HomeMy WebLinkAboutP-0107.01-16 Council Minutes 06-2009-
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COUNCIL MEETING
June 3, 2009
The Council Meeting of the Council of the County of Kauai was called to
order by the Council Chair at the Council Chambers, Historic County
Building, 4396 Rice Street, Room 201, Lihu`e, Kauai, on Wednesday, June 3, 2009
at 9:28 a.m., after which the following members answered the call of the roll:
Honorable Tim Bynum
Honorable Dickie Chang
Honorable Jay Furfaro
Honorable Daryl W. Kaneshiro
Honorable Lani T. Kawahara
Honorable Derek S.K. Kawakami
Honorable Bill "Kaipo" Asing, Council Chair
Chair Asing: Can we have the first item please?
PETER NAKAMURA, Cou1v~ CLERK. The first item is the approval of the
agenda.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Mr. Furfaro moved for approval of the agenda as circulated, seconded by
Mr. Kawakami.
Chair Asing: Any discussion?
Mr. Bynum: Yes Mr. Chair.
Chair Asing: Yes, go ahead.
Mr. Bynum: I would like to make a motion to amend the agenda
by adding a resolution to clarify Council rules.
Mr. Bynum moved to amend the agenda by adding a resolution to clarify Council
rules, seconded by Ms. Kawahara.
Mr. Bynum: Time for discussion?
Chair Asing: Okay, go ahead.
Mr. Bynum: Our Council rules say that any member can
introduce any bill or resolution and I think that is pretty clear, and in spite of that,
repeated request that I have made to add Council agenda items have been refused.
And I think it is appropriate that we have a discussion regarding that and clarify
COUNCIL MEETING ~ - 2 - ~ June 3, 2009
that rule, so I am making this motion, and if you want to discuss it now, we can. If
you would like to move it a different part of the agenda, but our rules call for an
ability to add an agenda item by a vote.
Chair Asing: Thank you. We will move this item to the end of the
agenda. Thank you. With that, can we have the first item please?
Mr. Nakamura: There is a motion and a second on the approval of
the agenda Mr. Chair.
Chair Asing: Okay, all those in favor say aye?
The motion to approve the agenda was then put, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Motion carried. Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next matter is approval of the minutes of the
following meetings of the Council.
MINUTES of the following meetings of the Council:
Council Meeting of May 20, 2009
Public Hearing of May 20, 2009 re: Bill No. 2312 and Bill No. 2313
Public Hearing of May 27, 2009 re: C 2009-184
Mr. Kaneshiro moved for approval of the minutes as circulated, seconded by
Mr. Chang.
Chair Asing: Any discussion? All those in favor say aye?
The motion for approval of the agenda was then put, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: Mr. Chair, at this time, we have a request to take
up on page 4 of the Council's agenda a LEGAL DOCUMENT, communication
C 2009-206.
LEGAL DOCUMENT:
C 2009-206 Communication (05/21/2009) from the Housing Director,
recommending for Council approval a Third Amended Agreement for Kauai
Lagoons Affordable Housing to allow for an extension of time up to August 17, 2009
for the developer to obtain Certificates of Occupancy for 82 of the required
affordable housing units:
• Third Amended Agreement (Kaua`i Lagoons Affordable Housing)
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COUNCIL MEETING - 3 - ~ June 3, 2009
Mr. Bynum moved to approve LEGAL DOCUMENT: C 2009-206, seconded by
Mr. Chang.
Chair Asing: Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say aye.
The motion to approve LEGAL DOCUMENT: C 2009-206 was then put, and
unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Motion carried. Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: We have a request also to take up on page 3 of the
Council's agenda, communication C 2009-200.
C 2009-200 Communication (05/14/2009) from Angelica Tran, representing
Waimea High School's 9th Grade Class, requesting agenda time to make a
presentation regarding traffic safety from Intersection's Beach (also known as
"Intas") to First Ditch (in the vicinity of Kekaha Gardens) and recommending a
change to the speed limit on Kaumuali`i Highway from 50 m.p.h. to 35 m.p:h.:
Mr. Kawakami moved to receive C 2009-200 for the record, seconded by Mr. Chang.
Chair Asing: I believe that they are going to do a presentation,
so with that, what I would like to do is suspend the rules.
There being no objections, the rules were suspended.
Chair Asing: Can we have the representative up please?
MARK O'DAY, WAIMEA HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER: Good morning. For the
record, my name is Mark O'Day, a teacher at Waimea High School.
Chair Asing: Good morning.
Mr. Bynum: Good morning.
Mr. O'Day: I would like to first start off saying thank you
Council Chair and Councilmembers for allowing our 9th grade class to present their
participation in a democracy issue that they feel strong about. I would like to
introduce the students who are here today. Behind me is John Medeiros, Marah
Golding, Anna Hartsell, Angelica Tran, and Ally Wright, and a parent supporter, Ui
Wright. Just a little bit about the course. The 9th grade social studies... one of the
course is called... one of the courses classes is called participation in a democracy...
when one of the benchmark requires the students to actually participate in the
political process. So with the little direction from me, we did find a potential
problem on the westside that the students decided that it could be changed and they
broke into groups of their choice. And in their projects or their groups, they worked
on things like e-mailing public officials, testifying before a public body like they are
i
COUNCIL MEETING ~ - 4 - • June 3, 2009
going to do today... initiating data collection and public support and they would like
to present their findings to you this morning. So I would like to, again, step out of
the way and let the students do what they do best. Thank you.
ANGELICA TRAM: Good morning.
Mr. Bynum: Good morning.
Chair Asing: Good morning.
Ms. Tran: My name is Angelica Tran and I am a member of
the 9th grade class at Waimea High School. I would like to thank you for your time
today to hear our presentation and John Medeiros will be giving it.
JOHN MEDEIROS: Good morning everybody.
Ms. Kawahara: Good morning.
Mr. Medeiros: For our class participation in democracy, we were to
find the problem in our community. We found that there is a beach called Inters or
Intersections. It is on the westside and it is a stretch of Kekaha Beach, and it is at
the intersection of Akiaola Road and Kaumuali`i Highway. Many, many students go
to that beach right after school. I can recall that we were riding on the bus and as
you pass the parking lot, you can see tons of trucks and sometimes the whole back
is loaded with fins and bodyboards, and surfboards. It is pretty popular, it is a
family friendly beach, it is just famed. It is located... it is about half a mile long...
right at the intersection and it is away from the shrimp ponds and first ditch. And
Kaumuali`i Highway is marked with the two (2) orange marks on the presentation.
And right there is Inters right between the lifeguard stand. The problem with it is
the speed limit. It resides in the 50 mile per hour zone and it is really convenient
that right after Inters is a 35 mile per hour speed limit sign that opens up to
Kekaha, so all of Inters is in a 50. I would like to call up Allyson Wright to present
the data that we found on April 16 and Apri120, 2009.
ALLYSON WRIGHT: Hello, my name is Allyson Wright and like
(inaudible) said before, I am a 9th grader at Waimea High School. Data collection
was from April 16 to the 20 and what we did was we stood in front of the lifeguard
stand and we counted the amount of cars that were parked that passed, cars that
left, and arrived as well as U-turns. I am not sure if it is illegal or not, but we
counted U-turns too and that is a picture of a U-turn and how dangerous it can be
because of how fast people are going. If you have a blind spot and you cannot see a
car coming, that could have caused an accident.
Mr. Medeiros: Our proposal is that the speed limit sign that starts
Kekaha or the rest of Kekaha town, and we would like to move it near the pavilions
or even near First Ditch to make all of Kaumuali`i Highway as well as Kekaha
COUNCIL MEETING ~ - 5 - ~ June 3 2009
Beach a 35. The benefits of this would make the whole roadway and the beach
much safer for pedestrians, drivers, and other beachgoers. You can reduce the
chances of vehicle collisions or collisions with a pedestrian, prevent future
accidents, and ultimately save lives. The picture was a roadside memorial for a
crash in 2007.
I had some spare time and I looked up some facts that would benefit this
presentation. I found that a car traveling at 50 m.p.h. requires 125 feet of
(inaudible) come to a complete stop. So a driver traveling at 50 would have to spot a
pedestrian or something that they could hit from 125 feet away. Even if they stomp
on the breaks, they would still be within inches of that depending on whether or not
they have good breaks. A car traveling at 35 requires less than 100 feet to come to a
complete stop, so spotting a pedestrian from 96 feet away is much safer. That 30
foot difference can save lives. Thank you for listening to our proposal and for
slipping us into your agenda. We greatly ask for your support and it would be
appreciated. And we would like some advice as to where to go from here because to
us, this is more than a school assignment, this is more than a homework project.
We really want to get this done. Thank you.
Chair Asing: Thank you. What I would like to do is... what the
students have done is they have come forward with some ideas and a proposal that
they feel is something that is needed for the safety of the people in the community.
So with that, I have a short slide presentation to make in support of your project.
With that... these are some of the suggestions that we would like to make as a
Council to you for your project and your establishing speed limits on a State
highway... although it is not within the jurisdiction of the County Council, the
Council has some recommendations. And the recommendations are and I would
like to read it. Contact and make presentation to the State Department of
Transportation Highways Division with the Kauai District Engineer. Contact
Kaua`i's legislative delegation who is Senator Hooser, Representative Sagum,
Representative Tokioka, and also Representative Morita who is not listed there.
Also, we would like to suggest that you garner support of community
businesses and organizations. As an example, the West Kauai Business
Association, the Kekaha Association, PMRF, and business owners, and of course, a
letter of support from the County Council ourselves. With that, we have a letter
here and let me just read the letter here and this is to Raymond J. McCormick who
is the District Engineer for the Department of Transportation who heads the Kauai
District. Let me read the letter. Dear Mr. McCormick: This is to inform you that
the Kauai County Council at its meeting held on June 3, 2009 supported reducing
the speed limit along Kaumuali`i Highway in the vicinity of the intersections with
Akiaola Road and mile marker 28 which is First Ditch as presented by Waimea
High School 9~ graders assigned to the participation in government project. In light
of the above and in the interest of safety, your favorable consideration in reducing
the speed limit as described above is appreciated, and I am sure that all the
Councilmembers agree with this, and I will be signing it, and sending it over to the
a
COUNCIL MEETING - 6 - ~ June 3, 2009
District Engineer. So with that, these are our recommendations. We would like to
congratulate you on a job well done. We are not exactly sure as to the kinds of
criteria that the State uses for establishing speed limits, but we would suggest you
work with them, and we will support you in that endeavor. So with that,
Councilmembers, any comments?
Mr. Chang: Thank you Chair. Congratulations to the 9th
graders. What a great presentation. I think your presentation actually is extremely
timely because as we all know this weekend is graduation. So I think that will
create a lot of awareness because normally during graduation is when we have had
accidents and some of them certainly causing death. But I did want to point out... I
noticed that you counted 26 parked cars and about 162 cars passing within a 15
minute interval and what is very interesting is the dates that you gave the 16th and
the 20th is a basically a Monday and a Friday. So I would imagine that would be a
lot more during peak hours during the weekends, but another great point that you
mentioned... I think a lot of the visitors and the local residents will be at
Intersections or the First Ditch area because it is close to a lifeguarded area with
pavilions and what have you, and many of us know that, you know, Polihale,
although spectacular has a lot of currents in that area and many of our visitors
through guidebooks are... suggested that they go to Kekaha Beach Park. So I want
to commend your stats on that and I think unless you are a walker or a jogger or
you ride bike, I don't think a lot of people realize how fast people drive throughout
this whole island. It could be on the westside, it could be on the eastside, it could be
in neighborhoods, and it just seems that nobody respects even a 35 mile an hour
speed limit, and especially because of that stretch leading out to PMRF. But I want
to commend all of you for taking that initiative and that thought, and especially
reminding everyone that this weekend is graduation and all those parties. So it is
just a reminder that we all need to slow down and be very cautious and I want to
commend you. As I mentioned, your survey was done on a Monday and Friday and
consequently that is only a 15 minute period. Again, a reminder, the weekends are a
lot, lot more packed, so thank you for taking that time and initiative because I also
noticed that during that 15 minute span, there were 12 U-turns and I think if my
memory serves me correctly, a couple of... maybe two (2) or three (3) years ago,
there was a visiting Japanese couple in a van that did a U-turn near and around
that area, and unfortunately, it was hit head on causing some fatalities. And that is
where you are going to turn around because that is where the beach you were
guided to, so thank you very, very much. I think it was an excellent presentation
and as the Chair says, on the Council level, what we can do is to certainly help you
out, and please contact Senator Hooser and our Legislative Delegation or
Representatives Sagum, Morita, and of course Tokioka. Thank you.
Congratulations.
Mr. Medeiros: Thank you very much for your time.
Chair Asing: Councilmember Kawakami?
•
COUNCIL MEETING - 7 - June 3, 2009
Mr. Kawakami: Thank you Mr. Chair. I would also like to commend
your school teacher Mr. O'Day. He was my school teacher too a long time ago. Not
that long ago, but I just want to commend on your eagerness to get involved. This is
something that will benefit your whole community and I think just on the westside
,itself because there are a lot of straight aways, people tend to speed, and I just want
to bring up the point of how important that Mana drag strip is too, to give
youngsters and adults an option to get off the streets, and bring the races to the
drag strip. But I really want to commend the data that you guys collected. It is not
like you guys just came and said, oh, we think that this is a problem. You guys put
some time and effort and it makes the job of your elected officials much easier to
support your proposal when you come prepared like this, so good job. Thank you.
Chair Asing: With that, Councilmember Kawahara?
Ms. Kawahara: Thank you guys for your presentation and I just
want to say how proud I am of Waimea 9+~ graders to come here and do such a great
presentation. I want to applaud you because you are participating actively in your
government. It sometimes takes people a long time to do that if at all, so I am
really glad to see you start doing it early. I encourage you also to also continue to
do it throughout your lives. The issues that you are going to want to address are
things that are important to you... are going to happen throughout your life and you
do need to be sure to try and have a voice and be sure to talk to your officials and
work with your government because that is what it is there for. It is there to serve
you and meet your needs and meet your concerns, so thank you very much and
congratulations on your presentation. As Chair Asing says, the Council is very
pleased to be able to write a letter asking for the support of the State Engineer, so
thank you, and thanks for bringing up the conditions, so that we know what is
happening. Thank you.
Chair Asing: Councilmember Bynum?
Mr. Bynum: Just thanks a lot. I appreciate your concern. I
mean when you look at what you presented, it is just logical right? It just makes
sense and we all know what that area is like, so why somebody didn't act on this
sooner, like that is what we need good citizens for, so thanks for being good citizens.
Chair Asing: Councilmember Kaneshiro?
Mr. Kaneshiro: Thank you Chair. Mark O'Day, I just wanted to
thank you for coming up with such a brilliant way of presenting this because at
times, you know how the wheels of government moves. It does take some time and
as I sat here when they said that they were Freshmans, I was wondering how we
are going to get this accomplished with graduation almost coming up in a week or
so, or when you are going to be moving on to be a Sophomore next. But I believe
this project is a great project to carry on. Don't stop here. We brought some
awareness to the public and hopefully the Garden Island will put a nice article in
COUNCIL MEETING - 8 - ~ June 3, 2009
the paper and people will see that. When people see that even if they are driving
along and they still see that the 50 miles hasn't been changed to 35 miles... what
you brought up, what you students have brought up here before the public will
reflect back into their minds and say, wow, you know, they are actually right. This
is for the safety of everyone here on the island of Kauai. So just the awareness is
something that I really have to give you a lot of congratulations for and your efforts.
I can tell you right now, this is going to have some positive benefits, but I would
encourage you to continue to work to hopefully see this, you know, as you work
through the government process that this can be accomplished. And, again, I really
like the idea where we have students participating in government process like this.
I think it also helps us as Legislators to make our job easier, so thank you so much
again. I want to thank you for all.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Councilmember Furfaro?
