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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN EMC 2017/04/18 2016-2018 COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT th 4 Session West Hawaiʻi Civic Center 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Highway, Building A Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi April 18, 2017 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Finance was called to order at ORDER: 1:10 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Kona, by Ms. Eileen O’Hara, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Ms. Eileen O’Hara, Chair Mr. Herbert M. “Tim” Richards, III, Member Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Member Ms. Karen Eoff, Member Mr. Aaron S. Y. Chung, Member Mr. Dru Mamo Kanuha, Member Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Member Ms. Valerie T. Poindexter, Member Absent & Excused: Ms. Jennifer Ruggles, Member STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, FROM THE Statements from the Public on Agenda Items. PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS: The following individuals registered to speak and came forward when called by the Chair: Rene Siracusa: Comm. 193, in support. (representing Malama O Puna) COMMUNI-The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, CATIONS: Communications. Comm. 193: NOMINATION OF JON OLSON TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION From Mayor Harry Kim, dated March 30, 2017, submitting for the Council’s review and confirmation the above nomination. Requires Council Confirmation by: May 14, 2017 (Section 13-4(1), Hawaiʻi County Charter) CHR. O’HARA: Thank you, and can I have a motion to adopt? EMC-4 April 18, 2017 Motion to Approve: Ms. Eoff moved to recommend confirmation of the appointment of Mr. Jon Olson to the Environmental Management Commission. Seconded by Ms. David. CHR. O’HARA: And I’m just going to take the time because I failed to do this earlier of introducing all the Council Members who are present. Thank you for the motion and second and I see that Ms. Bautista is with us in Hilo to introduce the nominee. So, Ms. Bautista, can you tell us more? (Note: At this time, Executive Assistant to the Mayor Rose Bautista came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MS. BAUTISTA: Yeah, good afternoon Chair O’Hara, thank you and Council Members. Now that Rene (Siracusa) had introduced Jon, there’s not a whole lot, she did a great job in introducing him. However, I’ll do my part. On behalf of Mayor Kim, it’s my pleasure to nominate Jon Olson of Council District 4 to the County of Hawaiʻi Environmental Management Commission. Mr. Olson has been a resident of Hawaiʻi for over 39 years. He is a retired business owner who worked on building, repairing, and selling of small boats and recreational vessels. Currently, Mr. Olson is an active member of our community and volunteers in numerous organizations including the Pahoa Mainstreet Association, the Sierra Club, Coast Guard Auxiliary, and the Pahoa Regional Town Center Planning Committee. Mr. Olson states that “littering and dumping has had significant negative impact on my community” and has spearheaded many different clean-up efforts including initiating the Abandoned Vehicle and Recycle Hawaiʻi projects. Mr. Olson is a member of the Democratic party and if confirmed, he will serve to fill a vacant term ending December 31, 2018. Thank you. CHR. O’HARA: Thank you and Mr. Olson, do you want to say a few words? (Note: At this time, nominee Jon Olson came forward to address the members of the committee.) MR. OLSON: Well, yeah sure. I’ve been in, as you heard, involved before there was an Environmental Management Commission. I also, was active in the Solid Waste Advisory Group on different occasions and I was on the design committee for the Keaʻau Transfer Station, to upgrade it, to four recycling components. So as was stated I have been concerned about the impacts of solid waste and wastewater on our environment out there for decades. So, I’m happy to do this. Page 2 EMC-4 April 18, 2017 CHR. O’HARA: Alright, thank you. At this time. I’m going to ask if there are any comments from my fellow Council Members on this nomination? Council Member Lee Loy. MS. LEE LOY: Aloha. Aloha, Jon. I’m going to be supporting your nomination, this one is really easy. You know, Rene talked about, you know, being an outside of the box thinker, but I really believe you’ve been a trendsetter and it just takes a little bit time for people to pick up on your trend. So, thank you so much for serving and I will be supporting your nomination. MR. OLSON: Thank you. CHR. O’HARA: Thank you, Ms. Lee Loy. Anyone else have anything to add? Mr. Kanuha. MR. KANUHA: Sure, thanks Madam Chair. Aloha, Jon and you know, we’re going to be saying a lot of the similar kind of statements but mahalo for your—for coming up here and giving us your ideas