Kauai County Council Meeting Summary - November 19, 2025

The Kauai County Council held a combined session for multiple committees on November 19, 2025, beginning with a special presentation honoring a youth athlete before proceeding to approve minutes and three legislative items: a collective bargaining agreement, budget amendments for the Wailua Golf Course, and a ban on disposable bodyboards. The meetings were attended by all members except Councilmembers Huali and Covallio, who were absent in Maui representing the deceased Councilmember Tasha Kama.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of the minutes for the October 22, 2025, meeting of the Public Works and Veteran Services Committee (unanimous).
• Approval of the minutes for the October 22, 2025, meeting of the Planning Committee (unanimous).
• Approval of the minutes for the October 22, 2025, meeting of the Finance and Economic Development Committee (unanimous).
• Approval of the minutes for the October 22, 2025, meeting of the Committee of the Whole (unanimous).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Phil Iliana (Grandfather and former professional racquetball player): Expressed strong support for 11-year-old Elijah Machado and advocated for the revitalization of racquetball in Hawaii. Mr. Iliana stated that racquetball is not "dead" but is currently overshadowed by pickleball due to a lack of visible courts in the community, noting that COVID-19 caused many courts to close. He argued that the community should prioritize painting lines on existing courts to facilitate the sport's resurgence. He expressed that the community has an opportunity to support Elijah and his family financially to help them travel to the Dominican Republic, stating that any donation is appreciated regardless of size. He requested that the Council share the GoFundMe link publicly to help the family with travel expenses.
• Councilmember Coley (representing the Ka'U Golf Association): Expressed gratitude for the Council's support and the administration's willingness to move forward with the Wailua Golf Course cart path repairs to address safety concerns and damage to new carts. He emphasized that Mr. Kelvin Murchiga has been advocating for this repair for a long time.
• Councilmember Cowden: Expressed confidence that outreach efforts for the disposable bodyboard ban would be minimal compared to the plastic bag ban, noting that the affected stores are few and cooperative. He expressed concern that controlling online sales would be the primary enforcement challenge.

Discussion Items

• Presentation of Elijah Machado: The Council recognized Elijah Machado, a sixth-grade student and the number two player on the 2025 USA National Junior Racquetball team. Council members asked Elijah questions regarding his competition schedule and his grandfather's influence. Elijah's grandfather, Phil Iliana, detailed Elijah's rapid rise in the sport despite starting only one year ago, having played fewer than ten times in a court setting before his first tournament. He contrasted Elijah's success with the decline of racquetball visibility on Kauai and advocated for better court infrastructure.
• Bill 2975 (Collective Bargaining Agreement): Discussion took place regarding the collective bargaining agreement for bargaining unit twelve. The vote included Councilmembers Bulasan, Cowden, Holland, Chair Reposal, and Committee Chair Shiro. All members voted in favor.
• Bill 2977 (Operating Budget Amendment): Council members discussed the $445,000 allocation for the Wailua Golf Course cart path operating budget. Councilmember Coley updated the committee that the Request for Proposal (RFP) for design work has been sent to purchasing. A question was raised regarding the project timeline; an administration representative indicated that once the RFP process is complete and a contract awarded, construction could take approximately one year from start to finish to repair the existing path. Councilmember Coley emphasized the necessity of the project for safety and protecting new carts.
• Bill 2978 (Capital Budget Amendment): This item was discussed as a companion to Bill 2977, moving the $445,000 allocation to the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The motion to approve was carried unanimously.
• Bill 2976 (Disposable Body Board Reduction): Councilmember Cowden and Councilmember Holland discussed the ordinance establishing a ban on disposable polystyrene bodyboards. They noted that major retailers like Costco and Walmart are not opposed to the change, as they already stock durable options. The bill includes a one-year grace period for retailers to sell off existing inventory before the ban takes effect. Enforcement is assigned to the Solid Waste department, similar to the plastic bag ban protocol. Councilmember Cowden noted that while in-store enforcement may be straightforward, regulating online sales of these boards remains a significant challenge.

Key Outcomes

• Bill 2975: Approved (5 Aye, 0 Excuse). An ordinance approving a collective bargaining agreement for bargaining unit twelve effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2029.
• Bill 2977: Approved (5 Aye, 0 Excuse). An ordinance amending the operating budget to allocate $445,000 for the Wailua Golf Course Cart Path repairs.
• Bill 2978: Approved (5 Aye, 0 Excuse). An ordinance amending the capital budget to include the $445,000 Wailua project in the CIP.
• Bill 2976: Approved (5 Aye, 0 Excuse). An ordinance amending the County Code to ban disposable polystyrene bodyboards, effective one year after the Mayor's signature, with enforcement handled by Solid Waste.
• Administrative Action: The Council agreed to locate and share the GoFundMe link for Elijah Machado on their Facebook page to assist his family with travel expenses to the 2025 World Junior Championships in Santo Domingo.