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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN PCHSW 2023/09/05 (2022-2024) Policy Committee on Health, Safety, and Well-being 3`'d Session Hawaii County Building 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii September 5, 2023 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Policy Committee on Health, Safety, and ORDER: Well-being was called to order at 10:31 a.m., in the Council Chambers, Hilo, by Ms. Jenn Kagiwada, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Ms. Jenn Kagiwada, Chair Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Vice Chair Ms. Cindy Evans, Member(via videoconference from Kona) Ms. Michelle M. Galimba, Member Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Member Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Member Ms. Heather L. Kimball, Member Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Member (came in later) Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Member (came in later) 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: Robert Taylor: Bill 63 (Comm. 395); comment. Tammie Lundin: Bill 63 (Comm. 395); comment. CHR KAGIWADA: Thank you, Relley. Mr. Clerk, will you please read in Bill 63? PCHSW-3 September 5,2023 BILLS FOR The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, ORDINANCES: Bills for Ordinances. Bill 63: AMENDS CHAPTER 14, OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 (2016 EDITION, AS AMENDED), BY ADDING A NEW ARTICLE RELATING TO MAINTENANCE OF PRIVATE, NONDEDICATED, AND NON-SURRENDERED ROADS Provides the opportunity for entities who control the use of private, nondedicated, and non-surrendered roads that are open to the general public and necessary for public transportation to request that the County assist with the maintenance of such roads. Reference: Comm. 395 Intr. by: Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder Postponed: August 15, 2023 (Note: There is a motion by Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, seconded by Ms. Evans to recommend passage of Bill 63 on first reading.) CHR KAGIWADA: Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Since the bill has already been motioned, anybody want to say something? Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. MR. KANEALII-KLEINFELDER: Thank you very much, Chair. We're having an ongoing discussion with the Administration and Corporation Counsel. Given the positive comments and collaboration, I'm going to ask for a postponement once again to keep working on the improved language for everyone's review, unless there's any further discussion. CHR KAGIWADA: Okay, let's see if there's any further discussion before you go. Chair Kimball. MS. KIMBALL: I just want to ask the maker, you know, happy to support the postponement. Though, if the changes are going to be substantial enough that it might be cleaner to introduce a new bill or—I don't want us to get too tied up in amendments. I don't know where you are with things. CHR KAGIWADA: If you'd like to respond, go ahead. MR. KANEALII-KLEINFELDER: Thank you, Chair. At this point, working on an amendment, but trying to keep it to a point where it's not an overbearing amendment needing a new bill in entirety. Thank you for that question. Then again, for my fellow Council Members also reviewing the comments received from our first round of discussions and really appreciate you being open to this, which is a big policy shift for all of us here in Hawaii County. So, thanks for the discussion. Thank you, Chair. Page 2 PCHSW-3 September 5,2023 CHR KAGIWADA: Okay, let's see. Does anybody else have any comments? Over there in Kona? MS. EVANS: Yes, Chair, thank you. I do have a question and comment. CHR KAGIWADA: Okay, go ahead, Council Member Evans. MS. EVANS: So the question not to be answered, I think at this time, is make sure that the title, whatever the amendments are, fits with the title. Because my comment is, I'd really like to at least explore the idea of adding language that would allow for funds to be used on emergency access roads that are put into a lot of our subdivisions to allow them to get out. We do have the issues with obviously, tsunamis, but now more importantly, we're seeing the issues surrounding wildfires, and I'm hoping that some of these emergency access roads may be gravel. They may be there only for emergency purposes, but they will have to be maintained to keep them viable in case of an emergency. So, I hope that you look at that and when you do, hopefully, it doesn't conflict with the title. So, thank you very much for the opportunity. CHR KAGIWADA: Alright, thank you. Anybody else, comments or questions? Go ahead, Council Member Inaba. MR. INABA: Thank you. On the second page under "Powers and duties of director." In terms of the prioritization, are we sayingI just want to be clear what the intention is. Is it prioritizing based on those three provisions in order of when it was created or platted, then whether it can be utilized, developed for an emergency or alternate route, and then for public transportation or is it just anyone of those would be prioritized for maintenance? CHR KAGIWADA: If you'd like to respond,please go ahead. