HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN CHARTER 2020-07-10 (2018-2020)Hawaii County Charter Commission
15th Session
Council Chambers, Hawai`i County Building
25 Aupuni Street, Ste. 1401
Hilo, Hawai`i
July 10, 2020
CALL TO The regular meeting of the Hawai`i County Charter Commission was called to
ORDER: order at 10:01 a.m., in the Council Chambers, Hilo, by Mr. Douglass Shipman
Adams, Chair.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Mr. Douglass Shipman Adams, Chair
Ms. Jennifer Zelko-Schlueter, Vice Chair
Mr. William Carthage Bergin, Commissioner
Mr. Paul K. Hamano, Commissioner
Mr. Kevin D. Hopkins, Commissioner
Ms. Sarah H. Rice, Commissioner (via videoconference from Kona)
Mr. Christopher John Imiloa Roehrig, Commissioner (via videoconference from
Kona)
Ms. Marcia A. K. Saquing, Commissioner
Ms. Donna Mae Springer, Commissioner
Ms. Bobby Jean Leithead Todd, Commissioner
Absent:
Also Present:
Ms. Michelle Galimba, Commissioner
Mr. J Yoshimoto, Commission Attorney
Mr. Jon Henricks, Commission Analyst
Ms. Shannon Magnuson, Commission Secretary
Mr. Scott Ruedy, Dep. Executive Assistant to Council Chair (Kona Courtesy Site)
CHR. ADAMS: Okay. Thank you. Seeing that it is, at least on my watch, 10:01,
let's um... and we have everyone here, which I am most grateful for. Let me
welcome back the 2018-2020 Hawai`i County Charter Commission, to its 15th
session.
The... it is 10:01 and we are, I would just remind everyone to please place your
variety of gizmos on... which is a technical term of course, on silence or stun and
I would also let the folks here in Hilo know that we do have water and coffee, and
a few items over on the table over there, so feel free at any particular point when
you so desire, to get something. I am sure everybody knows where the restrooms
are.
Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
I would ask all of us to please speak up. I would ask Kona if you can understand
me fairly well.
Okay. I am getting head nod, so I guess that's a good thing. Alright, and so, I
would also remind us to speak into our microphones and turn them on for the
purposes of recording and also for the purposes of...
MR. ROEHRIG: Can't hear you.
CHR. ADAMS: Talking to Kona. Kit?
MR. ROEHRIG: Can't hear you.
CHR. ADAMS: Hello.
MS. RICE: We can't hear you. We can hear your voice, but we can't hear what
you are saying.
CHR. ADAMS: You can't hear what I am saying? Now you can?
MS. RICE: There. Much better.
CHR. ADAMS: Okay. So what that means is that for the purposes of our
conversation here, for the most part you guys could hear me but they could not
understand what I was saying, which may or may not be a good thing. So I think
that probably means that we take our masks off when we are speaking into the
microphones, so that our fellow members in Kona can understand us, and that
would go the same for them. Speak into the microphone for us. Okay.
Alright. Thanks for everyone coming on a relatively moment's notice. I
appreciated that everybody was willing to show up when it became clear that we
needed to finish up what we were doing and so, let's move forward.
If I could as our Analyst slash County Clerk to please call the roll.
MR. HENRICKS: Mr. Bergin (here), Ms. Galimba, Mr. Hamano (here), Mr.
Hopkins(here), Ms. Leithead Todd (here), Ms. Rice (here), Mr. Roehrig (here),
Ms. Saquing (here), Ms. Springer (here), Ms. Zelko-Schlueter (here), Chair
Adams (present). Chair you have 10 members in attendance.
CHR. ADAMS: Thank you. Ten members of the Commission are present and
Commissioner Galimba who is excused.
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
STATEMENTS
FROM THE
PUBLIC ON
AGENDA ITEMS:
DWIGHT
VICENTE:
The Chair directed the Commission to proceed to the next order of business,
Statements from the Public on Agenda Items.
CHR. ADAMS: Alright, at this time we will take any statements that we may
have from the public on agenda items. I understand that we have at least one
testifier here in Hilo. I would remind our testifiers that they have three minutes,
please to provide their name and the agenda item upon which they are speaking.
Let me just ask Kona if we have any testifiers in Kona.
MR. RUEDY: Good morning Chair, we do not have any testifiers here in Kona
today.
