Hawaii County Council Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs – September 1, 2026

The committee met on September 1, 2026, at 9:02 a.m. in Hilo to consider six mayoral nominations to various boards and commissions and to approve the county's legislative package for the Hawai‘i State Association of Counties (HSAC). Chair Jen Kagiwada presided until passing the gavel to Vice Chair Holeka Goro Inaba for the final item. All nominations were approved by majority vote, with one nomination advancing despite two dissenting votes. The meeting was briefly interrupted by a public outburst.

Consent Calendar

• No items were designated as a consent calendar; each nomination was considered individually.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No registered oral testimony was offered at the start of the meeting. However, during the discussion of Communication 1003 (nomination of Zahava Zaidoff), an unidentified member of the public interrupted the proceedings, shouting about caffeine deprivation, unsafe sidewalks, and referencing labels such as "retarded." Chair Kagiwada called a brief recess before continuing.

Discussion Items

• Communication 1003 – Nomination of Zahava Zaidoff to the Transportation Commission: Mayor’s Executive Assistant Micah Alameda introduced Zaidoff, a resident of Ocean View, as an advocate for people with disabilities and rural transportation. Zaidoff expressed support for creative solutions like expanding taxi-cab programs to connect residents to mass transit. Councilmember Dennis “Fresh” Onishi asked about revenue generation (e.g., bus advertising) and light rail; Zaidoff was open to discussion but deferred on specifics. Councilmember Matt Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder questioned Zaidoff’s familiarity with the Mass Transit Master Plan and the Multimodal Transportation Plan and funding sources, expressing concern about her lack of detailed knowledge. Councilmember Ashley Kierkiewicz defended Zaidoff, noting that nominees are not expected to have read all plans before confirmation. The nomination passed 8–1, with Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder opposed.
• Communication 1051 – Nomination of Kiliheaaahiahi Dorian Inaba to the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation (PONK) Commission: Councilmember Holeka Goro Inaba recused himself as the nominee is a family member. Alameda introduced Inaba, a former firefighter and paramedic now an RN, as a dedicated advocate for preserving culturally significant lands. Several council members praised her background. Councilmember Heather Kimball voted no, citing a personal ethical position against appointing family members of council members. The vote was 6–2 in favor (Galimba and Kimball opposed).
• Communication 1047 – Nomination of Sunita Przewlocki to the PONK Commission: Alameda introduced Przewlocki, a real estate agent and mother of three, who spoke about the importance of preserving open spaces and ocean access. Councilmember Onishi noted that her partner is State Representative Matthias Kusch, and encouraged appreciation for volunteers. Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder voted no, stressing the need for transparency regarding family connections. The nomination passed 8–1.
• Communication 1049 – Nomination of Jayssa Asuncion-Grace to the Game Management Advisory Commission (GMAC): Alameda introduced Asuncion-Grace, a hunter from Ka‘ū, who spoke about overhunting and the need to let the land rest. Councilmembers expressed strong support, noting she would be the only female GMAC commissioner. Onishi suggested she use council members for legislative support. The nomination passed unanimously (9–0).
• Communication 1050 – Nomination of Robert A. Camara to the Hawai‘i County Cultural Resources Commission: Alameda described Camara as a government watchdog. Camara, a Hilo native, connected historic preservation to disaster preparedness, referencing the 1868 Ka‘ū earthquake. Councilmembers praised his depth of knowledge. The nomination passed unanimously (9–0).
• Communication 1052 – Nomination of Porsche Ha‘o to the Board of Appeals: Alameda introduced Ha‘o, a co-owner of One Ton Chips, who expressed a desire to serve and ensure due process in property disputes. Councilmembers commended her business experience and community involvement. The nomination passed unanimously (9–0).
• Resolution 664-26 – HSAC Legislative Package: Councilmember Kimball presented the package, which includes draft bills on prohibiting commercial aquarium collection, allowing counties to request state land use boundary amendments, requiring denitrification in wastewater systems, extending the GET surcharge to 2045, and updating housing assistance criteria; plus seven policy priorities. Chair Kagiwada offered an amendment (Comm. 1048.1) to add a draft bill on county regulation of tobacco sales (preemption) and three new priorities: emergency preparedness, responsible game management of wild ungulates, and legislation increasing wages. The amendment passed 8–1 (Onishi opposed). Onishi questioned the wage priority, suggesting cost-of-living reduction instead, but did not offer an amendment. The amended resolution passed 8–1 (Onishi opposed).

Key Outcomes

• Zahava Zaidoff confirmed to Transportation Commission (8–1).
• Kiliheaaahiahi Dorian Inaba confirmed to PONK Commission (6–2).
• Sunita Przewlocki confirmed to PONK Commission (8–1).
• Jayssa Asuncion-Grace confirmed to Game Management Advisory Commission (9–0).
• Robert Camara confirmed to Cultural Resources Commission (9–0).
• Porsche Ha‘o confirmed to Board of Appeals (9–0).
• Resolution 664-26 amended and approved (8–1) to forward to the full Council with a favorable recommendation. The committee will submit the legislative package to HSAC for consideration.
• The meeting adjourned at 10:28 a.m.