

52:14by losing the homeowner's exemption for

52:16the entire property. We would also like

52:18the county to implement the same 3% cap

52:21on the annual tax increase that other

52:23homeowners receive. We began to operate

52:26the rental in 2017, but the county

52:29increased our taxes in 2019. Therefore,

52:32is it is not clear to us if we'll be

52:34required to pay back taxes for years

52:362017 and 2018 before the tax rate was

52:40increased. If required to continue to

52:43pay a higher property tax rate, pay

52:45substantial back taxes, and pay

52:47registration and renewal fees, we would

52:50have to discontinue operating our TDR,

52:52which would make it more difficult for

52:54us to meet our monthly expenses.

52:57The county would also lose the get and

53:00tit taxes that we submit. Also, we

53:02employ several local business operators,

53:05including house cleaners, gardeners,

53:06plumbers, etc., whose businesses would

53:09be impacted if we were to stop renting

53:11our TVR. Passage of Bill 173 would make

53:15a huge difference in whether or not we

53:17continue to operate. Please pass this

53:20bill to lessen the tax burden on local

53:22homeowners just trying to make ends meet

53:25by renting out a portion of their home.

53:27We hope that the county passes Bill 173

53:30and that it considers these

53:31recommendations and provides

53:33clarifications regarding the new

53:35regulations. Thank you for your

53:37consideration.

53:42>> Thank you so much for your testimony,

53:44chair. Our next testifier is Stephanie

53:47Bath, testifying on communication 1001

53:51and 102.

53:55Stephanie, when you're ready to begin,

53:56you can unmute your mic, introduce

53:58yourself, and you'll have three minutes

54:00per agenda item if you clearly

54:02transition. If not, it'll be three

54:03minutes total.

54:10Hi Stephanie, you can unmute and what

54:12I'll do is I will

54:16send you that notice if you could hit

54:17that to unmute. You could introduce

54:19yourself and you'll have three minutes.

54:35Hello, Stephanie.

54:39>> Send it again.

54:41>> We can hear you now. Stephanie, if you'd

54:42like to provide your testimony, you will

54:44have three minutes per agenda item.

54:47>> Yes, thank you.

54:56>> Okay, it seems like we're having some

54:58difficulty with Stephanie's connection.

55:01So, what we'll do is we'll move on to

55:03our testifiers here in Hilo and then we

55:05can circle back to Stephanie to try

55:06again. So, with that, our first

55:08testifier here in the Hilo Chamber is

55:11Tom Wujinski testifying on resolution

55:13657 to be followed by Lilino Kilpio.

55:18Tom, when you're ready to begin, you can

55:19hit that green button at the base of the

55:21mic, introduce yourself, and you'll have

55:22three minutes.

55:28>> Aloha. My name is Tom Wisinski and I'm

55:31here today in my capacity as president

55:33of the West Hawaii Veteran Cemetery

55:35Development and Expansion Association to

55:38express my strong support for resol

55:41resolution 657-26.

55:44Terry Naba, members of the county

55:46council, aloha and good morning. The

55:49Medal of Honor is the highest military

55:51direct decoration our nation bestows. It

55:55is awarded not for doing one's duty, but

55:57for acts of veilor so extraordinary they

56:01defy expectation.

56:04West Hawaii has a direct connection to

56:06this honor. Sergeant First Class Rodney

56:08JTO of Kalakua gave his life performing

56:12one such act in Vietnam in 1969.

56:17This past Veterans Day, he was

56:19reenterred here on Hawaii Island,

56:21finally home. He deserves to be

56:24remembered here permanently at West

56:26Hawaii Veteran Cemetery.

56:29Over the past several years, our

56:31association has helped fund and

56:32construct memorials honoring World War

56:35II,

56:37the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and

56:40most recently the Revolutionary Patriots

56:42Memorial to coincide with our nation's

56:45250th anniversary. Each memorial has

56:48deepened our community's connection to

56:50those who served. The Medal of Honor

56:53memorial will anchor this memorial

56:55walkway and ensure that future

56:57recipients with Hawaii Island

56:58connections have a permanent place of

57:00honor at West Hawaii Veteran Cemetery.

57:03The funds requested through this

57:05resolution will cover site preparation,

57:07excavation, grading, and foundation work

57:10which will enable construction to

57:12proceed. The American Legion, Veterans

57:14of Foreign Wars, Daughters of the

57:16American Revolution, Scouts of America

57:18are pursuing additional funding sources.

57:20Council Member Hustus' support through

57:23this resolution is a critical step

57:25toward completion.

57:27I'd also like to recognize Cherry Naba

57:29and Council Member Viegas for their

57:31continued support, not only to our

57:34veterans, but also West Hawaii Veteran

57:35Cemetery. I respectfully urge the

57:38council's approval of resolution 657.

57:44>> Thank [clears throat] you so much. Our

57:45next testifier is Lily Kelly Young

57:48testifying on resolution 641 to be

57:50followed by Celia Bardwell Jones.

57:56Lily, when you're ready to begin, you

57:57can turn the mic on by hitting the green

57:59button, introducing yourself, and you'll

58:01have three minutes.

58:02>> Aloha, Mike. I am Lily Noi Pio Young,

58:05and I'm speaking on resolution 641-26,

58:09an appropriation from council member

58:12Conelli E. Kleinfelder to my family's

58:15nonprofit, the Kilipio Komao Foundation

58:18for expenses relating to our key pie

58:22ceremony honoring the preservation of

58:24the Aopua of Honolulu, also known as

58:27Hornulu Landing.

58:30First and foremost, I wish to convey my

58:33ohana's sincerest gratitude to our mayor

58:37Timo Alamita and his staff, particularly

58:40the folks in the Ponti vision, and to

58:44you, the Hawaii County Council, for

58:47graciously approving the acquisition of

58:50Honolulu.

58:52Um,

58:53my maternal grandmother, Mary Koil Pio,

58:56was born there and spent her formative

58:58years in the village that existed there.

59:00And I can recall that she uh fondly um

59:04spoke of her life there. We recently

59:07submitted a grant application to Punk

59:10for stewardship funds to continue the

59:12preservation process and maintenance of

59:14the property

59:16as we explore restoration options of the

59:20former house dwellings, garden and

59:22livestock enclosures and most

59:24importantly the location and

59:27identification and preservation of the

59:28burial mounts that exist there. We hope

59:31to work very closely with the state's

59:33burial council to see that these mounds

59:36are safely protected.

59:38We have formed partnerships with three

59:40area nonprofits, two of whom have also

59:44applied for punk funds to help in the

59:48undertaking of this venture. And should

59:50we all be funded, we hope to collaborate

59:53and um provide opportunities for high

59:58school students and others in the area

1:00:00of Puna to come and utilize the Aapua as

1:00:03a place of learning as we seek to

1:00:06restore the village.

1:00:08I'd like to close with a special mahalo

1:00:11to council members

1:00:14Kirkowitz and Conelli Kleinfelder for

1:00:17your funding support, your generous

1:00:19funding support of our dedication

1:00:23ceremony which will occur on Saturday,

1:00:25October 17th at 10:00 a.m. at the Wakahi

1:00:29Oola um county park at the bottom of uh

1:00:35>> 30 seconds, please. Kahokai Boulevard in

1:00:38um Hawaiian Beaches. You should have

1:00:41already received our invitation and we

1:00:43hope to see you. We hope that you will

1:00:45attend. Thank you.

1:00:47Thank you so much for your testimony.

1:00:50Chair, your next testifier is Celia

1:00:52Bardwell Jones testifying on resolution

1:00:54661 to be followed by Renee Gdoy. Celia,

1:00:58when you're ready to begin, please

1:00:59introduce yourself and you'll have three

1:01:00minutes.

1:01:02Um, [clears throat]

1:01:04uh, aloha, uh, council members. Um, I

1:01:07would like to submit, uh, testimony for

1:01:09support of resolution 661-26

1:01:13in funding the Bario Fiesta. Um, my name

1:01:17is Selia Bardwell Jones. Um, the Bario

1:01:20Fiesta has been an ongoing event in the

1:01:23community. This annual celebration draws

1:01:26from traditions in the Philippines where

1:01:29towns, barangis, and communities come

1:01:32together to celebrate the regional

1:01:34culture uh of the Philippines. Not all

1:01:37bario fiestas are the same in other

1:01:39words, right? And um [clears throat]

1:01:43the funding will support the programming

1:01:45of the expenses for this f for this uh

1:01:48celebration. Um, in East Hawaii, this

1:01:51tradition has flourished, bringing

1:01:52together multiple Filipino communities

1:01:55together to share our culture and love

1:01:57of the traditions and helping Filipino

1:02:00diaspora individuals like me in learning

1:02:02and deepening our relationship with the

1:02:05homeland. I actually learned about Bate

1:02:08tattoo tradition and got one myself at

1:02:10the bario fiesta. though. And then I

1:02:13visited the tattoo artist in the

1:02:16Philippines

1:02:17um during my sbatical research and I got

1:02:20another tattoo there as well. So the

1:02:24profound connections that Filipinos and

1:02:27daspora are able to connect with the

1:02:30homeland is essential and important for

1:02:32our community.

1:02:34Now in East Hawaii, this tradition has

1:02:36flourished, bringing together multiple

1:02:37Filipino communities together to share

1:02:39our culture and love of the traditions

1:02:42and helping Filipino diaspora

1:02:43individuals like myself deepen our

1:02:45relation. Okay, I already said that. All

1:02:46right. Filipinos have contributed to the

1:02:48history of Hawaii as a state, but more

1:02:50importantly here on the Big Island. The

1:02:52Hawaii Association of Filipino Educators

1:02:55have formed to ensure that the culture

1:02:57is brought into relationship with the

1:02:59university curriculum. Though one may

1:03:02see these joyous events as a party, and

1:03:05I'm not going to lie, Filipinos throw

1:03:06the best parties, the educational value

1:03:09of these celebrations are significant in

1:03:13the lives of our students at uh Hilo and

1:03:15Hawaii Island. I fully support the

1:03:18funding request for this event.

1:03:22>> Thank you so much for your testimony,

1:03:24chair. Your next testifiers are Renee

1:03:26Gdoi testifying on resolution 655, 656,

1:03:30and 636 to be followed by Dell Otsuka.

1:03:34Renee, when you're ready to begin,

1:03:35please introduce yourself and you'll

1:03:37have three minutes per agenda item if

1:03:38you clearly transition. If not, I'll let

1:03:40you know when your three minutes are up.

1:03:42>> Uh, thank you. I am Renee Goi, uh,

1:03:45police and fire chaplain, founder of

1:03:47Friends of First Responders, and I will

1:03:49not take nine minutes. You will

1:03:50appreciate that. But anyway, uh speaking

1:03:53on behalf of these resolutions, uh first

1:03:55I want to speak about resolutions uh 3 3

1:03:59636 26 and 65626

1:04:03supporting our robust compo couples

1:04:05conference for first responders. And I

1:04:08want to start with a story of uh last

1:04:10year we had a couple on the verge of

1:04:12divorce. They went to speak to one of

1:04:14our chaplain and the chaplain said, you

1:04:17know, just give this a chance. just try

1:04:21this, you know, um before you divorce.

1:04:23They have several children and uh she

1:04:25didn't want to see them end up in a

1:04:27divorce. They came to the conference, it

1:04:30turned their marriage around. They came

1:04:32in, you know, uh upset and they left

1:04:35happy. So, that's why we do it. Um as

1:04:38you know, first responders, they deal

1:04:40with long shifts, exposure to

1:04:42life-threatening situations, long

1:04:43absences from home. Uh not just during

1:04:46their shifts, but every natural

1:04:48disaster. you know, you you do not have

1:04:50your spouse at home. You know, they are

1:04:52not there taping up your windows and and

1:04:54doing those kinds of things because

1:04:55they're out ensuring the safety of the

1:04:58public. They're often not there for

1:05:00important holidays. Uh and that begins

1:05:03to take a toll sometimes on the

1:05:04relationship. And um first responders

1:05:08receive hundreds if not thousands of

1:05:11hours in training on all kinds of stuff.

1:05:16And I often ask them, okay, so how much

1:05:20training have you had in being a good

1:05:23partner, a good spouse, a good father, a

1:05:26good mother? How many books have you

1:05:28read on those topics? And is it any

1:05:30wonder maybe that that's where you're

1:05:32struggling because you have thousands of

1:05:34hours in training on everything that

1:05:36impacts your career, but nothing on how

1:05:40your career is impacting the most

1:05:42important relationships that are in your

1:05:45life. And this is what robust attempts

1:05:47to do. And we do bring in uh people that

1:05:50specifically address the unique stresses

1:05:53that a first responder family is going

1:05:56to face as a result of their career. So

1:05:58we I just want to thank um Jen Kagiwada

1:06:01and uh uh Council Member Hustes for

1:06:04introducing these resolutions, but I

1:06:06also want to say thank you to their um

1:06:09their staff members because I know I

1:06:11come up and say, "Oh, we're going to do

1:06:12all these awesome things." And then Lark

1:06:14and Korea has to make spreadsheets and

1:06:17tables and all those things. So a shout

1:06:20out to your

1:06:21>> please.

1:06:21>> Shout out to yours which are Shannon and

1:06:24Elwin. And then also for the books that

1:06:26you're providing for training that we

1:06:28can put resources in the hands that they

1:06:30can take with them and leave long after

1:06:32the conference ends or other trainings

1:06:35that we do for first responders and

1:06:36their families. So thank you to all of

1:06:38you and your aids that help us with

1:06:41this. Thank you very much. country

1:06:42council.

1:06:45>> Thank you so much for your testimony.

1:06:48Chair, your next testifier here in Hilo

1:06:50before going back to Zoom is Dell Otsuka

1:06:54testifying on resolution 609 612 as well

1:06:59as bills 173 and 176. Dell, when you're

1:07:02ready to begin, if you could just

1:07:03introduce yourself. You'll have three

1:07:05minutes per agenda item if you can

1:07:07clearly transition. If not, I'll let you

1:07:08know when the three minutes are up.

1:07:12I hope to transition easy so that we

1:07:15don't have to stop the clock. Um, good

1:07:17morning. My name is Dosuka. I'm here

1:07:19again. Um, and I do appreciate what you

1:07:23all do. I do. It's hard to thank just

1:07:25any one of you because it's all of you.

1:07:28But I'm here to support 60926 like I

1:07:31know you must be otherwise we wouldn't

1:07:33have the presentation we had this

1:07:34morning. So I'm here to support that.

1:07:37But not only that, um I always come

1:07:40before you because the

1:07:43this chronic issue of um staffing and

1:07:46vacancies is just prevalent and I hear

1:07:49it through testimony. I hear it through

1:07:51some of your comments. So, it is there

1:07:54and to ignore it sometimes when we go

1:07:56ahead and pass million dollar consulting

1:07:58fees is kind of unexcusable un and and

1:08:02unacceptable to me. And I say this

1:08:05because [snorts]

1:08:07the 60926 will I know pass to support

1:08:11unit 15 of the HGA, but a lot of the

1:08:15times when I research there's like $40

1:08:18million that was spent last year alone

1:08:21on consultant fees. And in the meantime,

1:08:25we've got vacancies in with the

1:08:27lifeguard, fire department, police

1:08:29department, critical operations like

1:08:31wastewater. And we're extending

1:08:35we're extending agreements into the into

1:08:38five and six or five years for

1:08:41infrastructure

1:08:43fixes. I mean that's kind of

1:08:45unacceptable because the cost will be

1:08:48more astronomical if we wait that long.

1:08:52So all I'm saying is while you look at

1:08:54the different resolutions like 60926,

1:08:5761212,

1:09:00bills 173 and 176, all of that has to do

1:09:03with where is the money coming from. And

1:09:07I was glad to have sat here yesterday

1:09:09listening to testimonies regarding Bill

1:09:11173, you know, and it is true. Unless we

1:09:14do what they do and we believe what they

1:09:16believe. These are just paper things

1:09:18coming before us thinking what is the

1:09:20most fiscal responsible thing to do. Do

1:09:23we do this for the county

1:09:26which is why you're all here but do we

1:09:29do it for the residents that you

1:09:30represent in the county and for me?

1:09:33Please give pause to the

1:09:37do to the resolutions and communications

1:09:41and bills that require fees for

1:09:44consultants because we're spending way

1:09:45too much for future

1:09:48and not dealing with the current crisis.

1:09:50>> 30 seconds, please.

1:09:51>> And so to me, number one, fill the

1:09:53vacancies. They're in all all

1:09:55departments. You know, we cannot keep on

1:09:58moving things on without fixing that

1:10:00problem. We can't you cannot do the

1:10:02projects without the people doing it.

1:10:04And the 89day temporary hires is

1:10:07somewhere to start. Just convert them,

1:10:09make them permanent. Then we don't have

1:10:11to have the discussion every month,

1:10:12every year, every quarter about where's

1:10:15the money coming from to do this because

1:10:17you can the money is there. You will

1:10:19find it.

1:10:21Okay. Thank you so much. Didn't mean so

1:10:24to be so what you go but you know it

1:10:25just Thank you. Please give pause to

1:10:28some of these.

1:10:29>> Thank you so much for your testimony.

1:10:32>> Chair, your last testifier here at the

1:10:34beginning of the meeting is Stephanie

1:10:36Bath. Stephanie, if you'd like to try

1:10:37again and unmute, you'll have your

1:10:39chance to commun to provide your

1:10:41testimony on communications 10001 and

1:10:43102. If you could just introduce

1:10:46yourself and then you will have three

1:10:48minutes per agenda item. Let us know

1:10:50when you transition so we can reset your

1:10:51time. If not, it's three minutes flat.

1:10:55>> Aloha, Kako. Uh I'm Stephanie Bath and

1:10:58I'm testifying on behalf of uh bills or

1:11:03communications

1:11:0410001

1:11:07first. Uh but before I do that, I'd like

1:11:09to congratulate those of you who applied

1:11:13uh for your jobs as county council

1:11:15people and were hired during the

1:11:19primary. I think that it's wonderful

1:11:22that you can put your shoulder to the

1:11:24wheel and focus on your um your service

1:11:29to the community instead of the

1:11:30campaign, which I know can be draining.

1:11:33Um

1:11:34I really appreciate

1:11:39uh you do

1:11:41serving on the Puna Community

1:11:43Development Plan. I can see how

1:11:45important it is to have your support and

1:11:47have your ear when we set priorities as

1:11:52community development plan action

1:11:53committees so that we could realize and

1:11:56implement some of the uh goals and

1:11:59objectives within our plans and that

1:12:01this is not just for Puna but this is

1:12:03islandwide

1:12:04when action committees are not fully

1:12:07staffed what my experience has been as a

1:12:09me an action committee member is that we

1:12:12don't meet quorum from uh and so we

1:12:16can't proceed and do business because we

1:12:19only have funding to meet every other

1:12:22month. If we miss a month and we can't

1:12:24vote, well, you know, it's a problem.