CHR. ADAMS: Okay. Thank you. So if we can hear from our testifier in Hilo
please.
MR. BROWN: Good morning Chair, we have Dwight Vicente who will be
speaking on Communication No. 53.2 and Communication No. 53.3. Please state
your name Dwight, and then go for it.
Communication Nos. 53.2 and 53.3, commenting
MR. VICENTE: Good Morning, my name is Dwight Vicente. I am representing
the Hawaiian Kingdom. A point of order dealing with the preamble to the County
Charter. It reads "we the people of the county of Hawai`i in the State of Hawai`i
with due respect for and in support of laws of the land and do adopt this charter of
the county of Hawai`i, State of Hawai`i." They use the term in the State of
Hawai`i. If you are speaking in the State of Hawai`i they must be limited to the
Hawaiian Home Lands which is one million seven hundred fifty thousand acres
only. There was illegally ceded by the banana republic in 1898 to the United
States and incorporated in Article 4, Section 3, Clause 2, and I should add that
how it is written, it is actually Northwest Ordinance under the Articles of
Confederation because they... their action is based on the Northwest Ordinance of
17... July, 1787. The Constitution was not adopted until September, 1787. And
in your Article 1, Section 1-2, Geographical Limits, it says the whole island... the
State Supreme Court already ruled in State vs. Jim, that the County and ... State
of Hawai`i and County of Hawai`i is Hawaiian Homes. So the whole island is not
Hawaiian Homes. I hear people talk about roads in limbo, well, all those lands
are in limbo. If the roads are in limbo, the lands are in limbo because those lands
were not ceded by the banana republic in 1898.
So the lands in question is the lease lands. There is over 2.2 million acres under
King Kalakaua that was leased out for 25 years that would bring them up to 1915.
So they weren't leased up, ah, ceded in 1898. Then you got Article 1, Section 3-
3, Qualification. It says "the person must be a citizen of the U.S.", but if you read
the last page on the Admission Act, it says "this Act does not change the
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
nationality or give you nationality." And the Hawaiian Homes qualification is by
blood quantum based on the Articles of Confederation, Northwest Ordinance.
MR. BROWN: Thirty seconds.
MR. VICENTE: Articles of Confederation, it does not... it creates a status under
the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act by blood quantum, not nationality. It said
you have to be a U.S. citizen, many people are not qualified under that because
they are neither native Hawaiian under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act or
citizens of the several states under Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3, of the U.S.
Constitution. So this is all a point of order that ah... you need to seriously look
into because eventually it will reach the court and the court will have to decide
again like in State vs. Jim. Thank you.
CHR. ADAMS: Thank you Mr. Vicente. Are there any other testifiers?
MR. BROWN: There are no other testifiers Chair.
CHR. ADAMS: Thank you.
APPROVAL OF The Chair directed the Commission to proceed to the next order of business,
MINUTES: Approval of Minutes.
CHR. ADAMS: Alright, moving on to approval of minutes. The regular meeting
minutes of August 8, 2019 were provided in the packets that you all received plus
they are in digitally... plus they are in the packets that we have here. I would
entertain a motion to approve the minutes of August 8, 2019.
MS. ZELKO-SCHLUETER: So moved.
CHR. ADAMS: Is there a second?
MR. BERGIN: Second.
CHR. ADAMS: It has been moved by Commissioner Zelko-Schlueter and
seconded by Commissioner Bergin to approve the minutes of August 8, 2019.
Any discussion, corrections, or modifications to the minutes?
Any from Kona? Hearing none, all in favor of the motion, please signify by
saying "aye" (aye). Any opposed? Motion passes unanimously with
Commissioner Galimba excused. How is that Mr. Clerk?
Alright. It's been a while folks.
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
Vote on Motion Commissioner Zelko-Schlueter moved to approve the minutes of
To Approve Minutes: August 8, 2019. Seconded by Commissioner Bergin and carried
(Approved) by the following voice vote:
COMMUNI-
CATIONS:
Ayes: Commissioners Bergin, Hamano, Hopkins,
Rice, Roehrig, Saquing, Springer, Todd,
Zelko-Schlueter, and Chair Adams —10
Noes: None.
Absent: Commissioner Galimba —1
Excused: None.
The Chair directed the Commission to proceed to the next order of business,
Communications.
