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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN COUNCIL 2021-06-03 2020-2022 Special Hawaii County Council 161h Session Special Session Hawaii County Building 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii June 3, 2021 INVOCATION: Pastor Mark Zier of Christ Lutheran Church gave the morning's invocation. CALL TO The special meeting of the Hawaii County Council was called to order at ORDER: 9:03 a.m., in the Council Chambers, Hilo, by Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Chair Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Member (via videoconference from Kona) Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Member Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Member Ms. Heather L. Kimball, Member Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Member Mr. Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III, Member Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Member Absent& Excused: Mr. Aaron S. Y. Chung, Vice Chair PLEDGE OF At this time, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder led the Council in the Pledge of ALLEGIANCE: Allegiance. STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Council to proceed to the next order of business, FROM THE Statements from the Public on Agenda Items. PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS: The following individuals registered to speak and came forward when called by the Chair: Dean Au: Bill 21, Draft 3 (Comm. 133.21); and (Representing the Hawaii Bill 22, Draft 2 (Comm. 104.5); comment. Regional Council of Carpenters) Don Rudny: Bill 22, Draft 2 (Comm. 104.5), comment. (Makea Stream Bridge Reconstruction Project) Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 Susan Bassett: Bill 22, Draft 2 (Comm. 104.5), comment. (Makea Stream Bridge Reconstruction Project) Charlene Luiz: Bill 22, Draft 2 (Comm. 104.5), comment. (Makea Stream Bridge Reconstruction Project) Sandra Demoruelle: Bill 22, Draft 2 (Comm. 104.5), comment. (Na`alehu Wastewater System -reappropriation) Jerome Warren: Bill 22, Draft 2 (Comm. 104.5), comment. Na`alehu Wastewater System -reappropriation) Miho Yoneyama: Bill 22, Draft 2 (Comm. 104.5), comment. (Public Restroom Facilities in Hawi) CHR. DAVID: Mr. Clerk, I'm closing public testimony at this time. Before I ask you to read in the Order of the Day, I would like to let Mr. Inaba in Kona know that whenever you want to weigh in, could you just please shout out, so I don't, you know, check up on you every item? Is that okay? MR. INABA: Yes. CHR. DAVID: Thank you. Alright, Mr. Clerk. Go ahead. ORDER OF The Chair directed the Council to proceed to the next order of business, Bills for THE DAY Ordinances, (First Reading). (SECOND OR FINAL READING): Bill 21: ESTABLISHES AN OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE COUNTY OF (Draft 3) HAWAII FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 2021, TO JUNE 30, 2022 Draft 3 includes estimated revenues and appropriations of$609,421,511. Reference: Comm. 103.21 Intr. by: Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder(B/R) First Reading: May 20, 2021 (Note: Communications 103.22, 103.23, 103.23, 103.25, 103.26 and 103.27 were circulated on the floor for the Council's consideration.) Motion to Approve: Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder moved to pass Bill 21, Draft 3, on second and final reading. Seconded by Ms. Villegas. Page 2 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 Comm. 103.22: From Council Member Susan L. K. Lee Loy, dated June 1, 2021, transmitting a proposed to increase the Fund Balance from Previous Year account by $215,000 and increase or decrease the following accounts: increase Police Other Current Expenses, Community Policing - $65,000; increase Fire Protection Equipment- $50,000; increase Parks Maintenance Other Current Expenses, Building and Construction Materials - $100,000; decrease Building Design and Engineering, Salaries and Wages - $35,000, increase Building Inspection Other Current Expenses, Travel/Conferences account- $10,000; increase Building Inspection Other Current Expenses, Computer and Office Supplies - $17,500; and increase Building Inspection Other Current Expenses, Subscription and Membership - $7,500. Motion to Amend: Ms. Lee Loy moved to amend Bill 21, Draft 3, with the contents of Comm. 103.22. Seconded by Kierkiewicz. CHR. DAVID: Go ahead, Ms. Lee Loy. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you. At our last meeting,we saw a number of amendments moving money around and wanting to fund different programs, specifically Fire and Parks. So this amendment, with the permission of Deanna, I want to make sure, realigns some of the money from Fund Balance and places money in Fire for their equipment, which is something we talked about, which $50,000, and it increases the Building Maintenance for Parks by $100,000. In addition to this communication, also utilizes money from Fund Balance and puts $65,000 into Community Policing. The way this amendment was structured is I just divided by nine and put equal amounts into each community policing district, all nine districts. It works out to about 200 extra hours for our community policing officers in each respective district. I share all of that because that's what I heard. I heard everybody loud and clear. This was that attempt to create a hybrid so that we would be utilizing our Fund Balance in the most fair and objective way. The other thing this amendment does is realign some salary wage monies within the Department of Public Works (DPW)with one of their newly created positions, which has not been filled yet. I believe they're still working on the job description and a recruitment list. And I know Haku's here too from the department. But what that money does is realign it into EnerGov. We heard loud and clear that EnerGov is going to be one of those tools we need to get the economy back up and running. So what this amendment does is it increases the ability in DPW to purchase some of the monitors, that they will need some training. But not in-house training. It's public training. They have a lot of money within the EnerGov contract for training staff, but we kind of fell short on how to train the public on how to use this. Page 3 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 On top of that, and this kind of emerged out of another communication we had where we got code books. And it hit me that if we're trying to move into the digital world, we're going to need digital code books. So besides the paper copies that were so generously donated to us, and we received and thank you again for that, this was another tool to really get the Building Division even that much closer to going to a one permit system, doing digital plan review and having all of the tools that they need, whether it's monitors to look at plans, digital code books to review in the field, or iPads out in the field. Whatever it takes so that we can begin to resolve what we know is to be a very delayed permit process. On occasion, not all the time. I am asking for my Council Members' support on this. This is the hybrid that I promised. Yesterday I tried something a little different. I kind of wanted that way because it got everybody a whole lot more money. But with Deanna's permission and blessing, I think this was the way. I appreciate Fire being here, and Kazuo if you want to take a few minutes about some of the monies that are earmarked here, you know, go ahead and share. I know you shared about what the equipment needs were. But go ahead. (Note: At this time, Fire Chief Kazuo Todd came forward to address the members of the Council.) CHIEF TODD: So while I wait for this very new looking computer here to slowly boot up a PowerPoint presentation. How's everyone doing today? Here we go. Okay. As you can see, I have a variety of blank slides here. And I believe this particular one was about fire station equipment, correct? So I'm just going to kind of bring this up here on the left side. (Note: At this time, Chief Todd provided a PowerPoint presentation to the members of the Council. For viewing of the presentation, see the DVD copy of the meeting proceedings on file in the Clerk's Office or go to the Council's video archive page at http://hawaiicounty.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=1 and browse to the meeting video. A hard copy of the presentation is made a part of the record. See Comm. 103.28.) CHIEF TODD: So I showed you this picture the last time I was here and talking about the variety of equipment that actually ends up on top of a fire truck, and there is a lot of equipment, and it's very expensive equipment. So if I'm correct on this one, Sue, this was for $50,000? Yes, I very, very much appreciate any money, whether it's $10 or $50,000. Or you know, if you guys are interested, $500 (thousand) maybe. Page 4 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 But essentially let's talk about—this is for line item 5221.10-457, and it's for our Fire Protection-Fire Station Equipment line item. So what does that go to? Currently our budget annually is $13,128, and that's for the entire department. That purchases things like our extrication tools like the Jaws of Life, which is $34,000 a set. The Rescue 42 Stabilization kits which run around $4,000 a set. Generators, which, you know, $1,000 apiece. Pressure Fans that help us blow the smoke out of houses so we can see what's going on, for $2,500. Radios, which are $3,500 apiece. Thermal images, which are around $6,000. Nozzles, $1,000. Ladders, $3,000. Air bags, $13,000 a set. Chainsaws, $1,000. K-12 saws, $1,000. Also things that are stationed, such as stoves, refrigerators, lawn mowers, and you name it. So there's a variety of equipment, and these pieces of equipment don't last forever. Let's say on average one of these things will last us 10 years. If you just took that list alone, not including the stuff that's in the stations, we're talking about$140,000 just on an annual replacement cost to just replace things as they break. We're not talking about maintenance costs or sending the equipment off to get repaired somewhere else. Although I do have some line items for repairs and such, which is generally how we keep things going. We just keep fixing it, even though spending more money on fixing it then it would be to replace it sometimes. But how is the Fire Department managing everything? Your question is along the lines of how are we getting equipment if we don't have any money for equipment? And the answer for that has been the Sayre Foundation primarily, among others. In the last two years, they've dumped over $1.5 million into the Fire Department for equipment. Bless their hearts, I love them. I love Laura and Frank. They're amazing, amazing people. But you know, there's another piece of donation list that's going to be coming in front of the Council just to show what they've dumped into our department this year, which is over close to $600,000. This is how the department is providing equipment to our personnel. It's not the County that's paying for it, it's private entities that are raising money from people around the island to buy the things we need just to respond on calls. The list of things you're going to see that we got this year, things like rescue boards so that our lifeguards can swim out into ocean and save people that are drowning; things that are really simple, like SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) compressor, parts and different things for—bottles and other random equipment pieces. And this is critical life-safety equipment. I need the equipment just to let a person do things like cut open cars. The last seven sets of extrication gear have all been grant funded, because this line item has no money. So I'm not saying you have to give me any money at all. But should you give me money, this is where it will go. It would be buying life-safety equipment to allow our personnel to provide the kind of services the community deserves. So Page 5 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 that's the start of it at least as far as this particular amendment. So thank you very much. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you, Fire 1. So with that, I think this amendment achieves a lot of the conversations that we had over budget cycle. And for a plug for our Fire Chief, we also need they need jet skis. So however you utilize this money, I think will go to a good purpose. I am asking for my fellow colleagues' support and any feedback. Chair, I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. Any other discussion? Go ahead, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you, Ma'am. I had a question for Public Works. I see you guys over there, since this proposed amendment also touches Building Inspection. I don't know who wants to speak on your behalf. Is the Director available today? (Note: At this time, Deputy Public Works Director Steve Pause came forward to address the members of the Council.) MR. PAUSE: Hello, my name is Steve Pause. I'm the new Deputy Director for Public Works. The Director is off island presently. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Mahalo. Thank you. MR. PAUSE: I've been at it for a week and a half. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Congratulations. MR. PAUSE: Seat's comfy. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: So I have some questions and hopefully you can answer. The Building Design and Engineering S&W, what does that stand for? MR. PAUSE: Building Design and Engineering Salary and Wages. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, and this amendment would decrease your account by $35,000. How does that affect? Who does that affect? MR. PAUSE: That affects an open position for the Deputy Building Chief, which is funded in the new budget. The salaries are scheduled for July 1st, but it will take some time to fill that position. It's open presently. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: So by decreasing this by $35,000, you're hoping to hire that person in this coming fiscal year, 2021-22? Page 6 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MR. PAUSE: Yes, that's correct. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Are you going to have the funding to hire the Deputy Director of the Building Division? MR. PAUSE: That would be what this position, as I understand it, is funding, correct? MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: But by decreasing by $35,000, do you still have the funding to hire that person? MR. PAUSE: Yeah, correct. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. And then your Building Inspection Travel/Conferences. Can you talk a little bit about these two increases to Travel/Conferences, Computer Office Supplies, and Subscription and Membership, so I can better understand what positives this $35,000 reduction in your Salary and Wages will do. MR. PAUSE: I don't—I'm not sure that I have the amendment in front of me. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. MR. PAUSE: So my understanding is this is monies, as Council Member Lee Loy mentioned, that will be used as part of the EnerGov training. As she mentioned, training for folks out in the public. That's the one line item here. Same thing with monitors and software licenses. It's all, I believe, related to EnerGov rollout and training for the public. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. Was there funding already for EnerGov? For the implementation of EnerGov in your budget? MR. PAUSE: Yes. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Was it not enough? MR. PAUSE: I'm sorry, I'm going to have to follow-up with that. I apologize. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: We've been through multiple meetings. No problem. I'm just trying to track what— MR. hatMR. PAUSE: It's on track to be rolled out this year, if that's what you're asking. But there was funding available for the training internally, and then again as Council Woman Lee Loy said, this is additional funding for public training. Page 7 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. Did you have a lot of time to look this over or is this new to you? MR. PAUSE: I've spent some time with it, but again, it's been a very fast and furious week and a half. Three days with the Director. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I appreciate that. Thank you, Steve. I appreciate that. That was helpful. MR. PAUSE: Okay, thank you. Nice to meet you. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Nice to meet you. Thank you, Sir. Okay Chair, I yield for right now. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. Ms. Villegas, go ahead. MS. VILLEGAS: Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. This piece of legislation and this opportunity really coincides with a number of the questions I've been having about our salaries and wage budget and how much money is allocated there for positions that don't often get hired until some part of the year. It's been raising questions for myself. Of course I had some questions for Deanna about it, but not right now. But how and why so much of that gets locked up there when there's the need for these resources for these departments. And yes, we're going to need to hire for these positions, but in the private sector, let's say you have a business, and you need a new general manager. Usually it's going to take three to six months, right, and then you're onboarding them. So that amount of money that you had allocated for half that year for their salaries and wages, you could take and buy the new dishwasher, or the new refrigerator, or whatever you needed for the operation side of your business. So you really just nailed right here taking that opportunity to identify a role and a position that while it will be filled, and the funds will be needed for that salary and wages and the full benefits package, but it's utilizing some of those resources in the interim to fill some of these holes here and support the people that are actually currently working in the department. So I appreciate your creativity in identifying. I mean it took some doing to find this line item, to find this position, to talk to the department and make sure this was going to be in alignment with their goals and needs, and then to find the other line items that would support. As EnerGov is a huge undertaking and is vastly impactful. I know for District 7 there are so many people waiting on pins and needles for this transition to happen. So providing, while it was budgeted for, as we all know it was budgeted for years ago, and as time goes by everything gets a little more expensive. So I just want to thank you for your creativity and diligence in really tracking these line items down. Because if any of you have Page 8 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 seen our County budget booklet, it's not small and there's a lot of line items and a lot of humans affected by it. So I'm also really grateful for the focus on community policing because we are having tremendous improvement and success in Kona, working closely with community policing. So having more resources for them I think is impactful. And any one of us who have ever been in an accident in any capacity, ideally not needing the Jaws of Life, but if they are needed, it's really important that the Fire Department has them and that they work. So anyway, I'm just—thank you for youra leery in the complications in the conversations prior about hybrid. I got a little, "Whoa, okay." But this is really thoughtful and well-articulated. So I think you for that. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Villegas. Anyone else? Mr. Inaba, go ahead. MR. INABA: Aloha. CHR. DAVID: Aloha. MR. INABA: Yeah, I have a question. This training item for DPW, is that something that was requested by the Director? And I'm going to ask you, because I feel bad that Steve was thrown before us here today with just a few days under his belt. MS. LEE LOY: If I may, Chair? CHR. DAVID: Go ahead, Ms. Lee Loy. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you for that question. The training actually emerged out of a lot of community input. We have that Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce who has taken on the Permitting Task Force, and this was something that was being requested by users who already work with the Building Department in submitting building permits. And as we transition into the one-permit system and how they interface with EnerGov, there's a lot of training going on, on the County side of the counter,just not on the public side of the counter. So this gives the department the opportunity to spend more time with the public, because the quicker we get stuff over the counter in a manner that they can review quicker, makes the permit process going quicker. So to really drill in, this was the conversation with had with community. Community users and then with the department themselves. MR. INABA: Okay, so based on those conversations and just looking at this general section in the budget, it will be used specifically for DPW staff to go and Page 9 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 get—I'm sorry, I'm just still not there. This overall makes sense, but I just have a question about this section. MS. LEE LOY: Yeah, so it will stay within that department's specifically around the nexus of permitting, EnerGov, EnerGov training, interaction with the public. And then how they have equipment, like larger monitors or e-code books so that a lot of this stuff can begin to transition into that digital world that we're trying to get to. MR. INABA: And Travel/Conference is meaningI mean this covers them to go off island as needed, or travel within this island, on this island? Is that right? MS. LEE LOY: Yeah, you know, this was the line item that was identified for education. I know it looks wonky because it seems like travel and they're going to travel away. But a lot of them are doing their education and training online now. But that's how the line item is titled. It's titled Travel. And I actually think it's similar to ours also. So even when we attend conferences, it comes out of our travel line item. MR. INABA: Got it. And one last question. The Community Policing, that's Miscellaneous, but the intention is to go towards ours, is that right? MS. LEE LOY: I specifically identified the account number, which is you look on the bill there's specific account numbers on the table. That is specifically for Community Policing within that respective district. So when I mentioned hours, when I broke out the $65,000, I just divided by nine and came up with about $9,500 per district and then divided that by $45 an hour. I really don't know what they get paid, but there is a range, so I took $9,500 divided by $45 an hour and came up with about 200 hours. MR. INABA: Okay, so the intention is to be used on hours though, right? MS. LEE LOY: Yeah, on hours. MR. INABA: Got it. Okay, thank you so much. Looking forward to supporting this. Mahalo, Chair. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you. Thank you, Chair. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Inaba and Ms. Lee Loy. Ms. Kimball, go ahead. MS. KIMBALL: Thank you, Chair. I'll also thank you, Sue, for putting this together. I know that you spent a lot of time on it, and I appreciate the alignment with the discussion that we had prior and that we had yesterday, particularly on the focus on upstream solutions like the community policing. Page 10 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 Just one quick question about that. Appreciate the sense of fairness about dividing it between districts, but I'm wondering, is that really just a recommendation, or does this all go into a pool of money and it's really the Police Department that ultimately determines which community funding officers get more time? MS. LEE LOY: So the way I assigned it, it is into the districts. But we also know, and Deanna can speak to this, that within the department they start moving monies around. I made it fair, but although Hilo might have more community policing officers, I didn't say because they had five and Hamakua only had one. I didn't break it out like that. I just gave everybody equal shares. So there might be later on where they end up having to shift money around, but it's still within the department. I think as we speak to this amendment, you know, sharing a very clear message back to the department on our intentions of this money and them honoring it, is I think how we hold each other accountable. MS. KIMBALL: Thank you. I appreciate that. I just wanted to be clear on the flexibility. But I don't think you need to add to that, Director. Thank you. What do we know from Director Messina about any specific uses for this $100,000 for P&R (Parks and Recreation)? MS. LEE LOY: I didn't. It's all facility repair and maintenance. So wherever it ends up, it ends up. I think our parks have incredible needs. Again, I could divide it up by districts, but then I could also say I've got more park facilities in Council Districts 2 and 3 than in Council Member Maile David's district. I left that to the department to decide. I think it also helps when I come forward with a needs assessment so that they can turn around and say, "We've assessed all of our County park assets, and this is poor, fair, good." And so we infuse the money in this shapes or form through the needs assessment. That's my hope, and it all takes time. MS. KIMBALL: Great, and I think that's appropriate, that that really be directed by that process through the department. So I appreciate that. Then just going to back you up on the funding for issue related to DPW and EnerGov. You know, these final weeks here before we go to launch having that public training is going to be super critical and had kind of been identified as something that needs a little bit more investment,just to get us over the edge. So encourage my colleagues to support that as well. And I'll be supporting this amendment. Thank you, Sue. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kimball. Mr. Richards, go ahead. MR. RICHARDS: Thank you, Chair. First of all, Ms. Lee Loy I want to thank you for taking a big swing at something we've been talking about, and that's to budget for outcome. And that's exactly what I see in what your amendment is Page 11 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 doing, trying to specify where we're going to fund to get some things done, get them across the finish line. The EnerGov, you know, I was thinking about that. We've been talking about it so long, about training our staff and make sure all function fine, but it doesn't really matter if nobody outside the department knows how to use it. So it will still be stumbling. So identifying that and actually training the people that will be accessing it is a good thing. And I'm sure there will be a snowball effect. Once a few people start to understand it better, it'll work a lot better. Deputy Director Steven, I'm sure the Director told you that he's burned the boats and you're going with EnerGov, so there is no turning back on this one. Maybe they didn't tell you that in the interview but that's alright. I really do like the latitude by identifying it for each district being equal, but then again as you stated, you know, the directors need to make that final judgement call. You know, we talked about the Parks and Rec, and I know I have one park in my district, Kamehameha Park, that I can easily use $200,000 right now. We tried putting forth an amendment using TAT (Transient Accommodation Tax), but that's all gone now, because our department could actually use millions for maintenance and repair. So that's something we have to work on going forward. But at least this is the first swing at it. So I'll definitely be supporting this going forward. And it's, you know, again, using the Fund Balance, I'm hesitant, and we always look at Director Deanna to make sure we get a smile under that mask instead of ayes, and make sure she can accept it. Yeah, she keeps nodding, so we're okay and in accordance with that. S So I definitely support this, and without question Fire, we've got to support that. Chief, you and I discussed this, there's always a need there. So I'm supporting this as a whole, recognizing that this isn't the end game, but this is a step in the direction for budgeting for outcomes. So thank you, Chair. I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Richards. Ms. Kierkiewicz, go ahead. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Chair. Just some quick comments. First, mahalo Sue, for being so creative with your approach here. I really appreciate how you just repositioned some of these funds to help in the most critical areas of our Community Police officers show up big time. I know many of them do community events, do Zoom calls, different things on their days off. So this really goes a long way to supporting their work. Thank you for the funding for P&R for building specifically and not maintenance. When I was on a ride-along with someone within P&R, we had visited various facilities within the districts, and Hawaiian Beaches Park in Page 12 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 particular there was some defecation and vandalism, and there was a need to put up a gate. So this funding is going to help make that happen so that community members, keiki, kupuna, having pleasant place to congregate and have recreation. So I just, I really appreciate it. And you're in the trenches like all of us. You have been championing EnerGov and all of the work of Public Works for some time now. So fully trust your judgement in how you're going to be further supporting this particular project so that it is successful when they do launch in July. So thank you. I just have a question for Deanna because I have Council Services working on an amendment I'm putting forward very shortly. It's about—it's something that Sue's done that I've done very similar to, and that's kind of tapping into the S&W for these positions that are new, and it takes a little bit of time to fill them. So shaving off a few months here and there. If this goes through, and I'm putting forward something similar, how are we going to make sure it all pencil's out? (Note: At this time, Finance Director Deanna Sako came forward to address the members of the Council.) MS. SAKO: So we should double-check that we're not doing the same positions, but ultimately by the time the paperwork goes in to create the position, they put in the request to fill, advertise, recruit, do the interviews, it usually does take a couple months. But if they need to fill it right away, if they have other vacancies in their department, then they could use that funding as well. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Okay perfect. Thanks for clarifying that. I appreciate it. Chair, I yield. I'll be supporting this. Thank you. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Ms. Lee Loy, go ahead. I think everybody's done. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you to the rest of my colleagues. Deanna, if you could wait, and there was a question about which position this was coming from. I just want to make clear for the record it's actually the newly created position. So it's not like a funded vacant position, it's the newly—could you tell me which position it was again? I don't think it was like Building. I think it was like an Engineering or something. MS. SAKO: I think it's the Building Program MS. LEE LOY: There we go, the Building Program Manager position. MS. SAKO: But the person who takes care of our facilities, and this would help them have one additional position for West Hawaii. Page 13 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MS. LEE LOY: Yes. MS. SAKO: But it is the newly created positions that the additional paperwork is necessary with HR (Human Resources), to actually go in and create the position. MS. LEE LOY: So I just wanted to bring some clarity around that. It's a newly created position, and that's by shaving off a couple of months while the paperwork and the process happens. Actually is a way to you redirect the money. And this is not related to positions that are vacant or this particular one is just shaving off a few months before we get a person or warm body into that position. I do appreciate all of the support from my colleagues. I really wanted to touch on something Ms. Kierkiewicz said about the $100,000 for Parks. I think this is where we can also leverage that we have in community. Friends of the Parks program, our sponsorship agreements,just clean up the park day. I think that's how we can accelerate something like this $100,000, with the social capital of community help. I had to share that, because I'm trying to be very thoughtful, and Deanna really impressed upon me, you know, a very conservative budget this year. I think I'm trying to be just as conservative but even have a call to action to community that this is how we actually help our assets as a whole. Chair, I yield. And thank you everyone. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder and then Mr. Richards. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you, Ma'am. Deanna, the Community Policing, I've always wondered, and this reminded me today, where does the—we have our community police officers who double asI know in Puna—who double as patrol officers. What is our Community Policing funding for that portion of their job come from? MS. SAKO: I left my binder back on the seat, but I can double-check with Police, but basically we fund the officers and then it's like the additional hours of their time they're working with Community Policing, or as community police officers, that we have to fund either someone else to work their shift or they're coming back on overtime. So we can double-check with Police to see how they fund it, but the officers themselves are funded in there as Salaries and Wages positions. But there's usually additional costs for them providing those services. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: So their doing like a weekend meeting with us or with the community, those are overtime hours possibly? Page 14 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MS. SAKO: Yeah, or shift changes or something else. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, thank you. I've always wondered about that. Yeah, if you could. I've always wondered about that, and this just jogged my memory on where does that Community Policing funding come from. MS. SAKO: Yeah, I think it is within each district that we're paying the officers, but just like any of our other officers, the work they do on weekends and other times, it does cost additional funding if that's not part of their regular shift. So it depends which shift they're on at the time, which days off they have. But we'll follow up with Police just to make sure I'm not misstating that. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay, thank you. Thank you, Chair, I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. Mr. Richards, go ahead. MR. RICHARDS: Thank you, Chair. And just real quick and a little bit of latitude. Public Works, I just wanted to give a shout out. One of the builders in North Kohala wanted to say, hey, the inspectors are doing great. We hear a lot of complaints; we never hear a thumbs up. So I just wanted to say thing publicly. I got a bit thumbs up from a builder who's been here on-island for 30-years. He said, man it's working well right now. So thumbs up, Public Works. CHR. DAVID: Thank you for that, Mr. Richards. Ms. Villegas, go ahead. MS. VILLEGAS: Deanna since you're in the hot seat a quick question, because it is in alignment with this piece of legislation. It brought up some questions I had been having when looking through the big white binder. A lot of different positions and I'll take for instance Fire, there's got to be 30-some odd positions that are budget for but are unfilled. And then just looking through a lot of the other departments and seeing positions like this and wondering as we navigate already a budget that when close to 70 percent of our County budget is already allocated to salaries and wages based on the bargaining agreements, if there is and it probably complicates your world exponentially, so for that I apologize but just looking at some of those questions going back to my example of how you would in the private sector. Sure, you budget for these positions or these recruits or whoever the people are, but if that money doesn't get used because they're not hired for that, where does that go and how or why could it be used to patch the holes for things like maintenance and equipment, or our Parks and Rec department for brokenI just in fact saw an email with photographs of the bathroom at the Old Airport. And they're unfortunately in status of disarray. Page 15 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MS. SAKO: First of all, Police and Fire are a little bit unique. So while they may have vacancies, and let's say like there are 30 or more, those positions are funded, but you'll notice when we budget for the recruits, they have no budget. So those vacancies actually go to pay our recruits,the Police and Fire recruits. So that money is being put to good use. For most of the departments you'll expected start dates, so we have prorated the salary based on when they think the person will start. So we've tried to take care of that already. If let's say we put in that somebody's going to start September 1st and then they end up starting October 1st, you know, that money might actually go to someone who's on TA (temporary assignment) to that position or for overtime, as the other staff cover and pick up for that. So it's still utilized in salaries and wages. MS. VILLEGAS: But as Ms. Lee Loy has exemplified in this piece of legislation, it is possible if talking to a department and they identify a role or position and the potential need to move that funding around, that is an option. MS. SAKO: It's an option. Yeah, we just want to make sure the department's in agreement with that. Because sometimes even though they know the position might not be filled right away, they might have somebody on TA or actually have brought someone in on contract to temporarily MS. VILLEGAS: What's TA? MS. SAKO: Temporary assignment. So a lower-level person taking on those additional duties, so we have to pay a differential for that. MS. VILLEGAS: Thank you for explaining this in more detail, and once again, thank you for bringing this forward and finding these creative avenues to patch the holes for the things that we need to fund. So thank you, Deanna. I appreciate that. I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Villegas. Anyone else before ? No? Well, Ms. Lee Loy again, I'm going to echo everybody's thanks to you in being very creative and equitable in your distribution of this budget amendment. And I really want to highlight that the Parks and the Community Policing will have a great effect on our communities. And if anything, I would love for this to be a template or the foundation of how we look at budget. I mean, we've been doing budget—and every year it becomes more, like Mr. Richards says, it's just the same over and over. I think that we could use this. I see this as you've established the foundation on how to get it even further out. Although small, it's a step in the right direction, and I really appreciate that and your hard work and your staff's hard work. Page 16 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 So we're going to take the vote on amending Bill Number 21, Draft 3, with the contents of Communication 103.22. Mr. Clerk, roll call please. Vote on Motion The motion to amend Bill 21, Draft 3, with the contents of to Amend: Comm. 103.22 was carried by the following roll call vote: (Approved) Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David—8. Noes: None. Absent: Council Member Chung - 1. Excused: None. CHR. DAVID: Mahalo. Congratulations, Ms. Lee Loy. And Mr. Chung is absent for the day. I just wanted to make a note of that. Okay, can we move on to Communication 103.23, Mr. Clerk? MS. LEE LOY: Chair, if I may? CHR. DAVID: Sure. MS. LEE LOY: I put this communication forward because I wasn't sure how yesterday was going to go, so I was covering all bases. So I have no intention in moving Communication 103.24 to the floor. I yield. CHR. DAVID: Does she have to withdraw this? MR. HENRICKS: No, it's not necessary. CHR. DAVID: Okay. We just won't discuss it. Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy, for that. Point of Personal MS. KIMBALL: Chair, point of personal privilege. We just got a new Privilege: communication. I would like to request maybe a five-minute recess to review this before we proceed. CHR. DAVID: Sure. MS. KIMBALL: Thank you. CHR. DAVID: If it's okay with everybody, we'll take a five-minute recess. (Note: A short portion of the transcript is unavailable due to the microphones being off.) Page 17 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MS. LEE LOY: . . . I would love to hear the explanation, and then—I mean, that's where I was. CHR. DAVID: I think—okay, explain. I think I know what you're talking about, but go ahead, Ms. Kimball. MS. KIMBALL: Yes, we were just delivered Communication 103.25, which is another amendment to Bill 21, and I would just like to have a few minutes to review it before we have discussion. Thank you. CHR. DAVID: Okay, is five minutes okay, or 10? Okay, we're in recess for five minutes. Thank you. Recess: At 10:09 a.m., the Chair called for a recess. Reconvene: The meeting reconvened at 10:14 a.m. CHR. DAVID: Okay Council Members, we're ready to start. I'm taking the Special Meeting out of recess. Right now, we're going to proceed with our next communication. Comm. 103.24: From Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, dated June 3, 2021, transmitting a proposed amendment to increase the Fund Balance From Previous Year account by $160,000, and increase the Fire Protection Other Current Expenses, Public Safety Supplies account by $160,000. Motion to Amend: Ms. Kierkiewicz moved to amend Bill 21, Draft 3, with the contents of Comm. 103.24. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. CHR. DAVID: Go ahead, Ms. Kierkiewicz. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Chair. Mayor Roth had provided all of us the opportunity to sit in on budget discussions for a department that we wanted to. I asked for five, but I got one. So the one that I got to sit in on was actually really complex and interesting, and that was the Fire Department. Out of that conversation I learnedI obviously know of the many needs. Full disclosure, everybody knows this, but I have to disclose that my partner is a firefighter. So keenly aware from that perspective, but just also know because I have a lot of great relationships with folks that are here: Chief Todd, Chief Okinaka, Chief Smith. In those budget discussions, arose a lot of needs that the department has. And Council Member Villegas alluded to this earlier, the S&W just eats up so much of the budget and over time we're not keeping pace with ensuring that there's enough for OCE (Other Current Expenses). You know, with the blessing of our Page 18 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 Finance Director in working in partnership with her, worked to identify another of different funding streams that we'll be tapping. But that's for the next communication. This particular one dips into Fund Balance. And it has to do with our breathing air compressor. So maybe if I could call up either Chief Todd or Chief Okinaka,just want to provide a little bit of history here for this particular request. We have three units. That were purchased for our County over 20 years ago. Only two of them work. One, right. I was going to get to that. Only two work, and then the other broke down. We had a recent fire in North Kohala, 38 of these air tanks needed to be refilled. And because this compressor was down in Kona, folks checked with firefighters at the airport, their compressor was down too. Thankfully, Chief Moller, PTA (P6hakuloa Training Area), was able to refill these tanks at PTA. So appreciate him coming in clutch, but we had to go all the way to PTA when the fire was up in North Kohala. I know that work is being done to install a donated air compressor from Hilo Airport at Station 2, and that there is some work happening to secure a breathing compressor for the Pahoa Station to help that particular region. I know you guys are working hard on applying for grant funding, working with Sayre Foundation, potentially leveraging CDBG (Community Development Block Grant), but there is such a need for this equipment, and I wanted to give you an opportunity to provide more details, elaborate, on how critical this is for our firefighters and their ability to fight fires when the time comes. (Note: At this time, Fire Chief Kazuo Todd came forward to address the members of the Committee.) CHIEF TODD: I might have some pictures on this (See Comm. 103.28). Okay, so this is what we're talking about. It's an SCBA compressor. Much like Scuba but without the "U" for underwater. Our personnel go into burning buildings. These buildings are going to start around 1,000 degrees on the inside and personally, you don't want to breathe 1,000-degree air into your lungs. It's not a good thing. So we go in with a system known as the MSA gl (Mine Safety Appliances). These MSA gl's cost us about$5,000 a pack and the bottles cost $1,000, and it's full of air. And they're all new. We got a whole new system of SCBA's out at our stations through a grant through the Federal Government. And (inaudible) group placed them all about two years ago. Actually closer to three years now. But one of the issues is the new air systems run at 4,500 psi (pound force per square inch) versus our old ones at 2,216. The reason is that NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) changed some of the recommendations and the standard of how much reserve air, because firefighters that were getting in trouble inside fires weren't able to get out in time and still have air in their tank. Page 19 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 So at some point, they were taking off their masks inside the fire because they couldn't breathe anymore because there was no air coming out. And all the sudden the masks start sucking in on your face, right? So it was an issue. So they changed it on the national standard level. So part of that is when we purchased new SCBA's to replace our old ones which we're phasing out due to age and not being compliant anymore, the new ones are higher pressure. So we had basically had three units that look a lot like this picture right here. We purchased about 20 years ago, and they actually pressure up to about 5,000 psi. However, with the new tanks being at 4,500, it means that just to maintain the tanks to be filled to where they're supposed to be, the compressor is almost constantly having to refill itself, because it only has about 500 psi of airspace between where it no longer is filling the tanks to their fill level. So this constant running is basically wearing on our compressors over the last two years. They're 20 years old, getting parts is hard. And due to that constant need to refill and keep the motor running to keep it charged, we broke one, it turned into spare parts, and then the other one just recently went down. And even the one remaining is probably not going to last much longer. Hopefully we'll get one of them repaired and we'll at least have two running ones on the island. But it is just a current critical need for our department. Yes, Council Woman Kierkiewicz, we are working on CDBG, but the soonest we'd see a compressor from CDBG would probably November of 2022. We've started conversations with Sayre Foundation to find a private donor maybe to buy us equipment of course, and we're looking at other alternatives, like the PGV (Geothermal Asset Fund), in order of being able to provide one of these for Puna. But the reality is that I really need about four of these on the island to do a good job. We are using an older unit that was donated. We're going to be using an older unit that was donated at our Waiakea Fire Station, and we're going to get the electrical plugged in for that. But it's a stopgap measure. It's pretty much just something that was old and used and we will take anything right now. So if it still runs, we're taking it. But I really do need the funding to basically go out and get one of these things. Basically, this new one right here will cost about$160,000, and it can be hooked up into the back of one of our trucks, and that truck will allow us to take it to where the fire is. So rather than having to go to a unit that's stored somewhere, built into a station somewhere—although it would be wonderful if you guys would fund one of these for every station that I could just build into the station. But assuming that we can't find $800,000 to do that, or actually $1.6 million to do that, the next best thing is basically units that I can take to the scene. Then basically, the firefighter grabs a truck, he backs up, hooks this on, takes it out to Page 20 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 our fire scene and right then and there on the fire scent, we're able to refill air and keep the operating going. So that is one of our major critical needs this year that is kind of—you know, it's always been on a slow burn, but after our recent fire we had to elevate this as a critical need because of that reason. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you for the details, Chief Todd. I don't know if we can do one for every station, but let's get the four that we need. Let's start with this one. And you know, I think it's a worthwhile investment. Where possible, I just don't want to fix a problem with another Band-Aide or a butterfly stitch, right, we have to really make these investments. So I'm going to defer to my colleagues for any questions for you or Chief Okinaka who I've also been working closely with on this. Mahalo, Chief. And I'm just asking my colleagues for their support. Thank you, Chair. I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Council Members? Ms. Lee Loy, go ahead. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz, for this amendment. I'll be supporting. I just have some questions for Deanna. You know, we are jumping into Fund Balance again. Just want you to nod or smile. We're still okay? MS. SAKO: Yeah, I actually have a running list over here. So we're still good. MS. LEE LOY: Yeah, and then the other one was similar. Same position,just no warm body. The S&W out of Building, Engineering, is that still the new position? MS. KIERKIEWICZ: We're not on that communication just yet. MS. LEE LOY: Oh, I'm sorry. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: We're on .24. No, no. It's okay. MS. LEE LOY: Chair, I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. Mr. Richards, your light was on then I'll Ms. Villegas. MR. RICHARDS: Thanks, Chair. This actually more a correction of something you just said, Chair, earlier. Deanna, we're dipping into the Fund Balance, and I appreciate the fact that Fund Balance is an estimate, best guestimate as you have and it's rolling forward as we finish things up. But as I look at the Fund Balance that are used when we do these calculations—and that's why Council Woman Page 21 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 Lee Loy just said do we still get a smile from you and a notChair, this highlights again the problem. I like what's going on in here, but if we are able to sit down and talk story and work this out amongst the Council so we don't have these things that are they're not necessarily conflicting, but again it's a little bit of our silo legislation once again. I make that as a statement, because I like some of the stuff coming forth, but again we're stutter-stepping here because of our process. And I don't like that. So that's more of a comment and it's not directed at Council Woman Kierkiewicz. I like what she's talking about, but some of the stuff has already been addressed by Ms. Lee Loy. But since we can't talk about this until now, this is part of the problem. Chair, I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Richards. Ms. Villegas, go ahead. MS. VILLEGAS: Fantastic. While we're asking questions about Fund Balance, is there a certain amount that, or is it a percentage of our budget, or what's that sweet spot? I mean it seems like you like to keep it— MS. tMS. SAKO: No, it's actually our staff trying to do the calculations. But because we're trying to project what it is going to be at the end of this month—we did our projection as of May 5, like when we submitted the budget. So we've had another month of activity. So I have checked with them, and we think that there will be a little bit more. Obviously, we will not have the exact amount until we close the books, which includes closing all the grants which, you know, can also impact it. So there's still a lot more to go, but the main thing we don't want to do is exceed what our projections are at this point in time. You know, because that would just mean us coming in and having to reverse all of these things next year. So we definitely try to be conservative, especially in a year that our community is kind of struggling. But I do understand that these are needs that are very important. Something like the compressor especially, you know, we didn't know that was going to break down. You know, some of those breakdowns, we don't always know about ahead of time. So I am kind of keeping track and making sure we're kind of staying within a certain number. MS. VILLEGAS: Yeah, that's fantastic. And you guys are obviously having to play with a murky crystal ball, constantly. I just wondered if there's a certain amount. I mean the goal is to always have money in the Fund Balance, right, to take that forward. MS. SAKO: Yes. So like if you actually read the County Code, our goal is to always have between five to fifteen percent of next year's expenditures between our Rainy Day Fund and our Fund Balance. So I mean we definitely do have a goal. I mean it's a broad range so that we can hopefully always achieve it, but at Page 22 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 the same time, you know, we try to be towards that higher end because unfortunately we don't know what next year brings. Especially in a situation like this when we're in COVID. MS. VILLEGAS: Still emerging from the `rona(coronavirus). Okay, thank you. That just helps to have a better understanding. Because to a layman, you know, I think $31 million, wow, that's a lot to have like in a little cushion fund. So why couldn't we just keep pulling from? You know, so just doing that dance and understanding what the priorities and what the requirements are for you to balance in your role, to protect that. MS. SAKO: Yeah, so we definitely want to return it to the taxpayers. That's why it's a revenue item in the budget. But it's always trying to predict that, which is not perfect. MS. VILLEGAS: Yeah. Water murky. Alright. Thank you. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Villegas. Anyone else? Mr. Inaba? MR. INABA: I just want to (inaudible) to Council Member Kierkiewicz for putting this forward and following through and getting support to our Fire Department, regardless of where the funds come from. Mahalo. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Inaba. Anyone else before we close? Perfect. Ms. Kierkiewicz, thank you very much. Fire Chief Todd, no I don't have a question. I just wanted to say mahalo for reaching out and sitting down and talking with us individually. I'm so, so pleased that Ms. Kierkiewicz has addressed this, because that was one of the biggest things that I think caught my attention during our talks. So thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz, you're right on it. Based on that, let's take the vote. Mr. Clerk. Vote on Motion The motion to amend Bill 21, Draft 3, with the contents of to Amend: Comm. 103.24 was carried by the following roll call vote: (Approved) Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David—8. Noes: None. Absent: Council Member Chung - 1. Excused: None. CHR. DAVID: Thank you very much. Move on please, to Communication 103.25. Page 23 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 Comm. 103.25: From Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, dated June 3, 2021, transmitting a proposed amendment to increase the Fund Balance From Previous Year account by $85,376, and increase or decrease the following accounts: increase Information Technology Computer Equipment- $125,000; decrease Planning Salary and Wages - $26,916; increase Planning Other Current Expenses, Miscellaneous Contract Services - $150,000; decrease Human Resources Salary and Wages — $5,866; decrease Building Design and Engineering Salary and Wages - $13,624; increase Fire Protection Other Current Expenses, Miscellaneous Contract Services - $75,000; increase Equipment Maintenance Other Current Expenses, Motor Vehicles Heavy Equipment Parts/Supplies - $50,000; decrease Building Inspection Salary and Wages - $9,018; decrease Kona Prosecuting Attorney Salary and Wages - $9,200; and decrease Workers Compensation—G, Miscellaneous Charges - $250,000 Motion to Amend: Ms. Kierkiewicz moved to amend Bill 21, Draft 3, with the contents of Comm. 103.25. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. CHR. DAVID: Go ahead, Ms. Kierkiewicz. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. This one's going to be a little more tricky, and I'm going to be relying on Deanna's magic to make sure everything pencil's out. But pulling from a combination of sources, so similar to Sue, taking a look at the new positions that are being created this fiscal cycle and shaving off a couple of months of S&W, and pinching those pieces together. Also there was an increase in our Workers Comp by $1 million in this upcoming budget, looking to pull about$250,000 from that. And I just want to make sure that is something that is you know, Director Sako did share that that was allowed, but I'm sure my colleagues are going to have questions on that. And finally just, you know, pulling a little bit more from Fund Balance to make ourselves whole. There's a few sources that this funding is going to support. That is a bit for Fire, Planning Department, and IT (Information Technology). And I believe I have Director Kern and Director Uehara participating by Zoom in case folks have questions. But a quick overview of what this is going to provide for IT, about$125,000 is going to be directed their way. One, for VOIP call service. So this is basically our phones. We are nearing end of life cycle for this particular system, and just to put things into perspective, needs to be replaced every six and a half years. That's about 57,000 hours of service. And on average, we get 176,000 calls a month, 8,800 calls a day. So if things go down and we don't have phone service, we can't call out, folks can't call us. That's just detrimental to hour ability to do business as County government. So we certainly don't want to risk Page 24 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 any service outages here and want to make sure that we're replacing this equipment prior to the warranty ending so that we're able to procure parts, do those security patch fixes, firmware patches, all that stuff. And I know that Director Uehara can elaborate more on that. The other item that we're looking to fund with this money is the SQL services. This is important because this is where our Laserfiche application, which is our document repository; and our EDEN application,which is financial record management are housed. I don't know about you guys, but I'm constantly monitoring when I get emails from IT about any possible servers going down. When the County's 33 server went down, months of records were lost that had to be manually reentered into the system. So just looking to make sure we have that infrastructure in place to prevent any of those mishaps. So a very worthwhile investment for this as well. Again,just a couple of stats for this one. It provides service for about seven years, and then this is something we're going to need to upgrade. Then, you know, Director Uehara also mentioned that server failure would violate HRS (Hawai`i Revised Statutes). So our statutes that govern information distribution and government transparency. So this is a really critical investment. So that's for IT. For Planning, we know how important our Codes are. They direct how we do things here in the County. A couple of years ago, I had put forward a resolution calling for a Code audit of Chapters 23 and 25. This was inspired by a session that I attended at the Hawaii Planning Conference on Maui. I think some of my colleagues were there. But it was so interesting to hear about Maui's process to really dive in and do an audit which helped to inform an eventual rewrite and refresh of their codes. So there's a little money here set aside, about $150,000 to help us get started in that process. And it's critical, especially in this moment in time where we are working on that General Plan (GP) update. You know, ideally we would want that done before we work on any type of Code rewrite; however, in discussions with Director Kern and member of the Planning Department, it's possible for us to work on the GP review and update on a parallel track with auditing of the Code. These Codes are old. Okay, I just have to emphasize that. The Subdivision Code written, adopted 1983. I wasn't even born yet. I'm 35 by the way. Zoning, adopted 1996. So these Codes are outdated. Lots of different changes over time, and they are just these Frankenstein-type Codes, and we really have to make sure we're investing in an audit and in forming a refresh. Again, Director Kern is here to answer questions. Last thing, for Fire. A couple of things here. $50,000 for automotive supply parts. They currently have about$50,000 in the budget, but I have to tell you Page 25 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 that oftentimes they wait until the next fiscal year to pay for bills that were incurred previous fiscal year. This provides a big more of a realistic budget for our mechanics. Finally the other thing, about$75,000 for the cleaning of our PPE for firefighters. That's the personal protective equipment. According to NFPA standards, this needs to be cleaned and inspected on an annual basis by a verified and certified PPE cleaner. There's only one in the State, and I am aware that our County has gotten—is in contract negotiations with the vendor right now to make this happen. In order for them to proceed, they need some money to get started. So this sort of helps them to get started. And why is this critical? This has never been done for any of our firefighters' equipment. So they're going to countless fires and not removing all of the harmful carcinogens that could potentially lead to cancer. And I know that we've got extractors that are washing the gear, but really does that very thorough job that's necessary to protect the health and safety of our first responders. So that is the request in a nutshell. And I do want to defer to Director Uehara, Director Kern, to elaborate if I've missed anything or to also be available to my colleagues to answer any questions. Just looking for everyone's support on this. Thank you. I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Ms. Lee Loy, go ahead. MS. LEE LOY: Yeah, thank you. I'm going to be supporting this amendment. It speaks to everything we've been talking about for the last year. Code audit, getting money into IT. You know, I know you're shaving off from different salary and wage accounts. So you know, Deanna, are we going to be ? (Note: At this time, Finance Director Deanna Sako came forward to address the members of the Council.) MS. SAKO: I was going to say, I think we doubled up on one. Because as Mr. Richards says, we can't really talk about it ahead of time. So I actually came up just to suggest in perhaps that instead of taking more money out of that Building Design and Engineering S&W, the $13,624, I really would like them to get that position—some of my own building projects for my department are being held up by that—and increase Fund Balance, I would be agreeable to that just so that we don't penalize DPW more than—taking more than what they were giving up. MS. LEE LOY: Sure, and no problem. I'm sure we can make that adjustment. I do have a question, though, Deanna. I tried to touch upon this yesterday with the recovery money. I pulled that supplemental that we got, and I reached out to IT, and then I saw information that some of this funding was actually specifically directed to, like digital housing of our information. Specifically Page 26 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 Laserfiche and some data repositories. I'm going to be supporting this, but Deanna if that$19 million comes in and that grant money can offset some of this, and then they can turn around and enhance other areas of that department, that's what I'd like to see happen. ` MS. SAKO: So I understand what you're saying. Director Uehara and I have discussed. And I think one of the important parts is they're working on the plan to determine what we need. So we're getting two years of that funding, this year and next year. So as that plan gets developed then we'll be in a better position to determine how best to help therm. MS. LEE LOY: Yeah, because I completely support us moving into this digital age, and so when we talk about infrastructure, the backbone as it relates to our IT department is critical to that infrastructure. Then I said it every time Director Kern has got in front of me, is that Code audit. So Director, you know, looks like you've gotten a chunk of money there. So let's go get her done. I look forward to seeing you putting together a timeline on what that audit would look like and what the expectations of a deliverable would be. You know, fully support this. I think this is the direction we want to head. I think this is some of the conversations we've had constantly on this dais. And I think this shows collaboration between members of the Council and members of the Administration. So thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz for this amendment. I will be supporting it. I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. Anyone else? Ms. Kimball, go ahead. MS. KIMBALL: Thank you. And thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz, for this. Again looking at upstream solutions, it's particularly addressing a couple of the IT issues that I had marked out in the supplemental as things that I'd want to see funded. I just want to talk to Deanna, or just have her talk to us a little bit about this decrease in the Workers Comp, and MS. SAKO: So we had kind of adjusted to actual and what we expected to have for the coming year. And I did call Workers Comp because I know Summer Tokihiro has been working very hard on settling and closing a number of cases. And she was successful in completing that. So they do feel like that number can be reduced by $250,000. Of course part of the agreement was that should we have something else that happens, because we are self-insured, that I would go to bat for her and help her find funding next year if we're short. MS. KIMBALL: Okay, and that's really kind of what I'm interested in. And you're the Finance Director so you have the expertise then I'm comfortable with Page 27 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 it, is if we should be moreI don't know if—do you have any plans already where we might go out and find that? Because presumably none of the recovery money could be used for any of that of course, but what other options do we have if we need to? MS. SAKO: We always have some back-up plans, you know, in terms of, you know, frequently there's a little bit extra in fringes just because some positions may not get filled right away. Or when we hire contract workers, they don't always get the fringe benefits. So we usually can find something between some of the other funds to help them out. MS. KIMBALL: Okay. One of the things I had,just for my colleagues so we can have a discussion about this at some later point, one of the things that I want to because we are self-insured, one of the things that I want to see is maybe, talking about upstream funding, spend some money on is safety training for our staff and making sure we haveI looked at trying to move some funding around for those positions, but those positions don't exist. So that's really the next step is to get the Administration to create some of those positions within HR. And then, let's put some funding there. That's the ask for the future, so that we can bring this down even a little bit more hopefully. MS. SAKO: Well HR does have a couple of safety positions, so but yes. They don't need more, but yeah, they do have some. MS. KIMBALL: Thank you. Then Director Kern,just want to expand on the Code audit. Agree that it's necessary and a good idea. Is $150,000 enough? How far is that going to get us? (Note: At this time, Planning Director Zendo Kern came forward to address the members of the Council.) MR. KERN: Good morning, everyone. Good morning, Madam Chair, Members of the Special meeting for the finance. That's a good question. I'm grateful that this is coming up. Honestly, it's going to be a similar situation that we're dealing with a lot of things is how do we get the result that we want with maybe not all of the funding that we would need. In this case, I think it's going to be a really good start. And working on and starting early with it, kind of in parallel to the General Plan amendment I think will be very helpful. A couple of things that we're also looking at is when we launch EnerGov we're anticipating once we get into it a little ways that we'll have some potentially, hopeful, some relief with staff bandwidth. So it's possible you know, we have a lot of talent within the department—to parallel and work with a consultant on the audit. And what we're going to do is when we get the audit, we may end up doing a lot of the amendment in house based on that information. So it's somewhat dynamic and I think it's going to be incumbent upon me and the team Page 28 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 to really be diligent with that funding to get the most out of it. And I think with $150,000, it's a good start. I know Maui spent significantly more. I thrilled that we are going to learn from that, take things that may have already been done, model some of those elements that were already done, and utilize it to the best of its ability. So you know, I'd love to tell you that it's going to complete it to its entirety, but I think it's a really good start. And I'll know a lot more as we begin to model this out now that it's hopefully that it becomes available. MS. KIMBALL: Great. Thank you. You kind of got to my fundamental question, is there capacity in house to participate in some way in this audit. So do you have at this point a game plan or are we just still really