Hawaii County Council votes: appropriations, small grants and zoning measures approved March 19

At its March 19, 2025 meeting, the Hawaii County Council approved multiple resolutions and several bills. Most items were noncontroversial funding transfers or first‑reading actions; the council recorded motions, seconds and roll‑call results for each item on the agenda.

Key votes at a glance

- Resolution 92‑25 (acceptance of pro bono services from Lupono Initiative): Approved. The resolution authorizes the acceptance of donated consultative and technical grant‑writing services valued at an estimated $90,000 to be used by the Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity and Resilience. Motion carried with the clerk reporting "Motion carries with 6 ayes, 3 excused." (Introduced by Councilmember Connie Lee Kleinfelder by request.)

- Resolution 97‑25 (Island of Hawaiʻi YMCA, youth sailing program): Approved. Transfers $9,650 from the council services contingency account (Council District 9) to the Department of Parks and Recreation to support the YMCA youth sailing program’s safety/rescue craft replacement. Motion carried (7 ayes; two members recorded as excused in the meeting record for other votes at the time noted in minutes).

- Resolution 98‑25 (Older Americans Award luncheon): Approved. Transfers $10,500 to fund the county’s annual older Americans award luncheon set for May 9, 2025. Motion carried (7 ayes).

- Resolution 99‑25 (Pacific Tsunami Museum): Approved. Transfers $5,000 to the Pacific Tsunami Museum for salaries, training and community education. Motion carried (7 ayes).

- Resolution 100‑25 (Zonta Club of Hilo Foundation – domestic violence art therapy): Approved. Transfers $5,000 to support art therapy workshops for domestic violence survivors led by a visiting artist. Motion carried (7 ayes).

- Resolution 101‑25 (DARE Hawaiʻi—D.A.R.E. celebration funding): Approved. Transfers $2,000 (contingency relief) credited to the Department of Liquor Control for a DARE Hawaiʻi event; motion carried (7 ayes).

- Resolution 102‑25 (multiyear lease for elections division copy machine): Approved. Authorizes the mayor to enter a five‑year lease estimated at approximately $270 (notation in packet); motion carried (7 ayes).

- Bill 28 (prohibited highways for commercial bicycle tours): Approved at first reading. The measure amends county code to add a segment of Old Mauna Loa Highway as a prohibited area for commercial bicycle tours; the packet included transmittals from Public Works, the State Department of Transportation and the Hawaii Police Department.

- Bill 30 (change‑of‑zone at 900 Manōno Street): Approved at first reading as amended. Planning staff explained and the council adopted an added condition requiring a traffic‑impact review at plan‑approval stage if future uses would trigger it; applicant agreed to the amendment.

- Bill 33 (budget revision returning $451,221 to the housing production account): Approved at second and final reading. The ordinance reduces the housing production account by $451,221 to return HOME funds that could not be spent within HUD deadlines on self‑help affordable housing projects; the county will seek repayment arrangements with Habitat for Humanity.

Other actions and notes

- The council entered executive session to discuss litigation (Hui Malama Honokōhau v. County of Hawaiʻi). After the closed session, the council accepted corporation counsel's recommendation regarding settlement authority on that matter.

- Several small contingency transfers were introduced by council members to support community events and nonprofit operations; the council repeatedly recorded unanimous or near‑unanimous voice votes recorded in the minutes.

Ending

These measures clear funding and procedural hurdles for multiple community programs, cultural events and county planning processes. Many items require follow‑up implementation steps by departments (for example, Public Works upgrades tied to Bill 10 and the housing office’s recovery and reallocation of returned HOME funds).