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.
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.