MEDIA RELEASE

Mayor Billy Kenoi submitted a proposed $375,367,419 county budget to the Hawaii County Council today. Here’s his message to the Council that accompanied the budget:

March 1, 2010

The Honorable Chairman J Yoshimoto and

Members of the Hawai‘i County Council

Hawai‘i County Council

25 Aupuni Street

Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720

Aloha, Chairman Yoshimoto and Council Members:

As required by the Hawai‘i County Charter, submitted with this message is the proposed operating budget for the County of Hawai‘i for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011. This balanced budget includes estimated revenues and appropriations of $375,367,419 and includes the operations of eleven of the County’s special funds as well as the general fund.

The difficult economic conditions in Hawai‘i and on the Mainland have led to an unprecedented decline in County revenues. Continued projected declines in real property values as well as steep drops in County collections for charges for services, investment income, license and permit fees, fuel taxes and other revenues require that we make hard choices as we prepare for the year ahead. This balanced budget represents a thorough review of County activities, and continues my administration’s efforts to reduce the cost of government as we refocus on core County services.

Last year, we unfunded 55 vacant positions, which was the largest number of positions ever to be unfunded in a single County budget. This proposed FY 2010-11 budget will abolish or unfund 111 additional positions. This budget also includes furloughs of two days a month for County workers, which amounts to a loss of more than one month’s pay for those employees during the next fiscal year. These unprecedented furloughs reflect the severity of the financial challenges that now confront our entire community, and represent a shared sacrifice on the part of our public workers.

This FY 2010-11 budget is $11,678,784 less than the current year’s budget. Spending under this budget is almost $28 million less than the budget in effect when I took office in 2008. To achieve this balanced budget, we have continued to scrutinize overtime, travel and training, contract services, equipment purchases and other expense items.

To fully grasp the impact of these deep budget cuts, it is important to remember that departments were instructed to reduce their budgets by 5% last fiscal year, and then to cut another 10% in the current budget year. Now, for the new budget year that begins July 1, departments were instructed to reduce expenditures even more, by up to 20%. Operations have been reviewed to identify additional efficiencies that can help maintain services in the face of reduced resources. Departments have aggressively pursued grant funding and have succeeded in increasing total revenue from grants for the upcoming budget year. In particular, I would like to take this opportunity to extend special thanks to Hawai‘i County Council Chair J Yoshimoto and the Hawai‘i County Council for cutting Council spending by $718,591, or more than 19% for the coming year.

The steps we took last year and this year are reshaping County government. The percentage of County spending devoted today to activities such as General Government and Culture and Recreation has decreased significantly, while the share of the County budget devoted to core functions such as Public Safety, Highways & Streets and Health, Education & Welfare has increased. This is part of a continuing strategy to shift County resources to the essential services that are most important to our residents. As part of that effort, this budget continues the County’s free, island-wide bus service, and maintains County spending of $1.5 million per year in support of non-profit organizations that deliver social services.

The Department of Parks and Recreation faced a particularly difficult challenge this year because it was required to reduce spending, and at the same time was required to meet our directives to protect programs essential to the well-being and enrichment for our seniors, children and the most vulnerable in our community. Faced with high demands and scarce resources, the department made the most difficult decision of this budget process. Funding for the Hawai‘i County Band and the West Hawai‘i Band has been eliminated from the FY 2010-11 budget. The members and director of the two bands, all part-time employees except for the director, have been notified that their jobs will be ending.

Also impacting our employees was the decision to implement a furlough plan to reduce costs while retaining employees in their positions. The budget, as submitted, includes the implementation of two furlough days per month for employees other than those in UPW Bargaining Unit 1, SHOPO Bargaining Unit 12 and Firefighters Bargaining Unit 11. The furlough plan includes elected officials, appointees and excluded managerial employees. Police and Fire employees in the identified bargaining units are currently covered by contracts that do not include furloughs. Negotiations are ongoing with UPW. The furloughs will result in a 9.23% pay reduction for affected employees.

As real property values have continued to decline, the County’s primary source of revenue is poised to drop by more than 11%. After the FY 2009-10 decrease in property tax revenue of $15,094,000 (6.55%), an additional loss of this magnitude would leave the County unable to sustain basic operations and services. For this reason, we are proposing revenue-neutral rate adjustments that will adjust tax rates to ensure that the County collects the same amount of property tax in FY 2010-11 as it did in FY 2009-10. The tax on individual parcels will most likely vary from current taxes.

