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Hawaii County Council

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 Council Chairman James Y. Arakaki is a 1958 graduate of Hilo High School. He attended the University of Hawai'i at Hilo and graduated from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa in 1965. He is the President of Dodo Mortuary Life Plan and currently serves as the Hawai'i County Council Chairman. A United States Army veteran, he has been very active in many community organizations such as the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, Hawai'i Island Japanese Community Association, Hui Okinawa, Hilo Junior Golf, Hilo Downtown Improvement Association, Ahualani Kumiai, Hawai'i Allied Memorial Council and the Kanoelehua Industrial Association. He has also served on the State of Hawai'i Contractors Licensing Board. Council Chair Arakaki and his wife, Grace, have two daughters and a son.
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 Councilman Al Smith was elected to represent the lower Puna area in November of 1994 and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Council and as Vice Chairman of the County Housing Agency. He is presently the Vice-Chairman of the Hawai'i State Association of Counties and the Vice Chair of the Public Lands and Steering Sub-Committee of the National Association of Counties. A resident of the community for over 30 years, he built a successful small business in Pahoa. He has helped start several youth programs including the Pahoa Little League, the Babe Ruth league, and Pahoa High School Baseball programs. He is a former President of the Pahoa PTSA, a member of Paradise Park Hui Hanalike, B.P.O. Elks, Lodge 759, Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie #3642, and the Puu Wai Opio Softball Club. Councilman Smith and his wife, Jan, have two children and two grandchildren.
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 Councilman Dominic Yagong is a 1977 graduate of Honoka'a High School, and attended the University of Hawai'i at Hilo. He currently serves as the Hawai'i County Council's Public Works and Parks Chairman. Councilman Yagong has been actively involved in several community and civic organizations throughout the Hamakua Coast, including Hamakua Lion's Club, Mauna Kea Jaycees, Vice President of Honoka'a Elementary Association, Fundraising Chairman of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Founder of the Green and Gold Forever fund, and Chairman of the Honoka'a School Centennial Celebration. Councilman Yagong is known as the "voice of the Honoka'a Dragons," as he does the broadcasting for Honoka'a High School sporting events. He resides in Honoka'a with his wife Hilda, his daughter Chelsea and his two sons Jeremy and Rylee.
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 Councilmember Bobby Jean Akane Leithead-Todd was born in Kokura, Fukuoka, Japan. She is a graduate of Hilo High School, the University of Hawaii and the William S. Richardson School of Law. In law school she received the prestigious Susan B. McKay Award, was a member of the National Moot Court Team and was the Editor of the UH Lawletter. Currently in private practice, she is a former County Legislative Auditor, Deputy Corporation Counsel, served on the Supreme Court Committee on Gender and Other Fairness and is a prior Chairman of the Hawaii County Board of Ethics. Councilmember Leithead-Todd served on the Board of Directors of the High Technology Development Corporation and is a member of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Hawai'i Island Chamber of Commerce, the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii State and County Bar Associations, the Big Island Women's Legal Association and Keaukaha Canoe Club, as well as numerous other community organizations. She and her husband Steve Todd have three children, Kazuo, Christopher and Katherine.
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Aaron S.Y. Chung is a second term Councilmember of District 4 (Waiakea, Keaukaha, Panaewa and Downtown Hilo) and presently serves as Chairperson of the Committee on Finance. Born and raised in Hilo, he is a graduate of Hilo High School, the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, and the UCLA School of Law. He previously served as a law clerk for the Honorable Ernest Kubota, as a Deputy Corporation Counsel for the County of Hawai'i and is currently an attorney in private practice. Of the various civic associations in which he has membership, Aaron finds most enjoyment in those that serve to further the recreational opportunities in the community, particularly for youngsters, hence his involvement with the Big Island Public Links Committee and numerous youth athletic organizations.
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Julie Jacobson was elected to the Sixth District Council Seat (Upper Puna, Ka'u and South Kona) in November 1998. Julie was raised in Rochester, Minnesota, and has lived in Hawai'i County since 1981. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee) in 1975 with a BS in Deaf Education. She received an MS degree in Educational Psychology and Counseling in 1980 from Winona State University (Minnesota) and Licensed Practical Nurse certification from Hawai'i Community College in 1990.

Since 1976, Julie has been a public school teacher serving deaf, deaf/blind, developmentally disabled and severely multiply-handicapped children, as well as working as an elementary school counselor. She is currently on leave of absence from her special education teaching position at Honoka'a High and Intermediate School. Julie and Bob, her husband of 25 years, have managed a property rental business since 1976.

