[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":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,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6519776,"mediaKeyId","5345998-ab4fa6ea08b3fe5ab7dad36bf82f7988","parentId",5345998,"title","Hawaii County honors fire department fiscal staffer Keiko Furukawa with July Haweo award","audioSeconds",828,"startMs",155000,"endMs",983000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5345998-ab4fa6ea08b3fe5ab7dad36bf82f7988&start=155&end=983","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5345998-ab4fa6ea08b3fe5ab7dad36bf82f7988/thumbnail_155000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6519776/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/Hawaii-County-honors-fire-department-fiscal-staffer-Keiko-Furukawa-with-July-Haweo-award","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6519776-29fb00bd49d974488fe3931ea4ca1e84/orig.mp4?Expires=1771190405&Signature=R3W99nKWDjbRoMjbPXjazCvOzPh9p5IosnH6rSD5EOKrAgKEfNV3qjSsUn1hLBx6meqxANkp8Fj7TbMn7zsEsavs64XtqQspWZzmcG36pR8qvfhEPbaKDPOSxdgNxyd9IwcOhCkj0lK0xmmF7uLiYUcTha3xDz4Jw2WAcIQlCB49qkGbXyRkJg7EHXANuCRYPdhrfLs5vDAWPIL95CR1FtemVXDPU0QpbrlYXwR2OhXp4TqwF22dctZgpavMFjssMsYSu3iei~z8yl5pJ43Y1w6EbISMn99oUiFFfJCQ2HtbDuJBizgrl46926dXhOKCBF9grP3t9EeuxoYz4Q0LdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hawaii County","date","2025-07-09T10:40:00Z","article","The Hawaii County Council presented the July 2025 Haweo award to Keiko Furukawa of the Hawaii Fire Department on July 9, 2025, recognizing her behind‑the‑scenes work that county officials said kept payroll and fiscal operations running during staff shortages.

Fire Chief Kazuo Todd described Furukawa as an “everyday hero” who “worked really, really hard for over 3 months doing 2 systems at once,” reconciling paper time sheets and a new electronic payroll system on weekends while continuing her regular duties. Chief Todd said Furukawa helped eliminate a redundant paper “night alarm” timesheet and assisted in launching an internal fiscal website that allows employees to submit travel paperwork and manage reimbursements.

Furukawa accepted the award on behalf of her fiscal team. “I truly believe that this one belongs to the whole fiscal team,” she said, thanking supervisors and colleagues who stepped up after a longtime department fiscal employee left and later passed away.

Council members praised Furukawa and other unseen staff for sustaining first‑responder operations. Vice Chair Onishi said, “Without them, our county government cannot be run.” The council later paused for a short recess for a photo presentation and returned to regular business.

The award recognized both specific recent projects — weekend reconciliation, removal of a redundant paper form, and the internal fiscal website — and long‑running contributions to the department’s administrative operations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Hawaii County - Hawaii County Council - Jul 09, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Hawaii County Council recognized Keiko Furukawa of the Fire Department’s fiscal section with the July 2025 Haweo award for sustained weekend work, paperwork streamlining and launching internal fiscal tools that supported payroll and other operations.","taxTitle","Hawaii County, Hawaii","taxId",12825,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6519781,"Votes at a glance: Council confirms nominations, adopts contracts and approves small grants",4115,1126000,5241000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5345998-ab4fa6ea08b3fe5ab7dad36bf82f7988&start=1126&end=5241","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5345998-ab4fa6ea08b3fe5ab7dad36bf82f7988/thumbnail_1126000.jpg","/articles/6519781/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/Votes-at-a-glance-Council-confirms-nominations-adopts-contracts-and-approves-small-grants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6519781-a140e71c8b0b3632b9a48897bb9aeda2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771190405&Signature=NwTpsq9pJOhfttH0Ho3Z68x69uUIOX29fxTwCqmjMXMmP3dYj3fHIKGvOLd-DH7jL1JyiRjm0XzTc1vPIdoCSTOeeUBrCC0H76Q1JLzCRwHha8SyK~XLWpDjNPB6YsDcbIlLCOak5yOjM2zIucnw39ao4UU9cOXd1tXA6BclydMzL3482oWX0CjM4HbunM86rFFDsGFd7uvJtaHYZ9FhhDkfg2eCTzkkOHG9iDw7bIcOZstB3pzRRt-3dDeANhKZLEHKjXFATUdbTDoGWBgxcMJ8GGiMf7gh1zbwS3RiNsUUM0eOvbX3mTZ83DMyUbSF90znoD3Pryq5~2jkrFUITQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hawaii County Council on July 9, 2025 took routine and project-specific actions including confirmations of advisory board nominees, authorization of multi-year contracts, affirmation of indemnification for former officers in a lawsuit, approval of the county's required vote on the Hawaii State Association of Counties budget, and several small grants for community events.

