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Home My WebLink About12_01_2022 Inaugural minutesINAUGURAL MEETING DECEMBER 1, 2022 The Inaugural Meeting of the Council of the County of Kauai was called to order by Chair Pro Tern Derek S.K. Kawakami, at the Kaua`i War Memorial Convention Hall, Lihu`e, Kaua`i, on Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 12:04 p.m. Mayor Kawakami: I hereby appoint Jade K. Fountain-Tanigawa as the temporary County Clerk. Are the credentials of the Councilmembers in order? JADE K. FOUNTAIN-TANIGAWA, Temporary County Clerk: The Credentials Committee has filed a report which shows that the credentials of the Councilmembers are in order and that the Oath of Office has been given. Mayor Kawakami: Madam Clerk, please call the roll. The following Members answered the call of the roll: Honorable Addison Bulosan Honorable Bernard P. Carvalho, Jr. Honorable Felicia Cowden Honorable Bill DeCosta Honorable Luke A. Evslin Honorable KipuKai Kuali`i Honorable Mel Rapozo Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: Seven (7) Members are present. APPROVAL OF AGENDA. Councilmember Carvalho moved for approval of the agenda as circulated, seconded by Councilmember Bulosan, and unanimously carried. PUBLIC TESTIMONY. All public testimony for the Inaugural Meeting will be taken at the beginning of the Meeting. Each speaker shall have three (3) minutes to speak on each agenda item and shall identify which agenda item(s) the testimony relates to, prior to speaking. Mayor Kawakami: Is there anyone in the public who would like to speak? INAUGURAL MEETING 2 DECEMBER 1, 2022 Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: We have one (1) registered testifier, Matt Bernabe. Mayor Kawakami: Good morning, Matt. There being no objections, the rules were suspended. MATT BERNABE: I just wanted to testify today to say congratulations to all of you and thank you. Mayor Kawakami: Please state your name. Mr. Bernabe: I forgot; we are official already. For the record, Matt Bernabe. I would like to thank all of you folks, especially Mayor Kawakami for leading us through the pandemic, well I approve of how he did it. I wanted to address item "E," since we only have one (1), and I believe that is the appointment of the Council Chairperson. I wanted to say, I am so relieved that Mel is in this position. I really would like both the Council and the Administration to work together and when need be, have confrontation with each other, so that we have the best outcome, so we can move from past practice to best practice. I do not have enough time to get into the "nitty gritty,"but I would like to see a healthy relationship amongst the Councilmembers, because I voted for a majority of you folks, and if any of you has problems with each other personally, let us keep it professional, because it is about the people, it is not about you folks per se, but I just want to see these next two (2) years, and if you are in another two (2) years after that, to work with the Administration, so that we can have the best outcome for the people, so we can manage our resources, we can diversify our economy, we can ensure our infrastructure, and that is what I want to see. If we can make that happen, we are going to be the example. Thank you very much for your time. I yield the microphone. Mayor Kawakami: Thank you, Matt. Is there anyone else in the public that would like to testify at this time? Seeing none. There being no further testimony, the meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows: APPOINTMENT OF THE COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON. Mayor Kawakami: The floor is now open for nominations for Council Chairperson. Councilmember Kuali`i nominated Mel Rapozo as Council Chairperson, seconded by Councilmember Bulosan. INAUGURAL MEETING 3 DECEMBER 1, 2022 Mayor Kawakami: Are there any further nominations? If not, nominations are closed. The motion to nominate Mel Rapozo as Council Chairperson was then put, and unanimously carried. Mayor Kawakami: Congratulations. Mayor Kawakami, the Chair Pro Tern, relinquished Chairmanship to Mel Rapozo. Mayor Kawakami was noted as not present.) APPOINTMENT OF THE COUNCIL VICE CHAIRPERSON. Council Chair Rapozo:Thank you for your vote of confidence, I appreciate that. The floor is now open for nominations for Council Vice Chairperson. Councilmember Evslin nominated KipuKai Kuali`i as Council Vice Chairperson, seconded by Councilmember Cowden. Council Chair Rapozo:Are there any further nominations? Is there any further discussion? The motion to nominate KipuKai Kuali`i as Council Vice Chairperson was then put, and