Council reallocates unawarded grant money to contingency relief, advances CIP projects; private-roads funding debated
May 30, 2024 | Hawaii County, Hawaii
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The Hawaii County Council on May 30 approved an amendment to the operating budget that transfers unprogrammed VaiVai grant funds into the county's contingency relief fund (CRF), and adopted the CIP package after adding funding and planning for multiple local projects.
Vice Chair Ray Nava explained the amendment to move roughly $472,000 of unawarded VaiVai grant money into the CRF so the council can program those funds later. "If we don't pass this amendment, the money will go unprogrammed and $472,000 will just lapse," Nava said. The amendment passed on a recorded vote.
Council also considered how to address spillover from the grants program after several nonprofit applicants were deemed ineligible this cycle; members discussed creating clearer guidance and an appeals process for next year to reduce administrative disqualifications.
On capital projects, the council adopted amendments to the CIP bill that included funding requests for the Hanohano'ah pool repairs, a $250,000 planning appropriation for a Keaau multimodal transit hub, and movement toward permitting for a Pahoa bus hub co-located with a planned library. Mass-transportation officials told the council a preferred site exists and the project is ready to advance into land-acquisition and permitting steps.
A separate amendment to appropriate $250,000 to fund implementation of the recently passed private-roads maintenance ordinance (Bill 82) drew lengthy debate. Public Works business manager Kelsey Kalua Luis told the council the department is developing an application and ranking system but warned that staffing and equipment constraints could limit the department's ability to spend the money in the first fiscal year. After discussion about implementing the ordinance and how to bill or staff the work, the amendment failed on a roll call vote.
Council members said the CRF transfer preserves the opportunity to direct resources to local nonprofits and programs instead of letting unspent funds lapse. Those funds will be treated the same as other CRF funds and are subject to the standard distribution mechanics; the council plans to take up a distribution resolution in a subsequent meeting.
The council finished its session by adopting the operating and CIP budgets as amended and adjourned at 1:37 p.m.
Vice Chair Ray Nava explained the amendment to move roughly $472,000 of unawarded VaiVai grant money into the CRF so the council can program those funds later. "If we don't pass this amendment, the money will go unprogrammed and $472,000 will just lapse," Nava said. The amendment passed on a recorded vote.
Council also considered how to address spillover from the grants program after several nonprofit applicants were deemed ineligible this cycle; members discussed creating clearer guidance and an appeals process for next year to reduce administrative disqualifications.
On capital projects, the council adopted amendments to the CIP bill that included funding requests for the Hanohano'ah pool repairs, a $250,000 planning appropriation for a Keaau multimodal transit hub, and movement toward permitting for a Pahoa bus hub co-located with a planned library. Mass-transportation officials told the council a preferred site exists and the project is ready to advance into land-acquisition and permitting steps.
A separate amendment to appropriate $250,000 to fund implementation of the recently passed private-roads maintenance ordinance (Bill 82) drew lengthy debate. Public Works business manager Kelsey Kalua Luis told the council the department is developing an application and ranking system but warned that staffing and equipment constraints could limit the department's ability to spend the money in the first fiscal year. After discussion about implementing the ordinance and how to bill or staff the work, the amendment failed on a roll call vote.
Council members said the CRF transfer preserves the opportunity to direct resources to local nonprofits and programs instead of letting unspent funds lapse. Those funds will be treated the same as other CRF funds and are subject to the standard distribution mechanics; the council plans to take up a distribution resolution in a subsequent meeting.
The council finished its session by adopting the operating and CIP budgets as amended and adjourned at 1:37 p.m.
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