REP GOEAC 073 2025-09-16 2024-2026

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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DATE: September 16, 2025 Re: Comm. No. 334/Bill No. 64 PLACE: Council Chambers Kailua-Kona, Hawaii TIME: 1:00 P.M. Council Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Your Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs, to which was referred Bill No. 64, reports as follows: Bill No. 64, introduced by Council Member Holeka Goro Inaba via Communication No. 334, dated May 27, 2025, amends Article VI, Chapter 2, Section 6-2.2, of the Charter of the County of Hawaii (2024 Edition), relating to the Director of Public Works. Bill No. 64 replaces the requirement that the Director of Public Works must be a registered professional engineer with the requirement that the Director has a bachelor's degree in engineering, architecture, public administration or a related discipline, or a degree in law. It adds the requirement that at least two of the five years of required administrative or managerial experience must be in public works or construction, or a related field. Bill No. 64 was forwarded to Council with a negative recommendation on July 8, 2025. Council Members Michelle Galimba, James Hustace, Jenn Kagiwada, Heather Kimball, and Dennis "Fresh" Onishi voted no, and Council Member Ashley Kierkiewicz was absent. During the Council Meeting of July 23, 2025, Bill No. 64 failed to move forward with Council Members Galimba, Hustace, Kagiwada, Kimball, and Onishi voting no, and Council Members Holeka Inaba and Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder absent. On the Council Meeting of August 6, 2025, Member Onishi via Communication No. 334.12, dated July 28, 2025, requested that the vote on Bill No. 64 be reconsidered pursuant to Council Rule No. 14. All members present voted in favor of reconsideration, with Members Galimba and Rebecca Villegas absent. A vote to recommit Bill No. 64 to the Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs was taken with all members present voting in favor and Member Galimba absent. Governmental Operations and External Affairs Meeting of September 2, 2025 Member Inaba began by introducing his amendment contained within Communication No. 334.17. He explained that this amendment specifies that if the Director is not a professional engineer, then the Deputy Director needs to be a professional registered engineer. He added that the difference between his amendment and the one being proposed by Member Kimball is that hers states that the Deputy Director would have authority over engineering responsibilities. Member Kimball further explained that under her amendment engineering responsibilities would fall under someone who is a licensed professional engineer, which protects the County from a public health and safety standpoint and aligns with the requirements within the Hawaii Revised Statutes. She mentioned GOEAC Report No. 73