HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP PWIRC 017 05/01/2007 2006-2008 _ _ . .
REPORT OF THE
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND
INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
DATE: May 1, 2007 RE: Comm. 288- Bi1180
PLACE: Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort
TIME: 2:30 p.m.
Council Chair and Members
Hawaii County Council
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Your Committee on Public Works and Intergovernmental Relations, to which was referred
Communication 288- Bi1180, reports as follows:
Bill 80 was transmitted by Mass Transit Administrator Tom Brown by Communication No. 288,
dated Apri14, 2007. This bill grants the transit agency the authority to establish rules and
regulations necessary for the operation of the public transportation system, including rules and
regulations for fees and charges for permits for interior advertisements on buses.
Council Chair Pete Hoffmann asked Tom Brown why this Bill was brought forwazd at this time.
Mass Transit Administrator Brown replied that the impetus was to get a mechanism for interior
advertising that would enable his department to offset some of the costs of the free buses. He
added that the requests for ads were not for goods or services, but were ads for employment. He
acknowledged that the Transmittal letter was different from the Bill because the word "interior"
was left out of the language in the Bill and that advertising would be interior advertising only.
Council Member Ford introduced a floor amendment that added the word "interior" to Bi1180.
This amendment was passed unanimously. Council Member Yagong asked what process would be
established and would the rules that were established come back to the Council for approval?
Council Member Yagong added that he would like the Council to review the prices and the plan
for advertising.
Council Member Higa asked if a Corporation Counsel attorney was available for advice and
Kathryn Garson stepped forwazd in Hilo. Council Member Higa asked if the Council agreed to
place advertising in buses would this set a precedent for all County facilities to have advertising.
He also asked if a sunset clause to revisit this issue be a good idea. Deputy Corporation Counsel
Garson said that she didn't think that by approving this Bill that it would set a precedent for
advertising in other County facilities, but she would check on it. She also stated that the Council
could chose to use a sunset date, or just redo the Ordinance, if they wanted to change it. Council
Member Higa questioned Mass Transit Administrator Brown if this would cause a need for more
employees or would the program be self-supporting? Mass Transit Administrator Tom Brown said
that he hadn't seen any problems with this program and they were using some limited advertising
for County programs and the Cancer Society. This bill passed unanimously.
Communication 288.1 dated Apri130, 2007 from Council Member Brenda Ford proposed an
amendment to Bi1180 to insert the work "interior" to "Authority to adopt rules and regulations"
section. The amendment was unanimously approved.
Your Committee on Public Works and Intergovernmental Relations is in accord with the purpose
and intent of Bill 80, as amended to Draft 2, and forwazds it to the Council with a positive
recommendation.
AYES NOES A&E EX
Respectfully submitted,
FORD x
HIGH x COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND
HOFFMANN x INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
IKEDA x ~ i~
JACOBSON x
NAEOLE x BRENDA J. F RD, CHAIRPERSON
PILAGO x PWIRC REPORT NO. 17
YAGONG x
YOSHIMOTO x ADOPTED: MAY 1 6 2007