The real property assessed valuations used are still preliminary figures and the values certified in April may vary from those assumed here. The final budget presented to you in May will be based on the final numbers and will include a specific rate proposal.

OPERATING BUDGET BY FUND

The following table describes the budgeted expenditures for FY 2009-10 and the proposed budget for FY 2010-11 for each fund.

(Amounts in thousands)

REVENUES BY SOURCE

The following table presents a summary of projected FY 2010-11 revenues from various sources and the changes from the current budget:

(Amounts in thousands)

REVENUE CHANGES

The major changes in projected revenues are as follows:

Real Property Tax. Net real property tax values are projected to decrease by 9.62%. However, real property tax revenue is the same as the FY 2009-10 budget, based on a revenue-neutral rate proposal.

Fuel Tax. Fuel taxes are expected to decrease by 9.7%, or $788,000 due to reduced fuel consumption. This decrease is on top of a similar decrease in the current fiscal year.

Licenses and Permits. The 12.0% drop in this revenue category is due to decreases in liquor licenses ($238,000), construction-related permits ($730,000) and vehicle/trailer weight taxes ($995,000).

Revenue from Use of Money and Property. Interest earnings are expected to decrease by $1.3 million due to the low yield on investments, which is reflective of the current economy.

Intergovernmental Revenues. The $3.3 million, or 5.7% increase in intergovernmental revenues includes funding increases in housing voucher assistance and emergency medical services.

Charges for Services. Revenues from this source are expected to decrease by $4 million due to reductions in automotive charges to special revenue-funded departments, sewer fees and landfill charges.

Other Revenues. The elimination of the current year budget item in the amount of $8.2 million for land sales is the primary factor in the $8.3 million reduction in other revenues.

Fund Balance Carryover. Carryover savings are based on current projections of fund balance.

EXPENDITURES BY FUNCTION

The following table presents a summary of projected FY 2010-11 expenditures from various sources and the changes from the current budget:

(Amounts in thousands)

EXPENDITURE CHANGES

In addition to the cuts made by the departments, the unfunding of additional vacant positions and the inclusion of furlough adjustments, major changes in projected expenditures are as follows:

General Government

• Finance. The budget for building rents has decreased by $649,000 due primarily to the reopening of the Hawai‘i County Building, which allowed the county to vacate leased office space.
• Planning. The department’s budget has decreased with the absence of funding for new community development plans.
• Public Works. Reductions in estimates for fuel expense, janitorial services, electricity, insurance and facility repairs contributed to a net decrease in budget.

Public Safety

• Prosecuting Attorney. The Prosecuting Attorney’s budget reflects a reduction in grant funding of $799,000.
• Flood Control. The decrease in flood control funding is due to transferring drywell cleaning costs to the Highway Fund.
• Animal Control. Current contract negotiations with the service provider for animal control are expected to result in reduced costs.

Highways and Streets

• Mass Transit. The Transit office is projecting a $910,000 increase in grant-funded expenditures.
• Highways. The Department of Public Works is earmarking $1 million for work on roads-in-limbo.

Health, Education and Welfare

• Housing. An increase in grant funding results in a $2.2 million increase in voucher rental subsidy payments.
• Social Services. Despite declining revenues and shrinking budget, the County’s budget for distributing funds to non-profit agencies will be retained at $1.5 million in the FY 2010-11 budget.

Culture and Recreation

• Bands. The Hawai‘i County and West Hawai‘i bands have been removed from this budget proposal.

Sanitation and Waste Disposal

• Solid Waste Division. The Solid Waste budget has decreased with the reductions in contract services, cover material costs and recycling expenditures.
• Vehicle Disposal. The Vehicle Disposal budget will decline from approximately $4 million to about $3 million, a reduction of about 25 percent.

Health Fund

• Health Benefits. Health costs, including post-employment benefits, are expected to increase with the continuing increase in premium rates. The health insurance rates for next fiscal year have not yet been set by the Employer Union Trust Fund, so increases to this budget item are possible.

POSITION CHANGES

The administration has continued to analyze vacant positions and to fill only those that are immediately required for effective operations. The budget reflects the deletion or unfunding of 111 positions in FY 2010-11. Additional vacant positions remain funded, as they are deemed essential to basic County operations.