Key actions and outcomes
- Nominations confirmed (all by recorded voice vote unless noted): Abel P. Aquino to the Game Management Advisory Commission (confirmed; motion carried, 9 ayes); Taylor Spurgeon to the Kau Community Development Plan Action Committee (confirmed; 9 ayes); Gilbert J. Aguinaldo to the Merit Appeals Board (confirmed; 9 ayes); Raymond J. Kirchner to the Kona Community Development Plan Action Committee (confirmed; 9 ayes); Stephanie Bath to the Puna Community Development Plan Action Committee (confirmed; 9 ayes).

- Resolution 214‑25: Approved a three‑year, multi‑year agreement for Esri GIS software for the Department of Information Technology, described in meeting materials as carrying an approximate annual cost of $180,400 plus taxes. Director of IT Corey Stone briefed the council on anticipated discounts from a multiyear contract. Motion carried, 9 ayes.

- Resolution 215‑25: Approved a five‑year license agreement with the trustees of the Estate of Bernice Pauahi Bishop to operate and maintain an unmanned communications facility (a 300‑foot tower) at Keohou, Kaʻu, with an approximate annual cost of $5,000 plus taxes. Motion carried, 9 ayes.

- Resolution 217‑25: Approved indemnification under Section 2‑188 of the Hawaii County Code for former Hawaii Police Department officers Justin Gaspar and Chad Taniyama in the lawsuit Josephine T. W. Bishop et al. v. County of Hawaii et al. Motion carried, 9 ayes.

- Resolution 226‑25: Approved the Hawaii State Association of Counties (HSA) proposed operating budget for fiscal year 2026 as submitted; council members discussed a dues increase related to a Western Interstate Region decision. Motion carried, 9 ayes.

- Small grants and transfers: The council approved several small transfers to support community activities, including grants to the Big Island Dance Council ($3,049 for a 50th anniversary event), the Island of Hawaii YMCA ($5,000 for a First Responders Kids Camp), and the Hilo Downtown Improvement Foundation for Fourth of July block‑party events (two separate transfers). Most resolutions carried 9 ayes.

- Resolution 225‑25 (park maintenance for Council District 7): The council initially moved to table the resolution; the item was later removed from the table and the sponsor announced the request would be withdrawn after corporation counsel and finance staff clarified that the funds could not be expended for the prior fiscal year. Outcome: tabled, then withdrawn.

