Council meeting roundup: nominations, grant resolutions and budget bills approved

The Hawaii County Council handled confirmations, grant acceptances and several budget and code bills during its Feb. 19 session. Below is a summary of formal actions and recorded votes taken during the meeting.

Confirmations and nominations (selected) - Wendy Botello, Police Commission (Communication 101): Motion carried; 8 ayes, 1 excused (moved by Councilmember Galimba, seconded by Councilmember Kaguawata). - Lloyd K. Enriquez, Police Commission (Communication 102): Motion carried; 8 ayes, 1 excused (moved by Councilmember Kalimba, seconded by Councilmember Eustace). - Jonelle Fukushima, Windward Planning Commission (Communication 103): Motion carried; 8 ayes, 1 excused (moved by Councilmember Kirkowitz, seconded by Councilmember Eustace). - Leslie H. Hanano, Fire Commission (Communication 104): Motion carried; 8 ayes, 1 excused (moved by Councilmember Kirkowitz, seconded by Councilmember Eustace). - Jean M. Nakashima, Liquor Commission (Communication 105): Motion carried; 8 ayes, 1 excused (moved by Councilmember Kirkowitz, seconded by Councilmember Eustace).

Resolutions accepting donations or making small appropriations (selected) - Resolution 67-25: Accepts donated Gillig bus parts (estimated value $176,899) for Mass Transit — adopted, motion carries 8 ayes, 1 excused. - Resolution 68-25: Accepts $2,000 grant from Best Friends Animal Society for Animal Control travel — adopted, motion carries 8 ayes, 1 excused. - Resolution 71-25: $9,000 grant to Ahapuna Naleo Inc. for Pulama Maoli Ola event (Council District 5) — adopted, motion carries 8 ayes, 1 excused. - Resolution 72-25: Approves HSAC executive committee slate — adopted, 9 ayes. - Resolution 73-25: NACo and WIR board nominations — adopted, 8 ayes, 1 no (Councilmember Onishi voted no). - Resolution 77-25: Accepts Royal Court of Arms bronze plaque donation (value $4,000) — adopted, 9 ayes. - Resolutions 78-25 through 83-25: Various small grants and transfers to non‑profits and local events (animal search-and-rescue training, neighborhood watch grants, DARE Day, Olakai Kona, health outreach, teen dance). Each was moved and approved in separate motions; most carried with 9 ayes where recorded.

Budget and code bills (selected) - Bill 12 (electrical code amendment) — approved on second and final reading, 9 ayes. - Bill 15 draft 2 (Waikae House Lots / Big Island Candies change of zone) — approved on second and final reading, 9 ayes. - Bill 16 draft 2 (Pona Hawaii change of zone; first reading) — approved at first reading, 9 ayes. - Bill 19 (appropriation of $3.6 million in federal community project funding for Old Hilo Hospital assessment/repairs) — approved on second and final reading, 9 ayes. - Bill 20 (appropriate $1,000,000 for Rural Emergency Medical Communications Demonstration Project) — approved on second and final reading, motion carried (8 ayes, 1 excused recorded during the vote sequence). - Bill 22 (allow hospitals and related uses in industrial-commercial mix zoning) — approved on second and final reading, 8 ayes, 1 excused. - Budget-related bills (Bill 25 and Bill 26) increasing appropriations for an animal-control conference travel grant and for Housing Choice Emergency Voucher program funding were approved at first reading.

What the council recorded on procedural votes - Multiple nominations were moved and seconded with roll-call votes; most confirmations passed unanimously among members present or by an 8-1 margin with one member excused. - Several small grant and transfer resolutions were approved by voice or roll-call votes; roll-call tallies are included above where recorded.

Members said many of the smaller grants and nominations were routine, while the meeting’s longer debates focused on the OSCAR appointment and the Olī land-use items covered separately in this newsletter.

Meeting adjourned at 12:28 p.m.