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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON <br />GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS <br />DATE: May 20, 2025 Re: Comm. No. 297/Res. No. 185-25 <br />PLACE: Council Chambers <br />Hilo, Hawaii <br />TIME: 1:01 P.M. <br />Council Chair and Members <br />Hawaii County Council <br />Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br />Your Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs, to which was referred <br />Resolution No. 185-25, reports as follows: <br />Resolution No. 185-25, transmitted by Director of Finance Diane Nakagawa via <br />Communication No. 297, dated May 2, 2025, authorizes the continued employment of Leong <br />Kunihiro Brooke & Kim, as special counsel to represent the County of Hawaii, Department of <br />Human Resources, Workers' Compensation Division. <br />Resolution No. 185-25 extends the retention of Special Counsel Services with additional <br />compensation of $120,000 and total compensation not to exceed $420,000. <br />Director of Human Resources Sommer Tokihiro, Workers' Compensation Specialist Corinne <br />Sato, Assistant Corporation Counsel J Yoshimoto, and Reid Sewake from the Department of <br />Finance were present in the Hilo Chambers to discuss Resolution No. 185-25. Ms. Tokihiro <br />explained that the County currently has a three-year contract with Leong Kunihiro Brooke & <br />Kim for defense counsel services for workers' compensation cases, as this is a specialized area <br />that they cannot fulfil this need within their office. When the funds were originally allocated for <br />this contract it was based on their prior rates, which hadn't been adjusted in eight years. <br />However, in their recent contract their rates had increased. They have reached the end of their <br />allocated funds and the current contract goes through September, therefore the additional funds <br />are needed to make-up the funding difference through the completion of this contract. In <br />September they will be going through the professional services process to evaluate a new <br />contract. <br />Committee Member Dennis "Fresh" Onishi asked several questions around the extension of the <br />funds and the amounts expected, including how the contracts are awarded. Ms. Tokihiro <br />explained the process that professional services engages in to evaluate and execute a new <br />contract. She said that she believes that the last time they went through this process there were <br />three entities on the professional services list, but she was not certain if the firm chosen was the <br />lowest cost option on the list. Ms. Tokihiro said that there are a variety of criteria that are <br />considered before negotiating a contract. Mr. Yoshimoto echoed this explanation and expanded <br />that while cost is a consideration, it isn't always the deciding factor. Ms. Tokihiro said that <br />GOEAC Report No. 43 <br />