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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Comm. 1277/ Bill 314 <br /> June 17, 2008 <br /> Page 2 <br /> <br /> <br /> Council Member Stacy Higa also recalled Ms. Testa saying that a new department was not <br /> necessary as her department supports the Hawaii County Sustainable Energy Plan and is already <br /> working towards its implementation. Mr. Higa is concerned that a new department may cause <br /> more confusion if there is already a department actively working on this effort. <br /> <br /> Council Member Bob Jacobson stated that the County has already missed many opportunities to <br /> bring this forward and is upset that the Department of Research and Development, who is tasked <br /> with this, had not brought forward initiatives to make Hawaii County sustainable. He stated that <br /> several Council Members used their own Contingency Relief funds to develop the Hawaii <br /> County Sustainable Energy Plan, which should have been paid for by the Administration. <br /> <br /> A proposed floor amendment (Comm. 1277.1) to Bill 314 was submitted by Council Chair <br /> Pete Hoffmann, which replaces the word "department" with "office." The newly created <br /> department would now be called the Office of Energy Sustainability. <br /> <br /> Mr. Hoffmann clarified that although he did get an opinion from Corporation Counsel and was <br /> given the "green light" to establish a new department with an ordinance rather than a Charter <br /> amendment, he instead chose to amend Bill 314 to call the new department "office" in order to <br /> address the concerns of everyone. Mr. Hoffmann recalled that Ms. Testa stated that there should <br /> be some type of a consolidation of resources in the County's Administration regarding this effort. <br /> Mr. Hoffmann emphasized that the main concern is to consolidate this to one area or under one <br /> supervision in order to ensure the job is done effectively. <br /> <br /> Mr. Hoffmann proceeded to read into the record an email he received from Bob Arrigoni, the <br /> former Energy Coordinator for the County of Hawaii, which states his support for the creation <br /> of an energy department. <br /> <br /> Mr. Higa stated that he supports Mr. Hoffmann's amendment; however, should this bill pass, he <br /> questioned as to what the end result would be since there is no funding for the positions and the <br /> budget is already very tight. He thinks the idea sounds good, but until the County's finances are <br /> put in order, government should not be growing at this time. Mr. Higa pointed out that the <br /> Mayor could appoint one of his Executive Assistants to handle the County's energy <br /> sustainability since he already has the personnel. Although he supports the idea, Mr. Higa feels <br /> that this is the wrong time. <br /> <br /> Mr. Hoffmann responded that Bill 314 provides the framework so that the Mayor would be able <br /> to fund these positions as he sees fit and so that this effort could begin as quickly as possible. He <br /> also reminded the Council that the Mayor himself had signed and agreed to the Hawaii County <br /> Sustainable Energy Plan, and that the first recommendation in the Plan is to hire trained <br /> personnel to do the job. Mr. Hoffmann is hopeful and optimistic that the Mayor will support this <br /> effort. <br /> <br /> <br /> FESC Report No. 05 <br />