Charging tourists to visit county beach parks and the zoo is being considered as a potential way to help pay for facilities, Mayor Mitch Roth said.
Roth, addressing the new Cost of Government Commission on Thursday as it kicked off its work for the year, said a pay-as-you-throw garbage charge is also under consideration again. But the administration’s plans for public-private partnerships as a way to save money have run into legal concerns and may have to be scrapped, he said.
The commission, whose members are appointed by the mayor, meets every few years. It plans to have a report ready by the end of the year, and has scheduled is next meeting for 2 p.m. Feb. 24 via Zoom.
Roth urged the commission to look at all possibilities, even if they’ve been raised before.
“There are some things we think we can be doing better,” Roth said. “Just because something has been done in the past doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look at it again.”
Puna Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz, who served on the last Cost of Government Commission, advised the commission to look at previous commissions’ reports to see if any progress has been made.
“A lot of time is spent getting those reports put together, but how do we ensure that we are being held accountable to some of the recommendations you have been sharing,” she asked.
Roth said sustainability is also important, a topic he said should include “the ability to keep our kids here.”
“In order for that to happen, you have to have jobs and good paying jobs. You have to be housing for our kids,” Roth said, adding the commission should think about he second renaissance of Hawaiian culture and language, where “Hawaiians thought about sustainability as not just having enough but having an abundance.”
Roth said his administration is also looking at becoming more green by leasing vehicles and using more electric and hydrogen models to reduce the use of fossil fuels.
Fleet vehicles were also a concern with the previous commission, that had among its recommendations in the report released in March, 2019, that the county convert to fleet vehicles for the Police Department rather than have officers use their own cars for mileage and subsidies. That recommendation wasn’t implemented.
Deputy Managing Director Bobby Command plans to bring the commission a report on which, if any, recent recommendations have been implemented.
The 2019 commission also recommended:
• Initiate or increase user fees for county park facilities.
• Sell/relinquish Panaewa equestrian center to the state.
• Adjust landfill fees for net zero budget.
• Explore alternatives to Ka‘u sewer projects.
• Move to a biennial budgeting process.
• Eliminate homeowner tax exemption for unpermitted buildings.
• Correct outdated codes that hinder building permits.
• Schedule staff/applicant meetings for permit pre-submittal to include all reviewing departments.
Commission Chairman Michael Konowicz asked commission members to submit ideas and areas of interest for discussion at the next meeting.
Commissioner Ken Obenski said he already had a list in mind.
“Some would be goring somebody’s ox and would be quickly rejected,” Obenski said.”Some of them will be acceptable.”