• Four temporary positions were deleted from the Fireworks Enforcement section of the Fire Department budget. With the establishment of the Fireworks Auditor as required under state law, these positions are no longer needed.
• Efforts are ongoing to reduce staffing through attrition, and with this budget an additional 62 vacant positions have been unfunded, for a savings of $2,350,671.
• As discussed above, 34 staffed Hawai‘i County Band positions and 11 staffed West Hawai‘i Band positions have been vacated as the result of layoffs and have been unfunded, saving $347,027.

CONCLUSION

This budget is $11.7 million less than the current year’s budget, but that number does not begin to reflect the painful effects of the budget cuts proposed here on our community at large, and our employees and their families. That number also does not reflect the continuing challenges we face in this difficult economic climate as state and county governments across the nation struggle to balance their budgets. Some members of the state Legislature advocate seizing the Counties’ share of the hotel room tax, a step that would strip another $18 million in revenue out of this County budget, leaving us no choice but to increase property taxes. My administration will continue to advocate for fair treatment at the Legislature, and will oppose any effort to unfairly shift the tax burden to County of Hawai‘i residents.

Demand for County services such as police protection, fire protection and other County services is always growing, and many County agencies are experiencing increased demands as the effects of a weak economy are felt by more and more people. It is essential that County government provide stability and security in meeting the basic public safety, sanitation, transportation and other service needs of our citizens. We will meet our responsibility to ensure that adequate resources are available to continue and expand services as needed, and to maintain a strong and financially sound County government.

This difficult budget process presents our administration with a continuing mandate to overhaul County government. We must invest our scarce resources in programs and projects that our residents must have, while shifting resources away from those programs that we can no longer afford. In the months ahead you will hear more about steps my administration will take to improve County government efficiency and adapt our government to today’s challenging economic environment. We all understand the lingering national and local economic difficulties will continue to put pressure on County government resources, and my administration’s strict review and reprioritization of County spending will enable us to deal with those challenges.

Aloha,

William P. Kenoi

MAYOR

MEDIA RELEASE

Mayor Billy Kenoi released his business travel and expense records today for the first year of his administration.

The mayor’s work with the Hawai‘i Conference of Mayors comprised the bulk of expenses in the report. Mayor Kenoi also traveled to the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual meeting in Washington, D.C., in January 2009, and visited tourism industry leaders in Japan with the Hawai‘i Travel Authority in October.

“This travel allowed me to establish relationships with key players from Washington D.C. to Honolulu to Japan,” Mayor Kenoi said. “Those relationships are essential in this uncertain economic environment, and they led to direct benefits for the County of Hawai’i.

“These trips helped to open discussions or to secure commitments for new collective bargaining contracts; for a major new highway in Kona; for more than $100 million in federal stimulus funding; and for additional airline capacity arriving in the County,” Mayor Kenoi said.

Mayors of the four counties in Hawai‘i for the first time forged a united front in lobbying the Governor and Legislature on behalf of the counties’ interests, particularly on collective bargaining issues and successfully preserving the counties’ fair share of the state’s Transient Accommodations Tax on hotel rooms. Hawai‘i County received nearly $18 million of TAT funds in the FY 2009-2010 budget as a result of the HCOM effort.

The report, covering the period from December 1, 2008 through December 6, 2010, details Mayor Kenoi’s HCOM lobbying expenses, primarily for travel to and from Honolulu, totaling $9,281.35.

The four Hawai‘i mayors also traveled to Washington, D.C., in January 2009, for the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ annual meeting, which coincided with the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

“The conference was a tremendous opportunity to gain valuable experience and establish important new relationships with federal officials and other mayors from across the nation,” said Mayor Kenoi. “This was part of the lobbying effort that resulted in $100 million in federal stimulus funds coming to Hawai‘i, including $35 million to build the mid-level road in Kona.”

Travel expenses related to the Washington, D.C., trip totaled $6,862.18.

Mayor Kenoi also participated in a “Spirit of Aloha” promotional trip to Japan sponsored by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, which resulted in direct talks with officials from Japan Airlines that led to the continuation of direct flights from Japan to Kona. The meetings also established relationships that will help Hawai‘i County gain additional JAL flights in the future, said Mayor Kenoi.

Mayor Kenoi noted that his administration reduced the number of “warm bodies” working for the County by 77 employees during his first year in office, and defunded another 55 vacant positions. Those cuts saved County taxpayers millions of dollars. The mayor also ordered his executive staff, including himself, to take one furlough day a month starting July 1, 2009. The furloughs will save the County $41,714 this year.

