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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/25/2017 Special Council minutes SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OCTOBER 25, 2017 The Special Council Meeting of the Council of the County of Kaua`i was called to order by Council Chair Mel Rapozo at the Council Chambers, 4396 Rice Street, Suite 201, Lihu`e, Kaua`i, on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at 9:51 a.m., after which the following Members answered the call of the roll: Honorable Arthur Brun Honorable Mason K. Chock Honorable Ross Kagawa Honorable Arryl Kaneshiro Honorable Derek S.K. Kawakami Honorable JoAnn A. Yukimura Honorable Mel Rapozo APPROVAL OF AGENDA. Councilmember Kawakami moved for approval of the agenda as circulated, seconded by Councilmember Kaneshiro, and unanimously carried. Council Chair Rapozo: Can we have the first item, please? JADE K. FOUNTAIN-TANIGAWA, County Clerk: Chair, we have two (2) items on the Consent Calendar. CONSENT CALENDAR: C 2017-243 Communication (10/13/2017) from Council Chair Rapozo, transmitting for Council consideration a Proposed Resolution Amending Resolution No. 2017-02, Relating To The Rules Of The Council Of The County Of Kaua`i For The Organization Of Committees And The Transaction Of Business to include all Members of the Council as members of the Planning Committee who will all be voting members. C 2017-244 Communication (10/13/2017) from Council Chair Rapozo, transmitting for Council consideration a Proposed Resolution Amending Resolution No. 2017-03, Relating To The Appointment Of The Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, And Members Of The Several Standing Committees Of The Council Of The County of Kaua`i to include all Members of the Council as members of the Planning Committee. Councilmember Kagawa moved to receive C 2017-243 and C 2017-244 for the record, seconded by Councilmember Kawakami. Council Chair Rapozo: Any discussion or public testimony? SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING 2 OCTOBER 25, 2017 There being no objections, the rules were suspended to take public testimony. There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows: The motion to receive C 2017-243 and C 2017-244 for the record was then put, and unanimously carried. Council Chair Rapozo: Motion carried. Next item, please. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: Chair, we are at Resolutions. RESOLUTIONS: Resolution No. 2017-51 — RESOLUTION AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 2017-02, RELATING TO THE RULES OF THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF KAUAI FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF COMMITTEES AND THE TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS: Councilmember Kagawa moved for adoption of Resolution No. 2017-51, seconded by Councilmember Brun. Council Chair Rapozo: Any discussion? Councilmember Yukimura. Councilmember Yukimura: So what this is doing is making the Planning Committee all members, right? Council Chair Rapozo: Yes. Councilmember Yukimura: So then we will need a quorum of four (4), rather than on Committee where we need three (3), right? Council Chair Rapozo: Correct. Councilmember Yukimura: Will that make it easier for us to meet or not? It is now one (1) more person to make a quorum. Council Chair Rapozo: One (1) more person, but you have two (2) more people that are more flexible in their schedules. That is the whole purpose of this. For the public's information, and this is off of a suggestion from Councilmember Kawakami, that with the schedule that we have put down for the General Plan Update special meetings, for some members, it is difficult to be here every day. So Councilmember Kawakami suggested that if we made everyone a member of the Committee, then we would not have the quorum issues that we will have if we maintain the current structures. So there is no other motive for this, other than so that we can move forward. If we drop our quorum to what is needed then the meeting has to stop and that has occurred on several occasions already. So this way, in my opinion, we will be able to move forward much quicker and not have the disruptions that we were having. Go ahead, Councilmember Yukimura. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING 3 OCTOBER 25, 2017 Councilmember Yukimura: But if we have a bare majority, it still will be if somebody walks out of the door that we will to stop. Council Chair Rapozo: Correct. Like I said, I will be here, and I am assuming Councilmember Kaneshiro will be here. So rather than relying on three (3) of you, we only need to rely on two (2) of you. Again, the motive for this is no other reason than to expedite this process and make it more efficient. Go ahead. Councilmember Yukimura: Yes, I am just asking if it will, in fact, do what we want it to. Council Chair Rapozo: I believe it will. Councilmember Kagawa. Councilmember Kagawa: I kind of have a different take on that, because I think this suggestion is a good suggestion because this General Plan is unique. It is one in twenty (20) years, and this time around, it looks like there will be amendments proposed and I think some of the amendments that are proposed, I could see varying splits on