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REPORT OF THE <br /> COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS, <br /> RELATIONS, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT <br /> DATE: October 5, 2022 Re: Comm. No. 1007/Res. No. 559-22 <br /> PLACE: Council Chambers <br /> Hilo, Hawaii <br /> TIME: 9:30 a.m. <br /> Council Chair and Members <br /> Hawaii County Council <br /> Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br /> Your Committee on Governmental Operations, Relations, and Economic Development,to which <br /> was referred Resolution No. 559-22, reports as follows: <br /> Resolution No. 559-22, transmitted by Council Vice Chair Aaron Chung, via Communication <br /> No. 1007 dated September 16, 2022, requests that the State of Hawaii relocate the Hawai i <br /> Community Correctional Center to a new area which will provide more space for the State <br /> Department of Public Safety to accomodate the proper expansion of the facility and to better <br /> support the needs of its inmate population and employees. <br /> There were four testifiers all in support of the measure. In addition to expressing her support for <br /> this proposal, Ms. Lucille Chung submitted copies of a letter to her State Legislator and a letter <br /> to the editor of the Hawaii Tribune Herald highlighting the problems with the current location of <br /> the jail and the ongoing problems associaited with the site. The other three testifiers live in the <br /> neighborhood of the jail and detailed specific concerning instances and ongoing community <br /> health and safety concerns. <br /> Chair Kimball called on Mr. Chung to introduce the resolution, who explained that it was the <br /> September 2, 2022, Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission's report that prompted <br /> him to propose a remedy to the ill-placed, struggling Hilo jail. He explained that the original <br /> facility was an 11-bed County jail and the site was never intended to scale up to house inmates <br /> for the entire island. Mr. Chung underscored the testifiers' concerns that the Hilo community <br /> was not included when the State of Hawaii made the decision to build an additional 48-bed <br /> expansion on the existing site. <br /> Council Chair Maile David thanked Mr. Chung for creating the resolution noting that it is a <br /> public safety issue and should be a top priority for the State of Hawaii. <br /> Council Member Rebecca Villegas stated that the government should stop throwing good money <br /> after bad and move the Hawaii Community Correctional Center to a more appropriate location. <br /> The other Council Members thanked Mr. Chung for the resolution and expressed their support <br /> for the measure. <br /> GOREDC Report No. 27 <br />