HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP GRC 003 05/31/2011 2010-2012REPORT OF THE
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
DATE May 31, 2011
PLACE Council Chambers
Hilo, Hawaii
TIME 10 37 a m
Council Chair and Members
Hawaii County Council
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Re Comm 208/Res 77 -11
Your Committee on Governmental Relations, to which was referred Comm 208 (Res 77 -11)
reports as follows
Resolution 77 -11, transmitted by Councilmember Brittany Smart, via Communication No 208,
dated May 26, 2011, recommends approval to establish a Sister City relationship between Ormoc
City, Philippines and Hawaii County
Councilmember Smart noted that Comm 208 1 contained supplemental documents including a
Letter of Support from Mayor Cordilla of Ormoc City, a Letter of Support from Mayor Kenoi
and a copy of the day's PowerPoint presentation Ms Smart also discussed Comm 208 2 which
were non - substantive amendments that among other things deleted typographical errors and
provided citation sources After the County Clerk confirmed that the amendments were
non - substantive in nature, a vote of 7 -0 approved the set of amendments
Committee Chair Pilago introduced the Filipino presenters including Jane Clement, President of
the Coalition of Visayan Organizations, Edgar Francisco, President of West Hawaii Visayan
Civic Club and Lrto Ilagan, member of the Hilo Visayan Civic Club Ms Clement and her team
then elaborated on the PowerPoint presentation
Councilmember Ikeda expressed support for the resolution and so moved by the example of
Ormoc City being almost 100% reliant on geothermal energy that he wanted HELCO to buy
100% of the electricity that geothermal energy could provide for Hawaii County He encouraged
the formation of a high school student exchange between the Philippines and Hawaii County
Council Chair Yagong expressed his support for this resolution and noted his Visayan and Cebu
heritage Councilmember Blas voiced support for this resolution and noted the cultural
connection between Guam and the Philippines
Committee Chair Pilago noted that there is one mayor impediment to implementation which was
a Hawaii State Association of Counties (HSAC) guideline limiting one Sister City relationship
per County for the Sister City signing presentation to be held in September at the 2011 Asia
Pacific Clean Energy Summit & Expo He referred to the Kumejima, Japan Sister City resolution
passed earlier this year and noted that a lobbying effort for Ormoc City should begin Following
the discussion a vote was taken with the vote recorded as 7 — 0
GRC -3 Page 2 May 31, 2011
Your Committee is in accord with the purpose and intent of Resolution 77 -11, as amended to
Draft 2, and recommends its adoption.
M
Respectfully submitted,
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL
RELATIONS
Xv
K. GEL AGO, CHAIR
GRC REPORT NO. 3
ADOPTED: I i i N 1 C � C I1 � t
UTT
�
�.J -
AYES
NOES
A &E
EX
BLAS
X
FORD
X
HOFFMANN
X
IKEDA
X
ONISHI
X
PILAGO
X
SMART
X
YAGONG
X
YOSHIMOTO
X
Respectfully submitted,
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL
RELATIONS
Xv
K. GEL AGO, CHAIR
GRC REPORT NO. 3
ADOPTED: I i i N 1 C � C I1 � t
UTT
�
�.J -