CHR. ADAMS: Alright, Communications. Moving on to Communications on
the agenda, Communication No. 57, Discussion on Voter Education as Submitted
by Chair Adams.
Remind me, do we vote to accept this Communication? We just move through
into...
MR. HENRICKS: The motion is to close and file.
CHR. ADAMS: Alright. I would entertain a motion to close and file
Communication No. 57.
MR. HOPKINS: So moved.
CHR. ADAMS: Is there a second?
MS. SAQUING: Second.
CHR. ADAMS: Moved by Commissioner Hopkins, seconded by Commissioner
Saquing. Discussion? Why yes, there is discussion. So let's have a little bit of
discussion. So in the Communication itself, I wanted to try and have this
conversation here as opposed to next meeting because next meeting we are going
to be pretty busy talking about the content of the report which we will not get into
today.
So from an education perspective, we have the newspaper's information that we
will be putting out. We also have potential social media that we will be putting
out. We have budget, we do have funds that have been budgeted to the Charter
Commission for this activity. The final product, our questions are due to the State
Elections office?
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
MR. HENRICKS: By August 20th of this year.
CHR. ADAMS: Okay, by August 20th. There are two dates, one is in HRS
(Hawai`i Revised Statutes) and the other one is in our Charter. The August 20th
is the earlier of those dates.
MR. HENRICKS: The August 20th is for the ballot language to be submitted to
the Chief Elections Officer of the State.
CHR. ADAMS: Okay.
MR. HENRICKS: The two dates that you are referring to are for requirements to
publish the full text of the proposed amendments and brief digest in two
newspapers of circulation, and those dates are 45 days before the General Election
pursuant to the Charter, and 21 days before the General Election pursuant to HRS
(Hawai`i Revised Statutes).
CHR. ADAMS: And so for the purposes, for the Commission's understanding,
once we have finished our work with the ballot questions, then we will... we
already, the Charter Amendment Proposals themselves, the substance of those are
complete. However, in the ballot question process, the ballot question
development process, we did consolidate some of the charter amendments that
were seen and provided to the Council that they then reviewed and then that we
then voted on back in August and provided to the Clerk. So those numbers and
the consolidation of that will then be finalized in one of our meetings probably
likely the next one, and then that will allow the Clerk to go through the process of
making sure that we meet our responsibilities of getting the full text out to the
voters 45 days and 21 days in front of the November 3rd election. Okay, so I just
wanted to let the Commission know all about that. We will do what we are
supposed to do in terms of the votes and all of those kinds of things.
I would entertain a motion, it's... I am informed by our staff that it is probably
not necessary but I think it is probably useful for the record, that the Commission
authorize the Chair to spend the funds necessary to conduct the educational
aspects that is our responsibility under the Charter and the HRS (Hawai`i Revised
Statutes). So I would entertain a motion to authorize the Chair to conduct that...
those activities and expend the funds necessary that is in our budget.
MS. ZELKO-SCHLUETER: So moved.
MS. RICE: Could you repeat that. We didn't get that. It was kind of muddled.
CHR. ADAMS: Okay. There being in Kona.
MS. RICE: In Kona.
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
CHR. ADAMS: Sorry. So the purpose of the motion that has been made without
a second at the moment, is to authorize the Chair to expend the funds in the
process of conducting the educational awareness responsibilities of the
Commission prior to the General Election.
MS. RICE: Thank you.
CHR. ADAMS: Is there a second?
MR. HAMANO: Second.
CHR. ADAMS: So it has been moved by Commissioner Zelko-Schlueter and
seconded by Commissioner Hamano. Does anyone have any comments or
discussions associated with that motion?
Commissioner Hopkins. Make sure you speak into the mic sir.
MR. HOPKINS: Okay. Just a little clarification on this, that you will authorize
it, but staff will actually be the ones doing the spending correct?
CHR. ADAMS: Yes.
MR. HOPKINS: I don't know... okay, I am not familiar with the procedure. I
was just... okay. Thank you.
MR. HENRICKS: What I think the Chair is asking for now is just some ability as
your Chair to...
MR. ROEHRIG: What type of education are you talking about?
MS. RICE: We can't hear you. It's too soft.
MR. HENRICKS: Okay maybe we should take a break and try to rectify this so
that we can proceed without feeling the need to holler into these microphones.