“No administration has worked harder than ours to reduce and control the cost of government, but it is also important that we make an investment in economic development,” Mayor Kenoi said. “For example, it is critical that we make an effective case in Washington, D.C., for our share of federal stimulus funding, which is bringing more than $100 million in new federal spending to our County.”

“It is also essential that we make our case at the state Legislature for retaining the transient accommodations tax, which is the second-largest source of revenue for the County at $17.8 million. And it is essential that the four county mayors work together to shape fair and frugal collective bargaining agreements, because the new public worker contracts will cost the counties millions of dollars.”

“Some travel overseas is also critical because it establishes relationships that will benefit our primary economic engine, which is tourism,” Mayor Kenoi said. “Political leaders across the state and the nation recognize we cannot simply sit back and hope and wait for better times. We need to reach out to potential markets, reach out to the key players in the visitor industry, and try to shape our own future.”

Hawaii County building at 25 Aupuni Street. Photography by Baron Sekiya for Hawaii 24/7.

MEDIA RELEASE

The Office of the Mayor, Hawai‘i County Council, Office of the County Clerk and six County departments are moving into the newly renovated Hawai‘i County Building at 25 Aupuni Street this week.

The County building has been out of commission for normal County services since 2006 when the first phase of the $25 million renovation project was begun on the 43 year-old structure.

The Office of the County Clerk will be on the ground floor of the newly renovated building along with the departments of Research and Development and Finance. The County Council chamber, Council members’ offices and the Reprographics division also will be on the ground floor.

Located on the second floor are the Office of Information, the Mayor’s office, Immigration, Office of Elections, and Fire Administration. Finance and the Office of the County Clerk will be located on the first and second floors of the building. The county Legislative Auditor, however, will remain in offices at the Ironworks Building.

Telephone numbers will remain the same for all departments except Fire Administration.The new telephone number for the Fire Administration is 932-2900. The Fire Prevention Bureau’s telephone number is 932-2912.

Offices in the new building will be opening on a staggered schedule as they move in this week. All offices are expected to be moved into the newly renovated building by Monday.

The public is asked to kokua with patience and understanding during the transition process as some disruptions of service may occur.

MEDIA RELEASE

Hawaii’s four county mayors will join state and county tourism officials next week for a special marketing campaign in Los Angeles to promote Hawaii as a wonderful visitor destination.

The special promotional campaign is entitled “Hawaii: A Thousand Reasons to Smile,” and was organized by the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, its Island Chapters and the mayors. Events in Los Angeles will begin on September 1. Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi, Maui County Mayor Charmaine Tavares and Kauai County Mayor Bernard Carvalho are participating to demonstrate how important the industry is to our economy and its workforce.

“We are so grateful to the mayors for their support of Hawaii’s tourism industry,” said John Monahan, President and CEO of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. “This is the first time all the county mayors have participated together at an HVCB media launch event, and their presence will add enormous value toward the success of our promotional efforts.”

The campaign is designed to remind major media outlets and potential visitors that Hawaii is a beautiful and safe destination with a rich culture and fascinating history, and offers good value to travelers who have many other options.

“For the first time, all Hawaii’s mayors are working together to support a major visitor industry event,” Honolulu Mayor Hannemann said. “We all know how important the industry is to our economy, and we know that we are more effective leaders when we work together toward a common goal. Having participated in the debut of this campaign in San Francisco earlier this year with entertainer Willie K. and the HVCB, I know it is proving successful and beneficial for Hawaii.”

The mayors said they strongly agree that leaders must work together on this issue.

“It’s important to be active in promoting our main economic engine, tourism,” said Maui County Mayor Tavares. “This is a unique opportunity to help showcase our wonderful state and each of our beautiful islands. Having all four of Hawaii’s mayors in a united effort speaks volumes about how important tourism is to our economic recovery. As we capture the attention of vacationers and business travelers, we will help draw their interest to Hawaii.”

Hawaii County Mayor Kenoi said, “Hawaii has so much to offer as a visitor destination, and reductions in hotel room rates and air fares make this the ideal time to experience all that Hawaii has to offer. We will be reminding travelers that whether they want to experience the power of erupting Kilauea Volcano, relax on beautiful Waikiki Beach or experience Native Hawaiian culture and traditions, there is no better time than now to bring your friends and family to the Islands of Hawaii.”