Mr. Furfaro: Thank you. First of all, to the Freshman and the
student body, thank you very much for bringing this to the table and I am going to
ask the Chairman who has shared his letter... the intent of the letter to go over to
the State Highway's Engineer, but I would like to suggest if I could that we have
some kind of formal acknowledgement that it is unanimous from this Council and
the word unanimous be entered into your letter. I would also like to ask if you could
expand on behalf of the Council, the question regarding the interpretation of U-
turns and perhaps they could also respond to the student body on... is that legal,
illegal, or what in fact are the typical standards for U-turns on State Highways. I
would ask if we could expand your correspondence to include those two (2) items
Sir.
Chair Asing: It is not a problem. I think we can add whatever
Councilmembers feel is in the best interest of getting the job done.
Mr. Furfaro: Thank you.
Mr. Medeiros: Thank you.
Chair Asing: With that, I also want to thank you for taking on
this project and moving it forward and we look forward to a successful project. So
with that, thank you very much. Do you have anyone else who wants to say
anything?
Ms. Wright: Actually, I would like to explain what is in the
packet that you guys have. For the first five (5) pages is the slide that you guys just
saw. After that is our statistics for each day. What we put on the slide was about
an average, so these are more exact statistics. The next page is replies that we have
from Chief Perry and Raymond McCormick. We also sent out letters to other people
as well, other public officials, but they haven't returned... they haven't replied yet.
. COUNCIL MEETING ~ - 9 - • June 3 2009
And then on the last few pages are petitions that we have passed out to the
students and the students have signed and have returned.
Chair Asing: Thank you.
Mr. Furfaro: Very well done.
Chair Asing: Boy, that is a lot of work that you folks did.
Tremendous.
Mr. Chang: A lot of work and they are 9~ graders, beautiful.
Chair Asing: Great.
Ms. Wright: Thank you.
Chair Asing: With that, thank you very much.
Mr. Kawakami: Mr. Chair, I see a few other students and I don't
know if they got to come up and get some camera time or say hi or anything, so why
don't you bring them up, so that...
Chair Asing: Bring up the other students, so that they can
introduce themselves as being part of the project.
ANNALISA HARTSELL: Hi, I am Annalisa Hartsell.
MARAH GOLDING: And I am Marah Golding. We worked on the
PowerPoint they presented.
Ms. Hartsell: And I did the Excel sheet.
Mr. Bynum: Good job.
Chair Asing: And there is a lady on the left who did not introduce
herself.
Ms. Tran: My name is Angelica Tran. I wrote the letter
requesting for your time and I also helped a little bit with the PowerPoint... not as
much as Anna, but, yea.
Chair Asing: There is a lady that is standing up too who has not
been recognized yet.
UILANI WRIGHT: My name is Uilani Wright and I have two (2) hats
in this. I am a part-time teacher at the high school and I service our ELL students,
COUNCIL MEETING. - 10 - ~ June 3, 2009
but I also am a parent and Allyson is my daughter. So I am here to support both
roles and I felt that they did an excellent job for a wonderful cause. It is opening
our eyes and the public's eyes because this is an issue and like you said, it is
during... it is very timely because it is during graduation, but to have the public
aware of how dangerous that stretch is with the cars just zooming by. Maybe on a
nice Saturday, you ought to sit there at the pavilions and just observe. It can be
quite scary especially with the recent accident a couple years that was fatal and
then there was one a little aways from that, that we had a fatality again, most
recently this year. So we appreciate your time, we appreciate your willingness to
listen to our students and I would like to applaud them too for a job well done I
think. I concur with you. Thank you.
Chair Asing: Mark, do you have any closing statement that you
would like to make?
Mr. O'Day: That is my pen that I am going to take.
Mr. Bynum: Thank you.
Chair Asing: Thank you very much. We appreciate that. With
that, I'd like to call the meeting to order and can we have a motion to receive?
Mr. Kaneshiro: We have a motion on the floor Mr. Chair.
Chair Asing: I am sorry. Rules are suspended.
There being no objections, the rules were suspended.
Chair Asing: Glenn?
GLENN MICKENS: Thank you Kaipo. For the record Glenn Mickens. I
just want to sincerely congratulate these young people for... this is quite a
comprehensive report. It would be a comprehensive report for anybody, but for
some 9th grade kids to go through this, getting all these signatures and everything, I
just think it is tremendous and I do think that all these speed limits on this island
have to be looked at. I think it goes from 25, 35, 50, and back and forth. I think it
all has to be looked at, but anyway, I just really want to compliment these kids.
They are going to run this island someday and for them to be as active as they are
today... in a project like this, I think it shows a tremendous ability to young people.
Thank you Kaipo.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Is there anyone else? If not, I'd like to
call the meeting back to order.
The meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows:
COUNCIL MEETING ~ - 11 - ~ June 3, 2009
Chair Asing: We have a motion on the floor. Any further
discussion? All those in favor say aye?
The motion to receive C 2009-200 for the record was then put, and unanimously
carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
ERNIE PASION, DEPUTY COUNTY CLERK: The next item goes back to page 1
of the agenda which is a communication for receipt. Communication C 2009-193.
C 2009-193 Communication (04/24/2009) from the Director of Personnel,
transmitting for Council information, the third quarter reports (January-March
2009) relative to vacancies, established positions, new hires, reallocations, and
promotions: Mr. Kawakami moved to receive C 2009-193 for the record, seconded
by Mr. Chang, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next matter on page 1 is communication
C 2009-194.
C 2009-194 Communication (04/28/2009) from Virginia Kapali, Chairperson,
Kauai Salary Commission, transmitting for Council information, Resolution No.
2009-O1, relating to the salaries of certain officers and employees of the County of
Kauai which was adopted by the Salary Commission at its April 28, 2009 meeting,
and recommending amendments to the Kauai County Code related to salaries of
certain officers, the County Council, and Council Services employees: Mr. Chang
moved to receive C 2009-194 for the record, seconded by Ms. Kawahara, and
unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next matters for receipt on page 2 of the
Council's agenda are communications C 2009-195 which is a communication from
the Planning Director transmitting the Planning Commission's recommendation to
Proposed Draft Bill 2291. C 2009-196 which is a communication from the Planning
Director transmitting the Planning Commission's recommendation relating to
Proposed Draft Bill No. 2290. Communication C 2009-197 which is a
communication from the Planning Director transmitting the Planning Commission's
recommendation relating to Proposed Draft Bill No. 2293. Communication C 2009-
198 which is a communication from the Director of Personnel Services transmitting
reclassification information and C 2009-199, communication from the Director of
Personnel Services transmitting for Council information classification request.
Chair Asing: Can I have a motion to receive?
COUNCIL MEETING - 12 - ~ June 3, 2009
C 2009-195 Communication (05/01/2009) from the Planning Director,
transmitting the Planning Commission's recommendation relating to Proposed
. Draft Bill No. 2291 to approve increasing the amount of the fine from $500 to
$2,000 for persons convicted of violating, permitting, or causing the violation of any
of the provisions contained in the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO):
Mr. Bynum moved to receive C 2009-195 for the record, seconded by Mr. Chang,
and unanimously carried.
C 2009-196 Communication (05/04/2009) from the Planning Director,
transmitting the Planning Commission's recommendation relating to Proposed
Draft Bill No. 2290 to approve allowing Small Wind Energy Conversion Systems
(S.W.E.C.S) as permitted use in certain County zoning districts subject to
requirements and standards as set forth in the proposed draft bill: Mr. Bynum
moved to receive C 2009-196 for the record, seconded by Mr. Chang, and
unanimously carried.
C 2009-197 Communication (05/04/2009) from the Planning Director,
transmitting the Planning Commission's recommendation relating to Proposed
Draft Bill No. 2293 to approve allowing farm worker housing in the Agriculture
Zoning District through the Use Permit process: Mr. Bynum moved to receive
C 2009-197 for the record, seconded by Mr. Chang, and unanimously carried.
C 2009-198 Communication (05/08/2009) from the Director of Personnel
Services, transmitting for Council information, the following classification request
which the Department of Personnel Services will be reviewing and taking
appropriate action:
• Public Works Department, Position No. 1539 (Redescription -Review of
Plumber II)
Mr. Bynum moved to receive C 2009-198 for the record, seconded by Mr. Chang, and
unanimously carried.
C 2009-199 Communication (05/13/2009) from the Director of Personnel
Services, transmitting for Council information, the following classification request
which the Department of Personnel Services will be reviewing and taking
appropriate action:
• Prosecuting Attorney, Position No. 2801 (Redescription -Review of Special
Investigator)
Mr. Bynum moved to receive C 2009-199 for the record, seconded by Mr. Chang, and
unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next matter on page 3 of the Council's agenda.
These are matters for approval.
•
COUNCIL MEETING - 13 - June 3, 2009
C 2009-201 Communication (05/04/2009) from the Executive on
Transportation, requesting Council approval to receive and expend $400,000 of a
Section 117-Surface Transportation Projects Federal earmark for a comprehensive
Multi-Modal Land Transportation System Plan for the County of Kauai:
Mr. Chang moved to approve C 2009-201, seconded by Mr. Bynum, and
unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next communication is C 2009-202.
C 2009-202 Communication (05/08/2009) from the Housing Director,
requesting Council approval to decline the repurchase of Unit No. 602, Hookena at
Puhi, located at 2080 Manawalea Street, Lihu`e, Kauai, Hawaii, 96766, and
provide the owner with aone-year waiver of the resale restriction: Mr. Kawakami
moved to approve C 2009-202, seconded by Mr. Kaneshiro, and unanimously
carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next communication for approval is
communication C 2009-203.
C 2009-203 Communication (05/15/2009) from the Prosecuting Attorney,
requesting Council approval to apply for, receive, and expend the following Byrne
Justice Assistance Grant (JAG), pursuant to the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) in the amount of $191,079 for salaries and
training for the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, as well as to replace AED
Equipment, support the K-PAL football and cheerleading programs, and provide
training and overtime for the Kauai Police Department. These funds will be
expended for this program from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010: Mr. Kawakami
moved to approve C 2009-203, seconded by Mr. Kaneshiro, and unanimously
carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: At the bottom of page 3, next matter for approval is
communication C 2009-204.
C 2009-204 Communication (05/20/2009) from Hawaii Association of
Counties (HSAC) Vice President Derek S.K. Kawakami, requesting Council
approval of the proposed slate of HSAC Executive Committee Officers for the Fiscal
Year 2009-2010 term as follows:
• Derek S.K. Kawakami -President
• Nestor Garcia -Vice-President
• Dennis "Fresh" Onishi -Secretary
COUNCIL MEETING. - 14 - • June 3, 2009
• Joseph Pontanilla -Treasurer
Mr. Furfaro moved to approve C 2009-204, seconded by Mr. Chang.
Chair Asing: Any discussion? Go ahead.
Mr. Furfaro: First of all, I want to thank Mr. Kawakami for his
early work as Vice-Chair or Vice-President of the association. I am very pleased to
see the slate of officers and him becoming the President of our association.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Councilmember Bynum?
Mr. Bynum: Just also would like to express my appreciation and
congratulations. It is great to have the President of the Kauai County
Councilmember. Thank you for your service.
Mr. Kawakami: Thank you.
Chair Asing: Any further discussion? If not, there is a motion to
approve and a second. All those in favor say aye?
The motion to approve C 2009-204 was then put, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next matter on the top of page 4 is
communication C 2009-205 and if we could move this to the end of the agenda
Mr. Chair.
Mr. Furfaro moved to put C 2009-205 to the end of the agenda, seconded by
Mr. Kaneshiro, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next matter for approval are Committee
reports.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
BUDGET & FINANCE CONIIVIITTEE REPORTS:
A report (CR-B&F 2009-17) submitted by the Budget & Finance Committee,
recommending that the following be approved as amended on second and final
reading:
"Bill No. 2312 A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE AMENDING
CHAPTER 17A, KAUAI COUNTY CODE 1987, AS AMENDED, RELATING
TO BUS FARES FOR THE COUNTY BUS SYSTEM,"
COUNCIL MEETING ~ - 15 - • June 3 2009
Mr. Kaneshiro moved for approval of the report, seconded by Mr. Furfaro, and
unanimously carried. (See later for Bill No. 2312, Draft 1)
A report (CR-B&F 2009-17) submitted by the Budget & Finance Committee,
recommending that the following be approved on second and final reading:
"Bill No. 2313 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO.
B-2008-672 AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE OPERATING BUDGET OF
THE COUNTY OF KAUAI, STATE OF HAWAII, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
JULY 1, 2008 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2009, BY REVISING THE SURPLUS
AND APPROPRIATIONS ESTIMATED IN THE GENERAL FUND
(Prosecuting Attorney),"
Mr. Kaneshiro moved for approval of the report, seconded by Mr. Furfaro, and
unanimously carried. (See later for Bill No. 2313)
PARKS/TRANSPORTATION CONIIVIITTEE REPORT:
A report (CR-PKT 2009-01) submitted by the Parks/'I`ransportation
Committee, recommending that the following be received for the record:
"P/R,EC 2007-2 Communication (3/15/2007) from Tim Bynum,
Parks & Recreation Committee Chair, requesting that the Administration be
present to provide the status on responses to the January 19, 2006 follow-up
questions regarding Bill No. 2149, Relating to Camping at Lydgate Park,"
Mr. Furfaro moved for approval of the report, seconded by Mr. Bynum, and
unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next matters are first reading on page 5 of the
Council's agenda. The first bill for first reading is Proposed Draft Bill No. 2290.
BILLS FOR FIRST READING:
Proposed Draft Bill No. 2290 - A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE TO
ESTABLISH A NEW ARTICLE 28, CHAPTER 8, KAUAI COUNTY CODE 1987,
RELATING TO SMALL WIND ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEMS: Mr. Bynum
moved to receive Proposed Draft Bill No. 2290 for the record, seconded by
Mr. Kaneshiro.
Chair Asing: Any discussion? Go ahead Councilmember Bynum.
Mr. Bynum: Thank you Mr. Chair. This bill regarding small
wind energy conversion... I wanted to just take a moment. The bill that came from
the Planning Commission is further down and the Planning Commission staff and
the staff there did, I think an outstanding job of working on the bill and made
COUNCIL MEETING. - 16 - ~ June 3, 2009
changes that I largely support, so the motion here is to receive, and we entertain I
think the bill that came back from the Planning Commission.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Any further discussion?
Councilmember Furfaro?
Mr. Furfaro: Yes, again, I would see the bill that came back from
the Planning Commission is the one that is in front of us on the small wind energy
conversion system in particular because we need to clear our understanding of
expectations of DLNR as they wanted some sort of compliance with the endangered
species act and I think it is covered better in the piece that comes back from the
Planning Department, so I would second this... move to receive wholeheartedly.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Any further discussion? If not, we have
a motion and a second. Roll call.
The motion to receive Proposed Draft Bill No. 2290 for the record was then put, and
carried by the following vote:
FOR RECEIPT: Bynum, Chang, Furfaro, Kaneshiro,
Kawahara, Kawakami, Asing TOTAL - 7,
AGAINST RECEIPT: None TOTAL - 0,
EXCUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL - 0.
Chair Asing: Motion carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next first reading bill is Proposed Draft Bill
No. 2291.
Proposed Draft Bill No. 2291 - A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE AMENDING
SECTION 8-24.1, KAUAI COUNTY CODE 1987, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO
THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE: Mr. Furfaro moved for passage
of Proposed Draft Bill No. 2291 on first reading, that it be ordered to print, that a
public hearing thereon be scheduled for July 8, 2009, and that it thereafter be
referred to the Planning Committee, seconded by Mr. Kaneshiro, and carried by the
following vote:
Chair Asing: Any discussion? If not, roll call please.
FOR PASSAGE: Bynum, Chang, Furfaro, Kaneshiro,
Kawahara, Kawakami, Asing TOTAL - 7,
AGAINST PASSAGE: None TOTAL - 0,
EXCUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL - 0.