unanimously carried. Council Chair Rapozo:Congratulations, Council Vice Chair KipuKai Kuali`i. Next item, please. RESOLUTIONS: Resolution No. 2023-01 — RESOLUTION APPOINTING THE COUNTY CLERK OF THE COUNTY OF KAUAI Councilmember Carvalho moved for adoption of Resolution No. 2023-01, seconded by Councilmember DeCosta. Council Chair Rapozo:It has been moved and seconded to approve Resolution No. 2023-01, which appoints Jade K. Fountain-Tanigawa as the County Clerk. Is there any discussion? If not, roll call vote. The motion for adoption of Resolution No. 2023-01 was then put, and carried by the following vote: INAUGURAL MEETING 4 DECEMBER 1, 2022 FOR ADOPTION: Bulosan, Carvalho, Cowden, DeCosta, Evslin, Kuali`i, 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: Thank you. Congratulations. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: I would like to inform the Council that I have selected Lyndon M. Yoshioka to serve as the Deputy County Clerk. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. At this time, we will take a short recess so that our Clerk and Deputy Clerk can be sworn in. There being no objections, the meeting recessed at 12:10 p.m. The meeting reconvened at 12:11 p.m., and proceeded as follows: Council Chair Rapozo:We are back from recess. Clerk, could you read the next item please? Resolution No. 2023-02 — RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE RULES OF THE KAUAI COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF COMMITTEES AND THE TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS Councilmember Evslin moved for adoption of Resolution No. 2023-02, seconded by Councilmember Bulosan. Council Chair Rapozo:It has been moved and seconded to approve Resolution No. 2023-02, which are the Council Rules that the Council will follow for this term. Is there any discussion? If not, roll call vote, please. The motion for adoption of Resolution No. 2023-02 was then put, and carried by the following vote: FOR ADOPTION: Bulosan, Carvalho, Cowden, DeCosta, Evslin, Kuali`i, 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:Clerk, next item, please. INAUGURAL MEETING 5 DECEMBER 1, 2022 Resolution No. 2023-03 — RESOLUTION RELATING TO THE APPOINTMENT OF THE CHAIRPERSONS, VICE CHAIRPERSONS, AND MEMBERS OF THE SEVERAL STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE KAUAI COUNTY COUNCIL Councilmember Carvalho moved for adoption of Resolution No. 2023-03, seconded by Councilmember Cowden. Council Chair Rapozo:It has been moved and seconded to approve Resolution No. 2023-03, which provides the Committee structure, Chairs, Vice Chairs, and Members of each of the Council's Committees for this term. Is there any discussion? If not, roll call vote. The motion for adoption of Resolution No. 2023-03 was then put, and carried by the following vote: FOR ADOPTION: Bulosan, Carvalho, Cowden, DeCosta, Evslin, Kuali`i, 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:Clerk, next item, please. COMMUNICATION: C 2023-01 Communication (11/23/2022) from the Mayor-Elect Derek S.K. Kawakami, submitting for Council confirmation, the appointment of Matthew M. Bracken as the County Attorney. Councilmember Kuali`i moved to approve C 2023-01 for the record, seconded by Councilmember DeCosta. Council Chair Rapozo:It has been moved and seconded to approve Communication C 2023-01 for the record. Is there any discussion? Councilmember DeCosta. Councilmember DeCosta: I just wanted to say, for the past two (2) years we have been in really good hands with Mr. Bracken. I want to thank him and his mentor Mauna Kea Trask who led him through those times. We are in really good hands as a County. Thank you. INAUGURAL MEETING 6 DECEMBER 1, 2022 Council Chair Rapozo:Is there any further discussion? Are there any objections? If not, next item, please. The motion to approve C 2023-01 for the record was then put, and unanimously carried. Council Chair Rapozo:Madam Clerk, next item, please. C 2023-02 Communication (11/25/2022) from the County Clerk-Designee submitting for Council informational purposes, the appointment of Lyndon M. Yoshioka as the Deputy County Clerk Councilmember Carvalho moved to receive C 2023-02 for the record, seconded by Councilmember Evslin. Council Chair Rapozo:It has been moved and seconded to receive C 2023-02. Is there anydiscussion? Is there any Seeingnone. Motionobjection? carried. Is there any further business? Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: No further business. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the Council Meeting adjourned at 12:13 p.m. Respectfully submitted, JAD . FOUNTAIN-TANIGAWA County Clerk jY