Kauai County Mayor Carvalho said, “Every destination is competing for scarce visitor dollars. We absolutely must be out in the marketplace with a compelling and unique message.  The Mayors are more than happy to support this effort because it should translate into more jobs more revenues for our businesses.”

The campaign will highlight Hawaii’s culture, its myths and legends, culinary trends and entertainment, and will feature lunch and dinner kickoff events with travel industry media professionals, and intimate “talk story” sessions with Hawaii representatives.

PATH’s 23rd Annual General Membership Meeting
“Accelerating Great Ideas”
Tuesday, July 21st
5:30-7:30pm
NELHA’s Gateway Energy Center
73-4460 Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway

PATH members and the general public are invited to the meeting, which will feature remarks by Mayor Billy Kenoi and state Department of Transportation Director Brennon Morioka on efforts to accelerate the creation of trails, pathways and bikeways as part of healthy, safe and livable Hawaii communities.

PATH executive director Laura Dierenfield and education director Bob Borns will also provide an overview of PATH’s accomplishments over the past year and future initiatives to connect more families and individuals with the ability to safely walk, bike and hike in their communities.

PATH is a 501(c)3 non-profit bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organization founded in 1986 to promote the creation and use of non-motorized pathways, bikeways and trails serving the Island of Hawaii. 

Everyone is invited.
Membership is encouraged.
PATH: www.pathhawaii.org

An informational flyer is attached. R.S.V.P. to sharetheroad@pathhawaii.org or call 808-936-4653 as seating is limited. Light refreshments will be served.

Friends of Puna’s Future (FoPF) has delivered a formal letter of demand (see attached) to the County of Hawaii administration to achieve equality in the delivery of public services to Puna.   Public records show a long term pattern of discrimination in delivery of public services in Puna and other areas of Hawaii County.  FoPF looks forward to working with the County to resolve these inequities and avoid the need for filing of Federal complaints.

Friends of Puna’s Future

P.O. Box 1959, Pahoa, HI 96778 808-965-1555
www.fopf.org

Mayor Billy Kenoi July 6, 2009
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720

Subject: Demand for Equitable Distribution of Public Services

Aloha Mayor Kenoi,

The District of Puna has developed a population level and tax base equal to or approaching that of Hilo However, the delivery and level of county services by all departments has not occurred on an equitable basis. Puna lacks public service and infrastructure by several magnitudes compared to the Hilo and other Districts.

We respectfully demand that you, as Chief Executive of the County of Hawaii, provide public services by all county departments throughout the county on a per capita basis. We make this demand under the equal treatment under the law doctrine provided by the U.S. Constitution. This is a civil rights issue.

It is within your ability to immediately locate county personnel, especially police protection, to the Puna District to provide service on a per capita basis. We respectfully demand that you do so forthwith.

We respectfully demand that you institute planning within the 2010 budget and beyond for delivery of the necessary infrastructure to meet present and projected growth needs for at least fire, water, police, roads, ADA access and recreation.

We know you are aware of the general lack of infrastructure and public services in Puna. You spoke of it during your election campaign. It is time and we believe you are legally required to deliver pubic services on an equitable basis.

We ask for an appointment to meet with you on these topics and request that your administration provide a written response to these demands on or before August 21, 2009.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Rob Tucker, President

MEDIA RELEASE

Mayor Billy Kenoi will be on the Hot Seat tomorrow, an online chat hosted by Editorial and Opinions Editor Jeanne Mariani-Belding of the Honolulu Advertiser. The live event will began on Wednesday at noon but you can post questions for the mayor now

MEDIA RELEASE

Mayor Billy Kenoi

Hawai’i Island Mayor Billy Kenoi today urged all parties in the debate on the Thirty Meter Telescope to engage in a respectful dialogue as the community works toward a collaborative decision on the project.

“In this time of economic hardship for many County of Hawai’i residents, it is critical that the community pull together to search for a solution that benefits our island and our neighbors,” Mayor Kenoi said. “I know that all of the participants in this discussion sincerely want the best outcome for our community, and we owe it to each other to debate the project in a reasoned, respectful way.”

While the Big Island hosts some of the most sophisticated star-gazing technology in the world, Mayor Kenoi said that until now the youth from the island have had little hope of participating in the science and discovery happening on Mauna Kea.