Mrs. Jacobson's community involvement includes: Hawai'i State House of Representatives' Puna Community Service Award Winner (1996); Hawai'i Special Olympics Aquatics Coach; Puna Wellness Coalition; Spear-headed Hawaiian Acres Community Association Survey (1995); Hawaiian Acres Planning Committee; Puna Outdoor Circle; Sierra Club; American Association of University Women; Co-Chair, Hawai'i County Green Party (1997); Na'alehu Mainstreet; Ka'u Agroforestry Association; Volunteer LPN at the Keauhou Kona Triathalon (1998) and League of Women Voters.
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Councilwoman Nancy Pisicchio was elected to represent District 7, which covers the northern portion of South Kona and the southern portion of North Kona. She has lived in Hawaii since 1976. In 1992, she and her husband moved on to their eleven-acre macadamia nut farm in Keauhou Mauka.

She is the chair of the County Housing Agency and is vice chair of the Committee on Finance. She sits on the Advisory Commission for the State of Hawaii's trail program, "Na Ala Hele".

Nancy is the co-founder of the Kona organization, Plan to Protect. She has also been active in the Kona Farm Bureau, the Kona Farmers Alliance, the Kona Hawaiian Civic Club and Pulama Ia Kona Heritage Preservation Council.
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J. Curtis Tyler III, 54, serves as a full-time member of the Hawai'i County Council since 1996, representing District 8, North Kona. He is chair of the Council Human Services & Economic Development Committee and vice-chair of the Planning Committee. He is also vice-chair of the solid & Hazardous Waste subcommittee and member of the Energy, Environment and Land-Use Steering Committee, Sustainability Leadership Team, Watershed Management Advisory Committee and Smart Growth Committee of the National Association of Counties (NACo). Mr. Tyler is a 1964 graduate of Hawai'i Preparatory Academy and a 1968 honors graduate of Williams College in Massachusetts. He served as a line officer in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam era and is a life member of the Disabled American Veterans. A lifetime Kona resident, Mr. Tyler has been a small businessman and community leader for over 25 years. He is a member and immediate past chair of the Hawai'i State Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities. His other community activities include memberships in the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, the Republican Party of Hawai'i and the National Conference of Republican County Officials. In past years, he also has served as chair of the Kailua Village Design Commission, president of Konawaena Elementary School PTSA, director of the Ironman Triathlon and member of the Kona Traffic Safety Committee. He and his wife Lesley reside in Kalaoa, North Kona and have a daughter, Mika, and a son, Jay.
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Leningrad Elarionoff, was born and reared in Kioloka'a, Ka'u with a father who fled from Russia in 1910 and a Hawaiian, Irish, Chinese mother from Waimea. He attended Naalehu Elementary and Intermediate School and Ka'u High School prior to college. Job experiences included working for the Hutchinson sugar Plantation and the South Point Satellite Station which helped to pay for college in California. When the savings were depleted he went to work as a cabinetmaker and attended college at night. His police career began as a Police Officer for the Santa Cruz Police Department in California before returning to Hawaii and joining the Hawaii County Police Department in 1968. For twenty-seven years, he worked in the Waimea, Honokaa and Kohala Police districts while living in Waimea. He and his wife, Paula, raised four children, Raena, Kehau, Grad and Chris. In 1994, Leningrad retired as a District Commander-Captain from the Hawaii County Police Department. Shortly after retirement, Leningrad entered the field of politics.

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Al Konishi was appointed to County Clerk in December, 1998. Al is a graduate of Saint Louis High School, the University of Hawai'i (B.A. - Journalism) and the University of San Francisco School of Law. Al has served in numerous State and County positions beginning in 1972. He has also worked in the private sector in law and economic development. Al has served as an officer or director of many community organizations such as the Keaukaha Canoe Club, Junior Achievement of Hawai'i Island, East Hawai'i Coalition for the Homeless, Hawai'i Island Chamber of Commerce, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawai'i and Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai'i..

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Donald Ikeda was appointed Deputy County Clerk on December, 1998. He is a graduate of California State College at Los Angeles with a bachelor's degree in business with a major in accounting. Mr. Ikeda's work experience spans both the private and public sector. Prior to returning to Hawai'i, he worked in the Audits Division for the State of California in Los Angeles. He also worked in the private sector for twenty years as the manager of S. Ikeda Factory, LTD. Mr. Ikeda's positions with the County of Hawai'i include being a Legislative Assistant and Fiscal Program Review Auditor in the Legislative Auditors Office, and County Clerk.
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 Constance R. Kiriu, Legislative Auditor, graduated from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology and Education. She taught in the Minnesota, Washington and Hawai'i school systems before working as Legislative Assistant with the Hawai'i County Council for two years. Her move to the County Planning Department spanned a period of eight years. She was subsequently appointed as Deputy County Clerk for two years with the Council, and later as Legislative Auditor. Ms. Kiriu serves on the Board of Directors for Na Leo 'O Hawai'i and is a member of the Big Island Women's Law Association..