•
COUNCIL MEETING - 17 - June 3, 2009
Chair Asing: Can we have the next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next bill for first reading is Proposed Draft Bill
No. 2293.
Proposed Draft Bill No. 2293 - A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND
CHAPTER 8, KAUAI COUNTY CODE 1987, RELATING TO THE
COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE (Farm Worker Housing): Mr. Bynum
moved to receive Proposed Draft Bill No. 2293 for the record, seconded by
Mr. Chang.
Chair Asing: Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say aye?
The motion to receive Proposed Draft Bill No. 2293 for the record was then put, and
unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next bill for first reading is Proposed Draft Bill
No. 2317.
Proposed Draft Bill No. 2317 - A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE TO
ESTABLISH A NEW ARTICLE 28, CHAPTER 8, KAUAI COUNTY CODE 1987,
RELATING TO SMALL WIND ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEMS: Mr. Furfaro
moved for passage of Proposed Draft Bill No. 2317 on first reading, that it be
ordered to print, that a public hearing thereon be scheduled for July 8, 2009, and
that it thereafter be referred to the Planning Committee, seconded by Mr. Bynum.
Chair Asing: Any discussion? If not, roll call please.
The motion for passage of Proposed Draft Bill No. 2317 was then put, and carried by
the following vote:
FOR PASSAGE: Bynum, Chang, Furfaro, Kaneshiro,
Kawahara, Kawakami, Asing TOTAL - 7,
AGAINST PASSAGE: None TOTAL - 0,
EXCUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL - 0.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Motion carried. Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The last bill for first reading is Proposed Draft Bill
No. 2318.
Proposed Draft Bill No. 2318 - A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND
CHAPTER 8, KAUAI COUNTY CODE 1987, RELATING TO THE
• COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE (Farm Worker Housing): Mr. Furfaro
COUNCIL MEETING. - 18 - • June 3, 2009
moved for passage of Proposed Draft Bill No. 2318 on first reading, that it be
ordered to print, that a public hearing thereon be scheduled for July 8, 2009, and
that it thereafter be referred to the Planning Committee, seconded by
Mr. Kaneshiro.
Chair Asing: If not, do we have anyone in the audience who
wants to speak on this item? No, okay. With that, Councilmember Furfaro?
Mr. Furfaro: Yes, I just wanted to point out that this is the draft
that came from the Planning Department. It is pretty comprehensive in some of the
goals we wanted to extend. I did want to voice my concern that the dollar amount
that was associated with this for revenues for farming activity, I do have some
concern with... out of the first draft especially as it relates to 35,000 being
attributed to a small farm. I would like to have some further study on that as well
as the fact that I would like to get some HUD information regarding to the value of
housing as it relates to not setting the hours for the standard too high, but fair and
parallel to what is expected out of HUD. Those are the only two (2) concerns that I
have of the piece that came back from the Planning Commission.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Councilmember Kaneshiro?
Mr. Kaneshiro: Thank you Mr. Chair. Councilmember Furfaro
made a good point. For me, I would probably work with the Farm Bureau and get a
survey... get a survey of all the farms that are on the island and look at the... you
know, the potential revenues that are generated by farms and average this all out
because when I look at something like this with the $35,000 being revenue
generating from a farm especially if you talk small farmers, it might be quite
difficult to achieve, so that was one of the first things that popped up in my mind
also. So, you know, other than that, the bill covered much of the things that
probably, you know, we can work on and support that came from the Planning
Commission, so I do have some reservations about placing a dollar amount on what
farmers need to produce or earn off a farm before being able to even have some type
of a farm worker housing. So that is my concern that I have at this point, so thank
you Mr. Chair.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Any further discussion
Councilmembers? If not, roll call please.
The motion for passage of Proposed Draft Bill No. 2318 was then put, and carried by
the following vote: '
FOR PASSAGE: Bynum, Chang, Furfaro, Kaneshiro,
Kawahara, Kawakami, Asing TOTAL - 7,
AGAINST PASSAGE: None TOTAL - 0,
EXCUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL - 0.
• - 1 - • n 3 2009
COUNCIL MEETING 9 Ju e ,
Chair Asing: Thank you. Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next matter is a... are bills for second reading.
The first bill for second reading is Bill No. 2312, Draft 1.
BILLS FOR SECOND READING:
Bill No. 2312, Draft 1 - A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE AMENDING
CHAPTER 17A, KAUAI COUNTY CODE 1987, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO
BUS FARES FOR THE COUNTY BUS SYSTEM: Mr. Furfaro moved for adoption
of Bill No. 2312, Draft 1 on second and final reading, and that it be transmitted to
the Mayor for his approval, seconded by Mr. Kaneshiro.
Chair Asing: Any discussion? Councilmember Kawahara?
Ms. Kawahara: Thank you Chair Asing. I just wanted to mention
that I was worried about the bus fares because there wasn't much of a turnout for
the public hearing, but I think that is a condition of people that actually are using
the bus and may have difficulty getting to a meeting at a specific time. I was
reassured by information that was given to me from the Cost Control Commission
and the Executive Director herself from the Transportation Agency that stated that
they believe there wasn't going to be a significant impact for the people riding the
bus in this slight increase. One concern that I did have was why was it for an
increase for one year and then a second year, but overall, I do like to support this
bill. Thank you.
Chair Asing: With that, what I would like to do is suspend the
rules.
There being no objections, the rules were suspended.
Chair Asing: Glenn?
GLENN MICKENS: Thank you Kaipo. For the record, Glenn Mickens.
Daryl, thanks for this information. I really appreciate this. The question that was
asked before, how much does it costing... $4.2 million and I think Jay pointed out
80... I don't know what $4.2 million divided into $570,000... it will be $590,000 I
guess by the time the new thing is added on. (Inaudible)... I think he said
something like 81% Jay. All I am wondering is, has it been investigated to find
out... I understand that in Northern California they had this problem with the
increased cost of operating these buses, so they went to a taxi type of thing where
they had a contract with the taxi company up there. The taxi companies were on a
standby basis when elderly people (inaudible) people called and they could pick
them up, take them shopping, take them to the hospital whatever. They found out
it was far cheaper than operating these buses, but I just wonder whether this has
been investigated here on Kauai. I note the buses when I sit over here sometime.
COUNCIL MEETING. - 20 - • June 3, 2009
They are empty most of the time. I don't know how many people are actually riding
these things, so, you know, I just think maybe it might be more cost effective if some
system like this were investigated because I did hear it worked. But, anyway,
Daryl, again, thanks for getting this information. I do appreciate it. Thank you
Kaipo.
Chair Asing: Is there anyone else? If not, I'd like to call the
meeting back to order.
The meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: We have a motion on the floor and a second. Any
further discussion? Councilmember Furfaro?
Mr. Furfaro: Mr. Chair, I just want to acknowledge
Mr. Kaneshiro for filling the request and getting the information to Mr. Mickens
and thank you very much Mr. Kaneshiro.
Chair Asing: With that, any further discussion? If not, roll call
please.
The motion to adopt Bill No. 2312, Draft 1 was then put, and carried by the
following vote:
FOR ADOPTION: Bynum, Chang, Furfaro, Kaneshiro,
Kawahara, Kawakami, Asing TOTAL - 7,
AGAINST ADOPTION: None TOTAL - 0,
EXCUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL - 0.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: Last bill for second reading is Bill No. 2313.
Bill No. 2313 - AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. B-2008-
672 AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE OPERATING BUDGET OF THE
COUNTY OF KAUAI, STATE OF HAWAII, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1,
2008 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2009, BY REVISING THE SURPLUS AND
APPROPRIATIONS ESTIMATED IN THE GENERAL FUND (Prosecuting
Attorney): Mr. Kawakami moved for adoption of Bill No. 2313 on second and final
reading, and that it be transmitted to the Mayor for his approval, seconded by
Mr. Kaneshiro, and carried by the following vote:
FOR ADOPTION: Bynum, Chang, Furfaro, Kaneshiro,
Kawahara, Kawakami, Asing TOTAL - 7,
AGAINST ADOPTION: None TOTAL - 0,
EXCUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL - 0.
COUNCIL MEETING • - 21 - ~ June 3, 2009
Chair Asing: Thank you. We will take a caption break at this
time and then we will return for the executive session before we take the last item.
With that, we are in a caption break now.
There being no objections, the Chair called for a recess at 10:16 a.m. The meeting
was called back to order at 10:50 a.m., and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: With that, County Attorney.
Mr. Bynum: Mr. Chair.
Chair Asing: Yes.
Mr. Bynum: I have a motion pending on the floor.
Chair Asing: Not yet. We are going to have... let's finish the
agenda.
Mr. Bynum: Are we going to do the executive session first?
Chair Asing: Yes.
Mr. Bynum: Then reconvene?
Chair Asing: Yes. We still have one more item on the agenda
besides the executive session.
There being no objections, the rules were suspended.
ALFRED B. CASTILLO, COUNTY ATTORNEY: Council Chair,
Councilmembers, Al Castillo County Attorney. I have three (3) matters that I would
like for you to consider for executive session. This would be ES-386, ES-387, and
ES-385. Let me read the first one, 386.
ES-386 Pursuant to Haw. Rev. Stat. sections 92-4 and 92-5(a)(4), and
Kauai County Charter section 3.07(E), the purpose of this executive session is to
provide Council with a briefing and to request authority for a possible settlement
proposal in the case of County of Kauai vs. Darius Wu, et al., Civil No. 08-1-0173
(Fifth Circuit Court) and related matters. This briefing and consultation involves
consideration of the powers, duties, privileges, immunities and/or liabilities of the
Council and the County as they relate to this agenda item.
ES-387 Pursuant to Haw.Rev.Stat. §§92-4 and 92-5(a)(4), (6) and (8),
and Kauai County Charter section 3.07(E), the purpose of this executive session is
to provide the Council a briefing on Planning Commission of the County of Kauai
vs. Patricia W. & Michael G. Sheehan, Sr. Permit Numbers: Special Management
COUNCIL MEETING. - 22 - • June 3, 2009
Area Use; Permit SMA (U) 87-8; Use Permit U-87-32; Special Permit SP-87-9; Class
IV Zoning Permit Z-IV-87-40, (Order to Show Cause Hearings) and related matters.
This briefing and consultation involves consideration of the powers, duties,
privileges, immunities and/or liabilities of the Council and the County as they relate
to this agenda item.
ES-385 Pursuant to Haw.Rev. Stat. Sections 92-4, 92-5(a)(4) and (8),
and Kauai County Charter section 3.07(E), the purpose of this executive session is
to provide the Council a briefing on the Charter amendments adopted in the 2008
General Election and other related matters. This briefing and consultation involves
the consideration of the powers, duties, privileges, immunities and/or liabilities of
the Council and the County as they relate to legal ramifications and/or
requirements and/or claims and/or potential claims relating to this agenda item.
Chair Asing: Thank you. What I would like to do is... Glenn? Al,
let Glenn come up please.
GLENN MICKENS: Thank you Kaipo. Just for one quick question. It is
regarding this ES-385. Is there anyway that we can get anymore information what
this is about. The other two (2) are pretty explanatory. 385 says, Charter
amendments adopted in the 2006 General Election, so that is going to be more than
one Charter amendment that happened in 2008 election, but is there any other
information that we could be privy to or is that going to be in executive session.
Chair Asing: Executive session as stated here Glenn.
Mr. Mickens: Okay, thank you.
Chair Asing: Thank you. I'd like to call the meeting back to order
now and have a motion to move into executive session.
Mr. Furfaro moved to go into executive session on ES-386, ES-387, and ES-385,
seconded by Mr. Kaneshiro, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: We are going to move into executive session.
There being no objections, the Chair called for a recess at10:53 a.m. The meeting
was called back to order at 1:45 p.m., and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: With that, Mr. Clerk, can we have the next item
please?
Mr. Nakamura: Mr. Chair, we are back on page 4 of the Council's
agenda on communication C 2009-205 for approval.
COUNCIL MEETING • - 23 - • June 3 2009
C 2009-205 Request (05/22/2009) from the Office of the County Attorney for
authorization to expend additional funds up to $20,000 for special counsel to
represent the Planning Commission of the County of Kauai in Planning
Commission of the County of Kauai vs. Patricia W. & Michael G. Sheehan, Sr. ,
Permit Numbers: Special Management Area Use; Permit SMA (U) 87-8; Use Permit
U-87=32; Special Permit SP-87-9; Class IV Zoning Permit Z-IV-87-40 (Order to Show
Cause Hearings) and related matters: Mr. Furfaro moved to approve C 2009-205,
seconded by Ms. Kawahara, and unanimously carried.
Mr. Furfaro: Excuse me Mr. Chair, I think you might have had
someone from the audience.
Chair Asing: Oh, my apologies. Was there someone who wanted
to speak on this item? Bruce? No, okay. Thank you. I'd like to call the meeting
back to order.
The meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: We are now... I will call the meeting back to order
and the item that Councilmember Bynum wants to add to the agenda, in my
opinion, is precluded by Charter 92-7(d) Sunshine Law. With that, I would like to
have...
Mr. Bynum: Mr. Chair?
Chair Asing: Hold on. I would like to have the County Attorney
up.
There being no objections, the rules were suspended.
Mr. Castillo: County Attorney Alfred Castillo.
Chair Asing: County Attorney, before I have you say anything,
let me just read Hawaii Revised Statute Chapter 92-7(d) and I am going to read it
into the record. No board shall change the agenda once filed by adding items thereto
without atwo-thirds recorded vote of all members to which the board is entitled
provided... and this is the most important part. Provided that no item shall be
added to the agenda if it is of reasonably major importance and the action thereon
by the board will affect a significant number of persons. In my opinion, the subject
matter that Councilmember Bynum is making reference to is the Council rules and
it is major in nature and, therefore, does not even qualify for that to be added. So I
would like to have your opinion please.
Mr. Castillo: Council Chair and members of the Council, good
afternoon. Can I have a few minutes to review what I have just been handed?
COUNCIL MEETING. - 24 - ~ June 3, 2009
Chair Asing: Sure.
Mr. Castillo: And may the record reflect that I was handed by
Councilman Bynum or Councilmember Bynum three (3) pages. One appears to be...
I don't know if everyone has it.
Mr. Bynum: I just passed it out.
Mr. Castillo: One appears to be the e-mail communications, one
is a... the second page is a letter dated February 17, and the next page is a
resolution.
Mr. Furfaro: May I ask a question Mr. Chair?
Chair Asing: Go ahead.
Mr. Furfaro: This seems to be very close to the material that was
read by the Chair, but can I just ask that since this response came from your office,
have you seen this before?
Mr. Castillo: Wait, wait. No, a... I have not seen it... first of all, I
have not seen it before and second of all, I hazard to give it any attention right now
because I don't want it to become an agenda item if it is not one that is appropriate
to be an agenda item. So, right now, I will take a look at this and I will give you
what the County Attorney's ruling is on it.
Mr. Furfaro: You have answered my question because this seems
to be someone of a legal background that has sent a response and you have said to
me that you have not seen it, therefore, I would support your request for a recess.
Chair Asing: Thank you. What I would like to do is I would like
to call for a recess, so that it will give you some time to read the item.
Mr. Castillo: Okay, thank you.
Chair Asing: With that, thank you.
There being no objections, the Chair called for a recess at 1:50 p.m. The meeting
was called back to order at 2:00 p.m., and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: County Attorney, have you read the items before
you?
Mr. Castillo: Yes I have.
Mr. Bynum: Mr. Castillo...
• •
COUNCIL MEETING - 25 - June 3, 2009
Chair Asing: Mr. Bynum, let's have some order here.
Mr. Bynum: I asked to be recognized.
Chair Asing: I asked the question of the County Attorney. Please
have the courtesy...
Mr. Bynum: You made a statement.
