II. THE HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL

ROLE AND DUTIES

The Hawaii County Council, consisting of nine elected members, is vested with the legislative powers of the county. Its primary function is legislation and public policy formulation. Councilmembers serve a term of two years and are elected from nine single member districts and must reside within the district. Councilmembers serving during the 1994-95 Fiscal Year were:

Takashi Domingo District 1, Hamakua, North Hilo, and portions of South Hilo (Hakalau, Honomu, Pepeekeo, Papaikou, Kaiwiki)

Brian J. DeLima District 2, South Hilo (Amauulu, Puueo, portions of Downtown Hilo, Lanakila, Waianuenue, Kaumana, Ainako, Piihonua, portions of Waiakea Homesteads)

James Arakaki District 3, South Hilo (Waiakea Homesteads, Waiakea-Uka) and Puna (Keaau)

Elroy T.L. Osorio District 4, South Hilo (Keaukaha, Panaewa, Waiakea Houselots, portions of Downtown, University and portions of Waiakea Homesteads)

Al Smith District 5, Puna (Orchidland Estates, Hawaiian Paradise Park, Ainaloa, Hawaiian Beaches, Pahoa Village, Nanawale, Kapoho, and Kalapana)

Keiko Bonk-Abramson District 6, Puna (Kurtistown, Mt. View, Volcano), Kau (Pahala, Naalehu, HOVE) and South Kona (Milolii, Hookena, and portions of Honaunau)

Keola Childs District 7, South Kona (portions of Honaunau, Capt. Cook, Kealakekua) and North Kona (Kainaliu, Keauhou, Kahaluu, Holualoa)

James Rath District 8, North Kona (Kailua, Kealakehe, Kalaoa, Puuanahulu)

John Ray District 9, North and South Kohala (Waikoloa, Waimea, Hawi, Halaula)

ACCESSIBILITY AND PUBLIC NOTICES

In its continuing efforts to bring government closer to the public, the Council's Committee meetings are now being televised on the public access channels in East and West Hawaii. Each meeting is aired twice and the broadcast times are published with the agendas in both the West Hawaii Today and the Hawaii Tribune Herald. In addition, the broadcast times are published in the television schedule in the West Hawaii Today. Due to the advanced technology provided by Na Leo 'O Hawaii, captions are provided on the TV screen so that the public will be able to tune at any time and know what legislation is under discussion by the Council.

Notices and agendas of meetings are printed in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald and West Hawaii Today in advance of meeting dates to allow the public a greater opportunity for participation in the Council decision making process. The publication dates of the Council and Committee agendas are announced at the beginning and end of Na Leo's broadcast of the Council meeting.

The Clerk's office continues to work towards the implementation of an imaging, archival and records retrieval system, which will significantly improve access to public records. Some of the records available at the Clerk's Office are current and pending bills and resolutions, communications, Council and Committee agendas and minutes, Ordinances, Council Rules of Procedure, County Charter, County Code Chapters, Disclosures of Financial Interest and Gift Disclosure Statements, and the County Operating and Capital Improvement Project Budgets.

An informational video, "Your County Government", is available to schools and organizations to disseminate information on the functions of local government. The video tape is part of the voter education program and is also shown at introductory government workshops and tours. The tape is also available at the Hilo, Kailua-Kona, Thelma Parker (Waimea) and Pahala public libraries or may be ordered through the State Library System.

STAFF

The support services for the Hawaii County Council are provided by: the Office of the County Clerk, Barbara Bell, County Clerk; Kaipo Kincaid, Deputy County Clerk; Connie Kiriu, Legislative Auditor; and respective support staff. The major assignments of the office were accomplished through its Council Services Division (clerical), the Legislative Auditor's Division (research and drafting) and the Elections Division (voter registration and elections). The Office of the County Clerk operated with a permanent staff of 37.

ACTIVITIES

During the year the Council held 24 regular meetings, one special meeting, seven Committee of the Whole meetings, and conducted seven public hearings. The Council's Committees conducted a total of 89 regular meetings, 10 subcommittee meetings, four public hearings, and four workshops. During this period, the Council processed approximately 2100 public communications, approved 228 Resolutions and enacted 153 bills into law.

One event of note held this year was Open Government Day. The main event was a Big Island Association of Students Council meeting, in which the students took the seats of the Councilmembers, and the Councilmembers were the audience, sitting at the table facing the students. The students showed themselves to be extremely astute to County issues and, based on the Councilmembers comments, quick learners as well. The meeting was broadcast via cable television in its entirety in both East and West Hawaii. The Administration participated with all of the departments providing demonstrations, games and tours of the building. The Councilmembers showed their sport by participating in a dunking booth, in which the public could purchase a ball to throw at a target to dunk a Councilmember, with the proceeds going to charity.

The County Council, through the Clerk's Office, hosted the Mid-Year Conference of the Hawaii State Association of Counties. The theme was True Cost Development. The conference explored hidden costs and benefits associated with governmental actions in order to more accurately plan our future.

LEGISLATION

The increased number of meetings, public hearings and workshops over previous years was indicative of the Council's desire to provide meaningful legislation, policies and program development for its citizens.

Of over 150 bills which were passed, those most noteworthy accomplished the following:

ˆ Allows leasehold parcels to be subdivided for agricultural purposes with minimal infrastructure requirements (Farm Lot Subdivisions)

ˆ Allows the county to enforce statewide trafffic regulations on private roads.

ˆ Ensures that existing public accesses to the shoreline and mountain recreation areas are retained if development occurs.

ˆ Enables the county to recover fees for parking violations that may be normally paid to the state.

ˆ Expands the Kona and Hilo-Puna Enterprise zones.

