Duties: The County Council is the legislative branch of the County. Council is responsible for passing the laws that govern the county, as enacted by ordinance and written in the Hawaii County Code.How Elected: The County Council consists of nine members elected from geographical districts. Members are elected on a non-partisan basis. A Councilmember must be a qualified resident and registered voter of the district from which the person is to be elected for at least 90 days immediately preceding the primary election. A candidate who receives the majority of votes cast (i.e., more than fifty percent excluding blank and overvotes) or is unopposed for the office in the first special election, held in conjunction with the primary election, is deemed elected. The contest will not appear in the second special election, held in conjunction with the general election. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast for the office in the first special election, the two (2) candidates, receiving the most votes in the first special election, will appear on the second special election ballot. The candidate who receives the highest number of votes at the second special election is deemed elected (Hawaii County Charter, Article XIII, Section 13-27).Term: Two years, limited to a maximum of four consecutive full terms.Base Salary: Councilmember - $70,008; Chairperson - $77,016
Education
B.A. Business Administration
Community/Military Service
Current: Malama Pono Kohala: Relationships Without Violence Prior: Trustee, Historic Hawai'i Foundation, Board Member, Mental Health Kokua, and President, Waikoloa Village Outdoor Circle
Campaign Phone
808-345-5810
Post pandemic, things are not the same. Services and programs provided by government need to be looked at and regulations need to be updated. Meeting the needs of our community, such as, attainable housing, emergency preparedness, access to healthcare, workforce development, strong economy, and healthy environment requires collaboration, focus, and commitment.
My 16 years of experience as State Representative and near two years experience as County Councilmember as taught me how to get things done. I listen, strategize, collaborate to find solutions, show up, and help navigate change.
Two issues have to be addressed.....funding and regulations. How? Working with our Congressional Delegation, Governor, and State Legislature to find funding. Hiring the right people, engaging experts, forming partnerships, and seeking community input will assist decision makers on getting state-of-the-art infrastructure.
I believe in shared responsibility to lower the financial impact on property owners, new technology to lower costs of power consumption, public-private partnerships, effective regulations.
Best to focus on mitigating any negative impacts to our quality of life.
I learn from the great work of community members, small businesses, community leaders, and coalitions. The Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Hawai'i Island Economic Development Board, Board of Realtors, Vibrant Economy, Community First are some of the groups that have worked on our County challenges and opportunities. My job, if elected, will be to continue my efforts to update County Code, bring parties together to focus on change, engage community to partner to make a difference, and work with executive branch to improve delivery of government services and programs.
Support the efforts of Office of Housing and Community Development to provide workforce housing and housing for those below the median income of our island. Support funding and training to update technology to improve permitting. Support density in the urban zones subject to environmental and cultural integrity. Support ohana dwelling and accessory dwelling units. Encourage development of affordable rental housing. Continue the quest to encourage long-term, affordable rentals. Support efforts to increase mass transit. Improve the economy to improve wages.
Education
Master in Public Administration (Hawaiʻi Pacific University); Graduate Studies - Geographic Information Systems (University of Redlands); B.A. - Environmental Studies (Lawrence University)
Community/Military Service
Waimea Community Association (President - 4 years, Board Member - 6 years); South Kohala Traffic Safety Committee (Chair - 7 years); County of Hawaiʻi 2021 Redistricting Commission (Vice Chair); Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi (Hawaiʻi County Chair, West Hawaiʻi Vice Chair); Waimea Trails & Greenways Committee (11 years); Waimea Resilience Hub; Lavaman Triathlon (Aid Station Director - 8 years); Coqui Free Waimea
Campaign Phone
(808)464-2570
Aloha kākou! I aspire to represent the communities of North & South Kohala, to enhance County services, collaborate with community organizations, and find solutions through partnerships. My time growing up in Waimea inspired me to contribute to my community through leadership roles and meaningful involvement. Our communities deserve consistent engagement and a proactive approach to the challenges we face. I am dedicated to addressing issues, working with our County, State, and Federal partners, in an effort to safeguard our residents, strengthen our infrastructure, and care for the ʻāina.
We must assess our current County infrastructure to determine capacity and employ proactive maintenance to reduce future costs. When implementing new systems, we must utilize data models and scientific analysis to identify the most appropriate solutions. This effort should be paired with knowledge and collaboration from community partners and organizations. Investment in new systems should incorporate advanced technologies and be built in a way that limits risk and promotes resilience. Funding for large scale initiatives can be secured through Federal grants and municipal bonds.
We must invest in our infrastructure, support existing local businesses, and look at ways of attracting new enterprises. Providing small businesses with grants, loans, and technical assistance programs can encourage entrepreneurship. Our agriculture systems can grow more local food and reduce our reliance on imports, while also developing value added goods. We have an opportunity to engage sustainable tourism practices, invest in renewable energy systems, streamline our permitting process, and train our workforce. Our County can be a place where local families can prosper.
We need to pursue initiatives at the County level that will expand the middle housing sector and fund housing projects that are affordable. This path can help local families build capital to become first-time homeowners. Through policy and community advocacy we can focus growth in urban centers, limit sprawl, and provide more reasonable housing options for families. We need to expand our workforce and elderly housing capacity in partnership with the State and private entities, enhance mass transit capacity, address zoning challenges, and encourage mixed-income developments.