Chair Asing: Please have the courtesy... I asked for an opinion,
didn't I?
Mr. Bynum: You made a statement.
Chair Asing: Did I ask for an opinion?
Mr. Bynum: And you made a statement.
Chair Asing: Yes.
Mr. Bynum: I would like to also make a statement.
Chair Asing: Shall we do it in order like we normally do?
Mr. Bynum: If the County Attorney is going to make a ruling,
that precludes me from having the same privilege...
Chair Asing: I am asking for an opinion.
Mr. Bynum: I am asking...
Chair Asing: Please have the courtesy of having some order here
and I have asked for an opinion and you want to intercede by asking something
else. We normally have people recognized and move, and I have made a statement,
I have asked a question of the County Attorney, and I deserve an answer before we
move onto the next person. With that...
Mr. Castillo: Yea, I... with that being said and how this thing is
progressing, I think my legal advice and my legal opinion falls under an
unanticipated issue that requires executive session. And under... pursuant to
H.R.S. Chapter 92 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, I request that we go into
executive session for the purpose of discussing the... for the purpose of consultation
because it involves your powers, your duties, your privileges, your immunities,
and/or your liabilities as the County Council as they relate to this question. And it
COUNCIL MEETING. - 26 - • June 3 2009
is not even an agenda item at this point in time, but I would like to brief you or give
you advice on the law regarding all of this... all of the issues involved.
Chair Asing: With that, let me ask this question. With your
answer, is it legal for us to move into executive session at this particular time?
Mr. Castillo: First... yes, it is because it is unanticipated and the
questions that arise out of this particular set of circumstances, require that we go
into executive session because it touches upon liabilities and duties as the Council.
Chair Asing: Okay. I am going to ask that we move into
executive session, but prior to moving into executive session, I will recognize
Councilmember Bynum.
Mr. Castillo: But I caution... wait. I am sorry. I just want to
make sure... I am sorry to interrupt. What I would warn is, Councilmember
Bynum, you cannot touch upon the reasons why you want to go into this because
you will be arguing your point regarding the issues that you want to present
regarding potential agenda items that were not docketed for today. We would be in
breech of the Sunshine Law, so I caution you that I would have to stop you if you try
to do that.
Mr. Bynum: And I would appreciate that guidance. Can I have
the floor Mr. Chair.
Chair Asing: Yes.
Mr. Bynum: Thank you. The Chair has made a statement that
he believes that the motion that is allowed for... under... and he read the law... that
is allowed for under the Hawaii Revised Statutes is... violates Sunshine.
Mr. Castillo: Wait, wait, wait. I am sorry, I have to stop you. I
have to stop you because you are going into the merits of the Sunshine Law. The
purpose of what is happening right now is whether or not we are going to go into
executive session and that is all. Anything outside of that would be beyond...
Mr. Bynum: The Chair has made a statement about his opinion.
Mr. Castillo: No, right now, the request from your County
Attorney to protect you is for us to go into executive session.
Mr. Bynum: And we are discussing that whether we go into
executive session, right?
Mr. Castillo: Well, then it is yes or no, but you want to talk about
the Sunshine Law regarding what you introduced.
• - • n 3 2009
COUNCIL MEETING - 27 Ju e ,
Mr. Bynum: Well, we haven't had the vote on introducing
anything. I just want to say what this document is that I passed out.
Mr. Castillo: See, that is precisely my point Councilman Bynum.
My point is, you cannot get into the subject matter that started this entire thing.
The question before this body right now and my request is that we go into executive
session, so that I may protect this body, and that is on the floor.
Chair Asing: Councilmember Furfaro?
Mr. Furfaro: Yes. I just want to point out that I think my... I
just want to point out that I appreciate your comments Al, but while we are on
breaks specifically the past modus operandi has been, by policy from the County
Attorney's Office, that these responses come back to us after you have had time to
digest it. I am just saying that has been the past practice. The reason that I
wanted to point out and you keep using the term here... this violation of the
Sunshine Law possibly could affect the body, the body, and I haven't had an
opportunity to get that clarity. Not that I don't recognize what Mr. Bynum chose to
pass out because I have had similar request even prior to the dated material that is
there. But you are saying to us right now that immunities regarding and protection
for the body is here. This is not an individual item, this is an item that affects the
body based on the Sunshine Law.
Mr. Castillo: At affects... it is a whole string of things that can
take into effect. You know, at first yea, it can involve the body as the Council, it can
involve potential liability to a specific Councilmember. You know, and I just want
to prevent any wrong doing by this body.
Mr. Furfaro: I appreciate the caution that you are passing out.
Mr. Castillo: And, and... that is all.
Chair Asing: Okay, Councilmember Bynum?
Mr. Bynum: So your argument is if we have a public discussion
about what the Sunshine Law allows, that we will be violating the Sunshine Law.
Mr. Castillo: I am sorry Councilmember Bynum.
Mr. Bynum: I think we will be violating the Sunshine Law if we
go into private session to discuss this.
Mr. Castillo: You know, please do not put words in my mouth.
Mr. Bynum: I asked...
COUNCIL MEETING. - 28 - • June 3 2009
Mr. Castillo: No, no, no, no. You made a statement there that
was not true and I asked... well, all I am asking is I am asking that we go into
executive session because these are sensitive matters that involves your powers,
your duties, your privileges, your immunities, and/or liabilities, and it is... this
matter was unanticipated and that is the reason why I am requesting that we go
into executive session. Now, if there is a motion to defer and I don't know how that
would work regarding this subject matter, but I am ready to go into executive
session and to advise this body, and then we can move on from there.
Chair Asing: Thank you. With that, if there are no objections, I
would be asking this body to move into executive session, so what I would like to do
is excuse you and I am going to call the meeting back to order.
The meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: And have a motion to move into executive session.
With that, Councilmember Bynum?
Mr. Bynum: So you are going to have a motion and then we are
going to vote?
Chair Asing: To move into executive session.
Mr. Bynum: But we can't discuss this?
Chair Asing: No.
Mr. Kaneshiro: It is not agendaed.
Chair Asing: It is not agendaed.
Mr. Castillo: Wait, wait, wait, wait. I am sorry.
Chair Asing: The meeting is now called to order. I have the floor,
okay. And now as presiding officer, I made a recommendation that we move into
executive session as suggested and recommended by the County Attorney. So I am
following the County Attorney's lead to move into executive session and I am asking
for a motion to move into executive session. Can I have a motion to move into
executive session?
Mr. Kawakami moved to go into executive session, seconded by Mr. Kaneshiro.
Chair Asing: Any discussion? Go ahead.
• - ~ n 3 2009
COUNCIL MEETING - 29 Ju e ,
Ms. Kawahara: I just have a question. If we go into executive
session, does it... when we come back, is there any... is that going to preclude... it is
possible that would preclude discussion on the item?
Chair Asing: I can't answer you Lani. I don't know.
Ms. Kawahara: So we don't know what the result will be if we go
into executive session?
Chair Asing: We are taking a recommendation from the County
Attorney. I think it is a reasonable move. What do we do, say no County Attorney,
we are not going to agree with you and what do we do? I mean that is not the way
to do it.
Ms. Kawahara: Okay.
Chair Asing: I am not going to chair a meeting and have
discussions made ignoring the County Attorney entirely. I think I need to depend on
the County Attorney for at least legal advice and guidance, and that is what I am
trying to do.
Ms. Kawahara: Okay, I just wanted to clarify if there was a set
thing that would come out of it. Thanks.
Chair Asing: Okay. So we had a motion and a second to move
into executive session.
Mr. Furfaro: I want to share with you... based on past practice
and this item came up quite abruptly this morning. My preference would have been
really to defer and see if we couldn't get a written response from the County .
Attorney, but it obviously looks as if I do not have the votes for that. But on his
advice to get this to the next step and see if it can even be put on the agenda based
on the fact that this item seems to be of a serious nature and should have gotten the
appropriate agenda time, but my preference would have been to defer.
Chair Asing: Okay. Any further discussion? If not, all those in
favor say aye? Roll call vote please.
The motion to go into executive session was then put, and carried by the following
vote:
FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION: Chang, Furfaro, Kaneshiro,
Kawakami, Asing TOTAL - 5,
AGAINST EXECUTIVE SESSION: Bynum, Kawahara TOTAL - 2,
EXCUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL - 0.
COUNCIL MEETING. - 30 - ~ June 3 2009
Mr. Nakamura: Five (5) ayes, two (2) no's Mr. Chair.
Chair Asing: Motion carried. We are going to move into executive
session. Prior to moving into executive session, we have a certificate that is going to
be presented by Councilmember Kawakami.
Mr. Kawakami: Bynum.
Chair Asing: I am sorry. Councilmember Bynum and with that,
we are in recess.
There being no objections, the Chair called for a recess at 2:14 p.m. The meeting
was called back to order at 4:16 p.m., and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: With that, can we have the County Attorney up.
There being no objections, the rules were suspended.
Chair Asing: County Attorney please.
Mr. Castillo: Alfred Castillo, Jr., County Attorney. Council
Chair, members of the Council, good afternoon again.
Mr. Bynum: Good afternoon.
Ms. Kawahara: Good afternoon.
Mr. Castillo: I have reviewed the proposed amendment to the
agenda and in actuality it is not only a proposed amendment, it is an addition to the
agenda. There are different rules and regulations and laws that apply in this case
or with this issue. And basically, no board shall change the agenda and I am
reading from the Sunshine Law. No item shall be added to the agenda if it is of
reasonably major importance and action thereon by the board will affect a
significant number of persons. Now this is the Sunshine Law. Our County
ordinance... I am sorry, our County Charter gives the Chairman as the Presiding
Officer of the Council certain latitude and certain amount of discretion. Now, the .
first analysis is to look into the nature of the proposed change in the agenda and
looking at the item whether it is just nominal or whether it is of reasonably major
importance. What I submit and my ruling as your County Attorney is that the
proposed resolution encroaches upon the duties of the Chairman as the Presiding
Officer of the Council. Therefore, it is of reasonably major importance and the way
that the County Council is runned in this County affects all of the people of this
County. Therefore, the Sunshine Law in this case definitely applies. What it means
for the people of this County is that an agenda item of this nature to be in
conjunction to follow the Sunshine Law... what it means is you have to post it on
the agenda. It has to be posted and there are rules and regulations regarding the
•
COUNCIL MEETING - 31 - June 3, 2009
posting of a proper agenda item. And in this case, it was not done within the
appropriate amount of time. What it means is that the people of Kauai did not have
the opportunity to know what was placed on the agenda and that is the reason for
the Sunshine Law. Based on that, the mere nature of this bill or this resolution
being proposed is in violation of the Sunshine Law and should not be considered at
all. It is inappropriate, therefore, I submit to this body that this matter not be
considered and because I don't want this body to violate the Sunshine Law. That is
all.
Chair Ayng: Thank you. Councilmember Bynum?
Mr. Bynum: Having heard your opinion, could one make a
motion to add this item to the following agenda?
Mr. Castillo: The... what I submit that you should do is follow
the County Charter and follow the resolution regarding how bills are placed on the
agenda.
Mr. Bynum: So I have done that and the bill was not placed on
the agenda, so I would like to look at the Council rules and discuss what my efforts
have been.
Mr. Castillo: You know, I caution Councilmember Bynum that
what I see here is your attempting to voice your opinion regarding the County
Attorney's opinion regarding the Sunshine Law and your voice saying, the very
nature of what you wanted to introduce. It is not proper at this time and... so I
respectfully ask you to heed my advice regarding not violating the Sunshine Law.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Councilmember Furfaro?
Mr. Furfaro: Yes, so to the County Attorney, what I am hearing
is... and I guess we would have to make a motion on "no" to amend today's agenda.
That is your recommendation.
Mr. Castillo: No, my recommendation is it is improperly before
this board.
Mr. Furfaro: Okay.
Mr. Castillo: And to... the reason why I am saying that is to vote
on it and to say discussion invites a violation of the Sunshine Law which I say we
should not do.
Mr. Furfaro: Okay, and I want to make sure that I use the term
today because as you spoke earlier, clearly in my opinion is the rules of the Council
COUNCIL MEETING. - 32 - • June 3 2009
which, in fact, puts us in a very awkward position with the laws of the Sunshine
rules as they apply to us.
Chair Asing: Okay. Anything else? Go ahead Councilmember
Kawahara.
Ms. Kawahara: Thank you Al and I want to say that I hope after I
ask you this question we will still be friends. This was all in the act of democracy
and I wanted to find out and be sure what we are doing here before we continue. My
question here is, what government agency... well, I am going to tell you. What
government agency administers the Sunshine Law?
Mr. Castillo: Okay.
Ms. Kawahara: Which you just spoke so eloquently on and said that
you want us to follow...
Mr. Castillo: No, I... first of all, let me address your comment
about can we still be friends.
Ms. Kawahara: Smile.
Mr. Castillo: No, you have your duty as a Councilperson and I
have a duty to defend and protect the constitutions of the United States and of this
State. I have the duty to protect this County. In terms of administering the
Sunshine Law, I have given you legal advice regarding the Sunshine Law. It is my
duty. If you want to go against this... against my recommendation, my advice, then
I cannot tell you what to do. You are a Councilperson, you have the constituent to
answer to, but I can only tell you what the law is and why we shouldn't get into this
area. And I ask that, you know, what we are doing right now is talking about the
proposed amendment which I say this should end right now because it is in
violation of the Sunshine Law. This is not agendaed, properly agendaed.
Ms. Kawahara: Okay.
Chair Asing: Okay, Councilmember Kawahara.
Ms. Kawahara: Thank you. I want...
Mr. Castillo: You're welcome.
Ms. Kawahara: You still didn't say whether we are going to be
friends, but that is okay. The... according to what I am reading here, the OIP
oversees the uniform information practices act and that is the agency that
administers the Sunshine Law. The question and you will stop me, I am sure,
because I ask if you would. The question here was, we were proposing to change to
- - ~ 20
COUNCIL MEETING 33 June 3, 09
add an agenda item and there is a disagreement between... well, I would disagree
with what your finding was and what the finding that I am going on is an OIP
finding.
Mr. Castillo: Again, here we discuss... you know, the OIP in
2002, September, did say that a proposed resolution that is not agendaed is not...
you cannot discuss it because it will be in violation of the Sunshine Law.
Ms. Kawahara: Yes.
Mr. Castillo: Again, Council Chair, you know, I ask that we stop
this line of questioning because what we are doing is we are talking about anon-
agended item that is in violation of the Sunshine Law. I don't know how many
times I have to repeat myself.
Ms. Kawahara: Okay. So I just want to finish what I wanted to say.
Chair Asng: Go ahead.
Ms. Kawahara: Thank you Chair Asing. The 2002 ruling that you
are speaking of, I understand. I also understand that you can add something to the
agenda if it does not appear to be of reasonably major importance or affect a
significant number of people which is where the area we are having our issues and
our discussion. I just wanted that on the floor and wanted to be sure that I was
respectfully disagreeing or disagreeing with what you are asking us to do. '
Mr. Castillo: You know, I am not asking you to agree with me, I
am just giving you the legal advice based on my almost 30 years of experience.
Ms. Kawahara: And since I am not sure how far and where this is
going to go, I... for point of information, is this the last time we are going to get to
discuss?
Chair Asing: Yes.
Ms. Kawahara: Okay. I wanted to say that I think all of us are here
and trying to do the best jobs that we can. We have all been elected to this table and
as such, the constituents that we represent have the right to be able to expect that
we can do our jobs well for them and being able to do that job well relies a lot on
the rules of our Council. That, to me, and it is said here in my statesmanship
manual from Mr. Tacbian that our Council rules are a living document and we are
supposed to adopt the questioning attitude toward Council procedure... always
trying to improve those procedures and what is happening today... it is my belief
that I am trying to improve those procedures and Councilmember Bynum is trying
to improve those procedures and whether or not we are going to be able to do it, I
don't know, but I want to be sure that constituents understand what is happening
COUNCIL MEETING - 34 - • June 3 2009
here because it is all... it is quite vague, but understandably so for me. I just want
to be able to do my job and I need to be able to be sure that I can do it effectively
with... and whether or not the Council rules allow me to do that is my question and
I am done. Thank you.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Councilmember Bynum?