Ask for a recess please.
CHR. ADAMS: Sure. Let's take a brief recess for technical purposes.
MR. HENRICKS: Thank you Mr. Chair.
RECESS: Chair called for a recess for technical adjustments.
RECONVENE: The meeting reconvened.
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
CHR. ADAMS: Calling the meeting back to order. I will try not to swallow the
microphone. So we are in a motion. You had a question... Commissioner
Hopkins had a question regarding the expenditure of the funds and who actually is
doing the expenditure of the funds and developing the awareness documentation
that will be provided to the voters and the Clerk was explaining that process.
MR. HENRICKS: Yeah, the office will do so under all regulations, purchasing,
and procurement, or whatever comes into play on behalf of the Chair and the
Commission.
CHR. ADAMS: As it... per our rules, also, to the extent that I am asked by
various organizations to talk about the Charter Amendment Proposals and the
questions, then I will do that on behalf of the Commission. Clearly Commission
members have always had the opportunity to speak personally and individually
with their friends and neighbors and that would continue under our rules but then
I will take the... to the extent that there is any request, I will take those on to do
those, as we have already done in the past. Okay, not seeing any other discussion
on this item, all in favor of the motion please signify by saying "aye" (aye)
MR. ROEHRIG: Naye.
CHR. ADAMS: Any opposed?
MR. ROEHRIG: Opposed.
CHR. ADAMS: Motion passes nine to one, with the naye vote being
Commissioner Roehrig and the Commissioner excused being Commissioner
Galimba.
Vote on Motion The motion to authorize the Chair to expend funds for education
To Expend Funds: purpose was carried by the following roll call vote:
For Voter Education:
(Approved)
Ayes: Commissioners Bergin, Hamano, Hopkins,
Rice, Saquing, Springer, Todd, Zelko-
Schlueter, and Chair Adams — 9
Noes: Commissioner Roehrig — 1
Absent: Commissioner Galimba —1
Excused: None.
CHR. ADAMS: Seeing that we have no Unfinished Business, we will move
into...yes?
MR. HENRICKS: I am sorry, that was your motion to authorize you to expend
funds.
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
CHR. ADAMS: I am sorry. You are absolutely right.
MR. HENRICKS: You're back on... yeah.
CHR. ADAMS: We also now have a motion still on the table to close and file
Communication No. 57. Any other discussion on that motion? All in favor of
that motion which closes and files Communication No. 57, please signify by
saying "aye" (aye).
Any opposed? Motion passes 10-0, with Commissioner Galimba excused.
Vote on The motion to close file on Comm. No. 57 was carried by the
Comm. No. 57 following voice vote:
(Filed):
Ayes: Commissioners Bergin, Hamano, Hopkins,
Rice, Roehrig, Saquing, Springer, Todd,
Zelko-Schlueter, and Chair Adams —10
Noes: None.
Absent: Commissioner Galimba —1
Excused: None.
UNFINISHED The Chair directed the Commission to proceed to the next order of business,
BUSINESS: Unfinished Business.
NEW
BUSINESS:
CHR. ADAMS: Moving on to Unfinished Business.
Seeing none, we move into New Business.
The Chair directed the Commission to proceed to the next order of business,
New Business.
CHR. ADAMS: Our first item is from Communication No. 53.3. It is our Charter
Amendment Proposal Summaries as revised per the recommendations of the ad
hoc committee which was established to develop Charter Amendment Proposal
summaries and ballot questions, propose consolidation of Charter Amendment
Proposals, and propose renumbering of Charter Amendment Proposals for
sequential ordering.
I would entertain a moment... a motion at this point, to accept... to approve the
summaries as revised per the recommendation of the ad hoc committee. Is there
such a motion?
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
Is there a second?
So it has been moved by Commissioner Zelko-Schlueter and seconded by
Commissioner Saquing. At this time, before we enter into discussion, I would
entertain a motion to postpone the discussion... postpone consideration of this
motion until our next meeting.
MR. BERGIN: So moved.
CHR. ADAMS: I didn't see who moved. Okay. It has been moved by
Commissioner Bergin and seconded by Commissioner Zelko-Schlueter.
Discussion. With the mover's permission, I will take the discussion.
MR. BERGIN: Please.