votes and I think it could be problematic if you do not have yourself and Councilmember Kaneshiro. When it hits the full Council, there may be disagreement as to whether there are four (4) votes to support the plan in its totality; whereas, if you have those things vetted out during the Committee, when it hits the Council, I think you are more assured that the plan that comes out of the Committee will be approved at the full Council. Like I said, if it did not include yourself and Councilmember Kaneshiro, the majority votes may change on some of these amendments. Then, what is the use of all the work done at the Committee? This way, it assures that all of the long hours and all of the vetting spent at the Committee will become fruitful and come out to something that can get approval. That is my take on Councilmember Kawakami's suggestion. This is not an everyday-type item. This is a unique item under unique circumstances and there is much public concern about some of the things in the General Plan. Again, having all seven (7) members as members of the Committee, for only this situation, I think is warranted. Thank you, Chair. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. Any other comments? Any public testimony? With that, I will suspend the rules. There being no objections, the rules were suspended to take public testimony. FELICIA COWDEN: Felicia Cowden, for the record. I just want to say that I support this choice because I think the General Plan Update is so important and so I misread even the intention maybe of why that shift was being made. I thought that because it is so important that everybody recognizes that we need you all to hear everybody's voice. I see it as a respectful move and I appreciate it, and in agreement with Councilmember Kagawa, if we get some things through Committee and it is not going to pass the full Council, we might as well figure it out early. Thank you so much. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING 4 OCTOBER 25, 2017 Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. Anyone else? Seeing none, I will call the meeting back to order. There being no further testimony the meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows: Council Chair Rapozo: Any further discussion? We are on Resolution No. 2017-51. Roll call. The motion for adoption of Resolution No. 2017-51 was then put, and carried by the following vote: FOR ADOPTION: Brun, Chock, Kagawa, Kaneshiro, Kawakami, Yukimura, Rapozo TOTAL — 7, AGAINST ADOPTION: None TOTAL — 0, EXCUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL — 0, RECUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL — 0. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: Seven (7) ayes. Council Chair Rapozo: Next item. Resolution No. 2017-52 — RESOLUTION AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 2017-03, RELATING TO THE APPOINTMENT OF THE CHAIRPERSON, VICE CHAIRPERSON, AND MEMBERS OF THE SEVERAL STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF KAUAI: Councilmember Kagawa moved for adoption of Resolution No. 2017-52, seconded by Councilmember Brun. Council Chair Rapozo: Any discussion or public testimony? Councilmember Kagawa. Councilmember Kagawa: I have a process question. So after this General Plan is approved, are we going to go back to the original Planning Committee? Like I said, this is a unique circumstance. I think our normal configuration works because it allows members to have breaks from certain committees. Like I said, this is just a unique situation and I would hope that after this General Plan is finally approved that the intention is to go back to the original five-member committee. Council Chair Rapozo: That is the intent. It would take another resolution to amend it back and I would hope that this body would agree that once the General Plan Update is done that we would revert back. Again, I am not sure how long this process will take. It could take us right into the next term, which obviously, this Resolution ends with the end of the term. We will just play it by ear. My intent is that at the end of the General Plan Update, once that vote is taken and it is done, that we would revert back to the original five-member committee. That would be the decision of the body. Any other discussion or questions? Public testimony? SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING 5 OCTOBER 25, 2017 There being no objections, the rules were suspended to take public testimony. There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows: Council Chair Rapozo: Roll call. The motion for adoption of Resolution No. 2017-52 was then put, and carried by the following vote: FOR ADOPTION: Brun, Chock, Kagawa, Kaneshiro, Kawakami, Yukimura, Rapozo TOTAL — 7, AGAINST ADOPTION: None TOTAL— 0, EXCUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL— 0, RECUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL — 0. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: Seven (7) ayes. Council Chair Rapozo: With that, that concludes the agenda for the Special Council Meeting for today. This meeting is adjourned. Thank you. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the Special Council Meeting adjourned at 10:00 a.m. Respectfully submitted, JADE . OUNTAIN-TANIGAWA County Clerk :ct