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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/12/2023 Council minutes COUNCIL MEETING JULY 12, 2023 The 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, July 12, 2023, at 8:41 a.m., after which the following Members answered the call of the roll: Honorable Addison Bulosan Honorable Bernard P. Carvalho, Jr. Honorable Felicia Cowden Honorable Bill DeCosta Honorable Ross Kagawa Honorable KipuKai Kuali`i Honorable Mel Rapozo APPROVAL OF AGENDA. Councilmember Kuali`i moved for approval of the agenda, as circulated, seconded by Councilmember DeCosta. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there any public testimony or discussion? Hearing none. There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting proceeded as follows: The motion for approval of the agenda, as circulated, was then put, and unanimously carried. MINUTES of the following meetings of the Council: May 31, 2023 Council Meeting June 28, 2023 Public Hearing re: Bill No. 2899 Councilmember Kuali`i moved to approve the Minutes, as circulated, seconded by Councilmember DeCosta. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there any discussion or public testimony? There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting proceeded as follows: The motion to approve the Minutes, as circulated, was then put, and unanimously carried. COUNCIL MEETING 2 JULY 12, 2023 Council Chair Rapozo: The motion is carried. INTERVIEW: POLICE COMMISSION: • Lisa C. Knutson – Term ending 12/31/2024 ELLEN CHING, Boards & Commissions Administrator: Good morning. Ellen Ching, Boards & Commissions Administrator. I am so pleased to introduce Lisa Chang Knutson. Lisa was born and raised in Kaneohe and attended Kailua High School. Upon graduation, she attended the University of Hawai`i at Manoa and earned a bachelor's degree in Travel Industry Management, with a Minor in Human Resources. Directly after college, she started working in the Human Resources Department at the Hyatt Regency on Maui. When I commented to Lisa, she is one of the few people I know that is working in the field that they got their degree in, she replied, "When I set my mind to it, I stick to it." Watch out folks, she is not someone to mess with. This was the start of a thirty-year career in Human Resources (HR). Following the visitor industry, she moved to Pioneer Mill, Amfac/JMB, then to workforce development with the state, and Maui Memorial Medical Center. At the medical center, she found her calling and her purpose assisting and supporting healthcare professionals that provide lifesaving treatment and care. As Maui Memorial was in the process of privatizing, Lisa applied for a position at Hawai`i Pacific Health (HPH), Kapi`olani Medical Center for Women and Children. On the spot they immediately offered her the position. At Kapi`olani, Lisa noticed that the HR position at Wilcox seemed to be constantly recruiting. She noted that the position was generally assumed by someone from the mainland who typically did not stay long, so it led to a cycle of recruiting, hiring, and starting all over again. Lisa offered to "pitch-hit." Since she was already commuting from Maui to Kapi`olani, she added Kaua`i to her rotation schedule. Finally in 2018, Lisa was asked to assume the position fulltime for at least two (2) years. It is now 2023, so I am thinking Kauai has grown on her. Lisa is still a frequent flyer between Kauai, O`ahu, to visit her mom, and Maui to check on her home. In between she is a "pickler." She plays pickleball, loves yoga, and the outdoors; hiking, biking, and paddling with Kaiola Canoe Club. As an active volunteer with Tommy Noyes and the Kaua`i Path, she helps with the cleanups at Lydgate and waters the plants on Sundays. Three (3) times per year, Lisa goes to the mainland to visit the national parks, ski, or snowboard. She just returned from a trip to Peru and Machu Picchu, she is planning a trip to Japan and New Zealand. On her bucket list are travels to Bora Bora, the Grand Teton in Wyoming, and the Smoky Mountains bordering North Carolina and Tennessee. The Police Commission is one of the six (6) commissions that are charged with hiring, supervising, evaluating, and as necessary, terminating the department head. As busy as Lisa is, I am so thankful she is willing to volunteer and contribute her very professional and technical knowledge to the Police Commission. