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HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP GOEAC 064 2025-08-19 2024-2026REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DATE: August 19, 2025 PLACE: Council Chambers Kailua-Kona, Hawaii TIME: 2:10 p.m. Council Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Re: Comm. No. 400/Bill No. 72 Your Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs, to which was referred Bill No. 72, reports as follows: Bill No. 72, introduced by Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz via Communication No. 400, dated July 15, 2025, initiates an amendment to Article VI, Chapter 10, Section 6-10.3, of the Charter of the County of Hawaii (2024 Edition), relating to the Director of Environmental Management. Bill No. 72 requires the Director of Environmental Management to have experience in public administration, private business, or a related field and removes the requirement that the director needs to have an engineering degree or another degree in a related field. This bill was previously heard and postponed on August 5, 2025. Governmental Operations and External Affairs Meeting of August 5, 2025 Committee Member Ashley Kierkiewicz shared that this bill has been considered before in similar forms. She said that Maui County doesn't have degree requirements, offering it up for discussion. Member Kimball said that she wants to make sure language is kept that mentions a history or experience of working in environmental management. She asked for further definition regarding the use of the word responsible. Committee Chair Jenn Kagiwada said that salary and reducing qualifications keeps coming up. As the Salary Commission will be meeting in August and September, maybe if it could review ways to help these positions become more competitive with the private sector. Feedback from Administration is that the challenge to filling these positions is the longevity and security of these positions, as well as salary. Since this is a charter amendment, we could wait until after the September Salary Commission meeting. We could hold this and see what they come up with. Member Kierkiewicz said that the use of the word responsible was her creative take and she could look at rewording it. Member Kimball suggested operational experience as more definitive rather than qualitative. GOEAC Report No. 64 GOEAC-64 Page 2 August 19, 2025 Member Onishi asked Director of Human Resources Sommer Tokihiro how staffing at Wastewater is currently handled and what qualifications are needed by the director. Director Tokihiro said that certification as well as years of experience are the requirements of these higher levels. She added that some of the higher levels of leadership need various degrees. Director Tokihiro said Member Onishi wants the director to have sufficient experience in specific division areas. Member Kierkiewicz said she would bring up an amendment to address this. Member Kimball said it's not just finding someone with the proper experience, but also being able to work with the Civil Service staff and earn the respect to be effective in running the department, as it's a political appointment. Member Kimball added that we definitely need to think about salaries and longevity of the position, but also this is a large stepping stone to help launch someone's career, and we need to be better at messaging this for pathways. Member Kierkiewicz added that the word responsible was also used in the definitions of requirements for other department heads. Member Onishi said some of the engineers have gotten messages in the past from the Department of Human Resources that they are overqualified and were not hired. Chair Kagiwada said that broadening the definition of what a leader looks like may be more youth or women. Member Kimball said that while the Board of Ethics did get a chance to discuss this bill, they needed additional time to gather more information. Therefore, she moved to postpone this bill to the Call of the Chair to provide flexibility. All were in favor of the motion with Committee Member Rebecca Villegas absent. Member Kierkiewicz moved to postpone Bill No. 72 until August 19t', and Member Inaba seconded the motion. All members voted in favor, with Committee Member Michelle Galimba absent. Governmental Operations and External Affairs Meeting of August 19, 2025 Member Kierkiewicz put forward a motion, seconded by Committee Member Holeka Inaba to amend Bill 72 with the contents of Communication 400.1. All Committee Members voted in favor of the amendment with Member Kimball absent. Member Onishi asked why this was originally initiated, if there was a complaint or reason for this Bill to be initiated. Member Kierkiewicz responded by saying that she does not see Bill 72 as limiting, and that this provides more options for future administrations to consider qualified candidates to serve as the director. GOEAC Report No. 64 GOEAC-64 Page 3 August 19, 2025 Chair Kagiwada mentioned that the pay rate has been something this administration has brought up several times as one of the main reasons why it's been challenging trying to fill the director positions and brought up that she was able to meet with Steve Pavao from the Salary Commission, which will meet at the end of the month and again in September. She said she will be providing them with a request to look at some of the director positions, specifically to see if raising the salary to something closer to the private sector equivalence is a possibility. Chair Kagiwada expressed her hesitations to go forward with Bill 72 before hearing what the Salary Commission can do around potentially raising the salaries for the director positions. Your Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs is in accord with the purpose and intent of Bill No. 72, as amended to Draft 2, and recommends its passage on first reading. Slm/cp AYES NOES ABS EX GALIMBA X HUSTACE X INABA X KAGIWADA X KANEALI°I-KLEINFELDER X KIERKIEWICZ X KIMBALL X ONISHI X VILLEGAS X Respectfully submitted, COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS JE KAGI ADA, CHAIR GOEAC REPORT NO.: 64 ADOPTED: SEP 0 3 2025