Finance and Economic Development Committee CIP Budget Review - March 31, 2026
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Finance and Economic Development Committee CIP Budget Review - March 31, 2026
The committee reviewed the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, focusing on projects for Fire, Police, Civil Defense, Public Works (including Engineering, Solid Waste, Wastewater), Planning, Finance, IT, HR, Transportation, Housing, Economic Development, and Parks and Recreation. Public testimony was not offered. The meeting ran from morning until afternoon with a one-hour lunch break.
Consent Calendar
- No separate consent calendar was noted; all items were discussed individually.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public testified.
Discussion Items
- Fire Department CIP: Discussion focused on the helicopter hangar (design complete, construction to be funded via Act 35/FEMA/state money) and the "hanger in a box" (a tent-like structure for mechanic shop behind Koloa Fire Station). The Anini lifeguard tower is received and awaiting installation at Anini Beach Park, expected by summer.
- Police Department CIP: Update on Koloa Police Substation remodel (moving into former courthouse, completion expected end of April/beginning of May). Evidence storage warehouse is in phase one (planning/assessment); construction is anticipated for next year's budget due to space constraints at the current facility.
- Civil Defense (CHEMO): Updates on the 800 MHz public safety radio system (phase migration to next-generation platform) and ongoing upgrades.
- Public Works Engineering: Extensive discussions on bridge repairs (Kapahi, New Moloaa temporary bridge opening April 17), road improvements (Kawaihau, Kilauea/Holo Road right-of-way issues), pedestrian paths (Moo Road sidewalk delayed since 2017, Hoonani Road sidewalk), and drainage projects (Olaco Street drainage). Staffing shortages were cited as a major cause of delays.
- Solid Waste: Host community benefit for Kekaha is $339,421 based on tonnage increase (92,922 tons in FY25). Landfill expansion and gas collection system contracts are underway.
- Wastewater: Discussion centered on the need for a new Wailua treatment plant (potential partnership with DHL), I&I repairs for Waimea, odor control at Wailua (new pilot treatment starting April 13), and facility plans for Lihue, Wailua, and Waimea. $3 million was requested for UV disinfection at Wailua (not eligible for SRF loan).
- Planning: Projects included the Hanapepe monument (artist Holly Young contracted), document scanning (750 boxes to be digitized by April 15), and repairs to the Kalalau Trail.
- Parks and Recreation: Major items included the Vidinha Stadium improvements (track, field, scoreboard completed; lighting and bleachers ongoing), skate parks (Hanapepe design complete; Wailua designed but not permitted), and the need for a new elevator at the historic county building. Restroom projects at North Vidinha Soccer Field and other parks were discussed.
- Other Departments: IT and Finance projects are winding down. Housing reported the Puhi property purchase escrow opened, and the $36 million housing development fund is available for four major projects (Lima Ola, Waimea 400, Kilauea, Puhi).
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes were taken during the meeting; the session was a review and discussion.
- Staff were directed to:
- Consider moving maintenance-type CIP funds (e.g., Kalalau Trail, habitat conservation) to operating budgets.
- Return to Council if bids exceed appropriations (e.g., Ima Theater improvements, which came in at $300,000 vs. $125,000 budgeted).
- Provide a briefing on Morgan's Pond repairs.
- Negotiate with the state on safe parking/safety zone sites for homeless.
- The committee will reconvene on April 2, 2026 at 9:00 AM to hear from Parks and Recreation, County Attorney, and Liquor Control.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, good morning. I'd like to call back to order the finance and economic development committee and the fiscal year twenty twenty-six-2027 departmental budget reviews that the record reflect that all members are present. Um as we do oh on our schedule today, our only item of business is to discuss the CIP budget projects. As we do every morning, we'll take public testimony. Is there anyone in the audience wishing to testify? Seeing none. Um with that, I'll suspend the rules. Um for CIP today, we all have our big handout. We're gonna go through um in order to get uh some of the departments out earlier. We're gonna start with fire, police, and chemo, and then we're gonna go to public works. Um they don't have a lot of projects on the list, so um I think we can get them all pretty fast. Um so that's the order for today. We're gonna be starting on page four of the sheet. Fire is the second line item on it. Um so um any questions on the fire line item from the members. Oh, page six, sorry. I might need to borrow somebody's glasses. I think that's the only thing I don't have questions on. Number one hundred. Um is it possible just to have them come up here? Just work explained that. Uh line item number one oh five. I'm assuming that's I don't know what HIB. That's their new crowd. Hi, good morning. Totosaki Public Works. Uh would it be okay to start just with an overview of how we put this together? Oh, sure. Okay. Um so it is organized by uh department or managing agency. So I know we're we already jumped to fire on uh it's our page six page four. Oh, it's our page six. I didn't look at the number. Okay, good. Uh and then so the columns on the far the colored columns on the far right. So yeah, we get the the gray column is the approved ordinance from last year, and then the spend down in purple, the current balance as of February. It may have changed since then, but um separate pr pretty close if if it's not exact, and then uh the proposed increase or decrease in green, and then the proposed ordinance for 2027 in blue. Um I did just want to highlight, I know we're going to fire police and key mo this morning, um, but for the overall for the whole report. Um in the purple, you are gonna see some um zeros as far as spend down, but I just did want to express that um doesn't necessarily mean zero progress. Um you'll see by the status updates that there's quite a bit of progress in each project, and then we're gonna have the subject matter experts for everything to explain if there's any questions. Okay. So on the helicopter hangar, um where are we at in that? Seems like that's been a while. I can answer this question, Roger Mills, Deputy Fire Chief Cliff Department. Um right now we just finished up the final phase of um drafting planning and all the other stuff, so we're gonna send out the IFB for the actual construction of the hangar. So this uh 2010 is just the design. Yes. Okay. And then I don't see the construction of the hangar on the costing here. Are we gonna do that in this next budget year?
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