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