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Committee advances charter amendment to create six-year county manager after lengthy debate
Summary
A Hawaii County committee voted 5–4 to forward Bill 158 — a proposed charter amendment creating a six-year appointed county manager to oversee key departments — after proponents argued it would depoliticize long-term projects and opponents warned it could concentrate power.
Council member Kimballmoved to forward Bill 158, a charter amendment that would create a six-year county manager appointed through a process involving a permitted interaction group and the mayor, and approved by the full council. The committee voted 5to4 to send the bill to the full council with a favorable recommendation.
Kimball, the bill's sponsor, told the committee the hybrid councilmanager model would "insulate" core administrative functions from short electoral cycles and improve fiscal stability, bond ratings and contract management. "We retain the mayor as the key spokesperson," Kimball said, adding the manager would be hired for expertise and continuity and would oversee public works, finance, environmental management, IT and corporation counsel offices.
Debbie Hecht, a Zoom testifier, urged support for a county manager form of government, saying a six-year, merit-based appointment would help complete long-term projects such as sewer and water infrastructure that she said county governments currently struggle to finish.
Opponents raised procedural and governance concerns. Council member Onishi questioned vesting appointment power in a small permitted interaction group and the mayor, saying he preferred the full council be involved in appointments. Council member Connie Lee Kleinfelder warned of a worst-case scenario in which a mayor and a majority group could use the manager role to entrench policy direction. "That position would then run the county and would become, in my opinion, a secondary level of bureaucracy that nobody could touch," she said.
Kimball said the proposal includes checks: a nominee would be presented by a PIG and require full-council confirmation, and the charter includes mechanisms for removal by the mayor (with a simple majority) or by the council (with a supermajority) in cases of poor performance. He also said the bill would not take effect until after the next newly elected mayor (the text includes a transition clause to avoid immediate change if the current mayor is reelected).
Several members called for more public outreach and suggested amendments on qualification language and appointment mechanics. Council member Eustace and others asked how the proposal would affect the Department of Water Supply, commissions and the budget-transmission process; Kimball said the mayor retains policy leadership and the manager and mayor would collaborate on the budget before the mayor transmits it to council.
The committee recorded a 5to4 vote to forward Bill 158 to the full council with a favorable recommendation. The bill's sponsor said she would accept amendments and pursue public education if the measure advances to the ballot; corporation counsel and clerk briefed the body on the July 30 deadline for finalizing charter amendment language for the voter information guide.
