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REPORT OF THE <br />COMMITTEE ON FINANCE <br />DATE: June 17, 2025 Re: Comm. No. 338/Res. No. 217-25 <br />PLACE: Council Chambers <br />Kailua-Kona, Hawaii <br />TIME: 1:00 P.M. <br />Council Chair and Members <br />Hawaii County Council <br />Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br />Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred Resolution No. 217-25, reports as follows: <br />Resolution No. 217-25, transmitted by Finance Director Diane Nakagawa via Communication <br />No. 338, dated May 28, 2025, authorizes indemnification of former employees of the County who are <br />named as individual defendants in the lawsuit known as Josephine T. W. Bishop, et al v. County of <br />Hawaii et al. against all damages assessed therein and making other findings in accordance with <br />Section 2-188 of the Hawaii County Code. <br />This resolution provides indemnification for former Hawaii Police Department police officers <br />Justin Gaspar and Chad Taniyama for an incident that occurred on or around March 10, 2023. <br />Deputy Corporation Counsel Mark Disher was in attendance and provided a limited background on <br />this matter as this case is ongoing. <br />Committee Chair Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder asked Mr. Disher if there was anything the committee <br />should not discuss or ask as this is an ongoing case. Mr. Disher replied that he was unsure. <br />Committee Member Holeka Goro Inaba questioned why the committee has been seeing these resolutions <br />to indemnify County workers and there have been no claims to do so in previous years. Mr. Disher <br />explained that it was also a first for him and it may be due to the timing as the indemnifications must <br />happen before trial. Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder added that they have seen many cases before them. <br />Mr. Disher replied that litigations have been heavier. <br />Your Committee on Finance is in accord with the purpose and intent of Resolution No. 217-25, and <br />recommends its adoption. <br />iuh <br />AYES <br />NOES <br />ABS <br />EX <br />GALIMBA <br />X <br />HUSTACE <br />X <br />INABA <br />X <br />KAGIWADA <br />X <br />KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER <br />X <br />KIERKIEWICZ <br />X <br />KIMBALL <br />X <br />ONISHI <br />X <br />V ILLEGAS <br />X <br />Respectfully submitted, <br />COMMITTEE ON FINANCE <br />MATT KANEAL - EINFELDER, <br />CHAIR <br />FC REPORT NO.: 70 <br />ADOPTED: JUL 0 9 2025 <br />