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ARBORIST ADVISORY COMMITTEE <br />REGULAR MEETING MINUTES <br />THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2026, 2:00PM <br />HAWAI‘I COUNTY BUILDING, PUEO CONFERENCE ROOM <br />25 AUPUNI STREET, SUITE 2601, HILO, HAWAI‘I <br /> <br />CALL TO ORDER <br />Chair Jill Wagner called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. <br />ATTENDANCE <br />Present:George Applegate, Member <br /> Joel Rathje, Member (Planning Director’s Designee) (Via Zoom) <br /> Jill Kubojiri, Member <br /> Jill M. Wagner, Chair (Via Zoom) <br /> Michelle “Mitchie” Hanano, Vice Chair (Via Zoom) <br /> Ty Medeiros, Member <br /> <br />Also present: Micah Alameda, Office of the Mayor <br /> Jean Campbell, Deputy Corporation Counsel <br /> <br /> Joan Gossett, The Outdoor Circle <br /> Winston Welch, The Outdoor Circle (Via Zoom) <br /> Myles Ritchie, City & County of Honolulu Arborist Advisory Committee <br /> (Via Zoom) <br /> <br />STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC <br />a. Public testimony was taken from Joan Gossett, President of the East Hawaii Outdoor <br />Circle, who requested clarification on Section 14-59 (C) and its relationship to <br />exceptional trees. Jean Campbell, Deputy Corporation Counsel, noted that public <br />testimony was not a time for dialogue and that legal advice could not be given in that <br />setting. <br /> <br />b. Winston Welch of The Outdoor Circle testified on the need for more robust tree care in <br />Hawaii County and urged the Commission to take an active role in policy <br />recommendations. He also encouraged collaboration among Arborist Advisory <br />Committees statewide. <br />APPROVAL OF MINUTES <br />a. Approval of the regular meeting minutes of December 11, 2025. <br />Chair Wagner called for public testimony. There being no public testimony, the meeting <br />continued as follows. <br /> <br />Action: Chair Wagner called for a motion to approve. A motion was made by Member Ty <br />Medeiros to approve the regular meeting minutes of December 11, 2025, which was <br />seconded by Member Joel Rathje. The motion was carried by a vote of 6:0. <br /> <br />5 <br /> <br />