Hawaii County Council Meeting – February 4, 2026
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Hawaii County Council Meeting – February 4, 2026
The Hawaii County Council held its 30th session on February 4, 2026, beginning at 1:00 PM and adjourning at 2:58 PM. The meeting opened with an invocation led by Assistant Professor Akiakamae Kyona of Hawaii Community College in honor of Hawaiian Language Month. Six council members were present, establishing a quorum. The council approved multiple resolutions and bills, including a performance audit of housing and homelessness funds, several contingency relief grants, and amendments to Bill 63 concerning residential uses in MCX districts. Public testimony was heard from four individuals.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Joyce Belena (Leilani Estates resident, representing herself) testified in support of Resolution 445-26, expressing full support for county actions to alleviate homelessness and stating it is a moral obligation.
- John Pelletier (Kona Community Development Plan Action Committee Chair) requested that Bill 63 be sent back to committee for further discussion, referencing the committee's earlier vote (Communication 333.16).
- Claudia Zirolli (representing Puna Makalkow / Fern Acres Hub) thanked the council for a contingency grant that will support the hub's emergency operations center, CERT team, volunteer fire department, food distribution, and neighborhood watch.
- Renee Godoy (Police and Fire Chaplain, founder of Friends of First Responders) testified in favor of Resolution 454-26, thanking the council for supporting a first responder kids camp and describing a children's book produced for the camp that highlights the pride and challenges of first responder families.
Discussion Items
- Communications 691 and 692 – Nominations to the Fire Commission (Durwin Ignacio) and Police Commission (Alan A. Sole) were confirmed without objection. Votes: 7-0-1 and 8-0-1 respectively.
- Resolution 445-26 – Requesting a performance audit of real property tax revenues appropriated for housing and homelessness. Councilmember Kimball moved approval, noting the audit should examine both those helped out of homelessness and those prevented from becoming homeless. Councilmember Viegas clarified that the audit would include nonprofit use of funds per the resolution's clauses. Approved 8-0-1.
- Resolution 450-26 – Transfer of $6,045 from contingency relief to Puna Makalkow for its Fern Acres Community Resource Emergency Operations Center. Approved 8-0-1.
- Resolution 451-26 – Transfer of $3,000 for Liliuokalani Gardens pond wall restoration (Friends of Liliuokalani Gardens). Councilmember Onishi acknowledged Rosukouai of Puna Rocks for donating stones. Approved 8-0-1.
- Resolution 452-26 – Transfer of $10,000 to Humanity Holiday for services in Kona (arts, cultural education, abuse prevention, leadership). Councilmember Viegas expressed gratitude. Approved 8-0-1.
- Resolution 453-26 – Transfer of $5,000 to Hamakua Youth Foundation for youth center programs. Approved 8-0-1.
- Resolution 454-26 – Transfer of $5,000 to Friends of First Responders for a children's book. Approved 8-0-1.
- Resolution 455-26 – Transfer of $20,000 for a replacement scoreboard at Kohala High and Pahala Elementary School. Councilmember Galimba noted the need due to nonworking scoreboards. Approved 8-0-1.
- Resolution 456-26 – Five-year lease for a multi-function copy machine for Public Works (traffic division, Hilo). Approved 8-0-1.
- Resolution 457-26 – Five-year maintenance agreement for two copy machines for Public Works. Approved 8-0-1.
- Resolution 458-26 – Authorization to accept a $1,600,000 federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act grant. Approved 8-0-1.
- Bill 63 Draft 2 – Amending Chapter 25 to permit residential dwellings in Industrial Commercial Mixed Use (MCX) districts. After discussion, Councilmember Kimball moved an amendment (Communication 333.17) to change the use from permitted to requiring a use permit, removing a 200-foot setback requirement. The amendment passed 6-2 (Houstis and Kagiwada opposed, Connelly Kleinfelder absent). Debate followed on the amended bill. Councilmember Viegas expressed concerns about loopholes for vacation rentals and lack of community benefit, especially in Kona. The amended bill passed first reading 7-1 (Viegas opposed, Connelly Kleinfelder absent).
- Bill 114-118 – Various budget amendments for police department grants (roadblock, occupant protection, selective traffic enforcement, high intensity impact, pedestrian and bicycle safety). All approved 8-0-1 on first reading.
- Bill 119 – Rezoning 5 acres in South Kohala from agricultural to residential and agricultural (condition D prohibits second dwelling unit). Approved 8-0-1 on first reading.
