HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 522 Draft 01 2020-2022 441,
COUNTY OF HAWAII 1=% r • STATE OF HAWAII
RESOLUTION NO. 522 22
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT OF LEONG
KUNIHIRO BROOKE&KIM,AS SPECIAL COUNSEL TO REPRESENT THE COUNTY
OF HAWAII, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES,WORKERS'
COMPENSATION DIVISION.
WHEREAS, Section 6-5.5, of the Hawai`i County Charter(the "Charter"), Special
Counsel,provides that the County Council, may approve by two-thirds vote of its entire
membership the employment of Special Counsel, for any special matter presenting a real
necessity for such employment; and
WHEREAS, Section 6-5.5 of the Charter states that any such authorization for the
employment of Special Counsel shall specify the compensation to be paid for services; and
WHEREAS,the County of Hawai`i, Department of Human Resources, Workers'
Compensation Division("County")handles numerous workers' compensation cases and due to
the number of cases, is still in need of assistance of a Special Counsel; and
WHEREAS, on November 3, 2015, the County Council approved the hiring of Leong,
Kunihiro, Benton, & Brooke as Special Counsel to represent the County for a sum not to exceed
Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00); and
WHEREAS, on February 19, 2020,the County Council approved an additional Fifty
Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) for legal services rendered by Special Counsel; and
WHEREAS, on September 16, 2020, the County Council approved an additional Two
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00); and
WHEREAS, on April 6, 2022, the County Council approved an additional Sixty
Thousand Dollars ($60,000.00); and
WHEREAS, Special Counsel represents the County in its most challenging workers'
compensation claims, provides claims management oversight, makes recommendations
regarding settlement, negotiations,pertinent evaluations and investigation, and promotes
resolution and closure; and
WHEREAS, the Office of the Corporation Counsel does not have the expertise,
personnel, and resources to provide the same level of legal services rendered by Special Counsel;
and
WHEREAS,there is a real necessity for Special Counsel to continue representing the
County in its most challenging work; and
WHEREAS, in July,2022, Special Counsel notified the County that its firm name
changed to Leong Kunihiro Brooke& Kim; and
WHEREAS, there is an additional Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00)budgeted for
legal services to be rendered by Special Counsel; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that:
1. Pursuant to County Charter, Section 6-5.5, Special Counsel, the County
Council authorizes the continued retention of Special Counsel to represent the County; and
2. The funds for the Special Counsel shall not exceed Six Hundred Sixty
Thousand Dollars ($660,000.00).
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall transmit a copy of this
resolution to the Office of the Mayor,the Department of Finance,the Office of the.Corporation
Counsel and the Department of Human Resources.
Dated at Kona , Hawai`i,this 21st .day of September , 2022.
INTRODUCED BY:
COUNCIL MEMBI R, t OUNTY OF HAWAII
COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE
County of Hawaii AYES NOES ABS EX
Hilo, Hawai`i CHUNG X
DAVID X
I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by INABA X
the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the
County of Hawai`i on September 21, 2022 KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER X
KIERKIEWICZ X
KIMBALL X
ATTEST: LEE LOY X
RICHARDS X
- VILLEGAS X
8 0 1 0
A C-959/FC-191
��; Reference:
CO \ RK HAIRPERSO P
& `4 CER RESOLUTION NO. 522 2 .
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