every time you see the need to. I know there is a lot of interesting things going on and we always appreciate input from all aspects of societies. So, I really appreciate when you have a—when you come up here and I really value your opinion. I’m happy that you are going to be volunteering for this position because it is an important position. It’s an important part of how we take into account a lot of the different aspects on how to move forward in our County with regards to protecting our environment and all the aspects with the Environmental Commission, what they go through. So, mahalo for serving and continue the effort of providing for your community. Really appreciate it. MR. OLSON: Thank you. CHR. O’HARA: Thank you, Mr. Kanuha and Ms. Eoff. MS. EOFF: Thank you, Madam Chair. Aloha, Jon and I just wanted to say as well for stepping up and being willing to be part of this commission. The Environmental Management Commission does review a lot of important issues regarding wastewater and solid waste and I’m looking forward to your input on the commission. Mahalo. CHR. O’HARA: Thank you, and Ms. David, did you want to say some few words. MS. DAVID: Yes, please. Aloha, Jon. And thank you, I really appreciate seeing you at Council meetings every—at every time when we have such a controversial issue or issues relating to the environment. And I think what you bring here is Page 3 EMC-4 April 18, 2017 very, very useful and helpful and I appreciate your willingness to serve. And I will support your nomination. Aloha. MR. OLSON: Thank you. CHR. O’HARA: And thank you, Ms. David. Ms. Poindexter. MS. POINDEXTER: Thank you, Chair. And Jon, thank you so much for the commitment that you have for volunteering and government work. You’ve always been engaged as long as I’ve been on the Council. I’ve always been—it was very pleasing to hear a lot of the things that you have to say when it comes to environmental management and when we talk about malama the aina all the time, you speak that loud and clear. So, I’m so glad that you are on this commission. We really, really need you especially at this time when we’re going into diversified ag in many places throughout the County and making sure that we do it in a way that we protect our planet and malama aina. So, thank you so much for your service. MR. OLSON: Thank you. CHR. O’HARA: Alright, anyone else wanting to speak? Okay, then I can echo what Rene Siracusa said earlier in that I’ve known Jon for the same amount of time, I believe. And our first interaction was in the context of that clean up at Sand Hill, which is a very unique spot in lower Puna, and cleaning up all of the abandoned vehicles that were there. I think that Jon will make an excellent commissioner on the Environmental Management Commission. I understand that the appointment is to fill a vacancy, so it’s only until December 2018, which is a little over a year and a half but I appreciate your willingness to serve for that time and since you gave us such a good report on your vitals at budget hearing, maybe you’ll be able to re-up your nomination when the time comes, Jon. Really, we’ll love having you on the commission and thank you so much for your willingness to serve, to represent District 4 and to think of the whole island in your role as a commissioner in the Environmental Management Commission. So, thank you. MR. OLSON: Thank you. CHR. O’HARA: Okay, so seeing no more red lights. Can I call for a vote on that. All those in favor, please say “aye.” Page 4 EMC-4 April 18, 2017 Vote on Comm. 193: The motion to recommend confirmation of the appointment (Approved) of Mr. Jon Olson to the Environmental Management Commission was carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Eoff, Kanuha, Lee Loy, Poindexter, Richards, and Chair O’Hara – 8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Ruggles – 1. Excused: None. CHR. O’HARA: Thank you so much and thank you, Jon and Rose, for appearing before us today. MS. BAUTISTA: Thank you. MR. OLSON: Thank you. ORDER OF The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, RESOLUTIONS: Order of Resolutions. (There were none.) BILLS FOR The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, ORDINANCES: Bills for Ordinances. (There were none.) CHR. O’HARA: Alright, so that would move up to full Council and at this time we have no other business before the Environmental Committee. So can i have a motion to close? Page 5 EMC-4 April 18, 2017 ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 1:20 p.m., Ms. Poindexter moved MENT: to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Ms. David and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Eoff, Kanuha, Lee Loy, Poindexter, Richards, and Chair O'Hara— 8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Ruggles— 1. Excused: None. CHR. O'HARA: Adjourned. Approved: 5- /6 --/rX Ms. Eileen O'Hara, Chair (Date) Environmental Management Committee EO/vc Page 6