Mr. Bynum: I just want to go on record again of objecting to the
executive session that we held. I don't believe there was anything that was
discussed there that couldn't have been discussed in public.
Mr. Castillo: Wait.
Chair Asing: Hold on Councilmember Bynum.
Mr. Castillo: Now you are really in violation of the Sunshine Law
and I caution you to stop because you cannot allude to what happened in executive
session. That is inappropriate.
Mr. Bynum: I just objected to us having one.
Mr. Castillo: You cannot do that.
Mr. Bynum: I am done with that.
Mr. Castillo: You can object, but what you were alluding to was
what was happening in executive session which is confidential.
Mr. Bynum: I don't think I said anything specific.
Chair Asing: Councilmember Bynum, be careful.
Mr. Bynum: I will move on from that.
Chair Asing: Be careful. You know that you are trying to expose
us to executive session items. That is what you just did.
Mr. Bynum: No Sir, I am not.
Chair Asing: That is what you just did.
Mr. Bynum: No Sir.
Chair Asing: And be very careful.
- - ~ n 2
COUNCIL MEETING 35 Ju e 3, 009
Mr. Bynum: I find it ironic .that the Sunshine Law is being used
to censure open dialogue about... and that today we have had people express their
opinion and we are dancing all around this and anybody who watches this in the
public would say, what the heck is going on when it is simple and straight forward.
So I just think it is very ironic that a law intended to bring Sunshine is being used
to censure.
Mr. Castillo: I agree with you. I agree with you totally
Councilman Bynum because it is simple. It really is simple and the simple process
for the people of this community is to have Sunshine. When there is an agenda item
of this significance, the people of Kauai need to know way ahead of time. The people
of Kauai need to have proper notice. That is what the Sunshine Law brings about.
What is being trying... what your proposal here takes away from the Sunshine Law.
You can disagree, but it takes away from the Sunshine Law and it is in violation of
the Sunshine Law and we have an OIP opinion, but I don't need the OIP opinion. It
is basically the law.
Mr. Bynum: So it is okay to say that OIP attorney has disagreed
with you. That is okay to say? The State agency had said...
Chair Asing: Councilmember Bynum, you know, I am going to
call this meeting back to order ~ and I am going to adjourn the meeting.
The meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: So the meeting is...
Ms. Kawahara: (Inaudible)... do we take a vote?
Chair Asing: I am going to call the meeting back to order and the
reason I am doing it is because we have a County Attorney's opinion that we are in
violation of the Sunshine Law if we entertain it. We have that, that was just
presented to us. So with that said, the meeting is now called back to order.
The meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: And the meeting is now adjourned. Thank you.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:32 p.m.
COUNCIL MEETING - 36 - ~ n 2
Ju e 3, 009
Respectfully submitted,
PETER A. NAKAMURA
County Clerk
/lki
!
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
JUNE 10, 2009
The Special Council Meeting of the Council of the County of Kauai was called
to order by the Council Chair at the Council Chambers, Historic County Building,
4396 Rice Street, Room 201, Lihu`e, Kauai, on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at
8:37 a.m., after which the following members answered the call of the roll:
Honorable Tim Bynum
Honorable Dickie Chang
Honorable Jay Furfaro
Honorable Daryl W. Kaneshiro (present at 8:41 a.m.)
Honorable Lani T. Kawahara
Honorable Derek S. K. Kawakami
Honorable Bill "Kaipo" Asing, Council Chair
PETER A. NAKAMURA, COUNTY CLERx: Just for the record Council Chair,
Councilmember Kaneshiro called to inform us that he will be running a little bit
late this morning.
Chair Asing: Yes, thank you. Before we start the meeting this
morning, we received... the Council received some unfortunate news that
Councilmember Duke Bainum of Honolulu County Council passed away. And what
I would like to do is a... in memory of Councilmember Bainum, we have a minute of
silence. Thank you. With that, Mr. Clerk, can we have the first item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The first item is the approval of the agenda.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Mr. Furfaro moved for approval of the agenda as circulated, seconded by Mr. Chang,
and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Can we have the first item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The first item for approval is communication
` C 2009-207.
C 2009-207 Communication (05/21/2009) from the Director, Office of
Economic Development, requesting Council approval to apply for, receive, and
expend a $20,000 grant from the Hawaii 50th Anniversary of Statehood Commission
to enhance the 50 Years of Hula program held at the Lihu`e Airport: Mr. Furfaro
moved approve C 2009-207, seconded by Mr. Chang, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
SPECIAL COUNCIL TING -2- June 10, 2009
Mr. Nakamura: The next matter is communication C 2009-208.
C 2009-208 Request (06/03/2009) from the Office of the County Attorney for
approval to expend funds up to $75,000 to pay for work done by special counsel
regarding Charter Amendments and other related matters.
Mr. Nakamura: If we could move this to the end of the agenda
Mr. Chair.
Chair Asing: Thank you. We will move this to the end of the
agenda. Can we have the County Attorney up please? We will be going into
executive session to handle ES-388. Prior to that, County Attorney please.
There being no objections, the rules were suspended.
MICHAEL DAHILIG, DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY Good morning Council
Chair.
Chair Asing: Good morning.
Mr. Dahilig: My name is Mike Dahilig on behalf of the County
Attorney Al Castillo who is actually on leave right now, so I am standing in for him.
ES-388 Pursuant to Haw. Rev. Stat. sections 92-4 and 92-5(a)(4), and
Kauai County Charter section 3.07(E), the purpose of this executive session is to
consult with the Council's attorney regarding the charter amendments adopted in
the 2008 general election and other related matters. This consultation involves the
consideration of the powers, duties, privileges, immunities and/or liabilities of the
Council and the County as they relate to this agenda item.
Chair Asing: Thank you. With that, I'd like to call the meeting
back to order and have a motion to go into executive session.
Mr. Furfaro moved to go into executive session on item ES-388, seconded by
Mr. Kawakami, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: We are now going to move into executive session.
Thank you.
There being no objections, the Chair called for a recess at 8:41 a.m. The meeting
was called back to order at 10:15 a.m., and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: With that, Mr. Clerk, can you read the next item
please?
, if
SPECIAL COUNCIL 1Vlt'~ETING -3- ~ June 10, 2009
Mr. Nakamura: Council Chair, we are back to agenda item
C 2009-208 for approval.
C 2009-208 Request (06/03/2009) from the Office of the County Attorney for
approval to expend funds up to $75,000 to pay for work done by special counsel
regarding Charter Amendments and other related matters: Mr. Furfaro moved to
approve C 2009-208, seconded by Mr. Chang, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: This meting is now adjourned. Thank you.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:16 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
PETER A. NAKAMURA
County Clerk
L
COUNCIL MEETING
June 16, 2009
The Council Meeting of the Council of the County of Kauai was called to
order by the Council Chair at the Council Chambers, Historic County
Building, 4396 Rice Street, Room 201, Lihu`e, Kauai, on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at
9:05 a.m., after which the following members answered the call of the roll:
Honorable Tim Bynum
Honorable Dickie Chang
Honorable Jay Furfaro
Honorable Daryl W. Kaneshiro
Honorable Lani T. Kawahara
Honorable Derek S.K. Kawakami
Honorable Bill "Kaipo" Asing, Council Chair
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Mr. Kaneshiro moved for approval of the agenda as circulated, seconded by
Mr. Furfaro.
Chair Asing: Any discussion?
Ms. Kawahara: Sir, Chair, hi. I wanted to make a motion to add a
communication to the agenda.
Ms. Kawahara moved to add a communication dated June 16, 2009 to the agenda,
seconded by Mr. Bynum.
Ms. Kawahara: The motion... the communication respectfully
request agenda time on the July 8 Council Meeting to discuss the following matters
including the Councilmember's agenda... access to the agenda, placement of public
documents including meeting minutes on the County's website, equitable and
timely circulation of Council Service documents, and general access to information
by the public and Councilmembers. We believe it is a modest and reasonable
request and also reflects the wording of an online citizen petition that... as of now is
290 citizen signatures.
Chair Asing: Well, it is a little unusual, but I am not sure what
this is intended to do.
Mr. Furfaro: Well, it looks to me Mr. Chair if I may have the
floor.
Chair Asing: Yes, go ahead.
s
COUNCIL MEETING - 2 - ~ June 16, 2009
Mr. Furfaro: That there are... there is a request for the purpose
of... what was the date you said?
Ms. Kawahara: July 8.
Mr. Furfaro: July 8 to put three (3) items on the agenda for the
purpose of discussion. That does not sound unreasonable. I would like to make
note again though, for discussion purposes...
Ms. Kawahara: Yes, and it is for four (4) items.
Chair Asing: Can I have the County Attorney up?
ALFRED B. CASTILLO, JR., COUNTY ATTORNEY: Good morning everyone.
Al Castillo, County Attorney.
Chair Asing: Good morning.
Mr. Kaneshiro: Morning.
Mr. Castillo: Okay, I have just been handed a communication
dated June 16, 2009 and without reading the body of the communication...
basically, from what I gather is that this is a communication that Councilmember
Kawahara request at this moment in time to add to the agenda. Let me put this in
perspective for all of you, so that we have an established train of thought. The last
time and when I look at this, it is a communication and it is a communication
requesting agenda time for another date, July 8. So the question becomes how does
this differ from the last time that I was here regarding a request to put another
matter on the agenda. And in looking at this right now and this is the first time
that I have seen it... is the subject matter is a lot different. The last time that we
were here, what basically the law protects is, one, you have the Sunshine Law
which provides the citizens of Kauai the opportunity to know what is coming up in
the next meeting. That is one. Number 2 is... in any, I guess forum, what is not
desired is a form of introducing evidence or introducing things before a body. It is
almost like by ambush where nobody has the opportunity to look at it first.
However, in this... what I see here is just a request... a communication. When you
look at the law and basically the law says that no item shall be added if it is of
reasonably major importance that will affect a significant number of persons. So
two (2) weeks ago when I was here, it... the intent of the addition to the agenda was
to introduce basically a resolution to... what I said back then was to change how our
County government did business. In looking at the communication and this is
merely a communication... it is not a bill, there is no substance in it... it is a
communication, therefore, the appropriate way of handling this is this way.
First of all, I have opined that this is a communication and, therefore, the
Sunshine Law does not apply in this case because it does... the communication is,
i
COUNCIL MEETING. - 3 - ~ June 16, 2009
itself, is not of reasonably major importance, and the communication itself will not
affect a significant number of persons because it is right... in this point in time, it is
merely a communication. Therefore, once filed, what this Council should do is by a
two-thirds vote that is the number that it will take for this communication to be
able to be placed on the agenda today. So two-thirds vote to place the
communication on the agenda. After that, then you have the vote on whether or
not... it is like an ordinary meeting after that. It is a communication and you vote
on whether or not to... it is going to be received by this body, so it is a two-step
process. So I am wondering if that is clear.
Mr. Kaneshiro: I have a question Mr. Chair. So Mr. Castillo, the
290 signatures is not a significant amount then?
Mr. Castillo: No, the...
Mr. Kaneshiro: Because it is a petition signed by 290 signatures.
Mr. Castillo: No, the communication itself... right now, the fact
that within the body of this, it says that there is a petition out there. I don't see a
petition. There is no petition attached to this. It is merely stating that what they
believe that this request regarding the agenda items to be valid or... basically, the
proponents of this communication basically says that they have the backing of 290
citizens. It doesn't necessarily mean... we are not discussing the substance of these
matters regarding the proposed agenda items. We are just discussing basically
whether or not the communication regarding what they are saying exist is valid and
the communication itself is not the substance of the matter that is of concern right
now. It is... we are looking at only the communication not the substance of what
the proponents want to do in July.
Chair Asing: Okay, Councilmember Furfaro.
Mr. Castillo: I have to split it. I mean that is the legal analysis.
Chair Asing: Let me ask a question now. You know, the
placement of public documents including meeting minutes on the County's website
is going to affect the entire County. How can you not say it is not of major
importance? I agree it is important.
Mr. Castillo: No, I understand what you are saying because the
substance matter of the communication will definitely affect how things are run.
However, at this point in time, what is being... what will be voted upon is not the
substance matter, it is basically a communication, it is basically a request saying
that we want to put this on the agenda on July the 8~. So, basically, we are not
getting into the substance matter of the request.
Chair Asing: With that, Councilmember Furfaro?
COUNCIL MEETING ~ - 4 - ~ June 16 2009 '
Mr. Furfaro: Yes, thank you. Thank you Al for that clarification.
We are, in fact, talking about a communication to be received by the Council by... as
I want to reiterate, the discussion here was to put on agenda for a future discussion.
You made a comment about our ability to discuss and get this on and,
unfortunately, I have been alleged to be in violation of the serial one on one
communication rule. I have a copy of it here which basically says that more than
two (2) Councilmembers cannot necessarily circulate and find a majority or a minor
majority to get something on the agenda. It is of my opinion that this approach
under the section of approving the agenda or under the section of communication is
the proper place to receive this for future discussion.
Mr. Castillo: You see...
Mr. Furfaro: You know... you are familiar with this serial one on
one communication?
Mr. Castillo: Yes, I know, but...
Mr. Furfaro: Our rules prevent us from individually having a
discussion.
Mr. Castillo: And I am not... that is reason why at this point in
time, it is premature to get into the validity of the... the merits.
Mr. Furfaro: I am confirming with you.
Mr. Castillo: Yes, yes.
Mr. Furfaro: The item here is to accept this communication to
put something on the agenda. The merits of those items are to be discussed when
they are appropriately posted on the agenda titled July 18 or July 8.
Mr. Castillo: Yes, provided that the necessary legal steps are
taken to place it on the agenda at that time. I am not making any opinion on
whether or not it will get to that point. The only... what I want to... what I am
telling the Council today is basically, by atwo-thirds vote, this Council can or has
the ability to place this matter on the agenda, so it will be this body to decide
whether or not it gets placed on the agenda. If you vote "no", then it doesn't get
placed on this agenda and if you vote "yes", it does get placed on the agenda, and
then you go to the second step as far as whether or not there is a motion to receive,
and then you vote again, so that is the procedure.
Mr. Furfaro: I have a follow up to that question. I also want my
colleagues to note that who are introducing this and hoping for a July 8 schedule if
it passes by a supermajority. Our rules also state that the final date on which it
gets on the agenda is at the discretion of the Chairman based on the fact that he
~ L
COUNCIL MEETING • - 5 - ~ June 16, 2009
has the management rights to determine the volume that we can take on that day
or not. So if he so pushes it back to the 15~ and so forth, that is stated in our rules,
but you are advising us that we first need to get the a supermajority vote to get... to
accept this communication for a future agenda item.
Mr. Castillo: That is what I am saying.
Mr. Furfaro: Thank you. I just wanted to make sure I concur
with both the Sunshine rules which were, in my opinion, misinterpreted from this
e-mail two (2) weeks ago, and also the current status of the serial one on one laws,
and how we do sometimes conflict with our own Council rules. That is what I was
trying to clarify.
Mr. Castillo: Thank you. So I am done here or you got more
questions. I am sorry.
Chair Asing: Any questions Councilmembers? If not, I have some
questions only because, you know, there is also... when you make reference to
Councilmember's access to the agenda, you are talking about in-house rules and
why would we want to discuss in-house rules with the public.
Mr. Castillo: And that is...
Chair Asing: These are in-house rules on County operations and
you want to take that and discuss it in a public forum, why would you want to do
that? These are in-house rules that you make in-house on how you handle the
paperwork, how you handle things that come about, so (inaudible) me that these
kinds of things are being asked for discussion in the public sector because these
are... like your operations, it is like whatever rules that you make in-house should
have public discussion... I have some dif£ . .