That will change only when Hawai’i Island students are offered exceptional science and math education at the earliest grades, Mayor Kenoi said. It is critical that any additional projects on the mountain be harnessed to provide the foundation in science education that will allow Hawai’i youngsters to grow up to be the engineers, mathematicians and physicists who make astronomy on the mountain possible.

University of Hawai’i President David McClain recently announced that the TMT would bring a community benefit package of $1 million a year to the Big Island that would help fund children’s education.

“As a parent, I want exciting science education career opportunities for our young people so they can dream big about the future,” Kenoi said. “As a Hawaiian, I believe we can preserve our culture, protect our environment and support astronomy. As your mayor, I hope to facilitate compromise and find common ground.”

MEDIA RELEASE

Plans are proceeding for the proposed Ane Keohokalole Highway in Kona.

A 6 p.m. public meeting will be held Tuesday, June 23, at Kealakehe High School to discuss current planning for the highway project. (A project summary sheet is posted below.)

Mayor Billy Kenoi and federal, state and county officials will address questions about the project at the meeting. Members of the planning and design teams from project consultant Belt Collins Hawai‘i also will attend the meeting.

The meeting also marks the release date of the draft Environmental Assessment for the project.

For more information, call Bobby Command, executive assistant to Mayor Billy Kenoi, at 327-3602, or Warren Lee, Director of the county Department of Public Works, at 961-8321.

SUMMARY SHEET: ANE KEOHOKALOLE HIGHWAY

WHAT WILl THE HIGHWAY DO?

Also known as the Mid-level road, the Ane Keohokalole Highway is designed to:

Relieve Kona’s nightmarish traffic congestion.
Create affordable housing opportunities for all Hawai‘I Island residents.
Create homesteads for Native Hawaiians.
Allow bus routes to connect homes, jobs, recreation, education and health facilities, furthering the goals of the Kona Community Development Plan.
Lay groundwork for orderly growth in Kona.
Develop an interpretive site that will protect and stabilize the rich cache of Native Hawaiian artifacts in the area.
Provide income to The Queen Liliuokalani Trust (QLT), which deeded the property for the road, to continue its children’s programs in Hawai‘i County.

HOW DO WE PAY FOR THE HIGHWAY ?

The proposed highway would be funded by federal stimulus funds, $35 million from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act if the project is “RTA,” or ready to advertise, by October. If the county can satisfy federal requirements, construction can begin in early 2010 and the road could be open by 2013.

Most of the $35 million will pay for phase one of the highway, two northbound lanes from the intersection of Palani Road to just makai of Kealakehe High School where a small section of the highway exists and leads to the future West Hawaii Civic Center.

About $5 million will be used to improve Palani Road between Henry Street and the Queen Kaahumanu Highway, but it is an additional $1 million that will make this highway project unique to others in Hawaii County, and possibly the state. That money, which the Federal Highways Administration has agreed to set aside, will be used to perpetuate a 15th century farm site north of Palani Road.

ARE BURIAL REMAINS IN THE WAY?

The Queen Liliuokalani Trust (QLT), which deeded land for the highway to the county, has long known about this remarkably well-preserved remnant of the Kona Field System. But the area is also known by black marketers for its rich cache of Hawaiian artifacts. If the stimulus money can be secured, the area will be turned into an interpretive site which will not only serve to stabilize and celebrate it, but also prevent further looting.

The county has consulted with many lineal and cultural descendants of the area, and most of them have offered their support. Additional archaeological studies have identified four burials in the study area, one of which is in an area of potential impact. The county has briefed the Hawaii Island Burial Council of its plans to preserve these remains in place and in August will present a burial treatment plan to the council.

Not only will Alii Trust lands be protected, QLT will also benefit because the highway – named after the mother of Liliuokalani – will allow development and an income stream to support its children’s center programs across the state.

WHAT’S THE PLAN AFTER THIS?

Future phases of the Ane Keohokalole Highway will eventually extend the road from the civic center to Hina-Lani Street, and then to Kaiminani Drive and beyond where developers of the Palamanui subdivision will build the first increment of the new University of Hawaii-West Hawaii Center campus.

In addition to QLT, the Ane Keohokalole Highway will facilitate a state affordable housing project being built by Forest City, expansion of Hawaiian Home Lands housing at Laiopua, a commercial park development by Lanihau Properties, and market-value homes in Kaloko being planned by Stanford Carr Developments.