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Yes, good question. This is not limiting to these things listed under number(3) in that section. If I'm on the wrong section, correct me. But if this is what you're speaking to;number (3) (A), (B), and(C), these would be more helpful to the Administration and their determination if this road meets the criteria of the bill, but also helps elevate larger issues that we're seeing in the community, which is in this case, (A) Subdivisions created before Statehood or Subdivision Code, our roads that are used for alternate or emergency access or public transportation, mass transit, DOE(Department of Education)routes. So, hoping to elevate larger issues in the community by focusing on roads that we find high priority. If that helps? Page 3 PCHSW-3 September 5,2023 MR. INABA: Okay. Just being that this is kind of a significant change if we go forward with adopting it, is this something that we want to postpone to the Call of the Chair, so we have enough time, or do you anticipate being able to get it in its form that you'd like it to be in the next couple weeks? MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: I am working on that currently with LRB (Legislative Research Branch) as well as Corporation Counsel. My hope was to get it in front of you today, but we needed a little bit more time given our meeting last week. I'm going to postpone to the next meeting to give us the option, whether the amendment is ready or not will be determined shortly. It's been a process, let's say that. MR. INABA: Okay, no, understood. I just want to make sure that you have enough time that we don't schedule things that we might not be ready for yet. But if you feel we'll be ready next time, then sounds like a plan. Chair, I yield. CHR KAGIWADA: Okay. Council Member Kimball. MS. KIMBALL: Yeah,just building off of what Council Member Inaba just said, you know, if you were to say postpone to the Call of the Chair and you were ready by next week, the Chair could call it. If not, then we wouldn't have to schedule the half-hour meeting to just postpone it again. So, that might be the best course of action. CHR KAGIWADA: Okay, any other comments from Council Members? Council Member Lee Loy. MS. LEE LOY: Thank you, Chair. You know, following the lead of Mr. Inaba and Ms. Kimball, acknowledging that Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder has a very heavy lift with this. And I'm still trying to walk through the stacking that you provided as far as the intention, right? Subdivisions created prior to, right, a Subdivision Code, and then the road itself, emergency access, mass transit route. I would encourage a little more time because just in my head, walking through all the different County Codes that we have related to Subdivision, Road, Road Maintenance. Even the speed limit on that particular road, crosswalks, a number of codes. So, you know if it was easy, it would be done by now. I just want to give you enough time to look at where we house all of our road standards, how we set speed limits on that road along with the width and maintenance of those roads. It's a lot. So, support the postponement, but you're going to have to take a real deep dive and look at all the different areas that house road standards in Hawaii County. Thanks, I yield. Page 4 PCHSW-3 September 5,2023 CHR KAGIWADA: Thank you. Anybody else would like to make a comment before we go to the postponement? Okay, I'll just say a couple words. I'll just urge you again, to please make sure that when we're ready for a full discussion, that we have both Finance and DPW (Department of Public Works) here. Because I think whereas the intention and the idea for this is one thing, really understanding what the reality would be and making sure that we don't set the public up for false expectations. If this is passed, as far as what we can really do, given our budget, and our workforce, and everything I think is super important. So,just hope that we have those folks here for the actual discussion. Alright, if nothing else, I'd like to go ahead back to the author of the bill and ask how you would like to proceed. MR. KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER: Thank you. Great discussion as usual. Appreciate your time. I'm going to postpone to the October 3rd meeting, that would give us more than adequate time. This is something we previously discussed before this meeting, to get amendments back in front the Council that clearly set forth the amount of conversations we've had, the comments from Public Works; LRB; Corporation Counsel; and Finance and get something back in front of you either in the form of new bill or in the form of an amendment that's easily kind of broken down. Because I, too, don't like too many amendments that it just gets to the point of being confusing to us and the general public. So, either way, we'll have ample time to get that done before the 3rd(October). So, at this point, I'm going to make a motion to postpone Bill 63 to the October 3rd meeting, which is our next Committee meeting in Hilo. Motion to Postpone: Mr. Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder moved to postpone Bill 63 to October 3, 2023. Seconded by Mr. Inaba. CHR KAGIWADA: All those in favor,please say "aye." Vote on Motion The motion to postpone Bill 63 to October 3, 2023 to Postpone: was carried by the following voice vote: (Approved) Ayes: Committee Members Evans, Galimba, Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, and Chair Kagiwada—8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Villegas — 1. Excused: None. Page 5 PCHSW-3 September 5,2023 CHR. KAGIWADA- Thank you. We have a motion to adjourn. ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 10:47 a.m., Mr. Inaba moved to adjourn the MENT: meeting. Seconded by Ms. Lee Loy and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Evans, Galimba, Inaba, Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Villegas, and Chair Kagiwada— 9. Noes: None. Absent None. Excused: None. CHR. KAGIWADA: Thank you. The meeting is adjourned at 10:47 (a.m.). Approved: P / o Ms. Jenn agiwada, Chai (D. e) Policy Committee on Health, Safety, and Well-being JK/dt Page 6