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you, Ellen, and thank you, Lisa for agreeing to serve. Is there anything you would like to add? What drove you to serve? I read in your application that you want to give back to the community, but the Police Commission—is there anything in particular? COUNCIL MEETING 3 JULY 12, 2023 Ms. Knutson: No. It did not matter which commission. Ellen just asked if I could serve on the Police Commission, so I was fine with whatever commission to give back to the community. Council Chair Rapozo: Perfect. Well, your background fits well for that commission. Are there any questions for Ms. Knutson? Councilmember Cowden. Councilmember Cowden: Thank you so much. It looks like you really have important background in human resources and I would say as a person who regularly attends the Police Commission meetings, a good part of it is a difference in opinion in how there is structuring within the Kaua`i Police Department (KPD). That seems to be the largest point of tension. This would be helpful. What do you know about police? You said you were happy to help anywhere, and I am happy to have you here, but I am just curious what experience in exposure you have to police issues, because I would say it is atypical from what you would experience in the hospital or the visitor industry. Ms. Knutson: From what I know and read, the Police Commission is responsible for the selection process of the Police Chief, as well as looking at their budget and goals, and if needed to make recommendations. Lastly, if needed, it would also conduct investigations into allegations towards KPD or the personnel thereof, which is something I have done...whether it is for KPD or anywhere else, the investigation, you just need to cut the facts and look at the facts. Councilmember Cowden: Okay, thank you. Council Chair Rapozo: Councilmember DeCosta. Councilmember DeCosta: I am going to address some of the things that Ellen portrayed about you, because you did not get a chance to portray anything, but coming from Ellen, a very respected person from our County, I was very intrigued, because she mentioned about working in HR with rotating employees at the Wilcox Memorial Hospital HR. How important is it to hire within our local community compared to bringing in outsiders, because there was a question about rotation? Can you tell me a little bit about that? Ms. Knutson: Before me, the HR Director at Wilcox, it was about every two (2) or three (3) years. They normally bring in someone because no one locally would apply or get hired. I was not involved in that process, I was at Kapi`olani, but I noticed it would be someone from the mainland and then after two (2) or three (3) years, they would go back to the mainland. That is where I finally said, "if you want, I would be willing to go there." As far as hiring locals, in general, that is our preference. Our preference is to hire locals or even if we can attract locals to come back, which we have recently, it is the best way because it reduces our turnover, it gives consistency in patient care, it is the best outcome for the entire community to have local staffing, and that is our goal. I am happy to say right now, we only have one (1) traveler for a nurse. I have in other areas, but as far as nursing, I only have one (1) right now. We reduced that tremendously, and that was one of our goals. We believe in supporting the local people if we can. COUNCIL MEETING 4 JULY 12, 2023 Councilmember DeCosta: Tell me a little bit about hiring locals and how...not only workers, but would you like to hire supervisors and upper-level management as locals? How does that relate into your philosophy of hiring locals and dealing with our culture and tradition, which is a little different than the mainland? A lady of your experience can sing a song to that. Ms. Knutson: I was working with HPH since I joined them in 2014. They really believe in promoting from within. For example, I was one who was promoted from within. Recently, we had a tech and just this past week, he was promoted to a supervisor. We have all these training programs, whether it is a bridge to leadership, internship programs for kids and students, we mentor college students that come back during the semester, just to give them exposure to healthcare, so we can try to grow our own. We have nursing academies, surgical tech academies, where we take our interns and train them to be well-rounded, transfer, and get promoted within the company, so that is one positive thing that HPH does that I can honestly say I am proud of that. We try to promote from within as much as possible. Councilmember DeCosta: Thank you. Council Chair Rapozo: Are there any further questions? If not, you said you graduated from Kailua High School? Ms. Knutson: Yes. Council Chair Rapozo: Does that mean you went to Kailua Intermediate School? Ms. Knutson: No, I did not. I went to a bigger intermediate school, King Intermediate. Council Chair Rapozo: Okay. Without disclosing our ages, we are the same age, and I went to Kailua Intermediate, so I was thinking if I remember you, but I do not, but it is because you never went there. Ms. Knutson: Correct, I did not attend Kailua Intermediate School. