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REPORT OF THE <br />COMMITTEE ON FINANCE <br />DATE: February 17, 2026 <br />PLACE: Council Chambers <br />Kailua-Kona, Hawaii <br />TIME: 10:00 a.m. <br />Council Chair and Members <br />Hawaii County Council <br />Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br />Re: Comm. No. 718/Res. No. 459-26 <br />Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred Resolution No. 459-26, reports as follows: <br />Resolution No. 459-26, transmitted by Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz via Communication <br />No. 718, dated January 27, 2026, authorizes the Planning Department to award funds for the <br />Kilauea Recovery Grant Program. <br />This resolution provides $6,478,873 in grant funds to various nonprofit organizations to provide relief, <br />recovery, mitigation, and long-term resilience for disaster damages, losses, and suffering caused by the <br />2018 Kilauea eruption. <br />Committee Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz provided a brief overview of this measure. <br />Disaster Recovery Officer Douglas Nam Le was present and provided additional overview and <br />information on this measure. <br />Ms. Kierkiewicz proposed an amendment via Communication 718.1, which would amend the total <br />grant fund amount to $5,977.773. Resolution 459-26 was amended with seven "ayes," with <br />Committee Members Holeka Goro Inaba and Rebecca Villegas absent. <br />Committee Member Dennis "Fresh" Onishi asked whether there would be matching funds to assist <br />with the Capital Improvement Projects. Mr. Le confirmed that some assistance would be provided. <br />Committee Member Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder spoke in support of this measure and thanked <br />Ms. Kierkiewicz and Mr. Le for all their hard work. He expressed that it has been a long road to get <br />here, but that he is thankful that the funds are now back in the community. <br />Your Committee on Finance is in accord with the purpose and intent of Resolution No. 459-26, as <br />amended to Draft 2, and recommends its adoption. <br />Ikh <br />AYES <br />NOES <br />ABS <br />EX <br />GALIMBA <br />X <br />HUSTACE <br />X <br />INABA <br />X <br />KAGIWADA <br />X <br />KANEALI'I-KLEINFELDER <br />X <br />KIERKIEWICZ <br />X <br />KIMBALL <br />X <br />ONISHI <br />X <br />VILLEGAS <br />X <br />Respectfully submitted, <br />COMMITTEE ON FINANCE <br />MA EA I`I-KLEINFELDER, <br />CHAIR <br />FC REPORT NO.: 125 <br />ADOPTED: MA 026 <br />