[{"_1":2,"_118":-5,"_119":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,84,96,106],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6606276,"mediaKeyId","2966408-43c8b3a80eb0802768a7c8cb392aba0b","parentId",2966408,"title","County auditor says annual financial audit contract, performance plan moving forward; flags ACFAR cost risks","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",64360000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2966408-43c8b3a80eb0802768a7c8cb392aba0b&start=64360&end=64360","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2966408-43c8b3a80eb0802768a7c8cb392aba0b/thumbnail_64360000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6606276/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/County-auditor-says-annual-financial-audit-contract-performance-plan-moving-forward-flags-ACFAR-cost-risks","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6606276-3f7d586ac727b5cb956ee10773446cb3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448478&Signature=U6ItMDP8Vhk8REtThbpKwffFYBNpOdUtVWug1-T9JeTuiTWSWy24hFAMqBwlYLz8udNy4A3VjMFwnuCyqVZjlhYYFtMfHWQvAA3AMf1ujfk9jvv3O~tm~va7S1eFvFasSR4v6vcBpfFA7cxCaDduF07dBSlU11l2RMiHOIWhP9Q3PYb0uoX3H1Ow6ZooETttDQRjV3d~78kJ2YhnyCGS2hyKHyMAa3YQJ1aW-vY-2IoHeKac9FGaGAN6JfV0sCQG8ap8PnpoMQroyoSjHFGFB85v3j~9wfoNtgo71xibrlQdSFoHT-fWIyMhepnPnbNo5sauwG9CDZTqL6EjZwiMpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hawaii County","date","2025-04-10T09:02:00Z","article","HILO — The County Auditor told the County Council on May 20 that the office has filed its mandatory annual audit plan, will host an external peer review, and has executed a multiyear contract for the county’s annual financial audit — while flagging near-term risks and possible extra costs related to the county’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR).

Tyler Benner, who heads the Office of the County Auditor, said the office completed its countywide risk-survey process and transmitted the 2025 annual audit plan as required by the county charter. The office also awarded a five-year contract to a certified public accounting firm (QED LLP) to perform the county’s independent annual financial audit and related procedures.

Benner warned council members that the county’s CAFR process continues to face both short-term and systemic challenges, including turnover in the finance director and controller positions and an ongoing accounting system implementation; those transitions, he said, have complicated the county’s ability to meet normal reporting timelines and have increased audit costs. Benner told the council the auditor’s office had advised the council on Feb. 18 that additional CAFR-related costs and schedule delays were possible.

To manage expectations, Benner said the auditor’s office had budgeted a baseline of approximately $385,000 for the annual financial audit and recommended an encumbrance option that could rise to about $475,000 if additional reports are required — capturing possible extra program audits or additional audit steps. He said unspent audit funds would be returned to the general fund if not needed.

Benner described other work priorities: operating the fraud/waste/abuse hotline, completing performance and financial audit reports on a schedule aligned with government auditing standards, and hosting a required external peer review to confirm the office’s compliance with government auditing standards and training requirements. He said staff vacancies remain a focus and that the office was actively recruiting to fill analyst roles.

Why this matters: Counties must maintain timely, high-quality financial audits to secure federal and state funds, inform bond markets and give the public confidence. Auditor Benner’s notice about potential CAFR costs and schedule risk signals a budget item council members may need to consider as part of the FY26 budget conversation.