Mr. Castillo: That is right. Well, I guess what your concern is the
subject matter of the communication, the merits or the justification that it deals
with the in-house rules. However, today, this morning, this is really not the subject
matter, and that is why the Sunshine Law would not apply in this case. If it were,
the purpose of this was to cover all of these things today, then I would be making
the same opinion that I did two (2) weeks ago, so that is the... the difference here is,
we are only right now dealing with a communication for a future intent.
Chair Asing: Any other questions Councilmembers?
Mr. Furfaro: Thank you Mr. Chair.
Chair Asing: Councilmember Furfaro?
COUNCIL MEETING ~ - 6 - ~ June 16, 2009
Mr. Furfaro: Yes, I would just like to make note that our rules
are passed in a public form in a form of resolution during the inaugural and I want
to just say that people need to become familiar with the rules, and so this merits
this communication discussion because we are often hearing this about COK Kauai
Council and so forth, but our rules clearly state that each piece of legislation shall
be managed by the Chair of that Committee and the appropriate Chairman shall
serve as the manager of that legislation. So in determining who are the Chairmans
of the various Committees, those Chairman are first... whether it is Public Works,
Parks, Planning, they are mandated in our rules to be the manager of that
information, and that sometimes is unknown, so that is why I think this
communication about discussing our rules is important.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Any other questions Councilmembers?
If not, I would like to call the meeting back to order.
The meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: Councilmember Bynum?
Mr. Bynum: I just want to concur with what Councilmember
Furfaro just said that I think it is appropriate and important for us to have a public
discussion about how we conduct ourselves around the table. The rules are
something that is established by resolution. Resolutions and rules can be changed
by a subsequent resolution. I am not attempting to discuss the matter that... I am
just requesting future Council time to discuss the matter when it is properly
sunshined because there was Sunshine concerns raised, so...
Chair Asing: Any further discussion? If not, I would like to call
for a short recess.
There being no objections, the Chair called for a recess at 9:23 a.m. The meeting
was called back to order at 10:20 a.m., and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: We have a motion on the floor to amend the
agenda. Is there any further discussion?
Mr. Kaneshiro: Mr. Chair if I could. I would propose that instead of
locking in the date as of July 8, perhaps we could... because we are not sure what
we got on the July 8 agenda is give the option of July 8 or July 22 which is the next
Council meeting. So this way, it will be the discretion of the Chair as we look at the
agenda to be able to give him some flexibility in being able to adjust it to the 8th or
the 22na.
Mr. Bynum: How do you amend a communication? I have no
objection.
COUNCIL MEETING - 7 - June 16, 2009
Mr. Kaneshiro: So basically, I would say that we just put in that
July 8 or July 22 for the record. Can we do that or do we have to...
Chair Asing: Motion to amend.
Mr. Kaneshiro: So basically I would like to make that motion.
Mr. Kaneshiro moved to amend the motion to reflect the communication dated
June 16, 2009 from Councilmembers Bynum and Kawahara that their item be
placed on either the July 8, 2009 or July 22, 2009, seconded Mr. Furfaro, and
unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: We are back to the main motion as amended.
The motion to amend the agenda, as amended to reflect both July 8 and July 22 was
then put, and unanimously carried.
Mr. Bynum: Thank you.
Ms. Kawahara: Thank you.
The motion to approve the agenda as amended, was then put, and unanimously
carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
PETER NAKAMURA, COUNTY CLERK. The next matter is approval of the
minutes of the following meetings of the Council.
MINUTES of the following meetings of the Council:
Special Council Meeting of May 27, 2009
Council Meeting of June 3, 2009
Mr. Furfaro moved for approval of the minutes as circulated, seconded by
Mr. Chang, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next matters are communications for receipt.
For receipt on page 1 is communication C 2009-209 and communication C 2009-210,
and on page 2 communication C 2009-211 and C 2009-212.
COUNCIL MEETING - 8 - ~ June 16 2009
COMMUNICATIONS:
C 2009-209 Communication (04/21/2009) from the Planning Director,
transmitting the Planning Commission's recommendation to clarify the procedures
for Shoreline Setback Determinations and Activity Determinations and determining
applicability; to amend the list of activities permitted within the shoreline setback
area and to allow activities permitted under Section 8-27.7 within the shoreline
setback area to proceed with permitting without a setback determination:
Mr. Chang moved to receive C 2009-209 for the record, seconded by Mr. Kaneshiro.
C 2009-210 Communication (05/12/2009) from the Chief of the Building
Division, Department of Public Works, transmitting for Council information, the
Building Permit Information Reports for April 2009 that includes the following:
1) Building Permit Processing Report
2) Building Permit Estimated Value of Plans Summary
3) Building Permits Tracking Report
4) Building Permits Status
Mr. Chang moved to receive C 2009-210 for the record, seconded by Mr. Kaneshiro.
C 2009-211 Communication (05/19/2009) from the Director of Personnel
Services, transmitting for Council information, the following classification requests
which the Department of Personnel Services will be reviewing and taking
appropriate action:
• Fire Department, Position No. 2534 (Reallocation of Present Class of Water
Safety Office I to Lifeguard)
• Fire Department, Position No. 1654 (Reallocation of Present Class of Water
Safety .Officer II to Lifeguard)
• Fire Department, Position No. 1036 (Reallocation of Present Class of Water
Safety Officer II to Lifeguard)
Mr. Chang moved to receive C 2009-211 for the record, seconded by Mr. Kaneshiro.
Chair Asing: Okay, the motion should be to receive
communication C 2009-211 and not C 2009-212. With that; any discussion?
Councilmember Bynum?
Mr. Bynum: Yes, Mr. Chair, regarding communication
C 2009-209, we received this communication... this is regarding a bill that is here
for first reading today that I have a real interest in. It amends our shoreline
setback in a way that, you know, to accommodate some minor things on the
shoreline. It is a concern and timely because we have a requirement to meet certain
ADA requirements, and the outcome of this bill may impact us meeting those
timelines. So I have been trying to find this information about this bill. Last week,
I asked the... the Planning Director was here... whether he had sent... you know,
why we hadn't seen the communication and the work from the Planning
Department. And he said, I will look into it, but I am certain we sent it over and so I
want to note that this communication was received at Council Services and time-
stamped in on May 12. It includes the proposed amendments of the draft
ordinance, the staff report covering amended request, and transcripts and
testimonies from the hearings held at the Planning Department. However, I didn't
- - • n 16 2 0
COUNCIL MEETING 9 Ju e 0 9
receive this communication until last week, July 12 (meant June 12)... a full month
that I have been seeking this information. Then I received the communication and
the bill, but the staff report and transcripts were not made available to me until
yesterday. And this, you know, I am very concerned and I have expressed those
concerns for a long time that communications be distributed to me in a timely
matter, and here is an example where for a month I could have been studying this
very important bill and it hasn't been made available. I'd like to know from the
County Clerk why it takes a month when I have made repeated requests to have
communications delivered in a timely manner... why these materials were not made
available to me as I have requested repeatedly.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Councilmember Furfaro?
Mr. Furfaro: Yes, thank you. You know, here is something and I
am really glad that we had that earlier communication about reviewing the
particulars on rules and here is something that I need to take some responsibility
for and I want to certainly make sure that those that are in the audience
understand... in our rules, Section 10, item (b), the manager of the certain pieces of
legislation are required to have a manager and the introducer and/or appropriate
Committee Chair shall serve as the manager of the legislation and may delegate
this function to other Councilmembers. The manager or Chair shall be responsible
for managing of such legislation including the securing of all the pertinent
information regarding the matter, and that is why we have a Chairman in the
Committee.
These things come through C of K and I have questions equally before I
distribute it to members of my Committee. I have practiced this for many years
under rule 10, item (b), in managing the particular items, and I want to make sure
that I take full responsibility for my interpretation of that, and it should not be
directed at the Clerk and/or the Chair. This, I believe, I am working within the
boundaries of the rules and hopefully after earlier discussion today, we will have an
opportunity to put an ad hoc Committee together to review that. I, myself, do
depend often on other Chairman when they are ready to introduce something and so
forth to share those communications. I feel that is an important function of the
Chairman. You are the manager of the communication. I take full responsibility for
that Mr. Bynum as well as I am going to take full responsibility to communicate my
concerns on the shoreline bill today including the correspondence that I have from
Earthjustice. The Earthjustice is basically implying to us that there is a conflict in
the bill that has been requested by the Planning Department as they see an
interpretation of the SMA versus they are seeing the CZMA and a mandate from
the State government which seems to be in conflict. And so I will be sending that
communication to the County Attorney's Office as well as the Planning Department,
so that when I am prepared to actually have this item worked in Committee, I can
assure members that you will have both points of view. You know, that amendment
certainly directs or calls on the issue that may or may not require certain items in
the shoreline setback to be determined by the Planning Director and there is where
COUNCIL MEETING. - 10 - ~ June 16 2009
the conflict lies, and I am trying to get to the bottom of it before I distribute some
information. So just independently, I want to make sure that we understand that
these are my interpretations, and I take full responsibility if someone feels that
they are not getting information, but at the same time, I would give the same
extended parameters to other Chairman who are trying to make sure that nobody
made a bad decision because you had too much information. So Mr. Clerk, could I
have this communication sent down to Planning as well as the County Attorney for
the conflict that exist in the correspondence from Earthjustice. Thank you
Mr. Chairman.
Chair Asing: Councilmember Kaneshiro?
Mr. Kaneshiro: I just wanted to add and thank Mr. Furfaro who has
been the Chairman of the Planning Committee for expressing his views as the
timely matter that he wanted this to be put on the agenda. I appreciate that and I
also want the public to know that none of us here were able to get this information
before anyone else. We all got it equally at the same time and Mr. Furfaro made a
decision that this was time, that he has done his research on and feel appropriate
for this to be on the agenda. So it is not only Mr. Bynum that didn't get any of this
information, neither did I or probably the rest of the Councilmembers.
Chair Asing: Councilmember Bynum?
Mr. Bynum: ~ I just want to say that I totally agree with what
Mr. Kaneshiro just said that none of us were provided these materials prior to part
of them when the agenda was released, and the rest of them were available
yesterday when I asked for them, and they were passed out to all of us in forms
today. But the issue is that this is a communication that was addressed to the
Honorable Chairperson Bill "Kaipo" Asing and members of the Kauai County
Council. It was dated by the Planning Department on March... on April 21, time-
stamped in at Council Services on May 12, and our Council rules say... regarding
the County Clerk, the County Clerk is to forward at once to the proper parties all
communications and other matters either directly or through a Committee as the
case may be... at once being the key language here and I have in writing repeatedly
for over two and a half (2 1/a) years requested that communication that is addressed
to all members of the Council be provided to all members of the Council in a timely
manner. In this instance, it wasn't provided until it was agendaed which means I
lost a full month of time. These are public records that I could go get from the
Planning Department, but they... our routine is that it was sent here. If we looked
at the communication that is delivered to all members of the County Council, we
would find dozens every week I think of communications that are never distributed
to Councilmembers... to any of us even though they are addressed. So I would like
the Clerk to fulfill his responsibility to deliver these communications that are
addressed to me at once as the Council rules say.
Chair Asing: Councilmember Furfaro?
. i •
COUNCIL MEETING - 11 - June 16, 2009
Mr. Furfaro: Yes, again, I am delighted that we are reviewing
this in a future session because there is this conflict that exist, and I want to make
certain again... delivered to the proper individual and that in me... in my terms,
also references the Committee Chair and so forth... I have released the information.
This is only for scheduling of the first reading and, therefore, I think there is some
important amendments that the Planning Department needs to revisit along with
the County Attorney before we actually get it in Committee. So I take full
responsibility and I also take an educated guess at my own interpretation of what is
required of me as the Committee member and Chair and Vice Chair over the last
six (6) years. So thank you very much and all that information Mr. Clerk is now
distributed and we will set a calendar date for the Committee and public hearing.
Thank you and may I transmit this to somebody which will communicate my
concern down to the Planning Department. Thank you.
Chair Asing: Any further discussion? If not, all those in favor
say aye.
The motion to receive C 2009-209, C 2009-210, and C 2009-211 for the record was
then put, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: We are on page 2 of the Council's agenda on
communication C 2009-212.
C 2009-212 Communication (05/20/2009) from the Director of Finance,
transmitting for Council information, a copy of the Kauai Humane Society's Third
Quarter Report for Fiscal Year 2009, which includes Cash Flow Analysis,
Percentage Change Report, and Field Services Statistics:
Chair Asing: What I would like to do is suspend the rules.
There being no objections, the rules were suspended.
Chair Asing: Good morning Dr. Rhoades.
DR. BECKY RHOADES, KAUAI HUMANE SOCIETY Good morning. Thank
you. I have made a New Year's resolution to be here for every quarterly report, so
that I might answer any questions for anybody as you reviewed the report, and just
be here to help you learn more about the work we do. This third quarter report just
shows how busy we were... encouraging numbers with more animals going home to
their families that are lost as well as finding new families, our work out in the
community with the zero tolerance for dogs off leash has shown some increase in
leash law violations issued, and note is the big case... we are partnering with the
COUNCIL MEETING • - 12 - • June 16 2009
Kauai Police Department on the cockfighting and we still are holding some of the
roosters at the facility to this day.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Any questions? If not, thank you very
much. I'd like to call the meeting back to order.
The meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows:
Ms. Kawahara: Thank you for being here.
Chair Asing: Is there anyone else in the audience who wants to
speak? Councilmember Bynum?
Mr. Bynum: First of all, I promise this is the last time I will
bring this up today, but this communication was generated by the Humane Society
on May 1, received by the Director of Finance on May 5 (time-stamped), time-
stamped in a May 20 memo to the County Council... receive, time-stamped in on
May 27 and I received this last week, so 15 days... 17 days after it had been
received at Council Services. I don't believe this goes through any Committee. This
is the responsibility of the Clerk to deliver this at once. And so we can do this on
almost every communication that comes here, but, you know, I expect a
communication that is addressed to me to be delivered in a timely manner and 17
days is not timely.
Chair Asing: Any other questions? Yes, Councilmember Furfaro?
Mr. Furfaro: I can only defend my rationale as the manager of
the planning piece, but I also want to, again, concur that we will be reviewing this,
and I want to make sure that Council Services is a body of employees, and this is
not a reflection on your performance. It is something that this body will visit. I am
sorry if you are being caught in any cross fire here. I do appreciate all the support
from Council Services.
Chair Asing: Councilmember Kawakami?
Mr. Kawakami: You know, I just... I understand where you are
coming from. My personal view point on communications as far as receiving in a
timely manner, I am not requesting any change because, quite frankly, the way the
communications have been handed out to me are very well managed because as I
am looking at it, the less of (inaudible)... this would be overwhelmed with
communication at any one given point of time. So as they come in, I find it
appropriate for my own filing purposes and my own organization... what we are
going through the hundreds of pieces of communications, that whatever way
Council Services has been allocating it and the Committee Chairs also have been
sufficient for me to make educated and factual decisions... decision making.
. ~ •
COUNCIL MEETING - 13 - June 16, 2009
Chair Asing: Thank you. Councilmember Bynum?
Mr. Bynum: I won't belabor this any further, but I just want to
concur with Councilmember Furfaro that, you know, my comments were directed at
the County Clerk... the County Clerk is responsible for governing the staff. We
have an outstanding staff that follows the directions of their boss.
Mr. Furfaro: Thank you Mr. Bynum.
Chair Asing: Any other discussion? If not, I'd like to also make a
comment. You know, in all the years that I have been on the Council and we are
talking about 26 years, this is the first time we had a Councilmember who is not
happy at the operations. First time in all the 26 years. First Councilman, first
time, so I think there is something to be said there. Every other Councilmember
that I know has not had this kind of complaint except for Councilmember Bynum.