CHR. ADAMS: So the purpose of this is, here we are in this meeting and then we
really don't have the ability to talk about the report that this... from the ad hoc
committee that this is based on. The idea is that when we get to our next meeting,
then the process of allowing us to talk both about that, the report that we will
consider, plus these summaries and then be able to vote on them, will be... we
will have that opportunity from a notice perspective. Is that correct? Okay.
So we are making the motion now. We are postponing the consideration of that
motion until our next meeting when we will bring it back up in the regular order
of business. Is there any... questions about that? Yes, Commissioner Todd.
MS. TODD: When would the next meeting be?
CHR. ADAMS: We will consider that in the process of our meeting today but
right now we are looking at the 24th of July, two weeks from today.
Commissioners in Kona, do you have any questions about what is happening
here?
MS. RICE: No.
MR. ROEHRIG: No.
CHR. ADAMS: Okay, Great. So we have a motion to postpone consideration of
the motion on the table. We have had discussion. All in favor of that motion to
postpone please signify by saying "aye" (aye). Any opposed? Motion passes 10-
0 with Commissioner Galimba excused.
Vote on Motion The motion to postpone Comm. No. 53.3 was carried by the
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
to Postpone
(Approved):
following voice vote:
Ayes: Commissioners Bergin, Hamano, Hopkins,
Rice, Roehrig, Saquing, Springer, Todd,
Zelko-Schlueter, and Chair Adams —10
Noes: None.
Absent: Commissioner Galimba —1
Excused: None.
REPORT The Chair directed the Commission to proceed to the next order of business,
Report.
CHR. ADAMS: Seeing no other New Business... we good? Okay. Seeing no
other New Business, we will move in to Reports on our agenda.
Communication No. 53.2 Report and recommendations of the ad hoc committee
established to develop the charter amendment proposal summaries and ballot
questions, proposed consolidation of charter amendment proposals, and propose
renumbering of the charter amendment proposals for sequential ordering.
I would entertain a motion to adopt the report and approve the recommendations
of the ad hoc committee.
MR. BERGIN: Move to adopt.
CHR. ADAMS: Is there a second?
MS. ZELKO-SCHLUETER: It has been moved by Commissioner Bergin and
seconded by Commissioner Zelko-Schlueter. Before we move into discussion, I
would entertain a motion to postpone consideration of this motion to our next
meeting.
MR. HOPKINS: So moved.
CHR. ADAMS: Is there a second?
MS. SPRINGER: Second.
CHR. ADAMS: It has been moved by Commissioner Hopkins and seconded by
Commissioner Springer. Discussion on this if I may with the permission of the
mover, enter into discussion. Again this is a report, so typically in our reports we
only receive them during that first meeting and then do the consideration of the
reports in the second meeting. This allows us the process to do that. We are not
going to discuss what is in the... the substance of this report, but it puts it out for
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
notice purposes. Allows us then to have had the motion to consider it but we will
postpone that motion so that when we meet at our next meeting we can move
forward with our consideration of it, any potential modifications to the
recommendations, amendments etc., all those kinds of things we can do at our
next meeting.
Any questions about that from the Commissioners? Kona, Commissioners, any
questions?
Okay. Hearing none, all in favor of the motion to postpone the motion to adopt
the report and approve the recommendations is again is the motion to postpone.
All in favor signify by saying "aye" (aye). Any opposed? Motion passes 10-0
with Commissioner Galimba excused.
Vote on Motion The motion to postpone Comm. No. 53.2 was carried by the
to Postpone following voice vote:
(Approved):
Ayes: Commissioners Bergin, Hamano, Hopkins,
Rice, Roehrig, Saquing, Springer, Todd,
Zelko-Schlueter, and Chair Adams —10
Noes: None.
Absent: Commissioner Galimba —1
Excused: None.
REFERRALS FOR The Chair directed the Commission to proceed to the next order of business,
EXECUTIVE Referrals for Executive Session.
SESSION:
CHR. ADAMS: So what we are going to do for Executive Session, just a little bit
of ball game conversation in between the innings. We are going to move to
approve the Executive Session minutes of August 8, 2019 because we entered into
Executive Session. We are going to try to do this without going into Executive
Session again otherwise we will get into this loop de loop where we will never be
able to finally finish approving Executive Session minutes. That doesn't mean
that if someone wants to go into Executive Session, we can't do that but, so the
idea is to move... I would... we are going to move to approve, we are going to
take a recess so that folks can review, we will come back, we will have the vote,
and then... am I getting this mixed up? Do we need to consider the interests...
any interest in going to Executive Session before we have the vote?