Looking ahead: Benner said the auditor’s office will continue to monitor the CAFR timeline, work with Finance to scope any additional audit steps and return in May with more detailed cost projections for the CAFR process if needed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Hawaii County - Special Committee on Finance - Apr 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","County Auditor Tyler Benner told the council his office filed the required annual audit plan, will host a peer review and has a five-year contract for the county's annual financial audit, but warned ACFAR (comprehensive financial report) work could require extra funding due to audit complexity and recent administrative turnover.","taxTitle","Hawaii County, Hawaii","taxId",12825,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":42,"_43":77,"_45":77,"_46":78,"_48":79,"_50":80,"_52":81,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":82,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":83,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6606281,"Office of Aging asks council to sustain services as federal and state grants shift; Kupuna Care and caregiver supports continue",54893000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2966408-43c8b3a80eb0802768a7c8cb392aba0b&start=54893&end=54893","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2966408-43c8b3a80eb0802768a7c8cb392aba0b/thumbnail_54893000.jpg","/articles/6606281/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/Office-of-Aging-asks-council-to-sustain-services-as-federal-and-state-grants-shift-Kupuna-Care-and-caregiver-supports-continue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6606281-d87b05885d320defcfe4ec2429b02643/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448478&Signature=N0QlWpAxZ9sJtMT8gcLLKNJ-mR7QRoCrWx8f9PDUen7-iod3BTLycB2H1b-GcX3Gdw0wGGUPiGAlwa5rX~FY3W7pTXhVcPPxC50PRyEHkvebVF5NkLEzj0wcS21QHB7lIM5oYTbjz3dxibIN7AhBJ8r3NtlUtDhQ4OFw2LN7~YRq1eA-jcB6D0I6iOJCuZ1UbUIFlO3gzdfJ6Rx0SGoe3idwGmUCksiEsN0BCjmRDiewaULaDsd0XRlGWtrwRQ4fNdP~A2xZ8D79p~KasaHAyMusQevO8oL80F5O43~gHan3WEYOCHJ~ccAwWtIsPid9wT7qef40RasaChHeonZAOw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HILO — The Hawaii County Office of Aging presented its FY26 operating budget on May 20 and described ongoing services for older residents, caregivers and people with disabilities while flagging federal funding uncertainty that could reduce some programs nationwide.

Administrative Services Assistant Christine Nguyen spoke for the agency, which lacks a permanent executive on aging. Nguyen outlined the department’s programs including the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), Kupuna Care in-home services and caregiver counseling and respite. Nguyen said ADRC staff have delivered fall-prevention and emergency-preparedness training to hundreds of residents and that Kupuna Care provided tens of thousands of hours of in-home services and case management assistance.

Nguyen and staff described the department’s budget structure: about 76% of the Office of Aging’s FY26 budget depends on state and federal grants; the remainder is county funds for staff and local program matches. She said FY26 proposals expand certain program allocations in older Americans’ activities and case management but noted federal caregiver support funding is at risk in future years and may require scaled-down operations.

Office of Aging managers told council members they will continue essential services even if federal grants are reduced; the agency is planning for contingency reductions and expects to preserve core case management and home-based supports. Council members asked about coordination with Mass Transit and community partners for transportation of older residents and caregivers; Aging staff said they coordinate with providers and with paratransit services for necessary trips.

Why this matters: The Office of Aging administers nutrition, case management and at-home support that local older residents rely on, and the federal-state funding mix leaves the department vulnerable to grant expirations or federal policy shifts. Shortfalls could affect home-delivered meals, caregiver respite and transportation supports.

Looking ahead: Aging staff said they will continue to pursue state and federal grants and prepare contingency plans; council members asked for specific data on service volumes and how reductions would affect clients.","Acting staff at the Office of Aging told the County Council the department delivers nutrition, case management and Kupuna Care supports across the island and is monitoring federal funding changes while preparing a reduced but ongoing service model.",{"_33":85,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":86,"_41":87,"_43":88,"_45":89,"_46":90,"_48":91,"_50":92,"_52":93,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":94,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":95,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6606285,"Hawaii County Department of Environmental Management outlines wastewater upgrades, landfill lifespan and recycling gaps",6160,22850000,29010000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2966408-43c8b3a80eb0802768a7c8cb392aba0b&start=22850&end=29010","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2966408-43c8b3a80eb0802768a7c8cb392aba0b/thumbnail_22850000.jpg","/articles/6606285/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/Hawaii-County-Department-of-Environmental-Management-outlines-wastewater-upgrades-landfill-lifespan-and-recycling-gaps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6606285-1e9620d294dcf1d8873aa2eca917c336/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448478&Signature=EenwHuWpxWthSYs9Rmkzn-lllpfMt9sRRlTIVIhJNUdbUCS0PqX6lsWsk6MCI3ktWzvl17keYhzIHEytdb6JUIRsx11cJLly4kZFCFueBYtjdP9Y5CfUihH6wD6IfI~KuigpzhGtZDEg~lZj7hfcIv-8nzv0ljY1swGxK5qcPJBCw2DxXYnjaeF9tHxOwLLxhb-9zZfOjPrUQiRj0t8TLL2gM9IzvjCOfJ8MvaktyEgnN3Bd8nL19tUOByacP0DKaxO6fMIgyxODPHCZo1J1K8GdxUPp-hBzZA2Lp3PHmwCmPE-HBZs3ehgk-tiZ~D5XD80NuQzXhd-gmnka8AcJLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HILO — The County’s Department of Environmental Management (DEM) briefed the County Council on May 20 about a large slate of wastewater rehabilitation projects, landfill airspace limits and related recycling programs, saying the agency is under pressure to deliver on court-ordered cleanups and soon-to-be-implemented upgrades.