The Hawai‘i County Department of Parks and Recreation has asked the state to modify an executive order by the governor to allow a regional park at the former site of a proposed municipal golf course. An organization known as Laiopua 2020 will develop a community center adjacent to the park and has a commitment from Kamehameha Schools to establish a preschool at the facility.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE?

A 6 p.m. public meeting will be held Tuesday, June 23, at Kealakehe High School to discuss the highway project.

Mayor Billy Kenoi and federal, state and county officials will address questions about the project at the meeting. Members of the planning and design teams from project consultant Belt Collins Hawai‘i also will attend the meeting.

The meeting marks the release date of the draft Environmental Assessment for the project.

For more information, call Bobby Command, executive assistant to Mayor Billy Kenoi, at 327-3602, or Warren Lee, Director of the county Department of Public Works, at 961-8321.

MEDIA RELEASE

County of Hawai’i Mayor Billy Kenoi signed his administration’s first budget today, a $387 million spending plan that reduces expenditures by 4.1 percent from the current year’s budget. The new spending plan marks the first time the county budget has been reduced since 2001.

The new budget assumes that property tax collections, which are the main source of county revenues, will decline in the coming year by $15 million or 6.5 percent.

The budget does not rely on any property tax increases, and includes adequate funding to continue and expand Hawai’i County’s free, island-wide bus service. It also continues the current level of county funding for non-profit organizations at $1.5 million per year.

The new budget unfunds 55 vacant county positions, which is the largest number of positions unfunded in a single budget in county history. It also includes $41,714 in savings that will be realized by furloughing appointed staff in the mayor’s office for one day a month for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

“I am proud of this budget, and thank each of the County Council members for their help in crafting a spending plan that puts our county on solid footing for what we know will be a difficult year,” Mayor Kenoi said. “This budget demonstrates my commitment to sound fiscal management, and protects the essential public safety and social services that our residents rely on.”

The budget was approved by the Hawai’i County Council on June 2 in an 8-1 vote.

MEDIA RELEASE

Hawai’i County Mayor Billy Kenoi announced today the initiation of a joint project with the County Board of Ethics to review County operations and submit major amendments to the County Code of Ethics.

Recent local media articles have called into question the appropriateness of the conduct of some County employees. Although many of these issues, such as the sale/lease back of a County bulldozer, the Saddle Road tack coat dispute, and most recently the County contract for drywell cleaning, predate Mayor Kenoi’s administration, the Mayor emphasized the need for proactive measures to address conflicts of interest and even the appearance of impropriety.

“We are committed to a fair and open procurement process, and we want to avoid any perception that the process improperly favors any vendor,” Mayor Kenoi said. “Having county employees contract to sell goods and services to their own departments undermines public confidence in the fairness of the system, and it should not continue,” he added, noting that changes approved by the Council would apply to future contracts.

The Mayor’s Office will work directly with Ethics Board Chairman John Dill and his fellow Board members in reviewing present County operations and making warranted amendments to the Code. All amendments will then be formally submitted to the Hawai‘i County Council, which is solely responsible for the passage of legislation in our County.

“The focus will be on service to our community,” said Ethics Board Chairman Dill. “We want to do what is right for our community. The people of the County of Hawai‘i deserve nothing less.”

An issue arose earlier this month after a vendor criticized the bid specifications in an invitation for competitive bids for a contract to clean county drywells for the Department of Public Works. The drywell contract is currently held by Kama’aina Pumping Inc. The president of Kama’aina, a current County employee, sought the assistance of the Board of Ethics in 2003 to determine whether a conflict of interest existed. The Board in 2003 (different members from the current Board) applied existing law and determined no conflict of interest existed so long as the County employee had no direct involvement in the private contract.

Stressing that there was no evidence of wrongdoing, Mayor Kenoi said he will first ask that the Ethics Code be amended to specifically ban county workers in the future from contracting to sell goods or services to their own departments if certain criteria are met. The objective of the change is to boost public confidence in the procurement process, he said, noting that laws need to change in order to address the changing times.

Mayor Billy Kenoi introduces the 'Green Team' of county workers, employees who have volunteered to find ways to save energy and reduce its use. Photo by Baron Sekiya/Hawaii247.org

MEDIA RELEASE

Mayor Billy Kenoi today urged residents to join the County of Hawai‘i in its focus on increasing energy sustainability practices throughout our Island. Mayor Kenoi spoke at a press conference today in Hilo.