Several motions were moved and seconded by council members in the record. Where staff appeared, they provided brief explanations for contracts or funding sources. The council approved the majority of items on the consent/agenda portion of the docket by unanimous recorded voice votes.","At its July 9, 2025 meeting the Hawaii County Council confirmed multiple commission nominations, approved a multi-year GIS software agreement, a five-year communications-tower license, indemnified former officers in pending litigation, adopted the Hawaii State Association of Counties budget and approved several small community grants.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6519786,"County council approves ordinance barring roadside solicitation within 15 feet of roadways after heated debate",2254,2953000,5207000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5345998-ab4fa6ea08b3fe5ab7dad36bf82f7988&start=2953&end=5207","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5345998-ab4fa6ea08b3fe5ab7dad36bf82f7988/thumbnail_2953000.jpg","/articles/6519786/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/County-council-approves-ordinance-barring-roadside-solicitation-within-15-feet-of-roadways-after-heated-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6519786-146c6b294ea4fb2db7c169b67d492076/orig.mp4?Expires=1771190405&Signature=bwHLDpJS0RZAumuawA0MVBFsNzGryn-kG~~P8tyNPKMNGozqiIFO3j57y-xm7JCGqFuc1YY6tfTB-xg~Bm~sYpxVCw0S-SqIJcTRyGbpCGMNZkvCwSo-bP7XLVfid~kti57pjTcZ2m-lATPuOt5if-AU4YoVVNp67ZgH6zJK1hyvge6VetSlMQhY6N6fMBGHuDAS437wVHkO-GK9fprYPIlPLZjVPUmGE7AREm0e-OO47WFU75RkxMKDW2r4iOwLsqu~lomQ~uUxrvmpqAiWpPiAjGC4eTqPIv8AJokDhkPusM-K94W5ocxryzN-40Eb42TaNvlbgMp0g~x5Lirx0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hawaii County Council voted to pass Bill 59 on second and final reading on July 9, 2025, amending Chapter 24, Article 9 of the Hawaii County Code to prohibit receiving, soliciting, delivering or offering goods or services while in a street and to establish a 15-foot buffer measured from the vehicular roadway.

The ordinance was amended before passage in two steps. The council approved an amendment that replaces the term “street” with a definition of “roadway” — “that portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel exclusive of the berm or shoulder” — and then added language prohibiting entering or remaining within 15 feet of that roadway. Council members also adopted a separate amendment aligning fines with a schedule prepared by corporation counsel that ties monetary penalties to equivalent community-service hours.

Deputy corporation counsel Sylvia explained the legal effect of the buffer: “The way that I read this is no person may enter or remain within 15 feet of the roadway. So this provides as suggested, it provides a 15 feet buffer from the roadway. So you'd have to stand at least 15 feet back away from the roadway.” Major Jeremy Evangelista of the Hawaii Police Department told the council the ordinance is a county law enforceable on county roadways as drafted and cautioned there may be separate state rules for state highways, a point he said would require additional research.

Supporters, including the bill’s amendment sponsor, said the 15-foot buffer and use of “roadway” make the law clearer and easier to enforce than measuring from mapped right-of-way boundary lines. Councilmember Kimball described the change as aimed at “using the actual vehicular area and then establishing a 15‑foot buffer” so officers and the public can determine compliance on the ground.

Opponents argued the ordinance risks penalizing people experiencing poverty and noted the law does not bar people from sitting near roadways when they are not soliciting. Councilmember Kaguaro said she would not support the bill because it could target people who “may be near a roadway because they don't have a lot of other choices.” Council discussion also sought clarification on how the law would apply where state and county roadways meet.

On the motion to pass Bill 59 as amended, the council recorded seven votes in favor and two opposed. The roll call as read into the record showed Aye votes and No votes by name; the council chair announced, “Bill 59 passes second and final reading.”

Council members and the police department said they expect an education and rollout period following passage. Major Evangelista said HPD would need to coordinate enforcement and research any gaps where state highways intersect with county roads.

The ordinance as adopted includes the amended penalty schedule the council approved during the July 9 session and the new definition and buffer language for “roadway.”","On July 9, 2025, the Hawaii County Council passed Bill 59, amending county code to prohibit soliciting, receiving or delivering goods or services within 15 feet of a roadway; the measure includes revised penalty amounts and drew debate about enforcement, state vs. county jurisdiction and impacts on people in need.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Hawaii County honors fire department fiscal staffer Keiko Furukawa with July Haweo award

Votes at a glance: Council confirms nominations, adopts contracts and approves small grants

County council approves ordinance barring roadside solicitation within 15 feet of roadways after heated debate