2018-2020 Report of the Charter Commission to the County Council

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CA -17: Relating to the Establishment of a Disaster and Emergency Fund This proposal would establish in the Charter a disaster and emergency fund, monies for which would be provided by a minimum of one per cent of the certified real estate tax revenues annually, state and federal grants, the federal emergency management agency, private sources and other sources of revenue. The proposal enables the accumulation of at least $20 million in the fund. The fund shall be used only for the following purposes in the event of a natural or human -caused disaster or emergency: repair of County facilities and infrastructure; cleaning of County property; providing for immediate response to deal with public health and safety risks; matching federal, state or private grants- in-aid to restore public property; paying for County operational expenses in certain circumstances; acquiring property to mitigate potential disasters or emergencies; and administrative expenses. The fund would be administered by the Director of Finance. The Commission finds that the current fund in the County Code does not provide an adequate measure of protection for County infrastructure and residents, and needs to be upgraded as a top priority of County government. CHARTER AMENDMENT NO. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAI`I: Section 1. Article X of the Hawai`i County Charter (2018 Edition), is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows: "Section 10- . Disaster and Emergency Fund. (a) In adopting each year's fiscal operating budget, the council shall appropriate a minimum of one per cent of the certified real property tax revenues to a fund known as the disaster and emergency fund. Additional funds may be deposited into the disaster and emergency fund from state and federal grants, the federal emergency management agency, private sources, and any other source of revenue. Such appropriation shall continue until a minimum of $20,000,000 is accumulated in the fund. Use of the funds for any of the purposes listed in this section may be permitted even if the target goal of $20,000,000 is not met. 22) Moneys in the disaster and emergency fund shall be utilized only for the following purposes: (1) Repair of county facilities and infrastructure damaged by a natural or human -caused disaster or emergency; (2) Cleaning of county property, including roads, drainage and sewage systems, damaged by a natural or human -caused disaster or other emergencies when such action serves a public purpose; (3) Providing immediate response for services to deal with public health and safety risks due to a natural or human -caused disaster or emergency in the 28