MR. HENRICKS: That would be correct.
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
CHR. ADAMS: Okay. So, let me re... It is only written down here if I would
just read what I wrote. Motion to approve, we will take a recess to review, we
will come back, I will ask if there is any interest in going in to Executive Session,
if there is then we will identify that and do that. And then when we come back
out of Executive Session, if we do go into Executive Session, we will vote. If we
don't go into Executive Session then we will vote on the motion. Alright. I think
I said that all correctly. Alright. So I would entertain a motion to approve the
Executive Session minutes for August 8, 2019.
Is there a second? Alright. It has been moved by Commissioner Saquing and
seconded by Commissioner Leithead-Todd. You know I have only been doing
this with you for three years or two years, I still don't know which way to say it.
Leithead, Litehead...
MS. TODD: Well, (inaudible) In America "Leith head". It would be...
CHR. ADAMS: So actually it is a TH sound, not a T and an H.
MS. TODD: It is Leithhead (inaudible)
CHR. ADAMS: See I like that better actually. Alright so, this motion was
seconded by Commissioner Leithead-Todd. Is that close? Okay.
At this moment I would like to take a recess to allow Commissioners to review
and grab coffee, and water, and whatever else they need to do. Let's recess for
about ten minutes.
RECESS: At 10:29 a.m., the Chair called for a recess to go into Executive Session.
RECONVENE: The meeting reconvened at 10:40 a.m.
CHR. ADAMS: Okay, lets come back to order from our recess. Is there any
interest from any of the Commissioners to entering into Executive Session at this
time? Kona you can hear me as well? Kona?
MS. RICE: Yes. We can hear you.
CHR. ADAMS: Okay. Thank you. Commissioner Leithead-Todd.
MS. TODD: The purpose of an Executive Session would be to review the session
minutes of August 8th?
CHR. ADAMS: Any other reason.
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
MS. TODD: Okay.
CHR. ADAMS: Okay. Not seeing that there is any interest, I would... we have a
motion already on the table to approve the Executive Session minutes. All those
in favor of approving of... approving the motion to approve the Executive Session
minutes of August 8, 2019, please signify by saying "aye" (aye). Any opposed?
Motion passes unanimously 10-0 with Commissioner Galimba excused.
Vote on Motion
To Approve Executive
Session Minutes:
(Approved)
The motion to approve the Executive Session minutes was
carried by the following voice vote:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Excused:
Commissioners Bergin, Hamano, Hopkins, Rice,
Roehrig, Saquing, Springer, Todd,
Zelko-Schlueter, and Chair Adams —10
None.
Commissioner Galimba —1
None.
CHR. ADAMS: Moving on to Agenda Items for Next Regularly Scheduled
Meeting, are there any items that Commissioners would like us consider for our
future agenda?
MS. RICE: Mr. Chairman. I...
CHR. ADAMS: Yes Commissioner Rice.
MS. RICE: I wasn't sure where to bring this up and I may have blown it. There
is one typo in the minutes that we just approved. It is the spelling of the plant
Ko`a ekoa, It is just a real minor thing but it needs to be E K 0 A. It is on the first
page under my name, at the bottom.
CHR. ADAMS: Thank you Commissioner Rice. I think without objection, we
will make that technical change.
MS. RICE: Thank you.
CHR. ADAMS: Are there any other suggestions from Commissioners? Okay,
moving then on to Announcements, our next meeting is scheduled for two weeks
from today. It allows us the opportunity to meet public notice requirements, those
kinds of things, so Friday, July 24, 2020. We would conduct the meeting
similarly to this, where members have the ability to either come to this facility
here in Hilo, or to the West Hawai`i Civic Center facility in Kailua-Kona.
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
As far as the time is concerned, how did 10 o'clock work for everybody? Kona is
that good for you, Commissioners?
MS. RICE: Yes. It is fine for me.
MR. ROEHRIG: Okay.
CHR. ADAMS: Okay. Thanks Kit.