He seems to have all kinds of complaints about operations. With that, thank you. I
am sorry, we have the County Attorney.
Mr. Castillo: I am sorry. The reason why I am interjecting here,
Council Chair is... as your County Attorney and protecting the rights of every
County personnel here, I think it is improper for someone to, at this point in time,
to be making any subtle allegation against our County Clerk because it is an
employment matter. And if there is any sort of allegation... I have heard it twice
this morning and it is basically unfair to the County Clerk who cannot voice his
reply as far as what is being alleged here. So I would warn the Council that, you
know, I would... any further discussion regarding the performance of the County
Clerk has to go into executive session. So I will... I am going to... I just want to let
everybody know once we start talking about the County Clerk again, I am going to
say, excuse me, we have to go into executive session because we cannot talk about
an employment right here at this point in time. Thank you.
Mr. Furfaro: Thank you for that clarification.
Mr. Kaneshiro: Thank you for that Al.
Chair Asing: Thank you. What I would like to do is call the
meeting back to order.
The meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows:
Mr. Kaneshiro: The motion is to receive.
Mr. Kaneshiro moved to receive C 2009-212 for the record, seconded by Mr. Furfaro,
and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
COUNCIL MEETING - 14 - ~ June 16, 2009
Mr. Nakamura: The next matter for approval on page 2 of the
Council's agenda is communication C 2009-213.
C 2009-213 Communication (05/15/2009) from the Wallace M. Kudo, Civil
Engineer VII, requesting Council approval to replace one (1) Plotter/Scanner in the
amount of approximately $23,000 which funds are available in the Engineering
Division's equipment account: Mr. Furfaro moved to approve C 2009-213, seconded
by Mr. Chang, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next matter for Council approval is
communication C 2009-214.
C 2009-214 Communication (05/20/2009) from the Housing Director,
requesting Council approval to decline the repurchase of Unit No. 82, Villas at
Puali, located at 1934 Hokulei Place, Lihu`e, Kauai, Hawaii, 96766, and provide
the owner with aone-year waiver of the resale restriction: Mr. Furfaro moved to
approve C 2009-214, seconded by Mr. Chang, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The matter for approval is communication
C 2009-215.
C 2009-215 Communication (05/20/2009) from the Housing Director,
requesting Council approval to decline the repurchase of Unit No. 32, Villas at
Puali, located at 1945 Hokulani Place, Lihu`e, Kauai, Hawaii, 96766, and permit
market sale of the unit for a period of one-year: Mr. Chang moved to approve
C 2009-215, seconded by Mr. Kaneshiro, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: At the bottom of page 2, the next matter for Council
approval is communication C 2009-216.
C 2009-216 Communication (05/27/2009) from the Prosecuting Attorney,
requesting Council approval to:
1) Apply for, receive, and expend Federal funds for the Domestic Violence
Prosecution Unit in the amount of $46,403; and
2) Indemnify the State of Hawaii, Department of the Attorney General.
The funding received will be expended on salaries/wages and supplies for the
Domestic Violence Prosecution Unit to continue the program for the term
commencing December 1, 2009 to November 30, 2010: Mr. Kawakami moved to
approve C 2009-216, seconded by Mr. Chang, and unanimously carried.
COUNCIL MEETING - 15 - June 16, 2009
Mr. Nakamura: The next matter on the top of page 3 for approval is
communication C 2009-217.
C 2009-217 Communication (06/03/2009) from the Executive on Aging,
Agency on Elderly Affairs, requesting Council approval to receive, and expend State
funds, in the amount of $29,901 which covers funding from July 1, 2009 through
June 30, 2010 for State Fiscal Year 2009 to 2010 for KUPUNA CARE services to
adults, age 60 and older, and to indemnify the State Executive Office on Aging with
their intent to award the Agency on Elderly Affairs State funds: Mr. Furfaro moved
to approve C 2009-217, seconded by Ms. Kawahara, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next matter for Council approval is
communication C 2009-218.
C 2009-218 Communication (06/03/2009) from the Fire Chief, requesting
Council approval to apply for, receive, and expend the 2009 Rural Fire Assistance
Grant to purchase 162 durable wild land firefighting headlamps in the amount of
$9,004.60 which is 90% of the grant and the remaining 10% or $1,000.52 will be
from the Kauai Fire Department's budget: Mr. Chang moved to approve
C 2009-218, seconded by Mr. Kawakami, and unanimously carried.
Mr. Nakamura: The next matter for Council approval is
communication C 2009-219.
C 2009-219 Communication (06/04/2009) from the Executive on
Transportation, requesting Council approval to apply for, receive, indemnify and
expend a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5311 and 5311(b)(2) Rural
Transit Assistance Program (RTAP) grant for operational, administrative and
training expenses for the County Transportation Agency in the amounts of $555,525
and $10,711, respectively: Mr. Kaneshiro moved to approve C 2009-219, seconded
by Mr. Kawakami, and unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: On page 3, communication C 2009-202.
C 2009-202 Communication (05/08/2009) from the Housing Director,
requesting Council approval to decline the repurchase of Unit No. 602, Hookena at
Puhi, located at 2080 Manawalea Street, Lihu`e, Kauai, Hawaii, 96766, and
provide the owner with aone-year waiver of the resale restriction:
Mr. Nakamura: I believe there is a request to defer this matter once
again Mr. Chair from the Housing Agency.
COUNCIL MEETING - 16 - ~ June 16, 2009
Chair Asing: I believe it is to July 8 Council Meeting.
Mr. Kawakami moved to defer C 2009-202, seconded by Mr. Chang, and
unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: Mr. Chair, at this time if we could go to page 4 of
the Council's agenda on bills for first reading Proposed Draft Bill No. 2319.
BILLS FOR FIRST READING:
Proposed Draft Bill No. 2319 - A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND
CHAPTER 8, KAUAI COUNTY CODE 1987, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE
COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE (Amending Article 27, Chapter 8,
Kauai County Code 1987, relating to Shoreline Setbacks and Coastal Protection):
Mr. Furfaro: I would like to move to approve even though I
shared my concerns earlier and circulated the concerns from Earthjustice, but this
is first reading and I would like to schedule a public hearing on July 22, and refer to
the Planning Committee.
Mr. Furfaro moved for passage of Proposed Draft Bill No. 2319 on first reading, that
it be ordered to print, that a public hearing thereon be scheduled for July 22, 2009,
and that it thereafter be referred to the Planning Committee, seconded by
Mr. Kaneshiro.
Chair Asing: What I would like to do... there is a motion and a
second. Before I go into discussion, what I would like to do is open it up to the
public first. So with that, I would like to suspend the rules.
There being no objections, the rules were suspended.
Chair Asing Is there anyone in the public who would like to
testify on this bill?
CAREN DIAMOND: Aloha Councilmembers.
Mr. Furfaro: Aloha.
Ms. Diamond: My name is Caren Diamond and I am a coastal
advocate for the northshore. It is totally disappointing to see the County
promulgate a bill like this. It actually goes against State law, it goes against the
whole coastal zone management way of law. Basically, if you read the way the
agenda item was sent over and the way it was written as it was sent over, pretty
much you have no idea what it is talking about. So I just want to just put it down
•
COUNCIL MEETING - 17 - June 16, 2009
into regular language. Basically, what this is asking for is for all the things that
have minor permits to be allowed to proceed without doing a certified shoreline.
And in talking to the Planning Director, what he said was that all those things were
permitted. They are allowed under the minor permit section, so why should we
make people do a certified shoreline. Basically, even though those things are
permitted and what we are talking about is walls, fences, planting the beach... all
the things that cause problems on the beach and if Planning wants to permit those,
they have to get a certified shoreline first to determine whether they are below the
shoreline, above the shoreline, on public trust area in County jurisdiction, State
jurisdiction, where the public is allowed to be. Basically what the County wants to
do is say, skip all of that, never mind, and I want to quote and read from the second
supplemental planning report that was submitted to the Planning Commission. It
says, while the certified shoreline is the formal process for determining legal
jurisdictional boundaries, it is unreasonable to assume that registered
professionals, surveyors and engineers are unable to judge where the shoreline is
without certification, and are unable to exercise judgment regarding whether
certification is necessary. Well, that goes against State law. The surveyors, none of
those people are allowed to do that. That is a State function... 205A, H.R.S. governs
how things on the coastal zone are managed and where development happens.
These structures that are being... that under minor permits, those are still
structures that is still development. No development can happen on the .coastal zone
without it being in the, proper place, so it baffles me that Planning would even ask
for this. Basically, I ask for you to... as Mr. Furfaro has asked, send it to your legal
team, have them review it because I do believe that maybe that would put an end to
this discussion. I also want to say that the coastal erosion study that this County
Council funded for three (3) years with County public money is done.
Mr. Furfaro: It is not done. We just had an update. The
photography work is done and I will be glad to give you a schedule of its estimated
completion this Fall, but I would like to give you the whole list of what we covered
last week.
Ms. Diamond: It is almost done and this is an interim bill and the
proper place and time to really go over any kind of changes to this bill would be
when the coastal study gets implemented into this bill. Since the `70's the shoreline
setback bill was never updated, never. Why does Planning want to all of a sudden
update it right now and to answer one of the things that I know Mr. Bynum is
favoring is this Lydgate improvements that need to happen. During the time that
Planning has tried to change these rules, they could have gotten a certified
shoreline. It is not that big of a deal and instead they changed the law and changed
the rules... it is not beneficial to the public trust, it is not beneficial to the beach...
in fact, it makes (inaudible) of our beach. That is what it does. It gets rid of the
public trust, it gets rid of the County's responsibility and waives the State's
responsibility, and it waives the State's responsibility to.. and... it is really poor
and so I ask all of you to reject these whatever you want to call them... things that
detract from a really good setback law, and protect the public trust. Our beaches
COUNCIL MEETING. - 18 - • June 16 2009
are the most valuable resource that we have whether it is for the visitors, whether
it is for the people who live here or cultural identity, everything is right on the
coast. And when you allow development to happen there and make it easy for it to
happen, that doesn't serve the public trust. I would ask you to look at Isaac's letter,
look at Earthjustice letter... I believe they lay out the legal reasons why this bill
shouldn't go forward.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Any other questions? Councilmember
Furfaro?
Mr. Furfaro: Yes, first of all, I think you know that in my
Committee, I am following up with the letter from Earthjustice as well as the
concerns that Isaac raised.
Ms. Diamond: Thank you.
Mr. Furfaro: As they conflict with Hawaii Revised Statute 205A-
43. They are going to look into that. I suspect that we will have some response by
the time we look at a scheduled workshop. Secondly, you do understand when the
request comes from Planning, it is put in our Committee by request, so this is a bill
that did come out from the Planning Department, not from the Council per say.
Ms. Diamond: I understand that is why we hope the Council will
actively review that bill...
Mr. Furfaro: Yes, but I wanted to make sure for the record... you
had mentioned other particular Councilmembers and, quite frankly, I wanted to
make sure for the record that we knew that material was requested by us by
Planning. And then also, thirdly, I have asked the County Clerk to give you a copy
of the projects that I put in summary in my Committee as my starting point as
Chairman, and hopefully they will have that for you today.
Ms. Diamond: Thank you.
Mr. Furfaro: Okay, thank you Mr. Chair.
Chair Asing: Any other questions for Caren? I have one. Caren,
can you do me a favor by trying to put the specific different items of concern that
you have, so I be looking at those.
Ms. Diamond: You mean in writing?
Chair Asing: Yes.
Ms. Diamond: Yes, that is fine.
• •
COUNCIL MEETING - 19 - June 16, 2009
Chair Asing: Will you please?
Ms. Diamond: I will do that.
Chair Asing: I would appreciate that. I am sure Councilmember
Furfaro would appreciate...
Ms. Diamond: And you can look at my testimony to the Planning
Commission. I didn't write fresh testimony for today. I will put my thoughts down,
but my Planning Commission testimony reflects my thoughts.
Chair Asing: Okay, thank you. Councilmember Furfaro?
Mr. Furfaro: Just one more thing along that line. You know, we
have various Committee Chairpersons and I just want to, again, reiterate... when
we come up for first reading in my Committee and as Chair, I will raise the
concerns. I also want you to know that when we get into the actual public hearing
and then go into the first Committee workshop, I will have someone from the
Planning Department available to make their presentation as well as their
rationale, and that is just going to be my modus operandi.
Ms. Diamond: Thank you. That will be helpful.
Mr. Furfaro: Okay, thank you Mr. Chair.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Thank you very much. I'd like to call
the meeting... unless there is anybody else who wants to speak. Nobody, the
meeting is now called back to order.
The meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: We have a motion on the floor and we have a
second. Councilmember Bynum?
Mr. Bynum: Thank you Mr. Chair. I just wanted to say that
my... as I said earlier, I haven't had these documents long, so I haven't fully studied
them. My understanding is, the intent of this legislation is not at all to undermine
the legislation that we passed here last year, and I think I could speak for all of us
that we are proud of it, and I hope... well, I won't speak for all of us. I think it is an
important bill that helped protect the shoreline and my understanding of this
legislation... that its intent is that when we have minor improvements in the
shoreline area and an example that Ms. Diamond brings up is walkway that we
need to do at Lydgate Park to make it ADA compliant. It is relatively minor... there
is no... but if we have to go through certified shoreline and a big legal process, a
project that may cost only $20,000, the planning could be $100,000, so I think the
intent is to do that. I certainly won't vote for anything that undermines the
s •
COUNCIL MEETING - 20 - June 16, 2009
integrity of the shoreline bill that we worked so hard on and... but this is a bill for
first reading which means we are bringing it into the system here and the
Chairman of the Planning Committee, Mr. Furfaro, I know will do the due diligence
to address any concerns of Ms. Diamond and others would have. And so I wanted to
be clear that a vote on this bill today at first reading just puts the process in doing
the due diligence and the deliberations to make sure that we don't pass anything
that inadvertently undermines the intent of the shoreline setback law. Thank you
Mr. Chair.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Councilmember Furfaro?
Mr. Furfaro: Yes, and keeping the spirit of working with other
Committee members, you know, we are restricted to no more than two (2) of us
communicating information and I extend an invitation to Councilman Bynum when
I meet with Imai from the Planning Department to have a better understanding of
this bill, so I extend that invitation to you today at 3 o'clock. Thank you.
Chair Asing: Councilmember Kawahara?
Ms. Kawahara: Thank you Chair Asing. I just wanted to also voice
my concerns. They are similar to Committee Chair Furfaro and I appreciate the
clarity that you are going to bring to the issue when we come back to it at
Committee, so I appreciate that, but I do have some concerns and they are similar
to yours. Thank you.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Any further discussion? If not, roll call.
The motion to approve Proposed Draft Bill No. 2319 was then put, and carried by
the following vote:
FOR PASSAGE: Bynum, Chang, Furfaro, Kaneshiro,
Kawahara, Kawakami, Asing TOTAL - 7,
AGAINST PASSAGE: None TOTAL - 0,
EXCUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL - 0.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: At this time, we are back on page 3 of the Council's
agenda.
CLAIMS:
C 2009-220 Communication (05/26/2009) from the County Clerk,
transmitting a claim filed against the County of Kauai by Shiannte Makanani, for
damages to her vehicle, pursuant to Section 23.06, Charter of the County of Kauai:
Mr. Furfaro moved to refer C 2009-220 to the County Attorney for disposition
•
COUNCIL MEETING - 21 - June 16, 2009
and/or report back to the Council, seconded by Ms. Kawahara, and unanimously
carried.
C 2009-221 Communication (05/27/2009) from the County Clerk,
transmitting a claim filed against the County of Kauai by Janice S. Bond, for
damages to her vehicle, pursuant to Section 23.06, Charter of the County of Kauai:
Mr. Furfaro moved to refer C 2009-221 to the County Attorney for disposition
and/or report back to the Council, seconded by Ms. Kawahara, and unanimously
carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: My apologies Council Chair. On the top of page 4
which are two (2) further claims.