Wes Segawa, DEM director, and senior staff reviewed the agency’s FY26 program and capital priorities. The Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant rehabilitation project is moving toward construction: DEM issued a conditional notice to proceed (NTP) allowing the winning contractor to purchase equipment and materials while county staff finalize terms and ready construction management resources. Segawa said contractors’ schedules anticipate months of lead time for long-lead equipment.

The county must also comply with multiple administrative orders on consent (AOCs) and a recent Kealakehe settlement that requires conversion of the Kealakehe facility to R1-quality reuse water. Segawa and finance staff said agency leaders have been meeting weekly to model costs, schedules and staff capacity; Finance Director Diane Nakagawa told council members the administration is developing a feasible multi-year funding and delivery plan for presentation to EPA and the council.

DEM told the council the island’s active landfill (Puʻu Anahulu) now shows an estimated remaining airspace of approximately 15 years at current tonnage and operating conditions, a figure council members described as alarming. Staff said that estimate is sensitive to tonnage trends; countywide municipal solid waste influxes — especially from commercial sources — can shorten the life of landfill cells. DEM’s solid waste chief said the department is pursuing outreach, recycling partnerships and equipment purchases to conserve airspace.

Council members pressed DEM on diversion and recycling. Segawa said the county’s recycling partners take “clean” high-5 containers for export to mainland markets; non-high-5 glass and some other recyclables are handled on-island when markets exist for them. DEM staff described recent island-wide collection events for tires and refrigeration equipment and said they are improving transfer-station signage to reduce contamination of drop-off streams.

Staff also raised staffing pressures. DEM reported about 29% of budgeted department positions were vacant at the time of the budget session, and directors said the work needed to manage large capital projects and legal commitments will require steady staff and outside contracting support. The director said some projects that DEM will manage include Hilo treatment-plant phases, the Kealakehe R1 work (which has an estimated preliminary cost in existing planning documents), Pāhala cesspool closures and the Lāpuaʻhōʻe transfer-station improvements.

Why this matters: DEM’s capital projects and court-ordered cleanups are large, technically complex and potentially costly. The department is managing near-term construction, long-lead procurement and an urgent need to plan for landfill capacity beyond the next decade. Council members urged the administration to develop multi-year financial and operational strategies to present to state and federal partners.

Looking ahead: DEM and Finance said they will build a more complete five- to ten-year funding model for EPA and council review and will pursue grant and partnership options. Council members asked for clearer timelines, contingency plans for equipment failures at the Hilo plant during the procurement period, and a more aggressive diversion and recycling strategy to extend landfill life.","Director Wes Segawa told council members the county is beginning conditional work on the Hilo wastewater rehabilitation, must meet multiple AOC obligations and faces a landfill airspace shortfall estimated at about 15 years — prompting questions about diversion and revenue options.",{"_33":97,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":98,"_41":42,"_43":99,"_45":99,"_46":100,"_48":101,"_50":102,"_52":103,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":104,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":105,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6606290,"Hawaii County Parks and Recreation seeks $4M in repairs, increases maintenance staff for aging facilities",698334,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2966408-43c8b3a80eb0802768a7c8cb392aba0b&start=698&end=698","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2966408-43c8b3a80eb0802768a7c8cb392aba0b/thumbnail_698334.jpg","/articles/6606290/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/Hawaii-County-Parks-and-Recreation-seeks-4M-in-repairs-increases-maintenance-staff-for-aging-facilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6606290-93e16d27ccce2949dafcf6a1cb521067/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448478&Signature=GefzvugJtwmkI78GHNM~1hU1b6X25ZkgOyjcjX7wc7dklcgNt5o8oA6GIavTyc~ji68qWAmedToOMCUCltF3NbYiYc7u3ILOiEnyCNJscLJVQvrHIYcU-cWgl4u7bWuEsoXRgNsn0NIuS9mi1Q096A4fuPEIVXIoPVzvsSpdnoOs9Lo-0XGpN24Mca1q2zc1bHWfVwSTUx2nY3cnp5BNBU8YT1L6ZbtZveDMSuMmXyRvuRqJDdf9hHJWwIkzkSsN98d1bg8E1xqBdwTwzmHzhp6q5ZOEvt4ja7td2qfv457bjXgN~d7kWDjeXZA3KXg3ezEFDtxnUZnf1TGYOxhJXg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HILO — The Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation asked the County Council on May 20 for an expanded maintenance budget and more field staff to tackle a backlog of repairs at the county’s roughly 300 recreational facilities.