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you very much. I appreciate you stepping forward and your experience will fit well with the Police Commission. Thank you, Ellen, too. Next item, please. CONSENT CALENDAR: C 2023-160 Communication (06/08/2023) from Council Chair Rapozo, transmitting for Council consideration and confirmation, Council appointee Kathleen Kikuchi-Samonte (At-Large) to the Kaua`i Historic Preservation Review Commission — Term ending 12/31/2024. COUNCIL MEETING 5 JULY 12, 2023 C 2023-161 Communication (06/09/2023) from the Mayor, transmitting for Council consideration and confirmation, Mayoral appointee Gary Pacheco to the Fire Commission — Term ending 12/31/2025. C 2023-162 Communication (06/13/2023) from the Mayor, transmitting for Council consideration and confirmation, Mayoral appointee Stacy M.K. Waikoloa to the Cost Control Commission — Term ending 12/31/2025. C 2023-163 Communication (06/27/2023) from the Hawai`i State Association of Counties (HSAC) President, transmitting for Council consideration, HSAC's nomination of Councilmember KipuKai Kuali`i, County of Kaua`i, Councilmember Tommy Waters, City and County of Honolulu, and Councilmember Ashely Kierkiewicz, County of Hawai`i (NACo presidential appointee), to serve on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Counties (NACo), and nominations of Councilmember Shane Sinenci, County of Maui, and Councilmember Sue Lee Loy, County of Hawai`i, to serve on the Board of Directors for the Western Interstate Region (WIR), pursuant to Section 5A and Section 5C of the Bylaws of the Hawai`i State Association of Counties, Inc. Councilmember Kuali`i moved to receive C 2023-160, C 2023-161, C 2023-162, and C 2023-163 for the record, seconded by Councilmember DeCosta. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there any discussion or public testimony? There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting proceeded as follows: The motion to receive C 2023-160, C 2023-161, C 2023-162, and C 2023-163 for the record was then put, and unanimously carried. Council Chair Rapozo: Motion carried. Next item, please. COMMUNICATION: C 2023-164 Communication (06/19/2023) from the Executive on Aging, requesting Council approval to receive and expend Federal funds, in the amount of $1,995.00, and to indemnify the State Executive Office on Aging, for the provision of Title III services of the Older Americans Act, which includes supportive services, congregate meals, home-delivered meals, preventive health programs, and the National Family Caregiver Support Program, for the Federal Fiscal Year 2021. This award is through September 30, 2024. Council Chair Rapozo: Before we take the motion, Executive on Aging Kealoha Takahashi has informed me that this is no longer required. I am entertaining a motion to receive. Councilmember Kuali`i moved to receive C 2023-164 for the record, seconded by Councilmember Carvalho. Councilmember Cowden: I had a quick question. COUNCIL MEETING 6 JULY 12, 2023 Council Chair Rapozo: Go ahead. Councilmember Cowden: Is it no longer required simply because it is just a remnant of the annual funding, that we do not have to do anything or we do not need the money? Council Chair Rapozo: It is not that they do not need the money, it is just that the application process—there was an issue and it is no longer valid. Councilmember Cowden: Okay. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there any public testimony or discussion? Councilmember Kuali`i: I had a question about the process. It is such a small amount, really, insignificant. It is an approval...I mean, to receive now, but I am wondering about the process. Could this not be an item, and maybe it is how it is written and something needs to be changed. Council Chair Rapozo: It is a Charter mandate, that is a problem. Councilmember Kuali`i: It is a Charter mandate? You could put a dollar amount, if it is x amount, the Council Chair can sign it. It is to receive additional moneys. Council Chair Rapozo: Correct, but it is a grant and all grants have to be approved by the Council. Councilmember Kuali`i: But does the Chair have any authority to act on behalf of the Council? Council Chair Rapozo: No. Councilmember Kuali`i: I will look into it. Council Chair Rapozo: Go ahead. Councilmember Cowden: Why are we receiving it? Why do we not just approve it? Council Chair Rapozo: Because the application is no longer valid. Councilmember Kuali`i: It is not necessary. Council Chair Rapozo: They are not sending the application. Councilmember Cowden: Okay, so they are not getting the money. Council Chair Rapozo: They are not getting the money. It is a housekeeping receipt. I agree with you, any donations to the County, and grants to COUNCIL MEETING 7 JULY 12, 2023 the County, anything that is outside of the budget must be approved by this body, and that is a Charter requirement. Is there anyone in the audience wishing to testify? There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting proceeded as follows: The motion to receive C 2023-164 for the record was then put, and unanimously carried. Council Chair Rapozo: Motion is carried. Next item, please. CLAIM: C 2023-165 Communication (06/26/2023) from the County Clerk, transmitting a claim filed against the County of Kaua`i by DB Insurance Company Ltd., do John Mullen& Company, for vehicle damage and personal injuries, pursuant to Section 23.06, Charter of the County of Kaua`i. Councilmember Kuali`i moved to refer C 2023-165 to the Office of the County Attorney for disposition and/or report back to the Council, seconded by Councilmember Cowden. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there any discussion? Is there any public testimony? Councilmember Kagawa. Councilmember Kagawa: What happened to your request for the report? Did we receive that? Council Chair Rapozo: Which report? Councilmember Kagawa: You asked for a report on how many recent claims have been submitted due to potholes. Council Chair Rapozo: No, we have not received that yet. We will get a quarterly report...I am not sure when the next quarterly report is, but it will be coming up in the next quarterly report. This specific claim was not a pothole, this is a traffic accident. Councilmember Kagawa: Oh, okay. Councilmember Cowden: Week after week, we receive these claims and I am just generally curious each time if it is relating to a pothole or if it is something more significant. It is hard to tell when we look at it. Council Chair Rapozo: The claims are available. You can get a copy. I read every single claim because... Councilmember Cowden: Where are you finding the claims? COUNCIL MEETING 8 JULY 12, 2023 Council Chair Rapozo: You can get it from staff. Councilmember Cowden: We need to ask staff to show us? Council Chair Rapozo: Yes. Councilmember Cowden: Could those be included in our agendas, so we can see them or is it a problem because it is public? Council Chair Rapozo: Yes, because they would have to redact the claim. Councilmember Cowden: I am curious every time. Council Chair Rapozo: Just ask your staff person to get you a copy and you can see the unredacted claim. Councilmember Cowden: Okay. Council Chair Rapozo: Go ahead. Councilmember Kagawa: I guess my question is...I do not want to put too much interest in a claim prior to the County Attorney telling us this is a valid claim. It is our job as Council to decide on, but I want to make sure that the Administration in charge of whatever roads or whatever that is causing the claim, even if it gets denied, they know to check out the road, it must be bad. Council Chair Rapozo: Yes. Councilmember Kagawa: Whether it is approved or denied, if there was vehicle damage, I am hoping that the agency in charge on the administrative end knows that, "Hey, we should send our crew boss to check it out," because perhaps a quick pothole job could be done or let us push further the larger rural repaving project rather than give some of those moneys to the Transportation Agency. I am saying, let us have a little bit more accountability on these claims, because sometimes I know we deny when we actually are at fault, but it is a legal process, legally having them to show burden of proof, sometimes causes the denial. Council Chair Rapozo: When we have the quarterly update in Executive Session, and that is why I implemented now that the HR person will be in the session as well, so we can find out when we settle these claims if it is an employee issue, that proper actions are taken because some of these things...I will not say all of them, but the vast majority of these claims are preventable. It could be that we drove too close to another car, we hit someone's mailbox...the potholes, County Attorney Matt Bracken will tell you that we have been having discussions about the pothole issue. When we receive our quarterly report on the unresolved claims, that is an opportunity for us to make sure we do what we can, whether it is sending a request to the Department of Public Works, the Roads Division, to take a look. I am shocked at how many pothole claims we received since I came back, it is insane. We COUNCIL MEETING 9 JULY 12, 2023 are spending a lot of money. We deny a lot of these claims and I would agree with you, Councilmember Kagawa, we should be paying, but that is my opinion. Councilmember Kagawa: My concern is that these tires are no longer cheap. If you go back ten (10) years, tires were forty dollars ($40) for a cheap one, but now one (1) tire is expensive. I know a lot of people out there are struggling and just buying that one (1) tire is a problem. Thank you. Councilmember DeCosta: I just want to assure my fellow colleagues, Councilmember Kagawa and you, Chair, that when we do have this issue whether it is in Executive Session or brought to our attention in an email, I work closely with the Department of Public Works. I know we do not have the ability to tell them what to do, but we do have the ability to make sure our constituents with the potholes and cars get taken care of. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there anything else? There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting proceeded as follows: The motion to refer C 2023-165 to the Office of the County Attorney for disposition and/or report back to the Council was then put, and unanimously carried. Council Chair Rapozo: The motion is carried. Next item, please. COMMITTEE REPORTS: PUBLIC WORKS & VETERANS SERVICES COMMITTEE: A report (No. CR-PWVS 2023-03) submitted Public Works &Veterans Services Committee, recommending that the following be Received for the Record: "PWVS 2023-03 Communication (06/20/2023) from Council Chair Rapozo and Committee Chair DeCosta, requesting the presence of the Managing Director and the County Engineer, to provide a briefing on the Waimea Stream Crossing (also known as the Waimea River Ford Crossing) and the Waimea Levee and Flood Gate Repairs, including design details, timeline for completing, and deadlines relating to use of the State funds," Councilmember Kuali`i moved for approval of the report, seconded by Councilmember Cowden. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there any discussion or public testimony? Go ahead. Councilmember Cowden: I thought it was a good briefing and discussion, is there going to be a follow up? It was not clear to me there was going to get an action required back to give us some sort of follow-up answer. COUNCIL MEETING 10 JULY 12, 2023 Council Chair Rapozo: The short answer is yes. Councilmember DeCosta. Councilmember DeCosta: It was brought to our attention that both access from the road on the Kekaha side and the approach on the Lihu`e side of the Ford River Crossing are in dire need of being repaired, it is way too steep right now and very dangerous. It was brought up to us by the constituents that use that road for taro and living there. Council Chair and I are both moving on rebuilding the approach to that crossing. We are not going to touch the crossing right now because they fixed it already, but we want to touch the approach and then we are going to talk about the long-term fix, whether it is the gabion, the rock bag. We are moving on this and we are going to follow-up with this issue. Thank you. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there any further discussion? There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting proceeded as follows: The motion for approval of the report was then put, and unanimously carried. Council Chair Rapozo: Next item, please. PLANNING COMMITTEE: A report (No. CR-PL 2023-02) submitted by the Planning Department, recommending that the following be Approved on second and final reading: "Bill No. 2899 — A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 8, KAUAI COUNTY CODE 1987, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO ZONING DESIGNATION IN PUHI, KAUAI (University of Hawai`i Community Colleges, Kauai Community College, Applicant) (ZA-2023-3)," Councilmember Carvalho moved for approval of the report, seconded by Councilmember Kuali`i. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there any discussion or public testimony? There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting proceeded as follows: The motion for approval of the report was then put, and unanimously carried. Council Chair Rapozo: Next item, please. COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE: A report (No. CR-COW 2023-09) submitted by the Committee of the Whole, recommending that the following be Received for the Record: COUNCIL MEETING 11 JULY 12, 2023 "COW 2023-04 - Communication (06/26/2023) from Councilmember Kagawa, requesting the presence of Dr. Raymond Petrillo, of Island Kidney Care, to provide a briefing on the status of kidney care and dialysis challenges on Kaua`i," Councilmember Kuali`i moved for approval of the report, seconded by Councilmember Cowden. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there any discussion or public testimony? There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting proceeded as follows: The motion for approval of the report was then put, and unanimously carried. Council Chair Rapozo: Next item, please. RESOLUTIONS: Resolution No. 2023-50 - RESOLUTION CONFIRMING COUNCIL APPOINTMENT TO THE KAUAI HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEW COMMISSION (Kathleen Kikuchi-Samonte -At-Large) Councilmember Kuali`i moved for adoption of Resolution No. 2023-50, seconded by Councilmember Carvalho. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there any discussion or public testimony? Seeing none. Roll call. There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting proceeded as follows: The motion for adoption of Resolution No. 2023-50 was then put, and carried by the following vote: FOR ADOPTION: Bulosan, Carvalho, Cowden, DeCosta, Kagawa, 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. Resolution No. 2023-51 - RESOLUTION CONFIRMING MAYORAL APPOINTMENT TO THE FIRE COMMISSION (Gary Pacheco) Councilmember Kuali`i moved for adoption of Resolution No. 2023-51, seconded by Councilmember Cowden. COUNCIL MEETING 12 JULY 12, 2023 Council Chair Rapozo: Is there any discussion or public testimony? Seeing none. Roll call. There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting proceeded as follows: The motion for adoption of Resolution No. 2023-51 was then put, and carried by the following vote: FOR ADOPTION: Bulosan, Carvalho, Cowden, DeCosta, Kagawa, 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. Resolution No. 2023-52 — RESOLUTION CONFIRMING MAYORAL APPOINTMENT TO THE COST CONTROL COMMISSION (Stacy M.K. Waikoloa) Councilmember Kuali`i moved for adoption of Resolution No. 2023-52, seconded by Councilmember Carvalho. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there any discussion or public testimony? Seeing none. Roll call. There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting proceeded as follows: The motion for adoption of Resolution No. 2023-52 was then put, and carried by the following vote: FOR ADOPTION: Bulosan, Carvalho, Cowden, DeCosta, Kagawa, 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. Resolution No. 2023-53 — RESOLUTION APPROVING THE HAWAII STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES NOMINEES TO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE WESTERN INTERSTATE REGION BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024 Councilmember Kuali`i moved for adoption of Resolution No. 2023-53, seconded by Councilmember Cowden. COUNCIL MEETING 13 JULY 12, 2023 Council Chair Rapozo: Is there any discussion or public testimony? Seeing none. I want to say thank you to Council Vice Chair Kuali`i for being on the NACo Board of Directors, as well as the rest of the slate. It is pretty crucial positions at this time. Roll call, please. There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting proceeded as follows: The motion for adoption of Resolution No. 2023-53 was then put, and carried by the following vote: FOR ADOPTION: Bulosan, Carvalho, Cowden, DeCosta, Kagawa, 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. BILL FOR SECOND READING: Bill No. 2899 — A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 8, KAUAI COUNTY CODE 1987, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO ZONING DESIGNATION IN PUHI, KAUAI (University of Hawai`i Community Colleges, Kaua`i Community College, Applicant) (ZA-2023-3) Councilmember Kuali`i moved to approve Bill No. 2899 on second and final reading, and that it be transmitted to the Mayor for his approval, seconded by Councilmember Cowden. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there any discussion or public testimony? There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting proceeded as follows: Councilmember DeCosta: I had some discussion. This brought a lot of attention to the word "rezoning" and making sure our housing industry is addressed and I was very impressed with the Kaua`i Community College (KCC) and the administrative team that put this forward, thank you. Also, this is a lightbulb, in rural areas where we have density, that the density was not approved because of the lack of infrastructure for water. Councilmember Bulosan and I are going to be revisiting this to see if there are other areas, not to be rezoned, but to actually put people in their houses on land that they had in their families, because we have to address the housing crisis. I want to applaud KCC for improving their workforce that will come out of KCC. Thank you. Council Chair Rapozo: Councilmember Cowden. COUNCIL MEETING 14 JULY 12, 2023 Councilmember Cowden: I want to acknowledge my gratitude to the KCC team for taking this step, planning, supporting it, because I think KCC is an important part of our human infrastructure. Once we have dorms available on the property, when we have the ability to have dorms and potentially instructor housing, it is going to bring the not only the quality of the education...I am not saying it is not good now, because it is, what I think it will bring up is the amount of students going there, which works together. As we are able to retain and educate more of our own people, our whole lives are going to grow stronger, it is something that Councilmember DeCosta is constantly emphasizing. It is important for our leadership to come from within and that begins with having higher education here. Thank you for all the work that you are doing, thank you for where you have the cohorts from UH and being able to do distance learning. You are doing a lot of good work and I am excited to be able to help KCC in whatever way we can to become stronger yet, and I appreciate the work that you both do. Council Chair Rapozo: Councilmember Kagawa. Councilmember Kagawa: I am in strong support especially for the opportunities for KCC to have growth and more diversity. I just talked to my friend, he owns a painting company, paying awesome wages to start, and all the kids do not want to work. A lot of kids right out of high school now, they see twenty dollars ($20) per hour and they do not want to work. He is baffled. He never had that problem with this company. If the kids do not want to work, then let us have more opportunities for college at KCC. That might be the answer. Until we grow in those areas that may attract some of these folks, I do not see any solution, so I am looking at our community college to grow and meet some of the needs that might be out there, maybe a Hawaiian studies program or culturally-based program that