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. Council members serve a term of two years and are elected from nine single member districts and must reside within the district. Current council members are:

Dominic Yagong

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

Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd

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

James Y. Arakaki

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

Aaron S. Y. Chung

District 4, South Hilo (Keauakaha, Panaewa, Waiakea Houselots, portions of Downtown Hilo, 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)

Julie Jacobson

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

Nancy Pisicchio

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

J. Curtis Tyler, III

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

Leningrad Elarionoff

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

The County Council is supported by the Office of the County Clerk, which is composed of six divisions.

The Council Services Section is responsible for providing clerical and stenographic support to all council meetings, special meetings, public hearings, committee of the whole meetings and executive sessions. Its duties include processing, tracking, archiving and retrieving legislative information; filing of land documents in which the county is grantee, executive orders, financial disclosures of elected and appointed officials, personal interest and gift disclosures of elected officials, and departmental administrative rules and claims.

The Committee Services Section is responsible for providing clerical and stenographic support to all the council’s committee and subcommittee meetings, special meetings, public hearings, and workshops.

The Council Aides Section is primarily responsible for providing individual council members carry with district support to help them serve their constituencies.

The Reprographics Division is responsible for reproducing, binding and mailing documents from all county departments and agencies.

The Legislative Auditor’s Office provides comprehensive research, drafts legislation as requested, supports council committees by conducting research and writing committee reports, assists in the oversight of the independent audit, prepares special studies and limited scope performance reviews, and serves as a legislative reference for state legislation. Personnel and accounting functions are performed out of this Office.

The Elections Division is responsible for all election activities in the County, including the administration of State and County elections, registration of voters, voter education, conducting absentee voting, establishing new polling places, recruiting and training precinct officials, tabulating ballots, redefining district boundaries during reapportionment, proposing election legislation, verifying signatories on petitions and nomination papers, and maintaining 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 Elections in State election matters.

STAFF

The Office of the County Clerk operates with a permanent staff of 47 and, in election years, increases to 14 full-time temporary election personnel. Department heads are County Clerk Al Konishi, Deputy County Clerk Donald Ikeda and Legislative Auditor Connie Kiriu.

HIGHLIGHTS/ACTIVITIES

Public Accessibility and Notice

In its continuing efforts to bring government closer to the public, the Council and Committee meetings continue to be televised on the public access channels in East and West Hawaii. Each meeting is aired three times. The broadcast times are published with the agendas in both the West Hawaii Today and the Hawaii Tribune Herald newspapers as well as in the television schedule in the West Hawaii Today. The meetings will be aired with captioning beginning July 1, 2000.

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 available at the Hilo, Kailua-Kona, Thelma Parker (Waimea) and Pahala public libraries or may be ordered through the State Library System.

The Council has also produced a handout called "You and Your County Government" in cooperation with the League of Women Voters. The Hawaii State Correctional Industries Program at the Kulani Correctional and Halawa Correctional Facilities helped to design, typeset and print the handout. The handout is available at the Clerk’s Office.

Activities

During the year the Council held 24 regular meetings and 5 public hearings. The Council’s Committees conducted a total of 83 regular meetings and 2 public hearings. During this period, the Council processed approximately 3000 public communications, approved 160 resolutions and enacted 157 bills into law.

In April 2000, the County Council co-sponsored 3 one-day seminars that encouraged building ‘communities of character’ in the County of Hawaii. The seminars taught character-based principles to members of the Police Department, Fire Department, Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Council Members and limited members of the Maui and Kauai Police Departments.

The County Council was awarded the bid to host the NACo Western Interstate Region (WIR) conference from May 23-26, 2001 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort. WIR is an organization composed of the municipal government legislators from 15 western states. Its purpose is education and networking. The conference typically generates nearly 600 delegates and guests nationwide and the host county can expect to experience significant direct and indirect economic benefits. The Council began its promotional efforts by sponsoring an exhibit booth at the WIR 2000 Conference held in Boise, Idaho.

The County Council will be sponsoring the County’s Senior Health Fairs to be held on October 13, 2000 and March 2001, in West and East Hawaii, respectively. The Senior Health Fairs help to increase older citizens’ awareness of the various services and benefits provided by the County’s Elderly Programs. Free bus transportation for seniors to both fairs will be offered.

Legislation

The numerous meetings, public hearings and workshops held in the past year are indicative of the Council’s desire to provide meaningful participation in the formulation of legislative policy and program development of its citizen.

Noteworthy legislation accomplished the following:

Prohibited the use of coasters, roller skates, roller blades, skateboards and similar devices in Downtown Hilo Commercial area.

Prohibited certain acts of solicitation for money or objects of value in the Downtown Hilo Commercial area.