1:12:27So, today I'm very grateful that we have

1:12:30two nominees here. Uh, I met Jaylen

1:12:34uh last year and I was very very

1:12:36impressed with her um

1:12:41her focus,

1:12:43her groundedness and her willingness to

1:12:46serve within the Hawaiian Acres

1:12:48community.

1:12:49Uh, and I so I mentioned to her, hey,

1:12:52would you consider

1:12:54being on the action committee so we

1:12:56could fill some seats? and I'm just very

1:12:58grateful for her willingness to

1:13:00sacrifice her time because she's already

1:13:02um volunteering in other capacities.

1:13:06Uh I'd like to testify now on uh

1:13:10communications 10002.

1:13:14Uh, I believe I met Gary a couple of

1:13:17years ago and I was very impressed with

1:13:21his passion for food security,

1:13:25being on an island and especially with

1:13:30all of the funding that's being cut. Uh,

1:13:32Gary has some insights that he could

1:13:35bring to the table on food security. And

1:13:39so I support both of these uh

1:13:43folks and I also appreciate Gary for his

1:13:47willingness to serve and I

1:13:49wholeheartedly ask that you uh

1:13:54run their names through and get them

1:13:57confirmed today so that we can have them

1:13:59for our next action committee meeting.

1:14:01Mahalo.

1:14:03>> Thank you so much for your testimony.

1:14:05And with that, chair, those are all the

1:14:07testifiers you have at the beginning of

1:14:08this meeting, noting that we do have a

1:14:10testifier for later on at specific

1:14:12agenda items. Thank you.

1:14:14>> Thank you, Mr. Arceli. Are there any

1:14:17amendments to the minutes of the July

1:14:1923rd, 2025

1:14:22or the May 21st, 2026 or the June 3rd,

1:14:262026

1:14:28council meetings?

1:14:30Seeing none, the meeting minutes are

1:14:32deemed approved and we'll proceed with

1:14:35reports.

1:14:37>> Communication communication 10001

1:14:40nomination of Jaylen Brenland to the

1:14:42Puna Community Development Plan Action

1:14:44Committee for Mayor Cimo Alamita Jed

1:14:46July 28, 2026 requesting the council's

1:14:49review and confirmation.

1:14:52Chair motion to close file on

1:14:54communication 1001 and confirm the

1:14:57nomination of Jaylen Brenland to the

1:14:59Puna CDP action committee.

1:15:02>> Moved by council member Kirkowit,

1:15:03seconded by council member Hustus to

1:15:05close file on communication 10001 and

1:15:08confirm the nomination of Jaylen

1:15:10Brenland to the Puna CDP action

1:15:12committee. All those in favor, please

1:15:16say I.

1:15:17>> Any opposed?

1:15:21Is that nine? Yeah, that's nine.

1:15:24Oh, you know what? That's why I was

1:15:28asking. I was looking earlier. It didn't

1:15:30look familiar. Mr. Alamita, please

1:15:33introduce us.

1:15:36>> Mahalui, Mr. Chair, uh, Vice Chair

1:15:38Onishi, council members, back-to-back

1:15:40days. We don't do this often. Um, one

1:15:43thing I do appreciate on council, Mike

1:15:45Alamid, executive assistant, office of

1:15:46the mayor. Um, one thing I do appreciate

1:15:48about council days is the appreciation

1:15:52and the gratitude. Yeah. That we start

1:15:54off with, you know, honoring officer

1:15:56Wagokos Hav, honoring two youth in

1:15:59Vehiva Alani and Kendall and their Kumu

1:16:03Kolu. Um, and then honoring our

1:16:05lifeguards in fire and in parks and

1:16:08wreck.

1:16:09>> [snorts]

1:16:10>> Starting off with gratitude is what

1:16:12makes this county different from other

1:16:15municipalities

1:16:16across this great United States and is

1:16:19one of the reasons that makes this the

1:16:21best island I think um in our island

1:16:23chain and I also want to just share the

1:16:27appreciation we have for the work that

1:16:28you folks do right um it's not easy yeah

1:16:33many of you have multiple jobs young

1:16:35Kiki um this work calls you Yeah, you

1:16:39are doing this work for the greater

1:16:41service, right? And as someone who who

1:16:43is also a servant of this work with

1:16:45young kei who often take the back seat

1:16:47to what we do here, mahalo you guys,

1:16:50okay? It is not easy, but you folks step

1:16:52forward every single day. As someone

1:16:54from the administration who comes here

1:16:56and brings individuals every two weeks

1:16:58or monthly, I never know what to expect.

1:17:01Um, but I I can tell you this. Um, I can

1:17:05expect gratitude to start as a

1:17:08foundation, right? And that's a shared

1:17:10value that we all have as local people

1:17:12of this special place. So, mahalo you

1:17:14guys. Okay, moving right into it. We're

1:17:16going to start off with Jaylen Brenlin.

1:17:18She is coming to us as communication

1:17:2110001. She's nominated to the Puna

1:17:24Community Development Plan Action

1:17:26Committee. If confirmed, Miss Brenlin

1:17:28will serve a term that expires on

1:17:29December 31, 2027. It's been a pleasure

1:17:32getting to know Jaylen. She was heading

1:17:34here yesterday for comment. I was like,

1:17:36"Oh, sorry, Tita." You know, like you're

1:17:38on, you know, September 2, which is

1:17:40Queen Lilio Colani's birthday. God bless

1:17:42her. Holan now, Queen Lilio Khalani.

1:17:44Sorry. It's all just Kua orchestrated

1:17:46all of this. Um Jaylen comes to us with

1:17:49choke experience. She used to serve on

1:17:51the Hawaiian Acres uh roads association.

1:17:54She lives in Hawaiian Acres. I respect

1:17:56her for that. I have an uncle who lives

1:17:58up in Eden Rock and it's it's hard work

1:18:00to live out there the way it is right

1:18:02now. So, mahalo you. for for continuing

1:18:04to sustain life out there in Upper Puna.

1:18:08Um she comes to us with an associates

1:18:10degree. She's a self-employed farmer and

1:18:12as you heard from Miss Stephanie Bath in

1:18:14her testimony, Jaylen is super bright.

1:18:16She's super aami and she will show up

1:18:19for Puna. So mahalo Jaylen and mahalo

1:18:21Mr. Chair. Back to you.

1:18:23>> Thank you. Would you like to share

1:18:25anything about your interest in serving

1:18:27on this uh CDP action committee?

1:18:30Um, good morning and thank you um, Chair

1:18:34Anaba and council members for having me

1:18:37here today. Um, I'm definitely very

1:18:39grateful for the opportunity to be able

1:18:42to serve on the action committee. Um, I

1:18:44do come from Hawaiian Acres where our

1:18:46roads are kind of a thing known here in

1:18:50the county. Um, and I do believe that

1:18:52our roads is what connects all of us

1:18:55together. Um, I do see some potential

1:18:58issues. I also see some solutions and so

1:19:01being able to be part of the solution is

1:19:05um what I'm really grateful for to get

1:19:06the opportunity to do and however that

1:19:09serves um I'm here for it. So thank you.

1:19:13>> Thank you council member Kane Lee

1:19:14Kleinfelder.

1:19:15>> Thank you very much. Thank you for being

1:19:16here today. Is it Jayen or Jaylen?

1:19:19>> Jayen. Thank you for being here. Uh I

1:19:22know you from the Hawaiian Acres Roads

1:19:24Corporation

1:19:26uh where you are president. Correct me

1:19:28if I'm wrong.

1:19:31>> I've actually recently resigned from

1:19:33that.

1:19:34>> I understand.

1:19:34>> Yeah.

1:19:35>> And I understand why you stepped up. I

1:19:37also understand why you stepped out.

1:19:39>> It's difficult. Uh you're not paid and

1:19:42you stand up and you do a job and you

1:19:45try and help your community. And I've

1:19:47been to those meetings and they're

1:19:48brutal. Um especially with Miss Tita can

1:19:52make [clears throat] those meetings an

1:19:53absolute nightmare. Uh so

1:19:56my point is you understand the issues

1:20:00that we have in Punea specifically you

1:20:02understand some of the road challenges

1:20:03we face especially in private road

1:20:05subdivisions sorry private subdivisions

1:20:07and the roads

1:20:10um you live there

1:20:13and you know that's the difference some

1:20:15people on the committee some people in

1:20:17the community can speak to it but they

1:20:19don't understand it. Having you on the

1:20:22action committee will provide not only a

1:20:25leg up for upper puna and district 5 um

1:20:30given what I'm seeing today uh with both

1:20:34Mr. Rosenberg and yourself um but also

1:20:37start to

1:20:39provide more of a deeper insight as to

1:20:42what's needed in Puna.

1:20:45The way I opened was specific because

1:20:49you stepped up to help community of the

1:20:51Hawaiian Acres Roads Corporation and you

1:20:53stepped down because it was a lot but

1:20:57you're stepping back up to be on the

1:20:59action committee which is similar but

1:21:01more of a healthydriven mechanism

1:21:04and I expect great things from you on

1:21:06this committee. So, thank you to the

1:21:08administration for uh bringing Miss

1:21:11Brendan forward and uh look forward to

1:21:13seeing what you do for our district.

1:21:16>> Thank you, Mr. Kleinfalder. Um I do

1:21:18appreciate that and I do really hope to

1:21:21bring um not only resolutions for our

1:21:23roads but for our associations as well.

1:21:27And so, yeah, I see there's a lot of

1:21:30great people before me that have come

1:21:31forth with a lot of really good plans

1:21:34that I've reviewed. And sometimes it

1:21:36just needs a few extra voices to make

1:21:38the action follow through.

1:21:40>> Thank you. One one question. Did Did

1:21:42Shannon help you get

1:21:44get onto the commission? Did she bring

1:21:46you forward?

1:21:47>> No.

1:21:47>> No. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Council

1:21:51Member Kirkowitz.

1:21:53>> Thank you. Um, Miss Brenda, it was so

1:21:54nice to meet you earlier this morning.

1:21:56Thank you for making time to volunteer

1:21:59to support community. Um while you do

1:22:02reside in district five, um you do sit

1:22:05on the Puna Community Development Action

1:22:08Committee. So taking a step back and

1:22:10thinking about how your community is

1:22:12integrated with the entire region, um

1:22:14and making sure that there's equitable

1:22:16distribution of resources and access

1:22:19throughout the entire region, which is

1:22:20the size of Aahu. Um

1:22:24you know, council member Canal E

1:22:26Kleinfelder and I are going to be

1:22:27terming out in three months. There will

1:22:29be new leaders representing Puna to

1:22:31district representatives.

1:22:33I've always had a wonderful relationship

1:22:35with the action committee anytime that

1:22:38my office has had um projects that it

1:22:40would like to do or legislation. I often

1:22:43use the action committee as a place to

1:22:44socialize those ideas because you are

1:22:47individuals that that live in community

1:22:49that are going to be impacted by any of

1:22:50those projects or pieces of legislation.

1:22:53So just I encourage you and I encourage

1:22:54Mr. Rosenberg to develop that

1:22:57relationship with your elected officials

1:22:59because there is a partnership that

1:23:02needs to be developed. Um we have the

1:23:04ability to, you know, craft and pass

1:23:06legislation that makes real meaningful

1:23:09change in community. So lean into those

1:23:11relationships. Um you have a wonderful

1:23:13action committee. I was so happy to see

1:23:15Steph on this morning. Um but I know

1:23:17that you're going to add incredible

1:23:19value uh to the committee. So thank you

1:23:21for serving.

1:23:22>> Thank you so much. really appreciate the

1:23:25um advice and encouragement moving

1:23:26forward too.

1:23:28>> Council member Kagiato.

1:23:30>> Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Miss

1:23:31Brenley, for stepping up. I just wanted

1:23:33to give you a shout out. My my staff,

1:23:36Shannon Matson, was very excited to see

1:23:37your name um come forward. She says

1:23:40you're very much a hard worker. Uh you

1:23:42you're very knowledgeable about the

1:23:44roads and that you're very

1:23:45actionoriented, so perfect for the

1:23:47action committee. So, um good luck and

1:23:50happy to support your nomination.

1:23:52Thank you. I appreciate that, Kagiada.

1:23:55Um, yes. And and I guess to speak a

1:23:57little bit what you're saying about um

1:24:00really taking in account our entire

1:24:02community of Puna. Um and you know, it's

1:24:05not just our roads that connect us, but

1:24:08we're all kind of really equally

1:24:09affected by um the amount of rain we

1:24:13receive and drainage. And um that

1:24:16heavily affects our roads. And so when I

1:24:19do look at some of the issues that

1:24:20Hawaiian Acres faces, I see how other

1:24:23communities face those same issues. And

1:24:25if we can work together, we can provide

1:24:28some resolve for our future generations.

1:24:32>> Thank you. And apologies again on

1:24:34jumping to the vote this morning. I

1:24:35forgot we didn't see you in committee

1:24:37two weeks ago. Um, so all those in favor

1:24:39of

1:24:41confirming the nomination of Jaylen Rose

1:24:44Brenland to the Puna CDP action

1:24:47committee, please say I. Any opposed?

1:24:49Motion carries, nine eyes.

1:24:52Congratulations and good luck.

1:24:58>> Any testimony for communication 02?

1:25:05Hearing none. Communication 102.

1:25:06Nomination of Gary Rosenberg to the Puna

1:25:09Community Development Plan Action

1:25:10Committee for Mayor Cimo Alamita dated

1:25:12July 28, 2026, requesting the council's

1:25:14review and confirmation.

1:25:17>> A motion is to chair

1:25:19>> a motion to close file on communication

1:25:211002 and confirm the nomination of Gary

1:25:24Rosenberg to the Puna CDP action

1:25:26committee.

1:25:27>> Second. Moved by council member

1:25:29Kirkowitz, seconded by council member

1:25:30Connie Kleinfelder to close file on

1:25:32communication 10002 and confirm the

1:25:35nomination of Gary Rosenberg to the Puna

1:25:38CDP action committee. Mr. Alanita

1:25:41>> Mahalui Chair Inaba, it's my privilege

1:25:43to introduce communication 10002

1:25:46nominating Gary Rosenberg to the Puna

1:25:48Community Development Action Plan

1:25:49Committee. If confirmed, Mr. Rosenberg

1:25:52will serve a term that expires on

1:25:53December 31, 2027. Uh Mr. Ro Mr.

1:25:57Rosenberg has been a resident of Hawaii

1:25:59for over 35 years. Um he comes to he

1:26:03came to me initially as a referral from

1:26:05Ms. Bath. Um who also referred this

1:26:08hammer Jaylen, right? And um you know

1:26:10and through that I actually spoke to Mr.

1:26:13Rosenberg a few times over the phone and

1:26:14then physically when he came in the

1:26:16office when he was over doing the back

1:26:18and forth over the phone and I was like

1:26:19okay wow you know Mr. Rosenberg is the

1:26:22real deal. Through my conversations with

1:26:24him, I learned that he has a huge

1:26:26passion and a mega vision for food

1:26:29security as Miss Bath stated, he also is

1:26:32very passionate about agriculture. And

1:26:34when he was talking about raising pigs

1:26:37um and and working with students and I

1:26:39said, "Oh, you know, Kamea schools where

1:26:41I went to school um they have a pigeon."

1:26:43And he said, "I'm already working with

1:26:44them." Like I mean, you know, that that

1:26:46didn't surprise me. Um but ultimately,

1:26:49you know, he comes to us right from the

1:26:50farm where he's going straight back

1:26:52after this. Um and you know, I do

1:26:55believe that the Puna CDP action

1:26:58committee would benefit greatly from Mr.

1:27:01Rosenberg's experience and his mano. Mr.

1:27:04Chair, back to you. Mahalo.

1:27:06>> Thank you, Mr. Rosenberg. Would you like

1:27:07to provide any statement before we open

1:27:09it up to uh the council?

1:27:11>> Look forward to working with you.

1:27:14Man, a few words. Get it done. All

1:27:15right. Starting with council member

1:27:17Kanye E. Kleinfeld there.

1:27:19>> Gary is my neighbor

1:27:22>> and you're an animal. I appreciate you

1:27:25stepping up. I'm gonna I'm gonna ask you

1:27:26one thing. I've worked very close with

1:27:29you over the years on different things.

1:27:31You are very animated and you are very

1:27:35go get them done. uh when it comes to

1:27:37doing things in the action committee,

1:27:43you're gonna have to um kind of

1:27:47yeah, you're have to temper yourself, I

1:27:49believe, to sit in that government kind

1:27:52of theater that we sit in to get the

1:27:55things that I know you want to do.

1:27:57That's my only comment. I think you're

1:27:59going to do great work, but just be

1:28:00ready to

1:28:03simmer down a little bit and then be

1:28:04ready, you know, to team play with your

1:28:07other members. But I look forward to

1:28:09seeing what you do. I support your

1:28:10nomination. Thank you for being here.

1:28:12>> Council member Kirkitz, [snorts]

1:28:14>> I'm going to take a slightly different

1:28:16approach. Um, you're poaku. You pound

1:28:20the boy. I see you out there. You come

1:28:23to council today letting us know what

1:28:25you do for a living and that is working

1:28:27in aa. so that you can nourish our

1:28:29communities. If anybody wants to know

1:28:31information, please look Gary up. He

1:28:33runs the Seager Institute. Um he was

1:28:36part of one of our food summit panel

1:28:38discussions um in lower Puna a couple of

1:28:41years ago for revitalized Puna

1:28:43activation. So incredibly impressed by

1:28:46how your mind works, the complexity of

1:28:49it, but also the ability to take those

1:28:51complex ideas and do something

1:28:53meaningful on the ground.

1:28:56um bring the wealth of information and

1:28:58also bring the passion that you have to

1:28:59the action committee. Um I love the fact

1:29:02that you're a firecracker, right?

1:29:03Sometimes we do need to shake things up

1:29:04a little bit. Use that forum as an

1:29:08opportunity to expound ideas and also to

1:29:12provide some leadership as the

1:29:13committee. You folks can be writing

1:29:15letters and sending that to the council

1:29:17for consideration, to state elected

1:29:19officials, even to the mayor at and

1:29:22different departments, the

1:29:23administration. I think it's so

1:29:25important that you folks use that

1:29:27opportunity to send over ideas and

1:29:31request their presence at future

1:29:33committee hearings so that they know how

1:29:34they're going to be putting community

1:29:36ideas into action. So, thank you for

1:29:39taking time off of the farm um to sit in

1:29:42conversations with community and county

1:29:45government to get the work done for the

1:29:46people. Thank you, Gary.

1:29:48>> Council member Kaguato.

1:29:50>> Thank you, Chair. just um once again

1:29:52want to uh give my full support to your

1:29:55nomination. Uh Shannon Manson also said

1:29:58that she's worked in community with you

1:30:01uh so much and that you are so

1:30:03innovative and creative in your thinking

1:30:05around regenerative agriculture and I

1:30:08think you will light a fire under this

1:30:12action uh committee to really move it

1:30:15towards even more action. Um, and along

1:30:18with Miss Berlin, you'll you'll really

1:30:21uh I think you guys will will move this

1:30:23action committee to do great things. So,

1:30:25congratulations and uh look forward to

1:30:28seeing what you do.

