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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN PCIA 2023/01/04 (2022-2024)Policy Committee on Infrastructure and Assets l't Session Hawaii County Building 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii January 4, 2023 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Policy Committee on Infrastructure and Assets ORDER: was called to order at 4:25 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Hilo, by Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Chair Ms. Michelle M. Galimba, Member Ms. Cindy Evans, Member Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Member Ms. Jenn Kagiwada, Member Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Member Ms. Heather L. Kimball, Member Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Member Absent & Excused: Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Vice Chair STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee 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: Curtis Beck: Bill 244 (2020-2022) (Comm. 1103), in opposition. Nimr Tamimi: Bill 244 (2020-2022) (Comm. 1103), in opposition. Neal Herbert: Bill 244 (2020-2022) (Comm. 1103), in opposition. Ikaika Rodenhurst: Bill 244 (2020-2022) (Comm. 1103), in opposition. Hugh Ono: Bill 244 (2020-2022) (Comm. 1103), in opposition. Bruce Meyers: Bill 244 (2020-2022) (Comm. 1103), in opposition. PCIA- I January 4, 2023 BILLS FOR The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, ORDINANCES: Bills for Ordinances. Bill 244: INITIATES AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE VI, CHAPTER 2, (2020-2022) SECTION 6-2.2 OF THE HAWAI`I COUNTY CHARTER (2020 EDITION), RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Replaces the requirement that the Director of Public Works must be a registered professional engineer with the requirement that the Director have a bachelor's Degree in engineering, architecture, public administration or a related discipline, or a degree in law. Adds the requirement that at least two of the five years of required administrative or managerial experience must be in public works or construction, or a related field. Reference: Comm.1103 Intr. by: Mr. Chung Postponed: November 15, 2022 (Note: There is a motion by Mr. Chung, seconded by Ms. David, to recommend passage of Bill 244 on first reading.) CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you. We do have an active motion. I think for the rest of my colleagues, similar to the previous bill, I think we still have some stale items, but open to any discussion on where we go. Ms. Kimball, go ahead. MS. KIMBALL: Yeah, I'll start. You know, I'm inclined —so I would say that I don't foresee myself revisiting this at all. I don't see that there's tweaking here that needs to happen. I concur with our friends here that came today and concur with what you said earlier, that it may be something very different than just the qualifications that we need to be looking at to address the problem of continuity and finding the appropriate people to work for the DPW (Department of Public Works) director. So with that said, the sentiment is the same across the board here. On this one, I'd actually recommend "unfavorable recommendation," and then just let's dispose of it entirely, voting it down in Council rather than putting it into purgatory, which we did with the last one. But if the inclination of the rest of the body is more towards that leaning, I would support that as well. I just want to make a comment that Director Pause and I often joke that he and I, coming from technical training backgrounds, people that are technically trained are not always so eloquent or politically savvy, and so I always talk about him kind of being a unicorn in the engineering world because he does understand people and knows how to communicate. But now, we have a room full of unicorns, and some of you even have a great sense of humor, so I feel like this is a particularly magical evening with all these really very well-spoken engineers in Page 2 PCIA- I January 4, 2023 one place. Never expected such a thing, so I'm going to remember this day for a long time. Thank you, Chair. That's my thoughts on this. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Ms. Kimball. Ms. Kagiwada, go ahead. MS. KAGIWADA: Thank you, Chair. I'll just reiterate, kind of my same sentiments on this one as I had on the last one. I don't think we should be reducing qualifications. We should look at things like letting the Salary Commission do their job, get the salaries at the right number. I do want —I'm very interested to hear what Council Member Lee Loy is brewing with other ideas, as well as the wonderful offer from Mr. Nimr about working with us, to really look at what some solutions could be, so I look forward to that. I would be happy to see this die, as well. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Ms. Kagiwada Ms. Galimba, go ahead. MS. GALIMBA: Yeah, I was actually on the Charter Commission when it came up the first time, so this is redux. At first, it seemed like a good idea, and then you all came out and we were like, "Whoa, okay not such a good idea." The only difference is you guys didn't bring out the joke about the shoes. The extrovert engineer looks at your shoes when he's talking to you. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Ms. Galimba. Any other Council Member? Mr. Inaba. MR. INABA: Thank you, all, for coming out to hear or to share your mana`o on this. Looking back at the last confirmation and hearing what others on the Council are saying, regarding salary —how many times we've heard throughout the day, I think if anything, it goes back to my first comment as to what administrative or managerial means. We got hung up there in the last term, and that might be more so if we want to be more clear as to our qualifications for a director. I just want to state that on the record now in the event we ever revisit this topic as it relates to these two departments, it might be helpful. So thank you, and look forward to not supporting. Thank you. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Mr. Inaba. Anyone else? With that, Mr. Clerk, I think we have another pathway forward, and if you don't mind? MR. BROWN: Sure. CHR. LEE LOY: I think it's Rule 13 of our Rules and Procedures. MR. BROWN: In Rule 13 of the Rules, which is Motions, there's a motion you guys could entertain, which is to postpone indefinitely, which means you wouldn't have to vote it through now and then hear it again at Council. If you Page 3 PCIA-1 January 4, 2023 guys did prefer to kill it today, you could have a motion to postpone indefinitely, which would dispose of the motion. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Motion to Postpone: Mr. Inaba moved to postpone Bill 244 (2020-2022) indefinitely. Seconded by Ms. Galimba. CHR. LEE LOY: On the motion to postpone, any discussion? Seeing none. I'm absolutely in support of this because we also save a lot of time of having it agendized and making its track up to the Council, which would just be a waste of our time. So with that, all those in favor to postpone Bill 244 indefinitely, please say "aye." Vote on Motion The motion to postpone Bill 244 (2020-2022) indefinitely to Postpone: was carried by the following voice vote: (Approved) Ayes: Committee Members Galimba, Evans, Inaba, Kagiwada, Kdneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kimball, Villegas, and Chair Lee Loy — 8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Kierkiewicz — 1. Excused: None. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you. ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 4:55 p.m., Mr. Inaba moved to adjourn MENT: the meeting. Seconded by Ms. Kimball and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Galimba, Evans, Inaba, Kagiwada, Kdneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kimball, Villegas, and Chair Lee Loy — 8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Kierkiewicz — 1. Excused: None. CHR. LEE LOY: This meeting is adjourned at 4:55 p.m. Thank you, everyone. (Date) SL/na Page 4