Alright, so then our time would be 10:00 a.m., assuming that we have the facility
at that time. I guess we do. That's good, so we will say 10 o'clock. Now, I
would caution that next Friday will not be done in 45 minutes... or on the 24th.
Right, it is going to take a little bit of time, it is quite conceivable that we will
have testimony... more testimony than we had today, but maybe not, you never
know.
But I think that we will end up going through the ballot questions, making sure
that they are the way that we want them, the way we have gone through the
Charter Amendment Proposals, if my mind can go back that far.
The other thing that I would ask, is that as you take a look at the ballot questions,
two things I should mention, the Charter Amendment Proposals have been revised
under the recommendation of the ad hoc committee, obviously they haven't been
revised completely for real because the Commission has to make that decision,
right. So that will be part of the process the next time we meet... is voting on that
if indeed we follow the ad hoc committee's recommendations. The other... but, I
should mention that the revision is only in the ordering and the consolidation. It
is not in the substance of the proposals themselves. So we will not be accepting
recommendations or modifications, or amendments to the substance right, it is
just the consolidation piece.
So let me just ask our esteemed attorney if I am wrong in any of that.
MR. YOSHIMOTO: You are correct in your assessment. I would just caution
that we not go into any further detail regarding the report because the report
speaks for itself. But you are correct in terms of the procedures and what we can
and cannot do.
CHR. ADAMS: Right. Thank you... for the cautionary note as well. And then
on the other procedural aspect, the ballot questions themselves, to the extent that
as you take a look at them there may be things that you want to have the
Commission consider as a modification of some kind. Please if you can, it is not
a requirement but it is helpful that you communicate with staff so that they can
have something written up already as opposed to us trying to do the writing here.
Again, not a requirement, but it does make things move a little bit more quickly
while we are in the process of an actual meeting.
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
I just want to make sure our Commissioners in Kona heard what I said.
MS. RICE: Yes.
CHR. ADAMS: Okay. Thank you. Okay, is there any other items... yes,
Commissioner Saquing.
MS. SAQUING: I just... I just want more clarification. Yesterday we received
an email from Shannon with some potential edits for the ballot, do we...
CHR. ADAMS: So that's... that was testimony that was provided to us by a
member of the community.
MS. SAQUING: Correct.
CHR. ADAMS: And so, we appreciate the information, but the only thing... so
we will take into consideration all testimony at our next meeting.
MS. SAQUING: Okay. Thank you.
CHR. ADAMS: Commissioner Bergin, did you have something? Okay. Our
Commissioners, Commissioner Rice, Commissioner Roehrig, do you have
anything for the body?
MS. RICE: I don't.
MR. ROEHRIG: No.
CHR. ADAMS: I would just like to thank you guys for being there and really, it
is great to see everybody. Not seeing that there is anything else, I would ask the
staff, is there anything else that you need from us?
MS. MAGNUSON: Just have to make sure everybody turns in the confidential
minutes envelope.
CHR. ADAMS: So, make sure that you put your Executive Session minutes back
in to the folder, if you haven't already done so, and that Shannon gets that back
from us before we actually leave the facility, whether it is here in Hilo or there.
Kona you don't have to provide it to Shannon, you can provide it to Scott instead.
Alright, so on behalf of the Commission, we appreciate the staff and all of the
work that you have done in terms of prepping for this meeting and also for the
next meeting, and the help with the ad hoc committee and its work as well, and I
will entertain a motion to adjourn subject to our next meeting being a special
meeting on July 24th. Is there such a motion? Second? Alright, moved by
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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -15 July 10, 2020
Commissioner Zelko-Schlueter and seconded by Commissioner Saquing. All in
favor (aye), meeting adjourned.
Meeting adjourned at 10:49 a.m.
Vote. on Motion There being no further business, at 10:49 a.m. Commissioner Zelko-Schlueter
Adjourn moved that the meeting be adjourned. Seconded by Commissioner Saquing and
(Approved): carried by the following voice vote:
Ayes: Commissioners Bergin, IIamano, Hopkins,
Rice, Roehrig, Saquing, Springer, Todd,
Zelko-Schlueter, and Chair Adams -- 10
Noes: None.
Absent: Commissioners Galirnba — 1
Excused: None.
Commission Approval: July 24, 2020
4 za4,,ifoie
+uglass Shipman i!dams, Chair
8-2020 Hawai`i County Charter Commission
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