1:30:31>> Thank you. All those in favor of closing

1:30:33file communication 102 and confirming

1:30:35the nomination of Gary Rosenberg to the

1:30:38Puna Community Development Plan Action

1:30:40Committee, please say I.

1:30:42>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

1:30:45Congratulations, Mr. Rosenberg.

1:30:53>> Is there any testimony for communication

1:30:551032?

1:31:01>> Hearing none. Communication 1032, a

1:31:04nomination of Grace Reinhardt to the tax

1:31:06board review from Mayor Cimo Alamita

1:31:08dated July 31, 2026, requesting the

1:31:10council's review and confirmation.

1:31:13Motion to close file on communication

1:31:151032 and for the positive recommendation

1:31:20to nominate Grace Reinhardt to the tax

1:31:22board of review.

1:31:24Moved by council member Galima, seconded

1:31:26by council member Huis to close file on

1:31:29communication 1032 and confirm the

1:31:31nomination of Grace Reinhard to the tax

1:31:35board of review. Mr. Alamita

1:31:37>> mahal nui chair inaba. It is my

1:31:39privilege to introduce communication

1:31:411032 nominating Grace Reinhardt to the

1:31:44tax board of review. If confirmed, Ms.

1:31:46Reinhardt will serve a term that expires

1:31:48on December 31, 2028. Um, Ms. Reinhardt

1:31:52was born in the Philippines. She moved

1:31:54to the United States when she was seven.

1:31:57Um, her dad was proudly served in the

1:31:59United States Navy. Um, she has 20 plus

1:32:02years of experience in real estate. Um

1:32:07to me what spoke volumes throughout this

1:32:09process um was talking story with Lisa

1:32:11Meera and uh Lisa shared that Grace

1:32:14previously served on the tax board

1:32:16review in 2015 and that she was

1:32:19absolutely awesome. She showed up every

1:32:21time she did her homework. She was

1:32:23committed. Um she understood the tier

1:32:25system, the tax system. Um so when it

1:32:29was turn it was time to nominate her, it

1:32:31was it was a no-brainer given that

1:32:33reference from Lisa Meera. Um Mr. Chair,

1:32:36without further ado, we're hopeful for a

1:32:37positive confirmation model.

1:32:39>> Thank you, Mr. Alamita. Mr. Reinhardt,

1:32:41would you like to make any statement?

1:32:44>> Good morning, council member. Um, I'm

1:32:48just happy to be here. Um, it's an honor

1:32:50to be here and the opportunity to serve

1:32:52on the tax board of review once again.

1:32:55The information I gained from that, um,

1:32:58board has been very helpful to not only

1:33:01my business, but to my community. So I

1:33:04am happy to serve another term once

1:33:07again.

1:33:09>> Thank you very much. Any questions from

1:33:11the body? Council member Connie

1:33:13Kleinfelder. This is the third person

1:33:15from my district today. Appreciate you

1:33:17guys. No, I I love that we have so much

1:33:20uh district five people showing up today

1:33:23to be on our boards and commissions. Uh

1:33:26you're you're my my number three today.

1:33:28Everything comes in three. So mahalo for

1:33:30being here today. I'll be supporting

1:33:31your nomination.

1:33:32>> Thank you. And for the record, I live in

1:33:34Hawaiian acres also.

1:33:35>> I know. [laughter]

1:33:37Thank you.

1:33:39>> Thank you. And thank you for your

1:33:41willingness to serve. All those in favor

1:33:43of approving the nomination of Grace

1:33:46Reinhardt to the tax board of review,

1:33:49please say I. Any opposed? Motion

1:33:51carries. Nine eyes. Thank you again and

1:33:54good luck.

1:33:55>> Malonui, council members.

1:33:56>> Thank you, Mr. Alamita.

1:33:59We'll proceed straight down through the

1:34:01agenda today.

1:34:03>> So any testimony for resolution 609-26

1:34:09>> hearing none. Resolution 609-26

1:34:11authorize the payment of funds at later

1:34:13fiscal years for the funding of cost

1:34:15items associated with Hawaii government

1:34:16employees association bargaining 15 for

1:34:19the contract period beginning July 1,

1:34:212025 and ending June 30, 2029. An

1:34:24estimated cost for the four years of the

1:34:25new contract resulting from lump sum

1:34:27payments across the board increase in

1:34:29step moves would be1,819,315

1:34:32introduced by council concler by

1:34:34request.

1:34:35>> Chair a motion to approve resolution

1:34:37609-26.

1:34:41>> Moved by council member Kelli E.

1:34:42Kleinfelder, seconded by council member

1:34:44Huis to approve resolution 609-26.

1:34:48All those in favor, please say I.

1:34:50>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

1:34:53Resolution 609-26

1:34:55is approved.

1:34:57Is there any testimony for resolution

1:34:59610-26?

1:35:06>> Hearing none. Resolution 610-26

1:35:08authorizes the payment of funds of later

1:35:10fiscal years to enter into a multi-year

1:35:12licensing agreement with MRI Software

1:35:14LLC for PHA Pro software and related

1:35:17services to be used by the Office of

1:35:18Housing Community Development.

1:35:20authorized the mayor to enter into a

1:35:21five-year agreement with an extra cost

1:35:23annual cost to $55,593

1:35:26for the first year and increasing

1:35:27thereafter to provide software

1:35:28licensings and other related services to

1:35:30be used by the department to meet

1:35:31program requirements and efficiently

1:35:33document communications with applicants,

1:35:34participants and vendors introduced by

1:35:36council member Connelly Clanfelder by

1:35:38request.

1:35:39>> Chair motion to approve resolution

1:35:40610-26.

1:35:43Moved by council member Houston,

1:35:45seconded by council member Kagiada to

1:35:47approve resolution 610-26.

1:35:50All those in favor, please say I. Any

1:35:52opposed? Motion carries. Seven eyes to

1:35:55excuse council members Kanye E.

1:35:57Kleinfelder and Kirkowitz. Resolution

1:35:59610-26

1:36:01is approved. So any testimony for

1:36:04resolution 611-26?

1:36:08Hearing none. Resolution 611-26

1:36:10authorizes the mayor to enter into an

1:36:12intergovernmental agreement with the

1:36:13state of Hawaii department of the

1:36:14attorney general to receive a grant for

1:36:16the Hawaii police deescalation training

1:36:18project allows for the receipt of

1:36:20$129,33

1:36:22in federal derived funds to be used to

1:36:24conduct verbal judo deescalation

1:36:25training for law enforcement introduced

1:36:27by council member Connie Clamper by

1:36:29request this is a companion to bill 177

1:36:31chair motion to approve resolution

1:36:33611-26

1:36:36>> moved by council member Connie Ali

1:36:37Eleinfelder seconded by council Member

1:36:39Houston to approve resolution 611-26.

1:36:42All those in favor, please say I. Any

1:36:44opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

1:36:47Resolution 611-26 is approved. Certain

1:36:51testimony for resolution 612-26.

1:36:57Hearing none. Resolution 612-26

1:36:59authorized payment of funds from later

1:37:01fiscal years to enter a multi-year

1:37:03agreement for online legal research

1:37:04services and legal print resources for

1:37:06the office of the corporation council

1:37:08authorizing the mayor to enter a 5-year

1:37:10agreement with an approximate monthly

1:37:12cost of $13,5228

1:37:14until December 1, excuse me, December

1:37:1631, 2026 and then $14,245

1:37:20per month until the end of year 1 with

1:37:22an increase of 7% per year thereafter

1:37:24for proprietary software and other

1:37:25services introduced by Council Member

1:37:27Connelly Kleinfelder by request

1:37:29>> chair. Motion to approve resolution

1:37:31612-26.

1:37:33>> Moved by council member Conclfelder,

1:37:36seconded by council member Hustus to

1:37:38approve resolution 612-26.

1:37:40All those in favor, please say I. Any

1:37:43opposed? Motion carries, nine eyes.

1:37:45Resolution 612-26

1:37:47is approved. Is there any testimony for

1:37:49resolution 614-26?

1:37:54Hearing none. Resolution 614-26

1:37:56authorized the mayor to enter into an

1:37:58intergovernment agreement with the

1:37:59United States Department of Justice,

1:38:01Office of Justice Programs to receive a

1:38:02grant to purchase two handheld mass

1:38:04spectrometers for the White Police

1:38:06Department. The handheld mass

1:38:07spectrometers be used to identify low

1:38:08concentrations or trace amounts of

1:38:10elicit substances, specifically fentanyl

1:38:12for law enforcement purposes. Introduced

1:38:15by council member Kagiada by request.

1:38:17>> Chair motion to approve resolution

1:38:18614-26.

1:38:21Moved by council member Kagiatada,

1:38:22seconded by council member Hustus to

1:38:24approve resolution 614-26.

1:38:27All those in favor, please say I. Any

1:38:30opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

1:38:32Resolution 614-26

1:38:34is approved. Is there any testimony for

1:38:37resolution 615-26?

1:38:41Hearing none. Resolution 615-26

1:38:43authorizes the mayor to enter into an

1:38:45intergovernment agreement with the state

1:38:46of Hawaii department of the attorney

1:38:47general to receive a grant for the

1:38:48domestic violence prosecution project

1:38:51plans to be used to partially fund one

1:38:52deputy prosecuted attorney position

1:38:54focused on misdemeanor domestic violence

1:38:56and protective order crimes in which the

1:38:58victim is an adult woman introduced by

1:38:59council member Kagiada by request

1:39:01>> chair a motion to approve resolution

1:39:03615-26

1:39:06>> moved by council member Kagiada seconded

1:39:08by council member Hustess to approve

1:39:10resolution 615-26.

1:39:13Council member Kagiada.

1:39:14>> I just want to say that we do have

1:39:16members of the prosecutor's office here.

1:39:18If you want to ask any questions.

1:39:20>> Thank you. Seeing none, all those in

1:39:23favor of approving resolution 615-26.

1:39:26Please say I.

1:39:27>> Any opposed? Motion carries, [snorts]

1:39:30nine eyes. Resolution 615-26

1:39:33is approved. Mahalo prosecuting attorney

1:39:35Ohana for being here today.

1:39:37Is there any testimony for resolution

1:39:39616-26?

1:39:43Hearing none, resolution 616-26

1:39:45authorizes the mayor to enter into an

1:39:47intergovernmental agreement the state of

1:39:48Hawaii department of health for the

1:39:50installation and maintenance of two the

1:39:51lock zone nasal spray distribution

1:39:53boxes. Distribution box distribution

1:39:55boxes installed at Hilo County Building

1:39:57and the Westway Civic Center and Kona

1:39:59and maintained by the mayor's office

1:40:01introduced by council member Kaggy Water

1:40:02by request. Motion to approve resolution

1:40:05616-26.

1:40:06Second.

1:40:07>> Moved by council member Kagiada,

1:40:09seconded by council member Huis to

1:40:10approve resolution 616-26.

1:40:13All those in favor, please say I. Any

1:40:16opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

1:40:19Resolution 616-26

1:40:21is approved. Is there any testimony for

1:40:23resolution 617-26?

1:40:29Hearing none, resolution 617-26 approves

1:40:31the nominations made by the executive

1:40:33committee of the Hawaii State

1:40:34Association of Counties for the National

1:40:36Association of Counties Board of

1:40:38Directors and the Western Interstate

1:40:39Region Board of Directors. Requests

1:40:42council approval of the following slate

1:40:43of officers for the National Association

1:40:45of Counties, Kipukai Kui from Kauaii

1:40:48County and Tommy Waters from the city

1:40:49and county of Honolulu. And for the

1:40:51western interstate region, Shane Senzi

1:40:53from Maui County and Errol Konoshiro

1:40:55from Kauaii County introduced by council

1:40:57member Kimbell. Chair. Motion to approve

1:40:59resolution 617-26.

1:41:04>> Is uh moved by council member Kimbo,

1:41:06seconded by council member Delima to

1:41:08approve resolution 617-26.

1:41:12Council member Kimble.

1:41:14>> Council member Conelli Kleinfelder. Just

1:41:17to Miss Kimble, maybe you know more

1:41:19about this than I do, but given what

1:41:21going on with Mr. Waters right now,

1:41:24>> what's the thought process?

1:41:26So, um, this term will it began actually

1:41:30in July, um, and will extend through his

1:41:34term on the council in city and county

1:41:36of Honolulu until January, at which case

1:41:39Hack will appoint somebody else to take

1:41:42that position from um, city and county.

1:41:45>> Okay, thank you.

1:41:46>> All those in favor of approving

1:41:48resolution 617-26,

1:41:50please say I. Any opposed? Motion

1:41:53carries. Nine eyes. Resolution 617-26 is

1:41:56approved.

1:41:59>> Any testimony for resolution 627-26?

1:42:03[snorts]

1:42:04Hearing none, resolution 627-26

1:42:07authorized the mayor to enter into an

1:42:09intergovernment agreement with the state

1:42:10of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural

1:42:11Resources to receive a grant for four

1:42:13attendees to participate in a National

1:42:15Alliance of Preservation Commission's

1:42:16Forum 2026. lost a receipt of $20,192 in

1:42:21federal divide funds to cover travel

1:42:23stipens for two staff members from the

1:42:24planning department and two cultural

1:42:26resource commissioners introduced by

1:42:28council member Connelly Kle by request

1:42:29and this is a companion to bill 180.

1:42:33>> Chair motion to approve resolution

1:42:35627-26.

1:42:38>> Moved by council member Kanye

1:42:39Kleinfelder, seconded by council member

1:42:41Hustus to approve resolution 627-26.

1:42:45All those in favor please say I. Any

1:42:47opposed? Motion carries, nine eyes.

1:42:50Resolution 627-26

1:42:52is approved.

1:42:53>> Is there any testimony for resolution

1:42:55633-26?

1:42:57>> Thank you, Mr. Clerk. I do believe we

1:42:59have one testifier, Mitchell Marks.

1:43:01Mitchell, when you're ready to begin,

1:43:02please introduce yourself and you'll

1:43:04have three minutes.

1:43:06>> Aloha and mahalo for the opportunity to

1:43:08provide testimony and to council member

1:43:10Galima for sponsoring this resolution.

1:43:13I'm Mitchell Marx, executive director of

1:43:15the Defend Foundation, an IRS approved

1:43:17and state registered charitable

1:43:19organization. Havaii County is

1:43:21experiencing a substantial problem with

1:43:23community cats. Those are feral and

1:43:25stray cats. Community cats are a major

1:43:28predator of neighbor birds, insects, and

1:43:31baby sea turtles. Cats can carry

1:43:34diseases that can sicken humans and

1:43:36other animals. Havaii County's

1:43:38communication cat situation has resulted

1:43:41in strongly emotional confrontations

1:43:43between residents who regard feral and

1:43:46stray cats as a threat to native species

1:43:49and those who wish to see feral and

1:43:51stray cats treated in a humane manner.

1:43:54The Defin Foundation has two missions.

1:43:57One is to promote animal welfare on the

1:43:59Big Island and the second is to create

1:44:01educational opportunities for high

1:44:03school and college students on the Big

1:44:05Island. Our current focus is to launch

1:44:07the Kona Cat Commons, a 6 acre uh

1:44:11sanctuary located in Captain Cook.

1:44:14However, the requested funds will

1:44:16benefit the entire island. The requested

1:44:18funds will be used to develop a template

1:44:20which can be used at multiple locations

1:44:23throughout the island. The project will

1:44:25result in the creation of a firstear

1:44:27operational plan for the Kona Cat

1:44:30Commons.

1:44:32However,

1:44:34however, the community cat situation in

1:44:37Hawaii County is so severe that no one

1:44:40intervention by itself will contain the

1:44:42problem. Thus, the development and

1:44:45operation of the Kona Cat Commons will

1:44:47serve as a pilot project for the

1:44:49county's broader effort to address the

1:44:52CAT situation.

1:44:55The plan will be the property of Hawaii

1:44:57County. As the owner of the plan, the

1:45:00county will be able to use or modify the

1:45:03plan at its discretion. Currently,

1:45:05several initiatives are underway to

1:45:08address the CAD issue in our county.

1:45:10However, these efforts are uncoordinated

1:45:12and offer often work in a

1:45:14counterproductive manner. Thus, one

1:45:17outcome of this project will be a major

1:45:19step forward in strengthening and

1:45:21coordinating the county's islandwide

1:45:24efforts to control the community cat

1:45:26population in a humane manner. This will

1:45:29benefit several constituencies

1:45:31throughout Hawaii Island. Most

1:45:33prominently, it will benefit the overall

1:45:35island population by contributing to

1:45:38containing the environmental and toxic

1:45:40consequences of an undermanaged

1:45:43community cat population. The project

1:45:45will benefit the probird community who

1:45:48regard cats as a threat to native

1:45:50species on the island and it will

1:45:53benefit the procat members of the

1:45:55community who seek a humane way to deal

1:45:58with community cats. And once the Kona

1:46:00Cat Commons becomes operational, it will

1:46:03benefit Big Island College and high

1:46:05school students through the creation of

1:46:07internships and research opportunities.

1:46:09Mahalo for your time. Thank you.

1:46:12>> Thank you for your testimony. And with

1:46:13that, chair, those are all the

1:46:14testifiers we have for this item.

1:46:18>> Resolution 633-26

1:46:21transfers appropriates an appropriation

1:46:23out from a designated fund account

1:46:24credit to a designated fund account by a

1:46:26grant to defend Foundation for its Kona

1:46:28Catat common sanctuary project.

1:46:31Transfers $5,000 of clerk council

1:46:32services contingency relief account

1:46:34council district 6 and credits to part

1:46:36research and development agriculture

1:46:38other expenses account introduced by

1:46:39council member Galima.

1:46:43Chair motion to approve resolution

1:46:45633-26.

1:46:48>> Moved by council member Gimba, seconded

1:46:50by Vice Chair Onishi to approve

1:46:52resolution 633-26.

1:46:54Council member Galima.

1:46:56>> Thank you. I just wanted to thank Mr.

1:46:58remarks for his thoughtful approach to

1:47:01this um cat situation that we are in um

1:47:06and

1:47:08his um request to develop a plan I think

1:47:13is very appropriate. He will be working

1:47:16with Kvon of the Lai Cat Sanctuary who

1:47:19has a lot of experience and success

1:47:22around this. Um, and I've actually

1:47:26received at least one request from

1:47:31another catfocused

1:47:33animal advocacy group

1:47:36um asking questions around permitting

1:47:39and standards that I think um

1:47:43this project will assist them. So it

1:47:48will again as he said um

1:47:52be of benefit to the entire county and I

1:47:55want to thank research and development

1:47:56for being willing to sponsor this

1:47:59request and ask for my hello council

1:48:02members support. Thank you.

1:48:06>> Thank you. All those in favor of

1:48:08approving resolution 633-26,

1:48:11please say I. Any opposed? Motion

1:48:15carries with eight eyes, one

1:48:18excused. Council member Vieas resolution

1:48:21633-26

1:48:23is approved. So any testimony for

1:48:26resolution 634-26

1:48:30hearing none. Resolution 634-26

1:48:32transfers appropriates an appropriation

1:48:34out from a designated fund account.

