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1. Nonpartisan Elections. Under Charter Amendment No. 1, all county elected officers--mayor, council, and prosecuting attorney--would be elected in nonpartisan elections. All candidates for a particular office would be on the ballot at an election held at the same time as the primary election. If one candidate received more than 50% of the votes cast for that office, not counting any blank or spoiled ballots, that candidate would be elected. If no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, the two receiving the most votes would run at an election held at the same time as the general election. No party identification would appear on the county ballot. The timing of elections would not change--the mayor and prosecuting attorney would continue to be elected for four-year terms, and the county council would continue to be elected for two-year terms. In the present charter, any county council vacancy is filled by the remaining council members appointing a member belonging to the same political party as the former member. If nonpartisan elections are adopted, it would no longer be required that the new member belong to the same political party.

2. Managing Director’s Authority. At present, the managing director has supervisory authority over the public works, parks and recreation, and fire departments. Charter Amendment No. 2 would give the managing director supervisory authority over all county departments and agencies. As at present, this authority would be exercised under the ultimate control of the mayor. The managing director would also be the head of an office of management. County council confirmation of the managing director would be required. The managing director would be given additional responsibility for the budget. The managing director would have to meet additional qualifications.

3. Fire Commission. Charter Amendment No. 3 would create a fire commission. It would appoint and remove the fire chief. Under the present charter, the mayor has those powers. The fire commission would consist of nine members, appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the county council. One member would be a resident of each county council district. The fire commission would also advise the fire chief.

4. Department of Environmental Management. Charter Amendment No. 4 would transfer the county’s solid waste, wastewater, and recycling programs from the department of public works to a new department of environmental management.

The mayor would appoint the director of the department, with county council confirmation. There would be an environmental management commission to advise the department, and to have other powers which might later be delegated to it by ordinance. It would consist of nine members. One would be a resident of each county council district. The members would be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the county council.

5. Hold-over of Members of Boards and Commissions. Charter Amendment No. 5 would allow members of boards and commissions whose terms had expired to continue to serve for ninety days, or until a successor is appointed and confirmed, whichever came first. Under the present charter, members can hold over for a maximum of thirty days, only when there has been a transition to a new mayor.

6. Safety Coordinator’s Office. In the present charter, there is an office of the safety coordinator which is responsible for workplace safety. Charter Amendment No. 6 would transfer the duties and staff of the office of the safety coordinator to the department of civil service and abolish the safety coordinator's office.

7. Qualifications of Department Heads. Under Charter Amendment No. 7, qualifications for the directors of parks and recreation and of research and development would be stated in the charter for the first time. Basically, they would require five years' relevant experience. The chief engineer's position would be renamed "director of public works." Five years' administrative experience would be required for the director of public works and water director. The qualifications for the managing director would be changed. The qualifications for the planning director would be changed so that of the required experience, at least three years would have been in an administrative capacity.

8. Police Department. Charter Amendment No. 8 would give the police department a general overall statement of the policies it should follow. The police commission would be required to review the operations of the department, and to perform an annual evaluation of the chief of police.

9. Water Department. At present, there is a county water commission, with nine members, who must generally be representative of the various geographical areas of the county, but without a specific residency requirement. Charter Amendment No. 9 would specify that one member shall be a resident of each of the nine council districts, and would rename the water commission the "water board." The director of the department of water supply would also be required to have a minimum of five years' administrative experience.

10. Salary Commission. Under Charter Amendment No. 10, the salary commission would set the salaries of all appointed directors and deputy directors of county departments and executive agencies. Currently, the salary commission sets the salaries of elected officials, and the county council sets the salaries of appointed directors and deputy directors. The charter would also specify that one member of the salary commission must be a resident of each of the nine county council districts.

11. Cost of Government Commission. Charter Amendment No. 11 would establish a cost of government commission, which would advise the county government on ways to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness. It would consist of nine members, one from each council district, who would be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the county council. The cost of government commission would be appointed every fourth year, at the beginning of the second year of the mayor's term, and serve for eleven months.

12. Hawaii Redevelopment Agency. Charter Amendment No. 12 would abolish the Hawaii Redevelopment Agency, and transfer its functions to the planning director, who would administer them through the planning department. At present, the Hawaii Redevelopment Agency has some authority to regulate development in the Kaiko’o redevelopment area, and in downtown Hilo.

13. Council Meetings in Kona. Charter Amendment No. 13 would require the full county council to have a meeting at least once every three months in either North or South Kona.

14. Liquor Commission Membership. Charter Amendment No. 14 would increase the number of liquor commissioners from seven to nine, and require that one member reside in each of the nine county council districts.

15. Code of Ethics. Charter Amendment No. 15 would add a statement of purpose to the charter provisions on ethical conduct. It would state that elected and appointed officers and employees shall demonstrate the highest standard of ethical conduct so that the public may have trust and confidence in the integrity of the government.

16. Residency of Board and Commission Members After Redistricting. Every ten years, county council district boundary lines are re-drawn by the county reapportionment commission. When this happens, members of boards and commissions who were appointed to represent particular districts might no longer reside within the new district boundaries. Charter Amendment No. 16 would clarify that any such members will remain eligible to serve the full term and to represent the district to which the members was appointed.

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