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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0594.000 1998-2000 Hawaii State Association of Counties Counties of Kauai, Maui and Hawai~i~j~tFs:.Co~nty of Honolulu 02 C'r 'J~~,"JAI{ r COI~~~v~~~~ I ~ t C?.e .O~` December 22, 1999 To: James Arakaki, Chairman and Members of the Hawaii Cnnou``nty Council From: AI Smith, Vice President G~ Hawaii State Association of Counties (HSAC) Subject: HSAC Executive Committee Meeting -December 16, 1999 The following highlights of the HSAC Executive Committee meeting of December 16, 1999 are hereby submitted. The Secretary's Minutes of the Executive Committee of October 22, 1999 were approved (Attached for information). There were no Treasurer reports. Under Unfinished Business, the 2000 HSAC Legislative Package was approved. Each of the following proposals have been approved by all four counties. 1. A proposal to limit the level of liability relating to hazazdous recreational activities to which the counties aze currently exposed. 2. A proposal to continue the limitation of liability of the State and Counties for its exposure to dangerous natural conditions on unimproved public lands including public beaches. The bill also repeals Act 190-96, which provided for limited liability on a conditional basis. 3. A proposal authorizing the counties to implement a program of disposing of abandoned or derelict vehicles, and to collect fees for such a program. 4. A proposal increasing the maximum additional fee that the counties may establish by ordinance for each additional certificate of registration for highway beautification from $2 to $5. 5. A resolution urging the provision of incentives for cruise ship port facility development. 6. A proposal [o allow county liquor depaztments to designate a certain percentage of liquor license fees to fund education, prevention and treatment programs designed to address alcohol abuse. 7. A proposal to allow counties to impose additional fines for speeding violations, beyond those provided by the Statewide Traffic Code (Chapter 29IC, HRS) and to appropriate the revenues collected from such fines to the county where the violations occurred. Q Comm. No.~ / ~,..~,,4 N c ~„t.,...~ File No. S Ref. To• FG a James Arakaki, Chairman December 22, 1999 Page 2 8. A proposal to provide income tax credits to offset capital expenditures for the development of water conservation facilities and devices and water storage facilities and devices. 9. A proposal [o regulate unofficial identification cards. l0. A proposal to provide [he counties with an equivalent protection [o that afforded to private landowners when [hey allow public access for recreational purposes. Amendments to either Section 198D- or Section 520-2(1) HRS are recommended. I I . A proposal to provide a percentage of the traffic fines generated in each county shall go [o that county. 12. A proposal to return transient accommodations tax county distributions to Fiscal Year 1998 levels. 13. A proposal [o exempt counties from paying excise tax. 14. A proposal to compensate counties for overtime costs incurred when police officers attend a trial or summons. I5. A proposal for the return to the counties of Public Service Company Taxes collected in excess of 4%. The next meeting of the Executive Committee is being planned for January 19, 2000 at [he Honolulu Ciry Council Committee Room. Attachments: Hawaii State Association of Counties Counties of Kauai. Maui and Hawaii. City B.County of Honolulu ~ ~ October 22, 1999.. Council Committee Room City Hall Honolulu, Hawaii I. CALL TO ORDER The HSAC Executive Committee was called to order by President Rene Mansho at 10:19 a.m. The following members comprised a quorum: City and County of Honolulu: President Rene Mansho Staff Andrew Sekine Staff Ann Thornock .Malcolm Tom Rosemary Liu County of Hawaii: Vice President AI Smith Staff Gerald Monden Richard Wurdeman County of Maui: Secretary Dennis Nakamura Staff Roy T. Hiraga Myles Inokuma County of Kauai: Alternate Billy Swain Staff Cyndi Ayonon II. EXECUTIVE COf~~MITTEE MEETItiG P MINUTES The minutes of the two meetings of the HSAC Executive Committee held on September 24, 1999, were approved. III. REPORTS OF THE TREASURER The Treasurer's Report for the month of September 1999, was approved. IV. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES A. Executive Committee Reports . _ No reports were received. HSAC Executive Committee Minutes of the October 22, 1999, meeting - Page 2 B. County Reports The following report was received and placed on file: 1. From the County Clerk, County of Maui, regarding the Council's approval of the 2000 HSAC Legislative Program Policy Statement. C. NACo Reports Secretary Nakamura noted that the NACo Fall Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for December 9-11, 1999. President Mansho noted that she had participated in two conferences on the mainland; one which focused on the use of "clean" energy and the other focusing on the maritime industry, respectively. D. WIR Reports Vice President Smith reported on the WIR Fall Board of Directors meeting held in Deadwood, South Dakota. He noted that the Board discussed proposals that should forwarded to the NACo Public Lands Committee Chair for possible inclusion in the NACo Legislative Priorities listing. Among the topics discussed that may be of interest to HSAC were noxious weeds eradication and the importance of advanced telecommunications service to western rural areas and the impediments to the implementation of these services by Regional Bell Operating Companies. V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. 