1:48:36Credits aimed to a designated fund

1:48:37account by a grant to Ocean View Skate

1:48:39Park Association for its skate snacks

1:48:41program. Transfer $4,000 of clerk

1:48:44council services contingency leave

1:48:45account council district 6 and credits

1:48:47department parks and recreation

1:48:49administration of the current expenses

1:48:50account introduced by council member

1:48:51Galima.

1:48:53>> Chair motion to approve resolution

1:48:55634-26.

1:49:00>> Moved by council member Gimba seconded

1:49:03by council member Kanye Eleinfelder to

1:49:06approve resolution 634-26.

1:49:10Council member Gimbo,

1:49:12>> thank you. Um,

1:49:15Ocean View doesn't have a lot of

1:49:17recreational opportunities. So, again,

1:49:20supporting this organization with their

1:49:22skate park. Um, I would like to um move

1:49:26to amend

1:49:29resolution 634-26

1:49:31with the contents of communication

1:49:3410008.1.

1:49:37>> Moved by council member Gima. Is there a

1:49:40second? Seconded by Vice Chair Onishi to

1:49:44amend resolution 634-26

1:49:48with communication 1000

1:49:51>> 8.1.

1:49:53>> Um and so this resolution this amendment

1:49:56is very simple. It just there was a

1:49:58little bit of a misunderstanding on the

1:50:00timing. and they thought they needed to

1:50:01get their project done by the end of

1:50:03this calendar year and this will give

1:50:06them until um May 31st to complete their

1:50:10project.

1:50:12>> Thank you for my colleague support.

1:50:14>> Thank you. All those in favor of

1:50:15amending resolution 634-26 with the

1:50:18contents of communication 108.1,

1:50:21please say I. Any opposed? Motion

1:50:24carries, nine eyes. A motion please to

1:50:26suspend rule 23 for further discussion.

1:50:30Moved by council member Gimba.

1:50:32>> Seconded by Vice Chair Onishi to suspend

1:50:35rules. All those in favor please say I.

1:50:38Any opposed?

1:50:41>> Roll call vote please.

1:50:43>> On the motion to suspend the rules.

1:50:44Council member Gmba

1:50:45>> I.

1:50:46>> Council member Hustus.

1:50:50>> No.

1:50:51>> Council member Kagiada.

1:50:52>> I. Council member Connelly Kleinfelder.

1:50:55>> Hi.

1:50:55>> Council member Kirkowitz.

1:50:56>> Hi.

1:50:57>> Council member Kimbo.

1:50:58>> No.

1:50:59>> Vice Onishi.

1:51:00>> Hi.

1:51:01>> Council member Viegas.

1:51:02>> I.

1:51:03>> Jaba.

1:51:03>> Hi.

1:51:04>> Sure. You have seven votes of favor.

1:51:05Council members Hustus and Kimbo voting

1:51:08no. Motion carries. Rules are suspended.

1:51:11>> Thank you. Any further discussion?

1:51:13Seeing none, all those in favor of

1:51:15approving resolution 634-26 as amended,

1:51:18please say I. U. Any opposed? Motion

1:51:22carries. Nine eyes. Resolution 634-26 as

1:51:25amended is approved. Is

1:51:27>> there any testimony for resolution

1:51:28635-26?

1:51:32Hearing none. Resolution 635-26

1:51:34transfers, appropriates, and

1:51:35appropriation out from designated fund

1:51:37account credit same to a designated fund

1:51:39account for a grant to Qui Kahi

1:51:40mediation center incorporated for its

1:51:42basic mediation training. transfers

1:51:44$5,000 in clair council services

1:51:46conditions to relief account council

1:51:47district two and credits the off office

1:51:50of prosecuting attorney of the current

1:51:51expenses account introduced by council

1:51:53member Kagiada

1:51:54>> motion to approve resolution 635-26

1:51:59>> moved by council member Kagiata seconded

1:52:01by council member Huice to approve

1:52:03resolution 635-26

1:52:05council member Kagiada

1:52:06>> thank you just looking for my colleague

1:52:08support

1:52:09>> all those in favor of approving

1:52:10resolution 635-26 please say I. Any

1:52:14opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

1:52:17Resolution 635-26 is approved.

1:52:20Considering testimony for resolution

1:52:22636-26

1:52:26hearing none, resolution 636-26

1:52:28transfers appropriates an appropriation

1:52:30out from a designated fund account and

1:52:32credit sane to a designated fund account

1:52:33but a grant to the friends of first

1:52:35responders for it 2026 robust

1:52:37conference. transfers $5,000 from the

1:52:40clerk council services contingency leaf

1:52:42account council district 2 and credit to

1:52:44department control programs account

1:52:45introduced by council member kagiada

1:52:48>> chair motion to approve resolution

1:52:49636-26

1:52:52>> moved by council member Kagiada seconded

1:52:54by council member Hustus to approve

1:52:56resolution 636-26

1:52:58council member Kagiada

1:52:59>> once again just looking for my colleague

1:53:01support

1:53:02>> thank you all those in favor of

1:53:03approving resolution 636-26

1:53:06please say I Any opposed? Motion

1:53:08carries. Nine eyes. Resolution 636-26

1:53:12is approved. Is there any testimony for

1:53:14resolution 637-26?

1:53:18Hearing none, resolution 637-26

1:53:21transfers, appropriates, and

1:53:22appropriation out from a designated fund

1:53:24account. A credit saying to a designated

1:53:26fund account by a grant to Friends of

1:53:28the Palace Theater for its community

1:53:29connections program. Transfers $3,576

1:53:33from the clerk council services

1:53:35contingency relief account. Council of

1:53:36District 2 and credit to Department Liqu

1:53:40introduced by council member Kagiwala.

1:53:42>> Motion to approve resolution 637-26.

1:53:46>> Second.

1:53:46>> Moved by council member Kagiada,

1:53:48seconded by council member Hustis to

1:53:50approve resolution 637-26.

1:53:52Council member Kagiada.

1:53:54>> Just asking for my colleague support.

1:53:56>> All those in favor of approving

1:53:57resolution 637-26,

1:53:59please say I. Any opposed? Motion

1:54:02carries. Nine eyes. Resolution 637-26 is

1:54:06approved.

1:54:06>> Is there any testimony for resolution

1:54:08638-26?

1:54:12>> Hearing none. Resolution 638-26

1:54:15transfers appropriates an appropriation

1:54:17out from a designated fund account.

1:54:18credit saying to a designated fund

1:54:20account for a grant to Col School for

1:54:22enhancing campus green space transfers

1:54:25$4,750 in the current council services

1:54:28contingency leave account council

1:54:30district 2 and credits to depart

1:54:31research and development other current

1:54:32expenses account introduced by council

1:54:34member Kagiada.

1:54:35>> Motion to approve resolution 638-26.

1:54:39>> Moved by council member Kagiada,

1:54:41seconded by council member Huice to

1:54:42approve resolution 638-26.

1:54:46>> Thank you chair. Uh just wanted to note

1:54:49that uh I was able to visit this early

1:54:52childhood education program right here

1:54:53in Hilo. It's a it's a delightful place

1:54:56um really working with um young Kiki to

1:55:01work on a lot of social emotional

1:55:03skills. Um which I know is one of the

1:55:07main things that kindergarten teachers

1:55:09look for uh when when new

1:55:12kindergarteners come in. It's not that

1:55:14they want their um incoming students to

1:55:17know about numbers and letters so much,

1:55:18but they really want them to have some

1:55:20of that executive function and social

1:55:23emotional skills. So um the one thing

1:55:26when we are visiting though is they are

1:55:28in a former medical building and their

1:55:31outdoor play space is basically mostly

1:55:34their um old parking lot and so it's a

1:55:37paved space. So, I wanted to give them

1:55:39some support to kind of green the space

1:55:42a little more, get nature in there, and

1:55:44um allow them to do more with the young

1:55:47kei and and get them in touch with

1:55:49nature. So, um looking for my colleague

1:55:52support. Thank you.

1:55:53>> Thank you. All those in favor of

1:55:55approving resolution 638-26, please say

1:55:58I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine

1:56:00eyes. Resolution 638-26 is approved.

1:56:04Is there any testimony for resolution

1:56:06639-26?

1:56:10Hearing none, resolution 639-26

1:56:13transfers appropriates an appropriation

1:56:14out from a designated fund account

1:56:16credit to a designated fund account to a

1:56:18grant to friends of the palace theater

1:56:19for expenses relating to its community

1:56:21connections program puzzling at the

1:56:23palace event. transfers $1,500 to CL

1:56:26council services contingency

1:56:27certificates

1:56:30to part liquor control public for the

1:56:31programs account introduced by council

1:56:33member Connie Kleinfelder

1:56:35>> a motion to approve resolution

1:56:38639-26

1:56:41>> moved by council member Kanye

1:56:43Kleinfelder seconded by vice chair Nishi

1:56:45to approve resolution 639-26

1:56:48all those in favor please say I any

1:56:50opposed motion carries nine I's

1:56:53resolution 639 9-26 is approved.

1:56:56>> Is there any testimony for resolution

1:56:57640-26?

1:57:02Hearing none, resolution 640-26

1:57:04transfers, appropriates an appropriation

1:57:05out from a designated fund account.

1:57:07credit saint to a designated fund

1:57:08account grant to grassroots community

1:57:10development group for expenses relating

1:57:12to the 12th annual Hawaii Island All

1:57:14Nations POW transfers $3,800 on clerk

1:57:17council services contingent leave

1:57:19account council district 5 and credits

1:57:20to department of parks recreation

1:57:22administration of the current expenses

1:57:24account introduced by council member

1:57:25Connie Lee Kleinfelder motion to approve

1:57:28resolution 640-26

1:57:31moved by council member Connie Lee

1:57:33Kleinfelder seconded by vice chair Nishi

1:57:35to approve resolution 640 0-26.

1:57:38All those in favor, please say I. Any

1:57:41opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

1:57:44Resolution 640-26 is approved. Is there

1:57:47any testimony for resolution 641-26

1:57:53hearing? None. Resolution 641-26

1:57:55transfers appropriates an appropriation

1:57:57out from a designated fund account

1:57:58credit sane to a designated fund account

1:58:00by a grant to the Koku Omo Foundation

1:58:02Incorporated for expenses relating to a

1:58:04Ki Pi ceremony honoring the preservation

1:58:07of Honolulu Landing Transfers $1,250

1:58:10council services contingency relief

1:58:12accounts District 5 and credits to

1:58:14Department of Liquid Control public

1:58:16programs account introduced by council

1:58:17member Connelly Kleinfelder. Chair

1:58:19motion to approve resolution 641-26.

1:58:24>> Moved by council member Kanye

1:58:26Kleinfelder, seconded by council member

1:58:28Huis to approve resolution 641-26.

1:58:32All those in favor, please say I.

1:58:34>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

1:58:36Resolution 641-26 is approved.

1:58:41Any testimony for resolution 642-26?

1:58:47Hearing none. Resolution 642-26

1:58:49transfers appropriates and appropriation

1:58:51out from a designated fund account and

1:58:53credit scene to a designated fund

1:58:54account by a grant to Hamokua Health

1:58:56Center Incorporated for the 2026 Paul

1:58:58Wheelo Christmas program transfers

1:59:00$2,500 in clerk council services

1:59:02contingent relief account council

1:59:04district 1 and credits to department of

1:59:06parks and recreation administration of

1:59:08their current expenses account

1:59:09introduced by council member Kimble.

1:59:10Chair. Motion to approve resolution

1:59:12642-26.

1:59:15>> Moved by council member Kimbo, seconded

1:59:17by council member Gimbo to approve

1:59:18resolution 642-26.

1:59:21All those in favor, please say I. Any

1:59:24opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

1:59:27Resolution 642-26 is approved. Is there

1:59:30any testimony for resolution 643-26?

1:59:36Hearing none. Resolution 643-26

1:59:38transfers appropriates and appropriation

1:59:40out from a designated fund account. The

1:59:42credit saint to a designated fund

1:59:43account for a grant to the Shock

1:59:44Foundation for the Ulu Holia 2026

1:59:48transfer $6,000 in clerk council

1:59:50services contingency leaf account

1:59:51conrict 7 and credits department

1:59:54research and development agriculture

1:59:55other current expenses account

1:59:56introduced by council member Viegas.

1:59:59Motion to approve resolution 643-26.

2:00:02>> Moved by council member Viegas, seconded

2:00:04by council member Hustus to approve

2:00:06resolution 643-26.

2:00:09Council member Viegas,

2:00:10>> just want to thank everyone for your

2:00:12support and for all the amazing people

2:00:14working so collaboratively to pull this

2:00:17whole together.

2:00:20>> Thank you. All those in favor of

2:00:21approving resolution 643-26, please say

2:00:24I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine

2:00:27eyes. Resolution 643-26 is approved. Is

2:00:30there any testimony for resolution

2:00:32644-26?

2:00:36Hearing none. Resolution 644-26

2:00:38authorize the payment of funds of later

2:00:39fiscal years to enter into a multi-year

2:00:42lease agreement for a multifunction copy

2:00:43machine to be used by the office of

2:00:45sustainability, climate, equity, and

2:00:47resilience. Authorized the merit to

2:00:48enter a 5-year lease agreement with an

2:00:51estimated monthly cost of $229

2:00:53introduced by council member Conley

2:00:54climber by request.

2:00:58Chair motion to approve resolution

2:01:00645-26

2:01:02>> 644 moved by council member Connie Ali

2:01:05Kleinfelder seconded by council member

2:01:08Gimba to approve resolution 644.

2:01:11>> Any discussion? Seeing none all those in

2:01:14favor please say I.

2:01:16>> Any opposed? Motion carries nine eyes.

2:01:18Resolution 644-26

2:01:21is approved. Is there any testimony for

2:01:23resolution 647-26?

2:01:27Hearing none, resolution 647-26

2:01:30transfers appropriates an appropriation

2:01:31out from designated fund account and

2:01:33credit scene to a designated fund

2:01:35account to write a grant to the friends

2:01:36of the palace theater for its community

2:01:38connections fall musical. Transfers

2:01:40$3,000 of clerk council services

2:01:42contingency re council district 1 and

2:01:45credits to part research development big

2:01:47island film office account introduced by

2:01:48council member Kimble. [snorts]

2:01:51Chair. Motion to approve resolution

2:01:53647-26.

2:01:56>> Moved by council member Kimbo, seconded

2:01:58by Vice Chair Onishi to approve

2:01:59resolution 647-26.

2:02:02All those in favor, please say I. Any

2:02:04opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

2:02:06Resolution 647-26

2:02:08is approved. Is there any testimony for

2:02:10resolution 648-26?

2:02:14Hearing none. Resolution 648-26

2:02:16transfers appropriates an appropriation

2:02:18out from a designated fund account

2:02:19credit same to a designated fund account

2:02:21for the grant to the grassroots

2:02:22committee development route for expenses

2:02:23relating to the 12th annual Hawaii

2:02:25Island all nations pawo transfers $900

2:02:28of cler council services contingency

2:02:29relief account council district 3 and

2:02:31credits to departmentrol public programs

2:02:33account introduced by council member

2:02:34onishi

2:02:35>> motion to approve resolution 648-26

2:02:39>> moved by vice chair onishi seconded by

2:02:41council member Hustus to approve

2:02:43resolution 648 8-26. All those in favor,

2:02:46please say I. Any opposed? Motion

2:02:49carries. Nine eyes's. Resolution 648-26

2:02:52is approved. Is there any testimony for

2:02:54resolution 649-26?

2:02:59>> Yes, Mr. Clerk. We do have one

2:03:01testifier, Mitchell Marks.

2:03:03[clears throat] Mitchell, at this time,

2:03:05if you'd like to introduce yourself,

2:03:06you'll have three minutes from when you

2:03:08begin.

2:03:09>> Uh, aloha again. Um, I

2:03:13first of all, mahalo for passing the

2:03:14previous resolution 633.26.

2:03:18So, I'm not going to bore you with

2:03:19another threeminut

2:03:21uh monologue, but I do want to first of

2:03:24all thank council member Onishi for his

2:03:26great support in this and council member

2:03:29Galima for her wonderful words she spoke

2:03:31earlier in support. I just want to

2:03:33reiterate just two two points and then

2:03:35I'll let you move on with your agenda.

2:03:37Um, we are working with Kone Vaughn who

2:03:40if you're not familiar with with the Nai

2:03:43cat sanctuary, it's worldclass and we're

2:03:46going to take lessons learned from there

2:03:47and hopefully apply them here to the Big

2:03:49Island. The other point I want to make,

2:03:51please, is

2:03:53I want to [snorts] just stress that that

2:03:55while we're starting up the the KonaT

2:03:57comments, we're doing it with an eye

2:03:59towards creating a template for other

2:04:01sanctuaries and other interventions on

2:04:03the Big Island. one intervention alone

2:04:06will not tackle and completely take care

2:04:08of the community cat situation here. So

2:04:11we really are doing this with an eye of

2:04:13cooperating with other uh entities both

2:04:16private and public sector and again

2:04:18mahalo thank you for your support.

2:04:23>> Thank you for your testimony. Resolution

2:04:25649-26 transfers appropriates an

2:04:27appropriation out from a designated fund

2:04:29account and credit same to a designated

2:04:31fund account by a grant to the defend

2:04:33Foundation for expenses relating to the

2:04:35Kona Cat Common Sanctuary project

2:04:37transfers $5,000 of Kirk Council

2:04:39services contingency relief account

2:04:41council district 3 and credits to the

2:04:43Amir Control and Protection Agency other

2:04:44current expenses account introduced by

2:04:46council member Onishi

2:04:48>> motion to approve resolution 649-26

2:04:52>> moved by vice chair onishi seconded by

2:04:54council Member Huis to approve

2:04:55resolution 649-26. Vice Chair Onishi.

2:04:58>> Thank you, Chair. I just want to say

2:05:01mahalo to Mitch Mark. He's the one that

2:05:04reached out and he was the one kind of

2:05:07paying attention to when we were um

2:05:10going through the council with, you

2:05:12know, about feeding feral animals on

2:05:15county properties. And you know he's he

2:05:18volunteered to donate his services and

2:05:22his also his property be to be that

2:05:26pilot project

2:05:28of having this um first ever cat

2:05:31sanctuary on this island and we getting

2:05:33hooked up with Kon Ivon as he mentioned

2:05:37from Lahina cat sanctuary which is an

2:05:40awesome person and he has like over

2:05:44maybe 20 something years in this work.

2:05:46So, it looks like we're going to have a

2:05:49great working relationship and Mr.

2:05:52Marks, we look forward to working with

2:05:54you more closely and hopefully we can

2:05:57get this going forward and as you

2:05:59mentioned as a model for all other

2:06:03places that can, you know, utilize this

2:06:05sanctuaries. Thank you very much for all

2:06:07your support.

2:06:10All those in favor of approving

2:06:12resolution 649-26,

2:06:14please say I. Any opposed? Motion

2:06:17carries. Nine eyes. Resolution 649-26 is

2:06:20approved.