may attract some Hawaiian kids to attend KCC. These opportunities with housing, with the bigger opportunities to grow, I am hoping that maybe part of the answer for our youth, that right now, they are not sure what they want to do. Of course, if they are not getting financial aid, it is very hard for them to get to the mainland or go to O`ahu because college can be out of reach for a lot of people struggling, they cannot get that full grant. I am in total support and hope that as we grow, we can look and try and meet some of the needs that are out there that we do not know right now. In my old days, if you did not go college and you did not work, then you would get a kick in your okole. I do not know what the answer is, but there is an answer. We just have to find it. Thank you. Council Chair Rapozo: Councilmember Carvalho. Councilmember Carvalho: I just wanted to say that this is an important step forward for KCC and working closely with our Planning Department team just opening the door to this opportunity for our future students. KCC is a big part of Kaua`i, of course, and the education system, so with this finding coming to the forefront and having numerous discussions about it, and now it is here...this is a great chance and I am totally in support of it. I look forward to more opportunities as we discuss more options coming froward, because of this. Good job. Mahalo everyone for this. COUNCIL MEETING 15 JULY 12, 2023 Council Chair Rapozo: Councilmember Kuali`i. Councilmember Kuali`i: Mahalo nui loa to the University of Hawai`i, KCC, and to our folks at the Planning Department. This is a longtime overdue. I am excited of what it can mean for student and staff housing. As I made my points in the Committee Meeting, we have been and will continue to be a rural community with strong ties to agriculture. I was happy to be reassured by KCC and UH folks that they will continue with the section of the campus that it dedicates to the lo`i kalo patch and some gardening programs and the carpentry programs, where the Punana Leo 0 Kaua`i School is now. I am happy to support this. Thank you. Council Chair Rapozo: Councilmember Bulosan. Councilmember Bulosan: I want to echo every Councilmember with what they share is everything I feel inside, and in addition, looking forward to the future with all the innovation and challenges that future generations are looking at. It is super important that we invest education in ways that we have never imagined. It is great to see a University District on Kaua`i as a possibility with shifting and changes in zoning, really gives me hope for our community. I encourage all of us to continue to do everything possible to leverage this opportunity. Council Chair Rapozo: If there is no further discussion, I am proud to support this. KCC is a gem for Kaua`i. Hopefully this will help us get better use out of the facility, it is a wonderful place. The location is perfect, the views are great. I went to KCC a long time ago and my daughter attended, received her associate degree out of KCC and had an amazing experience with the staff, the counselors, the guidance people that set her up. It is just fantastic. There is no reason why we should not be the best community college in the state, and with this component now, we will have an opportunity to really welcome more students here. Going back to the jobs that Councilmember Kagawa was talking about, I think a lot of people would love to work here, maybe from O`ahu. There was a time, I remember when I was in high school when we were all deciding where we are going, and everyone wanted to attend Kapi`olani Community College, but I could not afford to attend Kapi`olani Community College, I had nowhere to stay, so I attended KCC. I got to believe that there are many people on O`ahu and maybe the other islands that would love to come here if there was housing and a place to stay where they did not have to rent a three- thousand-dollar studio. Like we just saw from the HR Director from HPH, from Wilcox, she came for two (2) years and she is still here. Once people come here and are able to work, they want to stay. Again, that is going back to keeping the local talent pool here—it is going to be a good thing. I know it has been a while, I remember when we approved the zoning years and years ago, and finally it is happening. Thank you, all, for your persistence and patience. COUNCIL MEETING 16 JULY 12, 2023 The motion to approve Bill No. 2899 on second and final reading, and that it be transmitted to the Mayor for his approval was then put, and carried by the following vote: FOR APPROVAL: Bulosan, Carvalho, Cowden, DeCosta, Kagawa, Kuali`i, Rapozo TOTAL — 7, AGAINST APPROVAL: None TOTAL — 0, EXCUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL — 0, RECUSED & NOT VOTING: None TOTAL — 0. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: Seven (7) ayes. ADJOURNMENT. There being no further business, the Council Meeting adjourned at 9:16 a.m. Respectfully submitted, C JADE OUNTAIN-TANIGAWA County Clerk :dmc