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HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP GOEAC 156 2026-08-04 2024-2026REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DATE: August 4, 2026 PLACE: Council Chambers Kailua-Kona, Hawaii TIME: 12:00 p.m. Council Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Re: Comm. No. 984/Bill No. 179 Your Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs, to which was referred Bill No. 179, reports as follows: Bill No. 179, transmitted by Council Members Ashley L. Kierkiewicz and Holeka Goro Inaba, via Communication No. 984, dated July 17, 2026, amends Chapter 2, of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as amended), relating to the Department of Research and Development. Bill 179 describes the responsibilities of the Department of Research and Development; establishes a grant program to support community -based economic development. Member Kierkiewicz began by sharing the history of this bill and the focus on how to help the Department of Research and Development keep continuity between Administrations and meet their goals while best serving community. Member Inaba read the language in the Code currently that they are proposing to repeal and explained how aspirational it is. He explained that in contrast by adopting Bill No. 179 they'd be putting specific actionable items into the Code that will help keep things more intentional and specific. Research and Development Director Benson Medina was present in the Kona Chambers and Deputy Director Dennis Lin was available on Zoom to answer questions. Director Medina shared that he is thankful for this bill and believes it will provide the clarity needed around the goals of their department and the work that they are already doing. He suggested including the word "economic" into their department's title. Mr. Lin agreed with Director Medina and highlighted the additional guidance to help direct their work. Member Inaba added that there is a portion of this bill that allows the department to create administrative rules which will help create consistency and streamline processes in grant making. Committee Member Rebecca Villegas stated that she was in agreement with the Director's recommendation of including the word "economic" in their title and advocated for including the word "circular" into the idea of economic development. Director Medina mentioned that he had a meeting with Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity, and Resilience (OSCER) Administrator Laura Acasio on that topic and they are open to that if it pleases the Council. Committee Member Heather L. Kimball said that she hears from the public that there is a need for the County to support economic development and appreciates that focus being laid out in this bill. She GOEAC Report No. 156 GOEAC-156 Page 2 August 4, 2026 said that in repealing this section of Code we are repealing the language around the Sustainability Committee, and as it was never properly stood up, she doesn't disagree with that, but would like to see a similar committee housed in the section of Code relating to OSCER. Committee Member Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder asked if the Director of Finance is in agreement with the $1 million per year included in the bill. Director Medina said yes. Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder stated that he sees OSCER and Research and Development have a lot of cross over in the issues they are dealing with and as the Council created a separate department, he wants to see more clarity in differentiating between which department deals with what. Director Medina stated that he meets with Administrator Acasio regularly to delineate which areas each department covers. Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder asked questions around temporary agriculture positions and staffing and cautioned around creating new grant opportunities without creating permanent staff to help administer those grants. Director Medina said they are aware of that and taking that into account internal staffing infrastructure when making new grant opportunities available to the community. Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder cautioned the makers that the language needs to reflect the best interests of the residents of Hawaii County. Member Inaba said that the specific language that Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder brought up is important to include because those documents are the guiding documents that outline the public interest that the County is using to guide their actions. Committee Member Dennis "Fresh" Onishi asked if there can be a portion included regarding regular reporting of grant funding back to the Council. Member Kierkiewicz responded that the department does a great job of providing a summary on an annual basis of all of the grants they administer and that while this report isn't transmitted to Council, it is posted publicly. She asked Director Medina if they would be open to transmitting this report to Council and stated that she would work with them on the timing of when that report would be provided. Director Medina stated that he is open to that and accountability and transparency is important to their department and all that information should be available to the public and Council Members. Member Kierkiewicz acknowledged Member Kimball's point about removing the Sustainability Committee and she agreed that would be more appropriately connected to OSCER. She also took the opportunity to highlight another part of the legislation that allows for flexibility for the department to accept funds and redirect funds during times of emergency or economic downturn. Member Kimball asked for clarification around the financial section around the grants. Member Kierkiewicz said they would clarify. Member Kimball suggested that increasing funding for grants around times of economic downturn is actually more advantageous to the public and indicated her support for removing that section. Member Kierkiewicz said that she agreed but explained that this was language the administration was able to support and encouraged members of the Council to make the case for more or less funding. Committee Member Michelle M. Galimba asked Director Medina how he saw this legislation impacting their department if it passes. Director Medina stated that most of this is what is already occurring and would support business as usual but create more alignment with guiding documents such as the General Plan. Additionally, Member Galimba asked if there was anything they would be moving away from doing. Director Medina stated that they currently do Public Utility GOEAC Report No. 156 GOEAC-156 Page 3 August 4, 2026 Commission monitoring and that they would be moving away from doing that and instead have OSCER take on that responsibility. Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder asked for Corporation Counsel Renee Schoen to weigh in on the language allowing the finance director to make the decisions regarding the funding amounts, even while the language states that the $1 million shall be appropriated annually. Ms. Schoen said that she reads the second half of the sentence as a qualifier allowing the finance director to alter the amount stated based on extenuating circumstances. Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder advocated for removing the language stating that the finance director may alter that amount. Committee Chair Jenn Kagiwada asked to clarify if the belief that some of the work their department does may not be of direct impact to the residents, but sometimes their work is more developmental or exploratory. Director Medina stated his agreement on this point and said that much of what they do is vetting various ideas and programs and identifying things that may not work and helping make decisions guiding the administration on things that are not beneficial before additional funds or time is wasted on things that are not viable. Your Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs is in accord with the purpose and intent of Bill No. 179, and recommends its passage on first reading. slm 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 JENN KAYVWAIW, CHAIR GOEAC REPORT NO.: 156 ADOPTED: SEP 02 2026