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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON <br />GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS <br />DATE: August 19, 2025 <br />PLACE: Council Chambers <br />Kailua-Kona, Hawaii <br />TIME: 2:10 p.m. <br />Council Chair and Members <br />Hawaii County Council <br />Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br />Re: Comm. No. 400/Bill No. 72 <br />Your Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs, to which was referred <br />Bill No. 72, reports as follows: <br />Bill No. 72, introduced by Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz via Communication No. 400, <br />dated July 15, 2025, initiates an amendment to Article VI, Chapter 10, Section 6-10.3, of the <br />Charter of the County of Hawaii (2024 Edition), relating to the Director of Environmental <br />Management. <br />Bill No. 72 requires the Director of Environmental Management to have experience in public <br />administration, private business, or a related field and removes the requirement that the director <br />needs to have an engineering degree or another degree in a related field. <br />This bill was previously heard and postponed on August 5, 2025. <br />Governmental Operations and External Affairs Meeting of August 5, 2025 <br />Committee Member Ashley Kierkiewicz shared that this bill has been considered before in <br />similar forms. She said that Maui County doesn't have degree requirements, offering it up for <br />discussion. <br />Member Kimball said that she wants to make sure language is kept that mentions a history or <br />experience of working in environmental management. She asked for further definition regarding <br />the use of the word responsible. <br />Committee Chair Jenn Kagiwada said that salary and reducing qualifications keeps coming up. <br />As the Salary Commission will be meeting in August and September, maybe if it could review <br />ways to help these positions become more competitive with the private sector. Feedback from <br />Administration is that the challenge to filling these positions is the longevity and security of <br />these positions, as well as salary. Since this is a charter amendment, we could wait until after the <br />September Salary Commission meeting. We could hold this and see what they come up with. <br />Member Kierkiewicz said that the use of the word responsible was her creative take and she <br />could look at rewording it. Member Kimball suggested operational experience as more definitive <br />rather than qualitative. <br />GOEAC Report No. 64 <br />