Eliminated the current exemption of public utilities from paying real property taxes in order to collect payments that have been made to the state in lieu of real property taxes.

Established an official list of County parks and recreational facility names.

Authorized $1,800,000 in general obligation bonds to construct the East Hawaii Police Detention Facility.

Provided for the establishment of the Workforce Investment Act Program, which reforms the nation’s job training system by consolidating more than 60 existing federal training programs through three block grants to state and local governments: Adult Employment and Training, Disadvantaged Youth Employment and Training, and Adult Education and Literacy Grant.

Changed the Real Property Tax Code by allowing an owner of land who has dedicated lands for agricultural purposes to subdivide land into less than 5 acre lots or change land use classification to urban or rural without penalty as long as ag performance continues.

Adopted the "Island of Hawaii Self Evaluation and Transition Plan for Accessibility to Public Facilities." This plan sets forth the steps necessary to complete American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for County services, policies, practices and facilities.

As a result of sound and conservative fiscal management over the past 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 balanced its decisions of allowing quality growth with the opportunities created for jobs, affordable housing and improved infrastructure. The Council also recognized that the expansion of the County’s real property tax base as a result of increased assessments for highest and best use through zoning would support, in part, the demands placed on the delivery of services to residents. Over 880 acres of land were rezoned to accommodate various agricultural, residential, resort, commercial and industrial projects in the county. Every project was reviewed on its merits and against goals, policies and objectives in the General Plan. Those change of zone applications that were approved contained conditions, as necessary, addressing water, traffic, solid waste, drainage, parks, police, fire, historic sites and affordable housing.

Additionally, over 73 acres of land was reclassified from the State Land Use Agricultural to Urban or Rural Districts by the council.

Funds generated from the fuel tax continued to pay for the maintenance and repair of roads throughout the County. Over $5,808,000 was appropriated for the fiscal year.

The Council also appropriated major funding for capital improvement projects in every district. Projects included, but were not limited to:

Department of Public Works

Curb cuts for ADA compliance
Various sewer projects (Waiakea Houselot Collector Sewer, Ainako Interceptor Sewer, Mill Pond Sewer Easement Improvements, Hilo STP Demo/Rehab, Paukaa Collector Sewer)
Wailuku-Alenaio Watershed Project
Kahului-Keauhou Parkway (formerly known as the Ali’i Highway)
Puainako Street Extension
Upper Waiakea Stream Flood Control Improvements
Lindsey Road Improvements

Police Department

800 MHZ Conversion
Public Safety Complex, Cellblock Expansion
South Kohala Police Station Parking Lot Expansion
Microwave Relocation and System Renovation

Department of Parks and Recreation

Kawananakoa/Hualani park Gym
Hilo Bay Recreation Complex
Pohoiki Park
Waiaha Bay Beach Park Land Acquisition

Fire Department

Keaau Fire Station

The Council requested and received two special studies from the Office of the Legislative Auditor:

‘Special Study On Federal Grants 96-DB-13 and LOA 97-39 To The Hawaii County Police Department Funding Marijuana Eradication’. The study was conducted to provide the Council with comprehensive background information about a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement initiative on marijuana eradication and an examination of specific issues requested by the Council. The study concluded that the Police Department effectively met the stated goals, objectives and obligations of the grant, spent monies as authorized, observed internal controls for the disposition of confiscated marijuana, cash seizures and public complaints. It further found that the Council lacked statutory authority to change the marijuana eradication program as proposed in the grant. Rather, the proper forum for public discussion is with the Department of the Attorney General and its advisory committee on crime.

‘Special Study On County Of Hawaii Leases With Nonprofit Organizations’ concluded that there is no criteria in the Hawaii County Code to guide the finance director in deciding what terms and conditions are "proper" during negotiations with nonprofit organizations. Further, rules of procedure have not been promulgated to aid in this decision. Consequently, inadequate policies and procedures subject the county to performance that is unpredictable and unreliable. Finally, varying degrees of noncompliance by all nonprofit organizations was found coupled with lack of contract enforcement by the lead departments. The Council requested the Office of the Legislative Auditor to draft short-term amendments to the law to address the immediate problems.

Voting Information

Deputy Voter Registrar Classes were conducted from January to July in which 65 registrars were deputized. In 1999, 4000 questionnaires were mailed out to voters in rural areas to obtain house numbers and street addresses in order to update the General County Register. we received 3,200 responses, which enabled us to place voters in the correct district, precinct, and polling place.

The Elections Division contacted all high schools to participate in the voter education and registration program throughout the County. Approximately 1000 high school seniors registered through this program.

To comply with the National Voter Registration Act, 7,336 questionable address notices were processed and approximately 1,500 voters updated their addresses.

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