[{"_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",6584863,"mediaKeyId","5448996-87ff7d6e4f4aab02cf8e4d0d994b6e58","parentId",5448996,"title","Hawaii County finance committee backs creation of operations manager in Legislative Research Branch","audioSeconds",3855,"startMs",1111000,"endMs",4966000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448996-87ff7d6e4f4aab02cf8e4d0d994b6e58&start=1111&end=4966","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448996-87ff7d6e4f4aab02cf8e4d0d994b6e58/thumbnail_1111000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6584863/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/Hawaii-County-finance-committee-backs-creation-of-operations-manager-in-Legislative-Research-Branch","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6584863-97662e2c70bd81ed0c21289759336ecd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012245&Signature=j3fZ0GJEqyPbzwkbPgb-F5FLKbs~C6L63dauC9rMx809j0DwNJLj3iDzEOPleQ-Up~pDrHDg6WAUnnhHAeK7allzhZvSy0l1aa9XzWvh25pNkwft~e~8kinrS2ohPm4lwcbcpZ0U6NcsXGlDJKNCF72PiL~5VLDR8jL~WVSin34LYdmharAPVam4flGs-sd8yzrkICmIUp2-1Dc7lTn3OiVUVsNSPPrmqAjxItiNMeUuR0Khlokst3v4keZIdXs1p1sje0KFAboy7SJ3bU4LcbFA-y4YOKoPvlU8ukEILB0UhvehznsQ~4iUmoUD2URYwiBBeeTz8OQkil05DQF9Dw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hawaii County","date","2025-07-22T09:03:00Z","article","The Hawaii County Committee on Finance voted 6–1 to forward Resolution 244-25, which amends sections of the 2025 salary ordinance to establish an operations manager position within the county’s Legislative Research Branch.

The measure, introduced by request, would convert an existing legislative specialist position into an at‑will operations manager post and add a corresponding pay schedule to Ordinance No. 25-39. Clerk Kirk Hendricks described the change as an organizational step to provide day‑to‑day supervision and expand the branch’s capacity.

\"With that growth comes the responsibility to have, again, more clear, consistent, and proximate supervision of those responsibilities on a day to day basis,\" Clerk Kirk Hendricks said. \"The goal here is very simple: it's to make sure that the staff in the Legislative Research Branch has direct oversight within the office itself, provide guidance, vision, and just basically administrative oversight.\"

The committee spent more than an hour on the item as members raised questions about process, timing, and whether the position would be filled by appointment or open recruitment. Councilmember Onishi pressed for greater transparency and asked whether departments had been consulted and whether the position had been tentatively filled.

\"So my question is — are you going to open this up for — or is it going to be just appointed to someone? Correct? So where's the transparency?\" Councilmember Onishi said during the discussion.

Hendricks replied that the post would be at‑will and that the change is a conversion of an existing, funded position rather than creation of a new funded slot. He said the office conducted recruitments to fill recent legislative specialist openings and that one current staff member would assume the new title without displacing others.

Councilmember Villegas and others supported the resolution as an investment in county legislative infrastructure. \"I see this as investment in the infrastructure and the human capital and the positions so that the internal aspects of the clerk's office and of the administration…has the best infrastructure possible to be successful,\" Villegas said.

Councilmember Kimball said he welcomed the structure if it produced more substantive legislative research support, particularly during budget review. Several members emphasized the need for documented standard operating procedures for how departments and committee chairs will interact with LRB going forward.

On a roll call, the committee recorded six votes in favor and one opposed; Councilmember Onishi cast the lone no vote. The motion to forward the resolution to full council carried.

The operations manager post is described in the resolution as an at‑will position converted from an existing legislative specialist slot; Clerk Hendricks told the committee the change should not require a separate budget amendment because salary increases can be absorbed within existing appropriations. The resolution amends Ordinance No. 25-39 (the 2025 salary ordinance) to reflect the new title and pay schedule.

Committee members asked that the clerk’s office work with departments and corporation counsel to document workflows for drafting, legal review, and committee engagement as the branch increases its responsibilities. Hendricks said LRB will oversee the county drafting manual and work on republishing and cleaning up the county code as part of the branch’s expanded work.

The committee forwarded Resolution 244-25 to full council with a favorable recommendation (6 ayes, 1 no).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Hawaii County - Finance Committee - Jul 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Hawaii County Committee on Finance voted 6–1 to forward Resolution 244-25, which amends the 2025 salary ordinance to create an operations manager position within the Legislative Research Branch.","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},6584854,"Votes at a glance: finance committee forwards several budget and donation items to full council",244,859000,1103000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448996-87ff7d6e4f4aab02cf8e4d0d994b6e58&start=859&end=1103","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448996-87ff7d6e4f4aab02cf8e4d0d994b6e58/thumbnail_859000.jpg","/articles/6584854/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/Votes-at-a-glance-finance-committee-forwards-several-budget-and-donation-items-to-full-council","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6584854-6dbe8c95bfdc4ef5983a2e66380b90f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012245&Signature=KbfFosewIAr9nObCqJgskM-aalSMQ1zIYYWFJNd7GrDMteyuO6q0G5WQuJmr6kUA7C17HIsl5xgfpnuvm9xKGOQ8UAvBOCRMsGYm0YQrkxj31ElORCkpzIBb9sKPRumTaWp4m4hNBhLitWfZMYjgaoY2CA49nFDUCcusaJdyz7BzORhj0ZRCmzLfa0dMQfu~6smW236D~6m4wLsk-Y77z72tS38M41Oh5WKMiUC-H1bm~Z8Ab1S5sqC8rUGoB3xmS-2Uy~Bq7X10rIRKpXh0GP~TMu5mYXP-pTNCwwjLQgAZscQu5oNUJ5Ja-SXidqaO-jo5AzZAWbYD~Ks93885~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hawaii County Committee on Finance handled several routine and noncontroversial items and forwarded resolutions to full council with favorable recommendations on July 1, 2025.