2:06:21>> Is there any testimony for resolution

2:06:22650-26?

2:06:26Hearing none. Resolution 650-26

2:06:28transfers appropriates and appropriation

2:06:30out from a designated fund account.

2:06:31Credit saint to a designated fund

2:06:32account to grant to the Lions Club of

2:06:34Kona Community Foundation Incorporated

2:06:36for expenses relating to the 40th annual

2:06:38Kapuna Hoola Festival transfers $10,000

2:06:40of clear council services content relief

2:06:42account district 8 and credits to

2:06:45partner parks recreation administration

2:06:46of the current expenses account

2:06:47introduced by council member inava.

2:06:49Chair. Motion to approve resolution

2:06:51650-26.

2:06:53>> Moved by council member Houston,

2:06:55seconded by Vice Chair Onishi to approve

2:06:56resolution 650-26.

2:06:59Uh do thank uh Nicole from our Kona

2:07:03office. And for those who are not aware,

2:07:06the Kuno Hoola Festival begins next week

2:07:08at the Outrigger Kona uh I believe on

2:07:11the 9th. So tickets are for sale.

2:07:14Encourage community members to go and

2:07:16check that out. uh and thankful to

2:07:19support alongside council members

2:07:20Eustace and Viegas. All those in favor

2:07:23of approving resolution 650-26,

2:07:26please say I. Any opposed? Motion

2:07:29carries. Nine eyes. Resolution 650-26 is

2:07:32approved. So any testimony for

2:07:34resolution 652-26

2:07:38hearing none. Resolution 652-26

2:07:41transfers appropriates and appropriation

2:07:43out from designated fund account. Credit

2:07:45Sign to a designated fun account to

2:07:46provide a grant to the Alliance Club of

2:07:47Kona Community Foundation Incorporated

2:07:49to assist with expenses for the 40th

2:07:51annual Capuna Hula Festival transfers

2:07:53$2,500 in clerk council services

2:07:56contingency leave account council

2:07:57district 9 and credits department of

2:07:59parks and recreation administration of

2:08:01the current expenses account introduced

2:08:02by council member Huice. Chair. Motion

2:08:05to approve resolution 652-26.

2:08:08Second.

2:08:09>> Moved by council member Hust, seconded

2:08:11by council member Kagiada to approve

2:08:13resolution 652-26.

2:08:15Council member Hustus.

2:08:16>> Thank you, chair. Just join our

2:08:17colleagues to support the 40th annual

2:08:19Kapuna Hoola Festival. Thank you.

2:08:22>> All those in favor of approving

2:08:24resolution 652-26,

2:08:26please say I.

2:08:27>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

2:08:30Resolution 652-26

2:08:32is approved. Is there any testimony for

2:08:33resolution 653-26?

2:08:37Hearing none, resolution 653-26

2:08:39transfers appropriates and appropriation

2:08:41out from a designated fund account.

2:08:42Credit saint to a designated fund

2:08:44accounts by a grant to the Lions Club of

2:08:45Kona Community Foundation Incorporated

2:08:47to assist with expenses for the 40th

2:08:49annual Hawaii Kuna Hula Festival.

2:08:51transfers $4,000, excuse me, $5,400 from

2:08:54the Council Services Contingency Leaf

2:08:56Account, Council District 7, and credits

2:08:58the Department of Parks, Recreation,

2:09:00Administration, other current expenses

2:09:01account introduced by Council Vieas.

2:09:04>> Motion to approve resolution 654-26.

2:09:08Sorry, 653.

2:09:11>> Yeah, we're on 653. So, moved by Council

2:09:14Member Viegas and seconded by Council

2:09:16Member Hust to approve resolution

2:09:18653-26.

2:09:20Council member Viegas,

2:09:21>> just want to give a big mahalo to Nicole

2:09:24and her team and everybody at Parks and

2:09:26Wreck. Um, this event is such a

2:09:29phenomenal celebration and celebration

2:09:32of the

2:09:34generations of hoola dancers and our

2:09:38kuna who still practice this cultural

2:09:42art form and share it with our community

2:09:45and teach our kei and it's just such a

2:09:48joyful experience and congratulations on

2:09:5140 years. It's an honor to participate

2:09:53by supporting your event. I yield.

2:09:57>> All those in favor of approving

2:09:58resolution 653-26,

2:10:00please say I. Any opposed? Motion

2:10:03carries. Nine eyes. Resolution 653-26

2:10:07is approved. Is there any testimony for

2:10:09resolution 654-26?

2:10:12Hearing none. Resolution 654-26

2:10:14transfers appropriates an appropriation

2:10:16out from a designated fund account

2:10:17credit to a designated fund account but

2:10:19a grant to PATH people for the active

2:10:21transportation Hawaii for expenses

2:10:23related to the purchase installation of

2:10:25bicycle racks like Kulua Park and Kyua

2:10:27village transfers $5,200 on CL council

2:10:30services contingency relief account

2:10:31District 7 and credits department of

2:10:33parks for recreation administration

2:10:35other current expenses account

2:10:36introduced by council viegas

2:10:40>> motion to approve resolution 654 4-26.

2:10:45>> Moved by council member Viegas, seconded

2:10:47by council member Hustus to approve

2:10:50resolution 654-26.

2:10:53Council member Viegas,

2:10:55>> just want to express my gratitude for

2:10:56the collaborative work between PATH and

2:10:59um the Kyua Village Business Improvement

2:11:01District and um Parks and Wreck for the

2:11:06placement of bicycle racks to serve our

2:11:08community and provide multimodal

2:11:12transportation opportunities within the

2:11:14village. I yield.

2:11:16>> All those in favor of approving

2:11:17resolution 654-26,

2:11:20please say I. Any opposed? Motion

2:11:22carries. Nine eyes. Resolution 654-26

2:11:26is approved.

2:11:26>> Is there any testimony for resolution

2:11:28655-26?

2:11:31Hearing none. Resolution 655-26

2:11:33transfers appropriates appropriation out

2:11:35from designated fund account credit

2:11:37saying to a designated fund account for

2:11:38the grant to friends of first responders

2:11:40for the purchase of officer wellness

2:11:42resource books transfers $2,500 of cler

2:11:44council services contingency leaf

2:11:46account council district 9 and credits

2:11:48to department of liquor control public

2:11:49programs account introduced by council

2:11:51member Hustus. Chair. Motion to approve

2:11:53resolution 655-26.

2:11:55Second.

2:11:56>> Moved by council member Houston,

2:11:58seconded by council member Kagiada to

2:12:00approve resolution 655-26.

2:12:03Council member Hust.

2:12:04>> Thank you chair. Just want to malo

2:12:05chapli for sharing those remarks this

2:12:08morning and joining us. Um happy to

2:12:10support and provide resources for our

2:12:12first responders. Thank you chair.

2:12:14>> Thank you. All those in favor of

2:12:16approving resolution 655-26,

2:12:18please say I. Any opposed? Motion

2:12:21carries. Nine eyes. Resolution 655-26 is

2:12:24approved.

2:12:25>> Is there any testimony for resolution

2:12:26656-26?

2:12:29Hearing none. Resolution 656-26

2:12:31transfers appropriates an appropriation

2:12:33out from a design fund account. The

2:12:35credit same to designated fund accounts

2:12:37for a grant with friends of first

2:12:38responders for the 2026 robust

2:12:41conference transfers $2,500 their clerk

2:12:43council services contingency leaf

2:12:44account council district 9 and credit to

2:12:47department of controls account

2:12:48introduced by council hustus. Chair.

2:12:51Motion to approve resolution 656-26.

2:12:55>> Moved by council member Houston,

2:12:57seconded by Vice Chair Onishi to approve

2:12:59resolution 656-26.

2:13:01Council member Eustace.

2:13:03>> Thank you, Chair. Just joining yourself

2:13:05and colleagues uh supporting the robust

2:13:07conference. Thank you.

2:13:11>> Thank you. All those in favor of

2:13:13approving resolution 656-26,

2:13:16please say I.

2:13:17>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

2:13:22Okay. Nine eyes.

2:13:25Resolution 656-26

2:13:27is approved. Is there any testimony for

2:13:29resolution 657-26?

2:13:33Hearing none. Resolution 657-26

2:13:35transfers appropriates an appropriation

2:13:37out from a designated fund account.

2:13:38credit saying to a designated fund

2:13:40account with a grant to the West Hawaii

2:13:42Veteran Cemetery Development Expansion

2:13:44Association to assist with expenses for

2:13:46the Medal of Honor memorial transfers

2:13:48$10,000 of the clerk council services

2:13:50contingency relief account council

2:13:51district 9 and credits department of

2:13:53parks and recreation administration of

2:13:55the current expenses account introduced

2:13:56by council member Hustus.

2:13:58>> Chair [snorts] motion to approve

2:13:59resolution 657-26.

2:14:03Moved by council member Houston,

2:14:05seconded by council member Viegas to

2:14:07approve resolution 657-26.

2:14:10Council member Huice.

2:14:11>> Thank you, chair. You heard the

2:14:12testifier this morning, Mr. Wisinski,

2:14:14and the efforts going on there at the

2:14:16West Veteran Cemetery. Um, it's a if you

2:14:19have not been there, it's a it's a

2:14:21beautiful space and remembering those

2:14:22that have fallen, those we've lost in

2:14:24service for the country. Um, and it's

2:14:27amazing, you know, work that our our

2:14:29parks and recreation team does as well

2:14:31as their partnership with the

2:14:32development there in terms of

2:14:34recognizing individuals. So happy to

2:14:37support their efforts as they um

2:14:39establish a memorial specifically for

2:14:40Medal of Honor recipients um leading off

2:14:43with Rodano. And I had the opportunity

2:14:46to attend the internment and reenterment

2:14:49there for Rodneyo. It was a beautiful

2:14:51ceremony with the family um and bringing

2:14:53bringing him home to the community

2:14:55there. So be the first first individual

2:14:58recognized there in the Medal of Honor

2:14:59memorial going forward. So happy to

2:15:02support their efforts. Thank you.

2:15:04Mahalo. All those in favor of approving

2:15:06resolution 657-26,

2:15:09please say I.

2:15:10>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

2:15:12Resolution 657-26

2:15:14is approved.

2:15:15>> Is there any testimony for resolution

2:15:17659-26?

2:15:21Hearing none. Resolution 659-26

2:15:23transfers appropriates an appropriation

2:15:25out from a designated fund account.

2:15:27Credit saint to a designated fund

2:15:28account about a grant to Malama Ouna for

2:15:30the Black Sense Beach community gardens

2:15:32kei resilience project transfers $5,000

2:15:35from the current council services

2:15:36contingency of account council district

2:15:384 and credits to the department of

2:15:40research and development agriculture

2:15:42other expenses account introduced by

2:15:44council member Kirkowitz.

2:15:45>> Chair motion to approve resolution

2:15:47659-26.

2:15:49Moved by council member Kirkowitz,

2:15:51seconded by council member Huis to

2:15:53approve resolution 659-26.

2:15:56Council member Kirkowitz.

2:15:57>> Thank you chair. I just wanted to take

2:15:58this opportunity to mahalui um Tim

2:16:02Rowan, Carrie Kowolski, and Jessica

2:16:04Wilks um in the Black Sands community.

2:16:06They've been running this project out of

2:16:08pocket for many, many years, and I'm so

2:16:11grateful that our CRF can be used to

2:16:13increase resilience and support kei in

2:16:15the lower Puna region. So just

2:16:17appreciate their tremendous work over

2:16:18the years. Thank you.

2:16:20>> All those in favor of approving

2:16:21resolution 659-26,

2:16:24please say I.

2:16:25>> Any opposed? Motion carries, nine eyes.

2:16:28Resolution 659-26 is approved. Is there

2:16:31any testimony for resolution 660-26

2:16:36hearing? None. Resolution 660-26

2:16:38transfers, appropriates an appropriation

2:16:40out from a designated fund account and

2:16:42credit same to a designated fund account

2:16:44for a grant to the grassroots community

2:16:45development group for the 12th annual

2:16:47Hawaii All Island Hawaii Island All

2:16:49Nations POW transfers $1,000 in the

2:16:52clerk council services contingency

2:16:54relief account council district 4 and

2:16:56credit to department controls account

2:16:58introduced by council member Kirkowitz.

2:17:00>> Motion to approve resolution 660-26.

2:17:04Moved by council member Kirkwitz,

2:17:06seconded by council member Eustus to

2:17:07approve resolution 660-26.

2:17:10>> Chair just happy again to be supporting

2:17:12this event that council member Canal

2:17:14Kleinfelder and I um support every year.

2:17:17Um it recognizes Native Americans,

2:17:20indigenous people. So just again looking

2:17:22for everyone's support. Thank you.

2:17:23>> Thank you. All those in favor of

2:17:25approving resolution 660-26,

2:17:28please say I.

2:17:29>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

2:17:31Resolution 660-26 is approved.

2:17:34>> Is there any testimony for resolution

2:17:36661-26?

2:17:39Hearing none, resolution 661-26

2:17:41transfers, appropriates an appropriation

2:17:43out from a designated fund account and

2:17:45credit saying to a designated fund

2:17:47account for a grant to the big island

2:17:48resource conservation develop council

2:17:50for the 2026 Bio Fiesta transfers $1,000

2:17:53from the Kirk Council services

2:17:55contingency relief account council

2:17:57district 4 and credits to department

2:17:58control clubs account introduced by

2:18:00council member Kirkowitz.

2:18:01>> Chair motion to approve resolution

2:18:03661-26.

2:18:06Moved by council member Kirkwood,

2:18:07seconded by council member Viegas to

2:18:09approve resolution 661-26.

2:18:12>> Chair, this one is near and dear to my

2:18:14heart because I am a proud Filipina. Um,

2:18:17uh, and all the partners put on an

2:18:19incredible celebration in recognition of

2:18:22Filipino um, um, people and culture. So,

2:18:25just invite everybody to go and en enjoy

2:18:27this really great event. I'm kind of

2:18:29stressing out because I'm trying to

2:18:30figure out what outfits I'm going to be

2:18:32getting for the event, but please join

2:18:34me if you have time. Thank you.

2:18:36>> Thank you. All those in favor of

2:18:38approving resolution 661-26,

2:18:41please say I. Any opposed? Motion

2:18:43carries. Nine eyes. Resolution 661-26 is

2:18:47approved. Is there any testimony for

2:18:49resolution 662-26

2:18:53hearing? None. Resolution 662-26

2:18:55transfers appropriates an appropriation

2:18:57out from a designated fund account and

2:18:59credit seen to a designated fund account

2:19:00for a grant to the Aaka Foundation for

2:19:02Tropical Forest for the Hawaii Island

2:19:04Sea Bank Outreach Program transfers $5,5

2:19:07Council Services contingency relief

2:19:09account District 8 and credits to part

2:19:12research and development agriculture

2:19:13other expenses account introduced by

2:19:15Council Marine Aba. Move to approve

2:19:17resolution 662-26.

2:19:20>> Moved by council member Hust, seconded

2:19:22by council member Galima to approve

2:19:24resolution 662-26.

2:19:27All those in favor, please say I. Any

2:19:29opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

2:19:32Resolution 662-26 is approved. Is there

2:19:36any testimony for resolution 663-26?

2:19:41hearing none. Resolution 663-26

2:19:43transfers appropriates an appropriation

2:19:45on from a designated fund account credit

2:19:47to a designated fund account to a grant

2:19:49to the Homokua Health Center

2:19:50Incorporated for the Honakawa

2:19:52Renaissance Fair. Transfers $5,000 on

2:19:54the clerk council services contingency

2:19:56relief account district 1 and credits to

2:19:59department of parks recreation

2:20:00administration of the current expenses

2:20:01account introduced by council member

2:20:03Kimble.

2:20:04>> Chair move to approve resolution 663-26.

2:20:08Moved by Council Member Kimell, seconded

2:20:09by Council Member Hustus to approve

2:20:12resolution 663-26.

2:20:14Council member Kimell.

2:20:16>> Yes, it's that time of year again to

2:20:18pull out your bodesses and start

2:20:19polishing your armor. Uh the Renaissance

2:20:22Fair will take place on November 14th at

2:20:26the Hon uh Park uh complex up there. It

2:20:30is shortly, in a few short years, become

2:20:32one of the nationally known Renaissance

2:20:35fairs. And um if you haven't been yet, I

2:20:37encourage you to check it out and enjoy

2:20:40the event. Thank you.

2:20:44>> Perhaps at our November meeting we can

2:20:47dress up now. We'll see. All right. All

2:20:49those in favor of approving resolution

2:20:51663-26,

2:20:53please say I. Any opposed? Motion

2:20:56carries. Nine eyes. Resolution 663-26 is

2:20:59approved.

2:21:04Is there any testimony for resolution

2:21:06667-26?

2:21:10Hearing none. Resolution 667-26

2:21:12authorizes payment of funds at later

2:21:13fiscal years to enter into a multi-year

2:21:15lease agreement for two multi-function

2:21:17copy machines to be used by the

2:21:18department of public works. Authorizes

2:21:20the mayor to enter a 5-year lease

2:21:22agreement with an approximate monthly

2:21:23cost of $240 be used by the department's

2:21:25automotive division. Hilo introduc

2:21:28introduced by council member Connie

2:21:29Claner by request. I have a motion to

2:21:31approve resolution 667-26.

2:21:35>> Moved by council member Kanye

2:21:37Kleinfelder, seconded by council member

2:21:38Hustus to approve resolution 667-26.

2:21:42All those in favor, please say I.

2:21:44>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Eight eyes,

2:21:46one excused. Council member Kirkowitz.

2:21:49Resolution 667-26 is approved.

2:21:52>> Bills for first reading. Is there any

2:21:55testimony for bill 169 draft two?

2:22:02Hearing none. Bill69 draft 2 amends

2:22:04chapter 2 article 42 of the Hawaii

2:22:06County Code 1983 2016 edition as amended

2:22:08relating to the public access open space

2:22:10and natural resources preservation

2:22:13requires that all qualifying lands

2:22:14ranked with a score of 7% or higher be

2:22:16included on the public access open space

2:22:18and natural resource preservation

2:22:19commission's punk recommendation list to

2:22:21the mayor. requires the finance director

2:22:23to make reasonable efforts to acquire

2:22:24authorized properties within five years

2:22:26and requires a finance director and the

2:22:29public access open space natural

2:22:30resources preservation commission to

2:22:32reassess any such properties not

2:22:34acquired within 5 years is introduced by

2:22:36council members Houston and Galima. We

2:22:37have communication 939.6

2:22:40from council member James Eustus and

2:22:42council member Michelle M. Galima dated

2:22:44August 13, 2026 transmitting proposed

2:22:46amendments to bill 169 draft 2. Chair.

2:22:50Motion to approve bill 169 draft 2 at

2:22:53first reading.

2:22:54>> Moved by council member Houston,

2:22:56seconded by council member Galima to

2:22:58approve bill 169 draft 2 at first

2:23:00reading. Council member Eustace.