C 2009-222 Communication (05/29/2009) from the County Clerk,
transmitting a claim filed against the County of Kauai by Richard E. Hurst, Sr., for
damages to his vehicle, pursuant to Section 23.06, Charter of the County of Kauai:
Mr. Furfaro moved to refer C 2009-222 to the County Attorney for disposition
and/or report back to the Council, seconded by Ms. Kawahara.
C 2009-223 Communication (06/03/2009) from the County Clerk,
transmitting a claim filed against the County of Kauai by Eric "Rick" Fogel, for loss
of personal property, pursuant to Section 23.06, Charter of the County of Kauai:
Mr. Furfaro moved to refer C 2009-223 to the County Attorney for disposition
and/or report back to the Council, seconded by Ms. Kawahara.
Mr. Furfaro: I do want to also make note that claims under
$5,000, the County leaves that jurisdiction to the County Attorney and will not be
required to come back to us. Thank you Mr. Clerk.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next matters for approval are Committee
Reports.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
BUDGET & FINANCE CONIlVIITTEE REPORT:
A report (No. CR-B&F 2009-19) submitted by the Budget & Finance
Committee, recommending that the following be approved as amended on second
and final reading:
"Bill No. 2305 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO.
B-2008-673 AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE CAPITAL BUDGET OF
THE COUNTY OF KAUAI, STATE OF HAWAII, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
• •
COUNCIL MEETING - 22 - June 16, 2009
JULY 1, 2008 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2009, BY REVISING THE SURPLUS
AND APPROPRIATIONS ESTIMATED IN THE PUBLIC ACCESS FUND
(Appropriation of $1.85 million from the Public Access Fund to Black Pot
Beach Park Expansion-Land Acquisition),"
Mr. Kaneshiro moved for approval of the report, seconded by Mr. Chang, and
unanimously carried. (See later for Bill No. 2305)
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: From your Committee on Planning, Committee
Report CR-PL 2009-04.
PLANNING CONIlVIITTEE REPORT:
A report (No. CR-PL 2009-04) submitted by the Planning Committee,
recommending that the following be received for the record:
"PL 2009-1 Communication (6/04/2009) from Jay Furfaro, Planning
Committee Chair, requesting that Ian Costa, the Planning Director, be
present to provide an update on the following projects:
1. County Zoning Ordinance (CZO) Update -Phase I
2. Zoning Digitization/Geographic Information Systems
(GIS) Project
3. Coastal Erosion Study
4. Lihu`e Town Core Urban Design Plan
5. Lihu`e Development Plan Update
6. Important Agricultural Land (IAL) Study,"
Mr. Bynum moved for approval of the report, seconded by Mr. Kaneshiro, and
unanimously carried.
Chair Asing: Next item please?
Mr. Kaneshiro: Bill for second reading.
Chair Asing: We will take a caption break.
There being no objections, the Chair called for a recess at 11,:00 a.m. The meeting
was called back to order at 11:20 a.m., and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: Mr. Clerk, next item please?
Mr. Nakamura: The next matter on page 5 of the Council's agenda
is a bill for second reading.
BILLS FOR SECOND READING:
• •
COUNCIL MEETING - 23 - June 16, 2009
Bill No. 2305 - AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. B-2008-
673 AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE CAPITAL BUDGET OF THE COUNTY
OF KAUAI, STATE OF HAWAII, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 2008
THROUGH JUNE 30, 2009, BY REVISING THE SURPLUS AND
APPROPRIATIONS ESTIMATED IN THE PUBLIC ACCESS FUND
(Appropriation of $1.85 million from the Public Access Fund to Black Pot Beach
Park Expansion-Land Acquisition): Mr. Bynum moved to approve Bill No. 2305 on
second and final reading, and that it be transmitted to the Mayor for his approval,
seconded by Mr. Kawakami.
Chair Asing: Any discussion? Councilmember Furfaro?
Mr. Furfaro: Yes, I was hoping that, for the record, we could
make note that this is an earmark until such time that the Public Land Trust comes
back to us, giving us an update on August 26 I believe. Is that correct Chair of
Budget & Finance?
Mr. Kaneshiro: Yea.
Mr. Furfaro: So I just wanted to read that into the record.
Chair Asing: Okay, any further discussion? If not, what I would
like to do is suspend the rules. Jennifer, I believe you have something to say.
JENNIFER LUCK, KAUAI PUBLIC LAND TRUST: Aloha Councilmembers, for
the record, Jennifer Luck from Kauai Public Land Trust. I just wanted to come up
and mostly say thank you for your support of this project and your backing of the
project. As you know, it came before the Budget & Finance Committee last week
and gave you an update on the status of funding. Some of that was unfortunate
news, but at that meeting, there was mention made of a possible letter or
resolution to Governor Lingle asking for her to reconsider her decision not to release
those Legacy Land Funds. And I just wanted to come up and encourage you to
consider doing that as well. I think that would be a tremendous show of support
from the Council in addition to, of course, earmarking these funds. So thank you
again so much for your support of this project and I look forward to reporting back
in two (2) months with some good news.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Any questions? If not, thank you very
much. I'd like to call the meeting back to order now.
The meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: We have a motion and a second. Any further
discussion? Councilmember Furfaro?
• • -
COUNCIL MEETING - 24 - June 16, 2009
Mr. Furfaro: Yes, Mr. Chair, I don't want to be out of line here,
but I am assuming that you will initiate the correspondence to the Governor as
Chairman of the Council of the whole?
Chair Asing: Yes.
Mr. Furfaro: Okay, very good. Thank you.
Chair Asing: And that can only be done... well, should only be
done after its passage.
Mr. Furfaro: Understood.
Chair Asing: It was on the Committee level, so it was not sent
until.. .
Mr. Furfaro: I just thought of the urgency... it is better if it is a
letter from you rather than wait through to July before we do a resolution.
Chair Asing: Yea, well, it will be a letter signed by me, but from
this Council in its entirety.
Mr. Furfaro: Very good. Thank you for that clarification.
Ms. Luck: Thank you.
Chair Asing: With that, any further discussion? If not, roll call
please.
The motion to approve Bill No. 2305 was then put, and carried by the following vote:
FOR ADOPTION: Bynum, Chang, Furfaro, Kaneshiro,
Kawahara, Kawakami, Asing TOTAL - 7,
AGAINST ADOPTION: None TOTAL - 0,
EXCUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL - 0.
Chair Asing: With that, can we have the County Attorney up
please?
There being no objections, the rules were suspended.
Mr. Castillo: Council Chair, I guess we are going for the next
matter for your consideration.
Chair Asing: Yes.
• •
COUNCIL MEETING - 25 - June 16, 2009
Mr. Castillo: It would be ES-389.
ES-389 Pursuant to Haw. Rev. Stat. sections 92-4 and 92-5(a)(4), and
Kauai County Charter section 3.07(E), the purpose of this executive session is to
consult with the Council's attorney regarding the charter amendments adopted in
the 2008 General Election and other related matters. This consultation involves the
consideration of the powers, duties, privileges, immunities and/or liabilities of the
Council and the County as they relate to this agenda item.
Chair Asing: Any questions? If not, I'd like to call the meeting
back to order.
The meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: And have a motion to move into executive session.
Mr. Kaneshiro moved to go into executive session on item ES-389, seconded by
Mr. Kawakami.
Chair Asing: Councilmember Bynum?
Mr. Bynum: We... this was on the agenda last time and I had a
long list of questions that we didn't get completed. Also, we have requested certain
documents from the County Attorney's Office which we haven't received the
complete set at this time. So I just wanted to ask my colleagues that I felt that at
least for me to completely ask the questions that I am interested in, I wanted to
review those documents, and I would be willing to entertain a motion or get
feedback from you about whether this item might be deferred to the next meeting.
Chair Asing: I don't want to defer it. I want to just get it done.
With that, any further discussion?
Ms. Kawahara: What documents?
Mr. Kaneshiro: I think before we can even make a motion to defer,
we have to get into executive session first and have some discussion which is, I
believe the motion on the floor.
Chair Asing: Okay, any further discussion? Councilmember
Bynum?
Mr. Bynum: (Inaudible) would like to go into executive session. I
don't object to that. Will we come back into public session subsequently to that?
Chair Asing: I don't believe so. We could do it, but...
•
COUNCIL MEETING - 26 - June 16, 2009
Mr. Bynum: Okay, then I would like to make a statement.
Chair Asing: We are going to move into executive session and
have the discussion first.
Mr. Bynum: Are we going to come back into open session?
Chair Asing: Yes, we can do that. You know, I don't believe that
we need to do that. There is no items here on the agenda that warrants us coming
back into open session. Go ahead.
Mr. Bynum: This agenda item is regarding Charter amendments
that were in the last election. One Charter amendment in particular is very
significant for the County of Kauai and the purpose of (inaudible)... of the special
counsel was to advise the Council regarding the implementation and other aspects
of that Charter amendment. Initially in July of last year prior to the election, we
authorized $50,000 for special counsel and we didn't hear anything back from the
special counsel prior to the election. We didn't... we heard later after the election in
January and at that January meeting, we learned that an additional $70,000 of
funds had been expended above the $50,000 that was authorized. I expressed real
concerns about the process about which that occurs, looked at the contract which is
a public document that, to me, was very clear that said to the special counsel that
no work could be completed without an amended contract. And so this brings up
process issues. It also was a great concern to me that at that time, we had spent
$130,000 and I still hadn't heard the kind of guidance that I had hoped would be
coming from this. The... I believe the Council's instructions were clear at that
point. We authorized that day an additional $100,000 for a total of 150, and I think
the Council was clear that there would be no further authorizations or no work
should go beyond that without further authorization from the Council.
Mr. Castillo: Excuse me. You know, the matter in what you are
touching upon does involve the consideration of the powers, duties, privileges,
immunities and/or liabilities of the Council and the County. So right now, I think it
is... this matter should be within executive session and not in open. So, anyway...
Chair Asing: Councilmember...
Mr. Castillo: Because you are talking about the work that was
purportedly done... you are talking about the work product that was anticipated...
that you anticipated to receive, you are talking about the contract and the
parameters of the contract. All of these are... should be dealt with in executive
session.
Chair Asing: Councilmember Bynum?
. •
COUNCIL MEETING - 27 - June 16, 2009
Mr. Bynum: Mr. Castillo, if I just keep my comments related to
the funding that we've approved in open session?
Mr. Castillo: Basically, you know, what you are talking about is
you are still talking about the funding and the level of the work product. It would
still... and that would still involve the liabilities or the privileges and duties of this
Council and this County. If you basically said in general, I had expectations which
were not met. If you said, in general, I would like... I have information that... I
requested information that I did not receive, then that is in general, and it is open.
However, what has happened in this past... what you just said does involve specific
amounts, does involve contractual amounts, does involve contractual issues, and the
work product received. All of this... all of these should be executive.
Mr. Bynum: I will accept your guidance on this. I thought that
all of my comments were general in nature and that was~my intent.
Mr. Castillo: That is why you have an attorney representing you.
Mr. Bynum: Thank you Sir.
Chair Asing: Councilmember Kawahara?
Ms. Kawahara: Thank you Chair Asing. In general, I have serious
reservations about... can I say this contract?
Mr. Castillo: Well, again, your... you cannot say in general and
say, I complain about this. That... it starts from in general and then it goes into a
specific, and that would not be appropriate because it does affect the liabilities of
this Council and the County.
Ms. Kawahara: So I want to assure the public that my main goal is
to enact the amendments and especially the main amendment that I believe a lot of
people are most interested in, and that is the amendment about aligning our growth
with the General Plan which is what we amended in the past election. In general,
what was your words?
Mr. Castillo: You know, I know what you have characterized...
you have characterized for you what is the main amendment and what I can talk to
you about is what... the contract, I agree is public record, however, the contract
talks about doing work on all of the amendments.
Ms. Kawahara: Yes.
Mr. Castillo: Whether or not you give weight to which
amendment you give weight to is your opinion on which of the amendments you
think is important. You know, for some amendment 1 may be more important than
MEETI ~ - - •
COUNCIL NG 28 June 16, 2009
amendment 2, but the purpose of going into executive session at this point in time
does involve the liabilities of the Council, so I don't know how... right now, you
started with in general, then you went into specific, so I don't know how you can go
around that.
Ms. Kawahara: In general, I am unhappy with the lack of product
that we have.
Mr. Castillo: See, and then... you are commenting on the work
product and it does involve counsel and it is for, right now, the subject matter is
appropriate for executive session, and shouldn't be out in the open. You know, we
are not trying to hide anything from the people. All I am doing is telling you what
the law is and the subject matter that we are talking about now is covered by the
law which should not be... which is appropriately for executive session.
Ms. Kawahara: Uh huh.
Mr. Castillo: And I know... you know, the way you feel about how
things were done, the level of work that was done, the amount of money that was
paid, those are all within... those involve everything right now should be in
executive session.
Chair Asing: Any further questions?
Ms. Kawahara: Alright, I think I have...
Chair Asing: You have another question?
Ms. Kawahara: No, I can't figure out how to ask the question, so...
Chair Asing: With that, Councilmember Furfaro?
Mr. Furfaro: Yes, Al, I would like to say that, you know, perhaps
I don't have expectations that were met, but more importantly, I would like to move
into executive session to basically say, first of all, when the amendment passed, the
rules in general are that there are 20 days to in fact verify that election. If the bills
in particular, amendment number 6 was not date specific, it is then 30 days after
that, that it is enacted, so just to answer my colleagues across the table, the fact of
the matter is, we need to know what kind of liabilities we have exposed to us
because the bill is enacted and there are interpretations being made by sub
departments of the County that are having people who are applying for particular
permits and so forth. Actually signing affidavits. I would like to get to a point
although I am not satisfied at the moment on what those liabilities might mean. So
I will, in fact, support going into executive session for those reasons.
Chair Asing: Thank you. Councilmember Bynum?
Y
COUNCIL MEETING - 29 - June 16, 2009
Mr. Bynum: I just want to say that my earlier comment was a
suggestion because I have not received all of the documents. I know I will right.
Chair Asing: The idea for the executive session is so that you can
receive the documents that is why we are going to go into executive session. Why
would you not want to get the information when we are going to go into executive
session and get the information?
Mr. Bynum: Nobody told me the documents were available to us
and I am not...
Chair Asing: Okay.
Mr. Bynum: I am not... I am happy to go into executive session.
I will vote for it. I just was trying to explain myself. You know, if I don't receive the
documents today or I don't have ample time to study them.
Chair Asing: Then you vote accordingly on how you feel. You are
one of seven (7) Councilmembers. We vote on the issue after discussion and
everybody has that same equal opportunity for both discussion in total and your
vote, so you have total freedom. That is the intent.
Mr. Furfaro: I would like to call for the question.
Mr. Bynum: May I continue?
Chair Asing: Go ahead.
Mr. Bynum: I agree with you what you just said. I am not
objecting us going into executive session. I just want to say that if I don't receive
the documents today or have ample time to study them, I would like us to be able to
continue to discuss this until we reach that point. So I will probably ask that it be
on the agenda again.
Chair Asing: With that, any further discussion? If not, I'd like to
call the meeting back to order.
The meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows:
Chair Asing: And have a motion to move into executive session.
Mr. Furfaro: I think we have a motion and a second Mr. Chair.
Call for the question.
Chair Asing: With that, all those in favor say aye?
N IL MEETING ~ - -
COU C 30 June 16, 2009
The motion to move into executive session on item ES-389 was then put, and
unanimously carried.
There being no objections, the Chair called for a recess at 11:35 a.m. The meeting
was called back to order at 12:35 p.m., and proceeded as follows:
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
PETER A. NAKAMURA
County Clerk
/lki