HomeMy WebLinkAboutBIL 316 Draft 02 2012-2014OFFICE INFORMATION ONLY
Meeting: Council —November 19, 2014
Action: Postponed to call of Chair (Draft 2-1" reading).
Re: Rill 316: Comm. 1134 (2012-2014 term); PWPRC-91 not adopted)
COUNTY OF HAWAII
ORDINANCE NO.
STATE OF HAWAI `I
BILL NO. 316 _
DRAFT 2
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 15, ARTICLE 8, SECTION 15-68.1 OF THE
HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 (2005 EDITION, AS AMENDED), RELATING TO
PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITY SCHEDULE.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Purpose. The purpose of this ordinance is to name the new gymnasium
and emergency shelter in Ka`u in honor of Representative Robert "Bob" N. Herkes and Principal
Laurence J. Capellas, Senior.
Laurence Capellas was the fifth child of Eugene S. and Eliza Reis Capellas and was born
on August 27, 1913, in a small town of Hakalau, Hawaii. He lived in Pahala for approximately
thirteen years. During that time, he was the principal of both the Pahala Elementary and Ka`u
High Schools. He also spent seven years as the principal of Hilo High School. His last known
address was 101 Aupuni (#707), Hilo. He died on October 19, 2003, in Hilo, Hawaii and is
survived by his sons, Laurence E. Capellas and Frederick Capellas.
Principal Capellas envisioned what was possible for the Ka`u children and could inspire
others to assist to meet challenges and goals. He was instrumental in creating foundations within
the Ka`u community and bringing people together. He:
• Built the first regulation baseball diamond;
• Started the Ka`u Little League, Pony League, and Babe Ruth League;
• Built the Ka`u Little League baseball field in 1953;
• Started track and field with shot-put, long distance running, etc;
• Introduced football to the school, trained the students and community about the sport.,
and started the team;
• Expanded basketball with Varsity, Intermediate and Biddy leagues;
0 Spear -headed the construction of a tennis court;
• Began the annual Summer Fun Program to keep children occupied and personally
drove the bus to pick up the students from the outlying camps;
• Spearheaded the design and fundraising for the swimming pool, which was built by
the residents with the use of plantation company equipment;
• Started boxing as a sport;
• Started the agriculture, automotive, shop, and band classes;
• Started the design and fundraising for and construction of the kindergarten -first grade
classroom to address overcrowding; and
• Started the design, fundraising, and built the cafeteria.
Robert "Bob" N. Herkes was the third child of Edwin Bailey Herkes and Janetta Herkes
and was born on January 24, 1931, in Iloilo, Philippines. He was a third generation Hawaii
Island resident. He attended Hilo High School and graduated from Punahou High School. After
high school, he attended City College of San Francisco and graduated from Cornell University in
Ithaca, New York. Mr. Herkes served in the U.S. Army. He lived in Volcano for 30 years and
died on August 21, 2014. His last address was 99-1725 Pukeawe Circle, Volcano. He is
survived by his wife, Jo -Anna Herkes and three sons, Bobby, Ken, and Doug, and one
grandchild, Sara.
Bob Herkes was a Hawaii County Police Commissioner from 1982 to 1986. He Served
on the Hawaii County Council from 1986 to 1988. He was appointed to the Hawaii State
Senate from 1988 to 1992. He was a Democratic member of the Hawaii State House of
Representatives form 1992 to 2000 and was re-elected in 2002 and served through 2012. He
served on the following committees: Consumer Protection & Commerce, Energy and
Environmental Protection, Housing, Judiciary, and Water, Land, and Ocean Resources. His last
assignment was as Chairperson of consumer Protection and Commerce.
A major focus for Rep. Herkes was natural disaster preparedness, and he actively worked
on the Hawaii State emergency plan, called attention to the health effects of vog, and helped
raise money for the 2011 tsunami relief in Hawaii County.
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Rep. Herkes advocated for small businesses and was a member of the Hawaii Island
Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference, Hawaii Hotel Association,
Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, and the Kauai Masonic Lodge. He was employed at the
Interisland Resorts as the Executive Vice President and as the Director of Marketing for the
Kamehameha Investment Corporation. He owned and operated two restaurants in Hawaii
County, one in Hilo and one in Kona, and partnered in a number of other small businesses.
Rep. Herkes worked tirelessly to advocate for the people of the islands. He:
• Co-authored Act 48, a mortgage foreclosure law that stopped offshore banks from
abusing local homeowners and reduced foreclosures 52% while keeping many
families in their homes;
• Expedited construction of the Kea`au by-pass;
• Assisted getting water for Ocean View (Well #1);
• Fought for the preservation of historic sites in Ka`u;
• Advocated for funding for the first Federal Emergency Management Shelter -
certified disaster shelter and gymnasium at the Pahala School complex;
• Worked to obtain a mobile medical van to bring medical services to the rural area
of South Kona and Ka`u;
• Worked for legislation to eliminate more than 5,000 telephone party lines on the
Big Island;
• Reduced premiums for car insurance;
• Advocated to relocate the Iron Man Triathlon from Oahu to Kona; and
• Founded the Hawaii Hospitality Hall of Fame.
As everyone knew Rep. Herkes by his nickname, "Bob", his widow requested that that
his nickname be used in the name of the gymnasium and shelters.
SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the open area situated at
96-3150 Pikake Street, Pahala, County and State of Hawaii, Tax Map Key (3) 9-6-005:008 is
hereby named "Bob Herkes-Laurence Capellas Gymnasium and Shelters."
SECTION 3. Chapter 15, article 8, section 15-68.1 of the Hawaii County Code 1983
(2005 Edition, as amended), is amended by amending the "Ka`u" section to read as follows:
"Ka`u
Bob Herkes-Laurence Capellas Gymnasium and Shelters
Kahuku Park
Na`alehu Park
Pahala Ballfield
Pahala Community Center
Pahala Swimming Pool
Pahala Tennis and Basketball Courts
Punalu`u Black Sand Beach Park
[Waiehint ] Wai`6hinu Park
Whittington Beach Park"
SECTION 4. Material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New material is
underscored. In printing this ordinance, the brackets, bracketed and stricken material and
underscoring need not be included.
SECTION 5. Severability. If any provision of this ordinance, or the application thereof
to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or
applications of the ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provision or
application, and to this end, the provisions of this ordinance are declared to be severable.
SECTION 6. This ordinance shall take effect upon its approval.
, Hawai`i
Date of Introduction:
Date of 1 st Reading:
Date of 2nd Reading:
Effective Date:
REFERENCE Comm. 1134.1
INTRODUCED BY:
COUNCIL MEMVA, , COUNTY OF AWAI`I
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