The Committee on Finance, chaired by Vice Chair James Eustace, convened on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM in the West Hawaiʻi Civic Center (Kona) with a Hilo video link. Seven members were present (Galimbo, Ōnishi, Kimball, Connelly Kleinfelder, Kirkowitz, Kagiwada, and Eustace); Councilmembers Viegas and Inaba were absent. The committee approved routine fund‑transfer reports, accepted a fire department donation, and forwarded four resolutions to the full Council, including the final $6.1 million round of the Kīlauea Eruption Recovery Grant Program.
All testimony was in full support of Resolution 459‑26 (Kīlauea Recovery Grant Program). Testifiers represented Hoʻōla Lāhui, Kua O Ka Lā Charter School, Vacation Land Hawaiʻi Community Association, Black Sands Subdivision, Mālama O Puna, Leilani Community Association, Arts & Sciences Center, Holoʻohue Road Restoration, Main Street Pāhoa Association, and Pāhoa Lava Zone Museum. Speakers emphasized eight years of ongoing recovery, highlighted specific infrastructure needs (roads, water systems, community kitchens), and thanked the county for its partnership. A second round of testimony (Susan Champney and Kevin Kishnell) reaffirmed support, noting that many residents are aging and that completion of projects is urgent.
Introduced by Councilmember Kirkowitz. This final round of the program provides $6,078,873 in state‑allocated grants to 17 nonprofit‑sponsored projects for infrastructure, economic recovery, and resilience. The Recovery Office (Douglas Namle) reported that 45 applications were received (totaling $12 million) and evaluated after a 60‑day application period with grant‑development workshops.
Introduced by Councilmember Connelly Kleinfelder. Authorizes a 3‑year lease (with two 3‑year renewal options) for space at 101 Aupuni Street at ~$2,600/month.
Introduced by Councilmember Connelly Kleinfelder. Authorizes a 6‑year professional‑services agreement (estimated $1.6 million/year) for Phase 1 of the plant upgrade. Project Coordinator Mark Grant explained the firm will provide three full‑time staff (CM, project engineer, inspector) to supplement county capacity. Councilmembers raised concerns about scope clarity, potential overlap with Phase 2, and cost control; they requested a detailed scope of work and consideration of a “not‑to‑exceed” clause. Motion to forward to Council carried on a roll‑call vote: 5‑2 (Councilmembers Kirkowitz and Vice Chair Eustace opposed).
Introduced by Councilmember Connelly Kleinfelder. Authorizes a 1‑year lease (with a 1‑year renewal option) for county‑owned property at 74‑5593 Pōvaʻi Place, at $10/year, for use as an assessment center and emergency shelter. The Office of Housing stated that Hope Services has operated the shelter since 2019 and that the short lease aligns with program oversight. Forwarded to Council with favorable recommendation (voice vote, 7‑0).
Aloha, welcome to the 29th session for the Committee on Finance. I'm your Vice Chair and Presiding Officer for today's committee meeting, James Eustace. We are here. It is 10 o'clock in the Westwise Civic Center, Tuesday, February 17th. We are joined in here in Kona by Councilmembers Kalimbo and O'Nishi. In our Hilo chambers, we have Councilmembers Kimball, Kanye Kleinfelder, Kirkowitz, and Kalgiwada. Those absent are Councilmembers Viegas and Inaba. Mr. Klerk, if you could start us off with uh testimony from the public, please. Thank you, Vice Chair Hustis. We'd have some testifiers on our outer sites, I believe, maybe also by Zoom. We have one testifier signed up here, and we'll go to that last. Um, so please, uh, Mr. Aracelli, if you could uh assist us with testimony at our courtesy sites and in Hilo. Thank you so much, Mr. Clerk. Chair, uh, we do have one testifier here in Hilo, and then we'll start with her and then move on to our Zoom testifier before going to Pahoa and then closing out in Kono. So, with that, our first testifier here in the Hilo chamber is Susan Osborne, testifying on resolution 459 to be followed by Deb Smith via Zoom. Susan, when you're ready to begin, if you could just introduce yourself and turn the mic on, you'll have three minutes. Okay, aloha Mike Hako, Susie Osborne, Ko I Noah, and I'm here um representing Ho'Ulula Hui and Kuokala Charter School with a big huge heartfelt uh thank you, Mahalo. It's been a long, long road to recovery. We're in our eighth year, and this really sincerely puts us on the home stretch. Um, the funds allocated today, um, hopefully, are um going to help us with the subdivision expenses and that and propel us right into uh permanent ownership. So really I just want to uh remind you what a difficult I don't think I need to remind you, but what a long and difficult road to recovery this has been for all of us and how significant um this funding has been. So I thank Governor Ige for giving that to us, and I thank um you folks and the recovery office for uh managing the grant funds and taking care of us in the community. And I think it's a it's a wonderful day. So I just wanted to say Mahalo. Thank you so much for your testimony. Our next testifier is via Zoom, Deb Smith, also testifying on resolution 459 before going to Pahol for their testifiers. Deb, when you're ready to begin, if you could just introduce yourself, you'll have three minutes. Aloha council members. My name is Deb Smith, and I'm representing Vacation Lamb Hawaii Community Association in Capoho. I'm testifying in resolution resolution 459 26 regarding the Kilauta Recovery Grants, and I am in complete support of your approval of these grants. Our association lost every inch of our subdivision roads, which was over seven miles. And this grant will help us restore the bulk of these roads and allow access to over 150 private properties, property owners, and their remaining homes. Our association members are more than ready to return to their properties with many planning to rebuild. Those of us with remaining homes will finally be able to do the necessary repairs and upkeeps that eight years of no access has denied us. Our association is extremely grateful to receive this grant. The monies will go a long way towards our road restoration, and we are shovel ready and can now start as soon as Highway 137 is reopened. And we are we are truly grateful. We it's been a long time coming, as you all are aware. Thank you so much for your testimony. At this time, we can transition to Gloria and Pahoa for your testifiers, please. Good morning, everyone. We have Tim Rowan here commenting in support of resolution 459-26, representing Black Sands subdivision and Malama or Puna as president. Tim, you have three minutes. Please restate your name for the record. Thank you. Aloha, good morning. My name is Tim Rowan.