Director Clayton Honma told council members the department’s FY26 budget includes a $4 million increase to a parks facility repairs line item to address roofs, court resurfacing, comfort-station replacements and other deferred maintenance across the island. Honma said the funding would be used at several high-priority sites, including repairs at Greenwell Park, Konokau Park, Nāʻālehu Park and the long-sought replacement of the Luna Līlo Playground surface.

Honma also proposed adding five maintenance positions — three building maintenance workers and two painters — focused on West Hawaiʻi. He said the county’s current staffing model often requires crews based in Hilo to make long round trips to Kona to perform repair work, consuming travel time that reduces hands-on repair productivity. Honma said placing trades-capable building maintenance staff on the west side would reduce travel time, accelerate repairs and free Hilo crews to address other needs.

The department reported 584 budgeted positions and 45 vacancies overall. Honma said recruiting remains toughest for lifeguards and nutrition-driver roles, and he asked for continued help from Human Resources to move open recruitments to hire. The department said it has reduced vacancies from about 60 to 45 since the director’s confirmation earlier this year.

Parks staff highlighted a slate of CIP projects for FY26, including demolition and reconstruction work at Kailua Park (new comfort stations and an events pavilion), design and construction for outdoor sports-court renovations island-wide, reroofing and repairs for the Waimea Community Center, ball-field lighting restoration in Pāhala and Nāʻālehu, and a new comfort station at Kohana Beach Park. Honma said the department is partnering with Public Works on paving and parking improvements at several parks, and with grant partners to fund shelter and stop upgrades tied to multimodal planning.

Council members asked for a clearer public listing of “Friends of the Park” groups, which the department said would be compiled and published after staff complete a cleanup of outdated and overlapping agreements. Honma said the department is increasing funding for Friends of the Park from about $18,000 to $30,000 to support neighborhood volunteer projects.

Why this matters: Parks maintenance is largely year-to-year funding for assets the public sees daily. Several ongoing CIP projects and small but numerous repair needs — roofs, playground surfacing, fencing and electrical work — are constrained by staffing and equipment shortages. The department said increasing West Hawaiʻi–based maintenance staff would reduce travel overhead and speed repairs.

Looking ahead: Council members asked for an updated publicly available dashboard of major park projects and prioritized repairs. Honma said staff will produce a priority list of near-term projects for each council district and continue outreach to Friends of the Park and community partners.","Director Clayton Honma told the council the Parks Department needs $4 million in OCE for facility repairs and is adding five maintenance positions to reduce long travel times for crews and speed repairs at West Hawaii parks.",{"_33":107,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":108,"_41":109,"_43":110,"_45":111,"_46":112,"_48":113,"_50":114,"_52":115,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":116,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":117,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6606295,"Hawaii County Mass Transit plans electric buses, microtransit vans and readies for end of fare-free period",2117,301000,2418000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2966408-43c8b3a80eb0802768a7c8cb392aba0b&start=301&end=2418","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2966408-43c8b3a80eb0802768a7c8cb392aba0b/thumbnail_301000.jpg","/articles/6606295/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/Hawaii-County-Mass-Transit-plans-electric-buses-microtransit-vans-and-readies-for-end-of-fare-free-period","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6606295-68f8d0b3cfebe1d955b2d56aec8d70ce/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448478&Signature=d-g0NIlUaMd8SKOgUddXUzndgTDr6RGkiqJ9ruGOCHAA3U04JMqAOsF2dBBCRDTlUnlaoqRMa92fzz84xNBYMkMtCmSk8MEnkFIvN3zS~EFVEpwSHGyxU1ERPpRdsw1isWlKXL0XPEQyDUITdXLK93jHj2oEQu0hyTvtOHW18f6dVrl~rUZrGk-SAo6MBHucAD9RvyGF7Kr0isj8W1yyZcroZayIMIGOGZl32nXrOvOXCeuKZ0htfRn7aIjjqqizihh2PFzh7V~MsgwQm6KfWuQ4C5vJTR52sg9~uj4RGjnAuXt2WYhaUZWcrQbUWaqhKFI0P84yg57l4YNvrh9jxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HILO — Hawaii County’s Mass Transit Agency told the County Council on May 20 that the agency will receive four battery-electric buses in June and intends to expand services for rural riders using smaller “microtransit” vans, while it prepares for fares to be reinstated after a temporary fare-free period ends in December.