ˆ Provides for Native Forest dedication and assessment revisions to the Real Property Tax Code.

ˆ Enables the Planning Department to enforce zoning violations more effectively and provided for citizens to file complaints.

ˆ Expands commercial opportunities in Multiple-Family Residential zones.

ˆ Establishes more administrative and legislative oversight of nonprofit organizations applying for and receiving county funding.

ˆ Clarifies the existing sewer fees and sewer construction law to provide equity to property owners, developers and the county.

ˆ Authorizes the consolidation of county offices in Hilo and in Kona to improve the delivery of services to the public.

ˆ Restricts the building of "ohana" dwellings if infrastructure is inadequate.

ˆ Extends relief from real property tax payments to property owners who are affected by fire, landslides and other disasters.

The Council played a major role in facilitating discussion between constituents and other local, state or federal government agencies over such issues as advancing the federal trust obligation to Native Hawaiians; promoting awareness of hunters' rights and concerns in the state's natural resource areas; reviewing the impact of the federal proposal to include the waters off Hawaii County as a whale sanctuary on the fishing and marine industries; and the State's public safety plan to locate prisons in the county.

As a result of sound and conservative fiscal management over recent years, the Council and the Administration worked to adopt a balanced county budget without the need to increase real property taxes.

In its review of proposed development projects, the Council carefully weighed the balance of growth with the opportunities for jobs and affordable housing coupled with the provision for adequate infrastructure. It also realized that the expansion of the county's real property tax base would support, in part, the demands placed on the delivery of services to residents. The Council approved approximately 28 rezoning applications for various commercial, industrial, residential and agricultural projects covering over 1,400 acres of land area. Each project was evaluated on its merits and its approval contained appropriate conditions addressing water, traffic, solid waste, drainage, parks, police, fire and affordable housing.

Funds generated from the fuel tax continued to pay for the maintenance and repair of roads throughout the County. $5,819,694 was appropriated for the fiscal year.

The Council also appropriated major funding for capital improvement projects in every district. Projects included improvements in the areas of:

PUBLIC SAFETY

Police Facilities

Communication and Tower Replacement

Keauhou Fire/Emergency Station

Hawaiian Paradise Park Volunteer Fire Station

Hawaiian Ocean View Estates Fire House

Waikoloa Fire Station

PARKS & RECREATION

Puna-Pahoa Swimming Pool

Kona Swim Pool

West Hawaii Regional Sports Complex

Honokaa Rodeo Arena Improvements

Hilo Bayfront Park Improvements

Isaac Hale Beach Park Improvements

Kailua-Park Equipment

Puna Parks

PUBLIC WORKS - DRAINAGE AND FLOOD CONTROL

Kukuau/Kapiolani Drainage

Hoaka Road Drainage Improvements

North Kona Drainage Improvements

PUBLIC WORKS - SEWAGE & SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL

Hilo Ocean Outfall

Alii Drive Sewer Interceptor

Holualoa Bay & Disappearing Sands Sewage Pump Stations

Kamehameha Avenue Sewer

PUBLIC WORKS-HIGHWAYS

Mamalahoa Highway through Waimea

Kuakini Highway from Palani to Hualalai

Palani Road Sidewalks

Alii Highway

Numerous Traffic Signals and Bridge Repairs

STATE LEGISLATURE ACTIVITIES

The Council developed its first legislative package consisting of position statements on issues including advance disposal fees, sharing traffic fines and forfeiture revenues, clarifying the sunshine law, opposing state mandates which result in unfunded expenditures for the county, abolishing the office of state planning/land use commission/water commission, maintaining the transient accommodations tax (TAT) to the counties, appropriating funds for pretrial detainees and the Puainako Street extension, and workmen's compensation reform.

ELECTIONS DIVISION

Elections Division is responsible for all election activities in the County, including the administration of State and County elections, registration of voters, voter education, conducts absentee voting, establishes new polling places, recruits and trains precinct officials, tabulates ballots, redefines district boundaries during reapportionment, proposes election legislation, verifies signatories on petitions and nomination papers, and maintains the regular and OHA voter registers. The Division also acts as an agent for the State Campaign Spending Division and the Ethics Commission by taking receipt of reports that are required to be filed by these agencies. It assists the Office of the Lieutenant Governor in State election matters.

The office implements its programs with a full time staff of four: Deputy County Clerk, Elections Administrator, Elections Assistant, and Senior Elections Clerk. In election years, this staff is incrementally augmented by (12) full-time temporary positions: (7) Election Clerks, (1) Elections Supervisor, and (4) Election Warehouse Workers.

To carry out these responsibilities, the Elections Division coordinated with island-wide grocery stores and provided ballot boxes for Wiki-Wiki Voter Registration forms. It worked with the national group, "Rock the Vote," which is in partnership with MTV to dramatically increase voter participation in the 18-30 year age target group. The League of Women Voters partnered with elections to staff the drive-through voter registration drive on the last days before the registration deadlines for the Primary and the General elections.

A second new precinct will be established in Waimea for the 1996 elections, bringing the total number of polling stations to 58 including 4 absentee polling stations.

The office has completed the acquisition of a local area network data processing system. This equipment upgrades services by making the voter register data system more easily retrievable and less subject to interruptions due to computer shut down.

During the 1994 election cycle 36,377 votes were cast at the primary election and 48,907 votes at the general election. This office recruited and trained 518 precinct officials to operate the absentee polls and the precinct polls, processed 12,991 transactions in the voter register, and 5,494 applications for absentee mail ballots, issued and verified 74 candidate nomination papers and petitions, and in concert with the Association of Clerks and Election Officers of Hawaii proposed numerous bills to the State Legislature.