The County of Hawai‘i has embarked on a wide range of energy sustainability initiatives and programs that are part of a comprehensive approach to the environment that is unprecedented on the county level. Some of these were begun with past administrations, but others are being initiated now as the County commits to increasing awareness of the need for energy sustainability and reducing our environmental impact for generations to come in Hawaii.

“If we don’t pay attention to these kinds of energy sustaining initiatives today, we won’t have a tomorrow to hand to our keiki,” said Mayor Kenoi. “We must commit ourselves to a healthy future.

“I call on every resident of our island, every home, business and family, to think seriously about how they can apply good environmental practices, be more energy efficient and to take at least one positive step toward sustainability.”

Throughout the County, many programs (fact sheet attached) are taking place that put Hawai‘i County on the forefront of energy sustainability practices. These programs, when taken as a whole, are impressive in their scope and vision for our island.

First, a few facts we’re proud of:

• The County leads the state in renewable energy generation with 32 percent of the total power generated.
• All 19 County of Hawai‘i fire stations are equipped with solar water heating.
• Seven hybrid County vehicles were purchased since 2007.

Some we need to work on:

• Hawai‘I County imports 70 percent of the fuel we use to produce electricity, 76 percent of our total material goods, 85 percent of our food, and 99.9 percent of our transportation fuel.
• The County accounts for 7 percent of the island’s total energy consumption.

What we have to work with:

• The County maintains 926.75 miles of streets and roads, occupies over 1.1 million square feet of office and building space, and uses 1.5 million gallons of fuel to run 953 County vehicles, including 53 buses.

What the County is doing:

• The Mayor’s Energy Advisory Commission is being filled with new appointees who will propose creative ways to meet the energy demands of our County, businesses and residents and to make our island more energy self-sufficient. A list of qualified nominees to the Commission is under review. Nominees do not need to be confirmed by the County Council. The Commission is expected to begin meeting next month.
• The County has joined with the state’s Hawai‘i Energy Initiative, committing to the reduction of fossil-fuel energy consumption from 70 percent of the total energy used on the island to 30 percent by 2030.
• On Earth Day, April 22, the Mayor’s office announced the formation of the Hawai‘i County Green Team, employees who have volunteered to scour the County to find ways to save on energy costs, reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels and protect our environment.
• The County expects to receive a $737,800 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for such projects as energy efficient street lights, conducting energy audits and conservation programs for county facilities.
• The County has adopted the Model Energy Code bill that requires new construction and remodels to be more energy efficient through the use of reflective materials, insulation and large eaves to conserve energy.
• We are currently interviewing prospective candidates for the position of Energy Specialist in the Department of Research and Development.
• The County is currently preparing 21 parking stalls for plug-in electric vehicles at the Hilo County Building which is currently being renovated, and 14 stalls at the West Hawai‘i Civic Center, which is currently under construction. When the type of wiring and plugs needed for refueling with electricity are determined, they can be installed without tearing up sidewalks or the parking lot.

Building on past progress

• The County’s Energy Program continues to monitor a contract to reduce energy consumption at the Hilo Public Safety Building and Kona Police Station. Now in its seventh year, this project has generated over $1 million in savings through retrofitting of the lights and air conditioning units.
• The Hawai‘i County Energy Sustainability Plan was completed in October 2007 and accepted by then-Mayor Kim in early 2008. The plan included a broad evaluation of the county’s energy supply and demand, and serves as a roadmap for the county’s future.
• The policy of the Department of Public Works is to include photovoltaic systems in all new construction projects and roof replacement bid specifications where applicable.
• A 100 kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic system will be installed shortly as part of the renovations to the County Building in Hilo.
• A second major photovoltaic system (400 kW) will be installed on the new West Hawai`i Civic Center.
• The County’s Zero Waste policy and Zero Waste Implementation Plan call for reducing, reusing and recycling and the creation of “green” jobs.

Also this year

• Mayor Kenoi has supported Bike-to-Work, Earth Day, Earth Hour and the Nike Reuse-a-Shoe program in which the Fire Department and Department of Environmental Management collected more than 4,000 athletic shoes for recycling, to encourage everyone to make their own plans for energy conservation and sustainability.
• All of these initiatives are part of the administration’s commitment to preserving Hawaii Island’s beauty and maintaining the quality of life here that our families and visitors enjoy.