Acting administrator Zach Burgum presented the agency’s FY26 budget request and a multi-year vehicle procurement plan at the council’s special budget session. Burgum said four Gillig-built battery-electric buses and two chargers are due in June and will be the first step toward a zero-emission fleet. The agency also expects nine paratransit vans and eight “hometown” buses to arrive this year, and plans purchases of hybrid and refurbished buses in the months ahead.

The presentations emphasized investments in maintenance infrastructure tied to new vehicle types, including fall-protection scaffolding for rooftop battery work and training for mechanics on new vehicle models. Burgum said the battery-electric buses come with vendor-provided training packages; he estimated a 60-hour training package per bus to equip mechanics while minimizing service interruptions.

Burgum also described the agency’s microtransit concept — smaller vans that can operate like “first-mile” connectors from remote neighborhoods to official bus stops. He said the agency plans to buy eight microtransit vans and hire a program manager to coordinate services. The vans would be smaller than fixed-route buses, able to operate on narrow or unpaved roads where large buses cannot.

Council members pressed staff on several funding and operational issues. Burgum said the agency is funded largely by the county’s general excise tax (GET) allocation and prior federal grants. The free-fare program — funded in part with COVID-era federal money and later local support — is scheduled to end in December; Burgum said the county will revert to the fare structure in county code unless the council directs otherwise. Diane Nakagawa, Finance director, reminded the council the fee schedule is in code and any permanent change to fares would require council action.

Burgum said ridership recovered strongly; FY24 fixed-route ridership was just under 1 million trips and preliminary FY25 counts (not aligned to the fiscal year NTD reporting cycle) showed about 472,209 fixed-route rides to date. He told council members the agency reports ridership to the National Transit Database (NTD) on a September–August reporting schedule; staff will provide a fiscal-year total on request.

The budget requested roughly $59.9 million in total spending for Mass Transit in FY26, driven by contract costs for operations and paratransit, higher equipment procurement and uncontrollable costs such as fuel and insurance. Burgum said staff will pursue federal grants to support vehicle purchases and hydrogen infrastructure planning; he referenced a recent application for about $10.3 million for hydrogen planning and infrastructure.

Council members asked about security at bus shelters, bus stop signage, ADA upgrades and staffing. Burgum described ongoing town halls for bus stop plans, and said shelters and stop improvements are pursued in phases aligned with grant opportunities and state cooperation for projects on state roads. He said security presence at some high-traffic stops is expensive but has reduced safety incidents. Council members pressed for route-by-route ridership breakdowns and greater transparency on how fare reinstatement would affect riders; Burgum and finance staff said they will provide route-level data and noted that fares collected before the free-fare program produced roughly $376,000 in revenue in FY22.

Why this matters: County leaders face near-term choices about how to sustain service levels and fleet modernization while federal grant support is uncertain. Battery-electric buses and microtransit purchases are aimed at reducing emissions and increasing rural access, but they carry up-front equipment and training costs and require maintenance planning.

Looking ahead: Burgum said the agency will continue applying for federal and state grants and return to the council with more detailed ridership and fare-impact analyses. Council members requested route-level ridership, updated vehicle delivery timelines and a plan for fare reintroduction timing and community feedback.","Acting administrator Zach Burgum told the County Council the Mass Transit Agency expects four battery-electric buses to arrive in June, plans to buy microtransit vans for rural service, and is preparing for fare reintroduction after a county-funded fare-free period ends in December.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County auditor says annual financial audit contract, performance plan moving forward; flags ACFAR cost risks

Office of Aging asks council to sustain services as federal and state grants shift; Kupuna Care and caregiver supports continue

Hawaii County Department of Environmental Management outlines wastewater upgrades, landfill lifespan and recycling gaps

Hawaii County Parks and Recreation seeks $4M in repairs, increases maintenance staff for aging facilities

Hawaii County Mass Transit plans electric buses, microtransit vans and readies for end of fare-free period