Hawaii County Council urges swift state repairs to Konawaena-area schools after storm damage

The Hawaii County Council on April 8 passed a resolution urging the governor and the state Department of Education to prioritize and expedite repairs to Konawaena High School, Konawaena Middle School and Kekula Or Ehunui/Kaimalino following damage from a recent storm.

Chair Inaba, who introduced the request with Councilmember Galimba, said the county’s initial estimate for repairs to the three schools is "around $20,000,000." The resolution asks state officials to use available state emergency funds and to act promptly so the affected schools can return to in-person operations as soon as possible.

Councilmember Galimba, who led the motion to approve the measure, and others described the damage as severe enough that Konawaena High School likely will not return to in-person classes for the remainder of the school year; students are on distance learning while repairs and assessments proceed.

Councilmember Kimball disclosed a potential professional connection that could touch future construction work, saying her husband’s architecture firm holds a long-standing professional services contract with the Department of Education and may be involved in any ensuing projects; she stated she had been advised the disclosure did not create a direct conflict. The disclosure was entered before the council’s vote.

Councilmember Villegas urged the council and state officials to go beyond rebuilding and examine underlying causes of the flooding, citing development and changes to mauka (upland) ecosystems that may have altered waterways and contributed to the severity of the storm damage. "It behooves us to look into that," Villegas said, urging investigations that could inform future mitigation and accountability.

The council adopted Resolution 515-26 by unanimous voice vote. The resolution itself explicitly "urges the governor of the State of Hawaii and the superintendent of the Department of Education to prioritize and expedite the repair and restoration" of the named schools using available state emergency funds.

Next steps cited in council discussion include continued coordination with the Department of Education and state officials on damage estimates and timelines; the resolution is a formal request for immediate state action rather than an appropriation by the council.

The council’s action follows testimony at the hearing about community impacts and the need for rapid repairs; the measure was approved without recorded opposition.