There’s a new day coming for the Hawaii County Council, with a freshly minted chairwoman, three freshman members, newly named committees and a more progressive agenda.
Chairwoman-elect Heather Kimball, soon to be a second-term council member from Hamakua, will lead a council with freshmen replacing three more conservative members who — often unsuccessfully — pushed for more limited spending, greater tax savings and less government control. The new council is expected to focus more on social justice and environmental issues.
North Kona Councilman Holeka Inaba, also soon to be in his second two-year term, will be vice chairman.
The newly elected council members are Jennifer Kagiwada, formerly Kimball’s legislative aide, representing Hilo; Cindy Evans, a former representative in the state House, representing Kohala, and Michelle Galimba, a rancher and former member of the Windward Planning Commission, representing South Kona and Ka‘u.
“I certainly think we can anticipate many good things coming forward. With three new members, very bright, active, hardworking women, we’re going to have a very collaborative body,” Kimball said.
The 2020-2022 council was often collaborative, but not always on the same page.
Former Kohala Councilman Tim Richards, for example, frequently voted against the county budget because he disagreed with spending priorities. He also had strong opinions about the practicality of banning handguns on private property such as ranchland. Richards automatically left the council when he was elected state senator on Nov. 8.
Hilo Councilman Aaron Chung was term-limited, as was Council Chairwoman Maile David of South Kona/Ka‘u. Chung and David often touched the brakes on measures they thought could be over-reaching, and neither was afraid to vote against the majority.
Hilo Councilwoman Sue Lee Loy, who was reelected to her final term, often found herself on the same side of close votes with Richards, Chung and David.
“I might not be as old as them but I’ve been around the council just as long and I think that’s where we align policy-wise,” Lee Loy said, recounting her work as a council staffer back in the late ’80s and early ’90s.
Even the committee names have evolved to reflect the council’s more progressive leanings. What was the committee on Agriculture, Water, Energy and Environmental Management prior to 2020, for example, two years ago had the adjective,” Regenerative” tacked to the front, and this coming year, becomes “Policy Committee on Climate Resilience and Regenerative Agriculture.”
Kimball said the council committees have been divided into policy committees and functional committees to make the process more transparent by helping constituents piece though the bills on the agendas. The policy committees will tackle changes to the county code, wile other committees, such as the Finance Committee, are more functional in nature, she said.
Kimball sees her role of chairwoman as a “service position,” providing the rest of the council with the tools they need to do their best work for their constituents.
“I’m very excited about the upcoming term with a great group of people,” she said. “I think the community of Hawaii County is going to be very well served over the next term.”
Council inauguration, followed by an organizational session, is set for Monday in Hilo. Inauguration ceremonies will be held at noon at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. The doors will open at 11:30 with music and hula.
The organizational session follows at 3 p.m. in County Council chambers. Earlier in the day Monday, the outgoing council meets at 9 a.m. for a sine die session honoring the three departing council members. All sessions are open to the public.