2:23:03>> Thank you chair. Appreciate the

2:23:04conversation we've had in committee on

2:23:05this and trying to, you know, improve

2:23:08our punk program and reassess properties

2:23:11that have have languished on the list

2:23:12for some time. Uh so really grateful for

2:23:14the conversation we had in committee at

2:23:16that point. I do have an amendment here.

2:23:18We do have an amendment here uh just to

2:23:21uh we missed one piece in section one to

2:23:24kind of address the change we made in

2:23:25the sub substantive uh pieces below. So

2:23:29u move to approve sorry move to amend

2:23:32bill 169 draft 2 with the contents of

2:23:35communication 939.6.

2:23:38>> Moved by council member Houston.

2:23:39Seconded by council member Galima to

2:23:41amend bill 169 draft 2 with the contents

2:23:43of communication 939.6. Council member

2:23:46Hust. Uh, no real remarks on this. Just

2:23:48making sure that it it aligns with the

2:23:50rest of the body there and what we've

2:23:52changed previously. So, thank you,

2:23:53chair.

2:23:53>> Thank you. All those in favor of

2:23:55amending bill 169 draft 2 with the

2:23:57contents of communication 939.6, please

2:24:00say I.

2:24:01>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Eight eyes,

2:24:03one excused. Council member Kirkowitz.

2:24:06Uh, bill 169 draft 2 has been amended.

2:24:09Discussion on the main motion.

2:24:12Seeing none. All those in favor of

2:24:14approving bill 169 draft 2 as amended at

2:24:17first reading please say I. Any opposed?

2:24:20Motion carries. Eight eyes. One excused.

2:24:22Council member Kirkowitz. Bill 169 draft

2:24:242 as amended. Passes first reading.

2:24:28Is there any testimony for bill 173

2:24:30draft 2?

2:24:33Hearing none. Bill 173, draft 2 amends

2:24:35chapter 19 of the Hawaii County Code

2:24:371983 2016 edition as amended relating to

2:24:39establishment of a bed and breakfast

2:24:41home classification for rural property

2:24:43taxes. Establishes a new bed and

2:24:45breakfast home property tax class for

2:24:47any property that is a vacation rental

2:24:48in the owner's principal residence.

2:24:50Establish a temporary tax amnesty period

2:24:52for properties of existing vacation

2:24:53rentals in violation of the restrictions

2:24:55of the homeowner class to either cease

2:24:56the rental activity or to properly

2:24:58register the rental activity without

2:25:00being penalized. is introduced by

2:25:02council member Kimble. We have

2:25:03communication 960.5 from council member

2:25:05Heather Kimble dated August 1926

2:25:08transmitting information regarding bill

2:25:10173 draft 2 and communication 960.6 from

2:25:13council member Heather Kimble dated

2:25:15August 2026 transmitting proposed

2:25:17amendments to bill 173 draft 2.

2:25:21>> Chair motion to approve resolution or

2:25:23sorry bill 173 draft 2.

2:25:26Moved by council member Kimbo, seconded

2:25:28by council member Gumba to approve bill

2:25:30173, draft two at first reading. Council

2:25:33member Kimbo.

2:25:34>> Yeah. Um before discussion of um the

2:25:37amendment that I have, I did want to um

2:25:41call everyone's attention to

2:25:43communication 960.5.

2:25:45I thought it might be helpful for

2:25:47everyone to have an opportunity to kind

2:25:50of visualize the impact of um the

2:25:55operation of an STBR on a home owner's

2:25:58property tax. Um, so in this example,

2:26:01and Kada's put this together for me.

2:26:03He's on his way over for questions, but

2:26:06um is an example property over the

2:26:09course of 10 years where um on the green

2:26:12line at the bottom, that's where they're

2:26:14capped at the 3% assessment. There's no

2:26:17short-term vacation oper uh operation.

2:26:20At the same time, the blue line shows

2:26:21that market value increase over that

2:26:24same time period. And so if at the the

2:26:28end of that in 2026

2:26:30um they start operating a hosted

2:26:33short-term vacation rental, you see that

2:26:34massive jump um from about uh 2500 to um

2:26:40almost 9,000 in terms of their property

2:26:42tax. Um you know, we did already take

2:26:45the 3% cap out of this bill. Um, but I

2:26:50do think that um there's still value in

2:26:54potentially creating a different tax

2:26:57class that has a rate again somewhere

2:26:59between the long-term rental rate and

2:27:01the residential rate um to provide some

2:27:05tax relief to these folks um because it

2:27:08is also serving as their primary

2:27:10residence. only people that that um use

2:27:13it as their primary residence would be

2:27:14able to take advantage of of that

2:27:17particular property tax class. Um I do

2:27:20have an amendment based on comments from

2:27:24um council member Hustess about

2:27:26potentially wanting to remove the um

2:27:30relief from liability for the roll back

2:27:32taxes during the amnesty period. Um so

2:27:35we can I can put that forward for

2:27:37discussion. Um but in the before I do

2:27:40that, I just wanted to see if there's

2:27:41any other questions from the body about

2:27:43this bill or any questions for real

2:27:45property tax with the demonstration um

2:27:49document.

2:27:50>> Council member Kagurado.

2:27:52>> Thank you, Chair. So um looking at this

2:27:55chart, this uh projected tax amount and

2:27:59the difference and everything is based

2:28:01on these no STV homeowner or hosted STVR

2:28:09um being in which tax class currently?

2:28:13>> Um I can answer that that that this is

2:28:16based on um the the green would be the

2:28:19homeowners tax class. So that rate and

2:28:22then um the calculated tax with the

2:28:25hosted STBR is at that residential rate

2:28:28the current rate.

2:28:28>> So tier tier one residential. So

2:28:32um you don't have a projection on if you

2:28:36were to uh establish this tax class and

2:28:41locate the taxable the tax amount um as

2:28:45you propose between the long-term rental

2:28:48and the um would you say between the

2:28:51long-term rental and the residential tax

2:28:52cost one?

2:28:55>> No. And and the reason for that is uh if

2:28:58I may chair um really this this graphic

2:29:01was meant to address the impact of the

2:29:033% cap more than anything else. Um so

2:29:06you would just um calculate back from

2:29:10the land value and maybe to the assessed

2:29:13value and apply the different rate. So

2:29:16that's that's how you would

2:29:18>> solve for that.

2:29:19>> Okay. Yeah.

2:29:20>> So we bring it down some but not not

2:29:22significantly because the big impact

2:29:24here is the 3%.

2:29:25>> Yeah. That that was my main I guess

2:29:27point with these questions is that um

2:29:30even if we are to create a new tax class

2:29:34for um this group, we probably wouldn't

2:29:38bring it down significantly from that

2:29:40blue um trajectory if we um remove the

2:29:463% cap. Okay.

2:29:50Um yeah, I'd like to see maybe some of

2:29:54those numbers um if we can maybe I'll

2:29:58try to calculate some of them myself but

2:29:59um to see what we could do there um but

2:30:04yeah I see this could be very impactful

2:30:06for some people I'll yield for now

2:30:09>> council member Confer

2:30:11>> thank you to the maker or to the tax

2:30:16amazing people over there [laughter]

2:30:20>> um when

2:30:24when potential homeowners enter into

2:30:27this new tax category.

2:30:31Do we reassess them one time on the way

2:30:33in?

2:30:43>> That that question for me is is really

2:30:47if we reassess they're going to spike

2:30:50one time on the way into the program.

2:30:51Yeah,

2:30:52>> correct. So that's assuming if they're

2:30:54in the homeowner exemption class now,

2:30:57then when they enroll, they're going to

2:31:00go into this new program. But let's say

2:31:03the program doesn't get created, you do

2:31:05nothing. They would go into their

2:31:06default tax class, whether that's

2:31:09residential, the agriculture, or um

2:31:13apartment class if it's a condominium.

2:31:16>> Okay.

2:31:16>> So they would go up regardless.

2:31:19>> So no matter what. So I guess then when

2:31:21I'm looking at this map here, the

2:31:22homeowner assessment, does it take into

2:31:24account that when they roll into a new

2:31:27program like what's being proposed and

2:31:29hosted STVR, assess the market value

2:31:32versus a 3% capped assessment.

2:31:36When they roll into the new program,

2:31:38we're going to reassess them.

2:31:41>> Technically, every year we provide a

2:31:43market value anyway. What they lose is

2:31:46that assessment cap. So their assessed

2:31:49value becomes the market value.

2:31:51>> So it's not like a sale. Then you sell

2:31:53the home, we reassess you at current

2:31:54market value.

2:31:55>> Correct. It's not like that.

2:31:57>> If they roll over into a new tax class

2:31:59category, there's no reassessment at

2:32:00current market value.

2:32:01>> Correct.

2:32:02>> So they stick with the existing benefits

2:32:04of homeowner or residential or whatever

2:32:07they're in.

2:32:08>> Well, they lose the homeowner tax class

2:32:10which includes the cap. So there's

2:32:13market value and then the assessment cap

2:32:15keeps it from going up 3% per year. So

2:32:18they usually don't hit market if they've

2:32:20been in there for a while, but they they

2:32:24would lose that. The only classes that

2:32:26have the 3% cap are the homeowners tax

2:32:29class and the affordable rental.

2:32:32>> Okay? So there's no there wouldn't be a

2:32:35spike in their valuation

2:32:38upon moving from class to class.

2:32:41Technically they lose their assessed

2:32:43value. So their spike does go up to

2:32:47market but the market doesn't change.

2:32:48The market was always the same. It's

2:32:50just we kept it

2:32:53yeah artificially low due to the

2:32:55assessment cap. So their taxable value

2:32:57ends up being less. So the testifier

2:33:00earlier was right. She lost her

2:33:03assessment cap which increased her

2:33:04taxable value

2:33:07>> immediately. Yeah.

2:33:08>> Immediately. And we have the per the

2:33:10code we can do current year plus two

2:33:12years back if we find reviews that shows

2:33:15they were doing hosted rental or any

2:33:18type of rental activity with the under

2:33:21180 calendar days.

2:33:25>> Okay. So

2:33:28do you have this form this communication

2:33:30960.5 is in front of us?

2:33:32>> Yes. Ka created it for Heather Council

2:33:35member Kimble. So does this

2:33:38from what I just said does it does what

2:33:40I what I said just now sorry my brain is

2:33:44not

2:33:46from what I said just now does that link

2:33:49into this graph that we're seeing does

2:33:51it cause it to fluctuate more than what

2:33:52it is or no

2:33:54>> uh Katie Joe administrator for real

2:33:56property tax what you what you said is

2:33:58represented on that um graphic that was

2:34:02provided so that bump that Lisa is

2:34:04talking about is that increase right

2:34:06here at the end of the that graph. So

2:34:10instead of being assessed at a lower

2:34:13value because of that 3% cap, that

2:34:15property is going to bounce up to market

2:34:17and be taxed at a higher level because

2:34:21the value that's being taxed is greater.

2:34:25But I would ask then so the the graph

2:34:28shows starting same same place 2017

2:34:32ending at two very distinct

2:34:35uh values in 2026

2:34:40but I guess what I'm getting at is is

2:34:41there a point when they come in and they

2:34:43roll over into the new tax

2:34:46category is there going to be a spike

2:34:49associated with that rollover that we

2:34:50didn't account for in this craft?

2:34:55or not.

2:34:57>> May I maybe respond to the question? So,

2:35:00when somebody's in the currently in the

2:35:02homeowners task class and they are

2:35:04identified either through self-reporting

2:35:06or a neighbor reports on them or through

2:35:09now through the registration process

2:35:11that they are doing a vacation rental,

2:35:14they lose that 3% cap immediately. And

2:35:16so for the next fiscal year, that's when

2:35:19their assessment goes from the value

2:35:22that was capped at 3% to the market

2:35:25rate. So when that happens is when

2:35:28they're identified as having a

2:35:30short-term vacation rental on property

2:35:31or a hosted rental.

2:35:36>> If I could clarify, we do it for the

2:35:38current year. So we don't just go

2:35:40forward.

2:35:42Is there a question council member

2:35:44Connie Lee Kleinfelder if they're

2:35:46currently in on the green line and they

2:35:49choose to go into this next class that

2:35:51we're creating? Do they see do they lose

2:35:54their 3%?

2:35:56>> No, it's not. Sorry, I'm looking at this

2:35:58new because bill 173 creates a new bed

2:36:00and breakfast home

2:36:02tax category. We're not on bill 173.

2:36:06>> Okay, thank you. thought we were.

2:36:12Um, so when we create a new tax class

2:36:16and someone's in homeowners or

2:36:17residential, wherever they may be, when

2:36:20they jump over to this new tax class, is

2:36:23there a change in assessment?

2:36:26>> I see where you're going now.

2:36:28So, this is that would be assuming that

2:36:31we miss them in the past because

2:36:33technically right now if you're doing a

2:36:35hostage short-term rental, you should

2:36:37not be in the homeowner tax class.

2:36:39>> Yes.

2:36:39>> Correct. So, if this is created,

2:36:42>> it is happening. Let's say maybe it is

2:36:44happening somewhere. Okay.

2:36:46>> Yeah. On a lot. So, for when this gets

2:36:50created, it would be for next year. So,

2:36:52that would be on a go forward for next

2:36:54year for the tax class itself because

2:36:56it's not technically a tax class for

2:36:59this current taxing period, but we would

2:37:02pull them out of the homeowner tax class

2:37:04now and adjust for currently

2:37:07not complying with the homeowner program

2:37:10when they register now the way it is

2:37:14because currently we have no amnesty

2:37:18that's approved.

2:37:20>> Okay, that was more my question.

2:37:22>> Okay,

2:37:22>> sorry roundabout way of getting there,

2:37:24but

2:37:25>> we got there.

2:37:25>> We got there.

2:37:27Okay, thank you.

2:37:30>> Other questions on the bill before we

2:37:32get into amendments?

2:37:34Seeing none, council member Kimble.

2:37:36>> Yeah, I just did a quick back of the

2:37:38envelope calculation here. So, if we

2:37:40were to assume that this new tax class

2:37:42would be at about 7%. Um, then we're

2:37:45looking at a annual tax property tax of

2:37:48about $6,000. So that would be some

2:37:51savings based on um

2:37:55using the residential uh tier one class

2:37:58for this particular property as an

2:38:00example.

2:38:03Um and then just to just to again

2:38:05reiterate before we get to the amendment

2:38:07um you know the there's two pieces of

2:38:09this. One is this new tax class rate um

2:38:14but then there's also this amnesty

2:38:16amnesty period. Um, again, there are a

2:38:18lot of folks that perhaps unknowingly,

2:38:20although the department does do a lot to

2:38:23try to make sure people are informed

2:38:25that there is this tax implication of

2:38:27operating a short-term vacation rental.

2:38:29Um, there are folks that don't know and

2:38:32um, the the amnesty period gives them an

2:38:35opportunity to say, "Oh, hey, I don't

2:38:36want to do this right now." and step

2:38:38back from it before it triggers that

2:38:41spike and the loss of the 3%. And so

2:38:43they could move into a long-term rental

2:38:45or they could move into affordable

2:38:46rental and and go forward.

2:38:50I'll leave it there. I think Council

2:38:51Member Hustus has a question before I

2:38:53introduce the amendment.

2:38:54>> Council member Hust.

2:38:56>> Thanks, Chair. Um,

2:38:59we removed the 3% primarily because the

2:39:03system that we have in place does not

2:39:05allow for additional kind of calculation

2:39:08in there. Is that correct,

2:39:09administrator?

2:39:11>> That's correct. Kada Joe spoke to the

2:39:13vendor and they were unable to do it

2:39:14with the current system. We did ask for

2:39:17a cost if we could even add it in and

2:39:21we've asked for updates and asked for an

2:39:23update and have not had a response if it

2:39:25could be done

2:39:26>> because the testifier also mentioned

2:39:27that piece so that you know they're

2:39:30looking for that but that this is

2:39:31something we're incapable of doing at

2:39:32the moment.

2:39:33>> Correct. There's the test I heard the

2:39:36testifier they were asking for that.

2:39:38>> Yep.

2:39:41Um, at what point when we add new tax

2:39:44classes, does it break your system?

2:39:49>> You're breaking my staff. But as far as

2:39:51the system

2:39:52>> because that 3% is already like maxed

2:39:55out that capacity there in terms of our

2:39:57ability to kind of have different

2:39:59metrics there. So I'm just kind of

2:40:00curious in that.

2:40:03>> Yeah. So for the tax classifications,

2:40:06we can actually

2:40:08more easily add tax classifications.

2:40:11It's the ifs, thens,

2:40:14exceptions that council adds into it is

2:40:17what really affects the system and the

2:40:20report running for auditing purposes.

2:40:22Adding a tax class without all those

2:40:25caveats is not a problem. We can keep

2:40:28adding those. I'm not encouraging it.

2:40:30I'm just saying that is that is

2:40:32possible. the other counties um there

2:40:36there's two that have more than us

2:40:38currently

2:40:39>> two in the state that have more than us

2:40:42>> correct

2:40:45>> um council well to the maker actually on

2:40:48this one if that's right chair um

2:40:51council member Kimble you you shared

2:40:53kind of your perspective of where this

2:40:55tax class I know you said this in

2:40:57committee as well but I just want to be

2:40:58very clear where you perceive this uh

2:41:02new tax class should should should fall

2:41:05in that range.

2:41:06>> Um, again, I think it it is appropriate

2:41:09somewhere in between the long-term

2:41:12rental rate because we do want to

2:41:14incentivize that and the residential

2:41:17tiers. So 7 and a half 8% somewhere in

2:41:21that range I think would be reasonable

2:41:23to provide some relief to these

2:41:25homeowners but also not incentivize

2:41:29STVRs over or sorry hosted rentals over

2:41:33um long-term and affordable rentals.

2:41:38um you know kind of question to the body

2:41:40maybe do we

2:41:42do you see that this has a should have

2:41:45greater relief than our agricultural

2:41:47production and these are maybe

2:41:49rhetorical questions to the group but in

2:41:51terms of that that range in that range

2:41:54between the long-term rental at 775

2:41:57and 1110 and kind of where that or does

2:42:00it sit more closer to the commercial

2:42:02side in terms of the output the

2:42:05generation impact on community. Um, just

2:42:09some something to think about for sure.

2:42:11Or should it sit as a, you know, or

2:42:15should it sit as commercial, you know, I

2:42:16don't I don't know and be one and the

2:42:18same necessarily because of that the

2:42:20type of use um in those spaces.

2:42:25uh you know it's questionable about

2:42:30the our preference for

2:42:33you know bonafide agricultural use and

2:42:35the impact there and what that means for

2:42:37community

2:42:39um and long-term housing in those spaces

2:42:43for our capuna and aging farmers as we

2:42:45talked about in the past. So I lean

2:42:48personally a little bit more up on the

2:42:50scale a little bit in terms of the the

2:42:52impact on community, the generation of

2:42:55uh taxes, um revenue for families, it it

2:43:00catches a little bit higher typically

2:43:02than I would see in the agricultural

2:43:03side of things. So um just something to

2:43:05think about as well. So putting out

2:43:07there for the group. Thank you,

2:43:10>> Council Member Confather.