early stages on this in terms of how you might approach it in a combination between in house staff and the consultant. MR. KERN: You know, it's still a little bit early. I'd love to have a sound game plan right now for you. I have it in my mind, and it's still being put together generally. And again, wasn't aware that we're actually going to be able to get this. So with that gratitude and again if it's approved, I'll be putting that game plan together. I think the big one, the biggest challenges is the bandwidth question. You know, right now we're struggling for bandwidth. Partially, you know, working on getting new hires and primarily with the EnerGov launch and a lot of things just stacked up that we're working on. So again, once we get past that, I do believe in talking with our managers and some of our staff, that we will have some capacity. How much is the million-dollar question, or $150,000 question, or $300,000 question. But I always try to be very fiscally responsible and very diligent and very diligent, and really try to get as much as we can with what we have. So I can make that commitment, that you know, I will be really trying to be really trying to be creative with this. And not to cut corners, because I feel that we really need to do this right. That doesn't necessarily mean we need to spend a bunch of money, but we will have to spend what it's going to take. And I'll know more third quarter or so, after the EnerGov launch and we start settling down. MS. KIMBALL: Thank you. You know, it's actually really pertinent to the conversations we've had the last two days, and I appreciate Council Member Kierkiewicz' description of these parts of the Code being Frankenstein or maybe even hermit crab like. Just, you know, tack some more stuff on. And clearly see the need to spend some time on this Code and would love to have some expertise. Page 29 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 Deanna is there other this is just an ignorance on my part. Do we ever have the ability to use like Community Development Block Grant funding for this sort of thing, or does this really have to be budgeted through our ? MS. SAKO: CDBG I'm not sure would cover like an audit or anything like that. MS. KIMBALL: Or any other similar ? MS. SAKO: A particular grant is not coming to mind, but we definitely haven't explored all options. We can ask R&D if there are other things out there, but CDBG tends to be more for like buildings or the larger equipment that we've benefited from in the past. MS. KIMBALL: Okay. Well let's kind of make a commitment to look for additional funding to this too, because I think $150,000 is a great start, but I think we're going to probably need more. Thank you. That's all I have. Chair, I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kimball. Ms. Villegas, go ahead. MS. VILLEGAS: Okay, correct me or keep me in line if this is far off topic. But I also wanted to thank Council Member Kierkiewicz for the provision of Communication 103.20 from our prior meeting, which contains all the supplemental budget requests. My team and I went through this, and I want to thank Candy for all the hard work she did, to total things up. And I just think it feels important that the public knows that within all of these asks and all these departments, it was over $15 million. So there are a lot of needs in a lot of our departments. Some of them, a theme was vehicles. It seems, I know that from a Federal government standpoint, they are utilizing resources to buy new vehicles and that everything that's purchased in the Federal government capacity are electric vehicles. So I am hopeful that there might be some synchronicity at some point for that goal from a Federal level to come down through the State and to the County to help support the transition. Not all these vehicles could be electric. Some of them definitely, unless we get a Tesla four-by-four, something groovy like that. But they're big vehicles. I just had a quick question, and my apologies for not requesting Ramzi to be here beforehand, but some of this actually falls into Finance. There's $6 million in the account for abandoned vehicles, and I see $3 million being moved to the Hilo transfer station. So just wondering, I mean that seems like a lot of money and there's $3 million still there. How and why? Page 30 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MS. SAKO: I believe it's to build out the abandoned vehicle site. Just a second, let me get to that fund. So the Vehicle Disposal Fund is funded by a part of the vehicle registration fee. So it has to be specifically for that. So it has to stay within this fund. But I believe they're moving it to Capital Project Fund to be able to build the Hilo impound lot. So while it is at the transfer station or the landfill, it's actually the impound lot. MS. VILLEGAS: Okay, thank you. That's helpful to understand. Because I know that abandoned vehicles, for sure in Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder's MS. SAKO: They're all over our island. MS. VILLEGAS: Yeah, they're all over. It's something that— MS. hatMS. SAKO: So this will be able to store the vehicles until such time as they contact the owner or they're sold or disposed of in some other way, recycle. MS. VILLEGAS: Okay. Thank you for clarifying that. Yeah, it was really helpful to see this wish list. Some of the things seemed ironically so small that it was tough to imagine. Zoom for Government, yeah. MS. SAKO: We did actually buy that. MS. VILLEGAS: You did buy that? Thank you. So anyway,just thank you to my colleagues for making this budget process this year, which has been such a tremendously stressful year. And to our new Chief Todd, for keeping it humorous. And it's kind of cool that it went from $13,000 to what you could actually potentially fulfil the needs of your department. So I'm hopeful that we can continue to do that for other departments as well. So I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Villegas. Mr. Richards, go ahead. MR. RICHARDS: Coming back at you, Deanna. The Fund Balance, and we've discussed this previous. I think this year it's $31 million, and it is a line item for funding for the next year, and I get that. And this last year was weird because of the expenses we didn't incur. So I can appreciate that. Going forward, Chair, the further we start playing with the Fund Balance, the more uneasy I get. I keep looking for Deanna smiling, and I see her slowing down her smile. MS. SAKO: So I have ben tracking it, and so even with this amendment, to not harm Public Works, we're just over $1 million. Including two weeks ago's time. And I think that's something that we can absorb and be okay, because some of the departments haven't had an opportunity to spend all of their funds because they've been busy battling COVID, or they were able to charge some of Page 31 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 their expenditures to CARES Act. So I think we'll be okay with the million. You know, after that, yeah, I might not be smiling. MR. RICHARDS: Okay, because one of the numbers, and this is something I argued about last year, was the $5 million that we put forward for Mass Transit that I didn't agree with. I know it wasn't spent. But I realize that comes out of the Highway Fund. MS. SAKO: And General Excise Tax Fund. MR. RICHARDS: And General Excise. So but you're still comfortable? Because as I said, the further we get into this, I'm a little bit uneasy. MS. SAKO: No, and I totally understand where you're coming from. But that why I've been tracking it. And we're right at that million, including—well, including all the amendments I've been handed so far, which includes Memorandum Number 5. We'd be right at$1 million if my math is right. Like $1,005,000. So we should be okay. MR. RICHARDS: I sure hope the Finance Director's math is right. MS. SAKO: Yes, but I did use my calculator, so you know. MR. RICHARDS: Okay, then Chair if I might, it's a procedural thing. We're amending Bill 21, Draft Number 2, with amendments, and this would be the second reading of this bill. With the amendments do we go to a third reading, or do we waive? What's procedure on this one, Clerk? MR. HENRICKS: This is the second and final reading, so assuming that the Council passes this today, it goes to the Mayor for his review and consideration. MR. RICHARDS: So we would waive the five days? MR. HENRICKS: The rules carve out exemption from that because it doesn't—that reconsideration doesn't work with the Charter's timeline for passage of the budget. So it's not an option. MR. RICHARDS: Okay, so that clarifies that. And I want to keep watching Director's smile. Alright. Thanks, Chair. I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Richards. Anyone else? MR. INABA: Chair, in Kona. CHR. DAVID: Mr. Inaba, go ahead. Page 32 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MR. INABA: Thank you. I just wanted to understand the reasoning. I know some of these items have beenI think you've been aware of since those department Finance meetings, Council Member Kierkiewicz. So just the reasoning for bringing it forward, a pretty complex piece, on the floor today. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Chair, if I might? CHR. DAVID: Yes please. Go ahead. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you. Thank you for the question, Council Member Inaba. You know, I obviously was involved in the budget discussions with Fire. I've also taken the liberty of staying in close connection with our new IT director to understand what those needs are. Like a few of my colleagues on the Council, it happens to be an area of interest and passion. So understanding what the Director's needs are. Also, this was one of the top two supplementals that they had submitted. So had some hard decisions to make. There are numerous other items that we wanted to fund as well, but we figured with being fiscally responsible in mind, really figuring where we could have the most impact with limited funds. And as PC Chair, you know, Planning Committee Chair, I do stay in very close communication with the department. Code audit funds are something I've been fighting for, for years. So was able to work with Director Sako to finally secure those funds. Because we're at this critical juncture of updating our General Plan, and we really need to make sure our Code is aligned with that so that we can properly guide land use development. So I know it's very complex and there's a lot out there, but I'm a complex person. So I hope that's helpful. MR. INABA: This is for, I guess all of the directors except for Deanna. You folks work with Mayor Roth on your budgets, so I'm just wondering why it takes a Council Member to make this last-minute change today, when you folks know some of these needs and some of these adjustments could have been done prior to today. MR. KERN: Council Member Holeka, this is Zendo Kern here. So yeah, we work with the Mayor and Finance on the budget, and as you can see from my understanding of this, it's kind of moving situation or moving target. Not sure how the expenditures are going to hit, et cetera. So you know, on our side, we submitted our supplemental there, which is basically there for consideration by the Council. As you know, Council Member, I'm working with the Chair, Council Member Kierkiewicz there. We could say this is really important, this is something that we would really like to have, it's in the supplemental, and you know, it's really up to her to bring that forth at this time as we see things are Page 33 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 settling down, see that it's actually appropriate. So just like we looked at our salaries and wages on a couple of new positions and based on our timing, then we pull some money from there. Just seemed to work and it seemed to be the timing. MR. INABA: Thank you. Director Uehara, any thoughts? MR. UEHARA: Sure. Echoing the same thoughts Zendo has. We worked with the Mayor and worked with Finance on developing a budget that is equitable for every department. You know, we budgeted for everything that we needed to basically keep the lights running. And these are things that we felt that we still needed money for, so we submitted our supplemental request. MR. INABA: Thank you. Deanna, the $250,000 that was found from Workers Comp,just seems like a lot of money to be found. Is this something we knew that we were going to have extra, and we just didn't know how much? MS. SAKO: There was a lot at May 5h when we developed the budget for Workers Comp. A lot of situations that I cannot speak publicly about; however, I have talked to them, and they do feel that there would be an extra $250,000. So the estimate has become clearer since we turned in our May 5h budget. MR. INABA: Okay, thank you. Yeah, and I just want to kind of go back to what Council Member Richards is talking about, especially when it comes to the Fund Balance. There's this mana`o shared that we aren't able to discuss matters until it's on the floor, but I just want to point out that if we do put some of these amendments forward early enough then we won't be dipping in so much because we know what's coming down the pipeline instead of getting things this is no attack on you, sorry, Council Member Kierkiewicz, but just understanding that mana`o on Fund Balance and dipping into there, I think that's the only way with the Sunshine Law that we'd be able to know what's coming down the pipeline so we can make the best decisions for the budget. But I'll be supporting this amendment today. I just want to share that mana`o, being that we have quite a few amendments being put forth on the dais today. So with that, I'll yield, Chair. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Inaba. Ms. Lee Loy. MS. LEE LOY: This is the hard part, right, of the budget. Because we all did a lot of talking, and then we've got to translate that into something actionable. And if I could just help Mr. Inaba. The chunkiness of this one is this budget came from a previous Administration. So a lot of our directors now were handed something based on the goals and objectives of a prior Administration. I think everybody is doing their very best at shifting a little bit after COVID. Some lessons that we learned along with potential grant funding. So although it Page 34 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 does feel frustrating and kind of at the I Ph hour, I really, really believe we are doing our very best to stand up, be ready, and adjust as quickly as we can. So Deanna, and I just want to clarify that one salary and wage position from DPW, is there going to be a different amendment to adjust it, or are we just going to adjust it. MS. SAKO: If someone would make that motion, I believe then the Clerk's Office can take care of that. MS. LEE LOY: Okay. I'm going to yield at this time. I see Ms. Kierkiewicz' light on. So Chair, I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. Ms. Kierkiewicz, go ahead. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Yeah, thank you, Chair. Council Member Inaba, I remember my first budget cycle. I was so frustrated. I think we were here until like almost midnight on second reading. It was a very, like just very tense time on the Council. And I'm just so appreciative of how we're all listening to one another and really being supportive of each other and where we want to go with this budget. So it is clunky. It is messy. But this is our process and we're going to try to own it and use it to the best of our abilities. And that's what we're doing here today. And it's hard to bring a lot of these amendments forward earlier, because we just don't know. As Deanna alluded to earlier, it's a very fluid, dynamic ever-changing situation that we're having to navigate. She's just magic to me. I think she's a wizard with how she's able to understand different formulas and where all the money is and how we can move money from one bucket to another. I mean that's an art. That's a science. That's a craft. So staying in close touch with her throughout the cycle in which they prepared the budget, which begins in September. So once we pass this, September they're already having conversations about what next year's budget is going to look like. So we're staying in touch, and we're just doing the best with the tools that we have to make changes. I appreciate everyone's comments on this one. Thank you, Deanna, for pointing out that, you know, it's probably best to leave this position within Building alone. I have staff working on an amendment. But I appreciate everybody's support on this. And you know, Council Member Richards, I don't like doing it this way either. I hate that we're having to do a lot of these amendments in silos, but it is what it is right now. But I'm hoping that there's a way we can do things better going forward. You know, when I cam on, it was all about budget for outcomes. I think every year, we're making incremental progress towards achieving that. I think once Page 35 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 we start completing and getting our hands around the needs and the asset assessment for all of our facilities, for all of our personnel, for everything that we need for the County, we'll be in a better position because we'll have the data that we need to make those more outcome-driven decisions. So just wanted to share those sentiments with you, because I totally feel you. Withdraw Motion Chair, at this time, I'm going to withdraw this particular amendment because I to Amend: have another one coming forward that sort of fixes the Finance pieces that our Director had alluded to earlier. So thank you. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz, for doing that. And Mr. Richards, I'm going to go you, and then Ms. Kimball. MR. RICHARDS: Thank you. I'm going to reserve comments. So I'll yield at this point. CHR. DAVID: Thank you. Ms. Kimball. MS. KIMBALL: Deanna, I just want to revisit the HR positions. There's two that are in the supplemental. One is for the Safety and Driver Improvement Coordinator; and the second one is the Safety Specialist L My staff is working on a budget amendment to try to get these two positions funded. Again, wanting to focus on upstream solutions. Let's do more safety trainings so we don't have to spend this much on Workers Comp. But I was told that these positions are new and don't exist and need to be created first. Was I misinformed? Because I would like to fund them if we can do that. And I know we have to have another conversation of where that money might be. MS. SAKO: Yes, the way the Charter is written, the Mayor creates the positions, and the Council approves or something like that. So the Mayor would have to be agreeable to creating those positions in the coming fiscal year. MS. KIMBALL: Okay, so these two do not exist. MS. SAKO: They do not. MS. KIMBALL: Okay,just clarifying that. That was my understanding, and I thought I heard something differently from you earlier. Appreciate it. Thank you. I yield, Chair. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kimball. So no one else? You've withdrawn this one. Okay. Now we're moving on to Communication 103.26. Page 36 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 Comm. 103.26: From Council Member Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, dated June 3, 2021, transmitting a proposed amendment to increase the Fund Balance From Previous Year account by $216,447, and increase the following accounts: Vehicle Registration Salary and Wages - $79,080; Driver License Salary and Wages - $79,080; and increase various fringe benefits for four positions - $58,287. Motion to Amend: Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder moved to amend Bill 21, Draft 3, with the contents of Comm. 103.26. Seconded by Ms. Villegas. CHR. DAVID: Go ahead, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Mahalo, Chair. This is very straight forward, given the conversation today. This is I believe a long-standing issue that we have seen consistently through COVID, but before COVID. We have Vehicle Registration and Drivers' Licensing both increasing salary and wages by two positions, one for Hilo and one for Kona in both departments. This would be for new positions and for the funding for it. The Mayor's Office is positive to this amendment, and I believe many of us as we go through our Kona office have seen the line standing outside of the Kona facility. And I believe the public has been very vocal and asking for attention in this area for a long time. This is I would say not a complex, creative process. This is more straight forward and creating the new positions so that we can take care of our community better. I look forward to any comments, concerns. I did work with Deanna on this. Deanna, if you could add anything to this, or is Naomi ? (Note: At this time, Finance Director Deanna Sako came forward to address the members of the Council.) MS. SAKO: No, Naomi is probably in court because she has not responded to me and that usually means she is testifying which she frequently has to do unfortunately. So you know, I did hear Mr. Inaba earlier too, and you know, it is difficult when you have 19 departments, you're trying to balance all of their needs, and you know, Finance tries to be a little more humble and not always ask. But this has been a long-standing need. The Mayor does agree because his office gets just as many complaints as you all get. And one of the big things is not answering the phones and emails in a timely manner. So that is something we'd like to address, as well as just having the additional staff. Both offices could use more staff, but I believe having some kind of call center and having somebody answer the calls and the emails will help tremendously. Page 37 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 But then Hilo and Kona are also the two offices that provide for Waimea, Pahoa coverage if we are short staffed in those offices. So it would allow them to do the coverage as well. So it would benefit the whole island, not just Hilo and Kona. I think Naomi was about to cry when I texted her. You know how you can just hear it in the text back? So when I did text her earlier when you brought it up, she was overjoyed. So thank you. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you, Deanna. I did hear you very clearly yesterday when you said one of the proposed amendments touched on eight departments, but there's 18 or 19 departments that didn't get anything. So I heard you on that, and I know this has been kind of simmering for a very long time, and I wanted to just a very straight forward approach to helping take care of a long-standing concern in our community. So I'm glad to hear that Naomi was appreciative. MS. SAKO: Yeah, she was very happy. I think all these amendments have a positive impact on the community, but I think this is one that every person on our island will benefit from. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I agree. Thank you for that. I will leave it at that. Mahalo for your help on this, and mahalo for Donna and the staff for helping me get this together. Thank you, Chair. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. Anyone else? Ms. Kimball and then Ms. Kierkiewicz. MS. KIMBALL: Thank you. First Chair, I just have question about process again. My first experience with this exciting portion of our job. I have a constituent who is wondering if there are these floor amendments that we're putting out, is there any way for the public to weigh in at this point or not? Because we've already closed public testimony. CHR. DAVID: Mr. Clerk. MR. HENRICKS: You kind of answered your own question, sorry. MS. KIMBALL: Thank you, Mr. Clerk. MR. HENRICKS: Sorry to be so blunt. Page 38 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MS. KIMBALL: Appreciate it, and again thank you everybody for your patience with me. The second question I had, or the statement, I support this. I appreciate you trying to spread the love. But one other comment was made to me recently and it really hit home. And I'm glad you put this forth because these were a couple of positions I had identified in the supplemental as well. For some folks, their only experience with County government will be the DMV(VRL-Vehicle Licensing and Registration), and so we do want to put our face where our words are. So a good face forward. So thank you, Matt, for putting this forward. Deanna,just looking at you again. As far as the Fund Balance, assuming that we're going to have this other one coming back with Fund Balance, are we still good? MS. SAKO: Yeah, this one had been passed out already, so I did add that in along with the expected amendment to Memo 4, and that put us at the $1,005,000. So I think we're okay. MS. KIMBALL: Great. Thank you. Appreciate it. I yield, Chair. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kimball. MR. HENRICKS: Madam Chair. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be sarcastic. I took your question to be more of a commentary on the process rather than what can we do now. It's unfortunate. Sorry about that. MS. KIMBALL: We're all good, Jon. We're all good. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Ms. Kierkiewicz. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Chair. I just wanted to express my support for this amendment. Mahalo, Matt, for putting this forward. You know, Council Member Kimball alluded to this. This is oftentimes the only experience folks have with County. And I know how hard these folk's work. It is stressful, and sometimes we are not our best selves at DMV, and they have to take that on. So any way in which we can get more folks in there to kind of spread the load, I think that would really help the situation. So thank you, Mr. Kaneali`i- Kleinfelder, for putting this forward. I think it's going to make a lot of folks in the community, but also in the County, incredibly grateful. Thank you. I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Anyone else? Ms. Lee Loy, go ahead. Page 39 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MS. LEE LOY: Yeah, thank you. Deanna, when this Administration started, I took it to the Mayor about DMV. And I know we're talking a lot about getting into the digital world, but we have so many seniors who use this as a form of ID (identification)to travel. So t hat department has gotten a little more challenged with the Gold Star program. So I'm really appreciating the support from the Administration, because we're serving the whole island, but we have a niche group of kupuna who will not go online, who don't even have an email address to book an appointment. So I really appreciate the support between this Council and the Administration. I think this is actually how we take care of our kupunas who don't have that and all they want to do is get an ID so they can get on the plane and go visit family. MS. SAKO: And we do. We really try to help them out by making appointments for them. We have opened up the walk-ins again. You know, a limited number each day. And you know, it's unfortunate. I know a lot of people would just like to be able to renew their driver's license online. Unfortunately, there are Federal and State laws that prohibit that. We still have to touch and feel your documents. One everybody is Gold Star, then some of that might be able to change, but to get your original Gold Star, you know, it's very difficult. I actually used my passport to get my license because my birth certificate is one of those that you can barely feel the embossed seal, and I know they're not going to take it. I didn't want them to have to reject me. So, you know. But they have a difficult job, and they do have to be able to touch and feel the paper. So yeah, we're appreciative of everyone's support. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you. I'll be supporting this amendment. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. Mr. Richards, go ahead. MR. RICHARDS: Thanks, Chair. Okay, so now I'll make my comments. I don't like this process. We're stumbling and there's a better way to do the budgeting. And been trying to do for four years and we just don't change. We just do the same thing over and over again, and I don't like it. I appreciate the fact that this last year gives some challenges. Matt, I think this is a really good thing because the licensing in Waimea Town, we completely shut down because we didn't have any daycare for the people. So people couldn't come in so we couldn't even open up and that was problematic. I support getting more help into the department because that will alleviate a Page 40 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 County issue. My issue with all this is I don't like the process because we keep doing the same thing over and over again, and there is a better way to do this. Deanna is not smiling as much but she's still smiling a bit. I want to vote against the amendments just because I don't like the process. But I fully support the intent of what you're trying to get done here, Matt, because I think it's foresightful, and taking care of the big, glaring problem which is just getting your frickin' driver's license. So I'm going to support this because it's going to take care of a big issue for our County. But I don't like this process, Chair. And we have not fixed it. So that's what I'm struggling with, and I would much prefer to appropriate funds after we close the books rather than try to guestimate one going forward. We have in our Charter we must have a balanced budget and I appreciate that, but I'd rather know what we have and then appropriate them going forward. And I said the same thing last year. So anyway, thanks for putting this forward, but again, Chair, we've got to fix this process. I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you for that, Mr. Richards. Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I will keep it brief. I just wanted to say mahalo to the Licensing and Registration Department. I know we had a few meetings where we discussed the amount of time it takes to get anything done, and you gave us Naomi's email address and she was extremely helpful for more than—for a lot of people. Sorry, I hope she didn't get inundated with emails, but she did a tremendous job. I think going forward I want to keep that momentum going. I appreciate everyone's support today and thank you for helping me get this done. This does take care of our community. Thank you. Thank you, Deanna. Thank you, Chair. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. Go ahead, Ms. Villegas. MS. VILLEGAS: Yeah, I just want to echo these sentiments and thank Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. Also his staff, Lei. It's great to have her back, and congratulations. Her new baby girl Logan, and just how quickly she got right into the saddle as a Legislative Assistant and helped you produce this. Much needed. I think it's really—it's touching to me your sense of gracious humility in not putting forward these kinds of amendments for things that fall under your department. So it's really nice to see you having done that. And walking past the lines at the DMV when I go to the office, always a little bit trepidatious, not to mention when I myself have to go wait in the line and having Page 41 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 family members and friends asking questions, how do I and what do L So providing the support that's necessary there. And hopefully we can, with this fundingI know it's hard to keep people in these jobs because as other jobs become available that may pay better. So I'm very hopeful that this will be adequate funding to not only hire, but to sustain employees in those roles. So just really grateful, once again. And yeah, congratulations, Naomi, and I hope she, wherever she is, she MS. SAKO: Yeah, I'll make sure she knows. Thank you. MS. VILLEGAS: Alright. I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Villegas. Anyone else? I think we're done except for me. Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, I would like to also thank you for this, because like you said, this will affect every single person that is part of this community. We have all had our share of calls, and I really have to commend Ms. O'Dell for her patience. And she has been able to help a lot of people when we've referred her. So her being in charge of that division, this is so well-deserved for her and her staff. I'm very happy and I'm very thankful, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. And to you, Deanna, I think good job as always. So Mr. Clerk please, a roll call vote on Communication 103.26. Vote on Motion The motion to amend Bill 21, Draft 3, with the contents of to Amend: Comm. 103.26 was carried by the following roll call vote: (Approved) Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David—8. Noes: None. Absent: Council Member Chung - 1. Excused: None. (Note: Mr. Richards voted "kanalua,"then "aye.") CHR. DAVID: Thank you. Are we ready, Ms. Kierkiewicz? Go ahead. Page 42 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 Comm. 103.27: From Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, dated June 3, 2021, transmitting a proposed amendment to increase the Fund Balance From Previous Year account by $99,000, and increase or decrease the following accounts: increase Information Technology Computer Equipment- $125,000; decrease Planning Salary and Wages - $26,916; increase Planning Other Current Expenses, Miscellaneous Contract Services - $150,000; decrease Human Resources Salary and Wages — $5,866; increase Fire Protection Other Current Expenses, Miscellaneous Contract Services - $75,000; increase Equipment Maintenance Other Current Expenses, Motor Vehicles Heavy Equipment Parts/Supplies - $50,000; decrease Building Inspection Salary and Wages - $9,018; decrease Kona Prosecuting Attorney Salary and Wages - $9,200; and decrease Workers Compensation—G, Miscellaneous Charges - $250,000 Motion to Amend: Ms. Kierkiewicz moved to amend Bill 21, Draft 3, with the contents of Comm. 103.27. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. CHR. DAVID: Go ahead, Ms. Kierkiewicz. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Chair. We had a comprehensive discussion on this matter when we had 103.25 on the table, and Director Sako did point out to us that her preference was for us to not pull any more funding from one of the new Building positions, and that her preference was we are able to pull a bit more from Fund Balance. So this communication reflects that change. So if any folks have any more questions or concerns, I'm happy to answer them. Thank you. Just looking for everyone's support. Thank you. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Anyone else, discussion on the Communication 103.27? Seeing none, Mr. 00p, go ahead, Mr. Kaneali`i- Kleinfelder. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I just wanted to make a very straight forward comment. Good job, and I like the way that you pulled and added to different places in the budget. It was a very creative process and I think just building from your comment earlier, this has been really interesting to watch us all progress as Council Members and to see us moving at this level. And the budget is not something that we saw in the first budget cycle. I just wanted to commend the Council andI'm sorry, I want to commend you, but as well as the Council for getting to this level in the budget, because it's not an easy task. So congratulations, and well done. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. Ms. Kierkiewicz, go ahead. Page 43 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, I just wanted to mahalo Mr. Kaneali`i- Kleinfelder for those comments. Yeah, it is complex. It's challenging, it's stressful. I don't like doing it this way, but again this is our process and I think we're all doing a really excellent listening to each other, listening to the departments, and making the best decisions with the information that we have. Really appreciative to Donna in LRB, all of Council Services, My LA (Legislative Assistant) Jake, because they've been working very hard to process all of these changes on the fly. So without them, without their support, we wouldn't be able to move on this so quickly. So mahalo everyone and yes, thank you, Deanna and all of your number crunchers for helping us throughout this process. I yield. Thank you. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Anyone else? Mr. Inaba, final comments? MR. INABA: No, ready to go. CHR. DAVID: Alrighty. Mahalo. I think you've said it all. This is our last amendment and thank you everybody for working together and getting through this with some really important amendments. Mr. Clerk, please, roll call. Vote on Motion The motion to amend Bill 21, Draft 3, with the contents of to Amend: Comm. 103.27 was carried by the following roll call vote: (Approved) Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David—8. Noes: None. Absent: Council Member Chung - 1. Excused: None. (Note: Mr. Richards voted "kanalua,"then "aye.") CHR. DAVID: Thank you very much. I guess that brings us back to voting on the original, Bill 21, Draft 3, as amended with the contents of Communications 103.22, 103.24, 103.24, 103.26, and 103.27. Alright, any discussion? Let's do an official roll call. Thank you. Page 44 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 Vote on Bill 21: The motion to pass Bill 21, Draft 3, as amended to Draft 4, Draft 4 on second and final reading was carried by the following (Adopted) roll call vote: Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David—8. Noes: None. Absent: Council Member Chung - 1. Excused: None. CHR. DAVID: Thank you very much. Alright Mr. Clerk. Go ahead with Bill 22, Draft 2. Bill 22: RELATES TO PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND FINANCING THEREOF (Draft 2) FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 2021, TO JUNE 30, 2022 Draft 2 requires a total appropriation of$221.53 million, of which approximately $171.48 million are intended to be funded in whole or part by bonds, $46.5 million are to be funded by the State Revolving Loan Fund or State Capital Improvement Projects, $3.26 million are to be funded by Federal Funds, and $290,000 are to be funded by Fair Share Contributions. Reference: Comm. 104.5 Intr. by: Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder(B/R) First Reading: May 20, 2021 (Note: Comms. 103.13, 104.14, 104.15, 104.16, and 104.17 were circulated for the Council's consideration.) Motion to Approve: Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder moved to pass Bill 22, Draft 2, on second and final reading. Seconded by Ms. Villegas. CHR. DAVID: If there's no discussion, we'll proceed to amendments. MR. HENRICKS: I can read in the ones that are on the agenda. And then the other ones can just be brought forward by the respective introducers. CHR. DAVID: Yes,please. Comm. 104.6: From Council Member Heather L. Kimball, dated May 24, 2021, transmitting a (Memo No. 1) proposed amendment to reappropriate the Department of Parks and Recreation's Honomu Park New Playground Equipment project in the amount of$500,000. Motion to Amend: Ms. Kimball moved to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Comm. 104.6. Seconded by Ms. Kierkiewicz. Page 45 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Chair. This is a capital improvement item that is lapsing. It has been on there for some time. There is at this point no funding actually available to appropriate towards it, but I do want to ask that we keep it on the CIP Budget as this is one of the needs for this community. We've funded through the contingency funds a program there over the summer, and you know, this is an area where the facility is quite old, and they really need some more infrastructure there. So I would like to keep it on the CIP Budget. Thank you. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kimball. Anyone else? Seeing none, all those in favor of amending Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Communication 104.6,please say "aye. Vote on Motion The motion to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of to Amend: Comm. 104.6 was carried by the following voice vote: (Approved) Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David–7. Noes: None. Absent: Council Members Chung and Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder–2. Excused: None. Comm. 104.7: From Council Member Herbert M. "Tim"Richards, III, dated May 24, 2021, (Memo No. 2) transmitting a proposed amendment to add the Department of Parks and Recreation's Mahukona Beach Park Renovation project in the amount of $5 million. Motion to Amend: Mr. Richards moved to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Comm. 104.7. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. CHR. DAVID: Go ahead, Mr. Richards. MR. RICHARDS: Yeah, this is something that's been kind of a saga since I've been in office. This is the Mahukona, I love the part"beach"because there is no beach there. But Mahukona Park. And it's an old sugar port from before. We have a pavilion there that has been looked at, tried to figure out how to maintain. We realized we cannot do that. Working with Parks and Rec, they believe they the funding to get the pavilion taken down. It dates back to the `30's, and it really just—we need to replace it because there's a safety concern with it now. Going forward, I want to get the funding, get this on the list because as we go forward if we have enough funding that comes out of our Washington D.C., with some of the stimulus money, I'm hoping we're going to find the funding there that's going to take care of a lot of this infrastructure, of which parks is a big Page 46 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 deal. So I want to get this on the list, so we are getting things, they're not quite shovel-ready, but we're getting them close. So I ask for my colleagues' support. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Richards. Anyone else, comments? Seeing none, all those in favor of amending Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Communication 104.7,please say "aye. Vote on Motion The motion to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of to Amend: Comm. 104.7 was carried by the following voice vote: (Approved) Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David—7. Noes: None. Absent: Council Members Chung and Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder—2. Excused: None. CHR. DAVID: We can move on to the next one. Comm. 104.8: From Council Member Herbert M. "Tim"Richards, III, dated May 24, 2021, (Memo No. 3) transmitting a proposed amendment to reappropriate the Department of Public Works' Lindsey Road/Kawaihae Road Intersection Improvements project in the amount of$350,000. Motion to Amend: Mr. Richards moved to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Comm. 104.8. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. CHR. DAVID: Go ahead, Mr. Richards. MR. RICHARDS: This is a reappropriation of this funding for an intersection in Waimea Town. This is kind of an interesting one. Again looking for the infrastructure funding as a resource for this. But this is also a stretch of road that we may be swapping with the State. So again trying to line things up that if funding becomes available already, to jump as quickly as we can. I ask for your support. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Richards. Anyone else? Seeing none, all those in favor of amending Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Communication 104.8,please say "aye." Page 47 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 Vote on Motion The motion to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of to Amend: Comm. 104.8 was carried by the following voice vote: (Approved) Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David—7. Noes: None. Absent: Council Members Chung and Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder—2. Excused: None. Comm. 104.9: From Council Member Herbert M. "Tim"Richards, III, dated May 24, 2021, (Memo No. 4) transmitting a proposed amendment to reappropriate the Office of Housing and Community Development's Ouli Ekahi Housing Project Drainage Improvements project in the amount of$1 million. Motion to Amend: Mr. Richards moved to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Comm. 104.9. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. CHR. DAVID: Go ahead, Mr. Richards. MR. RICHARDS: Pretty much ditto. Reappropriation and hoping that we're going to see some funding sources come through. Ask for your support. CHR. DAVID: Perfect. Mahalo for that. Anyone else? Seeing none, all those in favor of amending Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Communication 104.9,please say "aye." Vote on Motion The motion to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of to Amend: Comm. 104.9 was carried by the following voice vote: (Approved) Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David—7. Noes: None. Absent: Council Members Chung and Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder—2. Excused: None. Comm. 104.10: From Council Member Heather L. Kimball, dated May 25, 2021, transmitting a (Memo No. 5) proposed amendment to add the Department of Public Works' Makea Stream Bridge Temporary Replacement project in the amount of$1.1 million. Motion to Amend: Ms. Kimball moved to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Comm. 104.10. Seconded by Mr. Richards. CHR. DAVID: Go ahead, Ms. Kimball. Page 48 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MS. KIMBALL: There was some testimony on this, this morning. Happy to answer any questions anybody may have. One of the things that I really want to highlight about this is that the temporary bridge is something that's going to be an investment for us in that if we do get the FEMA funding to repair the actual bridge, that temporary bridge can be moved to another location. So really asking for support behind this. I have four bridges in Hamakua down right now. Many others looking a little rickety. So I believe Deanna could nod back there. I believe we have the funding for this. So yes, please help me get this added to our inventory. Thank you, Chair. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kimball. Mr. Richards, go ahead. MR. RICHARDS: Just a quick comment for Ms. Kimball. Seems like every time we discuss funding and capital investment into our infrastructure, we talk about Hamakua's bridges. She and I did discuss that she has a lot of bridges that have reached retirement age if it was human, let alone a bridge. So with that— and hatand there is a lot of conversations about bridge infrastructure at the national level. So this is all timing just right. Hopefully Deanna will fund you more money in other buckets. I'm definitely supporting. I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you. Anyone else? Seeing none, all those in favor of amending Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Communication 104.10, please say "aye." Vote on Motion The motion to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of to Amend: Comm. 104.10 was carried by the following voice vote: (Approved) Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David–8. Noes: None. Absent: Council Member Chung– 1. Excused: None. Comm. 104.13: From Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, dated May 28, 2021, transmitting (Memo No. 6) a proposed amendment to add the Department of Public Works' Kealakehe Parkway & Kealakaa Street Extensions, Right of Way Acquisition project in the amount of$10 million. Motion to Amend: Ms. Kierkiewicz moved to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Comm. 104.13. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. CHR. DAVID: Go ahead, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Page 49 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Chair. I've chaired Planning Committee for a couple of years, so staying in close contact with the department. This is one of the requests that they had. They are getting ready for General Plan alignment, so they just want to get ready to acquire a parcel of land, right-of-way, that will increase regional connectivity in the area. I believe Director Kern is on Zoom to answer any questions about this, so I'm going to defer to him on that. Thank you, Chair. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Is there anyone else that has any questions for Director Kern? Seeing none MR. INABA: I have just a question. Is this a DPW or a Planning project. (Note: At this time, Planning Director Zendo Kern came forward to address the members of the Council.) MR. KERN: It's a Planning/DPW situation. It's a very dynamic situation that we've been working on and dealing with that is changing somewhat day by day. We're working towards a very positive resolution and with the potential outcome there was the need to put something in the CIP just so it was there. Again, this is fluid and hopefully here within the next month or so it will be a bit more solidified, but we didn't want to lose this opportunity to have to have it in the CIP budget. MR. INABA: Thank you. Being that this is in District 8, I just I don't know where it came from directly. We've had communication open with DPW with regards to CIP projects, but I just want to say that I think sometimes we do have a professional courtesy line when it comes to our districts. It would be good if the departments do work with the Council Members of the districts so that we know what's going on in our districts. Especially when some of those lines were opened up. MR. KERN: Yeah, Council Member Inaba, I can speak to that. This was reallyI take full responsibility for this. This wasn't a DPW thing per se. This is a very dynamic Planning situation that would affect DPW, so we included their name on there. I will be sitting down with you to explain the situation, and I believe once it's explained it will make perfect sense of kind of the timing and the dynamic-ness of it, and just the simplicity of having it this way. Sono means was it any type of disrespect or closing down communication channels. Again, a unique situation that again, when we sit down which I will do so here shortly, it will make perfect sense to you. Page 50 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MR. INABA: Awesome. Thank you, Director Kern. And mahalo, Council Member Kierkiewicz. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Inaba. Anyone else in Hilo? Seeing none, all those in favor of amending Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Communication 104.13,please say "aye." Vote on Motion The motion to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of to Amend: Comm. 104.13 was carried by the following voice vote: (Approved) Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, and Chair David—7. Noes: None. Absent: Council Members Chung and Villegas —2. Excused: None. Comm. 104.14: From Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, dated May 28, 2021, transmitting (Memo No. 7) a proposed amendment to add the Department of Parks and Recreations' Hawaiian Paradise District Park project in the amount of$500,000. Motion to Amend: Ms. Kierkiewicz moved to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Comm. 104.14. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. CHR. DAVID: Ms. Kierkiewicz, go ahead. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: I introduced this amendment a few years ago. It cycled out, so re-upping it on this list. This is for Phase 1 of building out an HPP district park. As you know, 8,800 lots, over two-thirds built out. Getting much more busy and populated with COVID. Beautiful place to live, but we certainly need a park to take care of the many keiki and kupuna that live in that particular subdivision. I'm really excited about where we are in this particular process, because we have a master plan that was done pre-lava, 2018. I think about March. There was a lot of great community engagement about what this park could potentially look like. And in communication with Director Sako; Director Messina, Parks and Rec; about taking the next step to do the EA (Environmental Assessment). What's really exciting is the fact that I've had very recently, about a week and a half ago, conversations with USPS (United States Postal Service), and they are looking to invest in cluster mailboxes within HPP. They'll pay for the boxes and I'm trying to negotiate to them to also pay for installation. They're looking for Page 51 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 land, so this is a potential place where we could collocate boxes as well as a park. So just excited about where we are at this point in time and looking for my colleagues' support on this really important project for the community. I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Ms. Lee Loy, go ahead. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you. And thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Completely supporting this. Yes, 8,000 lots. It's time for a park over there. And then I think your ingenuity of trying to leverage other needs of the community in this one place I think is brilliant. I'm going to make another pitch again, don't forget the sponsorship agreement with the Parks Department. I'd be more than happy to help you find maybe a number of individuals or sponsors who could actually help lend just a little bit to help really start moving this project forward. Soh happy to support. I would love to see this materialize within the next two to four years. Chair, I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. Anyone else? Ms. Kierkiewicz, go ahead. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: I just wanted to mahalo Lee Loy for that. I will be following up with you. This is where we can lean into those public-private partnerships. We have a lot of ways in which we can get creative about financing these things. It doesn't always necessarily have to be 100 percent taxpayer funded. I think there are a lot of partnerships we can be leveraging in the community to make this happen. Another reason why I'm excited about getting this park started, right across the way, 20-acre parcel primes up for potential business center. When you take a look at the General Plan and the CDP (Community Development Plan) for this area, I mean, once we start getting going on this, it just really unlocks the potential for really serving the population in that particular community. Absolutely, yeah. So thank you. I hope everyone's going to be supporting this. I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Anyone else? Ms. Kimball, go ahead. MS. KIMBALL: Thank you. I'm going to actually just disclose that I think my husband's architecture firm may have been involved in some of the predesign work, so I'm just going to disclose that and then actually not vote on this just to be safe. Thanks. Page 52 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 CHR. DAVID: So, Mr. Clerk? MR. HENRICKS: Just, as Chair, you would approve or accept—excuse me, you would excuse Ms. Kimball from voting for the reasons stated. Just on the record. That will take care of that. CHR. DAVID: Based on what Council Member Kimball has disclosed and her request, she will be excused from the vote on this matter. MR. HENRICKS: Thank you, Madam Chair. CHR. DAVID: Thank you. Alright, then let's do a roll call then. Vote on Motion The motion to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of to Amend: Comm. 104.14 was carried by the following roll call vote: (Approved) Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Lee Loy, Richards, and Chair David–6. Noes: None. Absent: Council Members Chung and Villegas –2. Excused: Council Member Kimball – 1. CHR. DAVID: Thank you very much. Let's move on. Comm. 104.15: From Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, dated May 28, 2021, transmitting (Memo No. 8) a proposed amendment to add the Office of Housing and Community Developments' Pahoa Village Sidewalk Improvements project in the amount of $2 million. Motion to Amend: Ms. Kierkiewicz moved to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Comm. 104.15. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. CHR. DAVID: Go ahead, Ms. Kierkiewicz. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Chair. This is to support Pahoa Village road improvements. Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder and I, we split Pahoa Town and so this road, which we've traversed through vehicles, on foot, very narrow, very uneven, and would really benefit from sidewalk improvement to make it safer for many of our keiki, many of our kupuna. That you know, kids walk from the Pahoa School to go to Boy's and Girl's Club for after school programs. We have just a lot of different folks trying to check out the different shops and eateries. So improvement is paramount to supporting pedestrian safety. Page 53 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 So a few weeks ago Director Rodenhurst and I, we did a drive-along throughout the district and he saw the need for this particular investment. So we're doing the talk story around what we can do to realistically move the needle on this project in the next year or so. So just looking for support from everyone. Thank you. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, go ahead. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I completely agree with Ms. Kierkiewicz and that, yeah, Pahoa's always been interesting in that if you're walking towards Kalapana, the right side is District 5 and the left side of the road is District 4. So this has been on our list. This has been a huge community push from when we came into office and before, for both improvements to the road but also to the sidewalks. We have asked and it still hasn't happened, and this would be a great thing for Pahoa, especially as we talk about economic revitalization and sustainability and making our community safer and stronger. I mean, I could go on and on and on. So hopefully we see some movement on this project. That would be amazing. And thank you for putting this forward, Ms. Kierkiewicz. I appreciate it very much. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. Go ahead, Ms. Lee Loy. MS. LEE LOY: Yeah again, you know, supporting the community on this. But I do want to remind Ms. Kierkiewicz and Director Rodenhurst we adopted some street designs, so there might be huge opportunity here with complete streets and other monies, safe routes to school. I mean this is another partnership that could be leveraged along with different road designs, swales, sidewalks. I'm really excited on what could emerge out of this. I really want to, again, beg Natasha of the Planning Department who put that wonderful crayon box of choices when it comes to streets and street designs. So fully support this. Thank you. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. Ms. Kierkiewicz, go ahead. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: I just again wanted mahalo Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder and Ms. Lee Loy for their support. Thank you for bringing up Natasha our transportation planner. She's amazing. She and April have a really interesting vision for what Pahoa could look like. Just a more walkable town, integrating you know, like plants, food fences, like just really,really neat stuff. More outdoor eating and just really activating that space. So thanks for bringing up Page 54 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 complete streets and those other potential sources of funding. We'll definitely be leaning into that. Thank you, Chair. I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Seeing no other discussion, all those in favor of amending Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Communication 104.15,please say "aye." Vote on Motion The motion to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of to Amend: Comm. 104.15 was carried by the following voice vote: (Approved) Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David—8. Noes: None. Absent: Council Member Chung— 1. Excused: None. CHR. DAVID: Move on then. Comm. 104.16: From Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, dated May 28, 2021, transmitting (Memo No. 9) a proposed amendment to add the Department of Public Works' Pahoa Post Office Road Widening project in the amount of$1.9 million. Motion to Amend: Ms. Kierkiewicz moved to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Comm. 104.16. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. CHR. DAVID: Go ahead, Ms. Kierkiewicz. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: I can't even count back how many years that this particular project has been added to the CIP list. So when I was on the ride- along with Director Rodenhurst, I made him drive up and down this road several times to really emphasize the point that we need to move on this. We have to widen the road. Many folks are using it. It is dangerous to walk down there. It's just this cutty little road. Sometimes I think I'm in Indonesia it's so small sometimes. But he recognizes that this is a priority to help with the circulation within Pahoa. And he's promised that we're going to get a meeting going to identify what's been done to date, what gotta do, and the timeframe for action. Because this is something we absolutely have to move on. And potentially we can be leveraging some of the recovery 438 monies if there's anything leftover. So just real Page 55 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 opportunity again to help invest in just reimagining and revitalizing the Pahoa area. So hoping for everyone's support on this. Thank you. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. Anyone else? Ms. Lee Loy, go ahead. MS. LEE LOY: You know, this is the only opportunity we get to talk a little bit. And again, this is a safe route to school, because I know HAAS (Hawai`i Academy of Arts and Sciences) is across the highway there. I did the permitting work for them, and this was really imagining how kids can kind of get from school to town and actually walk to after school care that's provided by the club and the park facilities. Completely support this. I think this is another perfect public-private partnership that could happen. Chair, I yield. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, go ahead. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I totally support this. This also ties into the park. And in conversations with Roy Takemoto over the last couple of years, the widening of this road actually would lead to possibly having a back road into the park as well. So there's a lot of good that this project is capable of doing as a first step. Completely support this. I'm glad that you've got the directors kind of want to be a part of this project. Because again, years. Years and years and years of seeing these projects on the books. It would be amazing to see these get done. The good for the community and the long-term planning aspect is crucial. So mahalo for putting it forward. Well done again. I support this in full. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. Seeing no other discussion, I didn't forget about you, Mr. Inaba, but you know you can just shout out, okay? Alright. All those in favor of amending Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Communication 104.16,please say "aye." Vote on Motion The motion to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of to Amend: Comm. 104.16 was carried by the following voice vote: (Approved) Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David—8. Noes: None. Absent: Council Member Chung— 1. Excused: None. Page 56 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 Comm. 104.17: From Council Herbert"Tim" Richards, III, dated June 2, 2021, transmitting a (Memo No. 10) proposed amendment to add the Department of Parks and Recreations' Banyan Tree Park Permanent Restroom Facilities project in the amount of$500,000. Motion to Amend: Ms. Kierkiewicz moved to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Comm. 104.17. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy. CHR. DAVID: Go ahead, Mr. Richards. MR. RICHARDS: Yeah, this is we had some public testimony on this. This is for a public restroom in Hawi Town. This is one of the things that's been lacking for quite some time. Again, looking for infrastructure funding to come through to actually fund this project. But this is something we actually have a nice little bustling economic community in Hawi Town, but there's no public restrooms in the area. So to better take care of the community as a whole, we need to build something. So the first step, get this on the list. Ask for your support. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Richards. Anyone else on this? Go ahead, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you. Maybe Mr. Richards can help me with this. I don't know, DPW and Parks is not here. But right over your application it said this was PONC (Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Commission) land? MR. RICHARDS: Yeah, it's a piece of PONC land that was purchased long before any of us were in office. Maybe Maile you were here. My predecessor got it. It's an old piece of property in Hawi Town. There are some access issues to it, but this is a logical place to put it. And my understanding, this is reasonable to get this going forward. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Then because of the PONC process, maybe you or Deanna, I'm not sure how this works, but given the PONC land and the PONC County ownership and the funding source, does County funds build improvements on PONC property? That may be a dumb question, but I'm just wondering. MR. RICHARDS: I think my short answer is going to be yes, and how we maintain that is probably going to be the next question that you're going to say. Again, the question is to get this thing up and running and it's going to be public funds, which is going to be County funds because this is County land. It's a little Page 57 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 bit of an unusual piece of land, because I'm not sure why it was actually purchase, but anyway it's probably about the only thing we can use it for. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Okay. Deanna, anything you want to add to that. Is that right? Are we on track? I just, I don't know. I've never come across this and it is a question that I would have. Thank you for the latitude, Chair. MS. SAKO: I was reaching for my Charter. I believe one of the allowable opportunities is for restroom facilities. Toilet facilities, sorry. `Building, renting, leasing, and maintenance of toilet facilities." MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Cool. Okay I didn't know that. Thank you. Then I agree, I've been in Hawi and actually been in this state of almost panic needing to find a bathroom. MR. RICHARDS: Working on building you a toilet there, Matt. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Good job. Good job, Tim. Thank you, Deanna. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. Mr. Richards, do you want to wrap it up? MR. RICHARDS: Trying to attend to the needs of the Council and community. So with that, I ask for your support. Again, it's a little bit of a goofy piece of land, but I think this is a logical use, and one shout out to Surety, they've been very helpful to the County. Surety is one of the large landowners in Kohala, and they have allowed us to put a port-a-potty in the area for that, which has supported the community but now it's time we need to grow up a little bit. Ask for your support. CHR. DAVID: Thank you, Mr. Richards. Alright, any more discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor of amending Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of Communication 104.17,please say "aye. Page 58 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 Vote on Motion The motion to amend Bill 22, Draft 2, with the contents of to Amend: Comm. 104.17 was carried by the following voice vote: (Approved) Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David—8. Noes: None. Absent: Council Member Chung— 1. Excused: None. CHR. DAVID: I believe now we're back to the main motion, Bill 22. MR. HENRICKS: Bill 22, Draft 2, as amended, for the record, with the contents of Communications 104.6, 104.7, 104.8, 104.9, 104.10, 104.13, 104.14, 104.15, 104.16, and 104.17. CHR. DAVID: Thank you for that. All those in favor, please say "aye." Vote on Bill 22: The motion to pass Bill 22, Draft 2, as amended to Draft 3, Draft 3 on second and final reading was carried by the following (Adopted) voice vote: Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David—8. Noes: None. Absent: Council Member Chung— 1. Excused: None. CHR. DAVID: Go ahead. MR. HENRICKS: If you don't mind, before we wrap this up. CHR. DAVID: I don't. Of course. MR. HENRICKS: Just wanted to say thank you to all of the staff for their extra work. I know you guys all gave your gratitude for that, and they do appreciate that, but they're champs, and they do it for the people. CHR. DAVID: Thank you for saying that. Because we feel them, and we appreciate them very much. Go ahead, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. Page 59 Hawaii County Council-16 June 3,2021 MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: From the very beginning the budget process has been daunting and taking on a new role as Finance Chair was daunting as well. I just wanted to say mahalo to everyone who participates in this process. It is not easy. And that includes the public. In trying to wrap our heads around the $600 million budget and the binders and folders that we go through and the paperwork, and Deanna's hard work, LRB's hard work, all of our staff's hard work, all of our Council's attention to every single page and every single line item and detail. And to our County Clerk for what they do. This is a very interesting process. Tim is always on point by saying it's a very clunky and difficult process to navigate, but I just feel that the Council has done a tremendous job. Mahalo for your leadership, Chair, and mahalo for everyone's thoughts and comments today. It was good. Thank you. CHR. DAVID: Mahalo for that, Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. I couldn't say it any better, and our thanks for everyone in this process. I appreciate everyone so much. Don't forget our video people too. MR. HENRICKS: Thank you, Charles. CHR. DAVID: Alright. OTHER The Chair directed the Council to proceed to the next order of business, Other BUSINESS: Business. (There were none.) ANNOUNCE- The Chair directed the Council to proceed to the next order of business, MENTS: Announcements. (There were none.) Page 60 Hawai`i County Council-16 June 3, 2021 ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 11:59 a.m., Ms. Lee Loy moved to adjourn the MENT: meeting. Seconded by Mr. Richards and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Council Members Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Richards, Villegas, and Chair David — 8. Noes: None. Absent: Council Member Chung - 1. Excused: None. CHR. DAVID: Thank you so much everybody. Good job. We're adjourned at 11:59. JUL 0 7 2021 Council Approval: C V TY CLE' JH/ja Page 61