The Committee on Finance of the Hawaiʻi County Council met on September 1, 2026, from 10:36 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. to consider several communications, resolutions, and bills. All nine council members were present. The meeting included public testimony, discussion of a transformative community paramedicine grant, and unanimous approval of all agenda items.
Aloha, welcome to the 43rd session for the committee on finance. Today is September 1st, 2026. It's 1036 a.m. Please bear with us running a little bit behind this morning. Calling this meeting to order. To my left, we have Councilmembers Kimball, Galimba, Viegas to my right. We have Councilmembers Kagiwana, Houston Kirkowitz. He's not to my right, but he is in the building, Mr. Onichi, and Councilmember Ian Nava and myself. That makes nine members in favor. Mr. Clerk. Is there any testimony this morning? Chair. Thank you, Chair. Sorry about that. I believe we do have one testifier in Kona. Scott, if you could lead us with your testifier, please. Thank you, Raleigh. Yeah, this morning we have Kelly Hudik. In support of resolution 665-26. Kelly, go ahead and state your name for the record and proceed. You have three minutes. So I'm want to support resolution 66526 in support of funding to PATH to support the high bike bike share program. The high bike project will promote transportation options for Hawaii Island, residents, visitors, and I like to utilize and encourage a healthy fun way to get around the island and around town and support development of appropriate infrastructure for biking, bicycle safety, and bicycle ridership on Hawaii Island. It helps reduce traffic congestion and improve automobile and transit times, and also seamlessly integrates into the Halley on bus system. So riders of the Helion Bus can scan a QR code now and get free ridership on the high bike bike share system for unlimited 30-minute rides for 24 hours. It's an intergest intergenerational bicycling culture in Kailua Kona and Hilo that normalizes the bicycle for transportation and recreation. It stimulates public support for expanding bicycle infrastructure. Under the membership options designed for Hawaii Island residents in mind, the more you use the system, the greater value of the membership fee, and the farther your transportation dollars in high bike membership goes. Hawaii Island is actually at the forefront. We're ahead of the curve compared to the rest of the islands because we have a bike share system that incorporates into the mass transit system. We're the only ones that do this. Oahu is trying to follow suit with the Bicky system, but this is an incredible opportunity that any kind of anyone that rides the free Helion bus system can also use the bike share program for free to get around and supplement the first and last mile with the transit program. In addition to the mass transit um component of the high bike system, Path also utilizes the high bike for programming for adults and children. So for instance, we've used the high bike system to do safe riding programs for adults. Teach them how to ride safe in traffic, how to use the high bike program in order to encourage people to utilize it and get out and have active transportation options for them in lieu of using their car for everything. We also have a program that's coming up in Kona on September 26th, where we close down a portion of Ali Drive and bring out bikes for kids to ride. We'll also have the high bikes out for adults to ride with their kids or just to ride on their own. Again, to let them learn more about using the system and have bicycling be a more integrated part of the culture on both sides of the island. So thank you. Thank you for your support of this program. Thank you, Kelly. That's it for Kona. Thank you so much, Scott. And chair with that, those are all the testifiers you have here at the beginning of your meeting. Thank you very much. Okay, Mr. Clerk, let's go to the first item on the agenda. Communication 23.41.