Key outcomes recorded in committee:

- Communication 23.16 (Report of fund transfers authorized June 2025). Motion to close file approved by voice vote; clerk reported six ayes. During public questions, Fire representatives and others discussed a $390,000 transfer from Ocean Safety regular salaries and wages to Fire operations overtime for fiscal year 2025; Finance explained that the transfer covers FY25 (July 1–June 30) vacancies supplemented into overtime accounts. A testifier raised questions about staffing and use of unfilled salary funds for other positions. (See action entry.)

- Communication 98.2 (Fourth quarter report of persons employed under contract for less than 90 days, April 1–June 30, 2025; transmitted pursuant to Section 2-12.5 of the Hawaii County Code). Motion to close file approved; clerk recorded six ayes.

- Resolution 241-25 (Acceptance of donation: Blue Shield Security Hawaii to donate security camera systems to Parks and Recreation, estimated value $4,500 for Paneva Park covered play courts). Forwarded to council with a favorable recommendation; committee heard Parks & Rec staff discuss possible expansion to other vandalized sites.

- Resolution 242-25 (Transfer $5,000 from Liquor Control Public Programs account to Sundry Refund account to return unspent funds to the general fund). Forwarded to council with a favorable recommendation after Liquor Control staff said the grantee could not provide required insurance documentation and funds were forfeited; clerk advised an account number correction will be submitted before the council reading.

Where recorded, the clerk reported six ayes on these routine votes; several councilmembers were absent at times. The items will appear on a future council agenda for final action.

Votes and motions are summarized below with the committee’s recorded outcomes and available clarifications.","On July 1, 2025 the Hawaii County Committee on Finance closed multiple reports and forwarded several resolutions to council with favorable recommendations, including a donation of security cameras, a $5,000 transfer back to the general fund, and closure of two routine communications.",{"_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},6584858,"Finance committee advances 5-year Axon contract for police body cameras; annual cost cited at about $480,000",149,531000,680000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448996-87ff7d6e4f4aab02cf8e4d0d994b6e58&start=531&end=680","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448996-87ff7d6e4f4aab02cf8e4d0d994b6e58/thumbnail_531000.jpg","/articles/6584858/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/Finance-committee-advances-5-year-Axon-contract-for-police-body-cameras-annual-cost-cited-at-about-480000","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6584858-6862dbf0de7a16609c3babe68ee75146/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012245&Signature=aUyyT2q2joVfm0fv41ozjlgs65vO1cDOddnHKkpEkWyU0GG5KkRT5w6tkpElE17E-SXfx7Y1bkjvwdhrMQAolhh8GU79cXKNYlc2PmFFsMaZ4G~xRcxbXj8z8Tmj~1sjKps-d8ocYblsBS~a0gKaksD0Lx4~6XUXfp~PAE0aMSbLwLHsHnpUmOv4sTB2Gkz-j~mthUSDxrf-QSmi4j8qbGWIAlB8SPz294Kwpus7X-1JDMwGhC8B43Pki5I2w5nUrxJFtAwTmyIAC6KxLITHirhaPO48eApWNkggpUdIjD6gE0RcLyj6tlRU4phJ7d6ZEyKLW23xl23KujV9X6ePSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hawaii County Committee on Finance voted to forward Resolution 240-25, authorizing the mayor to enter a five‑year multiyear agreement with Axon Enterprise Inc. for the purchase, maintenance, and cloud storage of 400 body‑worn cameras for the Police Department.

Committee members asked for clearer documentation of the contract value before final council action. Councilmember Kimball asked the Police Department to clarify the dollar amount tied to the multiyear agreement.

An accounting representative from the Hawaii County Police Department told the committee: \"It is a multiyear. The value would be at 2,400,000.0, but we enter in a contract annually, which is about 480,000. We also appropriate it in our budget annually.\" The committee discussion noted that a dollar value should be reflected either in the resolution or accompanying budget documents before final council approval.

The resolution would replace body‑worn camera units that are damaged, destroyed, or obsolete. Committee members moved to forward the measure with a favorable recommendation to full council.

Motions and votes recorded in committee show the measure advanced by an affirmative voice vote and the clerk reported six ayes with three members absent at the time of the committee vote. Committee members signaled an amendment at the council reading may be needed to add the contract amount in the official documents.

The item will return to the full council for final action; committee members asked staff to ensure the funding and contract figures are documented for council consideration.","Resolution 240-25, authorizing a five‑year agreement with Axon Enterprise Inc. for 400 body‑worn cameras, maintenance and cloud storage, was forwarded to council with a favorable recommendation. Police staff told the committee the five‑year value is about $2.4 million (approximately $480,000 per year).","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Hawaii County finance committee backs creation of operations manager in Legislative Research Branch

Votes at a glance: finance committee forwards several budget and donation items to full council

Finance committee advances 5-year Axon contract for police body cameras; annual cost cited at about $480,000