2:43:15>> Thank you.

2:43:16So the

2:43:18the example that you gave, Council

2:43:20Member Kimble,

2:43:24was what someone would save by entering

2:43:28into the new tax class.

2:43:33But what I see this doing is allowing

2:43:37people in the homeowners class

2:43:40to enter into the bed and breakfast home

2:43:43class.

2:43:45And I say that because

2:43:50this little section, the bed and

2:43:51breakfast home class, is exclusively

2:43:53reserved for properties that are used as

2:43:55a home as the owner's principal

2:43:57residence and are registered as a TVR.

2:44:01So that kind of presupposes that this is

2:44:03built for people in the homeowners class

2:44:06who have a registered or unregistered

2:44:10TVR and we're creating them a tax class.

2:44:14But the example you gave was if someone

2:44:16moved from residential

2:44:21or a higher dollar amount assessed tax

2:44:25class, they would save money on the way

2:44:28in. But a homeowner's exemption person

2:44:33tax, a person in the homeowners

2:44:35exemption category

2:44:37would have to be spiked with current

2:44:40market value. And spike may not be a

2:44:42pretty word. I'm just trying to give it

2:44:43a what's going to happen in my mind.

2:44:45Homeowners class is going to go up when

2:44:47we reassess. Period. No matter what. Is

2:44:51that is that a correct assessment?

2:44:53>> No. Sorry. May I answer?

2:44:56>> No. I want to hear from from the

2:44:57administrator. Sorry.

2:45:01>> So, I think the graph was actually

2:45:03intended to show if somebody had been in

2:45:05the homeowner program with the homeowner

2:45:07tax class for many years and chose to do

2:45:09hosted and how it would go up. But in

2:45:12one regard, you are right. It would save

2:45:15individuals or properties, property

2:45:17owners money that have already

2:45:21been adjusted up to their tax class.

2:45:25They could would save money by having

2:45:27this

2:45:29bed and breakfast home tax class because

2:45:32they're already at a higher rate.

2:45:34>> So I I I think that's what you're trying

2:45:36to get at. like but I believe when Kada

2:45:39did this it was more looking at it from

2:45:41how it looks from the homeowner now and

2:45:44what it would go up to whether it was um

2:45:48with the 3% cap or not. And I think when

2:45:50you did this the 3% cap was still in the

2:45:53original and we didn't have the draft

2:45:57maybe. But I I can see where you're

2:46:00looking at it from the opposite side for

2:46:01the individual that came in and

2:46:03testified. her taxes could potentially

2:46:06come down because she's already been

2:46:08removed from the homeowner tax class.

2:46:10>> Correct.

2:46:10>> So, okay.

2:46:11>> But and then and further when we create

2:46:14a tax class, I think the hope is people

2:46:17jump in.

2:46:19>> Correct.

2:46:20>> I believe the intent of this was to use

2:46:23it as a carrot, maybe to encourage

2:46:25people in hosted short-term rentals to

2:46:27register with the planning department.

2:46:29>> Correct.

2:46:30>> Correct. This is in a suite of bills

2:46:32that we've seen over the past two days.

2:46:36So in this case, so it's it's a little

2:46:38bit of both is what I heard. Yes, if you

2:46:41were outside of the homeowners tax class

2:46:44currently, this comes into effect if

2:46:47passed, then they could jump in. There's

2:46:49a potential savings depending on the

2:46:51rate that we set for the home the bed

2:46:54and breakfast home tax category.

2:46:57But if you're in the homeowners

2:47:00exemption category and we're hoping

2:47:02you're going to jump into the bed and

2:47:04breakfast home category,

2:47:07there is no savings. That's that's my

2:47:10point.

2:47:12I don't want to misrepresent what we're

2:47:14doing. So people are like, "Oh, if we do

2:47:16this, it'll be great. It'll be cheaper."

2:47:17I don't It's not going to be cheaper.

2:47:19>> It won't, but it's cheaper than if they

2:47:22didn't do it and we found out

2:47:25and had to roll them back. current plus

2:47:27two years plus penalties at that higher

2:47:30tax rate. It really does depend what the

2:47:32tax rate falls at. If they're going to

2:47:34save money, if it's more than the egg

2:47:36and they're already their default class

2:47:38is egg, then they could end up paying

2:47:40more. And to me that that starts to play

2:47:43into the second section of the bill,

2:47:45section two, which does tax amnesty.

2:47:49So if they want to proceed, they can

2:47:51then they have to register. If not, then

2:47:54they can jump out and say they're not

2:47:55going to do it anymore.

2:47:58>> That's correct.

2:47:59>> So, this this really is the

2:48:00incentivizing of jumping into the new

2:48:03tax class

2:48:04>> or registering for the correct one or

2:48:07the other. Yeah.

2:48:08>> Coming clean.

2:48:09>> Yeah.

2:48:11>> Okay. Thank you,

2:48:13>> Council Member Vieas.

2:48:15>> Yeah. I suppose something that just

2:48:17popped forward to me. Um, you know,

2:48:21we're talking about and we're we've

2:48:22heard testimony from a number of

2:48:25homeowners that essentially are claiming

2:48:28hardship based on the taxes they're

2:48:30paying. But what just popped into my

2:48:32mind is how much money are they making?

2:48:37Right? I always hear people say, "I'm

2:48:39paying my taxes. I'm, you know, we

2:48:41already put all this back in." And I

2:48:44can't help but think, but how many tens

2:48:47or hundreds of thousands of dollars are

2:48:50you making a year? So, I suppose, and

2:48:54there's no way to determine that because

2:48:56everybody's,

2:48:57you know, short-term vacation rental

2:49:00charge is different, if it's a home and

2:49:02if it's a room and whatnot. But

2:49:06I guess

2:49:08that's the part that gives me a little

2:49:10less heartburn

2:49:13as we make decisions about,

2:49:16you know, increased taxes

2:49:18um for operating this kind of a business

2:49:22in your home, which is a commercial

2:49:25enterprise out of your home. Um yeah,

2:49:30and the overall kind of pervasive dance

2:49:34that we do

2:49:36here at a time when there are so many

2:49:39conversations about a housing crisis

2:49:43and how do we disincentivize

2:49:47um you know the transition of more homes

2:49:50and spaces into being short-term

2:49:52vacation rentals versus being stable

2:49:55housing for our community members. So I

2:50:01don't know I just had to share that

2:50:02because I feel like the perspective is

2:50:04necessary when we are talking about

2:50:09taxes that we also take into

2:50:12consideration

2:50:16the balance of it being a hardship but

2:50:18it's a hardship on making

2:50:22thousands and thousands and thousands of

2:50:24dollars. Um, and there are those that

2:50:26are doing it just to pay their mortgage.

2:50:28And there are those that do it to

2:50:30accumulate wealth, which isn't a bad

2:50:32thing. We live in an capitalist

2:50:36country, but where's the balance for the

2:50:39collective good? So, just a couple of

2:50:41thoughts that were bouncing around in my

2:50:42head. I yield.

2:50:46>> Council member Kagara,

2:50:47>> thank you. Just a quick followup um on

2:50:49your uh calc your back of the envelope

2:50:51calculations. You said you um did that

2:50:54based on a $7.

2:50:57So seven would be lower than the current

2:51:00long-term rental rate.

2:51:05>> So I just want to make sure that we're

2:51:07if we're putting information out there,

2:51:10that would not probably be where we

2:51:12would want to go. We'd probably want to

2:51:13go something more like nine or eight

2:51:15high eights or something like that. So

2:51:18if I don't know if you can quickly do

2:51:20that calculation, but

2:51:21>> I think that's going to go outside the

2:51:23scope of what we're trying to do here.

2:51:24We're not setting rates. We're

2:51:26>> not setting rates.

2:51:27>> So I and she said 7% which I think was a

2:51:30misstatement, but she meant $7 earlier,

2:51:33>> right? But even $7, that's not okay.

2:51:36Understood. I just think it would be

2:51:38very helpful to see um we have this

2:51:42graph in front of us that makes it look

2:51:44like um people in the homeowner class

2:51:48who are renting a room in their house

2:51:51would go this astronomical amount. But

2:51:53with your proposed additional um tax

2:51:57class, we have the ability to bring that

2:51:59down um to something more reasonable.

2:52:02And I guess we just don't see that in

2:52:04the graph. So anyway, thank you. I I'm

2:52:07supportive of of the new tax class.

2:52:11>> All right, let's jump into the

2:52:12amendment.

2:52:14>> Motion to amend bill 173 with the

2:52:17contents of communication 960.6.

2:52:21>> Moved by council member Kimble, seconded

2:52:23by council member Kima to amend bill

2:52:2773 draft 2 with the contents of

2:52:29communication 960.6.

2:52:34So, this um amendment is proposed in

2:52:36response to council member Hustus'

2:52:38comment that he'd prefer not to see the

2:52:40roll back. Um again, using the

2:52:43communication graphic to kind of explain

2:52:46how that would act as as um

2:52:48administrator um Mura mentioned, they do

2:52:52current year plus two in terms of roll

2:52:54back taxes when somebody is found to be

2:52:57in violation of the tax code. And so in

2:52:59this particular example where the tax

2:53:02difference is almost $7,000, that's

2:53:05going to be a 20 thou uh $21,000

2:53:09um fee in terms of roll back in addition

2:53:13to penalties and fees.

2:53:18So they are liable for the difference

2:53:19between what they have paid in the past

2:53:21and what was actually owed if they had

2:53:24been operating the vacation rental. And

2:53:27so that's where that difference gets

2:53:29over the course of three years

2:53:30approximately.

2:53:37>> Questions on the amendment?

2:53:40Council member Kanye,

2:53:42>> the administrator or Mr. Joel, can you

2:53:44give us just I mean just like a dollar

2:53:46amount for an average

2:53:49the difference in what we're discussing

2:53:51here?

2:53:52>> Are you referring to amnesty or the roll

2:53:55back? It it it really depends on how

2:53:57long someone's been in the homeowner tax

2:53:59class and

2:54:02what the value of their property is. I

2:54:04know.

2:54:06>> I don't know. I mean, honestly, I was

2:54:07starting to start trying to wrap my head

2:54:08around what this would mean. Wave the

2:54:11roll back taxes. Leave No, sorry. Remove

2:54:15roll back taxes, but leave the waving of

2:54:18penalties and interest.

2:54:24So let's just start let's go basic

2:54:27benefit of homeowner or benefit of

2:54:29county

2:54:34>> to wave rolling back taxes penalties in

2:54:37it benefit of the homeowner.

2:54:39>> Well sorry this is by removing the word

2:54:42roll back taxes. So we wouldn't be

2:54:44waving roll back taxes anymore. That's

2:54:46what this amendment does.

2:54:48>> Okay.

2:54:50Yeah. I is the amendment from two.

2:54:53>> This is 96 0.6. Yes.

2:54:56>> Oh, sorry. I have draft two. I don't

2:54:58have the amendment. So, I don't know

2:55:01what you're talking about.

2:55:06>> Sorry.

2:55:08>> Have you seen this?

2:55:09>> I didn't put my name on the record. Lisa

2:55:11Mirror, real property tax administrator.

2:55:13I apologize.

2:55:23Okay,

2:55:25>> I'm with you. I'm with you now. Um,

2:55:28>> have you seen the communication?

2:55:29>> Not that one. Sorry.

2:55:30>> Okay, thank that's helpful. Okay,

2:55:34>> so that benefits the taxpayer.

2:55:37>> Okay,

2:55:38so the roll back taxes is substantial.

2:55:41Not

2:55:41>> they they can be very substantial. It

2:55:43just depends what the value is, how long

2:55:45they're a homeowner. If we're just doing

2:55:48one year, two years, um, if you're like

2:55:51in the example that Kada provided where

2:55:53you have, uh, I believe this is a

2:55:55million dollar house,

2:55:57the penalty is an automatic 10% on the

2:56:01difference in tax. So that would be $674

2:56:04for that one year plus the interest.

2:56:08>> Okay? And the roll back taxes themselves

2:56:10would be substantial. So by removing

2:56:13that for people who are out of

2:56:16bounds

2:56:17saves them money on moving over to the

2:56:20new program.

2:56:21>> I think it saves them the extra burn of

2:56:23being charged with a penalty, especially

2:56:25for those that didn't realize there was

2:56:29they weren't allowed to do hosted rental

2:56:34>> rental activity of less than 180 days on

2:56:36the primary home they lived in.

2:56:39>> Thank you. I chair

2:56:42Any other discussion on the amendment?

2:56:54Not sure how I feel about this

2:56:56amendment.

2:57:02>> Chair, may I one a little bit more

2:57:04color?

2:57:05>> Oh, sure. Go ahead.

2:57:06>> All right. Um, you know, appreciating

2:57:08what council member Viega said and and

2:57:10what council member Houston said about

2:57:12these types of activities, they do

2:57:14create a greater burden on county

2:57:15infrastructure and so there is an impact

2:57:17and that should be factored in. In

2:57:19addition, there are several people

2:57:21making lots of money off of operating

2:57:23these. But, um, what also happens is

2:57:27there's a family that's been living in a

2:57:29house for 20 years. Their kids go off to

2:57:32college. They go, "Oh, we're going to

2:57:34rent a room for a weekend." they do it.

2:57:36If they do it once, they're in violation

2:57:38of the homeowners tax class, even if

2:57:40it's once. And so you find people that

2:57:43have done minimal rentals, they're not

2:57:45making thousands of dollars, they're not

2:57:47making money hand over fist, but they

2:57:50just didn't know and they did it once

2:57:52and they got caught and now they're

2:57:53liable for tens of thousands of dollars.

2:57:56And so we are we would be through this

2:58:00by keeping the roll back protecting

2:58:01people that are making money handover

2:58:03fist, but we're also protecting people

2:58:06that just made a one-time choice and

2:58:10really got seriously impacted.

2:58:12Personally, I would rather just move

2:58:15right now. This is again a one-time

2:58:18stamp in time thing. Provide that relief

2:58:20to those folks now. Let them get out and

2:58:22realize they're not going to ever do it

2:58:23again. and then moving forward they

2:58:26would have these tax liabilities. That's

2:58:28my thought on it.

2:58:34>> So you personally then would not be

2:58:36supporting this amendment.

2:58:37>> I brought this amendment at the request

2:58:39of council member.

2:58:40>> Okay. Just making sure we're at of the

2:58:42same understanding.

2:58:45>> Everyone understand what we're voting

2:58:47on? All right. Roll call vote on the

2:58:49amendment. A motion to amend bill 173

2:58:52draft 2 communication 960.6.

2:58:56Council member Gimba.

2:58:57>> No.

2:58:58>> Council member Hustus.

2:58:59>> Hi.

2:58:59>> Council member Kagiada.

2:59:01>> No.

2:59:01>> Council member Connelly Kleinfelder.

2:59:03>> No.

2:59:04>> Council member Kirkowitz.

2:59:05>> No.

2:59:06>> Council member Campbell.

2:59:07>> No.

2:59:08>> Vice Onishi.

2:59:10>> No.

2:59:12>> Council Viegas.

2:59:13>> No.

2:59:14>> Cherry Naba.

2:59:17>> I.

2:59:18>> Chair. You have two votes in favor,

2:59:20those being yourself and calls for Huis.

2:59:22Seven opposed. The motion fails.

2:59:25>> All right, back to the main motion.

2:59:28[snorts]

2:59:29Any further discussion?

2:59:34[snorts]

2:59:40Okay.

2:59:41Hey, try not to combine. Okay. But I

2:59:44cannot help it. We discussed bill

2:59:48147 yesterday which creates more bed and

2:59:52breakfast. So the the ability to have

2:59:53more

2:59:55how does that play with this

2:59:59to be determined?

3:00:02I'm I'm concerned. Honestly, I'm

3:00:03concerned. Bill 147, Bill 173, and Bill

3:00:07175,

3:00:11all at different stages in council,

3:00:14first reading, second reading,

3:00:16committees,

3:00:18and they all they all touch. I'm just

3:00:21I'm concerned about this as a whole.

3:00:23Without being able to view them all at

3:00:24the same time, it's it's a little bit

3:00:27worrisome. Do do you share those curt

3:00:29those concerns at all?

3:00:31I feel sorry for the planning

3:00:32department, but I I don't [laughter] I

3:00:35don't share uh Director Daryl's concerns

3:00:39in that regard because I'm more worried

3:00:40about our department right now. It is

3:00:43concerning. I think I think from our

3:00:45standpoint, it's probably just because

3:00:47there's so much confusion with the

3:00:49public on what's going on. The hosted

3:00:51rental registration started yesterday.

3:00:54So, we've already seen an application

3:00:56come through that is in the homeowner

3:00:59tax class. They will get adjusted this

3:01:02year. We're trying to figure out how

3:01:03this pans out [clears throat]

3:01:05because we hate to do something that you

3:01:07guys are going to come back and say,

3:01:08"Oh, no worry." You know, this is

3:01:11approved, so then we have to undo what

3:01:12we did. So, there's just uncertainty

3:01:14right now, I think, with our division

3:01:17and the planning department on this

3:01:18until this is figured out or handled.

3:01:23You guys have like a secret paper

3:01:25somewhere that shows all these random

3:01:27bills and how they're all going to

3:01:28criss-cross each other and stick to each

3:01:30other and and poo each other or make new

3:01:33pockets. I mean, do you have anything

3:01:34like that? Like a big white board like

3:01:35Josh Green?

3:01:38>> No, we we're always amazed at what comes

3:01:40out of county council sometimes because

3:01:42it's it's new ideas that we haven't

3:01:45thought of or the timing of it is

3:01:47incredible. But I I don't know. Um, we

3:01:51are trying to keep things straight.

3:01:52We've been doing a lot of presentations

3:01:54to realtors on this because they're

3:01:57equally confused as there's been so many

3:01:59changes in the last two years. So,

3:02:01that's all I can say is I'm we're trying

3:02:04our best to keep everything straight,

3:02:06but I don't know what you'll propose in

3:02:07the next two weeks.

3:02:11>> I'm reminded of uh Lesie Chow, who was

3:02:16our LRB like like one of our more

3:02:18prolific writers.

3:02:20and she she hammered into me things need

3:02:23to be simple like it's almost codified

3:02:27somewhere when we write legislation it

3:02:28needs to be simple and understandable

3:02:31and clear if it's not then we confuse

3:02:35public we confuse ourselves and we

3:02:37confuse you folks and it just gets

3:02:39confusing that's what I'm worried about

3:02:41right now of having all these bills at

3:02:43different stages that all touch each

3:02:45other that all affect each other and

3:02:46create concern within departments staff

3:02:49public and it's not clear and it's not

3:02:51concise. I I'm not I'm not trying to

3:02:55poke at you, Council Member Kimble. I'm

3:02:57just I'm just I'm trying to wrap my head

3:02:59around saying yes to this is no to this

3:03:02is yes to this will affect that

3:03:06discusses bill 147 without discussing

3:03:09it. It just that's how I see this right

3:03:12now. So, thank you,

3:03:17>> Council Member Kimell. and then we can

3:03:18wrap this up.