- Bill 120 – Rezoning 1.86 acres in North Kona with deletion of condition H (prohibiting second dwelling unit) and amendment of condition C (five-year time extension). Applicant Elizabeth Young asked about reversion if conditions not met. Planning Director Darrow explained the process. Approved 8-0-1 on first reading.
- Bill 121 Draft 2 – Ten-year time extension for a 51.058-acre multi-family residential development in North Kona (Kona Country Club). Councilmembers Kagiwada and Viegas opposed, citing lack of alignment with community needs and infrastructure concerns. Chair Inaba also voted no. Passed first reading 5-3 (Galimba, Houstis, Kirkowitz, Kimball, Onishi in favor; Kagiwada, Viegas, Inaba opposed; Connelly Kleinfelder absent).
- Bill 112 and 113 – Budget amendments for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ($1.6M) and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program ($68,000). After extensive discussion on WIOA program statistics, both bills approved 8-0-1 on second and final reading.
Key Outcomes
- Confirmed Durwin Ignacio to the Fire Commission (7-0-1) and Alan A. Sole to the Police Commission (8-0-1).
- Approved Resolution 445-26 (performance audit of housing funds) 8-0-1.
- Approved six contingency relief grants (Resolutions 450-26 through 455-26) and three administrative resolutions (456-26, 457-26, 458-26) each 8-0-1.
- Passed Bill 63 (amended) on first reading 7-1, with an amendment to require a use permit for dwellings in MCX districts.
- Passed Bills 114-120 on first reading each 8-0-1.
- Passed Bill 121 (ten-year time extension) on first reading 5-3.
- Passed Bills 112 and 113 on second and final reading each 8-0-1.
- All bills will proceed to second reading (except those already on final). Bill 63 will require a second reading after the amendment.
Meeting Transcript
Aloha awakia kako welcome to the 30 second session of the Hawaii County Council. The date today is February 4th, 2026. Time is one o'clock. And to begin today's meeting, uh Polopeka Akiaka Mai Kiyuna, my Hawaii Community College. Since this is Hawaiian language month, we've asked assistant professor at Hawaii Community College, Akiakamae Kyona to provide our invocation. So he noyana voyaoko e komopuma imake ya. So we're gonna have audience participation from everybody. Um at the end of each verse, there's a line, and you guys I would I'll give you guys cues to jump in. But you're just gonna say, repeat after me, Aye. Oh yeah. So this melee for Manono talks about you know her steadfastness with Kekuo Kalani, her husband, in what they stood for, even if they knew it was a losing battle, which a lot of times as leadership, that's what happens. We have to stick to our guns, even if we know it might not go in our favor. But within all of that, there's always aloha. So in the time that we're in, whether we're disagreeing, whether we have to stick to our guns or you know, go into battle. Let's just remember all of that aloha, and all of us saying aye oye, is that our commitment to that. So this is a mele no ano no manono. Ah, kele ah, kele koa la ea kele ko u aloha la ea emanola ema no la ea we ka upe o pe my oela moe kaha uaye okay. Moeaku kaha uwa oka bahi bela bella oka papa lohi ya o ma u kele la ea kele a kele ko u aloha la ea akelea kele ko u aloha la ea heinoa no mano. Hei no ano ya oe kumu akyakamai uh with that uh our mahalo again to Hawaii community college and their continued efforts um and all the other Hawaiian language organizations, Punanale, Arkulakayapuni, Kamehameha schools, um, and our charter schools as well. We continue to uh engage in the efforts to not just revitalize but continue our Hawaiian language in our community um here in Hawaii. With that, calling this meeting to order 104 p.m. Mr. Clerk roll call, please. Councilmember Golimba. Here. Councilmember Houstis. Present. Councilmember Kagiwana. Here. Councilmember Conley Kleinfelder. Councilmember Kirkowitz. Present. Councilmember Kimball. Vice Chair O'Nishi. Present. Cherry Nava. Chair, you have six members in attendance. You have Quorum. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Would you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? Please stand if you feel comfortable doing so. Thank you so much, Chair. Noting that we do have a couple testifiers at your remote site, what we'll do is we'll take the testifier in Pohoa, followed by our testifier in Kona, and then coming back to our hilo chamber. So at this time, Gloria, if you could lead us with your testifier, please. Thank you, Riley. We have Joyce Belena, who lives in Leilania States. Commenting in support of resolution 445-2-6 representing herself. Ms. Joyce, you have three minutes.
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