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HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP GREDC 001 2019/10/15 2018-2020 i 3 i REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DATE: October 15, 2019 Re: Comm. No. 527/Res. No. 351-19 PLACE: Council Chambers Hilo, Hawaii �3 TIME: 10:06 a.m. Council Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Your Committee on Governmental Relations and Economic Development, to which was referred Resolution No. 351-19, reports as follows: Resolution No. 351-19, transmitted by Council Member and Committee Chair Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, via Communication No. 527 dated September 26, 2019, requests approving the nomination of a new officer, as required by the Hawaii State Association of Counties (HSAC) Bylaws, to the Western Interstate Region(WIR) Board of Directors. This resolution listed the slate of representatives for the National Association of Counties (NACo) and WIR, a caucus of NACo. It noted that Council Member Herbert M. "Tim" Richards is a presidential appointee to the NACo Board of Directors, and because of this, County of Kaua'i Council Member Mason Chock hoped to reassume his position on the WIR Board of Directors and replace Council Member Richards. Committee Vice Chair Susan Lee Loy assumed the role of Chair for this meeting as Council Member Kierkiewicz introduced the resolution and needed to speak on the measure. Council Member Kierkiewicz explained that at the August 26, 2019 HSAC Executive Committee meeting, there was pressure to have Council Member Richards resign from the WIR Board so that Kauai Council Member Chock could reassume the position he formerly held and currently wanted. She made clear at that time that she did not believe this to be equitable, as each of the counties was equally represented on one of the four Board of Directors positions available between NACo and WIR, and if the measure before your Committee were to pass, then Hawaii County would have no representation. She shared that she expressed reservations at that meeting but felt this was a decision that should be made by the full County Council,particularly with input from Council Member Richards. She further stated that Council Member Richards was fine with relinquishing the position so long as it was to a fellow Hawaii County Council Member. Council Member Valerie Poindexter stated that she could understand the desire to retain a Hawaii County Council Member for the WIR Board of Directors, but that the seat served to represent the State of Hawaii and not individual counties. She recalled that Kauai Council Member Chock did an excellent job when he previously held the position, and that he had originally been the nominee for this term. She noted that most importantly, whoever took the seat should have the time and energy to support it. She stated she was in favor of the resolution. GREDC Report No. I GREDC-1 Page 2 October 15,2019 Council Member Karen Eoff recalled that she had seen a similar resolution while researching Maui County's HSAC legislative package on the Maui County website. To her recollection, part of that resolution read that Council Member Richards was "willingly" giving up his seat for Kauai Council Member Chock. She expressed her confusion in that she believed that the slate of representatives would have already been discussed and agreed upon at the HSAC Executive Committee meeting before a resolution would be introduced and voted on by the county councils. She wondered what the next steps would be for HSAC and the WIR board position if the measure was not approved. Council Member Kierkiewicz said she was both present and took minutes at the HSAC Executive Meeting when this measure was discussed and could not surmise how Maui County understood that Council Member Richards offered to give up his seat, as reflected in the resolution described by Council Member Eoff. She reported that Kauai Council Member Chock was at the most recent HSAC Executive Committee meeting on October 10, 2019, where he stated he would respect the will of Hawaii County if the seat was not relinquished. Council Member Kierkiewicz also clarified that if the measure was voted down,the current slate of officers would remain `as is.' Committee Chair Lee Loy asked for clarification from Council Member Poindexter to further clarify HSAC process if the measure before your Committee failed to pass. Council Member Poindexter stated that if Council Member Richards relinquished his seat to another Council Member from Hawaii County, the current process that transpired to replace Council Member Richards with Kauai Council Member Chock would be repeated. Council Member Maile David expressed her confusion about the measure before your Committee after hearing the discussion. She noted that procedurally, your Committee had not been informed of the measure until today and that she was now tasked to make a decision on the measure. She expressed her uncomfortableness in voting against the resolution, but noted that another discussion could ensue at the Council meeting with Council Member Richards present. Council Chair Aaron Chung stated that he believed this decision came down to two philosophies. He explained Council Member Poindexter's position was that experience with HSAC and NACo were an asset to the WIR Board of Directors position, regardless of which county the council member who assumed the role came from. The other school of thought was what he had learned from former Hawaii County Council Member Fresh Onishi, who felt it was beneficial for each county to occupy one of the Board of Director seats, and that Hawaii County was essentially being penalized for its good works to obtain presidential appointments. He expressed concern that, "once you take something away, it's hard to get it back," and would be voting against the measure. He also made clear that this decision had nothing to do with Kauai Council Member Chock. More discussion ensued about the desire to have Council Member Richards present for the discussion and to postpone the measure. It was ultimately decided that there was no need to delay the measure and that the slate of representatives needed to be established in order to GREDC Report No. 1 I GREDC-1 Page 3 October 15,2019 conduct its legislative business. Another discussion with both Council Member Richards and Council Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, who was also absent, could ensue at the following Council meeting. Chair Lee Loy asked that a roll call vote be taken given the nature of the discussion, and to move the measure to Council. Your Committee on Governmental Relations and Economic Development is not in accord with the purpose and intent of Resolution No. 351-19 and forwards it to Council with a negative recommendation. J t I 3: ck AYES NOES ABS EX Respectfully submitted, CHUNG X DAVID X COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL EOFF x REL IONS AN9 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT KANEALI`I- X KLEINFELDER KIERKIEWICZ X LEE LOY x POINDEXTER x ASHLEY L. KIERKIEWICZ, CHAIR RICHARDS X GREDC REPORT NO.: 1 VILLEGAS X ADOPTED: NOV 0 6 2019