3:03:19>> Yeah, thank you. Um I know Council

3:03:22Member Onishi and Council Member Houston

3:03:23won't have the benefit of this history,

3:03:26but 121 was a bill that included all of

3:03:31the pieces in one piece of legislation

3:03:34that we've now addressed separately. So

3:03:37121 had the registration process, the

3:03:40land use uh change, the amnesty period,

3:03:43and even the uh visitor destination

3:03:46areas all in one bill. And that became

3:03:49exceedingly complicated, right? That

3:03:52that's why we stopped it. And so what

3:03:55has happened since is that I've pulled

3:03:57apart those different pieces into their

3:04:01distinct functions. So pulled out the

3:04:03registration piece that's independent of

3:04:06147, 175, 173. Then we have the land use

3:04:10piece which is 147. It's independent of

3:04:13all of the others. They any one of these

3:04:16bills can be passed or or not passed and

3:04:19not have any impact on any other piece

3:04:22of of this um legislation around

3:04:25short-term vacation rentals. I will

3:04:28acknowledge that it is complicated, but

3:04:31it is necessarily so unfortunately

3:04:34because there's so many different pieces

3:04:37interacting and moving together. We have

3:04:38the registration, we have the land use

3:04:40piece, we have the tax piece and so I

3:04:43appreciate that it is complex. Um but it

3:04:47is actually this this is where I moved

3:04:51into separate bills in response to the

3:04:53confusion that there was over 121 which

3:04:56was an omnibus approach.

3:05:01>> Any further discussion?

3:05:04Okay, I'll share my thoughts. Um

3:05:08I I'm not a fan of creating another tax

3:05:11class right now, especially hearing some

3:05:13of the brief discussion about where the

3:05:16rate would land because I heard above a

3:05:20and in my mind the benefit here is for a

3:05:24homeowner who was doing it on their

3:05:26property.

3:05:28I would think that we would be very

3:05:29close to the homeowner tax class because

3:05:31they live there. It's their primary

3:05:33residence. So, not too far off of 575,

3:05:36which is where we're currently at, but

3:05:39just hearing how far we all are off, and

3:05:42that wouldn't be a discussion till next

3:05:44June. Um, but I think this warrants a

3:05:47discussion perhaps via another bill on

3:05:51whether we want to allow

3:05:54bed and breakfast in the homeowner tax

3:05:57class or not. And again, I think there

3:05:59are there is a big group of community

3:06:01who feel that they should be able to do

3:06:04permitted activity per the zoning code

3:06:07on the property that they live in on

3:06:09live on as their primary residence. Um

3:06:12so I won't be supporting this bill but I

3:06:15I think it has it has brought out good

3:06:18discussion for us and um administrator

3:06:21Mera thank you for you know pointing out

3:06:24your staff's

3:06:26abilities and struggles with some of the

3:06:29decisions um this council has made. Half

3:06:32of the office of corporation council is

3:06:34in here and they all had good giggles at

3:06:36your jokes today. So with that, we'll

3:06:40proceed with the vote on the bill.

3:06:42>> On the motion to pass bill 173, draft

3:06:45two on first reading. Council member

3:06:47Gimma,

3:06:47>> I.

3:06:48>> Council member Hustus,

3:06:50>> no.

3:06:50>> Council member Kagiada,

3:06:51>> I.

3:06:52>> Council member Connelly Kleinbelder,

3:06:55>> no.

3:06:56>> Council Kirkowitz,

3:06:57>> no.

3:06:58>> Council member Campbell,

3:07:00>> I.

3:07:00>> Mr. Onishi,

3:07:01>> no.

3:07:02>> Council Viegas,

3:07:04>> no.

3:07:05>> Cherry Naba,

3:07:06>> no. Chair Nabi have three votes in

3:07:08favor. Those being council members

3:07:09Galima, Kagiada, and Campbell. Six

3:07:11opposed. Motion fails.

3:07:13>> Thank you. Bill 176. Thank you again,

3:07:16RPT, for being here today.

3:07:17>> Is there any testimony for bill 176

3:07:19draft 2?

3:07:22Hearing none. Bill 176 draft 2 amends

3:07:24chapter 16 article 1 of the Hawaii

3:07:26County Code 1983 2016 edition as amended

3:07:28relating to the general plan.

3:07:30establishes amendment procedures for the

3:07:31general plan including a comprehensive

3:07:33review every 10 years and inter

3:07:34amendments and describes powers and

3:07:36duties of the planning director and

3:07:37planning commissions introduced by

3:07:39council members and Kirkowitz.

3:07:41>> Chair motion to approve bill 176 draft 2

3:07:44at first reading.

3:07:46>> Moved by council member Kirkowitz,

3:07:48seconded by council member Huis to

3:07:49approve bill 176 draft 2 at first

3:07:52reading. All those in favor please say

3:07:54I.

3:07:55>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

3:07:58Bill 176 draft 2 is approved at first

3:08:00reading.

3:08:01>> Is there any testimony for bill 177

3:08:05hearing? None. Bill 1777 amends orders

3:08:07number 2644 to the operating budget of

3:08:09the Kio for the fisc June 30, 2027. It

3:08:12appropriates resident of federal grants

3:08:14burn state crisis intervention program

3:08:16grant account $129,33

3:08:19and appropriate same to the burn state

3:08:20crisis intervention deescalation

3:08:22training program account. Pans be used

3:08:24to conduct verbal judo deescalation

3:08:26training for law enforcement issues by

3:08:28council member Connelly clamper by

3:08:29request. This is a companion to

3:08:31resolution 611-26.

3:08:34>> Chair motion to approve bill 177 at

3:08:37council at first reading.

3:08:38>> Moved by council member Connie Elli

3:08:40Kleinfelder, seconded by council member

3:08:41Houston to approve bill 177 at first

3:08:44reading. All those in favor please say

3:08:46I. Any opposed? Motion carries.

3:08:50Nine eyes. Bill 177 is approved at first

3:08:53reading.

3:08:54>> Is there any testimony for bill 178?

3:08:59Hearing none, Bill 178 amends orders

3:09:01number 2644, the operating budget of the

3:09:03county of Hawaii for the f fiscal year

3:09:05ending June 30, 2027. An appropriate

3:09:07service represent the federal grants

3:09:08justice assistance grant special

3:09:09response team capability enhancement

3:09:11grant account $20,797

3:09:14and appropriate same to the justice

3:09:16assistance grant special response team

3:09:17capability enhancement account

3:09:19introduced by council member Kanye

3:09:20Kleinfelder by request.

3:09:21>> Chair motion to approve bill 178 at

3:09:24first reading.

3:09:26>> Moved by council member Kanye E.

3:09:27Kleinfelder, seconded by council member

3:09:28Huis to approve bill 178 at first

3:09:31reading.

3:09:33All those in favor please say I.

3:09:35>> Any opposed? Motion carries, nine eyes.

3:09:37Bill 178 is approved at first reading.

3:09:41>> Is there any testimony for bill 179?

3:09:45I read none. Bill 179 amends chapter 2

3:09:47of the Hawaii County Code 1983 2016

3:09:50edition as amended relating to the

3:09:51department of research and development.

3:09:53Describes the responsibilities

3:09:54department research and development.

3:09:56Establishes a grant program to support

3:09:57community based economic development.

3:09:59Introduced by council members Kirkowitz

3:10:00and Inaba.

3:10:02>> Chair. Motion to approve bill 179 on

3:10:05first reading.

3:10:06>> Moved by council member Kirkowitz,

3:10:08seconded by Vice Chair Onishi to approve

3:10:10bill 179 at first reading. Council

3:10:13member Kirkowitz.

3:10:14>> Thank you, Chair. I appreciate the

3:10:15robust discussion that we had um in

3:10:17committee. There are some housekeeping

3:10:19amendments that we will be bringing

3:10:21forward, but not today. Thank you.

3:10:24>> Thank you. All those in favor of

3:10:26approving bill 179 at first reading,

3:10:29please say I. Any opposed? Motion

3:10:31carries. Nine eyes. Bill 179 is approved

3:10:34at first reading.

3:10:35>> Is there any testimony for bill 180?

3:10:40Hearing none. Bill 180 amends orders

3:10:41number 2644 the operating budget of the

3:10:44county of Hawaii for the fiscal June 30,

3:10:462027. Appropriate rebs in the federal

3:10:48grant certified local government account

3:10:50$20,192 in appropriate same to the

3:10:53certified local government program

3:10:54account. Funds be used to cover travel

3:10:55stipens for two staff members from the

3:10:57planning department and two cultural

3:10:58resource commissioners. is introduced by

3:11:01council member Connor Lee Clanfelder by

3:11:02request and is a companion to resolution

3:11:04627-26.

3:11:07>> Motion to approve bill 180 at council at

3:11:10first reading.

3:11:11>> Moved by council member Kanye E.

3:11:12Kleinfelder, seconded by council member

3:11:14Hustus to approve bill 180 at first

3:11:17reading. All those in favor please say

3:11:19I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine

3:11:21eyes. Bill 180 is approved at first

3:11:23reading.

3:11:25>> Bills for second and final reading. Is

3:11:27there any testimony for bill 172?

3:11:31Bill 172 amends orders number 2644 the

3:11:34operating budget of the county of Hawaii

3:11:36for the fiscal June 30, 2027.

3:11:38Appropriations in the state motor

3:11:39vehicle weight tax account $6,282.72

3:11:43and appropriates the same to the vehicle

3:11:45registration other current expenses

3:11:46account funds be used for expenses

3:11:47associated with programming updating the

3:11:49county's motor vehicle registration

3:11:51system introduced by council member

3:11:53county clamor by request first reading

3:11:55August 5, 2026.

3:11:58>> A motion to approve bill 172 at second

3:12:00reading. Second

3:12:02>> moved by council member Kanye

3:12:04Kleinfelder, seconded by council member

3:12:05Houston to approve bill 172 at second

3:12:08and final reading. All those in favor,

3:12:10please say I. Any opposed? Motion

3:12:13carries. Nine eyes. Bill 172 is approved

3:12:15at second and final reading. Is there

3:12:17any testimony for bill 174?

3:12:21Hearing none. and go 74 amends orders

3:12:23number 2644 the operating budget of the

3:12:25county of Hawaii for the fiscal June 30

3:12:272027 appropriate in the state grants

3:12:29Kona low small business recovery grant

3:12:31account $500,000 and appropriate the

3:12:33same to the Kona low small business

3:12:35recovery grant program account funds to

3:12:37support one-time relief to eligible

3:12:39Hawaii island small businesses that

3:12:40sustain material economic or physical

3:12:42damage from the Kona low storm

3:12:44introduced by council member Connelly

3:12:45Kler by request first reading August 5,

3:12:482026

3:12:50>> motion to approve bill 4 at first second

3:12:52reading.

3:12:54>> Moved by council member Con. E

3:12:56Kleinfelder, seconded by council member

3:12:57Huis to approve bill 174 at second

3:13:00reading. All those in favor, please say

3:13:02I.

3:13:03>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

3:13:05Bill 174 is approved at second and final

3:13:08reading. Simony for bill 175 draft 2.

3:13:14Hearing none. Bill 175 draft 2 amends

3:13:16orders number 25-50 as amended and

3:13:18ordinance amending chapter 6 of the

3:13:20Hawaii County Code 1983 2016 edition as

3:13:23amended relating to transit

3:13:24accommodations changes certain

3:13:25responsibilities for proposed vacation

3:13:27rental laws under ordinance number 2550

3:13:29from the finance director to the

3:13:30planning director exempts prospective

3:13:33vacation rentals that have submitted a

3:13:34valid use permit or special permit

3:13:35application from ordinance number 25-50

3:13:38and requires any funds collected under

3:13:40ordinance number 25-50 to disposited

3:13:42into the short-term vacation rental

3:13:44enforcement funding introduced by

3:13:46council member Kimble. First reading

3:13:48August 5, 2026.

3:13:51>> Chair motion to approve bill 175 draft 2

3:13:53at second and final reading.

3:13:55>> Moved by council member Kimble, seconded

3:13:57by council member Kima to approve bill

3:13:59175 draft 2 at second and final reading.

3:14:01All those in favor please say I.

3:14:03>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

3:14:05Bill 175 draft 2 is approved at second

3:14:08and final reading. Referrals for

3:14:09executive session please. Is there any

3:14:11testimony to communication 10 06

3:14:16hearing? None. Communication 10006 pol

3:14:19versus county civil number 3

3:14:21CCV-25-000000249

3:14:25from deputy corporation council Cherylyn

3:14:27K. Tavaris dated July 28 2026 requesting

3:14:30attorney client confidential discussion

3:14:32consult with the council regarding the

3:14:33above entitled matter filed by Glen

3:14:35Tonda George C. Alejandro and James and

3:14:38Wla Esquires on behalf of their client

3:14:40Palaga.

3:14:42>> Chair motion to close file on

3:14:44communication 106.

3:14:46Moved by council member Houston,

3:14:47seconded by Vice Chair Onishi to close

3:14:49file on communication 10006. Does the

3:14:52body need to enter into executive

3:14:54session?

3:14:56A motion please to accept the

3:14:58recommendation provided by the office of

3:15:00corporation council in civil case number

3:15:033CCV-25-0000249.

3:15:07>> So moved.

3:15:08>> Moved by council member Houston,

3:15:10seconded by council member Viegas to

3:15:12accept the recommendation provided uh

3:15:15related to communication 106. All those

3:15:18in favor please say I. Any opposed?

3:15:21Motion carries. Nine eyes's. The

3:15:23recommendation requested by the

3:15:25corporation council has been approved.

3:15:27All those in favor of closing file on

3:15:29communication 106, please say I.

3:15:32>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

3:15:3510 uh communication 106 is filed.

3:15:40Is there any testimony for communication

3:15:421034?

3:15:45Hearing none. Communication 1034.

3:15:47settlement of the county of Hawaii's

3:15:48acquisition of property owned by Lum

3:15:50Family Enterprises LLC and Lum Family

3:15:52Enterprises LLC's inverse comation claim

3:15:55against the county of Hawaii from Deputy

3:15:57Corporation Council Sinclair Solace

3:15:59Ferguson dated August 10, 2026

3:16:01requesting attorney CL confidential

3:16:03discussion to consult with the council

3:16:05regarding the above entitled matter

3:16:06including settlement discussion.

3:16:10>> Chair motion to close file communication

3:16:12134.

3:16:14Moved by council member Houston,

3:16:15seconded by council member Kirkowitz to

3:16:18close file on communication 1034

3:16:21on this matter.

3:16:22>> Chair motion to enter executive session

3:16:24pursuant to section 92-5A4 for the

3:16:27purpose of consulting council's attorney

3:16:29questions on questions issues pertaining

3:16:30to council's power, duties, privileges,

3:16:32immunities, and liabilities.

3:16:35Moved by council member Houston,

3:16:36seconded by council member Galima to

3:16:38enter into executive session

3:16:41for the reasons stated in the motion.

3:16:44All those in favor, please say I.

3:16:46>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes.

3:16:49We'll be entering into executive session

3:16:51now for communication 1034.

4:01:19Thank you. It's 1:00. We're out of

4:01:21executive session for communication

4:01:231034.

4:01:26Uh Council Member Huice.

4:01:28>> Thank you, Chair. uh council met uh

4:01:31pursuant to section 92-5A4

4:01:34for the purpose of consulting with our

4:01:36attorneys on questions and issues

4:01:37pertaining to our powers, duties,

4:01:39privileges, immunities, and liabilities.

4:01:41Thank you, chair.

4:01:42>> Thank you.

4:01:45Is there a motion to accept the

4:01:47recommendation provided by the office of

4:01:49corporation council in the settlement of

4:01:52the acquisition owned by Lum Family

4:01:54Enterprises?

4:01:55>> So moved. Moved by council member

4:01:57Kirkowitz, seconded by council member

4:01:59Huis to accept the recommendation

4:02:02provided by the office of the

4:02:03corporation council um related to

4:02:05communication 1034. All those in favor

4:02:08please say I. Any opposed? Motion

4:02:10carries. Nine eyes's. The recommendation

4:02:13being requested by the office of

4:02:15corporation council has been approved.

4:02:17All those in favor of closing file and

4:02:19communication 1034, please say I.

4:02:23>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Nine eyes's

4:02:26communication 1034 has been filed.

4:02:30Mr. Hustus, any announcements to wrap us

4:02:34up.

4:02:34>> Thank you, Chair. As we look to uh Labor

4:02:37Day weekend, I know there's a lot of

4:02:38activities happening across the county.

4:02:40Um and I just wanted to highlight a

4:02:43couple in the Yime area. Some big

4:02:45celebrations going on there. The Panola

4:02:47Preservation Society, they're

4:02:48celebrating 25 years in the community.

4:02:50And then throughout the weekend, um,

4:02:52Parker School is celebrating 50 years in

4:02:54community as well as, uh, the Labor Day

4:02:57rodeo, which is a Parker Ranch Roundup

4:02:59Club. They're selling a big rodeo over

4:03:01the whole entire weekend for 50 years in

4:03:03community as well. So, a lot of things

4:03:04going on. Just wanted to highlight a

4:03:06couple. Thank you,

4:03:07>> Council Member

4:03:09Kaguada.

4:03:11>> Thanks. Um, in in District three, but

4:03:15I'll just announce I'm planning to go. I

4:03:17hope everybody can come on Saturday, the

4:03:2027th annual Lilio Aalani Festival um

4:03:24this Saturday 10 to 2. So uh hopefully

4:03:27people can come out for that and we have

4:03:29nice weather and we'll see you there and

4:03:32happy Labor Day. Thanks

4:03:34>> Council Member Viegas.

4:03:35>> Yep. Um excited to attend the uh SER

4:03:39Awards to honor our first responders

4:03:41this weekend at the Fairmont Orchid. Um

4:03:44hope to see all of you there on Sunday

4:03:46evening. Um and we also have the Queen

4:03:49Lio Colani canoe races in Kyua Village

4:03:53uh this weekend. Uh we've got a lot of

4:03:56motorcycle clubs in town too for Labor

4:03:58Day. So just want to remind everybody to

4:04:01stay safe on our roads, take care of one

4:04:03another, and um yeah, enjoy the holiday

4:04:07weekend wherever you are, with whomever

4:04:10you're with.

4:04:11>> Thank you, Council Member Gimbo. Thank

4:04:14you. I just wanted to say thank you from

4:04:18my district of Caou to everyone who

4:04:22helped and there was so much help and it

4:04:25was it's just been heartwarming

4:04:28um to see the entire island, other

4:04:31islands from all over the country. Yeah.

4:04:36People have reached out, sent um items

4:04:39to help. So, thank you everyone for your

4:04:42help.

4:04:44>> Thank you, Council Member Kimba for that

4:04:46note. And we do send our aloha um as a

4:04:48council to the district of CO. With

4:04:52that, we are adjourned at 10:04 p.m.

4:04:55today. Mahalo.

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