2000 HSAC Legislative Program Policy Statement President Mansho noted that the City and County of Honolulu approved the policy statement. Accordingly, your Committee noted that all four counties have approved the policy statement. B. Discussion of proposals for the 2000 HSAC Legislative Package President Mansho requested that the Executive Committee vote on the proposals it has received so that those proposals could be transmitted to the counties for consideration. Your Committee HSAC Executive Committee Minutes of the October 22, 1999, meeting Page 3 discussed the various proposals and agreed to refer the following to the counties for consideration: a. Limit the level of liability relating to hazardous recreational activities to which the counties are currently exposed (HB 1558/SB 1370); b. Provide that the government is not liable for accidents and injuries occurring on unimproved public land, including public beaches (SB 68); c. Eliminate duplication of state and county government services; d. Authorize counties to implement a program of disposing of abandoned or derelict vehicles, and to collect fees for such a program; e. Increase the maximum additional fee that the counties may establish by ordinance for each additional certificate of registration for highway beautification from $2 to $5; f. Provide for local bidders preference for county contracts; g. Support the cruise ship industry, including port facility development; h. Allow county liquor departments to designate a certain percentage of liquor license fees to fund education, prevention and treatment programs designed to address alcohol abuse; i. Authorize the counties to impose additional fines for speeding violations, beyond those provided by the Statewide Traffic Code and to apportion the revenues collected from such fines to the county where the violations occurred; j. Provide income tax credits to offset capital expenditures for the development of water conservation facilities and devices and water storage facilities and devices (HB 684); k. Regulate unofficial identification cards; HSAC Executive Committee Minutes of the October 22, 1999, meeting - Page 4 I. Provide the counties with equivalent protection to that afforded to private landowners when they allow public access for recreational purposes; m. Provide the counties with equivalent protection to that afforded to private landowners when they allow public access for recreational purposes; n. Provide the counties with the flexibility to implement a glass recovery program consistent with local conditions; o. Allow the certification of additional eligibles for police recruit vacancies; p. Authorize the counties to impose a county ad valorem tax; q. Provide that a percentage of the traffic fines generated in each county shall go to that county (HB 1524/SB 1378); r. Allocate general excise tax revenues to the counties and repeal the distribution of transient accommodations tax (fA~ revenues to the respective counties; s. Authorize the counties to assess a county excise tax; t. Return transient accommodations tax county distribution levels to Fiscal Year 1998 levels (HB 1515/SB 1361); u. Exempt the counties from paying excise tax (HB 1517/SB 1365); v. Compensate counties for overtime costs incurred when police officers attend a trial or summons (HB 1523/SB 1377); w. Extend the franchise tax to include the telephone company or replace franchise tax with a gross receipts tax applicable to all utility providing companies (HB 1516/SB 1362); and x. Return to the counties public service company tax in excess of 4 percent (HB 1514/SB 1364); VI. NEW BUSINESS A. 1999 HSAC Mid-Year Conference, December 16-17, 1999 HSAC Executive Committee Minutes of the October 22, 1999, meeting Page 5 The Executive Committee approved the County of Kauai's request fora $1000 advanced payment to allow it to open its Mid-Year conference account. VII. COMMUNICATIONS VIII. ANNOUNCEMENTS A. Alternate Swain distributed drafts of the 1999 HSAC Mid-Year Conference program and related registration forms scheduled for December 16-17, 1999, at the Sheraton Kauai at Poipu. B. President Mansho announced that the next meeting would be scheduled for December 16, 1999 on Kauai. IV. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11:50 p.m. Very truly yours, ,~~'u-~~ DENNIS Y. NAKAMURA Secretary Hawaii State Association of Counties ocs: hsac:991022min:rth