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Puby ~F h4W GO,.• ~ 9. Harry Kim Dixie Kaetsu Mayor Managing Director , Bazbara Kossow 4~F'0~'N P~~ Deputy Managing Director ~ountp of ~a~uai`i 891 Ululani Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • (808) 96I-821 I Fax (808) 961-6553 KONA: 76-5706 Kuakini Highway, Suite 103 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 _ =,.i (808) 329-5226 Paz (808) 326-5663 ~ October 15, 2007 ~ The Honorable Pete Hoffmann, Chairperson, and Members of the County Council - County of Hawaii - 333 Kilauea Avenue Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Re: BiII 167 -Memorandum of Agreement with Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Dear Chairperson Hoffmann and Council Members: At the last Council meeting, I understand some questions were raised about the Memorandum of Agreement executed in 2002 with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL). While no current members of the County Council were serving at that time, the Council was kept in the communication loop from the beginning of the process to develop the attached Memorandum of Agreement. The following is provided for your information. There were longstanding questions of authority and responsibility between the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the County of Hawaii when this administration took office in 2000. These included issues related to building permits, road maintenance, and enforcement of laws by police on DHHL property. In addition, there was a large outstanding real property tax delinquency because some lessees did not accept their responsibility to pay property taxes to the County. In early 2001, we met with Ray Soon, the Chairperson of DHHL, who expressed great interest in working with the County to clarify our respective roles and responsibilities and resolve the various issues that were confusing staff on both sides as well as the DHHL lessees. This effort was kicked off with a meeting involving County department heads and top staff of DHHL. The Chairperson of the County Council attended this meeting, which led to over a year of smaller meetings that focused on specific issues. Afrer a joint proposal was prepared, it was taken to the DHHL lessees in public meetings in Hilo, Kona and Waimea. Afrer input from these public meetings, a Memorandum of Agreement was drafted and executed. Attached is a table summarizing the major issues between various County departments and DHHL, along with information on how the issues were resolved in the Memorandum of Agreement. Alo a, arry Kim MAYOR Comm. No. ,loZ. Attachments Ref. To: ~aHrtel) Z/'-' Ref. Uote OCT 1 7 2007 Hawaii County is an equal opportunity provider and employer.