HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-03-28 Minutes of the Public Hearing on the FY2024 Operating and 5 year CIP Budgets MINUTES
WATER BOARD OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII
PUBLIC HEARING ON FISCAL YEAR 2024 OPERATING BUDGET AND 5-YEAR CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENTS BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEARS 2024-2028
March 28, 2023
West Hawaii Civic Center, Bldg. G, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, Kailua-Kona, HI
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. Steven Hirakami, Chairperson
Mr. Stephen Kawena Lopez, Vice-Chairperson
Mr. David De Luz, Jr., Water Board Member
Mr. Michael Bell, Water Board Member
Ms. Julie Hugo, Water Board Member
Mr. Michael Pono Kekela, Water Board Member
Ms. Kea Keolanui, Water Board Member
Mr. Benjamin Ney, Water Board Member
Mr. Kenneth Sugai, Water Board Member
Mr. Keith K. Okamoto, Manager-Chief Engineer,
Department of Water Supply (ex-officio member)
ABSENT: Director, Planning Department (ex-officio member)
Director, Department of Public Works (ex-officio member)
OTHERS PRESENT: Ms. Diana Mellon-Lacey, Deputy Corporation Counsel
DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY STAFF:
Mr. Kawika Uyehara, Deputy
Mr. Kurt Inaba, Engineering Division Head
Ms. Candace Gray, Waterworks Controller
Mr. Gregory Goodale, Chief of Operations
Mr. Warren Ching, Energy Management Analyst
Mr. Alvin Inouye, Operations Superintendent
Ms. Sunshine Carter, Private Secretary
Ms. Paulette Wilson, Temp Water Board Secretary
(Chairperson Hirakami called the meeting to order at 9:30am)
Chair Steven Hirakami: Will the public hearing of the water board on the proposed
2024 operating budget and 5-year Capital Improvements Budget for the Department of
Water Supply please come to order. My name is Steven Hirakami, Chairperson of the
Water Board and I will have the secretary do a roll call of the Board Members present.
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PW: Mr. Bell
Michael Bell: Here
PW: Mr. DeLuz
David DeLuzJr: Present
PW: Ms. Hugo
Julie Hugo: Here
PW: Mr. Kekela
Michael Pono Kekela: Here
PW: Ms. Keolanui
(Absent)
PW: Mr. Lopez
Stephen Kawena Lopez: Here
PW: Mr. Ney
Benjamin Ney: Here
PW: Mr. Sugai
Kenneth Sugai: Here
PW: Chair Steven Hirakami
Chair Steven Hirakami: Here
PW: We have eight board members present.
Chair Steven Hirakami: Thank you. The Water Board under Section 8-2(c) of the
Hawaii County Charter shall adopt the Operating and Capital Improvements Budget for
the Department of Water Supply; and under the hearing and advertising provision of
Section 10-4, Hawaii County Charter, did publish public hearing notices in the Hawaii
Tribune Herald and in the West Hawaii Today on March 12, 2023.
As stated in the hearing notice, all comments or testimony were to be filed in writing
before the time of the hearing or register to have testimony included via web conference
application. We would like to follow this format as closely as possible, however,
because there may be some of you who do not have any written statements but would
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like to testify or comment, we would like to afford you this opportunity to do so but would
like to limit such presentations to three minutes because of the time limit.
The hearing is now open for comments from the floor. Secretary, is there anyone
registered to provide oral or written testimony?
PW: We have two written testimonies.
Chair Steven Hirakami: We don't have any oral testimony today, but I'd like to enter
into the record, two written testimonies from Emily Taaroa, and one from Deborah Ward
and we recognize these written testimonies. At this time, I would like to entertain a
motion that this Public Hearing be closed.
David DeLuz: So moved.
Ken Sugai: Second.
Steven Hirakami: David DeLuz moved and Ken Sugai seconded. It's been moved and
seconded that this Public Hearing be closed. Are there any comments? If not, all in
favor say Aye.
Board Members: Unanimous Ayes.
Chair Steven Hirakami: Opposed? (None)
Motion is carried. Thank you very much.
(Public Hearing closed at: 9:33am)
Secretary
APPROVED BY WATER BOARD
(April 25, 2023)
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